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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.

Maserati Levante Launch Edition debuts with pretty matte blue paint

Maserati has some small fish news today for the Geneva Motor Show: It plans to introduce a Levante Trofeo Launch Edition and ultimately sell 100 across the globe to kick off sales of the high-performance crossover. We're mostly taken by the Blu Emozione matte paint on the one shown here. Carbon fiber inserts on the bumpers, side skirts and hood make up the exterior changes for the Launch Edition. If you don't opt for the purplish blue (but why wouldn't you?), then Giallo Modenese and Rosso Magma are also on the table. For the less Italian inclined, that means yellow and red. Only 22-inch wheels will be fitted to the Launch Edition, with the choice being either a glossy or matte finish. Brake calipers are then painted in blue, yellow, red or silver. We'd have to recommend the blue calipers to go with the blue paint. Unique interior elements include a special, full-grain black leather. The Trofeo logo is embroidered on the headrests, and there's color-contrasting stitching throughout. The stitching's color corresponds to the exterior paint color you chose. The Trofeo is the hottest version in the Levante lineup, fitted with the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 assembled by Ferrari in Maranello — note, the V8 is Ferrari-derived but not identical to the V8 out of the 488. We drove it awhile back and found it to be more than enticing as a performance SUV. Pricing for the Launch Edition is not currently available, but a normal Trofeo starts at $171,475. Related video:

UPDATE: Stellantis says it is not selling Maserati

In a joint statement, Stellantis and Maserati have refuted reports that the Italian brand could be sold: Stellantis has no intention of selling the Trident brand, just as there is no intention of aggregating Maserati within other Italian luxury groups. Stellantis restates its unwavering commitment to Maserati’s bright future as the unique luxury brand within the 14 Stellantis brands. Maserati is in a transition period toward electrification with its Folgore BEV program: today the Trident offers GranTurismo and GranCabrio in ICE and BEV versions, Grecale in ICE, mild-hybrid and BEV versions, while we confirm that successors of the Quattroporte and Levante are also in preparation. Maserati's mission is to write the future of mobility through the best performance in the luxury segment, focusing on the desires of its customers. To achieve its goals, the brand precisely targets a highly specific audience. Maserati is therefore setting up a series of initiatives to expand its presence in the global market, to strengthen its brand image and to underline the uniqueness of its products. Maserati is facing a major challenge and must remain focused on its objectives in the coming months. Stellantis reaffirms its commitment to its entire portfolio of 14 iconic brands and recalls that each of them has a 10-year horizon to build a profitable and sustainable business, while recognizing that market volatility and temporary situations may cause fluctuations. The original story continues: Maserati posted disappointing sales and revenue figures shortly after Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares warned that the group can't afford to have brands that don't make money. While nothing is set in stone, one of the group's executives said that selling the brand isn't off the table. Industry trade journal Automotive News Europe (subscription required) learned that Maserati sold approximately 6,500 cars globally between January and June 2024, down from around 15,300 units during the same time period in 2023. It posted an adjusted operating loss of ˆ82 million (about $88.7 million) during the first six months of the year, compared to a profit of ˆ121 million (about $130 million) in 2023. "The first half has been disappointing," admitted Natalie Knight, the chief financial officer at Stellantis, on a call with journalists.