U.S. gas prices—March 31, 2008

Gas prices rise again.

National retail fuel price averages

Price

Change from last week

Regular gasoline/gallon	$3.29	↑ .03
Diesel fuel/gallon	$3.96	↓.03

Regional regular gasoline prices

Price

Change from last week

East Coast	$3.26	↑ .02
-New England	$3.21	↑ .01
-Central Atlantic	$3.26	↑ .02
-Lower Atlantic	$3.27	↑ .02
Midwest	$3.25	↑ .06
Gulf Coast	$3.21	↑ .04
Rocky Mountain	$3.23	↑ .03
West Coast	$3.52	↑ .01
-California	$3.61	↑ .01

Source: Energy Information Administration, 3/31/08

Road smarts - Pedestrian danger at dusk

More pedestrians are killed between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. than at any other time. It is no wonder. In the hours as day transitions to night, commuters are rushing to get home; people are jogging and walking their dogs; and families are heading out to dinner or to sports practice, with a car-load of distractions.

This Road Smarts video from Consumer Reports Television shows drivers and pedestrians how to stay safe.

Learn more about car safety in our special section of ConsumerReports.org and visit the CR Safety blog.

Toyota Sienna AWD run-flat tires: No worse for wear

Lots of tire life left based on our extended tread-life test.

We’ve had a series of blog reports on our Toyota Sienna following the tread life performance of its run-flat tires.  (See the links below.) Now, at just over 30,000 miles, (30,247 miles to be exact, as shown) we’re impressed with the wear performance of the tires, which are projected to wear out at no less than 54,000 miles—comparable or better than conventional all-season tires.   

For those of you just joining us, we purchased a new 2007 Toyota Sienna XLE AWD with the Dunlop SP Sport 4000 Self-Supporting Technology tires (DSST)—run-flat tires. After the road test was completed, we purchased a new set of Dunlop SP Sport 4000 DSST tires for a tread-life evaluation on our Sienna. The evaluation started at the end of March 2007 and now, one year later, the tires still are trucking on.

To be fair to the tires, we have been checking inflation pressures religiously; checking alignment, rotating the tires, and measuring the average tread depth in tread grooves (four grooves) across the tire’s tread width and at four places around the tire for a total of sixteen test points. In the course of the 30,000 mile test we measured tread depth of the new tires, and then eleven times throughout the test, most at 2,000-mile intervals.   

Some readers/subscribers have griped that nobody checks tires as often as we did and most certainly do not check alignments that often. To that end, we checked the tire’s inflation pressure just about every month, just like you should do. As for wheel alignment, we did check it routinely but never had to readjust the wheel alignment settings at all. And then there were our drivers, a sorted bunch of car enthusiasts, office administrators, and maintenance staff who drove the minivan all those miles. 

Minivans don’t excite many employees here with all the cars that we get to drive at our Auto Test Center, but with the enticement of free fuel, people were fighting over the use of the van, especially for long vacation trips. And so the van has been all over the New England region, and it enjoyed more places than I will ever see, from venturing into the deep-south of the United States to traveling across a wide swath of Canada.

At just over 30,000 miles, the tires still have about 25,000 miles or more left based on the fastest wearing groove, before they are worn-out to the tread wear indicator of 2/32” depth. On average, just two tires were about 50 percent worn out, one was just over 40 percent worn out, and a fourth tire had to be replaced after the previous tread measurement point due to an encounter with a large pot hole.  The tires were wearing faster at their shoulder grooves with a slight cupped shoulder. That continued to be the case at the last measurement, but the wear progressed more evenly across the width of the tire ensuring many more miles of happy travel. 

The bottom line: Our test doesn’t guarantee that you will get the same mileage. As they say, results may vary, as the total tire range depends on how and where you drive. But given the variability of our test with different drivers, roads, and seasons driven, we feel that with proper maintenance you can enjoy a long relationship with your Sienna’s run-flat tires.   

Background
Toyota Sienna all-wheel-drive owners clearly have a beef with the short tread life of the standard run-flat tires and continue to share complaints in letters and Cars forums posts, especially in Tire Talk, the online-subscriber-only tire forum at ConsumerReports.org. We've also covered the frustration of Sienna owners regarding fast-wearing tires here in the Cars blog.

As we’ve said before, most owners were pleased with the overall performance of their AWD Sienna—one of the top-rated models in Consumer Reports tests—but few are satisfied with the run-flat tire tread life, cost of replacement, and limited models from which to choose (two original-equipment suppliers). Some even have psychological fears about not having a spare tire on board.

