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American motorcycle brands most satisfying, Japanese most reliable, says Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports started tracking motorcycle reliability last year through its regular reader survey, just like the magazine's well-known auto guide. For the 2015 edition, CR now has data on over 12,300 bikes, compared to 4,680 in 2014, and the extra info means it can include more brands, like Suzuki, Triumph and Can-Am, to the list. However, the final results remain largely the same. As with last year, Japanese bikes are the best choice for buyers who prioritize reliability. Yamaha comes out on top yet again and is followed by Suzuki, Kawasaki and Honda. Victory and Harley-Davidson hold the middle of the list, and the European cycles from Triumph, Ducati and BMW sit at the bottom. The major outlier in this regional distinction is the Can-Am Spyder from Canada's Bombardier Recreational Products that comes in dead last in the dependability survey. Still, even the most dependable model is occasionally going to break, and the average repair bill across all brands is $342, according to CR's readers. Kawasakis are the cheapest to keep on the road at a median of $269 for fixes, versus BMW as the most expensive at $455. Through all of the companies, electrical gremlins are the most common issue, causing 24 percent of problems, but faults with the cooling system, pistons or transmission are the smallest concerns at 4 percent each. While Japanese cycles might be the easiest to keep on the road, they aren't the most beloved by riders. In CR's gauge of satisfaction, the Americans reign supreme. Victory owners love their bikes the most with 80 percent reporting that they would buy another. Harley riders are known for having a close bond to the company's models, and the brand comes in second with 72 percent. Finally, Honda rounds out the top three at 70 percent. Head over to Consumer Reports to see more results. News Source: Consumer ReportsImage Credit: Toby Brusseau / AP Photo BMW Honda Suzuki Motorcycle Ducati bike victory

2015 BMW X6 stays the course with more power, RWD model

What would this world be without the BMW X6? Oh, sure, the whole coupe-crossover design trend surely would have started somewhere, but BMW was the first, launching its odd duck back in 2008. Much as we like to harp on the X6 (for being less functional and more expensive than the X5 on which it's based), people around the world sure do seem to like the thing, BMW having sold some 250,000 examples since the CUV's birth. And as you first saw thanks to leaked images this morning, the second-generation X6 has just arrived.
The shape is familiar, as are specific styling elements like the larger headlamps (now available with a full-LED treatment) and taillamps, mimicking those found on the X5. Two trims are available - xLine and M Sport - the former taking a more subdued approach, while the latter uses the traditionally bulgy and aggressive M-badged kit, with larger air intakes and matte aluminum grille bars. All X6s come standard with 19-inch wheels, and 20s are optional.
Regardless of trim, BMW will now offer the X6 in three guises here in the United States: sDrive35i, xDrive35i and xDrive50i. Dissecting the nomenclature, that means the first two models will be powered by BMW's 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six, good for 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque. The sDrive X6 uses rear-wheel drive, while the xDrive, of course, uses all-wheel drive. Moving up, the xDrive50i uses the same twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 as its predecessor, though power has been increased to 450 hp and 480 lb-ft. All X6 models are fitted with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and BMW says that the new powertrains are more efficient than before, though official fuel economy numbers have not yet been released.

Mystery shoppers love Infiniti, hate Tesla

Infiniti, followed by Lexus tied with Mercedes-Benz took the top two spots for best sales experience according to mystery shoppers from the latest Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index, while EV manufacturer Tesla recorded the lowest overall score. Not surprisingly, premium brands dominated the top ranks. Including the three already mentioned, luxury brands occupied seven of the top ten spots and included Audi, BMW, Porsche, and the only American brand to crack the upper echelon, Cadillac. Toyota, Volkswagen, and Nissan rounded out the first ten positions. The news for domestic automakers isn't good. Aside from Caddy, the only other star-spangled automaker to score above the industry average is Chrysler. The rest of FCA, most of GM, and all of Ford fell below the line. But Pied Piper's mystery shoppers handed Tesla the biggest walloping – the company is ten full points below the next lowest brand, Volvo, and its score of 86 is 17 below the average of 103. It's baffling, considering the company's touted direct-sales model. "Tesla leaves me scratching my head," Fred O'Hagan, Pied Piper's president and CEO, told Wards Auto. "They own all of their stores, so you would think each one would be doing the same thing. But they're not. Tesla is consistent in its inconsistencies." O'Hagan added that there's a "huge variation" in Tesla's store-to-store effectiveness, and that in some cases, shoppers found showroom workers that acted more like "museum curators," Wards Auto reports. It might be popular to call Tesla the Apple of the car world, but based on Pied Piper's work, the brand has a long way to go to emulate the uniform shopping experience of an Apple Store. The news might be bad for Tesla, but even for the brands that scored below average, there's cause for celebration. Only Tesla and Mini lost points in this year's rankings, and only Mercedes and Lincoln held steady. Every other brand, including Infiniti, which topped the index for the first time, gained at least one point. The biggest improvements belong to Porsche, Land Rover, and Mitsubishi, which all jumped five points. Pied Piper's annual Prospect Satisfaction Index uses mystery shoppers – over 6,100 this year – from across the country to assess dealers and generate rankings from over 50 individual factors. News Source: Pied Piper via WardsAuto Green Audi BMW Cadillac Chrysler Infiniti Lexus Mercedes-Benz Nissan Tesla Toyota Car Buying Car Dealers study