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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

Consumer Reports declares most and least loved cars [w/video]

Consumer Reports is crunching the numbers from its annual owner-satisfaction survey, and part of that process is finding out how attached drivers are to their cars. CR simply asks readers of models up to three years old if they would buy the same vehicle again in light of their entire ownership experience, and tallies the results. After looking at the responses for about 350,000 vehicles, it turns out that people really love a certain California-built, electrically powered luxury sedan. That's right, this year's the overall winner was the Tesla Model S with a whopping 98 percent of owners saying they would purchase another one (the Model S also won this award last year, with 99 percent satisfaction). The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray came in a close second with 95 percent of drivers hoping to park another one in their garage. A few models weren't quite so favored, though. The Nissan Versa Sedan was the least loved model among its owners; a mere 42 percent said that they would purchase another. The aging Jeep Compass didn't do much better, with just 43 percent of drivers willing to buy the softroader again. On average, about 70 percent of owners say they would buy their car again, and only four cars ranked below 50 percent in CR's findings. Check out the video above to see some of the winners and losers in a few of CR's categories. If you're a subscriber, you can check out the full list on its website. Related Gallery Consumer Reports Most Loved Cars 2014 Related Gallery Consumer Reports Least Loved Cars 2014 News Source: Consumer Reports - sub. req., Consumer Reports via YouTube Chevrolet Ford Mazda Mercedes-Benz Porsche Subaru Tesla Ownership Videos car ownership

2022 Chevy Tahoe, Suburban and GMC Yukon get updated transmission

General Motors' full-sized SUVs have slipped in one more change before the year turns. GM Authority reports that the 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, and the 2022 GMC Yukon and Yukon XL equipped with gas V8 engines, will pick up a revised ten-speed automatic transmission. The new unit carries RPO code MHS, and Chevrolet communications rep Catherine Scales told GMA the updated gearbox "allows our manufacturing and dealer teams to more easily align the specific calibration needed for the transmission and can enable OTA updates in the future." It seems GM wants to make it easier to update the transmission's tuning and calibration in the future with the automaker's networked Vehicle Intelligence Platform/Global B electronic architecture. The 10-speed auto comes bolted to the 5.3-liter V8 and the 6.2-liter V8. The 3.0-liter inline-six Duramax diesel continues with the 10-speed automatic already in use. To recap the other changes for the full-sizers, we'll start with the 2022 Tahoe and Suburban, which get a new 12.3-inch digital instrument display to replace the former 8-inch unit and physical gauges. Navigation will be standard equipment displayed on the 10.2-inch infotainment touchscreen on all trims barring the base LS. Lane-keeping assist and parking sensors are also now standard, while reverse automatic braking is added to the Enhanced Display and Alert package on the top trims. Finally, the 6.2-liter V8 option is expanded to the Z71, RST and Premier trim levels, but it requires selecting one or more packages on the Z71 and RST. Moving onto the 2022 Yukon, availability of the 6.2-liter V8 expands to the AT4 trim, and the big V8 comes with a shiny pair of exhaust finishers. Redwood Metallic paint joins the exterior color palette, more wheel options are on offer, and illuminated sill plates can gussy up the rocker panels . An Enhanced Trailering Technology Package adds 13 cameras with the option for an interior accessory camera for those with enclosed haulers. On the safety side, expect reverse automatic braking to join the list of available driver assistance features. Inside, the Yukon welcomes the 12.3-inch digital cluster, the Yukon Denali welcomes the power sliding console as a standard feature instead of a $350 option.  Related Video: