New Ford Ranger, Ka not coming to U.S.

Although Ford is redesigning the Ranger pickup for the rest of the world in 2010, it won’t bring the new version of its compact pickup to the United States.

That’s the news from Ford CEO Alan Mulally, in an interview with Automotive News. (He also said Americans would not be interested in a vehicle as small as the European Ka, a model sized beneath the upcoming Fiesta, sharing its platform with the Fiat 500, Chrysler will sell here.).

The new Ranger was designed in Australia and will be built in Thailand, the second-largest pickup market after the United States.

The new Ranger would have replaced the current Ranger which has been on the market in the U.S. with only minor changes since 1983. When we last tested it, the Ranger scored 25 out of a possible 100 points, too low to be recommended. We found the ride stiff, the handling vague, the cabin cramped, and the powertrain unrefined and outdated.

For 2010, the American Ranger will get new side air bags, electronic stability control with rollover protection, and a tire pressure monitoring system. It is scheduled to go out of production in 2011.

Meanwhile, other sites have speculated that Ford is considering building a new midsized pickup, called the F100, based on the fullsized F-150. 

 —Eric Evarts

2009 Annual Auto Reliability Survey: A high price doesn’t mean it’s reliable

Paying more for a new car doesn’t guarantee that it will be reliable. Inexpensive small cars and midsized family sedans are the most reliable vehicles according to our 2009 Annual Auto Survey, which is based on our subscribers’ experiences with 1.4 million vehicles.

Twenty of out of 37 small cars and 21 out of 41 family cars have above-average predicted reliability. Minivans are at the bottom of the list, but there are not as many minivan options. See how the other vehicle categories fare below.

Car type	% of models rated average or better
Family cars	91%
Small cars	84%
Small SUVs	83%
Upscale cars	78%
Compact pickups	74%
Midsized SUVs	74%
Full-sized pickups	68%
Luxury cars	67%
Sporty cars	62%
Upscale/luxury SUVs	55%
Large SUVs	50%
Minivans	43%

When it comes to buying a new car, you do not need to spend top dollar. It pays to do your research and find the model that meet Consumer Reports’ stringent requirements to be recommended, as well as your budget.

For more details on our 2009 Annual Auto Survey including the full list of most and least reliable new cars by vehicle type, see our reliability report. Also, check out our guide to car reliability for more details on new and used car reliability as well as owner satisfaction.

—Liza Barth 

Chrysler splits Dodge into two separate brands

Chrysler has announced a reorganization that will separate the Dodge brand into two separate organizations called Dodge Ram and Dodge Car. This move continues the company’s restructuring efforts that have included bankruptcy proceedings and partnership with Italian automaker Fiat.

In a statement, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said, “This reorganization will allow us to protect and develop the unique nature of the product offerings within the Dodge brand.”

Chief designer Ralph Gilles will now head the Dodge Car division as President and CEO. Fred Diaz Jr. moves up to lead the Dodge Ram group in the same capacity. Olivier Francois becomes the President and CEO of the Chrysler brand, moving over from Fiat where he headed the Lancia brand.

We hope the latest round of executive musical chairs helps the struggling automaker accelerate recovery plans.

—Liza Barth 

Preview: 2011 Ford Super Duty pickup

Ford introduced a redesigned version of its Super Duty pickup trucks at the Texas State Fair in Dallas. Super Duty trucks range from the ¾-ton F-250 all the way up to the mighty F-550.

The redesigned Super Duties offer a choice of either a 6.2-liter gasoline V8, or an all new 6.7-liter turbocharged diesel V8.

The gas V8 has variable-valve timing and twin spark plugs and will run on either gas or E85 ethanol. The turbodiesel uses a new compacted graphite iron cylinder block and a new type of turbocharger with a two-sided compressor and variable nozzle for quicker power delivery. It incorporates new diesel emissions control technologies including urea injection and is certified to run on up to 20 percent biodiesel.

The Super Duty line also uses a new wide-ratio six-speed automatic transmission, mated to either engine. Ford claims this gives the diesel best-in-class fuel economy, but when we tested a 2008 version, we found it got only 10 mpg overall, the worst of three diesel-powered ¾-ton domestic pickups.

A new customizable LCD screen can be configured to display gauges, the trip computer, or a series of data on off-road driving and towing, such as turning radius or preset towing parameters for multiple trailers.

Of course the Super Duty also offers Ford’s Sync and MyKey systems. It goes on sale in next spring.

For more on the Ford Super Duty and other new vehicles coming soon, see our New Car Preview section.

—Eric Evarts

A tale of three Fords – Fusion hybrid, Mustang, and Ranger

The luck of our car rotation board has had me driving a variety of Ford vehicles for the past week, from one of their most modern designs to one roughly as old as dirt. It’s been an interesting experience, kind of like driving a Ford timeline and tracking how far the industry has come in the last 20 years or so.

First up was the Fusion Hybrid, a family sedan so good it now ranks as our top-rated domestic model in the category. Refined, quiet, and comfortable with or without the hybrid, the Fusion is fully competitive with market leaders. The hybrid powertrain is one of the smoothest and most transparent I’ve driven, and it returned 38 mpg at 70 mph with four aboard on a recent highway trip.

Next, I got the keys to the Mustang GT. While the newly freshened ‘Stang is more polished than last year’s model, it remains an unapologetic throwback to its 1960s roots – especially when compared with the Fusion. But the Mustang gets away with it, striking a nice balance between retro style and modern livability and safety. It’s also just unpretentious fun, and handily outscored the newer Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Camaro in our testing.
My week rounded out with the Ranger compact pickup, which has soldiered on with minimal changes since a decade before Chevrolet stopped building the Camaro in 2002. Inside and out, it looks and drives virtually the same as examples from the mid 1990s, including Fritz Kysar’s. Who is Fritz Kysar, you might ask? We featured his truck in a story two years ago about driving vehicles past the 200,000 mark. At the time, Fritz had put some 488,000 miles on his, and many other motorists reported crossing the 200k milestone with their Rangers. Looking at his well-used truck, the body panels and even the pinstripes are the same on our 2010 Ranger. Unfortunately, so is the stiff ride, noisy interior, and skitterish handling.

True, Fritz managed to get a lot of miles out of his, and the simple, utilitarian design probably helped with that. But that doesn’t make it competitive today. Just simple. Like dirt.

—Jim Travers

GM cuts engine investment, passes on $2 billion

Today, General Motors announced that it would forego $2 billion in government loans promised as part of its initial bailout package in December.

According to GM, “This development reflects the acceleration of GM's company-wide cost reduction efforts, as well as pro-active deferrals of spending previously anticipated in January and February.”

Notable signs of deferred investments include the cancellation of the new Duramax 4.5L V8 engine yesterday, along with halting construction of a new engine factory last month.

As we reported earlier, GM plans to source initial engines for the Volt from Europe, so delaying the new plant won’t slow down Volt production.

Tabling the diesel engine seems more unfortunate. Light pickups, which have traditionally had strong sales to small businesses even before consumers started commuting in them, could use a more fuel-efficient option. And given people’s propensity to use the trucks for towing, a diesel engine with good torque and fuel economy could be just what the light-truck market needed.

Currently GM and Ford offer diesels only in their heavy-duty 3/4–ton pickups. The giant heavy trucks we last tested cost more than $50,000 and still got worse fuel economy and than their light-duty counterparts with gas engines.

Apparently for now, GM plans to leave the market for light-duty diesel pickups to Chrysler and possibly Indian manufacturer Mahindra.
 
—Eric Evarts

Video: Pickup truck crash tests--Some Poor performers

Full-sized pickup trucks are marketed as tough machines, though new tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) shows that crash-test protection varies widely. The latest IIHS test data reveal side-impact protection is Marginal or Poor for the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Dodge Ram 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, and Nissan Titan. The Ford F-150, Honda Ridgeline, and Toyota Tundra earn Good marks for offset frontal impact, side-impact, and rear crash protection. Plus, these three Top Safety Picks provide standard electronic stability control. (See how these vehicles perform in IIHS crash test videos.)

“The size, weight, and height of these large pickups should help them ace the side tests just like the other large pickups we’ve tested,” says Institute senior vice president David Zuby. He points out that some trucks perform worse than many cars they’ve evaluated.

All the pickup trucks provide Good front protection. However, the side performance varies even when equipped with side air bags. Side and side-curtain air bags can often provide significant additional protection in a vehicle, however, some trucks in this group did not perform well even with them. (Key lesson here is to always check safety and crash test ratings—don’t make assumptions.)

Full-sized pickup truck crash test results
The large pickup crash-test group is listed below in rank order, with the specific air bag configuration tested and applicable model years listed.

Honda Ridgeline
Front - Good; Side - Good
Front and rear head curtain air bags and front torso air bags.
Front and side: 2006-09 models

Ford F-150
Front - Good; Side - Good
Front and rear head curtain air bags and front torso air bags.
Front and side: 2009 models

Toyota Tundra
Front - Good; Side - Good
Front and rear head curtain air bags and front torso air bags.
Front and side: 2007-09 models

Dodge Ram 1500
Front - Good; Side - Marginal
Front and rear head curtain air bags.
Front: 2009 models
Side: 2009 models (mfg. after September 2008)

Nissan Titan
Front - Good; Side - Marginal
Front and rear head curtain air bags and front torso air bags.
Front and side: 2004-09 models

Chevrolet Silverado 1500
GMC Sierra 1500
Front - Good; Side - Poor
With optional front and rear head curtain air bags.
Front and side: 2007-09 models

Nissan Titan
Front - Good; Side - Poor
Without optional side air bags
Front and side: 2004-09 models

Chevrolet Silverado 1500
GMC Sierra 1500
Front - Good; Side - Poor
Without optional side air bags.
Front and side: 2007-09 models

Learn about automotive safety. Compare safety features and ratings. See how these pickup trucks and more than 250 other vehicles performance in crash test videos.

In addition, we have recently integrated crash-test videos onto the model overview pages, available to online subscribers.

—Jeff Bartlett

How to save gas with the right tires

The tires you choose can affect your vehicle’s fuel economy. That’s because different models have varying degrees of rolling resistance, which is a measurement of how much energy it takes to roll a tire down a road. According to government estimates, a tire’s rolling resistance accounts for about 5 percent of the fuel a vehicle consumes.

Consumer Reports includes rolling resistance in our tire Ratings charts (for subscribers). This year’s tires ranged from very good to poor. All-season tires generally have lower rolling resistance than all-terrain tires.

To show how rolling resistance affects gas mileage, we used our Chevrolet Silverado test truck to measure the highway fuel economy of the tires with the best and worst rolling resistance.

The Silverado got 2.4 mpg better highway mileage with the Goodyear Wrangler SR-A all-season tire than with the General Grabber AT 2 all-terrain tire. That is a difference of about $300 per year, assuming gas cost $4 a gallon and the car is driven 12,000 miles a year.

To help consumers compare rolling resistance, California is adopting a tire-efficiency standard for tires sold in the state. The federal government is scheduled to follow suit in 2009.

But don’t use rolling resistance as your primary consideration in choosing tires. Some compromise wet grip for low rolling resistance, which can affect safety. In our tests, the top tire in rolling resistance, the Wrangler SR-A, rated only fair in wet braking.

We suggest you first look for tire models that provide good overall performance and then use rolling resistance as a tiebreaker.

For more information, check out our tire hub, which includes buying advice, tips on tire maintenance and detailed Ratings for car, truck, and winter tires (for subscribers).

2008 SEMA – Personal Picks

As we wind down our coverage of the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show car and component extravaganza in Las Vegas, CR’s attendees have been reflecting on the vehicles that made the greatest impression. It truly takes something special to stand out among the hundreds upon hundreds of vehicles on display. After all, these show vehicles have been specially prepared for this mega event, often built exclusively for showcasing the latest parts, trends, and building techniques. But, it isn’t always the fanciest car that fuels fantasies, nostalgia, or water-cooler discussions.

Between writing more than 20 blog posts about this year’s show, a few team members shared their personal picks. A couple others, overwhelmed by the selection, simply couldn’t decide.

John Galeotafiore: The 2009 Dodge Challenger was my clear favorite. In my early driving days, I was the proud owner of a beat-up 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T. It had a powerful 383 cubic-inch motor with a four-barrel carburetor and four-speed manual transmission.  It had the most unbridled power of any car I've driven to this day. 

