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J.D. Power study identifies top seats for your tush

File under News your fanny can use: The seating systems in the Ford Escape and Edge, the Audi A3, Chevrolet Cruze, Kia Cadenza, Porsche Cayenne and Toyota Tundra received top marks in a new J.D. Power study on seating and seat belt quality and satisfaction. The J.D. Power 2017 Seat Quality and Satisfaction Study asked more than 77,000 new owners and lessees of 2017 model-year cars and light trucks to rate their vehicle's seats and seat belts within the first 90 days of taking ownership. The survey is broken up into seven vehicle segments and scored on total seat problems per 100 within each segment, with awards presented to the seating system supplier. Canadian auto supplier Magna won three of seven first-place awards for its seating systems in the A3, Escape and Edge. Ireland-based Adient got top marks for its seats in the Cadenza and Cayenne. Lear Corp. won for the Cruze, and Avanzar Interior Technologies scored highest for seats in the Tundra. J.D. Power says its study is intended for automakers and suppliers with quality and satisfaction information to be used in developing and marketing seating systems. "But the results are just as interesting to a consumer audience," the company says. "After all, some drivers spend a considerable amount of time behind the wheel, and it's helpful to know which vehicles offer the most comfortable seats for those long commutes." Ain't that the truth. Ford was the only automaker whose seat systems, both manufactured by Magna, received top honors in two segments: the Escape for mass-market compact SUV and the Edge for mass-market midsize/large SUV. J.D. Power says it used 22 attributes to measure seat quality, three measures of seat belt quality and 12 to measure satisfaction. Awards were presented to the seating suppliers. Related Video: Image Credit: Audi Auto News Design/Style Audi Chevrolet Ford Kia Porsche Toyota Safety JD Power seats

Chevy Bolt EV might not come to UK

Anyone expecting the upcoming James Bond movie to feature scenes with the suave namesake cruising around London in a Chevrolet Bolt (yes, there are some of us around) will likely be disappointed. That's because it is apparently doubtful that the General Motors flagship division will make right-hand-drive versions of the electric vehicle for the UK. So we'll have to suffice with the dashing spy ripping around town in Aston Martins and the like. The UK's Autocar reported from the Frankfurt Auto Show and quoted a Chevrolet spokeswoman saying the Bolt with be "a global vehicle," though she wasn't more specific, or specific enough for the British. Indeed, GM is prepping to sell the Bolt in the US and will also distribute the EV in Europe with an Opel nameplate. This is how it worked with the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in (known as Opel Ampera across the Pond). That said, the fine citizens of the UK will be left out of the opportunity to buy the electric vehicle, which may make a pretty big splash thanks to a single-charge range of about 200 miles, or more than double anything that's not a Tesla Model S. The Bolt will sell in the US for $37,500 before government incentives kick in. It was announced this past February that the Bolt will go into production at GM's Orion plant near Detroit at some point. For a time, GM thought of changing the name because of potential confusion with the Chevy Volt, but GM confirmed this past spring that the name will stick. The car is expected to go on sale in 2017. Related Video:

Jay Leno joins the dark side with Darth Vader's car

There still isn't a better Star Wars villain than Darth Vader. The Sith Lord defines menacing with his black suit, deep voice, and a penchant for choking underlings. Maybe The Force Awakens can introduce a better bad guy when the film hits theaters in the coming days, but Vader remains king until then. Jay Leno now shows some respect for the dark side of the force by welcoming Darth's car into his garage. This isn't just the tiny Hot Wheels toy, but the fully drivable version that premiered last year at San Diego Comic-Con. The car's design clearly evokes Vader's iconic helmet, but it still looks like a mean hot rod. Designer Bryan Benedict also shows Leno a few other Star Wars touches in the styling, like the light saber side pipes and Imperial logos on the wheels. One of the coolest features is that the roof rises out of the way to let in passengers, which is a small nod to a scene from The Empire Strikes Back. Underneath the Vader-inspired shape, the car uses a heavily modified C6 Chevrolet Corvette platform, and Jay gets to take it for a short drive. Leno even leans into the dark side with some maniacal laughter while behind the wheel. Related Video: