Consumer Reports articles from April 2001

Consumer Reports archives from April 2001

Rating car dealers.(Front Lines - Autos)(Cover Story)
April 1, 2001... If you're trying to decide among several cars, one thing to consider is the car dealer. A CONSUMER REPORTS survey of readers who bought or leased some 126,000 new 1999 and 2000 cars shows a wide variation in how satisfied people were with their...

Top picks for 2001.(Front Lines - Autos)(Cover Story)
April 1, 2001... Which are the best cars and trucks? Our list includes vehicles in many categories that have excelled in CONSUMER REPORTS testing and should have average or better reliability. FAMILY SEDAN OR WAGON Volkswagen Passat The Passat excels as a...

Car care: myths vs reality.(Front Lines - Autos)(Cover Story)
April 1, 2001... When it comes to maintaining your vehicle, popular misconceptions abound. Among the most common: Myth: Tires should be inflated to the pressure embossed on the sidewall of the tire. Reality: The tire-pressure figure shown on the...

Trend watch: digital radio.(Front Lines - Autos)(Cover Story)
April 1, 2001... Satellite digital-quality radio is finally a reality--sort of. In January, Sirius Satellite Radio began broadcasting from its three satellites, which are supposed to provide drivers with coast-to-coast reception, CD-like quality, and virtually...

Smart brakes and more: features to consider.(Front Lines - Autos)(Auto Safety)
April 1, 2001... Although advanced safety features are now widely available, many buyers who don't know what to look for or who are unfamiliar with their advantages may miss out. The table on page 68 lists safety equipment available on specific models. Here's a...

Sweating the small stuff.(Front Lines - Autos)(Features)
April 1, 2001... THE BEST Fresh air. Windows that open with the press of a key fob to let hot air out and that close with the twist of a key. Examples: Audi, BMW, Jaguar S-Type, Lexus (except IS300 and ES300), Lincoln LS (at right),Mercedes-Benz, and...

What's new on the auto scene,.(Cars 2001)
April 1, 2001... Here's the message of the 2001 and 2002 models: more and more choice. As the auto market gradually evolves from one with a few distinct categories into a virtual continuum of overlapping niches, it's becoming harder to draw a line between such...

Are today's cars more reliable?(Cars 2001)
April 1, 2001... For many auto buyers, reliability remains one of the most critical elements of the decision-making process. That's why every five years, we do an in-depth trend analysis of our annual auto-reliability survey information. This analysis...

What's new from the track.(Cars 2001)(auto testing)
April 1, 2001... Our auto testing over the last 12 months affirmed much that we knew already and also revealed a few surprises. In general, cars are getting more versatile and well-rounded, with better space utilization, more convenience features, and fewer...

Which cars are safer?(Cars 2001)(Directory)
April 1, 2001... Safety is a major concern for most car buyers. The problem is, when you try to compare vehicles in terms of safety, you have to pull together and make sense of a lot of disparate pieces of information. In addition to CONSUMER REPORTS'...

Smart maneuvers: buying.(Cars 2001)
April 1, 2001... Too much of a good thing is wonderful, Mae West once quipped. That's certainly true of the new-car market this year. U.S. automakers, buoyed by record sales last year, produced a huge inventory--just in time to see sales decline. The resulting...

Rating the 2001s.(Cars 2001)(Cover Story)(Directory)
April 1, 2001... These Ratings show at a glance how well each vehicle we've recently tested compares with others in its class. Some new vehicles don't appear here because we haven't tested them yet. Overall Ratings are based on performance, comfort,...

Looking forward.(Cars 2001)(Reliability)(Cover Story)(Directory)
April 1, 2001... CONSUMER REPORTS forecasts the reliability of new models based on data we collect each year from extensive surveys of our subscribers. The graphs on these two pages reflect the latest findings. The Ratings along the bottom of each chart...

Snapshots of the 2001 cars.(Cars 2001)(includes related article on the demise of Oldsmobile)(Cover Story)(Directory)
April 1, 2001... The profiles on the following pages provide an overview of the cars, minivans, sport-utility vehicles, and pickup trucks for the 2001 model year as well as some 2002 models that will be available midyear. Most of our comments are based on a...

Facts and figures.(Cars 2001)(Specifications)(Cover Story)(Directory)(Illustration)
April 1, 2001... Here's what the columns mean: Passengers is the maximum a car can hold, front/middle/rear. Drive tells which wheels move the vehicle, such as front-, rear-, four-, or all-wheel drive. Overall mileage is our own measurement, based on a...

Crash-test results and safety equipment.(Cars 2001)(Specifications)(Cover Story)(Directory)
April 1, 2001... Front and side crash columns give our analysis of government crash tests. A second score in the same column indicates results with optional side air bags. Offset crash is based on tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Safety belt...

Load capacity.(Cars 2001)(Specifications)(Cover Story)(Directory)
April 1, 2001... How much can you safely carry? A vehicle's load-carrying capacity is the maximum combined weight of people and cargo that it's designed to carry safely. Unfortunately, you can unknowingly overload some models because although they have a large...

Fair shakes: a used car can give you a lot for your money.(Cars 2001)(reliability)(Cover Story)(Buyers Guide)
April 1, 2001... A used car or light truck is often an excellent value. The key factor is depreciation. It's possible to get a two- or three-year-old model for 30 percent less than you'd pay for one that just came off the assembly line. At the same time, thanks...

Used cars: best & worst.(Cars 2001)(Value)(Cover Story)(Buyers Guide)(Directory)
April 1, 2001... Buying a used car isn't as risky as it once was. Dramatic improvements in reliability, design, and construction have made used cars, dollar for dollar, one of the best automotive values. While troublesome cars exist, the lists on these two...

Going the distance.(Cars 2001)(Reliability)(reader surveys since 1993)(Cover Story)(Buyers Guide)(Directory)
April 1, 2001... Reliability information in this issue, based on readers' responses covering more than 500,000 vehicles, is designed to help you improve your odds of finding a vehicle that will have few problems. The reliability forecasts for new cars are on...