Many owners have complained that the run-flat tires wear out much quicker than expected or unevenly—often within 15,000 to 20,000 miles. Some owners found themselves facing an aggravating annual tire replacement, costing $700 or more. Toyota finally addressed the issue last year with an extended warranty on 2004 to some 2006 model-year vehicles, mostly addressing the irregular wear condition. Later-model vehicles came with a revised tire intended to eliminate the wear condition.

—Gene Petersen, Jen Stockburger, Ryan Pszczolkowski

Related blog posts:
Update: Toyota Sienna AWD run-flat tires
Toyota Sienna AWD run-flat tires wear well for us
Toyota Sienna AWD tires - patience wearing thin
Toyota extends run-flat tire warranty
Toyota Sienna run-flat tires? Spare us.
Run-flat tires go flat with our readers       

Research tires with our expanded tools. Discuss in the Cars forums, especially in Tire Talk, the online-subscriber-only tire forum.

Ignorance is BLIS

I don't know about you, but I find red lights distracting, even if I only see them out of the corner of my eye. That's not a bad thing, nor is it a complaint. The reaction needs to be immediate, even instinctive, and this succeeds because we're trained from a very young age to associate red with danger.

That's why I find our Volvo XC70's Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) so annoying. For those of you who haven't used it, BLIS senses when a vehicle in the next lane is approaching or in the area you can't see in your side mirrors. It works on either side of the car, and a red warning light comes on near the mirror on the appropriate side to let you know you've got company.

All well and good, but the way I look at it, the fact that there's a car in the lane next to me does not necessarily constitute danger. In fact, where I live and commute, there's almost always a car in my blind spot, and most don't stay there long. Many of my fellow commuters prefer to travel at either double or half my speed, and some seem to like to alternate between the two. The result is my own little commuting light show, with lights blinking on and off on either side of the car all the way home. Now that's distraction.

Fortunately, there is a button to turn BLIS off. But when you do, a warning message lights up on the dash to tell you that it's off. Thanks, Volvo. I knew that. You see, I turned it off.

Thankfully, you can turn the warning off by simply pressing yet another button on the end of the directional signal stalk. No big deal. Just be prepared to repeat this ritual every time you start the car if you prefer to be BLIS-less.

I can put up with BLIS, and I suppose I can even see some value in it. After all, blind spots are getting worse and studies show that blind spot detection and lane departure warnings show promise. I'm sure my fellow commuters, busy with their cell phones, newspapers, and eyeliner can see value in it, too. After all, who has time to pay attention to driving?  But seriously, that raises another concern. If today's distracted driver is meant to rely on a system like BLIS, it'd damn well better work. All the time. The other night while driving home in the rain, the Volvo gave me another warning message saying its function might be diminished, something Volvo says can happen in bad weather. Never mind that a pile of leaves along the side of the road can set off the light show.

All righty, then. I'm back to turning it off. Call me old fashioned, but I'd rather use the mirrors and/or a quick glance over the shoulder to know when it's safe to change lanes. The rest of the time, I can motor along without the light show, diminished function or no.

Now that's commuting bliss.

—Jim Travers

Learn about automotive safety.

Is the best-selling car the best car?

As expected, we received quite a few comments about our domestic-brand-only American Top Picks 2008 blog. Reading through the oft-feisty responses, I noted that two readers questioned why the Ford F-150 didn't make the cut—or even get mentioned—in the pickup truck category. One wrote:

Not only is it the best-selling full-sized truck for over 30 years...but when was it listed as the truck pick for a model year by CR? Not only does it outsell every truck in the U.S. but every CAR as well! Shouldn't it receive at least honorable mention every year? ...Why does that work for Camry every year and not the F-150?

Since the issue of vehicle sales vs. the ranking of a vehicle in CR's Ratings comes up on occasion, let's take a look.

No doubt, the F-150 has been the top-selling single vehicle nameplate for many years. Even with the recent drop in truck sales, Ford sold over 700,000 F-150s in 2007. Sales figures make great ad copy or fodder for Internet forum discussions. After all, people love to cheer (or boo) for a winner, and sales numbers set up clear winners and losers. But does that matter to the owner?

Topping the sales charts doesn't mean that a vehicle tops its class. After Ford redesigned the F-150 back in 2004, Toyota and GM completely redesigned their trucks and Dodge made substantial improvements to their Ram. As a result, in our last pickup truck test, the Tundra and Silverado handily outscored the F-150. The F-150's engine was strained; the seats uncomfortable; and stability control (a requirement for being a Top Pick) is unavailable. (A 2009 freshening aims to address these complaints.) The F-150 has been a Top Pick in pickups - but that was back in 1999. (See our video reviews of the current full-sized pickup trucks.)

Let's look at the car side of the market. For the last several years, the Toyota Camry has outsold all cars, selling about 470,000 cars a year. But despite what many people think, the Camry hasn't been a CR Top Pick since the 2000 V6 model. (That said, the Camry scores much closer to the top of the family sedan heap than the F-150 does in the pickup segment.) Sometimes the figures and our rankings line up; the Honda CR-V is the top-selling small SUV for 2007, and it ranks very close to the top of our ratings for four-cylinder SUVs.

It would be naive of us to think that all consumers bought products solely based on how they score in our tests. For example, we don't factor styling in to our scoring. The Ford Five Hundred (now Taurus) is a better all-around car than the Chrysler 300, but while one of them is flashy enough to star in rap videos, the other is more likely to be featured in insurance company ads with its badges removed as the amorphous Generic Car.

Brand image also plays a role in some buyer's minds. Sometimes when we're asked for buying advice (an occupational hazard), sometimes our more affordable suggestions are shunned for the sake of status. (Never mind what happens when we suggest buying a minivan or station wagon.)

There's more to it than that though. Typically domestic brands have many more dealers and are represented in more rural areas, easing sales and service for some buyers. Massive spending on commercials gets those vehicles into the public eye. Car companies have resorted to putting heavy end-of-year incentives on cars to "win" a sales race for bragging rights. Some companies spin their accounting, like Toyota's counting the Matrix in Corolla sales and including the Solara in Camry sales. And car companies can dump excess inventory into rental or other fleets to count as sales.

Motivation to sell a lot of cars runs deep in the industry. There is overhead—plants and labor—that is better utilized when kept busy. Selling more cars can translate into economy of scale of production, ideally increasing profits (unless you have to plunk heavy incentives on the cars to move them out of inventory.) While it might be hard to find parts for an esoteric car down the road, most mass-production cars sell in enough volume and have enough factory support to make this a non-issue.

But when it comes to spending your money, none of these issues has anything to do with how good a car is to drive, how it helps prevent (or protect you in) an accident, or how reliable the car is to own. As American Idol's Simon Cowell would say, this is a talent competition, not a popularity contest - and we're scoring cars based on talent.

See our true list of overall Top Picks for 2008. Watch the Top Picks videos.
Also, read "Who makes the best cars?"

—Tom Mutchler

Play time at the NY auto show

I spent the press days at the New York auto show writing, editing, and posting our coverage of the show.  So, I thought I should take a (short) break to have a little fun. All work and no play would be a shame, since there are a lot of things to see and do at the Javits Center.

The show opened to the public on Friday March 21st and runs until Sunday March 30th. Besides checking out the latest vehicles coming soon to a dealer near you, here are highlights of some other activities you can enjoy at the show.

Tucked in the corner on the first floor, Toyota trucks and race cars are displayed.  If you've ever seen the Toyota Pit Pass commercial, you can take a photo in a similar chair and simulate the ride above the zooming cars on a race track.

On the third level, Toyota has a live talk show where there is trivia, games, and prizes as well as an old-style curtain photo booth where you can make more goofy faces and print pictures with various backgrounds.

At the VW, Subaru and Volvo booths there are driving simulators. The Volvo simulator shows how the safety features in the new XC60 work.  You can feel the seat shake and seat belt tighten as you try out the City Safety feature.  You can also test other safety features such as the lane departure warning and driver alert control.

Subaru offers two simulators, one of the STi rally car and the other of the Legacy for those looking for a more relaxed ride. Both simulators vibrate and shake like you're actually taking a turn on the road.

For those visitors who didn't get the hottest video games for the holidays, here is your chance to try them out (beware, they are addicting). Visit the Chrysler booth to play Wii on two large screens and test your musical skills with Guitar Hero.

There were plenty of other things to see and do, but my tired feet told me to call it a day. Every major new-car show provides much more than just vehicles in a non-sales environment, making window shopping for your next ride—or merely indulging your enthusiast interests—fun for the whole family.

If you have a chance to attend the New York or similar auto show, be sure to plan enough time to have some fun.

—Liza Barth

See the 2008 New York auto show coverage.

2008 New York Auto Show video

Consumer Reports covered the annual New York auto show, with articles, photographs, blogs, and videos posted direct from the Jacob Javits Convention Center. Being a local event for us, we had an strong contingent attend the Big Apple show. Most coverage was posted prior to the doors opening to the public on Friday, including the videos below.

Filmed by CRTV, these videos help bring some of the most significant new models to life as the auto editors and engineers give bumper-to-bumper tours from the show floor.

Be sure to see our complete coverage of the 2008 New York auto show.

U.S. gas prices—March 24, 2008

Gas prices decline in most areas.

