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Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #317 LIVE!

We record Autoblog Podcast #317 tonight, and you can drop us your questions and comments regarding the rest of the week's news via our Q&A module below. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #317
Mitsubishi Mirage

Toyota, Ford and Honda again top Consumer Reports Car-Brand Perception Survey

Consumer Reports has released its annual Car-Brand Perception Survey, and the list looks awfully familiar. The top six brands are identical to last year's results, with Toyota, Ford and Honda continuing to occupy the podium. All told, Toyota walked away with 133 points, putting it 15 ahead of second-place Ford. Honda jumped 26 points this year, narrowing Ford's lead to just four points in total.
Consumer Reports polls buyers from across the country on how they see multiple brands in seven categories, including quality, safety, value, performance, design/style, technology/innovation and environmentally friendly/green. Researchers then combine the findings to come up with the total brand score.
While value and performance remain important to buyers, CR found quality and safety are still on top when it comes to significance. Scion and Mitsubishi found themselves at the bottom of the pack with the worst score of all, tied at just six points. Ram, Fiat and Mini filled out the lowest five with scores of seven, eight and 10 points, respectively. You can read the full press release below for more information, or head over to the Consumer Reports site.

Honda launches Project Drive-In to save these American icons

Honda wasn't really a major player in the automotive industry when drive-in movie theaters were popular in the US, but the automaker is doing its best to preserve the place where automotive and cinema histories collide. Using Project Drive-In, Honda is helping bring awareness to a story we brought up last month, where we saw how a move away from 35-millimeter film could put some of the few drive-in theaters remaining in the US out of business.
As production studios switch to digital film, theaters are required to upgrade to digital projectors, which Honda says will cost about $80,000 for drive-ins. While Project Drive-In asks people to donate money to the cause or pledge to go to a drive-in theater, Honda will also be donating projectors to five of the remaining drive-ins based on votes received on its website. Scroll down to watch a short video describing Project Drive-In, and be sure to vote, pledge and even contribute to save the drive-ins.