August issue road tests: Wagons & hatchbacks

For our August issue test group, we tested hatchbacks and wagons. These vehicles are good alternatives to small SUVs. They offer better fuel economy, have a sedan-like ride, and flexible cargo-carrying capabilities.

The full road tests from the magazine (available to subscribers), have been posted online, along with videos of some of the models hosted by our automotive experts. These videos highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the vehicles, bringing the road tests to life.

For this month’s group, we looked at the Chevrolet HHR, Hyundai Elantra Touring, Kia Soul, Mazda3, Pontiac Vibe, and Volkswagen Jetta. Plus, we also feature the newly introduced Honda Insight hybrid, which gets 38 mpg overall.

In the September issue we’ll report on family sedans, including the Kia Optima and Ford Fusion and Fusion hybrid.

Ratings for all of the hatchbacks and wagons we have tested can be found with our dynamic New Car Selector tool.

Dads and grads – Even more new GPS ratings

Whether the goal is returning a favor to dear ol’ Dad for sharing his wisdom and guidance, or giving that new graduate a bit more direction in life, a GPS navigator can be a great gift.

There are many models to choose from, with new features cropping up every few months. It can be difficult to choose one, especially when buying a gift for someone else. We have a comprehensive GPS buying guide to help you through the process, along with detailed, sortable ratings to identify the models that best meet your needs and budget. And for the outdoor adventurer types, we have a handheld hiking GPS buyer’s guide and ratings, as well.

Shopping tips
As you browse, consider the features that will matter most. We recommend focusing on ease of use and navigation options over bonus-type features, as we’ve learned from surveying owners that extras don’t matter as much in the long run.

For casual use, a standard-sized screen is adequate. Paying a little extra for text to speech for spoken street names makes the instructions simpler to follow. This feature is especially appreciated in busy areas.

For more frequent use, a wide screen is easier to read and can be more convenient for address entry.

Traffic services can be help in major metropolitan areas, though most devices require a subscription—something to be especially mindful of when choosing a gift. Some units from Garmin, Magellan, and Nextar offer free traffic services offset this with advertising. However, the Magellan units require an additional traffic kit. It is often cheaper to purchase a unit with an included traffic receiver than to add one later.

Latest GPS test
Our GPS test team has been busy, having just updated the ratings in May with units form Alpine, Garmin, Nextar, and TomTom. Now, we have more TomToms and several new devices from Magellan.

The latest Rated navigators include:

Magellan RoadMate 1210 / 1220 – Basic entry-level navigators available with and without the ability to speak proper street names. Notably, they have crisp graphics and a user-friendly interface.

Magellan RoadMate 1340 / 1440 – These units add highway lane assist and AAA roadside assistance, but don’t include multimedia features or Bluetooth connectivity for hands-free calling.

Magellan RoadMate 1470 – The supersized RoadMate 1470 has one of the largest screens available on a portable unit at 4.7-inches, making it appealing for truck or RV use.

TomTom XL 340 / XL 340 S – These new widescreen devices push the boundaries for a basic navigator, adding lane assistance and reality views. Like other TomToms, these XLs offer nice extras such as map sharing and allowing users to install customized voices, including Homer Simpson.

See how these units stack up against the competition in our GPS Ratings.

Our testing continues, with several new units from Garmin and Nextar now being evaluated.

—Jeff Bartlett

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

Dads and grads – New GPS ratings

As school begins to wind down, many families may be planning road trips, or searching for the right gift for graduation or father’s day. If that describes you, then a portable GPS unit may be just the answer you’re looking for. We have updated our GPS ratings with new units, as well as the pricing on the dozens of others that are still available.

While we tested models in the past weeks that spans that full spectrum, there is a clear trend of premium features working their way do toward budget models.

The latest Rated navigators include:

Alpine PND-K3msn - A full-featured, multimedia unit, the PND-K3msn is similar to the PND-K3 and it marks a significant improvement over previously tested Alpine units.

Garmin Nuvi 885T – A flagship navigator, the Nuvi 885T with voice recognition improves upon the Nuvi 880 with the latest Garmin software that includes a reality view and lane guidance.

