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Consumer Reports says Toyota, Ford, Honda and Chevy are big winners in brand perception survey

According to Consumer Reports, the automotive brands that stand out in the minds of car buyers are, in order: Toyota, Ford, Honda and Chevrolet. This news comes after the magazine polled its readers, asking them to take into account vehicle quality, safety, performance, value, fuel economy, design/style, and technology/innovation - which are the factors that car shoppers are most influenced by.
It's important to note that this award is only about perception. In other words, it's perceived quality, not actual quality. "Often, perception can be a trailing indicator, reflecting years of good or bad performance in a category, and it can also be influenced by headlines in the media," said Jeff Bartlett, Consumer Reports deputy automotive editor.
The brand that made the biggest jump in perception amongst Consumer Reports readers is Tesla, which posted an impressive 47-point gain to finish in fifth place. Subaru is also notable for finishing in the top 10, despite being one of the smaller manufacturers doing business in the US. Scroll down below for all the details from Consumer Reports, if you're so inclined.

Ford builds one-off 50th anniversary Mustang Convertible for charity

At the New York Auto Show this year, Ford revealed a special-edition Mustang to honor the iconic pony car's 50th anniversary. Only 1,964 highly symbolic examples will be made, all of them fixed-roof coupes. But the Blue Oval automaker has just announced that it's also building a single 50 Years edition convertible that it will raffled off for charity.
The first production example of the new Mustang Convertible to roll off the line this fall, this one-off will pack many of the features on the 50 Years coupe, including its white paintjob, chrome trim, aluminum dashboard, two-tone upholstery, contrast stitching, special 19-inch wheels and special-edition badging throughout.
This unique cabrio will also be fitted with a special performance pack including Pirelli PZero rubber, Brembo brakes and a limited-slip differential to help get the 420 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque from the 5.0-liter V8 through the six-speed manual transmission and down to the road. It'll also feature a serial plaque with the number 0001 of 0001 and chairman Bill Ford's signature.

Ford could use Raptor name on Ranger in Australia

Ford might be flying the Raptor name into the market Down Under, but rather than on a high-performance F-150, the aggressive moniker could be used for a mean Ranger. The Australia-based site Car Advice recently spotted the Blue Oval testing a modified Ranger over some off-road terrain. The pickup was equipped with a snorkel over the roof for wading into deep water, a brush bar to protect the front, a higher ride height, and fender flares. The regular version of the truck launches Down Under later this year, including the somewhat rugged Wildtrak trim level (pictured above). So where does the Raptor name fit into this? Ford filed a trademark in Australia on June 5 for the Ranger Raptor. There's no guarantee for that as the truck's moniker, though. As of May 28, the Blue Oval also owns the right to the Ranger FX4 title. Although, don't start saving yet. With the Ranger remaining unavailable outside of the US for the latest generation, there's no chance of a Ranger Raptor coming here. Hopefully, Aussie off-roaders get plenty of enjoyment out of the truck, if it sees production. Related Video: