»
Chinks in Toyota’s armor are becoming apparent, whereas Ford’s domestic brands have become more reliable, according to data from the Consumer Reports “2007 Annual Car Reliability Survey,” reports MarketingCharts. Still, the top three automakers in reliability are non-U.S.-based brands.
Toyota’s V6 version of the top-selling Camry and the four-wheel-drive V8 version of the Tundra pickup, both redesigned for 2007, now rate below average in the Consumer Reports predicted reliability rating. So does the all-wheel-drive version of the Lexus GS sedan. Accordingly, none of them makes CR’s “Recommended” list.
Nevertheless, Toyota (including Lexus and Scion) still ranks third in reliability among all automakers, behind only Honda and Subaru.
Forty-one of 44 (93 percent) Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury models in CR’s survey scored average or better in predicted reliability. The Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan are among the most reliable cars, and along with the two-wheel-drive Ford F-150 V6 are three of the only four domestic models on the Consumer Reports “Most Reliable” list.
Still, U.S. brands account for almost half the models - 20 of 44 - on CR’s list of “Least Reliable” models:
MarketingCharts provides additional reliability-related findings.
Radio stations in the U.K. reacted with outrage when they learned of a report by researchers from the University of the West of England which accused them of promoting excessive drinking.
The study looked at 1,200 hours of radio output,…
General Motors posted sales of 308,817 vehicles in August. That’s a drop of 20 percent from August of last year - but 31 percent better than July.
In order to boost sales as much as possible during a time when…
A new digital out-of-home network to reach golfers is launching to 100 retail locations in the next two months. The network will be available in Dunham’s Sporting Goods, Golf Etc., Golf USA, Pro Golf, and ParMasters, among others.
Fox says that viewers’ attention to commercials is higher when fewer commercials are aired. The revelation comes as a result of testing the network has done for its freshman thriller, Fringe, which will premiere Sept. 9 with limited commercials and shorter…
Worldwide sales of mobile phones will reach 1.28 billion units in 2008 - up from 1.15 billion units in 2007 - an 11 percent increase from last year, according to Gartner, Inc - (via MarketingCharts).
While the mobile phone market is poised for…
Consumers in all income segments are cutting back spending, and doing so to a greater extent recently than at the beginning of the second quarter, according to a comScore study examining changes in consumer attitudes and perceptions about the U.S. economy…
