$2.99 gas from Chrysler—Deal or no deal?

Americans are feeling pain at the pump, with gas prices continuing to soar. To adjust to the challenges posed by the rising cost of living, consumers are putting off vehicle purchases or buying smaller cars instead of more profitable trucks and SUVs. As a result, automakers are experiencing decreased sales and profits.

One of the biggest losers: Chrysler. The company is trying to rebound from a disappointing April (sales were 23-percent below the same period last year) with its own economic stimulus plan: fixed-rate gasoline for new-car buyers. But is this really a good deal for the consumer?

Chrysler is not the first to use gasoline as an incentive, and it isn't the last, as Suzuki has stepped up to offer free gas for the summer along with zero-percent financing. Discounted or even free gas speaks to consumers' hearts and purse strings. On the surface, it may seem a pretty good deal, considering the national average is $3.61/gallon. But some Chrysler vehicles don't excel at fuel economy; Chrysler doesn't currently even offer a small hybrid or an efficient subcompact car in their fleet.

For now, let's forget about the environmental or energy independence concerns of burning more fuel. Given that (generous) assumption, is $2.99 gas enough to make up for Chrysler’s lackluster fleet fuel economy when it comes to ownership costs? As you might guess, it depends on how long you keep the vehicle:

The first three years
Given current gasoline prices of $3.61, you would need to buy a car with 21 percent better fuel economy than a Chrysler product to have equal fuel costs during the three years of discounted gas. That’s a big difference, but here are some examples (all fuel economy figures are from CR's tests, and are "overall"—mixture of city and highway driving—mpg):

Instead of this Chrysler:	You could buy this car and have lower fuel costs over three years, even without discounted gas.
Dodge Durango 5.7L, 4WD (13 mpg)	Toyota Highlander AWD (18 mpg) or Honda Pilot AWD (17 mpg)
Dodge Caliber SXT FWD (24 mpg)	Honda Fit (32 mpg)
Dodge Nitro SLT AWD (16 mpg)	Honda CR-V AWD (21 mpg) or Toyota RAV4 4-cyl., AWD (23 mpg)

Six years
But let’s say that you keep a car longer than three years. After that time’s up (whether you’ve consumed your allotted quota of discounted gas or not), you go back to paying the same fuel prices as everyone else. Here the difference lessens: you would need to buy a car with about 9.5 percent better fuel economy than the Chrysler product to equal things out.

Instead of this Chrysler:	You could buy this car and have lower fuel costs over six years, even without discounted gas.
Dodge Charger 3.5L V6 (19 mpg)	Toyota Avalon (22 mpg)
Dodge Caliber SXT FWD (24 mpg)	Nissan Versa (28 mpg)
Chrysler Pacifica AWD (16 mpg)	Toyota Highlander AWD (18 mpg)
Dodge Caravan 3.8L V6 (16 mpg)	Toyota Sienna (19 mpg) Honda Odyssey (19 mpg)

Ten years
The difference grows to be less and less—you only need to get a vehicle that gets about 5.5 percent better fuel economy.

Of course, these percentages will differ if gas prices keep on climbing. But after the three years of cheap gas are up, you could wind up having to pay to fill up a 13 mpg Dodge Durango or 16 mpg Dodge Nitro—and you'll then be paying just what everyone else is shelling out.

Beyond that, there are a lot of extenuating circumstances:

Chrysler restricts the number of gallons of gas covered by the deal to what they expect you to consume in 12,000 miles. (That’s the average annual number of miles driven in the U.S.) To do that, they use an average mpg figure for each model. That combines all of the model versions available: big engines and small engines, two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive.

If you combine that calculation method with the disparity between CR's fuel economy testing vs. the revised 2008 EPA overall estimates, you might not get all of your fuel covered:

Vehicle

CR overall fuel economy

Using CR overall, gallons used in 36,000 miles

Average MPG calculated by Chrysler

Gallons of fuel Chrysler will discount

Is annual fuel use covered?

Chrysler Sebring Touring (4-cyl.)	23	1,565	21	1,714	Yes
Dodge Charger (3.5L V6)	19	1,895	18	2,000	Yes
Dodge Caliber SXT (2.0L, FWD)	24	1,500	24	1,500	Yes
Dodge Nitro SLT (AWD)	16	2,250	18	2,000	No
Jeep Patriot AWD (2.4L 4-cyl.)	20	1,800	23	1,565	No
Dodge Durango 4WD (5.7L V8)	13	2,769	15	2,400	No
Chrysler Pacifica AWD	16	2,250	17	2,118	No
Dodge Ram 2500 (6.7L turbodiesel)	13	2,769	15	2,400	No
Dodge Grand Caravan (3.8L V6)	16	2,250	19	1,895	No

On the other hand, if you buy the more efficient version in a model lineup (say a four-cylinder Chrysler Sebring, when the average was calculated including V6 Sebrings), you can get more quota of free gas than you'd consume. (You can use that extra on another car that you own, assuming it takes the same fuel type.) Same goes if you drive more highway miles, where fuel economy is better. The gas deal reduces the amount of the cash-back incentives. Often the savings calculated above can make up for the difference in the incentives, but sometimes it doesn't—particularly for vehicles with big initial incentives.

Change in incentives

Cash-back without gas plan

Cash back with gas plan

Loss in incentive

Gallons of discount fuel

Fuel savings

At $3.61, do fuel savings exceed incentive loss?

