2017 Kia Forte Lx on 2040-cars

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Consumer Reports says infotainment systems 'growing first-year reliability plague'

The Consumer Reports Annual Auto Reliability Survey (right) is out, and the top two spots look much the same as last year's list with Lexus and Toyota in first and second place, respectively. However, there are some major shakeups for 2014, with Acura plunging eight spots from third in 2013 to 11th this year, and Mazda replaces it on the lowest step of the podium. Honda and Audi round out the top five. This year's list includes six Japanese brands in the top 10, two Europeans, one America and one Korean.
Acura isn't the only one taking a tumble, though. Infiniti is the biggest loser this year by dropping 14 spots to 20th place. Other big losses come from Mercedes-Benz with an 11-place fall to 24th, and GMC, which declines 10 positions to 19th.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's not traditional mechanical bugs hauling down these automaker's reliability scores. Instead, pesky problems with infotainment systems are taking a series toll on the rankings. According to Consumer Reports, complaints about "in-car electronics" were the most grumbled about element in new cars. Problem areas included things like unresponsive touchscreens, issues pairing phones and multi-use controllers that refused to work right.

Editors’ Picks January 2023 | Acura Integra, the new CR-V and more

A new year means another long year of testing and evaluating new metal coming from the automotive industry — we know, tough job, right? It also means another year of new cars making it to our EditorsÂ’ Picks status, and weÂ’re starting out January with a bang. In total, eight new vehicles were EditorsÂ’ Picks this month, including some brand-new models like the redesigned Honda CR-V, Cadillac Lyriq and the ever-controversial Acura Integra. In case you missed our previous Editors' Picks posts, hereÂ’s a quick refresher on whatÂ’s going on here. We rate all the new cars we drive with a 1-10 score. Cars that are exemplary in their respective segments get an EditorsÂ’ Pick designation. Those are the ones weÂ’d recommend to our friends, family and anybody whoÂ’s curious and asks the question. The list that youÂ’ll find below consists of every car we rated in January that earned an EditorsÂ’ Pick. 2023 Honda CR-V 2023 Honda CR-V Sport Touring front three quarter View 22 Photos Quick take: An all-around winner, the Honda CR-V is spacious, features easily used technology and looks better than ever. We recommend the efficient hybrid model, but the standard powertrain is a solid option, too. Score: 9.0. What it competes with: Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester, Nissan Rogue, VW Tiguan, Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Escape, Mitsubishi Outlander Pros: Clean styling; massive interior; efficient engine options; solid infotainment system; many standard safety features. Cons: No base trim levels; lack of specialty options such as plug-in hybrid and off-road models. From the editors: News Editor Joel Stocksdale — "The CR-V is just really good in a lot of ways that really matter. It's enormous inside. It has a clean, stylish exterior and interior. It's solidly equipped. The base engine is pretty underwhelming, but that's rectified with the more powerful, more refined and more efficient hybrid. It simply doesn't do anything badly." Senior Editor James Riswick — "The 2023 Honda CR-V is at its best as the hybrid. While the turbo base engine carries over virtually unchanged, the hybrid is new for 2023. To put it simply, itÂ’s just better to drive. Honda engineers managed to simulate shifts when the gas engine kicks on, providing a more natural driving experience and eliminating the blender-like droning of the outgoing car.

Kia plans production version of Telluride full-size SUV

Kia is reportedly planning an announcement on a production version of the Telluride, a full-sized three-row SUV it unveiled as a concept at the 2016 Detroit auto show. The news comes after a year in which Kia lost sales in the hot-selling utility vehicle segment. Wards Auto reports Orth Hedrick, Kia's vice president for product planning, as saying the company will "have some announcements soon" about the seven-passenger vehicle. Sister brand Hyundai is also expected to bring a large crossover in 2019 as a 2020 model. The Telluride was built on the modified underpinnings of Kia's Sorento crossover. It featured a 270-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 paired with a 130-hp electric motor that combined for 30 miles per gallon on the highway in all-wheel drive, though of course there's no guarantee the production version would carry identical specifications. Kia reportedly sees a need in its portfolio for a utility vehicle with more space than is offered by the Sorento, a midsize crossover now in its third generation that also offers three rows of seating. The company could use a boost in the popular segment: Sales of the Sorento slipped 13 percent in 2017 to 99,684, while sales also fell 10 percent for the Sportage, to 72,824. Kia last offered a full-size SUV with the short-lived Borrego, which it launched as a 2009 model. The brand is also developing an electric version of the Niro crossover, which it unveiled recently at CES, that gets 238 miles of range.Related Video: Featured Gallery Kia Telluride Concept View 13 Photos Plants/Manufacturing Kia Crossover SUV kia sorento kia niro Sport Utility kia telluride kia telluride concept