Nextar Q4-01  - A budget wide-screen navigator, the Q4-01 touts an MP3 player and photo viewer.

TomTom One 140 / 140 S – The latest One pushes the boundaries for a basic navigator, adding lane assistance and reality views.

TomTom Go 740 Live – The innovative Go 740 Live is equipped with a cellular modem, making it a "connected" device ready for traffic, weather, fuel prices, and a Google search right out of the box. (A subscription is required for this service.)

Our testing continues, with several new units from Magellan and TomTom now being evaluated.

—Jeff Bartlett

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

Chrysler and Fiat reliability – Merger of equals?

As Chrysler goes through Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, the troubled U.S. automaker is working on recreating itself through a partnership with Fiat. (Read: “Chrysler enters bankruptcy, merges with Fiat.”) There is much synergy promised from this relationship, such as shared technology and manufacturing capacity, though there are many unknowns—including quality and reliability.

Chrysler reliability
Chrysler Corp. brands rated poorly in the Consumer Reports 2008 Car Reliability Survey, based on our subscribers' experiences with 1.4 million vehicles. Respondents reported on any serious problems they had with their vehicles in 17 trouble spots during the previous 12 months, which allows us to provide predicted-reliability Ratings for new cars. Among the 34 brands ranked for 2009, Jeep is 28th, Dodge 30th, and Chrysler 32nd. (Land Rover takes the bottom spot by a significant margin.)

Clearly, reliability is a challenge for Chrysler. In fact, it is a key factor in why Consumer Reports does not recommend a single vehicle from its three brands, along with often-mediocre test scores. (Read "Detroit report cards.") That said, Chrysler has stated that it is making a concerted effort to improve its vehicle quality and its internal auditing shows marked gains. If these changes are successful it will be reflected in our survey findings, but will take several years to assess its effectiveness and allow vehicle recommendations. We hope the promised improvements come to fruition, for both consumers’ benefit and company health.

Now, the real question is, how will working with Fiat affect quality?

Fiat reliability
For those Americans who recall when Fiat cars were sold here, the brand made a less-than-stellar impression. Looking back at Consumer Reports reliability ratings from the late 1970s, Fiat models typically had more dreaded solid black blobs than most car shoppers would prefer. In particular, the Fiat 128 and 131 received a worse overall reliability rating for several years. Back then, Fiat was sometimes referred to as “Fix It Again, Tony.”

A lot can happen in 30 years, but don’t get your hopes up.

For insights, I turned to the 2008 Brand Reliability Index from Which? Car. The annual Which? Car survey is the largest survey of its kind in the U.K., and it is conducted by a publication that, like Consumer Reports, does not accept advertising and delivers the straight facts from its findings. Its methods differ from Consumer Reports’, and cars can be different from the ones sold here. Still, the results are nonetheless illuminating.

For its reliability study, Which? Car looks at models up to eight years old, thereby often reporting on years of experience with a given vehicle. Their survey tallies serious breakdowns, unscheduled repairs, and minor problems.

When the brands are ranked, Which? Car finds Honda and Toyota at the top of the 2008 reliability list, followed closely by Daihatsu, Lexus, Mazda, and Subaru. This largely mirrors the latest CR predicted reliability ranking, though there Scion was at the top and Mazda placed 12th with CR due to a different model line-up. (CR online subscribers, see how brands compare.)

Among the 38 brands featured in Which? Car, Fiat ranked 35th, followed by Renault, Land Rover, and Chrysler/Dodge.  Jeep is the highest-rated brand from Chrysler, with its 29th place just barely keeping it in the “Poor” category. Fiat, Chrysler, and Dodge are categorized as “Very poor.” In total, Fiat, Chrysler, and Dodge provide similar reliability, and it isn’t good.

There is risk in assessing how a brand performs in one part of the world, versus another, given product line variance, equipment differences, and usage patterns. Point of assembly could also be a factor. That said, the results from the Which? Car survey are illuminating.

Bottom line
When Daimler-Benz bought Chrysler in 1997, it was billed as “merger of equals.” The Chrysler and Fiat deal seems to fit that description better. By the limited indication we have, it looks like reliability may be a challenge. Even in the best of times, it would be difficult for these newly joined companies. Further challenges include factory closings, assembly line changes, and corporate language and cultural differences. We will know for sure only when the products from the new, joint company hit the streets, and our subscribers report on their experience.

We will continue to monitor this fast-moving story, reporting here in the Cars blog and also updating advice and news on the Auto Crisis hub.

–Jeff Bartlett

Best new car values: It’s more than dollars and cents

In last year’s April issue we introduced our owner-cost estimates, which tell you approximately how much a car will cost you to own during the first five years. The data, which took several years to develop, is based on: depreciation, fuel cost, insurance, interest on financing, maintenance and repairs, and sales tax.

This allows us to predict which models are the least expensive to own (subscribers to ConsumerReports.org can see owner-cost estimates based on three, five, and eight years of ownership). 

This is good information, but it is just a piece of the overall puzzle. After all, some of the cars that are the least expensive to own aren’t ones that we would recommend you buy. For instance, the five least expensive small cars in last year’s issue were the Toyota Yaris (manual), Chevrolet Aveo (manual), Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris (auto), and Chevrolet Aveo (auto). Of those, only the Honda Fit meets our requirements for being recommended. The Aveo, for instance, is one of the lowest rated cars in its class.

So, in this year’s Consumer Reports annual auto issue, we took the next logical step. We wanted to show which models are the best values; in other words, which give you the most bang for your buck. And for that, owner costs are only part of the picture. In fact, we found that some of the models that are least expensive to own are not good values.

To determine the best values, we looked at three factors:

• Our five-year owner cost estimates
• The overall road-test scores from our comprehensive test program
• Our predicted-reliability ratings.

Our road-test scores, which are based on more than 50 individual tests and evaluations, reflect whether a car is works well in daily life. And our reliability ratings are based on the problems reported to us on more than 1.4 million vehicles in our latest Annual Auto Survey.

Here’s the formula that we applied to more than 300 vehicles. First, we divided each car’s owner-cost estimate by its overall road-test score to get, what we call, its “bucks per bang” cost; or the cost of each point in its test score. Then, we filtered out any models that don’t have better than an average reliability rating.

Using this formula, the vehicles that rise to the top are good all-around packages that did well in our road tests, have relatively low owner costs, and have very good or excellent reliability records. In other words, they give you the most for your money.

Here are top models in several popular categories:

Best Overall: The Prius Touring came in with the best bucks-per-bang cost thanks to one of the lower owner-cost estimates in the list—$26,250 over five years—and a relatively high road-test score of 80 points out of 100. (The base Prius earned 68 points.) The Prius Touring doesn't have the least expensive sticker price in its class, but its excellent fuel economy of 42 mpg overall and solid resale value help give it a low owner cost that nearly matches the less expensive Honda Civic EX. With a higher overall test score than the Civic, the Prius stands out as the Best Value.

Best Value Small Cars: Honda Civic EX, Honda Fit (base), Hyundai Elantra SE, Toyota Corolla LE, and the Honda Civic Hybrid

Best Value Family Cars: Toyota Prius Touring, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Toyota Prius (base), Hyundai Sonata (4-cyl.), and the Honda Accord (4-cyl.)

Best Value Small SUVs: Toyota RAV4 (4-cyl.), Toyota RAV4 (V6), Honda CR-V, Mitsubishi Outlander (4-cyl.), and the Nissan Rogue

Best Value Midsized SUVs: Hyundai Santa Fe, Toyota Highlander, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Nissan Murano, and the Honda Pilot

See the complete list with costs in “Most bang for the buck.”

Not all values are valuable

We have seen Web sites present their own take on value, using different data and criteria. It is clear, that not all values are created equal.