Chrysler Sebring Touring	$500	0	$500	1,714	$1,083	Yes
Dodge Charger	2,000	$500	1,500	2,000	1,240	No
Dodge Caliber	750	0	750	1,500	930	Yes
Dodge Nitro	1,250	0	1,250	2,000	1,240	No
Jeep Patriot	500	0	500	1,565	970	Yes
Dodge Durango	2,500	1,000	1,500	2,400	1,488	No
Chrysler Pacifica	2,500	500	2,000	2,118	1,313	No
Dodge Ram 2500 diesel	4,500	2,000	2,500	2,400	2,784 @ $4.15 diesel	Yes
Dodge Grand Caravan	2,500	500	2,000	1,895	1,175	No

Keep in mind that cash-back is money instantly off of the price of the car. It reduces the loan price, thus reducing interest payments. Plus you know you’re getting the money—you don’t have to make sure you fit the rules of the discount gas deal.

On the other hand, the gas deal requires you to pay for gas with your credit card. That's no problem if you pay off your balance each month, but otherwise you’ll be paying interest on your purchases, eating into the savings. Same goes for if you would have paid cash for fuel rather than charging it as required by the deal.

One somewhat esoteric buyer category who can really benefit from this plan—someone buying a diesel heavy-duty pickup truck. Given that diesel prices are averaging $4.15 per gallon, fixing the price at the same $2.99 as gasoline is a big difference. And the Dodge Ram 2500 diesel we tested gets the same 13 mpg fuel economy as a Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra heavy-duty diesel. (Then again, the 2009 Ram truck is redesigned with notable improvements over the 2008, so you might want to wait anyway.) A diesel Grand Cherokee would also benefit, but the Dodge Sprinter van isn't included in the program.

Yes, you may save some money on gas, at least in the short term. But our owner cost data shows that, even with growing fuel costs, depreciation remains the biggest chunk of vehicle ownership costs. The competitors' vehicles listed in the chart have lower depreciation than their Chrysler counterparts, saving thousands over the life of the car and erasing the savings from the cheap gas deal. Also consider that, in general, vehicles sold with hefty discounts see more rapid depreciation than those that sell for closer to retail price. After all, it has essentially depreciated BEFORE you drove it off the lot, and it will continue to drop in value soon as it leaves the dealership. A model with better fuel economy (not to mention test scores and reliability) will likely hold its value better and be cheaper to refuel, possibly negating the benefit of the gas card.

Finally, you do more with a car than put gas in it—you drive it. You want it to be comfortable and perform well. Most of the Chrysler products listed (except the now-discontinued Pacifica) score near the bottom of our Ratings, while the competing cars listed score near the top.

It's interesting that in the same week that Chrysler announced this plan, Ford announced the widespread use of six-speed automatic transmissions to improve fuel economy. Most car companies, including Chrysler, are moving to technologies like this to improve efficiency.

Of course, Chrysler has to move its current inventory now. Discount gas is a way to promote their cars. But that doesn't mean you should be swayed by cheap(er) gas to buy a vehicle that gets so-so fuel economy, loses a lot of resale, or doesn't perform well in our Ratings. As with any car purchase, it pays to do your homework, looking at the complete purchase and ownership picture, and not be swayed by advertising.

—Tom Mutchler

For tips on saving gasoline and alternative fuels, see our fuel economy guide. 

The best GPS for me, and you

With cars, we have become quite accustomed to the 4-5 year product cycle. This pattern sees a new model introduced,  a midlife update after 2-3 years, then the model is phased out or  replaced by a new, larger, more powerful, and pricier car.

But like other electronics, the fast-paced portable GPS navigation world is much different. There are now about 2-3 model cycles occurring each year, and the new models are typically sleeker, more feature packed, and sometimes less expensive than the models they replace.

Since we have accelerated our test program during the past 18 months, we’ve seen new abilities and features continually emerging. Many of these features truly improve the breed, or at least show great promise with further development. We have rated some excellent units, noting attractive Best Buys for their combination of features and price. But even recognizing how good today’s best units are, for my personal taste, there is not yet a single, do-it-all navigation device that hits all my hot buttons and sells for an attainable price. But I believe it is coming.

That hope brings excitement to testing each new product. Will this one be better than its predecessors? Just like with cars, I find myself often thinking, "The next generation will be perfect." I am still waiting.

As we have just added new units to Dash and Sony to our GPS ratings (available to online subscribers), and are now evaluating the next test group, I realize that GPS perfection may be  a never-ending quest. For now, if I could assemble a fantasy device from current units, my electronic platypus would include:

Ease of use—Garmin. From the moment you turn on any Garmin Nuvi, the interface is simple as can be. "Where to?" it asks. Being able to quickly find the destination you seek saves time and frustration. This is particularly valued if you have a passenger program the unit who may not be familiar with it or if you are a tech-averse, first-time GPS owner.

Wide screen—The larger screen width not only make the maps easier to read, but it can simplify address entry with larger on-screen buttons. Plus, I like using a split-screen with a large arrow indicating the next turn.

Spoken street names—Also known as "text to speech." Knowing exactly what street to turn on can reduce confusion, especially in urban settings. Driving through a major city, like New York, being told "Turn right" just isn’t specific enough.

Free traffic—Navigon 5100. Living in the greater NYC metropolitan area, traffic info is important to me. After all, the right information can mean the difference between domestic tranquility and a cold, lonely dinner. The MSN Direct service and Dash Driver Network both have proven to be useful services, with the Dash promising even more future potential. But, my life is overflowing with fees for other devices and I just can’t stomach one more. The free traffic information with the Navigon is similar to the data received from some other for-pay services. While not perfect, it is helpful and the price is right.

