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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.

Dodge muscle cars, armored Jeep to star in Furious 7 [w/video]

We're less than a month away from the smorgasbord of speed, stunts and shooting that is Furious 7, and it arrives in theaters on April 3 as one of the first big films of the year. Starring Fast and Furious regulars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, plus Jason Statham as the big villain, this entry looks to be another exciting addition to the franchise. With such a major movie that features cars as much as the actors, it shouldn't be a surprise that an automaker is getting in on the action as a promotional partner. FCA US supplied nearly 30 vehicles for the film, including prominent roles for a 2015 Dodge Charger, Challenger R/T and armored Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. To really play up the connection, the automaker has laid out a global advertising campaign featuring its models. The marketing includes a variety of unique spots with the cars appearing online and in music videos. Among them in the US is a TV ad called Flash to the Future (embedded below) for the Challenger. Hopefully, Furious 7 can live up to all its pre-release hype. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Cars, Movies and Music Come Together as Dodge Partners with Universal Pictures and Atlantic Records on 'Furious 7' 'Furious 7' opens April 3 and features 2015 Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger R/T and 'armored' Jeep® Wrangler Unlimited Dodge launches multitier marketing initiative to promote action-thriller, including 'Flash to the Future' television ads for U.S. markets and across international countries, and Furious 7 web landing page at www.dodge.com/en/furious-7 Dodge vehicles also showcased in new music videos of songs from Atlantic Records 'Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack,' available in stores and at online retailers March 17 March 9, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Dodge, which has been a part of the blockbuster Fast & Furious franchise since its inception, announced today a promotional partnership with Universal Pictures for "Furious 7," in theaters April 3, and a first-ever partnership with Atlantic Records on music videos that support the label's "Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack," available March 17 and available now for pre-order at http://smarturl.it/furious7.

Jeep reveals Grand Cherokee SRT Night, Wrangler Backcountry

Another major car show is almost upon us, and you know what that means. That's right, boys and girls – another pair of custom Jeeps. Far be it from us to complain, though, especially when the pair of SUVs debuting at the LA Auto Show this month aren't just for show. These will actually be offered to the public as new special editions. In one corner we have the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Night edition, with all the brightwork replaced with black. The roof, rear spoiler, front grille bezels, pillars, and window surrounds are all done up in gloss black, while the wheels – custom 20-inch jobs – as well as the front applique and badging have all been given a satin black treatment. The interior, as you might have guessed, is also predominantly black, with black leather, black chrome bezels, and silver stitching. Buyers will be able to choose between deep red, silver, or dark gray exterior colors, but either way they'll be getting the same 6.4-liter V8 – all 475 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of it. In the other corner is the Jeep Wrangler Backcountry. This one's based on the Wrangler Sahara and features a special off-road front bumper, powder-coated rear bumper, and the 17-inch wheels and rock rails from the Wrangler Rubicon. The interior features piano-black trim, leather and mesh seats, vinyl accents, nine-speaker Alpine sound system, and more. It'll be available in five colors – blue, black, white, gray or purple – with special graphics (because nothing says "backcountry" quite like neon pink decals on a purple Jeep) and a standard black (or optional body-colored) hardtop. The Wrangler Backcountry will be reaching dealers around the same time as its live debut towards the end of this month. Don't expect to see the GC Night edition on the streets until early next year, though. Pricing for either has yet to be announced, but you can scope out the details of both in the press release below. Jeep® Introduces Two New Special-edition Models at the Los Angeles Auto Show - New 2016 Jeep® Grand Cherokee SRT Night boasts stealth-like premium black appearance, with black roof and lightweight performance wheels - New 2016 Wrangler Backcountry delivers enthusiasts a unique Jeep SUV loaded with off-road capability features to tackle the toughest winter months November 12, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich.