Most electric and plug-in hybrids have an image problem, seen as earnest transportation pods. The BMW i8 shatters that stereotype, earning attention normally reserved for Italian exotics but with a particularly modern sensibility. We talk about driving this very high-tech car. Wrapping up, we answer some critical YouTube comments about our Subaru WRX review.
This episode features a special car - the new 2015 Ford Mustang - and a special guest, Wayne Carini from Chasing Classic Cars. Wayne and CR's Jake Fisher talk about Mustangs through the years, how the car's evolved, and how classic cars compare to today's technology-laden wonders.
Long an enthusiast favorite, the latest Subaru WRX certainly puts down the numbers in testing at the Consumer Reports track. Whether the car is a livable daily driver, or much fun out on the open road, proves to be another issue entirely. Next we discuss the new 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata; everyone now knows what it looks like and that it's lighter, but not much else. Reader questions about modifying engine computers to game CR tests and our non-housebroken Ford Transit Connect are answered. Lastly, ...
It's a decidedly practical episode of Talking Cars, talking all about boxes on wheels. First up, a viewer question asks about the Ford Transit Connect. Consumer Reports just finished testing one, so we have plenty to say. Other viewers ask about minivans, including why they don't have diesels, and why no one ever mentions the Nissan Quest.
It's one of the most frequently-asked questions that we get at Talking Cars: what's a good car to buy for a newly-licensed teen driver? We talk about the essentials, including why electronic stability control is so important. Viewer comments also point out some common concerns, opinions, and misconceptions about good cars for teens. Finally, we discuss the role of advanced driver training and where our vehicle recommendations overlap with the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety - and where the...
They both have rear hatches: that's about all that the Honda Fit and Porsche Macan share. Each occupies totally different places in the value vs. practicality scale. The Honda Fit might just be the most practical car you can buy, especially given the price. But we don't all agree on the car's refinement. At the other extreme, our Porsche Macan costs over $63,000, but proves to be a rather satisfying guilty pleasure. In between, we discuss test results for the Chevrolet Suburban, Chevy Tahoe, and...
Sure, the electric Tesla Model S is the top-scoring car in Consumer Reports ratings, and their owners love them. But over 15,000 miles of driving, the Model S we bought has had more than a few problems. We talk about those issues, public reaction, and what it all means. Next we discuss another electric car, the BMW i3. It's unlike any BMW you've ever seen. Bringing things back to more "normal" cars, we introduce our 2015 Subaru Outback test car. Subaru's been listening, because they fixed a lot ...
Flogging a new F80 BMW M3 around the Consumer Reports test track proves to be a good time, but the jury's out about how much fun it is on the street. A Lexus owner complains about CR's complaints about their controls, leading to an inadvertent iPad mistake that shows the dangers of complex controls when driving, or recording a podcast. A viewer asks about buying a small crossover and if buying one from an upscale brand is worth it to him. Finally, a young viewer has the chance to get a free Rang...
Lexus finally jumps into the upscale small SUV fray with their new NX -- we determine that it's far more than a fancy Toyota RAV4. Moving on to viewer comments and questions, our comments on the Volkswagen GTI still bring us grief. A viewer asks how to get into the auto journalism business. Finally, we talk about the seldom-mentioned Nissan Altima....
Our last episode about the Volkswagen GTI ignited some controversy, so we answer follow-up questions about this important car for enthusiasts. Older GTIs appear in the questions too, as a viewer decides whether to keep his VW or get a new 2015 Ford Mustang. Turns out he's not the only viewer interested in Ford's new pony car. Another viewer wants something good for a strict $18,000 budget, and he's helped out by his fellow YouTube commenters. Finally we make a pick between a Subaru Outback and a...
We're car enthusiasts here at Consumer Reports, so we got rather excited by the arrival of our new 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI test car. While it's a very nice car indeed, some of us have mixed feelings about this more mature hot hatch. Moving on to YouTube questions, we finally answer a patient viewer's question about which three-row SUV to buy. Another viewer asks about buying a truck for his 18-year old son -- our answer probably won't win many popularity points. Finally, we answer a viewer's qu...
Two new Hyundais join the Consumer Reports test fleet, a Genesis luxury sedan and Sonata midsized sedan. Both make for favorable first impressions but for different reasons. We then jump into a bunch of reader questions. A lot of people commented on fuel economy, eco modes, and driving behavior, so we sort that all out. Finally, two letters ask about buying sedans for sons....
GM recalls keep coming, with another 6.5 million cars recalled for various problems including ignition issues. We talk about how these recalls illustrate the perils of cost-cutting, and suggest that GM stop building cars with ignition keys altogether. After just a few months on the job, GM’s CEO Mary Barra probably wishes she was in Alan Mulally’s shoes. He retired today as Ford’s CEO, stepping down as a lauded hero after basically mortgaging and saving the company. We discuss the impact this ha...
Two iconic sports cars square off at the Consumer Reports test track - the Chevrolet Corvette and the Porsche 911. The engineers and technicians who did the testing talk about how each car performs at the track and they name their favorites. Since a new Corvette or 911 is out of reach for most of us, we also answer a reader question about affordable rear-wheel-drive sports cars....
Fuel efficient cars and their manufacturers are all in the news this week. Tesla announces that other car companies can use their patents, hoping to spur innovation in electric cars by mainstream manufacturers. Of course it winds up being a PR coup too. Ford's PR isn't as rosy as they announce errors in calculating fuel economy for their hybrids, leading to changes in the EPA numbers on their window stickers and goodwill payments to customers. We then answer some viewer questions about buying a ...
