February 24, 2020

Auto News

Porsche leads Consumer Reports' ranking of vehicle brands

Porsche, Genesis, Subaru and Mazda led Consumer Reports' ranking in a survey, released Friday, of 33 vehicle brands.

The annual ranking by the nonprofit organization dedicated to unbiased research and product testing concentrates on makes of cars and trucks, and not individual models.

Mazda finished fourth in the ranking. Consumer Reports said it recommended purchase of all the models of Porsche, Genesis and Mazda tested, but noted "the below-average predicted reliability" of Subarus's WRX sedan.

Tesla, in 19th position last year, is 11th on the 2020 list, and is the highest ranked U.S. brand. Jeep, Mitsubishi and Fiat finished in 31st, 32nd and 33rd place, respectively.

Overall scores are based on over 50 factors learned in road tests reliability predictions taken from problems reported in 17 areas owner satisfaction surveys and safety aspects, including identification of advanced safety features and crash test results. The final report card gave Porsche 86 points, Genesis 84, Subaru 81 and Mazda 79. Of those at the bottom of the list, Jeep had 49 points, Mitsubishi had 46 and Fiat had 43.

Fiat came in last for the fourth consecutive year. Buick finished 19th, the highest of all General Motors' brands.

"The brands at the top of our rankings do a great job of producing cars that perform well in our road tests, and are reliable, safe, and highly satisfying," said Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports' senior director of automotive testing.


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Car Care Tip

Check Drive Belts

Your engine does not only produce power to your wheels so your vehicle will run, it also generates power so that other parts and accessories will run as well. This is the function of the drive belts. They transfer power from your cam or crankshaft to the car's alternator, air conditioning compressor, power steering pump, air pump, water pump, and any other device that relies on mechanical power.

Modern cars use a single belt (also known as a serpentine belt) to connect and rotate from the crank pulley. Unfortunately, because these belts are typically made of rubber or other polymers, they do wear a lot, even with normal use. Over time they lose their integrity and simply degrade. As such, it is important to check these belts from time to time for visible hairline cracks or any change in their integrity. You will need to look at the integrity of both your serpentine belt or V-belt and your timing belt. You also need to know the differences between the three.

It is usually recommended to replace your serpentine belt every 40,000 miles and your timing belt every 60,000 miles. If you're already nearing the recommended mileage, then you should have your belts inspected and evaluated by a professional.

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Thanks for reading,

The Editor

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