2010 Subaru Legacy performs better in IIHS bumper test

Bumper durability has improved significantly with the redesigned 2010 Subaru Legacy, leading to lower repair costs, based on recent tests by the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS). Shown to the right, the latest Legacy earned an Acceptable rating based on IIHS tests of how well the front, front corner, rear, and rear corner bumpers withstand everyday fender-benders. The Legacy’s 2010 predecessor, the 2007-2009 versions, had previously rated Poor on this test, and sustained more than $4,000 in damage. The 2010 model sustained less than $900.
 
The IIHS rates bumpers Good, Acceptable, Marginal, or Poor based on 6 mph front and rear impact and 3 mph corner impact. Vehicles are run into a steel barrier that has a plastic absorber and flexible cover to simulate a car’s energy absorber and plastic bumper cover. The biggest improvement for the Legacy was in the front impact test. The difference is that the 2010 Legacy's front reinforcement bar is taller, about six inches wider, and more than an inch higher off the ground. This prevented the bumper from sliding under the barrier during the test.
 
The Legacy is only the fifth car to get an acceptable rating in the bumper test. The others are the Ford Focus, Mazda6, Scion xB, and Smart ForTwo. All but two of 17 midsized cars rated Marginal or Poor for bumper protection. No car has yet earned a good rating. (Read: “IIHS midsized sedan bumper test–None rated Good.”)
 
This IIHS bumper test does not measure safety, just repair costs. The Legacy earned the Top Safety Pick designation with a good performance in front, side, and rear tests.
 
Over 300 crash tests conducted by IIHS can be seen in our crash test video player. Also, videos on current-generation vehicles are now available from the model overview pages (for subscribers).
 
Learn more about car safety.
 
—Maggie Shader

2009 Annual Auto Reliability Survey: Best and worst models by car maker

It is easy to assume that certain automakers build only reliable cars and others don’t, however, nearly every manufacturer have their share of winners and losers in our annual reliability survey. Each company and even brand product portfolio runs a spectrum of reliability performance, with its own best and worst examples. For some, the range can span from much better than average to much worse than average, whereas other may be centered around average. The key lesson from scanning the data within an automaker is not to make assumptions.

For example, the best Toyota Motor Company model in our reliability survey is the Lexus SC—its predicted reliability score is the second highest out of over 300 vehicles, but the worst is the Lexus GS (AWD), which scores in the bottom 10 percent, and receives a much worse than average rating, and is not recommended in our testing. While it is true that Lexus models tend to be reliable and test well, this is not the case for all Lexus vehicles.

The greatest disparity comes from Volkswagen. The VW Golf (aka Rabbit) is one of the most reliable small cars you can buy, but the Volkswagen Touareg has the lowest predicted reliability score in our 2009 Annual Auto Survey.

In most cases, the best model for reliability is a recommended model and the worst is not. However, Honda’s top reliable vehicle in our survey, the Honda Insight, is not recommended due to low scores in our testing. The least reliable Honda vehicle is the Acura RL, but it has an average reliability score and is recommended. Honda is one of the more consistent manufacturers and has no model that scored below average in reliability.

The two more reliable General Motors products are from two brands that are leaving the GM umbrella. The Saturn Aura (4-cyl.) is newly recommended this year and the Pontiac Vibe will be phased out in the coming months.

Below are the best and worst models in reliability. Models with an * are based on data of one model year only.

BMW
Best: BMW 328i (RWD)
Worst: BMW 535i (AWD)*

Chrysler
Best: Jeep Patriot
Worst: Chrysler Town & Country/Dodge Grand Caravan

Ford
Best: Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan (4-cyl.)
Worst: Ford F-250 (turbodiesel, 4WD)*

General Motors
Best: Chevrolet Malibu (V6)
Worst: Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon (4WD)

Honda
Best: Honda Insight*
Worst: Acura RL

Hyundai/Kia
Best: Hyundai Tucson
Worst: Kia Sedona

Mazda
Best: Mazda3 sedan
Worst: Mazda CX-7

Mercedes-Benz
Best: Mercedes-Benz GLK*
Worst: Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (turbodiesel)*

Nissan
Best: Infiniti M35 (RWD)
Worst: Nissan Versa sedan*

Subaru
Best: Subaru Impreza Outback Sport
Worst: Subaru Impreza WRX*

Toyota
Best: Lexus SC*
Worst: Lexus GS (AWD)

Volkswagen
Best: Volkswagen Golf (Rabbit)
Worst: Volkswagen Touareg*

Volvo
Best: Volvo S40 (FWD)*
Worst: Volvo XC90 (V8)*

The main take away from this information is don’t judge a book by its cover. Avoid assumptions and do your research before you buy your next vehicle. It takes just a few minutes to browse the model overview pages, or use the interactive new car selector tool, which sorts and filters by the parameters that matter most to you.

Either path will reveal Consumer Reports recommended models that did well in our road tests, score average or better in reliability, and performs at least adequately if included in government or insurance industry safety tests.

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 

Life after cash for clunkers: September auto sales

The much-publicized cash for clunkers program gave a shot of adrenaline to car sales this summer, inspiring purchases even from consumers who did not participate. With the $3 billion spent in moving people into more fuel-efficient vehicles, the question became, what would become of the market without the federal incentives? The answer: September sales figures show that all manufacturers saw a significant 35 to over 50 percent sales decrease compared to August. But--and here’s the good news--when compared to last September, a few manufacturers actually saw a sales increase, including Hyundai, Kia, and Subaru.

Here are the sales trends among the largest automakers:

Chrysler: Still struggling post bankruptcy, Chrysler saw a 42-percent decrease over last September and down 40 percent for the calendar year so far.

Ford: Helped by a sales surge from the redesigned Taurus, Ford showed only a small decrease of five percent over September 2008, but so far this year they are down 22 percent.

GM: Low inventory levels after the clunker program pushed General Motors to a decrease of 45 percent over last year and 36 percent decrease so far for 2009.

Honda: With a decrease in sales almost across the board (except the Pilot, which showed a small increase), Honda sales were down 23 percent over last year and 24 percent so far this year.

Hyundai: Continues to enjoy growth and increase market share. They reported a 27 percent increase over last September and a 1.4 increase year to date.

Nissan: Sales for September were down 7 percent over last year and 26 percent year to date. A number of vehicles, including the Nissan Maxima, 370Z, Pathfinder, and Frontier, as well as the Infiniti QX56, saw a gain over last year.

Subaru: Attributing its success to the redesigned Outback and Legacy models, Subaru saw an increase of 1 percent over last September and continues to have the highest sales percent increase of any manufacturer--up 10 percent for the calendar year so far.

Toyota: Overall sales were down 16 percent from last year and 27 percent year to date, but the Lexus division saw an increase of 7 percent over September 2008.

Even with help from last month’s cash for clunkers program, manufacturers are still struggling this year. As they enter the fourth quarter, we should see some more promotions and rebates to help drive up sales before the end of the year.

—Liza Barth 

Personal Picks: Sporty and muscle cars part 4

Here, we complete the staff's personal insights into the October-issue sporty car test group that included the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger, Ford Mustang, Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Subaru WRX, and Nissan 370Z. (Links go to model overview pages where online subscribers can find the full road tests, specs, Ratings, and videos.)

Read the first, second, and third installments for other perspectives from our auto editors and engineers.

Jon Linkov: Maybe I’m just getting old and grumpy, or because my wife is expecting our first child, but I find myself leaning farther and farther away from the sports-car daily driver than in years past. A quick, comfortable sedan that flies under the radar of the local revenue-enhancement officer is what I look for nowadays.

So while all of these sporty cars may deliver visceral fun, they just don’t do it for me as daily drivers. The coupes were either too large and awkward (Camaro and Challenger) or too harsh and full of compromises (370Z, Genesis, Mustang). This point was made clear on a recent 30-mile drive on grooved roadway in the 370Z, which was accompanied by a cacophony of tones I never want to experience again. But at the same time, I believe the Z and Mustang would feel really at home on a racetrack, and that I would enjoy greatly.
 
The cars that could potentially pry my money from my white-knuckled fist would include the Subaru Impreza WRX and WRX STi. I like the Subies for their standard all-wheel drive and hatchback body style, though the five-speed manual in the WRX is short one cog for highway travel.
 
But all things being equal, finances and mileage would lead me to the well of the four-door Volkswagen GTI, where I could drink deeply in its 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, hatchback versatility, 25-mpg overall fuel economy, and relatively affordable price. With the cost savings I could always visit the tuner world for a little more performance and still have money left over for taxes, insurance, and diapers.
 
Jim Travers: Add me to the list of my colleagues who like the Mustang GT best. Boring, I know, but what can I say. Those colleagues are right.
 
It’s far less boat-like than the Challenger. It has, in my opinion, an even better-sounding V8. And it’s easier to see out of than the Camaro. I know the others have independent rear suspensions and are newer designs, but I simply find the Mustang is more fun to drive.
 
Like the Camaro, it’s not very nice to offer friends a ride in the Mustang’s backseat, but unlike that Chevy, at least I can bring along my own head.
 
And speaking of my own head, I’ve always had a soft spot in it for convertibles, and therein lies another part of the Mustang GT’s appeal. It’s available as a ragtop, even if you have to give up some body stiffness to enjoy it. As a bonus, there’s plenty of room for everybody’s heads, big hair and all.
 

Personal Picks: Sporty and muscle cars part 3

Here, we continue the staff's personal insights into the October-issue sporty car test group that included the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger, Ford Mustang, Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Subaru WRX, and Nissan 370Z. (Links go to model overview pages where online subscribers can find the full road tests, specs, Ratings, and videos.)
 
In our first and second installments, we shared picks from the automotive engineers. Here, we continue the series with perspectives from two automotive editors.
 
Jeff Bartlett: Muscle cars have always been my genre. From an early age, I dreamed of the 1960s legends being reborn with modern performance, comfort, and safety. It has taken decades, but my wish is fulfilled… arguably too late. The 1990s were my personal muscle car years, having owned American iron when gas was cheap and written about them for numerous publications. Now, in the 21st century, these politically incorrect beasts feel out of place. The Camaro was always the car I most craved, combining a first-gen silhouette and modern accoutrements, but it became the vehicle that most disappointed me in this group. The chopped-top styling from the concept car has made this large coupe claustrophobic with limited visibility. The back seat, true to tradition, is worthless. And the trunk is about as useful as a back pocket. On the track, it is an undeniable hoot. But it isn’t quite my wish fulfilled. The Challenger is truer to the original, though its wide track and boulevard suspension limit the pure driving pleasure I seek. Among the domestic vehicles here, the Mustang does hit the mark for my tastes, with its recent refinements making it truly more appealing than last year’s model. My personal gripes are the limited right-knee room for the driver and the softened rear styling.
 
The Asian cars were all enjoyable. The Z is a pure driver’s car—perfect for weekends. The Genesis proved to be a great balance of power, dynamics, interior packaging, and fuel economy in my driving. It even rings in at an attainable price. I do wish ours was the available hatchback body style for greater versatility. In the end, the WRX is the “practical” choice for a year-round enthusiast car in the snow belt, especially for those with family or passenger needs. Snow aside, it would be the Mustang for me, with the GT500 being my new dream machine.
 
Eric Evarts: Apparently the muscle cars’ first heyday flew right by me. As a young kid, the oil embargo was in full swing. And it was already clear that muscle cars were impractical and had a ridiculous ratio of power to handling and stopping ability. They were also terribly space-inefficient, with bloated sheet metal and cramped interiors.
 
By the time I was coming of age, NASCAR stockers barely resembled cars in the showrooms, the second gas crunch was ending, Audi introduced a technical tour-de-force in the original Quattro, and all-conquering Group B cars began dominating world rally racing, with much greater turbocharged efficiency than traditional muscle cars.
 
So when it came to this month’s cars, I was naturally drawn to the Subaru WRX, with its all-wheel-drive, powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and World Rally Championship heritage. On top of that, its four-door practicality, roomy back seat, acceptable fuel economy, decent ride, and sticky handling made it fun to drive and easy to live with. I think it’s vastly more refined than the last-generation WRX, and the handling is much more enjoyable than last year’s WRX. Certainly, today’s muscle cars are vastly improved, and I enjoyed the Mustang and even the rumble of the Challenger. But this WRX hit all the right notes for me.

Ode to the Outback

The new 2010 Subaru Outback is an impressive combination of utility and efficiency. But what makes it so efficient is also what makes it rather annoying to me: its continuously variable transmission.

