2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport Xls Sport Utility 4-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

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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.

Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla store reboot, Jaguar "EV-Type" an electric F-Pace?

The Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate (CHEAPR) program is creating demand for EVs. $1 million has been set aside for rebates ranging from $750 to $3,000 per car, depending on battery size (in addition to federal incentives). Dealers also get an incentive of $150 to $300 per vehicle to help motivate them to promote EVs. "This is the type of program that can be a win-win-win for the state, auto manufacturers, dealers and consumers," says Chevrolet dealer Leo Karl, who has seen a jump in demand for the Volt under the CHEAPR program. Karl expects the funds to run out as early as this fall. Read more at Automotive News. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is scheduled to go on sale in the US in May 2016. As Mitsubishi makes some changes, including plans to ditch its Normal, IL assembly plant, the company's future in the US is being called into question. The new date for the plug-in hybrid version of the Outlander comes after multiple delays. Mitsubishi also plans to offer a 2016 model of the i-MiEV despite slowing sales. Read more at Automotive News. Tesla is overhauling its stores in advance of the Model X going on sale. The revamp includes informative interactive displays and a heavier emphasis on Tesla merchandise sales. The displays provide information about safety, Autopilot technology, the charging network, electric motors and other information to help familiarize customers with Tesla. The Tesla Design Collection - which includes luggage, apparel and other gear - also helps position Tesla as a luxury lifestyle brand, rather than just a mere automaker. Expect the stores to be continually updated over time. "Tesla is able to pivot in their stores the way they release new software," says Cadent Consulting Group's Ken Harris. "This is important to an emerging brand." Learn more from Bloomberg. Could Jaguar be planning an electric F-Pace called the EV-Type to compete with the Tesla Model X? Autocar is reporting that the upcoming SUV from Jaguar could spawn a whole family of vehicles, including an all-electric version. Jaguar has registered the trademark for the EV-Type name, and that vehicle would likely be built at the Magna Steyr factory in Graz, Austria. That would free up capacity to build the traditionally powered F-Pace in the UK. Read more at Green Car Reports, or at Autocar.

Mitsubishi Vision Ralliart Concept revealed at Tokyo Auto Salon

Mitsubishi has arrived at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon with a bevy of vehicles, but none more interesting than the Vision Ralliart Concept. We have fond memories of the Ralliart name on Mitsubishi models sold years ago, which gives us a glimmer of hope that a return to the sub brand could once again give us a Mitsubishi to get excited about as enthusiasts. That initial Ralliart return is in concept form and in the shape of the new Outlander. Mitsubishi is using the Outlander PHEV as the basis of this concept, but it appears as though nothing has been done to the powertrain to make it any more potent than the standard car. However, Mitsu has attended to it elsewhere. The Ralliart Concept gets large brake rotors and six-piston brake calipers to increase stopping power. It also features suspension changes. Mitsubishi doesn’t say exactly what itÂ’s changed beyond specifying that the comfortable ride “is further refined,” though. Lastly, Mitsubishi fitted 22-inch wheels with bigger tires to enhance cornering. Appearance-wise, the Vision Ralliart Concept gets unique front and rear bumpers, wider fenders in front and rear, a new front grille and big rear diffuser. Mitsubishi says that this car “embodies Mitsubishi Motors' vision for the new Ralliart and brings together the company's engineering and passion for Monozukuri challenges (craftsmanship).” How all of the above may translate into a production Outlander Ralliart model is still to be determined, and itÂ’s not yet clear if weÂ’ll ever see such a thing in the U.S. Beyond that concept, we also get a look at an Outlander Ralliart Style and an Eclipse Cross Ralliart Style. Both of these cars are full of red, white and black stickers/accents to give them the Ralliart look weÂ’d expect. However, the packages are limited to appearance changes only. Again, Mitsubishi gives no indication as to what its end game might be with these vehicles. On the off-road side of things, there's the Outlander Wild Adventure Style based on the PHEV. This model adopts a bunch of Mitsubishi accessories that make it a better vehicle for heading into the wilderness. It has items like all-terrain tires, bumper protectors, mud guards, a roof carrier, trailer hitch and additional garnishes all around to give it a sportier/outdoorsy look. If kei cars are more your style, Mitsubishi has also revealed the K-EV Concept X Style in Tokyo. ItÂ’s meant to preview a new generation of electric kei cars in Japan.