For First Time In Years, Civic Isn’t ‘Recommended’

Whoa! I didn't think I'd ever see the day.... I got to say I'm not sure what to think, on one hand I do agree with consumer reports on the quality of materials taking a step back, but the noisy choppy ride I couldn't disagree with more, especially having done a comparison ride and drive between all the major competitors listed in the top 12 and knowing how each drives.

CR's also says that the rear seat room is a positive, well, I am no giant but I have noticed that there is less head room in the rear compared to the previous model. Hmm.

I think Honda is a victim of their own success, there is no doubt that the competition has gotten better, it's very hard to have a 'revolutionary' new bodystyle everytime but I do feel they made some improvements; safer (10% more high tensile steel), better fuel economy (with or without Eco mode), and more features (bluetooth is standard, new multi-informational display, USB is more standard, power seat in a Civic EX-L, and I could go on).

At the end of the day it is going to come down to what the consumer says and if early indications are anything, at least here in Canada, we can't get enough of them. I expect a revision to this rating some time, might not be until their May 2012 issue, but I expect something.
A popular consumer magazine known for its automotive road tests says it can no longer recommend the Honda Civic compact sedan. The Civic, which has been a top finisher in comparisons with rivals in the small-car segment for decades, finished second from the bottom in a 12-car shoot-out in Consumer Reports.

The magazine’s announcement, which coincides with distribution of its latest issue, marks “the first time in recent memory” that the Civic has not received its stamp of approval, a magazine spokesman says.

Summing up the Civic’s performance in its small-sedan evaluation, Consumer Reports says, “The Civic, long one of our top-scoring small cars, has slid backward with its latest redesign and no longer scores high enough in our testing for us to recommend it. The new Civic dropped a whopping 17 points — from a very good 78 to a mediocre 61 on our 100-point scale.”

The statement continues: “Compared with its predecessor, the 2012 Civic has lower interior quality and suffers from a choppy ride, long stopping distances, and pronounced road noise. Vague steering impairs its agility and robs it of its fun-to-drive feel.”

Among the positives, the magazine says, are the car’s rear-seat room and fuel economy of 30 mpg overall .

Honda released the following statement:
“In a broad sense, we disagree with Consumer Reports’ findings. Without question, the small sedan segment is more competitive than ever. In virtually every way, the completely redesigned 2012 Civic is a step forward. The new Civic excels in areas that matter to small-car customers, including fuel efficiency, safety, and reliability. Among the Civic’s greatest competitive strengths, is a smooth and efficient powertrain that, in Consumer Reports testing returned, “… an impressive 30 mpg overall on regular fuel and 47 mpg on the highway.” Also noted in Consumer Reports findings, the Civic excels in the area of safety, with a long list of important features standard on all trim levels, and a class-leading ‘Top Safety Pick’ rating from IIHS. Lastly, the Civic has a stellar reliability history with Consumer Reports, and we are confident that the new Civic will be a reliability leader as well.”

Here is the finishing order in the Consumer Reports test:
1. Hyundai Elantra GLS
2. Nissan Sentra SL
3. Subaru Impreza 2.5i
4. Toyota Corolla LE
5. Kia Forte EX
6. Mazda Mazda3 Touring
7. Chevrolet Cruze 1LT
8. Ford Focus SE
9. Chevrolet Cruze LS
10. Mitsubishi Lancer ES
11. Honda Civic LX
12. Volkswagen Jetta SE

Source;
http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2011/08/01/for-first-time-in-years-civic-isnt-recomended/

What happens if an automaker goes bankrupt?

A: Under a Chapter 11 reorganization, a manufacturer's normal operations would probably continue. It would still be building cars and providing service, so car owners might not have problems getting warranty repairs, parts, and service.

In a Chapter 7 liquidation, the company would effectively cease to exist and car owners would largely be on their own. The company would still have to address safety recalls. It's possible that if another automaker buys a defunct brand, it would continue to support owners.

Perhaps more likely is an automaker's jettisoning a division, as GM did with Oldsmobile in 2004 and Chrysler did with Plymouth in 2001. Support for owners of those makes has continued through other GM and Chrysler dealerships. But the resale values of the vehicles plummeted, as would probably happen with a Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

If resale value is a concern, avoid buying a make that might be phased out. If you plan to keep the car for a long time, depreciation is less of a factor, and buying from a brand going out of business could make it easier to find a good deal. For more information on which automakers are best, see "Who makes the best cars?"

Source;
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/02/what-happens-if-an-automaker-goes-bankrupt-.html

Consumer Reports names most reliable used vehicles

Yonkers, New York - Consumer Reports has released the list of its most and least reliable used cars for the last ten years in its Annual Auto Issue. The vehicles range from model years 1999 to 2008, with Toyota and Honda dominating the majority of the nine categories.

The picks in five categories are:

Small Cars: Honda Civic, Toyota Echo, Scion xB*, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Matrix, Pontiac Vibe, Mazda3, Mazda Protegé, Subaru Impreza

Family Cars: Honda Accord, Toyota Prius, Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan*, Toyota Camry (except 2008 V6), Subaru Outback (six-cylinder), Nissan Altima

Minivans: Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey

Small SUVs: Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, Mitsubishi Outlander

Midsize and Large SUVs: Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Lexus RX, Toyota Land Cruiser*, Toyota 4Runner, Infiniti FX35, Acura MDX, Infiniti QX4, Lexus GX, Hyundai Santa Fe, Subaru Tribeca, Nissan Xterra (2005-2008), Toyota Sequoia

* Model not sold in Canada

The report also features “Used Cars to Avoid” and “Worst of the Worst”, which names vehicles with multiple years of much worse than average reliability, including models from Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, GMC, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Mazda, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Porsche, Saturn, Volkswagen and Volvo.

Consumer Reports noted that problem rates for cars have decreased across the board, so newer used cars should hold up better than their predecessors as they age. Among five-year-old and newer cars, Ford, Hyundai and Nissan are about tied in reliability. European cars, long the least reliable overall, are pulling even with the domestics on newer models. The magazine also noted that cars with high problem rates are not always the oldest vehicles.

Across all ten years of the survey, the most commonly reported problems are with the check engine light, windows, and squeaks and rattles. Brake problems became evident at five years.
The full report is contained in the Annual Auto Issue, on sale from March 3 to May 4, 2009.

Source;
http://www.canadiandriver.com/2009/02/26/consumer-reports-names-most-reliable-vehicles.htm

Honda builds best vehicles: Consumer Reports

Yonkers, New York - Honda has earned class leader status for building the best all-around vehicles for American drivers, according to Consumer Reports. It is the third consecutive year that Honda has been so named.

At the opposite end of the annual ranking is Chrysler, which fared worse than last year. The magazine said that the company’s poor-performing products and sinking reliability reports have kept all Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep vehicles off its “Recommended” list.

With an overall score of 78 out of 100 points, Honda was followed closely by Subaru at 75, and Toyota at 74, in the overall score. Subaru is the only automaker with every one of its tested vehicles as recommended, although it has a relatively small model lineup.

Fourth place went to Mazda at 73, followed by Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Volkswagen and BMW, all tied at 72 points.

The editors said that while the top four overall scores belong to Japanese automakers, a Japanese nameplate is no guarantee that every car in a model range will be a reliable and good performer, citing that the Honda Element and Toyota Yaris scored too low in testing to be recommended. Conversely, despite overall scores of 63 points for Ford and 57 for General Motors, new models such as the Ford Flex, Ford F-150, Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac CTS have done well in testing, and rank near the top of their classes in ratings.

The overall score for each automaker is based on the average of its vehicles’ overall scores in Consumer Reports’ road tests, and their average predicted reliability ratings from its annual auto survey. Manufacturers received a report card only if five or more of its vehicles were tested.

Of the three class leaders, Toyota regained lost ground after last year’s report, when the Camry V6, Tundra V8 4WD and Lexus GS AWD fell below average in reliability. All three have improved to “average” this year. Of the Asian automakers, Subaru, Nissan, Mazda and Hyundai improved their overall scores, and Nissan and Hyundai also improved their reliability rating. Of the four, Hyundai showed the most improvement, increasing its overall score from 66 to 70; the new Genesis also topped the upscale sedan ratings.

European automakers have lagged in reliability, but with notable improvements with several models from Audi, BMW, Saab, Volkswagen, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes showed the most significant improvement, and reliability was greatly improved across most of its lineup, with 67 per cent of tested vehicles now recommended, compared with none in the prior year.
All three Detroit automakers continued to be at the back of the class, although General Motors and Ford improved their overall scores. Chrysler had the lowest overall test score, with no vehicles recommended.

The magazine said there was some positive news for the domestic automakers, with latest models from GM now ranking among the best in testing, and the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook, Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Corvette and Chevrolet Malibu all scoring well. Some Ford models now rival competition from Honda and Toyota in reliability, and the Dodge Ram is now very competitive with other full-size trucks. Less than a quarter of recommended vehicles are from U.S. companies, a result of inconsistent reliability and performance, while about half are Japanese.

“While Japanese automakers continue to set the standard for the industry in terms of real-world performance and reliability, many domestic, European and Korean manufacturers are narrowing the gap by building better and more reliable cars,” said David Champion, senior director of automotive testing. “While some automakers are still dragged down by old product investments, we expect the race for the front of the class to become even more competitive, which may lead to some excellent values for consumers in the near future.”

Source;
http://www.canadiandriver.com/2009/02/26/honda-builds-best-vehicles-consumer-reports.htm

Honda tops Consumer Reports 2009 Automaker Report Cards... again

In what may be the least surprising news you read all day, Consumer Reports has released its annual 2009 Auto Issue that contains Automaker Report Cards. These report cards compile all of CR's road test data and predicted reliability ratings for all vehicles in its database, and Japanese automakers have again earned top rankings just as they have for as long as we can recall.

Honda, Subaru and Toyota came out on top after all the scores were tallied, with every single Subaru model earning a Recommended rating from CR. Honda was the brand that fared the absolute best in predicted reliability, with just its Element small SUV barely failing to make the grade as a Recommended nameplate. Toyota also fared very well in reliability testing, as we've come to expect from the world's largest automaker. European automakers managed to get a shout out for offering unmatched performance, comfort and safety along with incremental increases in overall vehicle reliability.

American automakers got their own separate report cards, which you can see by clicking here. Of the Detroit-based manufacturers, Ford came out victorious with its Flex and F-150 earning top ratings and many of the rest of its models scoring well. General Motors managed to sneak eight vehicles on the Recommended list: the new Pontiac G8, Cadillac CTS and Chevy Malibu, along with the Corvette and each of the Lambda-based CUVs. Chrysler pulled up the rear again this year among all automakers without a single vehicle earning a positive score from CR.

Source;

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/26/honda-tops-consumer-reports-2009-automaker-report-cards-again/

Hypermiling – Evaluating common fuel-economy tips on the road

In "Hypermiling - The new menace on the road?" I wrote about drivers who compromise safety and traffic flow in an effort to get the most out of a gallon of fuel. And while some people may employ annoying or even dangerous hypermiling techniques such as driving 45 mph on the highway, turning the ignition key off when coasting, or tailgating a big rig for aero, many people are just looking for a safe and effective way to save fuel.

Some of the responses to my previous blog encouraged me to research and report more on hypermiling. I went to cleanmpg.com for information from the "mild" to "advanced" ways to hypermile.

Armed with our Prius Touring that we tested for the June issue, I headed out on a weekend camping trip with my son in an attempt to beat the EPA cycle without doing anything unsafe or annoying to my fellow motorists.

After much study and practice, here are a few of the hypermiling tips that I tried, some successfully, some not so much:

1. Maximum tire pressure: Among the most-common hypermiling advice is to fill the tires to the maximum inflation pressure on the sidewall. However, this tip violates my safety criteria: You should inflate the tires to the recommended pressure set by the vehicle manufacturer. High inflation pressures can adversely effect emergency handling by upsetting the balance of the car, minimizing control on bumpy roads, and hurting grip on slick ones. It will also cost you money by prematurely wearing out your tires. So for a trip with my son, this one was out. (Learn more about tire safety and care.)

2. Keeping the speed down: OK, this is an obvious one. In our own fuel-economy testing, just going 10 mph slower can save a lot of gasoline. Getting in the right lane on a desolate highway and holding the limit is one thing, but my trip was mostly smaller roads. While I tried to go the local speed limits, I quickly found myself being tailgated by annoyed locals wondering what was wrong with me. So I have to admit I did go a bit faster, but only when I was sharing the road with others.

3. Forced Auto Stop (FAS): The Prius Hybrid system allows the engine to turn off when not needed. It does so seamlessly and safely, and it is possible to drive in a way to maximize the engine’s off time. On a conventional car you would have to turn the ignition key off to make this happen (and then quickly back on so the steering wheel doesn’t lock up). But while driving in a car with the engine off may save fuel, the car may not save you if you need to stop quickly, accelerate, or turn to avoid something. Most cars will lose their power steering and brakes very quickly in such a situation, so don’t try this one. Because the Prius does this on its own, I did my best to keep that engine shut–off when I could.

4. Timing the lights: The trick here is to hit the greens as much as you can. Why go full-steam up to a red light, slam on the brakes, and then start off from a stop again when the green comes? Smooth out your driving by slowing before the red to keep some momentum as you go through the light. This takes some practice, but it does work. However, people driving behind you may not understand what you are doing and get frustrated as you slowly coast to the light. Another problem is it is easy to convince yourself that it is OK to coast through a stop sign or go through a light that has just turned red because you are doing your part to save the Earth. Do not do this! Actions like this lead to many deaths each year at intersections.

5. Pulse and glide (P&G): For me, this one was the coolest. For everyone who thought maintaining constant speed was the most fuel-efficient way – all things change when you are in a Hybrid. Under 41 mph the Prius can coast with the engine off without charging or using its batteries if you push down on the accelerator pedal ever so slightly. The P&G technique can only be used on slower roads, preferably with nobody else around you. The trick here is to accelerate briskly to 41 mph, and then coast as long as possible with the engine off and the batteries not being used, and when you get down to, say 34 mph or so "pulse" again back to 41 mph. On my trip, I took a lot of back roads and came back early in the morning. So with the road to myself, I wound up using this technique a lot. While unintuitive to do initially, when you think about the fact that the engine is only running several seconds each minute, the technique begins to make sense quickly!

Bottom line:
I drove 283 miles over the weekend and got (drum roll please)… 68.2 mpg average on the trip computer. Even I was surprised when I looked at the Prius-ometer at the end of the weekend. And 68+ mpg is downright impressive compared to the 42 mpg overall we got in our testing, but then again I didn’t do any of the stop-and-go city driving that we simulate in our tests. At $4.00 a gallon I saved about $10.00. But at what cost? I have to admit that in my concentration on fuel savings sacrifices were made. For instance, I missed a few scenic spots, talked to my son less, and at one point tried to talk him into "holding it" instead of stopping in order to maintain momentum.

When my wife heard about my mileage, she was eager to try out hypermiling. The next day we drove her 2006 Prius to the local supermarket with me at the wheel demonstrating my newfound talents. The trip was all back roads that allowed me to P&G nearly the entire way. The few lights I hit, I was able to time perfectly. As I backed into the space at the market (a hypermiling trick to allow a quick get-a-way, minimizing warm-up time) my wife’s jaw dropped at the display reading 92.7 mpg. On the way home, she tried it out herself. After about five minutes of driving, total fuel savings: None. It took us that long to make it out of the parking lot because she kept making wrong turns as she focused on the fuel economy display. She still tries to moderately hypermile her Prius, but she’s perfectly content getting 50 mpg and still having the ability to hold a conversation with our son.

Source:
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2008/09/hypermiling-tip.html

Honda and Toyota Top Consumer Reports 'Brand Perception' Survey

Well, it looks like Honda and Toyota have done it again, this time Brand Perception. Now, this is brand perception, NOT in some cases reality. When you look at some of the catagories, Safety being one, there are a few companies that are left off of the list; Mercedes and BMW come to mind in a big way! Anyway, here is the list along with the link;

Best Brand Perception
1 Toyota - 189 pts
2 Honda - 146 pts
3 Ford - 114 pts
4 Chevrolet - 110 pts
5 GMC - 102 pts

Worst Brand Perception
1 Buick - 25 pts
2 Mercury - 22 pts
3 Mitsubishi - 21 pts
4 Audi - 14 pts
5 Acura - 8 pts

Must say, I am shocked at the brand perception of Audi and Acura.
Here is the Brand Perception by Catagory;

Safety
1 Volvo - 77%
2 Toyota - 21%
3 Subaru - 18%
4 Ford - 17%
5 Honda - 17%

Quality
1 Toyota - 33%
2 Honda - 24%
3 Lexus - 23%
4 Mercedes Benz - 19%
5 Chevrolet - 17%

Value
1 Honda - 30%
2 Saturn - 24%
3 Toyota - 24 %
4 Kia - 23%
5 Ford - 20%

Performance
1 BMW - 28%
2 Porsche - 25%
3 Chevrolet - 21%
4 Toyota - 20%
5 Honda - 20%

Here is the link to the rest;
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/new-cars/news/2008/01/brand-perceptions/top-five-in-brand-perception/brand-perceptions-top-5.htm

Honda Tops Consumer Reports Survey as Most Reliable

The latest survey from Consumer Reports (magazine to hit news stands by Nov. 06, 2007) has Honda Motor Co. toppling Toyota Motor Co. for top spot on the Reliability rankings. Not only did Toyota slide down, but they slid down to fifth. Wow. Toyota is still an amazing product, but this shows the first crack in some very strong armour.

From what I can make of most of the news, here's how I see the some of the list;

1) Honda

2) Acura

3) Scion

4) Subaru

5) Toyota

6) ?

7) ?

8) ?

9) Porche

10) ?

11) Mercury

12) ?

13) Ford

14) Lincoln

Source: http://money.cnn.com/2007/10/16/autos/cr_reliability/?postversion=2007101710

I will fill in the blanks as more information comes to light.