For example, in a recent value-focused press release, Edmunds cites “industry leaders” with the “lowest five-year owner costs” that include several models that frankly are not good cars and do not meet our criteria for being Recommended. For instance, the Chevrolet Aveo. Like Edmunds, we find the Aveo5 to have much better than average owner costs. But it scored just 31 points out of 100 in our exhaustive testing. (See our Aveo sedan video road test.) We found the engine to be rough, the handling clumsy, and the ride jumpy. Further, it returns worse fuel economy than several, more capable cars. And, its predicted reliability is also below average. In total, we don’t think the Aveo5 is a good car, and therefore don’t recommend it as a good value, let alone a Best Value. (Learn how Consumer Reports tests cars.)

Edmunds also cites the Jeep Patriot in their release, a vehicle we likewise consider to have better than average owner costs. And again, cannot Recommend it because of its middling 55 out of 100 point score. The featured Chevrolet HHR also scores a 55, and it too has less than stellar fuel economy for its class and only average reliability. (Read the take from the LA Times.)

There are many ways to rank vehicles, including by owner costs. We believe our comprehensive approach with Best Values, which takes into account the merit of the car, provides an enlightening view of today’s standout models.

You can create your own list filtered and sorted by the factors that matter most to you by using the Consumer Reports New Car Selector. When you look at someone else’s lists, make sure you understand the criteria. And remember, we present our unbiased findings without fear or favor, as Consumer Reports does not accept advertising and works solely for the consumer.

—Jeff Bartlett and Rik Paul

Personal Picks: Upscale sedans, part 1

Considering the state of the economy, some might question the market viability of upscale sedans right now. I keep reading about how fancy-schmancy white-tablecloth restaurants are begging for customers.

Seems like high-priced goods are taking a beating, and austerity, aka spartaneity, is “in.” However, these cars might just be the ticket for mid-winter automotive doldrums: they’re nicer than mainstream sedans but not as flashy as the ultra-luxury cruisers. They also don’t cost as much as a small house.

Here are our Picks from the February issue upscale sedan test group:

Tom Mutchler: You know the expression “The bigger they are, the harder they fall”? Well, that applies to vehicle depreciation, and it can really help if you’re shopping for an upscale or luxury sedan.

No doubt, the Hyundai Genesis is extremely impressive for its $36,000 price tag. Lots of room, plenty of power, well finished interior. But I don’t find it fun to drive at all. On the other hand, the Infiniti G37 is a blast, but the interior is a bit on the small side. Can a car give me the best of both worlds? Sure.

I’d buy a slightly used Infiniti M35x, a top-rated luxury sedan. I’ve put a lot of miles on our various M test cars and enjoyed every one of them. There’s plenty of room in the rear seat for in-laws, the electronics are simple to use, and the car drives like a slightly larger G35 – makes sense, because that’s basically what it is. It’s not as quiet and comfy-riding as a Mercedes-Benz E-Class, but reliability has been a whole lot better.

A new Infiniti M35x is $52,000 with navigation, although we’ve seen massive discounts on leftover 2008s recently. But I wouldn’t buy new. I can find a 2006 M35x for $26,500 (asking price) with around 30k on the odometer, including a certified warranty, from the local Infiniti dealer. That’s a lot of car for less than the MSRP of the last Ford Taurus or Honda Accord V6 we tested.

Gabe Shenhar: While the Hyundai Genesis scores big-time points in our tests, for me, there’s still something missing. A car of this size and intent needs to ride better. Yes, in the grand scheme of things, the Genesis rides well enough, but the short, quick pitches on some surfaces are testament to why it is bargain priced.

Among the rest of the sedans we recently tested, there are two that I like driving and would enjoy all day. One is the Pontiac G8. The other car I like is the much pricier Jaguar XF. The new Jag certainly has its share of flaws and some unnecessary gimmicks but it imparts a sense of occasion when you drive it. The XF rides beautifully, is quiet, moves out well and its V8 sounds great. I’m really not someone who would get hung up on the fact that some V6s are more powerful. For me, it’s the feel and the enjoyment that makes or breaks a car. Complementing that is sharp and communicative steering and great body control. This all makes the car a delight when carving through the twisty bits.

Now back to the Pontiac G8: Given that it drives as well as it does, and priced the way it is, perhaps, the best thing to do is to wait for the discounts to get bigger and put a Holden badge on the car. (Watch our tire-squealing Pontiac G8 video.)

See the full upscale sedan road test and videos.

Upscale sedans—Road test and videos

Our February-issue car test group consists of upscale sedans, including some that blur the lines between upscale and luxury cars. The full road tests from the magazine have been posted at ConsumerReports.org, along with videos hosted by our automotive experts. These videos highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each model, bringing the road tests to life.

Tested upscale sedans include the redesigned Acura TL and Nissan Maxima plus, new models including the Hyundai Genesis, Lincoln MKS, and Pontiac G8. In addition, we tested the new Jaguar XF luxury sedan.

In the March issue, we’ll report on subcompact cars including the redesigned Honda Fit.

--Liza Barth

Best used car deals - December

If you’re in the market for an affordable and reliable used car, we have recommendations and Ratings to help you make an informed decision. This month, we’ve begun highlighting the best used car deals to help narrow your focus to standout models. Our winning line-up features Consumer Reports Good Bets: vehicles that have performed well in CR’s road tests and have been consistently better than average in overall reliability. And we’ve got everything from convertibles to SUVs, so take a look at the current Best Used Car Deals. 

Our highlighted model this month is a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid, available for just under $11,000. It averaged 36 mpg in CR tests and has outstanding reliability. While this car was in high demand over the summer, it may be more readily available now.

If you’re ready to buy, get the most for your money using Consumer Reports Used Car Price report, revealing detailed reliability information, selling and trade-in prices, and useful buying tools.  And read our used-car buying advice to see it through to a smart purchase.

See all current used car deals.

 

—Desiree Calamari

New GPS navigation devices and ratings

In our last push for the 2008 holiday season, the GPS team has posted the final Ratings update for the year. We added seven portable automotive navigators to the Ratings chart and product selector, with each having its own product page. Plus, we created the Consumer Reports Value Index™ to help shoppers to get the best GPS for their money. Our analysis is presented in two separate blogs, complete with an interactive graphic: Value Index for basic navigators and traffic-optional navigators and traffic-ready navigators.

The latest Rated navigators include:

Alpine PND-K3 – This new unit is a pleasant surprise, marking a significant improvement over past-tested Alpine units and boasting attractive graphics.

Garmin Nuvi 265T– Part of the latest 2x5 generation, the Nuvi 265T features free real-time traffic and provides a lower-cost alternative to the widescreen Nuvi 265WT. (See our Nuvi 265WT First Look review.)

Garmin Nuvi 765T – A premium, full-featured navigator with traffic services, the Nuvi 765T has reality view and lane guidance to help navigate through potentially confusing, major intersections.

Insignia NS-CNV20 – A cellular-connected device, the Insignia NS-CNV20 uses Google Web-based search for points of interest (POI), rather than relying on an onboard database, and it provides real-time traffic information.

Magellan Maestro 4350 – Much improved over the previously tested Magellan devices, the Maestro 4350 impresses with crisp graphics, attractive user interface, reality view, and lane guidance.

Motorola Motonav TN20 & TN30 – Motorola has entered the market with this pair of decent basic navigators, distinguished by including Bluetooth connectivity at an entry-level price.

Improved guidance
With this update, we made slight scoring criteria changes that impact the overall scores and rankings. To better reflect the increasing state-of-the-art in this fast-moving product segment, we adjusted how we score Routing options, Info for driver, and Display. In the Routing Options category, multi-destination routing is now further assessed to rate the ability to optimize a route with multiple waypoints. The ability to enter coordinates was added to this category, as well. For Info for driver, reality view and lane guidance was evaluated, and exit guides were also added to scoring. In the Display category, we added a judgment on the graphic qualities of the units.

Given that these features are becoming increasingly prevalent, the enhanced Ratings will help distinguish between models that not only have these useful elements, but separate the ones with better execution.

Finding the best GPS navigator

Whether you are looking for a portable navigator for your car or a handheld hiking GPS, we have current buying advice and the latest Ratings to help you make the best choice for your needs and budget.

Get started by visiting our redesigned GPS special section. You’ll find detailed recommendations, and a slick, new product selector. This dynamic tool lets you sort and filter ratings by the features that matter most to you, and it even includes information on units in testing.

—Jeff Bartlett

For more information on portable automotive GPS navigation systems, see our Ratings and buying advice and watch our video guide. If you're interested in going off the beaten path, See our handheld hiking GPS buying advice and Ratings. Discuss GPS devices in the forums.

Best GPS values: Basic navigators

Consumer Reports conducts exhaustive testing of portable navigation devices (PNDs) to help you make an informed purchase decision. With our extensive buying advice, Ratings charts, dynamic product selector, and model pages with test insights, online subscribers have a wide array of research tools available to choose the right device in this fast-moving product segment.

But, there is one more that we think may be helpful, the Consumer Reports Value Index™.

Working with the very latest GPS Ratings and approximate retail pricing, we created an interactive graphic that plots the relative value for each notable tested unit in a unique, and easy to use format. (Some low value units were omitted for space.) This fresh look at the data highlights products that stand out for delivering the most bang for the buck. With holiday sales, you may find lower prices on some models, in which case, their relative value would naturally increase.

These basic navigators are plotted based on their overall Ratings score and approximate retail price, with a tri-colored background showing "value zones," which  represent  high, medium, and low values. Products on the upper right side of the chart offer better values than those further to the left and bottom. The product dots are colored to differentiate basic navigators from those that have traffic optional, meaning they can provide traffic services with additional hardware.

Generally, we feel that customers interested in traffic services would get more device for their money with a traffic-ready unit. (An optional traffic receiver can cost more than $100.) We have separated out those units for a separate Value Index analysis.  (See Best GPS values: Traffic-ready navigators.)

To the right, each featured GPS unit is listed in order of value. Roll your cursor over the product name to see that model indicated in the  chart, along with its approximate retail price and a direct link to its model page (available to online subscribers) for more information.

In reviewing the results, Garmin and TomTom own the high and medium value zones. These are heart-of-the-market machines that score well in our testing, sell in volumes, and are aggressively priced – the natural formula for excelling in the Value Index. Looking closer, these range-topping units include  a combination of entry-level, no-frills devices (which have been the sales-flyer darlings this holiday season) and older models.

We have seen many good older devices remain on the market even as their prices decline, such as the Garmin Nuvi 200 and Nuvi 350, enabling them to co-exist with newer models, These were good products when new and remain easy to use and provide good guidance. However, they do not have the latest software enhancements and minor feature upgrades. For most users, value may override the desire to be on the technological forefront. Among the top ranked models, we consider the Nuvi 200 and TomTom One 130 to be CR Best Buys.

Just outside the high and medium value zones, we find wider brand variety. Motorola, Magellan, and Mio all placed just outside the desirable light-blue zone, held back by scores rather than price. These units are all decent. However, as you follow the overall score axis to the right, you can see there are better choices.

There are also a variety of Garmin and TomTom units in the low value zone, such as the Nuvi 255W and One XL S. Notably, many of these feature widescreens that measure about 4.3 inches diagonally, rather than 3.5 inches. The increase in screen size can add $50-$70 to the purchase price. While a Nuvi 260 provides exactly the same navigational aid as a Nuvi 260W, the larger screen can make it easier to read and enter address information. For a frequent user, a far-sighted driver, or a vehicle that requires mounting it further away, this may be a worthwhile investment.

In all cases, we recommend that shoppers review our detailed Ratings and model overview pages to better understand the differences between units. As prices change, so do their value. Do your homework and make sure you not only get a great price, but also buy a great GPS device.

Value Index is a Beta project; We also applied this concept to super-zoom digital cameras and flat-panel TVs recently. Let us know your thoughts on whether this type of tool is helpful by using the Comments below.

—Jeff Bartlett

For more information on portable automotive GPS navigation systems, see our Ratings and buying advice and watch our video guide. If you're interested in going off the beaten path, See our handheld hiking GPS buying advice and Ratings. Discuss GPS devices in the forums.