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Consumer Reports says infotainment systems 'growing first-year reliability plague'

The Consumer Reports Annual Auto Reliability Survey (right) is out, and the top two spots look much the same as last year's list with Lexus and Toyota in first and second place, respectively. However, there are some major shakeups for 2014, with Acura plunging eight spots from third in 2013 to 11th this year, and Mazda replaces it on the lowest step of the podium. Honda and Audi round out the top five. This year's list includes six Japanese brands in the top 10, two Europeans, one America and one Korean.
Acura isn't the only one taking a tumble, though. Infiniti is the biggest loser this year by dropping 14 spots to 20th place. Other big losses come from Mercedes-Benz with an 11-place fall to 24th, and GMC, which declines 10 positions to 19th.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's not traditional mechanical bugs hauling down these automaker's reliability scores. Instead, pesky problems with infotainment systems are taking a series toll on the rankings. According to Consumer Reports, complaints about "in-car electronics" were the most grumbled about element in new cars. Problem areas included things like unresponsive touchscreens, issues pairing phones and multi-use controllers that refused to work right.

Subaru Viziv-7 Concept is AWD done XXL

Subaru is an all-wheel-drive brand. Everything in its range, BRZ aside, sends its power to the road through all four wheels. But while you can get some sedans and a few high-riding wagons (ostensibly considered CUVs) from the Japanese brand, the company hasn't done an SUV since the Tribeca went out of production. That's going to change soon. The Subaru Viziv-7 SUV Concept previews such a change, and it's what happens if you stylistically embiggen the new Impreza Hatchback, raise the suspension significantly, and apply all sorts of concept car tinsel. Oh, and it looks good, based on the couple images Subaru distributed ahead of the car's LA debut. But while we can't show you finer details, we do have a good idea of what kind of vehicle is coming down the Subaru pipeline. View 14 Photos As the name suggests, the Viziv-7 has room for seven passengers spread across three rows of seats. That makes sense – Fuji Heavy Industry's Corporate Executive Vice President Takeshi Tachimori did say "the next three-row from Subaru will be the biggest Subaru vehicle ever." The wheelbase is 117.7 inches long while the overall vehicle measures 204.7 inches in length. If that sounds huge, it is – the Viziv-7's has 1.7 more space between the axles and is 0.8 inches longer than a Chevrolet Tahoe, which is only 0.6 inches wider and 2.4 inches taller. This is a big Subaru. But that's all we know for certain. Subaru hasn't mentioned anything about powertrains, or when a production version will follow. Naturally, we'll try to fill in the many blanks surrounding the Viziv-7 as soon as possible. Related Video: Related Gallery Subaru Viziv-7 SUV Concept News Source: SubaruImage Credit: Live photos copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / Autoblog LA Auto Show Subaru SUV Videos Original Video subaru viziv-7 concept

Subaru Crosstrek gets an injection of Baja racer DNA from Crawford Performance

Subaru's idea of updating the Crosstrek is dropping a bigger, 2.5-liter flat-four engine in the engine bay. American tuner Crawford Performance has other plans for the city-friendly crossover. It turned the model into an off-roader enhanced with a lift kit, skid plates, and extra lights reminiscent of Subaru's rallying past, among other add-ons. California-based Crawford Performance knows what it takes to improve a Subaru. It's one of the companies responsible for the Crosstrek Baja Racer introduced in 2019, and it's the only aftermarket parts manufacturer ever factory-backed by Subaru. The suspension lift it developed for the second-generation Crosstrek adds 2 inches of ground clearance to the front axle and an extra inch and a half to the rear. For context, the Crosstrek sits 8.7 inches off the ground when it rolls off the assembly line, so the lift alone raises it above the 10-inch mark. Subaru didn't develop the Crosstrek for hardcore off-roading, so Crawford added tubular bumper overriders on both ends and over both rocker panels, aluminum skid plates that protect vital mechanical components from oily (and expensive) encounters with boulders, and additional lights mounted in front of the door mirrors. Spot lights and 15-inch alloy wheels wrapped by beefy tires ensure you can see what's ahead and effortlessly drive over it. Crawford kept the stock, naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter flat-four engine but Top Gear learned it installed an air-oil separator and intake spacers to increase its output from 152 to 167 horsepower. That's not a huge bump, but it should be enough to make the Crosstrek a little peppier. The four-cylinder still spins the four wheels through a continuously variable transmission (CVT), and it exhales through an upgraded exhaust for a rally car-like sound. Adventurers who want to build a lifted Crosstrek need to set aside $550 for the kit, which includes aluminum strut spacers, strut extensions, and other bits and pieces like sway bar link extensions. Other parts like the skid plates, the air-oil separator, and the tubular add-ons are sold separately. And, of course, you'll need a good set of tires. If you're not a DIYer, Top Gear reported Crawford plans to sell a fully-assembled model positioned between the production Crosstrek and a purpose-built race car. It will cost approximately $35,000 when it goes on sale.  Related Video: