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AAA ranks Tesla Model S P85D best green car of 2015, Versa is best value

Reviewers from all parts of the automotive world just seem to love the Tesla Model S, whether it's the pragmatists at Consumer Reports or the enthusiasts at Car and Driver. You can add one more to that list because the 2015 P85D grabs the top spot in AAA's fifth annual Green Car Guide, after Tesla's win last year too. The organization's ranking of 88 green models also names the 2014 Nissan Versa SV as the best value in the segment. To take the victory, the P85D had to score the most points over 13 categories, including emissions, acceleration and cargo capacity, and it won handily with 94.87 points. There was nearly a tie for second place, though. The 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf SEL Premium scored 85.5 points, and the 2014 BMW i3 narrowly came in third with 85.4. The best value award is based on the as-tested price per point scored. So while the Versa SV only had 64.5 points overall, its low price meant that each one cost just $249. Second place went to the Versa Note SV with 64.63 points at $260 each, and third was the Hyundai Accent GLS with 61.1 points for $269 each. Keep in mind, AAA's ranking doesn't attempt to find the most environmentally friendly vehicle, rather it tests the green car segment to give recommendations to buyers. Battery electric powertrains, compressed natural gas, clean diesel, hybrids, partial zero-emissions vehicles, and simply models with high fuel economy are all counted by the organization. The results are published in a 160-page magazine, which you can read here. It also offers suggestions on economical driving and explains some of the fuel-saving tech currently available. Related Video: Top Green Vehicle is a 2015 Tesla, According to Fifth Annual AAA Green Car Guide ORLANDO, Fla., April 20, 2015 The 2015 Tesla Model S P85D earned the top score in the 2015 AAA Green Car Guide, the motor club announced today. The Palo Alto-based automaker's car is featured with more than 80 other green vehicles in the 2015 AAA Green Car Guide. The best green car value award went to the 2014 Nissan Versa SV. To help those in the market for a green car or truck, the 160-page, comprehensive fifth annual AAA guide reviews 88 battery electric vehicles, compressed natural gas-powered (CNG) vehicles, clean diesels, hybrids, partial zero emission vehicles (PZEVs), and vehicles with high fuel economy.

What does a world-class downhill skateboarder drive? Something very cool

Kevin Reimer has an interesting career and a fascinating car. The resident of Vancouver, BC is a professional downhill skateboarder - which we now know is a thing you can be - who sees a lot of commonality between his extreme occupation and his cherry 1991 Nissan Skyline GT-R.
The subjects of the latest Petrolicious joint, Racing Champions, Reimer waxes philosophical about skateboarding and driving down some of the same routes. You'll not be surprised to hear that riding the curves of a mountain slope, be it on a deck or in a bucket seat, both rely on grip and nerve in various measure. Scroll down to see for yourself, and don't miss the rest of our Petrolicious library when you're done.

BMW tops Consumer Reports 2023 Brand Report Card

Feels like we wrote about Consumer Reports' 2022 Brand Report Car and 10 Top Picks a few weeks ago, but it was last April. So the mag is back with a ranked roster of 32 brands and 10 vehicles in four categories for your debating pleasure. Starting with the brands, last year's top three were Subaru, Mazda and BMW. This year, the Munich crew climbed two spots to win the prize thanks to "Superb road test scores and solid results in CR’s reliability and owner satisfaction surveys." Subaru narrowly fell to second, maintaining its four-year run in the top three. Mini, eighth last year, jumped five spots to get the last step on the podium. The rest of the top 10 were Lexus (up one spot from last year), Honda (down one spot from last year), Toyota (up three), Genesis (up 12), Mazda (down six), Audi (down three) and Kia (up eight). The magazine and testing outfit says its Brand Report Card "[reveals] which automakers are producing the most well-performing, safe, and reliable vehicles based on CRÂ’s independent testing and member surveys," and that "Brands that rise to the top tend to have the most consistent performance across their model lineups." Last year's top 10 had six automakers from Japan, three from Germany (giving Mini credit for England), none from the U.S. or South Korea, and five luxury brands. This year's list counts five makes from Japan, two from Germany because Porsche fell out of the top ten, two from South Korea, still none from the U.S., and four luxury brands. Buick again ranked as the best domestic, dropping to 12th after being 11th last year. The big mover was Lincoln, its 10-place jump up to 16th attributed to better reliability from the Corsair and Nautilus. Tesla's improved overall reliability saw it climb six spots to 17th. Dodge climbed one spot to 15th. Jeep got out of the penalty box in last to come second-to-last. Land Rover fell three places into the penalty spot.  CR's top 10 vehicle models The 10 Top Picks list is practically a new list. Only two holdovers made it to 2023, those being the Subaru Forester and Kia Telluride.