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Consumer Reports slams new Honda Civic

Honda Motor Co., still struggling with supply shortages of the redesigned 2012 Civic after the March earthquake in Japan, took a slap in the face today when Consumer Reports rated the new Civic "too low to be recommended." The 2012 Honda Civic dropped 17 points, from a very-good score of 78 to a mediocre 61, in the latest Consumer Reports road test of small cars. Previous Honda Civic models have often been Consumer Reports' highest rated small sedans, as well as Top Picks in five of the past 10 years. But the redesigned model was slammed for the cheapness of its interior, poor ride quality, long stopping distances and loud interior noise.

Subaru SHARC wins LA Design Challenge [w/video]

Subaru's SHARC (Subaru Highway Automated Response Concept) has been named the winner of the 2012 LA Design Challenge. The judges chose the futuristic drone as the best embodiment of the 'Highway Patrol Vehicle 2025' with the judges declaring that the studio captured "the vision of Design Challenge theme by combining functionality and problem-solving technology around a dynamic and plausible story" from a choice of designs from six other automotive design studios. Studios from BMW DesignWorksUSA, General Motors, Honda North America, Honda Japan, Mercedes-Benz submitted concepts that would create a highway patrol vehicle for 2025 that tackled the ‘protect and serve' aspect while considering emissions, population growth and transportation infrastructure.

Jaguar tops J. D. Power Survey again in 2013

Even though the Jaguar XF actually slipped from 2nd to 3rd in the top cars section (although it was the ‘Best Executive Car’), behind the Skoda Superb and Skoda Yeti, it received five star ratings for performance, service and running costs and owners rated it as ‘Excellent’ across all categories. And it was more good news for Jaguar Land Rover as Land Rover was rated the most improved brand in 2013, jumping in to the top ten (in 6th place) for the first time, with Freelander owners noting an improved dealer experience and Discovery owners reporting 30 per cent fewer faults – and actually leading the SUV sector for reliability. That’ll help the still lingering perception that JLR’s cars can be ‘fragile’.