I recently spent four days with my family in the Outback on a 1,200 mile trip from our home in Connecticut to Niagara Falls and back. (It was beautiful and we had a great time. Thanks for asking!) We invited my mother along for the trip, since she has never seen the falls. At 5 ft. 10, she is a tall woman, and would be relegated to the back seat with our pre-teen daughter for most if not all of the trip.

First the good news: Mom really appreciated the extra 4 inches of leg room in the back. I own an older Legacy GT wagon (the same body as the Outback without the extra ground clearance) and know from experience she would not have been happy in the back seat of my car even for a much shorter trip. The cargo area swallowed all our luggage, plus the inevitable souvenirs with everything below the window level. If I had taken my Legacy wagon, I was considering installing a cargo box. Plus the new car was much quieter than my old one, especially with the engine turning a mere 2400 rpm at about 70. Finally, and best of all, even with all this added space, and driving pretty quickly, we got 28 mpg on the trip.

Now the bad news: while our four-cylinder Outback Limited is fast enough, when you push it hard, the CVT spins up the engine and leaves it hanging at high rpm until you let off the gas. And the Subaru boxer isn’t happy or pleasant at high revs. It’s coarse and loud. And every twitch of your right foot immediately and loudly announces your speedy intentions to your passengers and other drivers. In the old car, with stepped gears in either the automatic or manual transmission, the engine’s noise wasn’t so objectionable, because it didn’t stay revved up as long. This is not damning the Outback in particular. As with many CVT equipped four-cylinder cars, they work well in a relaxed, leisurely drive but can be grating. More so given how quiet and refined the rest of the car is.

So the Outback presents a dilemma: Should you like it for its efficient utility and overall refinement? Or be annoyed by the accentuated engine noise due to the CVT? In the end it’s a personal choice. 90 or 95 percent of the time, the Outback is great--except when merging or climbing a hill. For me, that’s not enough to write off the Outback. But it’s enough to make me consider paying the penalty in price and fuel economy to step up to the six-cylinder and its "normal" five-speed automatic.

—Eric Evarts

Cash for clunkers fuels August sales

The August car sales numbers are in and with the help from the federal cash for clunkers program, car sales saw a jolt for all automakers over last month, although, even with the boost, 2009 sales for year to date is still down for all manufacturers except Subaru.

Here are the highlights:

Chrysler: Struggling with low inventory due to the clunkers program and factory closures, Chrysler saw a five percent increase over July’s sales numbers, but down 15 percent over last August. Year to date, the company is down 39 percent. Big sellers in August include the Chrysler 300 and PT Cruiser, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Ford: Ford continues its sales momentum for August with a 21 percent increase over August 2008 and 10 percent over last month. However, year-to-date sales were down 23 percent. Top sellers, mostly fueled by the cash for clunkers program, were the Ford Focus, Fusion, Escape, Edge, and Flex, and Mercury Mariner and Milan.

General Motors: GM sales for August were at their highest for 2009. The figures were still down 20 percent over the same time last year, but up 21 percent over last month. Best sellers include some of their most fuel-efficient vehicles -- Chevrolet Aveo, Cobalt, HHR, and Equinox.

Honda: Propelled by a number of fuel-efficient vehicles, Honda posted its second highest sales month with an increase of 14 percent over the same time last year and 29 percent over last month. However, sales are down almost 25 percent year over year for the first eight months of 2009. The Civic, Fit, and CR-V were the biggest sellers.

Hyundai: Hyundai saw a huge surge from the clunkers program, a 47 percent increase over August 2008 and 33 percent over last month. Year-to-date Hyundai sales are only down less than one percent so far this year.

Nissan: Even with the help from the cash for clunkers program, combined Nissan and Infiniti sales were down almost three percent over August 2008. Year-to-date total sales are down 27 percent, but the numbers grew almost 32 percent from last month. The Nissan Versa was the clear sales winner with a 131 percent increase over last year. The Sentra and Rogue also saw a healthy sales boost.

Subaru: Subaru enjoyed its best sales month ever with a 52-percent increase over last August, 31-percent increase from July 2009, an 11 percent gain year over year. Subaru was the only manufacturer to enjoy an increase in sales so far for the 2009 calendar year. All Subaru vehicles except the Tribeca, which was down 8 percent, enjoyed a double digit increase over the same month last year.

Toyota: August sales were up over 10 percent over last year led by the Camry and Camry Hybrid, as well as Corolla, Prius, and Yaris. Sales were up about 22 percent over last month, but still down 28 percent so far in 2009 over 2008.