Historic traffic—TomTom, Dash. In my experience, so-called real-time traffic isn’t always up to the minute and still doesn’t adequately contend with rush-hour congestion. The increasing trend for units to tap historic traffic information means the route suggested at 8 a.m. may be different than the one proffered at noon, even if there isn’t a major accident. This is helpful for commuting to find better routes, and even more welcomed when traveling, where you simply don’t have local knowledge to predict likely traffic flow.

Reality view—Sony NV-U83T, NV-U73T, and TomTom 930, 730. Like latest Navigon units, these newer devices provide a so-called “reality view” that presents a simple graphic of an upcoming, major intersection, though their graphics are a touch more pleasing. I have found this feature to be very helpful in navigating complex highway interchanges, with clear guidance on the proper lanes to occupy.

Speed alerts—Integrated speed alerts can display the current speed limit and alert when it has been exceeded by a user-set amount. This can be a real help in unfamiliar areas where the speed limits rise and fall unexpectedly.

Processing speed—It can be frustrating to delay leaving on a road trip while a device seemingly flips endlessly through a card catalog to find and route to a POI, rather than whisking quickly through its electronic database.

Design—Give me a clean design that maximizes screen size, with a thin, non-reflective case. And place a hard-key button on the exterior for muting.

Best for you
As the innovation continues, more and more consumers will find the multi-function GPS devices to be an important tool in their mobile electronics inventory. However, it is the core navigation features that I want to see refined and gathered in a single, affordable model. To me, stuff like a video player or currency converters don’t contribute to the main purpose of a GPS device—just efficiently get me where I want to go.

So while the perfect GPS device (by my standards) may not yet exist, any online subscriber can quickly find the best GPS device available for their needs and budget using our dynamic ratings chart. Links from each product name will take you to a detailed product page, with our testers’ notes on the highs, lows, and bottom line.

If you buy a device, please return to the product pages once you’ve had some experience to share your insights with others via the user reviews. And rest assured, the GPS team will continue to rate models on our never-ending search for the perfect device.

In the meantime, what features matter most to you? Post your thoughts in the comments below.

—Jeff Bartlett

For more information on portable GPS navigation systems, see our Ratings and buying advice and watch our video guide. Discuss GPS devices in the forums. 

How Mercedes’ BlueTec works, and the 2009 clean-diesel SUVs to come

For automakers to bring the innate fuel efficiency of a diesel engine with peppy performance and low emissions to the U.S. market, it required a national change-over to ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel, the development of precisely controlled engines, and extensive treatment of exhaust gases. With these goals accomplished, there is a wave of diesel-powered vehicles coming to America despite the price premium on diesel fuel.

Mercedes-Benz has been leading the movement with its 50-state-legal "clean diesels" featuring "BlueTec" technology that mark the culmination of years of scientific research, powertrain engineering, and market preparation. The resulting BlueTec diesels burn cleaner than most gasoline engines and exhibit superior fuel economy at the same time.

This month, Mercedes announced that it would offer a clean-diesel option for three of its 2009-model SUVs: the midsized ML- and R-Class, and the big GL-Class. All will use the same 210-hp, 3.2-liter diesel V6. These should be some of the most fuel-efficient SUVs on the road. Mercedes has estimated that the GL320 BlueTec will record an average of 24 mpg, some 20 to 40 percent better than a comparable gasoline engine. It should also be able to travel 600 miles on a single tank of fuel.

There may have been nothing inevitable about Mercedes’ particular choices for creating a clean diesel. Conceivably a roster of alternative technologies could have accomplished the same thing. Honda, Nissan, and Toyota are all developing clean-diesel technology and they’re apt to use their own strategies to bring them to fruition. But the Mercedes BlueTec system just happens to be the first practical mass-market application available in the United States.

What is BlueTec?
It’s the proprietary name for a series of engine technologies, filters, and catalysts that result in low emissions and high fuel economy. It starts with a high-pressure common-rail turbo direct injection diesel engine. "Common rail" refers to the method for injecting precisely the right amount of fuel directly into each cylinder at exactly the right moment. The turbocharger boosts horsepower, and the system recirculates the exhaust gas that powers it in order to consume any unburned fuel.

When exhaust gas leaves the engine, a multi-phase treatment process begins. By their nature, diesels tend to produce high levels of carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen known collectively as NOx, and particulate matter, also known as soot. Oxidation catalysts minimize the carbon monoxide and further reduce unburned hydrocarbons. A maintenance-free particulate filter, or soot trap, then reduces soot to nearly undetectable levels.

NOx emissions are the trickiest to deal with. NOx forms in the first place as a result of burning atmospheric air, and every lean-burning engine generates NOx as the ratio of fuel to air in the combustion cycle decreases. Current approaches to trapping or destroying NOx emissions all use catalysts that are vulnerable to degradation in the presence of sulfur. That’s why it was necessary to put the whole country on a diet of ultra-low-sulfur fuel.

Mercedes uses two strategies to deal with NOx, one for cars and one for SUVs. The E320 BlueTec sedan, which we tested last year, attacks NOx with a storage catalyst and a second catalyst called SRC (Selective Catalytic Reduction). Periodically the engine runs rich for a little while, which cleanly purges the NOx storage catalyst.

