Consumer Reports articles from April 2005

Consumer Reports archives from April 2005

By the numbers.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... CAR BUYING How much we spent to buy vehicles for a year's worth of testing $1.9 million RELIABILITY SURVEY Numbers of vehicles on which our reliability information is based 810,000 BEST & WORST CARS Problems...

Charting a safer future in autos.(Have You Heard?)
April 1, 2005... In 1947 we wrote, "The Studebaker Champion has considerably less than the usual amount of rear wheel traction under adverse road conditions. You will need to put on chains sooner in wintertime, and CU suggests also a wariness about getting into...

Top picks 2005: the best models in 10 categories.(2005 Cars)(Buyers Guide)
April 1, 2005... CR ** [check] For 2005, we have two new Top Picks. The Honda Odyssey minivan, redesigned for 2005, regained a slim lead over the Toyota Sienna. With Ford no longer building the SVT Focus, the Subaru Impreza WRX (including its STI variant)...

A little-known safety feature that could save your life.(Up front: news / trends / advice)
April 1, 2005... Automobile technology that could save twice as many lives as air bags and child safety seats combined may finally reach large numbers of new vehicles. The technology, electronic stability control (ESC), is currently on 20 percent of new cars in...

Which cars would people get again?(Up front: news / trends / advice)(Buyers Guide)
April 1, 2005... The one car that people most love to love is the Toyota Prius, according to our latest survey of CONSUMER REPORTS subscribers. This year more than 250,000 consumers responded to our question asking how satisfied they are with the vehicle...

Best phones & plans.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... Your February report, "Slash Your Phone Bill," omitted this simple cost-cutting tip: Ask your carrier to install "900/976 blocking." That will prevent surprise charges to expensive late-night astrologers that children or guests might make. ...

Contraceptives.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... I cannot describe my delight and respect for your magazine. In February, you discussed much-needed information--information withheld by the government--on avoiding the terrible consequences of sexually transmitted diseases. Although abstinence...

Water heaters.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... Concerning the February report on water heaters, tell me more about the anode and how often it should be checked. CHRIS HOWARD VICTORIA HARBOUR, ONTARIO The anode's role is sacrificial: It is consumed so the tank doesn't rust. It can...

The best pizza.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... Great report on "Best Pizza for Football Fans" in February. But what's best for our health? Taste is important, but for many of us, that's not how we order food anymore. BILL COLLINS SAG HARBOR, NY Expect 250 to 300 calories per slice....

Corrections.(Your Letters)(Brief Article)(Correction Notice)
April 1, 2005... In the February issue, an article on abortion options said that 850,000 legal abortions are performed each year in the U.S., based on data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We learned after publication that those...

New for 2005 & 2006.(2005 Cars)(Industry Overview)
April 1, 2005... The big news from the recent auto shows is that manufacturers are aggressively overhauling their lineups and that consumers might benefit from this modernization in terms of safety, fuel economy, and interior flexibility. Ford is...

Ford Mustang: new coupe scores well, but still trails the best.(Special report)(Product/Service Evaluation)(Cover Story)
April 1, 2005... HIGHS | Acceleration, handling,V8 sound; a real thoroughbred. LOWS | Rear seat, low-speed ride, interior quality. Acknowledged as an icon among American sports cars, the redesigned 2005 Mustang has generated a lot of buzz among the media...

U.S. autos narrow the gap.(Reliability trends)(Industry Overview)
April 1, 2005... Our latest survey of subscribers' experiences with their' cars shows that the 2004 Hyundai Sonata is the single most reliable vehicle. The Nissan Quest and Lincoln Navigator are the least reliable 2004 models. Our survey also shows that...

Lure of the low monthly payment.(CR Investigates)
April 1, 2005... Automakers are driving incentives like teenagers on Saturday night. But the onslaught of so many old come-ons, plus new twists, only confuses shoppers. Worse, the lure of a low monthly payment and other false bargains can lead consumers to pay...

Heart attack: traffic jams as triggers.(CR Health)
April 1, 2005... Motorists in the U.S. spend more than four times as many hours stuck in traffic as they did 20 years ago, according to the Department of Transportation. Not only does this try your patience, new research suggests it can also do serious harm to...

Maintenance & repairs: avoid overcharges.(CR Money)
April 1, 2005... These days, new car models seem to come right out of a "Star Wars" movie. Computers may control or monitor dozens of systems, including the brakes, the engine, and sometimes even the tire pressure. But that doesn't mean that every foray...

More protection on the road.(Safety features & scores)(Buyers Guide)
April 1, 2005... It's easier for consumers to find vehicles with advanced safety features than it was five years ago. Overall, today's cars, SUVs, minivans, wagons, and pickups offer more standard safety features, and more models offer a wider variety of...

Good news from our tests.(Vehicle Ratings)(Buyers Guide)
April 1, 2005... Of the 200 vehicles that we have recently tested, only 21 have earned high ratings in all our major ratings areas. That includes 13 cars and 8 SUVs (see "Quick Picks"). The Subaru Impreza WRX STi, our "Fun to Drive" Top Pick, rated especially...

Vehicle profiles: a user's guide.(2005 Cars)(Buyers Guide)
April 1, 2005... The 222 vehicle profiles that begin on the next page contain information to help you make a sound car-buying decision. They cover all major 2005 and early-2006 models that are available of will be soon. In each profile, you'll find essential...

Used cars: best & worst.(2005 Cars)
April 1, 2005... The response to our 2004 Annual Subscriber Survey was overwhelming. We received 810,000 responses, 135,000 more than we had in 2003. Because of that, our data paints a more expansive reliability picture than ever before. This year 54...

Reliability scores: new & used cars.(2005 Cars)
April 1, 2005... To give you a model's complete reliability picture in one place, our charts now provide both our detailed histories for 1997 to 2004 models and, at the bottom of each chart, our reliability predictions for new models. These data are based on...

Annual auto roundup.(Selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... When we fired up our computer recently and Googled "car dealers seams," we were steered to roughly 247,000 listings covering everything from forged signatures to the phrases dealers use to persuade you to pay more ("You're stealing food from my...