We’ll see what the sales numbers reveal next month without the cash for clunkers program, as and car dealerships try to offer rebates and incentives to help keep the car buying momentum going.

—Liza Barth 

Road test: Sporty cars and muscle cars

For our October issue test group, we put sporty cars to the test. Three of them are modern muscle or “pony” cars--the Ford Mustang GT, Chevrolet Camaro, and Dodge Challenger. These vehicles offer rear-wheel drive, plenty of power, and distinctive sporty styling with iconic profiles. Different from the rest of the group is the rear-drive Hyundai Genesis Coupe; our tested model is powered by a V6 engine in contrast to the muscle cars’ V8.

In addition to these vehicles, we also tested the updated Subaru Impreza WRX, which received a bump in power and suspension adjustments for 2009, and the redesigned Nissan 370Z. Needless to say, it was an entertaining few weeks testing these performance machines.

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.

In the November issue, we’ll report on the Chevrolet Equinox, Nissan Cube, Subaru Outback, Toyota Prius, and Volkswagen Routan.

Ratings for all of the sporty cars we have tested can be found with our dynamic New Car Selector tool.

Also, see our recent reports on these vehicles:
From the logbook: Dodge Challenger
First Drive: Dodge Challenger
First Drive: Hyundai Genesis Coupe
First Drive: Nissan 370Z
Video: Muscle car showdown

—Liza Barth  

July auto sales: Winners and losers

It may be the lazy days of summer, but auto manufacturers are enjoying a jolt in auto sales with the help of the cash for clunkers program. Subaru was the clear winner with a 34% sales increase over last year at this time. They were also the only manufacturer to see an increase in sales so far this year over last—4.3 percent for the first 7 months of 2009 compared to 2008.

Ford was the domestic winner with a 2.4 percent increase over July 2008---its first year over year sales gain since November 2007 and an increase of almost 7 percent over June. The big sellers were the Ford Escape up 94 percent, Ford Focus up 44 percent, Ford Fusion up 66 percent, and Mercury Mariner up 71 percent from the previous year.

Hyundai, which launched early with the clunkers program also enjoyed a 12 percent increase over last year and 21 percent over last month. Clunker deals accounted for 22 percent of Hyundai sales.

Most other manufacturers including Chrysler, GM, Honda, Nissan, and Toyota enjoyed a boost in sales over last month, the highest of 2009, but fell versus last year.

It is clear that the cash for clunkers program has made a big impact on auto sales this month. Right now the Senate is debating whether to extend the program with another $2 billion in funding. If that happens, then automakers may be able to continue the sales ride in the coming month.

—Liza Barth

Recalls: BMW, Honda, Subaru and Volkswagen vehicles

A few recalls have been announced recently that affect the BMW X5 and X6, Honda Accord and Civic, Subaru Baja, and Volkswagen Touareg models. If your vehicle is listed here, the manufacturer will contact you with information about what to do, or you can use one of the numbers we list below to contact the manufacturer yourself.

2009 BMW X5/X6
BMW is recalling all 2009 X5 and X6 vehicles because the rear brake discs may not have been made according to proper specs. The problem can result in reduced braking performance and larger stopping distances, which could increase the risk of a crash.

The manufacturer has not yet announced a remedy or notification schedule. Owners can contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.

2001 Honda Accord and Civic
Honda is recalling all 2001 Accord and Civic vehicles due to a problem with the airbag inflator, which could produce excessive internal pressure and may cause it to rupture when deployed. Metal pieces could go through the airbag and cause injury.

Dealers will replace the airbag inflator free of charge. Owners can call Honda at 1-800-999-1009.

2005-2006 Subaru Baja
Subaru is recalling over 15,000 Baja pickups due to a cracking problem with the fuel hose connection on the outlet pressure side of the fuel pump. Fuel could leak from the hose connection and cause a fire.

Dealers will replace the fuel pump bracket free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in September. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783.

2007-2009 Volkswagen Touareg
Volkswagen is recalling over 14,000 Touareg SUVs due to a problem with fasteners on the roof edge spoiler. The struts could crack and possibly cause the spoiler to become loose and detach from the vehicle. This could result in a crash or injury to people outside the vehicle.

Dealers will install wedges to reinforce the spoiler to the roof free of charge. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.