The new Challenger pays homage to my old 1971 with all the technological advances that have come in the last 38 years.  While the old car had power, its handling, ride, and comfort all left much to be desired.  I'm sure Challenger purists would disagree, but I could see myself cruising to work every day in the '09 version, something that I wouldn't have wanted to do in my '71.

Gene Petersen: Domestic car makers draw on the past. You have to look back 40 years ago to what made Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors great and formidable car companies. All three automakers were not bashful at all in showing 1960s vintage Dodge Chargers, Ford Mustangs, Chevrolet Camaros, and Pontiac GTOs. These were and still are the cars that I dream of, and they were the cars that drew show goers like moths to a bright light.
 
Yet, when looking at the late-model offerings, the car that appealed to me the most was the Ford Flex fitted with oversized wheels and tires. There were numerous Flex concepts on display, and they all looked as cool as the first-generation Scion xB in custom gear.   

Mike DiLauro: Over the past seven or so SEMA shows that I’ve attended, my favorite vehicle has most often been an SUV. This standout vehicle is usually outfitted for some kind of adventure, whether off-road or for the urban jungle. This year, like the rest of America, I've been more interested in downsized vehicles. So although I'm going to go small this year, it still has to be tricked out to inspire me, since SEMA is all about tuning an OE vehicle and making it into something completely new.

I found the best expression of this from Scion. It is fitting that Scion would go to great lengths to live up to that intent. Within the line, the xB hits the sweet spot for tuning—it’s truly the tabula rasa of the auto industry. From the inexpensive entry point to the broad side panels, these cars become something otherworldly in the hands of a tuner. All this, while at the core, a practical, reliable and fuel-efficient vehicle...what more can you ask for?

See our picks from last year's  SEMA show. Read about more cars, gear, news, and views from SEMA.   

Small pickup truck crash tests - Some results are dismal

For the first time, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has tested side-impact protection on small pickup trucks and the results are not favorable. (Learn about how the IIHS crash tests cars.) The Toyota Tacoma was the only pickup to earn the highest rating of good in the side test for occupant protection. The Dodge Dakota, Mitsubishi Raider, Ford Ranger, Mazda B Series, and Nissan Frontier all rated marginal; the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon rated poor in the side test, which simulates a side impact from an SUV or pickup.

The side-impact tests are important as it’s the second most common type of crash fatality. Side air bags are standard on more than 65 percent of new models and manufacturers are working to make them standard by the 2010 model year. A federal mandate on side air bags goes into effect for the 2015 model year.

Small pickups have the highest driver death rates of all vehicles and most occur in single-vehicle crashes and rollovers. Electronic stability control (ESC) is a key proven safety feature that can help prevent crashes and save lives, but the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier are the only pickups in this group that offer optional ESC. The 2009 version of the Tacoma, Colorado, and Canyon will come with standard ESC.

Small pickups
The July crash-test group is listed below in rank order, with the specific air bag configuration tested and applicable model years listed.

Toyota Tacoma, crew cab models
Front - Good; Side - Good; Rear – Marginal
With front and rear head-curtain air bags and front torso air bags (optional in 2005-2008 models, standard in 2009 models).
Front, side, and rear: 2005-2008 models

Dodge Dakota/Mitsubishi Raider, crew cab models
Front – Good; Side – Marginal; Rear – Acceptable
Without optional side air bags.
Front, side, and rear: 2005-2008 models

Nissan Frontier, crew cab models
Front – Good; Side – Marginal; Rear - Poor
Without optional side air bags.
Front, side, and rear: 2005-2008 models

Ford Ranger/Mazda B Series, extended cab models
Front – Acceptable; Side – Marginal; Rear – Poor
No side air bags available.
Front and side: 1999-2008 models, rear: 2006-2008 models

Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon, crew cab models
Front – Acceptable; Side – Poor; Rear – Marginal
Without optional side air bags.
Front, side, and rear: 2004-2008 models

Check out our crash test videos on more than 250 vehicles. This latest pickup truck test will be available soon in our video player.

—Liza Barth

When considering a new vehicle, make sure to review the available safety features and safety Ratings.