1993 Nissan 240sx Base Coupe 2-door 2.4l on 2040-cars

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Tesla leads and Infiniti bleeds in Consumer Reports' satisfaction survey

According to Consumer Reports, Tesla owners are more likely to rave about their vehicles than any other brand. And we're not surprised — Tesla has performed very well in past customer satisfaction surveys, despite the fact that the electric cars themselves tend to have more problems than most other automobiles. Second place went to Lincoln, which interestingly had a higher cumulative score than Tesla in individual category measurements like comfort and storage space. Ram, a truck-only brand, rounded out the top three. The consumer-focused magazine bases its owner satisfaction score on responses to a very simple question: Would you buy this exact car again? The higher percentage of owners who answer "definitely yes" to that question, the higher the satisfaction score. Further breakdowns are scored for other parts of the ownership experience, which is why brands that rank poorly in Consumer Reports' own reliability charts — like Tesla and Lincoln, for example — can still earn top marks for satisfaction. The lowest-ranked brands for satisfaction are Cadillac, Nissan and Infiniti. Interestingly, Cadillac performed better than average in Driving and Comfort and middle-of-the-road in the In-Car Electronics and Cabin Storage, but like most other brands, scored poorly in Value. In fact, only Subaru, Mazda and Volkswagen scored better than average in Value. Nissan and especially Infiniti earned comparatively low marks across the board to go along with the bottom-of-the-barrel satisfaction score. Here's the full list of automakers from Consumer Reports' satisfaction survey, ranked in order from best to worst: Tesla Lincoln Ram Chrysler Subaru Hyundai Porsche Dodge Mazda Toyota Kia Mini BMW Ford Audi Honda Volvo Volkswagen Lexus Jeep GMC Chevrolet Mercedes-Benz Buick Cadillac Nissan Infiniti It's worth diving into the individual category scores in addition to the official finishing order for a full look at the results. For instance, despite the fact that automakers like Lincoln and Ford use similar infotainment systems, their In-Car Electronics scores don't quite match up. Also, some automakers have full lineups with multiple cars, trucks and SUVs while others offer just a couple of nameplates. Head on over to Consumer Reports for all the details. Looking for a reliable car, truck or SUV? Check out the top 10 vehicles that owners keep the longest.

Nissan won't downsize the next Armada

The Nissan Armada is aptly named, because in relative automotive terms, it's not just the size of a ship - it's the size of a whole fleet. And that, according to reports, isn't about to change.
While many of the larger SUVs on the market are gradually being phased out or replaced by smaller crossovers, Nissan apparently plans on keeping the Armada right where it is. And that means a large, truck-based, eight-passenger colossus, because there are buyers out there who expect no less and Nissan isn't about to lose them to the likes of the Toyota Sequoia, Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator, or a General Motors lineup that includes the Chevy Suburban and Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade.
That doesn't mean that the next Armada - which Edmunds expects will arrive in 2015 or 2016 - will be immune to constricting environmental regulations, so Nissan will have to get creative. A vehicle the size of the Armada has all the aerodynamic efficiency of the side of a barn, but Nissan is reportedly aiming to streamline that in order to boost efficiency, for starters.

Mitsubishi could use Lancer Sportback name on its version of the Nissan Leaf

Various reports might help with filling in some of the blanks in Mitsubishi's Momentum 2030 plan. That's the automaker's new initiative we heard about last month that Mitsubishi North America President and CEO Mark Chaffin said is "setting the stage for new powertrains and vehicles being introduced, new dealerships being opened, and new technologies being developed to make the shopping and ownership experience faster, easier and more enjoyable." The first hints of new product suggested a rugged plug-in hybrid van, something else in the Subaru Outback segment, and perhaps an electric pickup. And after Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance partner Nissan introduces a new-generation Leaf EV for the 2026 model year, Mitsubishi's supposed to get the Leaf for its own use. Based on a recent trademark renewal, Australian outlet Which Car? via Car and Driver suspects this EV (highlighted in the image above) could be called Lancer Sportback.  Car and Driver caught the fact that Mitsubishi renewed a trademark application for the name Lancer Sportback at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on March 12 of this year. And speaking of Lancers, the Japanese automaker applied to trademark Lancer Evolution on August 8 last year. The USPTO refused the registration, Mitsubishi filed an appeal that's still under consideration.    Which Car? doesn't say why it believes Mitsu might apply the Lancer (requested in 2020) or Lancer Sportback name to its little EV, but notes that the automaker's been reusing names around the world of late, such as Airtrek, Colt, Eclipse, and Eclipse Cross. There's more where that came from for us, C/D also tabbing Mitsubishi's trademark application for the name Montero, submitted last August and approved in February. That 4x4 launched as the Pajero in 1981 and sold in the U.S. as the Montero (and the Dodge Raider). The carmaker hasn't sold a Montero here since 2006, and ended Pajero production in 2021. A new model called the Pajero Sport filled the gap in the lineup, but that SUV is based on Mitsubishi's Triton pickup sold in overseas markets.  We've got a while to wait to figure out what's up. The new Leaf is expected to be a mini Nissan Ariya based on Nissan's Chill-Out concept from last year's Tokyo Mobility Show. The image above is from the Momentum 2030 announcement, the little crossover we've highlighted has a DRL signature that fits the form factor.