Consumer Reports Rates Tires, Warns About Spares
CR tested each tire for the following: wet, dry and ice braking, handling, hydroplaning, snow traction, ride comfort, noise, rolling resistance and tread life to determine an overall score. It recently highlighted top-performers in the followingcategories: all-season tires for cars and SUVs/trucks; all-terrain tires for SUVs/trucks; H- and V-rated performance all-season tires; ultra-high-performance (UHP) all-season tires; UHP summer tires; winter tires for cars and SUVs/trucks; and performance winter tires for cars.
CR's highly-rated all-season tires for cars include the Continental ProContact EcoPlus, Michelin Energy Saver A/S and Hankook Optimo H727; for SUVs and trucks, the Michelin LTX M/S2 and Michelin X Radial LT2. All-terrain SUVs and truck tires include the Cooper Discoverer A/T3 and the Michelin LTX A/T2.
For performance and ultra-high performance (UHP) tires, CR's highly-rated H and V performance all-season tires include the Michelin Primacy MXV4(H) and the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S(V); UHP all-season tires include the Pirelli P Zero Nero All Season, Cooper Zeon RS3-A and Sumitomo HTR A/S PO1.
Autos: Mazda's new crossover breaks from the pack
It's the hottest product in the automotive market right now: the compact crossover.
The crossover combines the flexibility of a sport utility and the maneuverability of a family sedan with comparable fuel efficiency. Built on a car platform with a unibody shaped like that of an SUV, the crossover is considered much more image enhancing than a traditional wagon or minivan.
Among the most popular compact models are the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Compass, Ford Escape and Nissan Rogue.
And now Mazda, which until this year shared the Ford Escape platform for its Mazda Tribute, is breaking away with a cunningly designed CX-5 that leads the class in fuel economy and poses a significant threat to the top sellers.
Introduced as a 2013 model, the CX-5 found 3,629 buyers in March, its first month on the market. That helped Mazda achieve its best total month of sales since March 2008.
With prices beginning at $20,695, the CX-5 is sold in Sport, Touring or Grand Touring trim. With all-wheel drive, the fully loaded Grand Touring model tops out at $28,295.
Eco Auto Ninja“It produces 66 percent fewer smog-forming emissions than the average new vehicle and will have the best mileage ratings of any SUV, crossover or wagon sold in America” when it hits showrooms in August. The Hybrid Synergy Drive system uses two Prius v Expands Iconic Hybrid "Family" of Vehiclesall 69 news articles »
CBC.caIts opaque bullet-proof glass will keep you out of sight of glazed-over eyes, while ballistic run-flat tires should have no problem driving over the unkempt, bone-strewn streets of your town. It even runs on bio-diesel, so when the supplies run dry you all 968 news articles »
Compared to many other models in the segment of the market, the MDX displays far too much road noise when it's under way and, for an upscale SUV, has surprisingly poor NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness). Perhaps it's the tires, but whatever it is,