Two new Mini Coopers join the Consumer Reports test fleet. They might look familar on the outside but the little car gets some big changes underneath, including a three-cylinder engine. Then we answer viewer comments and questions. A viewer asks if, despite our negative comments in the last two shows, GM made any improvements in the redesigned Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban and GMC Yukon. They did, but they get overshadowed. We take a crack at defining "German engineering" and Jon gets flack for sayin...
It's a thorny question: what is the worst car of all time? We give our answers based on personal experience and our years of testing cars at Consumer Reports. Our viewers also chime in with their picks. Unsurprisingly, the list takes on a more modern bent with several frequently named contenders: Yugo, Pontiac Aztek, and Chevrolet Vega, to name a few. We finish up responding to viewer comments about our discussion of the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon....
Two big new test cars join the Consumer Reports fleet: the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban. We also drive the GMC Yukon Denali XL and Cadillac Escalade. First impressions are that these big SUVs might be something of a disappointment, but there's no question that they get expensive. We then tell the conflicting tales of two BMW coupes: a 435i press car and our fabulous M235i test car. Then we discuss a BMW 2-Series competitor, the Audi A3. Finally we ask our viewers to weigh in on a question: what ...
From the floor of the New York Auto Show, we discuss the big introductions. The Toyota Camry goes for style while the Hyundai Sonata gets more practical. Kia rolls out the redesigned Sedona minivan and Subaru refines the Outback. Jake and Gabe agree on a favorite car of the show, the Alfa Romeo 4C, while Tom pines after the not-done-yet new Mazda Miata....
Test results are in for the Toyota Highlander, both in Consumer Reports tests and crash tests done by IIHS. Some midsized SUVs did poorly in the crash test, causing them to lose their recommendation. We also talk about the new Chrysler 200 and Tom rants about Jimmy Fallon's pickup truck choice....
The GM ignition switch recall mess has been front page news, including Congressional hearings. Jake Fisher and Tom Mutchler discuss the issues, including cost cutting on Chevrolet Cobalt and its siblings and why safety issues should cause prompt recalls. We also discuss what it will take for GM to repair its image....
When you're spending your hard-earned money on a car, we think you deserve a good one - and some models are better than others. This episode focuses on those models we think you should avoid, presented by category. Don't confuse this with a list of the "worst cars." Cars like the BMW 7-Series and Ford Taurus certainly aren't among the worst cars out there, but they are bad choices within their respective market segments....
A three-cylinder Ford Fiesta and four-cylinder Chevrolet Impala question how many cylinders are enough. No question that six cylinders are enough for our great-sounding Maserati Ghibli - after all, they come from Ferrari. We then talk about the new Jeep Renegade and answer viewer comments about the Chevrolet Volt, Tesla Model S, Subaru Outback, and (once again) the Dodge Durango....
We announce our Top Pick list for 2014 highlighting the best choices in ten different categories. Selected vehicles scored well in our extensive tests and have proven reliable and safe. This year's list has five new choices including the Tesla Model S. We also talk about cars that came close but didn't quite make the list. Moving on, we answer reader questions about picking a family car in snowy Minnesota and the best three-row hauler. Finally, we announce our new Maserati Ghibli test car....
Long-awaited test results are finally in for the Jeep Cherokee and Mazda3. While the Cherokee is ultimately disappointing, labeled as "not done yet," the Mazda3 proves to be impressive. We also talk about the new Toyota Highlander and the most expensive test car we've ever bought, the Mercedes-Benz S550....
Quietly clattering its way into the second top-scoring spot in our Ratings, the Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTec gets a awful lot right - until you get to the price. We then show off our new Chevrolet SS, which has a surprise or two up its sleeve. Two very different Subaru Imprezas are at the track - the XV Crosstrek Hybrid and the new high-performance WRX. We then answer a bunch of viewer questions about testing fancy cars and why Tom is so mean to Jon. Finally, we tackle a question that haunts the a...
We cover all the news from the 2014 Detroit Auto Show floor! Ford launches their new F-150, very big news indeed. Chrysler finally gets in the midsized sedan game with the new 200. Super-small luxury SUVs take over, including the Audi Q3 and Mercedes GLA. Chevrolet gives the Corvette what it really needed (ha ha) - the more powerful Z06. And Honda rolls out a new Fit....
Wrapping up 2013, we each pick our favorites - and not-so-favorites - from the past year. Lots of votes go to the fiesty Ford Fiesta ST, Audi A7, and Tesla Model S. We also applaud the Hyundai Santa Fe, Cadillac ATS, Buick Regal, and Mercedes-Benz GL. On the flip side, the Fiat 500L, Mitsubishi Mirage and Scion tC come in for universal distain, while the Mercedes-Benz CLA, Lexus IS, and Buick Encore also get thumbs-down....
Things are getting fancy around the Consumer Reports test track with the addition of two Land Rovers to the test fleet: a Range Rover and a Range Rover Sport. But it turns out the Sport packs a wintertime surprise. We also try out the Cadillac ELR, which shares the Chevrolet Volt's electric drivetrain and has stunning styling - plus a stunning price. Then we get to viewer questions, including the status of testing the Mazda3, Jeep Cherokee, and Honda Accord Hybrid. We discuss whether the VW Golf...
