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4 automakers agree to $553M settlement of Takata airbag claims

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Four automakers agreed to a $553 million settlement to address class-action economic loss claims covering owners of nearly 16 million vehicles with potentially defective Takata airbag inflators, according to court documents filed on Thursday. Toyota's share of the settlement costs is $278.5 million, followed by BMW at $131 million, Mazda at $76 million and Subaru at $68 million. According to a press release from Plaintiffs' Committee for Takata Airbag Product Liability Litigation, the funds for the settlement are aimed at getting more cars with faulty airbags fixed. At the time of writing, Toyota had the greatest recall completion percentage of 31.89 percent followed by Subaru with 31.37 percent. Mazda has completed repairs on 18.16 percent of affected cars, and BMW brings up the rear with 16.48 percent completion. Some settlement funds will go to an outreach campaign to increase awareness, while other funds will be used to reimburse people for any costs accrued to get their cars fixed. These costs can include rental cars, child care, lost wages, or any other reasonable costs associated with bringing in a vehicle for repairs. Furthermore, a customer support program will be funded with settlement money to handle any additional repairs or adjustments that could become necessary in the 75,000 miles following the airbag replacement. Lawsuits against Honda, Ford and Nissan have not been settled, lawyers said. Takata inflators, which can explode with excessive force and unleash metal shrapnel inside cars and trucks, are blamed for at least 16 deaths and more than 180 injuries worldwide. The safety defect has prompted recalls worldwide of about 100 million inflators by more than a dozen major automakers. Reporting by David Shepardson, additional details by Autoblog's Joel StocksdaleRelated Video: Government/Legal BMW Mazda Subaru Toyota

2020 Kia Telluride comparison: Specs and pricing versus other 3-row crossovers

The 2020 Kia Telluride is a three-row family crossover that slots into the top spot in Kia's SUV lineup. It does not replace the three-row Sorento — rather, this bigger, more luxurious model is intended for those who need even more space. And that they'll certainly get, because as you'll see below, the Telluride is one of the biggest crossovers on the market. In this comparison of engine specs, dimensions, pricing and photos, we'll take a look at the 2020 Telluride versus the Honda Pilot, Subaru Ascent, Toyota Highlander, the all-new 2020 Ford Explorer, and the Telluride's mechanically related cousin, the equally new 2020 Hyundai Palisade. Of course, those just represent one corner of an iceberg that also includes the Mazda CX-9, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Dodge Durango. Passenger space Like most other entries in the three-row segment, the Telluride offers seven- or eight-passenger capacity. The difference is determined by whether you get second-row captain's chairs. Judging by the Telluride's 55.3 inches of third-row shoulder room, it looks like it won't be quite as spacious with three kids across back there as it would be in the Pilot or Ascent. Two inches can make a big difference in this regard. Third-row legroom is very competitive, however, and if it's indeed just as spacious back there as the Pilot and Ascent, two full-sized adults should be able to fit quite comfortably. Its third-row headroom is also quite good, one of the areas in which the Telluride surpasses its otherwise comparably sized Palisade cousin. If you're wondering about second-row space, there's really nothing outstanding to glean from these specs. As expected for this segment, it's huge, with abundant leg- and headroom. There should be no problem fitting child seats. Cargo space The Telluride would seem to have class-leading space behind its raised third-row seat. If we were to guess, this is the result of its rather boxy tailgate and roofline design. This should also help explain why it has more maximum space than all but the Explorer. Space with the third row lowered is middle of the pack, but when you're talking about vehicles this size, the differences in cubic feet behind the second-row ultimately don't matter much. 2020 Kia Telluride View 46 Photos Performance and Fuel Economy The Kia Telluride has the same powertrain as the Hyundai Palisade, although their tuning and consequent driving experience may differ even if their specs are seemingly the same.

10 automakers shack up in Detroit hotel to talk Takata airbags

Since Takata has decided not to take the lead concerning potential issues with its airbag inflators, the automakers have. Perhaps that's unsurprising, since it's the automakers, not Takata, that will take a beating on the dealership floor if consumers decide its models are a health hazards. The Detroit News reports that Toyota, Honda, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Subaru met in a hotel conference room near the Detroit Metropolitan Airport last week to sort out a way to understand the technical issues involved. So far, faulty airbag inflators have been ruled the cause of five deaths and 50 injuries around the world, but neither Takata nor investigators understands exactly why the inflators are malfunctioning. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently asked Takata to issue a national recall, Takata declined, citing a minuscule failure rate and the fact that it's still investigating the issue. Toyota and Honda then made an industry-wide appeal for "a coordinated, comprehensive testing program" that would pinpoint the problem inflators and get them replaced, and that's what the Detroit meeting was about. Numerous issues, however, will make this a long row to hoe: simply getting the parts to replace the nearly 20 million inflators in cars recalled around the world so far - even working with other suppliers - will take a years, but more importantly, no one knows if the replacement inflators currently being installed will suffer the same issue. Answers will hopefully come quickly with Takata, the ten automakers and NHTSA all independently investigating the problem.