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BMW, Hyundai score big in JD Power's first Tech Experience Index

While automakers are quick to brag about winning a JD Power Initial Quality Study award, the reality, as we've pointed out before, is that these ratings are somewhat misleading, since IQS doesn't necessarily distinguish genuine quality issues. JD Power's new Tech Experience Index aims to solve that problem. The new metric takes the same 90-day approach as IQS but focuses exclusively on technology – collision protection, comfort and convenience, driving assistance, entertainment and connectivity, navigation, and smartphone mirroring. It splits the industry up into just seven segments, based loosely on size, which is why the Chevrolet Camaro is in the same division (mid-size) as Kia Sorento and the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class is in the same segment as the Hyundai Genesis (mid-size premium). It makes for some screwy bedfellows, to be sure. Still, splitting tech experience away from initial quality should allow customers to make more informed and intelligent decisions when buying new vehicles. In the inaugural study, respondents listed BMW and Hyundai as the big winners, with two segment awards – the 2 Series for small premium and the 4 Series for compact premium, and the Genesis for mid-size premium and Tucson for small segment. The Chevrolet Camaro (midsize), Kia Forte (compact), and Nissan Maxima (large) scored individual wins. Ford also had a surprising hit with the Lincoln MKC, which ranked third in the compact premium segment behind the 4 Series and Lexus IS. This is a coup for the Blue Oval, whose woeful MyFord Touch systems made the brand a victim of the IQS' flaws in the early 2010s. But Ford and other automakers might not want to celebrate just yet. According to JD Power, there's still a lot of room for improvement – navigation systems were the lowest-rated piece of tech in the study. Instead, customers repeatedly saluted collision-avoidance and safety systems, giving the category the best marks of the study and listing blind-spot monitoring and backup cameras as two must-have features – 96 percent of respondents said they wanted those two systems in their next vehicle. But this isn't really a surprise. Implementation of safety systems from brand to brand is similar, and they don't require any input from users, unlike navigation and infotainment systems which are frustratingly deep.

Nissan Silvia smuggler faces maximum 20-year, $250k sentence

Thinking about trying to sneak a JDM car into the United States? Better think twice, because according to the Clarion-Ledger, one man in Mississippi has found himself in hot water for smuggling a Nissan Silvia into the country. Few details of the case are available, but the Silvia has a strong following among JDM enthusiasts despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that it was never officially sold Stateside. The low-slung coupe was offered in Japan and other markets from 1964 through 1968 and again from 1974 to 2002. Though it was powered principally with a four-cylinder engine, its front-engine/rear-drive layout made it popular on the tuning and drifting scenes. The 240SX that was offered Stateside was related, but not strictly speaking the same vehicle. It's likely because the Silvia was never certified for use on American roads (and because the culprit apparently didn't go through the correct channels) that the unidentified man in Ocean Springs, MS, is reportedly facing a $250,000 fine and up to 20 years in prison. Here's hoping whatever else he's got in the driveway is just as fast, because it looks like he'll have a lot of time to make up for. News Source: The Clarion-LedgerImage Credit: Copyright 2015 AOL Government/Legal Nissan Coupe import gray market nissan silvia

Nissan is exploring the sale of its 34% stake in Mitsubishi

TOKYO — Nissan is looking to sell some or all of its 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors, Bloomberg News reported on Monday, citing unidentified sources, a move that would reshape a three-way alliance that includes France's Renault. Nissan shares rose 5% on the news. Mitsubishi Motors was up 3%. "There are no plans to change the capital structure with Mitsubishi," a Nissan company spokeswoman told Reuters in an emailed statement. A Mitsubishi Motors spokesman said the same, adding the company would continue to collaborate within the alliance. Renault did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Nissan, struggling to recover from the pandemic-induced downturn, could sell its stake to a Mitsubishi group company such as Mitsubishi Corp, which already owns a fifth of Mitsubishi Motors, Bloomberg said. Such a deal would fundamentally alter a three-way partnership built by Carlos Ghosn, former chairman of the alliance, which plunged into confusion when he was arrested in 2018 on charges of financial misconduct. Ghosn had wanted a full merger of Renault and Nissan, which was shelved, according to Reuters sources, as the companies decided to fix the troubled alliance. The pandemic has, however, compounded problems and made a recovery hard. Nissan, which is 43% owned by Renault, last week cut its operating loss forecast for the year to March by 28%, helped by a rebound in demand, especially in China. Mitsubishi Motors, Japan's No.6 automaker, expects to post an operating loss of 140 billion yen for the business year. Both companies are cutting production levels and costs in a bid to return to profitability. Related Video: