2002 Mitsubishi Montero Limited 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.

Mitsubishi Evo successor on hold?

Just take one look at Mitsubishi's latest vehicles, both concept and production, and it's obvious that fuel economy - not performance - reigns supreme. With this in mind, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise that Caradvice.com.au is suggesting that Mitsubishi is putting development of future performance models (like the 2013 Lancer Evolution GSR shown above) on hold as the company focuses on electric and plug-in vehicles.
In speaking with Mitsubishi managing director of product projects Ryugo Nakao at the Tokyo Motor Show, the publication says that the entire Lancer redesign is on hold, meaning that the aging Lancer Evo and Ralliart will have to contend with fresh performance models like the Volkswagen GTI and Subaru WRX. That being said, the article doesn't completely shut the door on another Evo - in fact, it goes on to indicate that when a new generation does hit the streets, it will almost certainly do so with some sort of electric-assisted powertrain, an oft-repeated rumor that got its legs as early as 2010.

Refreshed Mitsubishi Mirage hatch and G4 sedan debut in Thailand

After Mitsubishi teased its global compact twins earlier this month, the Mirage hatchback and Attrage sedan — called the Mirage G4 here — greeted the public in Thailand. These appear to be cosmetic adjustments only, Mitsubishi mum so far on any powertrain changes. Both vehicles now wear the Dynamic Shield corporate face with "styling [that] sweeps round from the sides toward the middle of the nose in a protective embrace." At the edges of the red-trimmed grille strakes, restructured headlights now incorporate LEDs. In back, vehicle edges have been drawn more square and vertical. Below the revised taillights, the bumpers feature cutouts at their edges that house reflectors. Interior revisions on all trims include soft-feel cloth for hand-rest areas like the door card, new designs for the front armrests, and a carbon fiber pattern for the gauge cluster background and the window switch panel. Higher trims can be optioned with new seat designs, solid-colored synthetic leather in the sedan, and a mix of fabric and synthetic leather in the hatch, each with complementary piping and stitching. Another new option will be Mitsubishi's Smartphone Display Audio infotainment with a seven-inch screen and compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Both cars expand their color palettes with a White Diamond hue, and the hatchback adds Sand Yellow as well. Wheel designs get in on the upgrades, the hatch benefiting from a 15-inch two-tone, diamond-cut wheel, the sedan wheel coming in a solid silver finish. Assuming engines don't change when the redesigned bodywork goes on sale here, the 1.2-liter three-cylinder with 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque will be our only option, shifting through either a five-speed manual or a CVT.  Featured Gallery 2020 Mitsubishi Mirage Hatch and Attrage-G4 Sedan View 30 Photos Mitsubishi Hatchback Economy Cars Sedan