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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.

Mazda2 sedan debuting in Thailand this month?

Mazda is reportedly set to introduce a Mazda2 with a four-door sedan body. Unlike the upcoming CX-3, which is debuting at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show and is almost certain to be sold in North America, this other version's chance here are a bit more mysterious.
According to The Bangkok Post, the Mazda2 sedan will make its word debut at the Thailand International Motor Expo on November 28, and the traditional five-door hatch will be there as well. Both body styles will be built in Thailand with diesel engines and will be the first vehicles to adhere to the country's eco-car rules for oil-burners with a SkyActiv 1.5-liter diesel that will make 105 horsepower.
At this time, there's no indication whether the new sedan might also be sold in the US, but we're not holding our breath - remember, the previous Mazda2 sedan never made it Stateside, either.

Why you absolutely need to take your Miata to a track

Our long-term 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata entertained us all summer, but we couldn't let the good weather pass without taking a trip to a race track. So we headed to GingerMan Raceway on the other side of Michigan to give it some exercise. It's there that I fell deeper in love with our little silver-white Club and immediately regretted not taking it to the track every single weekend prior. I make a very simple case in the video above: Miatas belong on the track. They're made for it, especially our ND Club, the most track-friendly version Mazda currently makes. The Miata is also a wonderful tool for those learning to drive in these conditions. It gives you good feedback, there isn't too much power available, but the engine's output is plenty to make things entertaining. It's also one of the more balanced performance cars you can buy today and doesn't rely on fancy electronics to go faster – it's a nearly direct connection between you and the car, with no weird intermediaries or adjustable elements. This is really the simplest form of fun. To sum up: If you have a Miata, take it to a track. If you don't have a Miata, go buy one. Watch the video again if you're not convinced. Related Video: