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BMW, Hyundai score big in JD Power's first Tech Experience Index

While automakers are quick to brag about winning a JD Power Initial Quality Study award, the reality, as we've pointed out before, is that these ratings are somewhat misleading, since IQS doesn't necessarily distinguish genuine quality issues. JD Power's new Tech Experience Index aims to solve that problem. The new metric takes the same 90-day approach as IQS but focuses exclusively on technology – collision protection, comfort and convenience, driving assistance, entertainment and connectivity, navigation, and smartphone mirroring. It splits the industry up into just seven segments, based loosely on size, which is why the Chevrolet Camaro is in the same division (mid-size) as Kia Sorento and the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class is in the same segment as the Hyundai Genesis (mid-size premium). It makes for some screwy bedfellows, to be sure. Still, splitting tech experience away from initial quality should allow customers to make more informed and intelligent decisions when buying new vehicles. In the inaugural study, respondents listed BMW and Hyundai as the big winners, with two segment awards – the 2 Series for small premium and the 4 Series for compact premium, and the Genesis for mid-size premium and Tucson for small segment. The Chevrolet Camaro (midsize), Kia Forte (compact), and Nissan Maxima (large) scored individual wins. Ford also had a surprising hit with the Lincoln MKC, which ranked third in the compact premium segment behind the 4 Series and Lexus IS. This is a coup for the Blue Oval, whose woeful MyFord Touch systems made the brand a victim of the IQS' flaws in the early 2010s. But Ford and other automakers might not want to celebrate just yet. According to JD Power, there's still a lot of room for improvement – navigation systems were the lowest-rated piece of tech in the study. Instead, customers repeatedly saluted collision-avoidance and safety systems, giving the category the best marks of the study and listing blind-spot monitoring and backup cameras as two must-have features – 96 percent of respondents said they wanted those two systems in their next vehicle. But this isn't really a surprise. Implementation of safety systems from brand to brand is similar, and they don't require any input from users, unlike navigation and infotainment systems which are frustratingly deep.

Domino's reveals Chevy Spark-based delivery car

Next time you order from Domino's Pizza, check out the delivery car. In an effort to get hot and fresh pizzas to hungry customers, the company is creating a small run of custom vehicles that are tailored for the job. Dubbed the Domino's Delivery Expert (DXP), these 2015 Chevrolet Spark-based hatchbacks pack a plethora of features to provide the perfect pie. When the DXP's on delivery duty, every order should arrive steaming hot thanks to the hatchback's biggest custom upgrade – a warming oven right behind the driver. Accessible from outside, it can keep pizzas at the perfect temperature on the way to your house and hold two of Domino's Heatwave bags. Other than the driver's seat, the rest of the interior also gets replaced with bountiful storage and non-slip surfaces. According to the company, as many as 80 pizzas could conceivably fit inside, and that would be quite a party. The exterior is still clearly derived from the Spark but with some clever additions. An illuminated "Out for Delivery" sign is on the roof, and a puddle light shoots the Domino's logo on the ground. Plus, the company's red-and-blue color scheme is emblazoned over the hood, pillars, and hatch. Underneath all the pizza-related mods, power comes from a 1.2-liter four-cylinder and CVT. Rather than just a one-off stunt, Domino's is working with Roush Enterprises and former General Motors exec Kenneth R. Baker to build 100 DXPs. They're hitting the streets in 25 US cities, and you can check if your locale is included on the project's website. The seed of this idea came from a partnership with Local Motors to crowdsource the ultimate pizza delivery platform. Domino's Launches Purpose-Built Pizza Delivery Vehicle Domino's Innovative DXP™ Created by Three Great Michigan Brands and an International Crowdsourcing Design Competition Ann Arbor, Mich., Oct. 21, 2015 -- In its latest innovation as the recognized world leader in pizza delivery, Domino's (NYSE:DPZ) is launching the Domino's DXP™ (Delivery Expert), a specially designed and built pizza delivery vehicle. The DXP is the combined brainchild of former GM R&D executive Kenneth R. Baker, Michigan-based Roush Enterprises and Domino's. To also include consumers' input, hundreds of concepts were initially identified in an online crowdsourcing design competition hosted by Local Motors. "The Domino's DXP is the first purpose-built vehicle aimed at revolutionizing pizza delivery," said Russell Weiner, president of Domino's USA.

Leveling kit now available for Chevy Colorado, but not yet for GMC Canyon

In various bits of news this year concerning the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups, we kept hearing about a front leveling kit. GM Authority found a few details in early order guides in January. In February, the kit came up in relation to the Canyon's AT4 Off-Road Performance Package, and again with AEV's upgraded Colorado Bison. After three months of waiting, GMA has more info. The kit eliminates the trucks' raked stance by raising the front by one inch, using an electro-coated upper spacer and a polyurethane lower spacer in order to maintain the proper suspension geometry. Installation is a bolt-on job with low-profile nuts, but the task will require a spring compressor. Fitted properly, the kit doesn't void GM's new vehicle warranty on the Colorado. Why do we only mention the Colorado? Because for some reason, the kit isn't available for the Canyon yet as a standalone component; the GMC stays raked without one of the aforementioned option packages. For Chevy, the leveling kit is compatible with any trim in four-wheel drive except the ZR2. It cannot be installed on two-wheel-drive trucks, nor any truck wearing wheels that are 20 inches or above. The kit is available now, ordered through any Chevy dealer for $150. There is a treat in store for GMC buyers, though, but it requires spending a lot more money. GM Authority discovered that the 2021 Yukon will offer the brand's first illuminated emblem. Priced at $475 as a dealer-installed option, a backlit glow will show off the GMC logo in the grille. The brand makes the logo in red and black, it's thought the red logo will get the nod, at least at first. Only the front logo earns the spotlight, not the one on the tailgate. GMA says the tchotchke will be available on all four trims when the new full-size crossover goes on sale in a few months.