Ford Drops; Lexus, Mazda and Jeep Improve in Latest Consumer Reports Survey

Ford's dashboard doldrums persist. The automaker's buggy MyFord Touch multimedia system, rolled out in summer 2010, contributed toward a steep decline in J.D. Power and Associates' 2011 Initial Quality Study. Now it has become a sore spot for Ford owners responding to Consumer Reports' latest reliability surveys.

Problems with the dual-clutch automatic transmission in the Fiesta and Focus also tarnished the brand, which tumbled 10 spots in overall reliability to 20th among 28 major carmakers. Ford's Lincoln division, whose MKX SUV uses a variant of MyFord Touch, improved one spot to 14th place. Other movers included Lexus (up seven spots to second place), Mazda (up eight spots to third) and Jeep (up seven spots to 13th).

The survey, based on responses from the magazine's 1.3 million subscribers, covered cars from the 2002 to 2011 model years, from which Consumer Reports predicts reliability for 2012 models. Consumer Reports says other Ford models, most notably the Fusion Hybrid sedan, remain as reliable as ever. And Ford appears committed to MyFord Touch, with plans to introduce it in the 2013 Taurus.

2011 L.A. Auto Show: What We Know

Fall should mean only one thing to attentive auto enthusiasts: a new auto show season is upon us.

With the 2011 L.A. Auto Show less than a month away, we have a pretty good understanding of what to expect, though there still looks to be a few surprises. Like in previous years, the show will be a heavy mix of luxury car debuts intertwined with some fuel efficient, green options.

There will be at least 21 all-new releases at the show, and 25 vehicles that will make their North American debuts (about the same as last year). This fresh new clutch of vehicles will be shown to the media, and subsequently to you on KickingTires, Nov. 16 and 17.

The everyday car shopper should keep tabs on the redesigned Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Hyundai Azera, all of which will debut at the show.

MotherProof.com Car Seat Check Recap

You’d think a small sports coupe like the 2011 BMW 1 Series M would be a poor fit for installing a child-safety seat. Surprisingly, though, the seats weren’t all that difficult to install. To read more, check out MotherProof.com’s Car Seat Check series.

2011 BMW 1 Series M: Car Seat Check
2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid: Car Seat Check

2012 Porsche 911: First Look

• Competes with: Nissan GT-R, Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, Ferrari 458 Italia
• Looks like: The 911 will keep its timeless look
• Drivetrain: 350-hp, 3.4-liter flat-six engine or 400-hp, 3.8-liter flat six; seven-speed manual transmission or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission
• Hits dealerships: February 2012

It may not look like it, but the 2012 Porsche 911 is totally new, including a new chassis, body, interior and more fuel-efficient powertrains.

We would say the appearance is updated, too, but only a die-hard Porsche enthusiast would tell the difference between the 2012 model and its predecessor. The biggest give-away is the rear end — featuring flatter vertical taillamps — that gives the new 911 a bit of an Aston Martin feel. The car looks more mature, mostly because the increased front track broadens the front-end face by pushing out the wheel arches, and the side mirrors are pushed farther back on the doors rather than on the A-pillars. Overall, this 911 looks less bug-eyed than the 2011 model.

Cars.com Podcast: 2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet, 2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe, 2011 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid

If it’s not unbearably hot where you live, you may be shopping for a convertible. If a convertible has never appealed to you because it didn’t come in the form of an SUV, then you must listen to this podcast about Nissan’s all-new Murano CrossCabriolet. Editors Joe Bruzek, Bill Jackson and Joe Wiesenfelder discuss this unique entry as well as Hyundai’s two-door sport coupe and Porsche’s redesigned hybrid SUV.

Download via iTunes
Download MP3

2011 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid Review

The very notion of a Porsche SUV is preposterous, says Cars.com senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder. Even so, the automaker made the unlikely body style feel like a genuine Porsche sports car; the automaker managed to do the same with the four-door Panamera, too. It's unfortunate then that Porsche couldn’t quite work its magic with the hybrid version of the Cayenne, Wiesenfelder says.

2011 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid Review

2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid Video

The looks and lush interior of the redesigned 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid are certainly an improvement over the previous-generation Cayenne, but how does it drive? In hybrid form, not so well, explains Cars.com senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder. Find out what is holding back the V-6-powered hybrid, which is just a tick slower than its V-8 counterpart.

How Do You Unlock a 2011 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid?

After a long day at the office, I rode the elevator to the roof of our parking garage, bag slung over my shoulder, my empty lunch bag on the other, and headed to a brand-new, sparkling white 2011 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid.

If anything was going to soothe me after the 9-to-5, it would be a commute home in the rich interior of this luxury SUV. It also has a really good stereo.

I pulled the key fob out of my pocket — no keyless entry on this $70K ride — and hit the unlock button.

Nothing happened. Hit it again. No luck.

Hey, my 2005 VW Passat takes a few times, too. It’s understandable I guess. Still no luck? The fob’s battery must be dead, right? Nope, the little red light in the key fob is flashing, and I can lock the car with the fob. No trunk, though, so climbing in isn't an option.

Time is passing, and this clearly isn’t going to open. I have to go old-school and use a manual key, which every keyless car has as a backup. But I was surprised at how far I would have to go to use it on the Cayenne.

2011 Porsche Cayenne in Short Supply

Porsche Cayenne sales have increased sharply this year, spurring the automaker to increase production, according to Bloomberg.

In the interim, don’t be surprised if you have to wait for the Cayenne of your dreams. The latest-generation Cayenne went on sale last summer and has been a popular seller for the automaker. Sales of the Cayenne were up 103% in June and up 164% so far for 2011. It’s one of the fastest-selling vehicles on our Movers and Losers list for June. The luxury SUV takes just 15 days to move off of a dealer’s lot. The Cayenne made up almost 45% of Porsche's U.S. sales so far this year.

With such swift sales, it’s not surprising to find that the luxury SUV is in short supply. There are about 500 Cayennes and Cayenne Hybrids in dealer inventory as of July 1, according to Automotive News. That’s equivalent to a 14-day supply at the current sales rate. The car company says demand from other regions such as China means global production is stretched thin. The Cayenne is built in Germany and Slovakia and shares its platform with the Audi Q7 (another popular seller).

If you’re cross-shopping the Porsche against other popular German SUVs like the BMW X5 or Audi Q7, those models are also hard to come by. The Audi Q7 (12 days to move) and BMW X5 (11 days) are fast sellers.

Porsche Plans to Raise Cayenne Production After Sales of Vehicle Surge 37% (Bloomberg)

Recall Alert: 2010-11 Porsche 911

Porsche is recalling 1,702 two-door coupes from the 2010 and 2011 model years due to faulty hub and wheel assemblies. The hubs can wear prematurely, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The 2010-11 models in the recall are high performance models including the 911 GT2 RS, 911 GT3, 911 GT3 RS, 911 Turbo and 911 Turbo S. They were built between May 18, 2009, and Sept. 17, 2010. You can check the build date on a sticker on the driver-side doorjamb.

In the affected vehicles, which are equipped with center locking hub and wheel assemblies, as the hubs wear, the wheels could loosen, increasing the risk of a crash.

Dealers will replace the center locking hubs and wheels with an improved design for free. Owners can call Porsche at 800-767-7243 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.