For heavier vehicles, such as SUVs, Mercedes has adopted a urea-injection system called AdBlue. That’s because the NOx trap technology used in cars would require too-frequent purging and thus reduce fuel economy.

The AdBlue system uses the SRC catalyst and a tank of liquid urea, which is misted into the exhaust stream. When the urea comes in contact with the hot exhaust gas, it releases ammonia, which in turn reacts with NOx and emerges as harmless nitrogen and water. The urea supply is said to be good for 10,000 miles, so it only needs to be refilled at the vehicle’s normal service intervals. Mercedes says that the AdBlue system reduces NOx emissions by 80 percent.

The Mercedes-Benz BlueTec SUVs are slated to go on sale this fall as 2009 models.

— Gordon Hard

Also read "A clean diesel' sedan tops a performance-tuned hybrid" (available to online subscribers).

Pressing matters - Toyota wasn’t alone in receiving government assistance

The automotive press was abuzz earlier this month as corporations flung around statements related to the development of hybrid vehicles, suggesting Toyota may have received an unfair advantage by receiving government funding for research and development. However, Toyota isn’t the only automaker to receive government assistance. More than a decade ago, American tax dollars supported an auto industry initiative to develop a marked advance focused on developing a marketable, 80-mpg family car.

This conflict flared up recently after Business Week magazine published a quote from Jim Press, former president of Toyota’s U.S. division: “The Japanese government paid for 100 percent of the development of the battery and hybrid system that went into the Toyota Prius.” In September 2007, Press left Toyota to become Chrysler’s vice chairman and president.

While Press’s statement may not sound earth shaking, the news rocked Detroit. The impression left is that Toyota received an unfair advantage (i.e., government support), when some captains of the American car industry have long justified their delay, both on and off the record, in developing hybrids by claiming that such complex vehicles can’t make money due to huge development costs. They may be right. Even if the Japanese government did help pay for the development of the Prius, that doesn’t necessarily make it profitable. (Jim Press is shown here at  the 2001 New York International Auto Show with first-generation Prius prepped for the transit authority.)

There is some dispute about the veracity or the details of Press’s claim. Toyota has refuted it. Chrysler has clarified the statements in a media-focused blog with “He said the Japanese government strongly supported R & D (research and development) investment in battery development, and the Prius and other Japanese models benefited from that investment in industry.” Yet, in testimony in 2007, Press told Congress that the Japanese government did not pay for any Prius research and development.

Whatever the truth may be, all the attention this story has generated may have left a false impression in readers’ minds. It implies that if only the U.S. government supported Detroit the way the Japanese government does Toyota, Detroit might not have lost the race to develop efficient, advanced hybrid cars.

A quick history lesson debunks this myth:

From 1993 to 2000, the United States did spend about $1.2 billion helping the American auto industry develop hybrids just like the Prius. The program was called the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV). It was a joint effort between the Department of Energy, national laboratories, universities, and the Big 3 U.S. automakers (through a research consortium called USCAR). The goal was for each of the automakers to build a prototype family sedan that could achieve 80 mpg and cost no more than a similar conventional car.

Chrysler, Ford, and GM each produced prototypes that got at least 70 mpg: the Chrysler ESX3, Ford Prodigy, and General Motors Precept. All three were diesel-electric hybrids. But none of the companies have built such cars, as the original program mandate had envisioned, after PNGV was replaced by the fuel-cell focused FreedomCAR initiative in 2003.

According to a 2002 article in Issues magazine by Daniel Sperling, founding director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California at Davis and a member of the California’s Air Resources Board (commonly known as CARB), the PNGV had one other lasting effect: The prospect of the world’s richest country teaming with some of the world’s (then) largest automakers spurred Japan and Europe to develop similar task forces: the European Car of Tomorrow Task Force and the Japan Clean Air Program.

And unlike the U.S. companies, the fruits of Toyota’s participation in those efforts are visible on our roads every day.

—Eric Evarts

Discuss Hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles in the CR forums.

Electric cars take charge in Israel, Denmark

When I attended the Electrical Vehicle Symposium 23rd (EVS23) last year, I wondered: After 23 symposiums, why are there still no electric vehicles to speak of? Does that mean a collection of scientists, academics, and government officials have just been talking about the subject since 1969, when the first EVS conference was held? It may seem that way on the surface. However, we've recently driven electric vehicles, some of which seemed almost ready for prime time. (Read our EVS23 report "Who revived the electric car?") Beyond those commendable vehicles, a few other developments are lurking behind the scenes.

For Earth Day, we thought it would be appropriate to highlight some of the ongoing projects that may advance the international electric car cause.

At the 2008 New York auto show, Mitsubishi showed the iMiEV an electric car based on the "i"—a rear-wheel-drive micro car that's sold in Japan. Subaru has a fleet of electric micro cars, called the R1e, that are used by the Tokyo Electric Power Company. Nissan is also testing an electric-powered version of its Cube - its home-market competitor to the original Scion xB. All three use lithium-ion batteries.

If any automaker is poised for real-world mass-market electric vehicle, it might be Nissan. Here's why: The alliance between Nissan and French automaker Renault will soon be selling electric cars in Israel. Renault has recently partnered with a Silicon Valley based Israeli start-up Project Better Place (PBP) to supply electric-powered Renault Megane sedans to be sold in Israel starting in 2011. PBP, in turn, will create a network of 500,000 battery charging and replacement stations throughout Israel, as well as charging points in public parking garages and along streets.

Israel seems an unlikely candidate to be the first county to adapt an electric car, where environmental causes are not generally considered a top priority. However, it is a country where driving distances are relatively short, which alleviates the main concern associated with electric vehicles' inherently limited range. In fact, 90 percent of car owners drive less than 44 miles a day and the country's three largest cities are within 100 miles of each other.

The electric Renault Megane, a sedan the size of a Volkswagen Jetta, is said to be able to accelerate from 0-60 mph in eight seconds and have a range of 125 miles. Purchase price is expected to be similar to that of an equivalent-sized car with a 1.6-liter engine, according to Carlos Ghosn, President and CEO of Nissan Motor Co. and Renault S.A., and Shai Agassi, CEO of Project Better Place. A generous tax subsidy by the Israeli government will help make the price of the car competitive.

Megane EV owners will subscribe to a battery replacement or recharging plan that's based on their mileage. An onboard computer will indicate mileage left and the location of the nearest battery replacement or recharging spot. Removing and replacing the battery is planned to be performed by a robot. Operating costs are expected to be significantly cheaper than filling up with gasoline. This is no surprise, as a gallon of regular unleaded costs about $6.90 in Israel.

A similar experiment is planned for Denmark, another country known for relatively short driving distances. In the Danish scenario, cars would be plugged in for recharging and that energy will be generated from renewable wind power. In Israel, most electric power comes from coal power stations; coal is neither a renewable source nor clean. Consequently, a mile covered by the electric Megane emits no CO2 compared to the 293 gram per mile for the conventional model, there would be added CO2 emissions at the power plant.   

The battery for the Renault is an advanced lithium-ion type, developed by Nissan and NEC of Japan. This type of battery is commonly considered the next step from nickel-metal hydride batteries used in today's production hybrids. Li-ion batteries are still considered by many experts to be in their developmental infancy for automotive use and concerns about its longevity, charging time, and potential to overheat are still being addressed.

When it comes to electric vehicles, it's hard to determine if the number of enthusiasts outnumber the skeptics. Nevertheless, such mass-market experience gathered in terms infrastructure, and especially in battery charging/replacement, may give Nissan a competitive edge. More importantly, it may significantly push the EV cause forward. If the Israeli and Danish tests prove successful, it would be only a matter of time until other markets take a serious look at the potential.

Hopefully, by the time EVS24 convenes in 2009, 40 years after the first EV symposium, even more promising electric vehicles will emerge.

—Gabe Shenhar

For suggestions on how to live more green, visit Consumer Union's Web site Greenerchoices.org and our Earth Day special section. For more tips on saving fuel and alternative fuels, see our fuel economy guide.

Discuss alternative-fuel vehicles in the forums.   

Toyota Sienna buying challenges - take a seat

My parents were in the market for a new minivan to replace their aging Nissan Maxima. One of the models they were considering was a Toyota Sienna. After going through the details on the company Web site, it looked like a Sienna XLE would be perfect. You could add leather, a sunroof, and—according to the Toyota Web site—a memory driver's seat.

That memory seat is important to my parents; my mom is a foot shorter than my dad, and they love having the feature on their 1999 Chrysler Town and Country Limited. Configuring the Sienna in this way works out to be considerably cheaper than buying a $36,000 Sienna Limited. Honda forces you into a $40,000 Odyssey Touring to get the memory seat, and Chrysler requires a Town and Country Limited that stickers at $37,000 (with a sunroof to equal the configuration).

Then it came time to buy the Sienna. On its Web site, Toyota says the Sienna is available with a "Convenience Package," which includes the memory seats. Various online price guides and a bimonthly pricing reference book that we have in the office list an option package "SR" with that feature. So, add the value package #1 (which gets you leather) and either one of these packages, and we're in business. 

Not so fast. Go to the Toyota "build your own" section of the Web site and you find that the configurations available match those limited configurations ordered and stocked by your local Toyota distribution network. None of those configurations had the memory seat package, and most had a DVD player—something my parents didn't want.

Toyota's Web site isn't lacking disclaimers about this. At the bottom of the detailed options page is this basically-ignore-everything-you'll-read-above-about-the-options note:

"Toyota strives to build vehicles to match customer interest and thus they typically are built with popular options and option packages. Not all options/packages are available separately and some may not be available in all regions of the country. If you would prefer a vehicle with no or different options, contact your dealer to check for current availability or the possibility of placing a special order."

So we did what the disclaimer said: we contacted dealers to check on the "possibility of placing a special order." The folks contacted their local dealers while I tried mine.

One dealer told my parents that it was "no problem" and they'd have the van in a few weeks. Another dealer said, "You'll wait eight months to get that van." I had a very helpful salesman at a third dealer search through all of the Sienna XLE's available. He found none with the desired package, a sign to him (confirmed by the sales manager) that it wasn't likely we'd get one. A fourth dealer told me they "could order almost anything Toyota sells," asked for some time to confirm, and then didn't get back to me.

After a week of this, my dad was livid, basically swearing off Toyota. It doesn't really matter that, with incentives, a Sienna Limited works out to be the cheapest way to get a minivan with that memory seat. On the flip side, the dealer who sold him his Chrysler was willing—and able—to special order him a Chrysler with any available option. No hassle, no calling four dealers.

A brief search on Siennaclub.com confirmed that my parents aren't alone in their frustration. Funny thing is, Toyota knows they have a problem. Jim Lentz, the president of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., in the February 18th issue of Automotive News addressed the discrepancy between various parts of Toyota's Web site: "We create different names for the same thing."

