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Buick tops in Consumer Reports' annual brand rankings

Buick is the first US-based automotive brand to crack the top 10 in Consumer Reports magazine's annual brand report cards. US automakers also placed three vehicles on the magazine's list of "top picks" for vehicles, the first time that's happened in 17 years. The rankings were unveiled Tuesday in the magazine's annual auto issue. Buick placed seventh in the brand rankings. But the brand rankings and top picks still were dominated by Japanese and German manufacturers, with Lexus, Mazda, Toyota, Audi and Subaru taking the top five brand spots. The magazine calculates each brand's overall score with a composite of its vehicles' road-test scores and reliability scores for each model in its annual survey of subscribers. It's the third year for the brand rankings. Porsche placed just ahead of Buick at number six, while Honda, Kia and BMW rounded out the top 10 brands. Mercedes-Benz, Acura and Infiniti all suffered precipitous declines in their rankings due to unreliable new models or poor road test scores. Mercedes fell out of the top 10 to 21st, while Acura dropped from number two to 11 with an unimpressive test of the new RLX sedan, the magazine said. In the model rankings, the top overall finisher was California-based Tesla's Model S electric car, for the second year in a row. The Model S, which cost the magazine $89,650, finished first due to its performance and technical innovations, the magazine said. Buick's Regal midsize car beat the BMW 328i as the top sports sedan, and the Chevrolet Impala was named the top large car. The model rankings show Consumer Reports' favorite among the 270 vehicles its team has recently tested. The rankings are closely watched in the auto industry, since shoppers consistently cite Consumer Reports as a main source of car-buying advice. Other top picks included the Subaru Impreza in the compact car category, Subaru Legacy in midsize cars, Toyota Prius as the best green car, Audi A6 luxury car, Subaru Forester small SUV, Toyota Highlander midsize SUV and the Honda Odyssey minivan. Japanese vehicles won six of 10 top pick categories, but that was the smallest number in the 19-year history of Consumer Reports top picks. "For years domestic automakers built lower-priced and lower-quality alternatives to imports, but those days are behind us," said Jake Fisher, the magazine's director of automotive testing. But other U.S.-based automakers still had problems.

Next Opel Insignia to adopt sleeker looks

The very first set of spy photos of the next-generation Opel Insignia have dropped, giving us a look at the more svelte, aggressive, and stylish look of the popular sedan. As a reminder, the Insignia is sold here in the United States as the Buick Regal. There's only so much we can discern from these photos, thanks to the very heavy camouflage. But we can get a look at the new Audi A7-like roofline, which our spies citing similarities to the Opel Monza concept car from the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. The Monza link fits with our previous reports, which claimed the gullwinged wagon would serve as a prime source of inspiration for both the Insignia and US-market Regal. Aside from the significantly redesigned sheetmetal, Opel is also increasing the size of its flagship sedan, adding nearly four inches between the axles. According to our spies, the goal is to build a vehicle comparable in size to the Skoda Superb, a roughly Volkswagen Passat-sized sedan based on the VW Group's MQB platform. What's most interesting for US customers, though, is the body style shown here. Like the aforementioned A7, the next Insignia will be offered as a five-door model, rather than a traditional sedan. The five-door hatch would later be joined by a traditional wagon. It's unclear whether the US market Buick will take a similar route, or whether General Motors will demand a four-door variant exclusive to North America. Check out the spy photos above, and keep an eye open for more on the next Insignia/Regal. Don't plan on seeing it at an auto show any time soon, though. It's not slated to debut until the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show.

2021 Buick Envision is a vision of Buick's future that's shockingly stylish

Allow us to introduce you to the new and much improved 2021 Buick Envision. Don’t let the handsome shape and sharp design fool you. This compact crossover is a Buick. The Envision has been a frumpy and rather boring looking crossover since its launch for the 2017 model, and now GM has remedied that sticking point. This new made-in-China (the first Buick sold in America that was assembled there) crossover is full of sharp edges, muscular lines arcing through the body and crisp lighting fixtures. ItÂ’s verging on European in nature. If this is a hint of things to come at Buick, we are quite optimistic for the future of its crossover designs now that the cars are dead. “The 2021 Envision will be lower and wider, with premium proportions and striking styling designed to combine the expressiveness of a car with the practicality of an SUV,” said Helen Emsley, executive director, Global Buick and GMC Design. Perhaps youÂ’re hoping for additional details? We only have a few. Buick says it will be powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, and shifting duties will be handled by a nine-speed automatic transmission. ItÂ’s likely the same 2.0-turbo that makes 252 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque in the outgoing Envision. ThereÂ’s no word on the 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder model, but itÂ’s likely being dropped from the lineup. There are no interior photos, but itÂ’ll have a 10-inch infotainment screen in the center that comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality as standard equipment. There will also be a number of safety and driver assistance features tacked on as standard including lane-keeping assist, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, rear parking sensors and GMÂ’s safety alert seat that pulses directionally for alerts. Some options include a 360-degree camera, front parking sensors, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot warning, head-up display and GMÂ’s rearview camera mirror. Buick also says the Envision will be available in their top-tier Avenir trim. Other details will have to wait for later in the year, as Buick says all will be revealed at some point down the road. Consider this a preview with a few tasty bites of info about whatÂ’s to come. For now, weÂ’re liking the direction that Buick is taking this crossover. Related video: