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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.

Scion FR-S Release Series 2.0 offers subtle sophistication

The 2016 Detroit Auto Show offers a chance to get a closer look at Scion's subdued FR-S Release Series 2.0. Toyota's youth-oriented branch is experimenting with a slightly more luxurious take on the FR-S. Just 1,000 examples will be made. The Release Series 1.0 showed Scion leaning heavily on the FR-S' sporty image with bright yellow paint, a lowered suspension, and quad exhaust outlets, but the 2.0 takes the opposite approach. The exterior wears a subtle body kit that features a discreet front lip and trunk lid spoiler. A nondescript light beige color called Lunar Storm isn't particularly notable, but at least the black 17-inch wheels lend a little aggressiveness. Inside, Scion keeps drivers warm and holds them tight in heated seats with upholstery that combines black Alcantara and light brown leather. The trim for the steering wheel, door panels, and much of the stitching matches this motif. The Release Series 2.0 also comes with luxury features like push-button start, dual-zone climate control, and HID headlights. Check out the limited FR-S in our gallery above. Prices for the Release Series 2.0 start at $30,305 (after $795 destination) with the six-speed manual or $31,405 for the automatic. SCION PAIRS SPORTS AND STYLE FOR 2016 FR-S RELEASE SERIES 2.0 TORRANCE, Calif., (Oct. 29, 2015) – Drivers of the 2016 Scion FR-S Release Series 2.0 will look better than ever in the most stylish version of the sports car ever offered. The new FR-S Release Series 2.0 comes with luxurious appointments and premium features, and with just 1,000 vehicles available, it's the most elusive and exclusive Scion Release Series yet. The interior creates the lap of luxury with heated seats in black Alcantara and leather with camel-colored accents. The same black and camel theme continues to the leather-trimmed steering wheel while the shift knob and parking brake lever are covered in black leather. Camel trim also appears on the door armrest and the upper door trim while the center armrest and knee pads are black. Camel accent stitching is prominent throughout the interior and embroidered on the dash insert is the release series badge, sequentially numbered from 1 to 1000. Additional luxury features include Smart key with push-button start, dual-zone automatic climate control and HID headlamps with LED daylight running lamps. On the outside, the Release Series 2.0 will make a statement with Lunar Storm paint and 17-inch forged alloy wheels.

A new Toyota MR2? We want to believe

In the wake of a busy Geneva auto show, the rumor mill is churning, and the latest grist involves one of the most beloved Toyota sports cars of all time. EVO reports that Tetsuya Tada, the chief of the Scion FR-S/Toyota 86 project and a hard-liner about sportscar priorities (light and nimble, but with modest horsepower), wants a third vehicle for Toyota's nascent sporty lineup. Currently, we know there's a Supra-like vehicle in the works, being co-developed with BMW, and the 86 is sticking around. Tada said he'd like a third sportscar to compliment the two we know about, and that he wants it soon. A quick bit of history: Toyota's classic sporty lineup had three components. The most visible was the Supra, whose power and prestige grew as the car evolved from a cushy personal tourer to a high-horsepower, high-technology icon. The Celica was its Clark Kent, more mild mannered but also more accessible and affordable. The third was the MR2, a mid-engined go-kart that lasted for three distinct generations. Each had its charms, and all have their fans. When Tada says that he wants three sportscars in the lineup, we already know about the Supra successor, and the 86 is already filling the Celica's role, so the blank is easy to fill. It doesn't sound like Tada spoke the word "MR2" to EVO, or hinted that the car would be mid-engined, but Tada doesn't seem to say anything without purpose. Whatever the layout, this third car – if it comes to fruition – will probably play a role similar to the MR2 in relation to its stablemates. To translate: it'll likely be even lighter and more nimble, and probably less powerful, than the 86. The closest real-world analogue to the pure MR2 ideal is the Honda S660, a mid-engined Kei roadster that's on sale in Japan right now. It's light, small, and powered by a 0.66-liter inline-three. Toyota could decide to directly compete with the S660, borrow an engine from its small-car specialist subsidiary Daihatsu, and produce a mid-engined MR2. Another possibility, even simpler from Toyota's perspective, would be to adapt the existing Daihatsu Copen roadster. Sure, it's front-engine and front-wheel drive, but it's a small, light roadster. And even better, it sells abroad with a larger 1.3-liter engine. Restyle it slightly, perhaps to resemble the S-FR concept of a couple years ago, and it's an off-the-shelf solution. The S-FR itself is a third possibility.