He admitted that Toyota is as guilty as other automakers of stressing out consumers, according to the Automotive News article.

Thing is, Honda doesn't stress out Odyssey buyers; you either buy the trim level that has what you want, or you don't. Chrysler doesn't stress them out either; once you select a trim level, you can pick and choose the options you want.

We'll probably see a redesigned Sienna for 2009, I just hope it includes a redesign of the options structure. In the end, my parents didn't buy anything—the Maxima is still chugging along.

—Tom Mutchler

Discuss Toyota in the Cars forums.

The Ultimate Reading Room - BMW owner's manual

The owner's manual for our BMW 328i convertible weighs close to three pounds, contains 566 pages, and measures 7x8x2 inches. (All specifications verified within our mobile electronics lab.) It is also the first owner's manual I can recall that won't fit in any interior storage compartment of the vehicle for which it's designed.

I discovered this when I went looking for it for some tidbit of operational instruction, and started my search with the glove box—which is, after all, a far more likely spot to find the manual than, well, say, a pair of gloves. No dice. Next, I tried the door pockets, the console compartment, and, in desperation, under the front seats. Nope. I finally found it where a previous driver had left it, tucked up into the passenger footwell, leaning against the transmission tunnel.

In all fairness to BMW, we're talking about a lot of information here. They do make sophisticated vehicles with complicated controls. So much so that there are actually seven manuals, including the main manual and separate ones for vehicle care; the radio (26 pages); service and warranty; safety tips; and a driver reference guide. Think of the reference guide as sort of an abbreviated manual for those too busy to read all 325 pages of manuals - a CliffsNotes, if you will. There's also a 152-page road atlas, an 80-page dealer directory, a four-page accident assistance form, and a BMW club membership flyer. They ought to include another membership card for a reading circle. It all gets packaged in a nice leather case with no place to go.

Nowhere in any of this information did I come across any helpful tips as to what to do with the manual when one is not reading it, but I might have missed it. I didn't miss the part in the introduction where they encourage you to "pass over" the manual to the new owner if you ever choose to sell the car. Not 'leave it in the car", but pass it over. They don't say what to do with it in the mean time.

My colleague, Senior Automotive Engineer Tom Mutchler, our resident interior guru (with a related masters degree, to boot), tells me BMW is not alone with manuals growing so bloated you can't keep them in the car. He said several Infiniti models we've tested recently have a Velcro pouch in the trunk for their manuals. I guess I didn't notice because their controls are more logical than the 328's, so I never had to go looking for reference help. 

In the end, the best, and perhaps only place for the manual is in the trunk. That way, it can double as a wheel chock in a pinch. At least our 328i isn't equipped with the dreaded iDrive. Then we'd probably need a trailer.

—Jim Travers

Read our road test of the BMW 328i and other convertibles, complete with videos. No manual required.

From the logbook: Toyota Prius Touring

History shows that Toyota made the right decision when their designers made sure that the second-generation Prius looked like nothing else on the road. Most buyers wanted the world to know that they were proudly piloting a hybrid. Unlike the Honda Civic and Accord Hybrids—which looked nearly identical to the non-hybrid models and sell in much lower numbers, so much so that the Accord version was dropped—the latest Prius silently screams, "Here I am! And I'm burning less gasoline than you."

Actually, because the car is so quiet when moving on battery power alone (except when you put it in reverse and an annoying beep reminds you to be careful backing up), it makes its biggest statement at the gas pump.

This time around we're testing a Touring model with stability control ($23,220) to see if it improves the Prius' handling. What have we learned over the past few months driving it? Is the Prius just a rolling science project or is it a real car? Read on for our test teams' initial feedback:

"First impression isn't too hot, but this car grows on you."

"Switching from electric power to gas makes the engine shudder to life; I don't remember our last Prius doing that."

"Not impressive to drive (stiff ride, poor steering feel)."

"This car was more amazing when we tested it in '04."

"Transmission selector makes you push forward for reverse and pull back to go forward? (I remember complaining about that arrangement in another vehicle with the initials 'B.M.W.')"

"One display screen for all secondary functions is ridiculous."

"I spent too much time switching from screen to screen when I should be looking at the road."

"All this software to calculate 'instant' and 'overall' fuel economy but no 'distance to empty?'"

"Sub-par driving position - plenty of room, but the [steering] wheel is too far away and the dead pedal is badly angled and too close."

"Visibility is OK, but there are lots of pillars and that odd back window."

"Great packaging for four people and lots of luggage space for what is a small car."

"Good rear-seat room for kids."

"40+ mpg is still amazing."

As you can see, while the Prius doesn't deliver an engaging driving experience, it delivers fuel economy in spades. ("A genius of a car, but too bad it's not fun to drive" said one engineer.) There's enough substance here to help you understand why this car continues to be all the rage for environmentally-focused people. And I think this line really sums up what we feel about the Prius thus far: "An impressive, ground-breaking product, but far from perfect."

—Mike Quincy

GPS viruses - Has your device been infected?

The threat of direct-from-factory viruses in portable GPS navigation devices lit up the tech message boards and blogs about a year and a half ago. The risk may have been overstated that a virus could be transferred between a GPS device and PC, though the possibility raises some interesting questions.

