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Consumer Reports no longer recommends Honda Civic

Consumer Reports annual Car Reliability Survey is out, and yes, there are some big surprises. First and foremost? The venerable publication no longer recommends the Honda Civic. In fact, aside from the walking-dead CR-Z and limited-release Clarity fuel-cell car, the Civic is the only Honda to miss out on CR's prestigious nod. At the opposite end there's a surprise as well – Toyota and Lexus remain the most reliable brands on the market, but Buick cracked the top three. That's up from seventh last year, and the first time for an American brand to stand on the Consumer Reports podium. Mazda's entire lineup earned Recommended checks as well. Consumer Reports dinged the Civic for its "infuriating" touch-screen radio, lack of driver lumbar adjustability, the limited selection of cars on dealer lots fitted with Honda's popular Sensing system, and the company's decision to offer LaneWatch instead of a full-tilt blind-spot monitoring system. Its score? A lowly 58. The Civic isn't the only surprise drop from CR's Recommended ranks. The Audi A3, Ford F-150, Subaru WRX/STI, and Volkswagen Jetta, GTI, and Passat all lost the Consumer Reports' checkmark. On the flipside, a number of popular vehicles graduated to the Recommended ranks, including the BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, and Cruze, Hyundai Santa Fe, Porsche Macan, and Tesla Model S. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the hilariously recall-prone Ford Escape getting a Recommended check – considering the popularity of Ford's small crossover, this is likely a coup for the brand, as it puts the Escape on a level playing field with the Recommended Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue. While Ford is probably happy to see CR promote the Escape, the list wasn't as kind for every brand. For example, of the entire Fiat Chrysler Automobiles catalog, the ancient Chrysler 300 was the only car to score a check – there wasn't a single Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, or Ram on the list. That hurts. FCA isn't alone at the low end, either. GMC, Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, and Mitsubishi don't have a vehicle on CR's list between them, while brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Lincoln, Infiniti, and Cadillac only have a few models each. You can check out Consumer Reports entire reliability roundup, even without a subscription, here.

Hyundai kicks off NFL sponsorship with 'D-Gate'

After a long summer, football season is finally back. Hyundai is ready for the snap as the National Football League's new automotive sponsor, and the company hopes its new ad campaign scores with fans. The company's first NFL spot is titled D-Gate and it's about a group of buddies with a Tucson at an Arizona Cardinals game hoping to get on the Jumbotron. One guy brings something from home that doesn't make his wife too happy, as you'll see in the clip. The 30-second commercial is premiering during the season-opening weekend. The automaker's second ad called Field Goal arrives on Sept. 24 and is about a dad who loves the Houston Texans but has to deal with his napping newborn. Hyundai promises even more football-oriented advertising coming throughout the year. Hyundai has a four-year agreement with the NFL as the league's automotive sponsor, and the deal includes events like the draft and providing vehicles for the Super Bowl. General Motors previously held the rights since 2001 and it reportedly cost the company over $150 million a year. Kickoff Celebration Includes Two All-new Fan-inspired Television Ads FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Sept. 9, 2015 – Harnessing the passion of NFL fans, Hyundai's first NFL marketing execution launches literally with the very first kick of the regular season. During the season opening celebrations on September 9-10, Hyundai is the presenting sponsor of the 2015 NFL Kickoff activities that include a concert in the San Francisco Bay Area, home of Super Bowl 50. Hyundai is also unveiling two new NFL-themed television ads that highlight what it truly means to be a fan. "Our NFL campaign is all about conveying our love for football and providing opportunities for people to celebrate the game in a meaningful way," said Jacquelyn Kim, director, customer communications and promotions, Hyundai Motor America. "In the new television creative, we want to showcase what passionate fans do #BecauseFootball, and include the role our vehicles can play in that." Hyundai's New NFL Creative Hyundai's all-new Tucson SUV just recently hit dealers, and with its Hands-free Smart Liftgate with additional cargo space, is the perfect vehicle to help fans come game day. Hyundai's "D-Gate" 30-second spot, which will run during the season opener, is a fun take on some passionate Arizona Cardinals fans and their effort to create the ultimate symbol of support for their team.

Hyundai mulling new small CUV under Tucson

Hyundai maintains it can barely build enough of its core models to satisfy North American consumers, but that doesn't mean it isn't keen to expand its offerings to capture developing segments of the market. According to Edmunds, one of those expanding niches could be the burgeoning subcompact crossover segment. The website quotes Hyundai North America president and CEO John Krafcik as acknowledging his company is "very under-represented" in crossovers, the market's hottest vehicle type.
With the discontinuation of the Veracruz, Hyundai is down to two CUV nameplates, Tucson (pictured) and Santa Fe, the latter of which covers two segments with a two-row Sport and long-wheelbase three-row model. And while Hyundai commands seven percent of the US sedan market, the company estimates it only has two percent of the truck segment.
And while Krafcik stops short of confirming a new model, he acknowledges "a new segment is emerging" underneath the Tucson and says, "I think it's something to look at." At the moment, the subcompact softroader segment remains small and somewhat amorphous, with tiny CUV offerings like the Buick Encore, Nissan Juke, and now-discontinued Suzuki SX4 illustrating that there are a lot of different ways to package and market such a vehicle.