National retail fuel price averages

Price

Change from last week

Regular gasoline/gallon	$3.26	↓.03
Diesel fuel/gallon	$3.99	↑ .02

Regional regular gasoline prices

Price

Change from last week

East Coast	$3.24	↓ .01
-New England	$3.20	↓ .01
-Central Atlantic	$3.24	0
-Lower Atlantic	$3.25	↓ .02
Midwest	$3.19	↓ .06
Gulf Coast	$3.17	↓ .01
Rocky Mountain	$3.20	↑ .02
West Coast	$3.52	↓ .01
-California	$3.60	0

Source: Energy Information Administration, 3/24/08

Automotive X Prize finds sponsor - get your applications ready

The Automotive X Prize is off to the races. This high-minded contest is designed to spur teams to develop a 100-mpg car by offering a $10 million prize.

Starting in the next 60 days, X Prize organizers will begin accepting final applications. Entries will be vetted by a prize committee to ensure the teams have a viable business plan to build and sell 10,000 copies of their designs and that the designs will appeal to a mass-market consumer.

Teams who clear that hurdle will compete in a series of races in various cities around the country starting late in 2009. In the first round of competition, contestants will be required to get at least 80 mpg, and the fastest car will win. In 2010, finalists from those races will compete for the grand prize in another series of races in which they must get 100 mpg. Again, the fastest car (the fastest to finish while achieving 100 mpg) will win.

So far, 64 teams from 22 states and several foreign countries have signed up to compete. Four teams had cars on display at the New York auto show announcement: Fuel Vapor Technologies (shown left), Venture Vehicles, Zero Pollution Motors' Air Car (which runs on a compressed air charge), and the West Philadelphia Hybrid X team.

In addition, the X Prize foundation announced a sponsor of the $10 million prize money. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company is putting up the prize purse, while the U.S. Department of Energy is sponsoring up to $3.5 million in money for outreach and education on the fuel saving technologies.

—Eric Evarts

Check out our previous coverage of the Automotive X Prize:
Automotive X Prize entries still up for grabs
Auto X Prize announces the teams competing to build 100-mpg car
Auto X Prize to reward 100-mpg car

Discuss the Auto X Prize in the Consumer Reports forum.

Your opinion wanted - GM takes questions to the public

Like any large corporation, General Motors spends a lot of time and money conducting focus groups—talking to its customers and potential customers in focus groups to find out what they want.
This year at the New York auto show, it seemed the company was doing more than usual.

First, at Wednesday morning, GM held a press conference to introduce the Pontiac Solstice Coupe and two new versions of the Australian-built Pontiac G8. As soon as you name any car G8, you signal the world that you're running out of ideas for car names. If that weren't bad enough, the company admitted as much when it announced an Internet contest to name the latest version of the G8, a two-door, car-like pickup truck, very similar in concept to the Chevrolet El Caminos from the 1970s and '80s. Personally, I'm not sure what's wrong with the storied name El Camino, beyond the potential for brand confusion. Or if that has too much (ahem) baggage, why not Caballero, the name of the GMC version of that trucklet, which no one will remember. (GM is working to merge GMC and Pontiac dealers anyway.) Rapper Fifty Cent, who introduced the car, suggested his given first name, Curtis. If you'd like to make a different suggestion, visit GM's "Tame the Name" contest Web site at: www.pontiac.com/namethiscar.

If that weren't enough feel-good feedback, the company invited a group of perhaps 60 enthusiasts of the Chevrolet Volt to a "town hall" meeting in the afternoon and a group of company executives fielded detailed questions about the car. (Read: "Plugged in: Chevrolet Volt.")

The visitors came from those who left comments at an independently operated Web site: gm-volt.com Many were tinkerers who own electric cars—sometimes several, and some that they have built themselves. Many are members of regional electric-vehicle clubs and are well versed in the challenges of building, owning, and driving electric vehicles (if not necessarily in mass production.)

These efforts follow on last years' GM press conference, in which the company asked showgoers to vote with colored balls for which of three microcar concepts they liked best.

All this is to say that GM is either trying very hard to do a better job of listening to its customers, or it has simply completely run out of original ideas of its own. We're not sure which.

To be fair, GM's vice president of global product development, Bob Lutz, has admitted the company underestimated the demand for hybrids. Put another way, before the Toyota Prius came out, GM was completely blind to the market among young, hip urban intellectuals for a car that got good gas mileage and made a social statement that its owner cared about the planet. Now it looks as though the company is aggressively trying to make up for lost time, marked by a slew of hybrid models coming to market and intriguing concept vehicles offering a glimpse at the potential road ahead.

Tell us what you think. Is GM asking the right customers now?

—Eric Evarts

See the 2008 New York auto show coverage.