We have seen only one official reference to a unit shipping with a virus. TomTom states in a press release from January 29, 2007: "A small, isolated number of TomTom GO 910's, produced in one week in the last quarter of 2006, may be infected with a virus. The virus is qualified as low risk and does not affect the navigation performance..."

We have not seen other such cases reported, nor experienced a virus with the 100 or so GPS units we've tested since then.

However, a recent report on CNN.com sourced from the Associated Press "Electronic gadgets latest sources of computer viruses" got the CR GPS test team's attention. It seems other household electronic devices including digital frames have been found to ship from the factory with a no-extra-charge virus onboard. The article cites TomTom as having had a problem.

For a quick reality check, we wanted to reach out to see if our readers have experienced such problems with personal navigation devices. If you have, please describe the problem and name the device in the comments below.

—Jeff Bartlett

Updated 4/4/08.

For more information on portable GPS navigation systems, see our Ratings and buying advice and watch our video guide. Discuss GPS devices in the forums.

 

Dash Express - Unboxing our latest GPS

The innovative new Dash Express personal navigation device (PND) stands out for its clever approach to traffic data, combining historical patterns and traditional metropolitan alerts with real-time information gathered directly from other in-use devices. The promise is that a car a few minutes ahead of you on the highway could be your traffic service, rather than depending on periodic radio updates. Cool stuff, indeed. But what about the rest of the unit?

As our test engineers are just beginning to register and evaluate our Dash Express test units, we can provide more information about this much-hyped product. For instance, the Express has a 4.3-inch screen, measured diagonally with 480x272-pixel resolution, according to the manufacturer. It can display traditional two-dimensional maps, tilted-view three-dimensional, or just list the directions—all common representations. The traffic flow information is applied to the map, and the user can select the level of detail shown. Users can detour around trouble spots, and multiple alternative routes may be suggested.

Taking the units from their box, we were surprised at their girth and heft. Certainly, the official images hadn't prepared us for the units being so bulky. The tapered shape may render this a non-issue for outward visibility, though the mass impacts portability, including the ability to stow it out of sight in the car for security reasons. Also, we will watch closely how the weight impacts the mount stability.

The exterior has an odd shape, being deep front to back at the top edge and more slender at the base. Dash explains that the unusual design is to accommodate its "large" lithium-ion battery and three antennas for GPS, GPRS cellular, and Wi-Fi.

The claimed battery life is two hours with all receivers on--notably less than most GPS devices in our Ratings. It would be expected that connectivity would drain the battery more than non-Web-enabled devices, though that two hours would likely decrease over time. Of course, the included power cord enables unlimited in-car usage; an AC adaptor is also standard.

There are a couple other little surprises.The circular pad for adhering the mount to the, uh, dash looks very similar to our highest rating score graphic, the beloved red "blob." We're not sure if this is a coincidence or sly marketing. Needless to say, we'll be the judge of how this unit rates without fear or favor.

The package also includes a couple Dash logo stickers for putting on a car window. Certainly the device promises to endear itself among a loyal user base that will be sharing information, from real-time traffic to recommended points of interest (POI). Therefore, signaling you are in the unofficial Dash club seems a natural, right until you consider that it also alerts thieves that a unit may be onboard. Should it be stolen, the Dash Express can be disabled wirelessly. Of course, all that does it deter a few blog-reading crooks and provide solace that someone on the black market won't be navigating to your personal POI, including your home. Our advice: Don't put the sticker on your car.

In total, the Dash Express is focused on traffic and Internet-enabled connectivity, which promises future enhancements and invites third-party programmers to create their own downloadable applications. Notably absent are the usual array of non-navigation features found on mid-range and premium GPS units, like a photo viewer, MP3 player, video viewer, FM transmitter, Bluetooth, and pedestrian modes. It is an open question as to how important those extras are to buyers, though they are common at this price point. (We do not score for such features in our Ratings.)

As I write this, our test engineers are motoring into Manhattan, New York, for some behind-the-wheel time with the units. With more hands-on experience, we'll have more insights to share. Let us know in the Comments below what your thoughts are on the Dash Express. If there is interest, we will continue to explore facets of the Dash as we prepare our official First Look in the days ahead.

—Jeff Bartlett

Also read, "Dash Express GPS - redefining "real-time" traffic."

For more information on portable GPS navigation systems, see our Ratings and buying advice and watch our video guide. Discuss GPS devices in the forums.

Lifting the hood on the Saturn Astra

Forbidden fruit - that's how some enthusiasts regard many models sold overseas that never make it to these shores. Alluring cars like Ford's second-generation Focus, Mondeo, and S-Max; the Honda Accord Tourer (wagon); and various high-performance Alfa Romeos, Opels, Peugeots, and Renaults are out of reach to the American car buyer.

The Saturn Astra represents something of a victory for the huddled masses yearning for these cars. The Astra is European through-and-through. Developed in Europe and built in Belgium, our Astra is almost identical (including suspension tuning) to the Opel/Vauxhall Astra that is one of Europe's top-selling cars. (The next Aura is also rumored to be a lightly altered Opel Vectra.)  Another victory worth celebrating: it replaces the highly undesirable Ion as Saturn's entry-level car.

But the story of the Astra highlights some of the problems of transforming a design intended for one marketplace into a global one. Since the Astra wasn't originally intended to be sold here, the decision to sell it in America reportedly came pretty late in its product life-cycle. GM made the modifications necessary to sell the Astra here in only 13 months, an impressive feat. But to do that quickly without investing a lot of money in the existing platform required some compromises:

—GM engineers picked the Astra's only existing gas engine - a 1.8-liter version of their Ecotec four-cylinder -- with an available automatic transmission. (Remember: Europeans aren't too keen on automatics.) That leaves Americans with 138 horsepower, and a choice of five-speed manual or four-speed (rather than five or six-speed) automatic. Most other competitors here have a lot more power. There are very tempting high-performance Astras in Europe, but we won't see them this time.

—Rather than using GM's very simple-to-use "Black Tie" corporate radio (the one that made even Saab dashboards simple), the Astra retains its complicated European radio. It's a mess to use. Furthermore, the only available connection in the back was used for OnStar. Big deal, you say? Well, that means that there is no auxiliary input or satellite radio, features almost every other GM car has. Worse, those are features that the Astra's target demographic will likely demand. (We've been told that the engineers are reconsidering.)

—The Astra picks up the three- and five-door hatchback body styles that the freshened-for-2008 Ford Focus dropped. Most of us at CR love hatchbacks because they add practicality without bulk. But most car buyers in this market don't share this view, considering hatchbacks to be downmarket. The Astra has a wide range of body styles in Europe, including a sedan, wagon, the Zafira microvan, and a nifty hardtop convertible - but we will not see such diversity in this generation.

—With the shrinking dollar and unfavorable exchange rates, the Astra is a rather expensive car to build overseas and import here. While Europe is more accustomed to paying a premium for well-equipped small cars, Americans see most small cars as entry-level transportation. So, in order to move any Astras here, they have to be priced to sell.

This creates a delicate balance. Consider that our Astra XE with a sunroof, automatic, heated seats, and stability control, just topped $20k—with no alloy wheels. (And you can't haggle at Saturn dealers— although incentives are sometimes available.) That money buys a Volkswagen Rabbit (the American version of the Golf, the Astra's main sales rival in Europe) with 170-hp.

On the flip side, while the Astra seems quite fully-priced here, buying a (mostly) equivalent Vauxhall Astra in England would run you 17,165 pounds (before lots of taxes). Basically double that to get the price in dollars. (It is about $32k in Germany.) Some of us have joked that you could run a lucrative business buying Saturn Astras and shipping them back to Europe for sale.

This pricing disparity has lead Bob Lutz, GM's vice chairman and head of product development, to quip that "We are considering applying for non-profit status." Later remarks from Lutz in Automotive News spun it a different way. They note that importing the Astra saved GM $900 million in developing a new platform. Of course, a new platform would have a much longer shelf life than the two or three years the Astra will be sold here—and GM is in the midst of developing a new global small-car platform, anyway.

Our first impressions are that the Astra has an impressive ride/handling balance, firm supportive seats, and some rather annoying controls. So, is the Astra a case of "be happy you got what you asked for," or will it leave buyers wondering what might have been? We'll see when we test it against the Rabbit, Subaru Impreza Outback Sport, and Toyota Matrix in a future issue.

—Tom Mutchler

Discuss Saturn in the Cars forum.

Dash Express GPS - redefining "real-time" traffic

This has been an exciting year for personal navigation devices (PNDs), with a flood of new products pushing the boundaries for convenience and high-tech features. Among the trends has been a drop in prices, while features continue to improve and increase. Looking back at our tests from just a year ago, we see top-end products with prices at $800 that would compete with current models at about half that price. As we posted recently, the portable GPS market shows no sign of slowing down. In fact, the revolution continues, and a California-based startup has just fired the next salvo in this marketplace battle with the Dash Express.

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the Dash Express caught our interest with its innovative connectivity and traffic information. The Express gathers information through Wi-Fi and GPRS cellular service, enabling an on-the-go Internet connection to deliver current, localized information such as cheapest gas stations or best restaurants. The Web connection extends to the user's PC, from which addresses or business names can be highlighted and sent directly to the device for future route planning.

The more intriguing role of connectivity is in the traffic information. Dash has taken a multi-pronged approach to traffic, drawing upon historical data and traditional metropolitan information for predicting traffic flow and delivering roadway alerts. In addition, Dash collects data from each unit to monitor current, real-time traffic conditions, sharing the data with other units in the area.

This strategy holds much promise, enabling drivers to get current information on their roadway. Should there be congestion, the device can provide information on the traffic flow for secondary streets to aid in detouring. While there is a scalability question, with the information detail becoming richer as more units are put in service, Dash has a solid base level of information that should match or exceed current offerings.

Commuting just outside New York City, we can see much appeal in the promise of this "TruTraffic" service. Traditional traffic information on GPS units is hampered by the same time delays and spotty coverage as radio alerts. Even stations that provide updates every 10 minutes have relatively old information that is imprecise and worse, may not be for the road you are traveling. On the occasion of a road being shut down, often the common detours are slow-moving car conga-lines.

Ultimately, this information comes at a price. The unit itself costs $399, with three free months of service. The traffic service then costs $9.99-$12.99 per month, depending on the length of contract. This fee is in line with traffic services from other brands. There is no additional cost for the cellular service or Wi-Fi connectivity.

We are anxious to see if this much-hyped new product lives up to its billing. We have just bought units for testing. Our test engineers will put the devices through our traditional, exhaustive test process, as well as delve into the unique features.

Look for more coverage in the Cars blog of the Dash Express in the days ahead.

—Jeff Bartlett

For more information on portable GPS navigation systems, see our Ratings and buying advice and watch our video guide. Discuss GPS devices in the forums. 

 

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

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.