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Buick's Velite 5 is a rebadged Chevy Volt for China

There's nary a mention of the famous Chevy Bowtie badge in Buick's press release for its new Velite 5. No shoutouts to the extended-range Volt, with which the Chinese-market Velite clearly borrows its hybrid gasoline/electric technology. But that's okay; to borrow an adage, if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck. And, as you can see from the image above, the Buick Velite 5 is a duck Volt with a Tri-Shield badge. The Velite 5's 1.5-liter engine and lithium ion battery pack provide up to 466 miles of range, with the first 62 miles or so coming on battery power alone. That's more range than Chevy quotes for the Volt, so we're not sure what methodology Buick is using to calculate mileage. Still, even if it's more like the Volt's estimated range of 53 real-world miles, it would be enough for many Chinese drivers to avoid the gas station altogether. Buick showed off a Velite Concept late last year that doesn't appear to share much at all with this new Volt-based production model. But since the brand is promising more plug-ins and EVs in the coming years, we wouldn't be surprised to see further models carrying the Velite moniker, perhaps one based on the all-electric Chevy Bolt EV. Related Video:

Audi tops Consumer Reports' brand rankings while Tesla leads domestics at eighth

Tesla supplanted General Motors' Buick division as the top-ranked US automaker in Consumer Reports annual brand rankings, though the electric-vehicle maker finished eighth among global automakers. Buick had finished atop CR's domestic car-brand list for three years before Tesla leapfrogged it. Scores were calculated from a combination of performance, owner satisfaction, and reliability. CR noted that Buick scored big on reliability but not so high on performance, while Tesla appeared to present the opposite case. Volkswagen's Audi division repeated as the best overall brand for the second straight year, beating out VW's Porsche unit, BMW, Toyota's Lexus division, and Subaru. Kia and Mazda followed those brands, while Honda finished ninth, between Tesla and Buick. Consumer Reports took results from 31 brands. Reliability issues related to the Toyota Tacoma helped drop that Japanese automaker out of the top 10. Take a look at CR's results for its Annual Brand Report Card here. That Tesla, Audi, and Porsche placed so high is topical, given some of the issues plaguing those automakers. Audi, Porsche, and their parent VW have been coping with the effects of the diesel-emissions scandal that broke back in 2015. The scandal has cost Europe's largest automaker billions of dollars, and forced VW to put a stop-sale on diesel-powered cars in the US in late 2015. And while the Tesla Model S improved from the "worse-than-average" label CR gave it in its 2015 Annual Auto Reliability Survey, the problematic falcon-wing doors on the Tesla Model X SUV pulled that model's reliability scores lower last year. Additionally, the Model X's climate-control system and door locks have also caused issues. Toyota and Lexus finished atop CR's reliability rankings last year. Related Video:

Next-generation Buick Enclave spotted with Wildcat looks

The rollout of GM's next-generation three-row large SUVs is well under way with the reveals of the 2024 Chevy Traverse and GMC Acadia. Another vehicle on the platform is also getting a redesign soon, according to these spy photos: the Buick Enclave. It's still going to be big, and it will now receive the same sort of Wildcat concept-inspired styling as smaller Buicks such as the Envista and Encore GX. The Enclave's front is where the Wildcat connection is the most clear. It has the pointy shark nose and wide, frowning grille. It's hard to say whether it will get a mesh grille like some of the production SUVs, or a slatted grille like the concept. High up are slender daytime running lights with the actual illuminating headlights hidden lower in the outboard air intakes. We're not totally sure if this look will work on such a large, tall vehicle, but we'll reserve final judgment when we can see the car with all its paint and trim on display. The sides of the Enclave still have a fair bit of the Coke bottle curves that have appeared on every Enclave, if a bit more toned down. The greenhouse seems to take after the GMC Acadia more than the Traverse, as it seems it has a relatively thin C-pillar. The D-pillar looks quite thick, which will probably be toned down with judicious application of gloss black plastic.  Details of the rear are difficult to make out. It seems to have slim, wide and curvy rear taillights. The rectangular exhaust tips are nicely fitted to the rear bumper. But that's about all that stands out. We're expecting the Enclave to have basically the same powertrain as the GMC Acadia, with the one engine offering being a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque. It should be paired with an eight-speed automatic and either front- or all-wheel drive. Odds are it will not get an off-road variant like the Acadia AT4 or Traverse Z71. But it might get a sportier road-going version that could take advantage of the torque-vectoring dual-clutch rear differential from those aforementioned off-roaders. It should also be revealed sometime next year with deliveries likely in the same year. Related video: