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Consumer Reports no longer recommends Honda Civic

Consumer Reports annual Car Reliability Survey is out, and yes, there are some big surprises. First and foremost? The venerable publication no longer recommends the Honda Civic. In fact, aside from the walking-dead CR-Z and limited-release Clarity fuel-cell car, the Civic is the only Honda to miss out on CR's prestigious nod. At the opposite end there's a surprise as well – Toyota and Lexus remain the most reliable brands on the market, but Buick cracked the top three. That's up from seventh last year, and the first time for an American brand to stand on the Consumer Reports podium. Mazda's entire lineup earned Recommended checks as well. Consumer Reports dinged the Civic for its "infuriating" touch-screen radio, lack of driver lumbar adjustability, the limited selection of cars on dealer lots fitted with Honda's popular Sensing system, and the company's decision to offer LaneWatch instead of a full-tilt blind-spot monitoring system. Its score? A lowly 58. The Civic isn't the only surprise drop from CR's Recommended ranks. The Audi A3, Ford F-150, Subaru WRX/STI, and Volkswagen Jetta, GTI, and Passat all lost the Consumer Reports' checkmark. On the flipside, a number of popular vehicles graduated to the Recommended ranks, including the BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, and Cruze, Hyundai Santa Fe, Porsche Macan, and Tesla Model S. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the hilariously recall-prone Ford Escape getting a Recommended check – considering the popularity of Ford's small crossover, this is likely a coup for the brand, as it puts the Escape on a level playing field with the Recommended Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue. While Ford is probably happy to see CR promote the Escape, the list wasn't as kind for every brand. For example, of the entire Fiat Chrysler Automobiles catalog, the ancient Chrysler 300 was the only car to score a check – there wasn't a single Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, or Ram on the list. That hurts. FCA isn't alone at the low end, either. GMC, Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, and Mitsubishi don't have a vehicle on CR's list between them, while brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Lincoln, Infiniti, and Cadillac only have a few models each. You can check out Consumer Reports entire reliability roundup, even without a subscription, here.

Nissan Murano hybrid greens up Shanghai

Nothing says summertime like a muscle car with a ragtop. Or, in China's case, a hybrid crossover SUV, right? So it's a good thing Nissan plans on starting sales of a hybrid variant of its Murano in China for the upcoming warm weather season. Nissan showed off the Murano Hybrid at the Shanghai Motor Show with a supercharged engine that is paired with an electric motor. The company says the powertrain will deliver the fuel economy of a 2.0-liter engine and the power of a 3.5-liter V6 engine. Nissan didn't release actual specs of the engine nor any fuel-economy figures. Back in 2013, Nissan was working on expanding its hybrid choices, including hybrid variants for both the Murano and the Rogue. This powertrain choice makes some sense, since it could be difficult to wring a decent single-charge range out of those relatively heavier vehicles if they were all-electric. With that in mind, take a look at Nissan's press release below. NISSAN APPEALS TO CHINESE WITH TWO WORLD PREMIERES: LANNIA AND MURANO HYBRID AT AUTO SHANGHAI 2015 Lannia makes global debut to capture the hearts of young Chinese customers All-new Murano Hybrid offers excellent fuel economy and driving performance in the luxury SUV segment Customers in China can begin ordering GT-R Nismo and 370Z Nismo today SHANGHAI, China (April 20, 2015) – Nissan unveiled two all-new production models, Lannia and Murano Hybrid, along with two Nismo products, GT-R Nismo and 370Z Nismo, at Auto Shanghai 2015. "These innovative vehicles represent the start of an exciting new chapter in the story of Nissan's presence in, and commitment to, China," said Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn. "Nissan's growth strategy in China will continue to reflect our commitment to use local engineering and manufacturing. And we will maintain our support for China's efforts to promote more efficient and sustainable transportation. On both of these fronts, Lannia and Murano Hybrid will lead the way forward." Highlights of the Nissan display: Building on Nissan's longstanding success in the sedan market, Lannia delivers a fresh, distinctive personality that China's young generations embody. As the first product developed and designed for the young Chinese generations, especially those in their 20s and 30s today who are seen as energetic trendsetters, Lannia is a tangible expression of the company's commitment to China.

Nissan New Micra headed for Canadian showroom after Montreal reveal?

Fresh off news that Mitsubishi is bringing a sedan version of its Mirage, called the G4, to this month's Montreal Auto Show, we now believe that another small car will be debuting for our small-car-loving friends to the north. Word is that Nissan will be bringing its compact New Micra to the Canadian show, as well. Slotting in just below the Versa Note hatchback in terms of both size and price, the Montreal debut should be followed up with an on-sale date in short order.
We've been hearing rumors that the New Micra would end up in Canadian dealerships for some time. At every turn, however, we've also heard that the Franco-Japanese hatch is not intended for sale in the US, and nothing in this latest report from Autos.ca would seem to indicate otherwise. As Autoblog sources are quick to point out, Nissan already has one of the least-expensive offerings in the US, the $11,990 Versa Sedan, and the Japanese automaker just doesn't see room underneath it for another model. Sorry, Yank.