Kia Motors America recalls over 70,000 Kia Sportage vehicles because Wire Harness may Corrode and Short Circuit

Washington, D.C. – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Kia Sportage vehicles manufactured August 9th, 2007, to May 13th, 2009.

The wire harness cover on the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may be improperly sealed allowing water to get onto the HECU circuit board. If the water is contaminated with salt, such as could occur from melted snow, the wire harness connector pins may corrode and the circuit board may short circuit.

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Subaru & Mazda Keep Pace with Luxury Brands in Consumer Reports 2016 Annual Brand Report Card

Audi, Subaru, Lexus, Porsche, BMW lead the pack

Yonkers, NY – Consumers don’t always have to spend top dollar to get a great car. The Consumer Reports 2016 Brand Report Card reveals mainstream brands like Subaru and Mazda can often deliver as much quality as more opulent luxury brands.

The highest overall brand scores in Consumer Reports’ annual indicator of which brands make the best cars went to Audi (80) and Subaru (78). Consumer Reports currently Recommends 100 percent of each brand’s models that it has tested. Luxury brands Lexus (76), Porsche (76), and BMW (76) rounded out the top five in CR’s rankings.

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2014 Annual Auto Reliability Survey by Consumer Reports shows Infotainment Systems are a Growing First-Year Reliability Plague

Troublesome Q50, QX60 models drop Infiniti 14 spots; Lexus tops rankings

Yonkers, NY – Multi-function, cross-linked infotainment systems and the associated in-car electronics are a growing reliability plague for many brands, according to Consumer Reports 2014 Annual Reliability Survey.

First-year models from Infiniti, Jeep, Fiat, Ram, Cadillac, Ford, and Honda have all seen significant problem rates from infotainment bugs and glitches. Of the 17 problem areas CR asks about in its survey, the category including in-car electronics generated more complaints from owners of 2014 models than for any other category. [Read more]

Kia Rio Tops Hyundai Accent and Chevrolet Sonic In Consumer Reports’ Tests Of Sub-Compact Sedans

Toyota Yaris continues to underwhelm in hatchback category

Yonkers, NY – With its nimble handling and well-equipped cabin, the Kia Rio EX outpointed the Hyundai Accent and Chevrolet Sonic as the top rated sub-compact sedan in Consumer Reports’ latest tests.

The Rio’s hatchback version scored lower, but sits firmly in third place behind the previously tested and higher-rated Honda Fit and Nissan Versa SL among the subcompact hatchbacks tested with automatic transmissions. [Read more]