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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.

Acura NSX GT3 racecar bares all in raw carbon

Acura slowly and dramatically revealed the NSX over a period of years. There were previews, concepts, and lots of teases before Acura finally showed us the whole thing. It's a different story for the racecar. And today, the wraps come off the FIA GT3-spec NSX to show all of its bare-carbon glory. The NSX GT3 strips away more than just the paint from the standard road car. The racecar comes sans hybrid system, meaning all the power from the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 is sent solely to the rear wheels. Modifications to the body include a large rear wing, underbody diffuser, and bigger hood vents for engine cooling. While the hybrid system may be gone, the NSX GT3 uses the same block, heads, valvetrain, crankshaft, pistons, and dry sump lubrication system as the road car. Power is sent through a six-speed sequential gearbox instead of the road car's nine-speed. The NSX GT3 will be built alongside the street version in Ohio. Honda engineers in Japan and North America shared in the development. Final GT3 homologation will be completed by the company's Honda Performance Division in Santa Clarita, CA. Related video:

2022 Acura MDX First Drive Review | Sportier and more luxurious than ever

The 2022 Acura MDX is Acura’s latest, completely redesigned model in whatÂ’s shaping up to be a rekindling of the Japanese luxury brand. Acura smacked us across the face (in a good way) with the luxurious and sporty TLX last year, and now itÂ’s trying to do the same with its three-row family crossover. 2020 saw the MDX become AcuraÂ’s best-selling model of all time, surpassing 1 million total sales. Granted, itÂ’s been around since the turn of the century, but thereÂ’s no underselling how important the MDX is to Acura. Enthusiasts like ourselves are far more intrigued by the performance cars, but the MDX is where Acura is printing its money. However, its cash cow status hasnÂ’t restrained Acura from transforming the new MDX into a crossover thatÂ’s likeable to both enthusiasts and the public at large. ThatÂ’s the Acura we remember and love. The 2022 MDX rewrites its story with a new “light truck” platform that's exclusive to Acura Â… for the time being. When we asked what this platformÂ’s future might be, an Acura spokesperson told us that “this platform will underpin other models in our company portfolio, but weÂ’re not speaking to that at this time.” Most likely, Acura is referring to the next-generation Pilot (along with the Passport and Ridgeline), considering that every previous MDX has been related to Honda's three-row crossover. For now, however, this new platform facilitates the MDXÂ’s longer dash-to-axle ratio (4 inches greater than before), which gives it proportions similar to rear-drive-based competition from Europe and elsewhere. It also results in greater cabin space, better handling and new technologies, but we need to address the design first. 2022 Acura MDX Advance View 23 Photos The transformation is substantial, as the 2022 MDX is both wider and longer than its predecessor. Where there was slop and slouch before, there is none today. Its upright face, mesmerizing grille, big wheels and sharp lighting elements make the MDX stand out in the crossover crowd. This redesign takes the MDX from being one of the least fetching options in the segment to standing tall as one of the most stylish. Big styling wins havenÂ’t always been easy for Acura to come by over the last 10-plus years, but chalk this one up as another feather in the cap following the dashing new TLX. The new MDX platform contributed to these good looks, but it also brings a splash of utility.