Consumer Reports New Cars December 2022

WITH CAR PRICES at record highs, it can feel like there’s no way to decide whether you should buy what’s available or put off a purchase until later. CR is here to help! You can rely on our recommendations because we have detailed data that nobody else does. We conduct exclusive annual reliability surveys of our members to find out which problems cost vehicle owners time and money, and which cars are trouble-free. We also ask owners whether they’re satisfied with their vehicle, because the only thing better than a reliable car is a car that owners love, too. In our most recent surveys we gathered data on about 300,000 cars, trucks, SUVs, minivans, and wagons. But that’s not all. We buy our own vehicles to test rather than relying on press samples,…

Q. Is it harmful to “top off” my car’s gas tank after the pump automatically shuts off? Yes, squeezing in those fractions of a gallon can be harmful. “There’s a lot more going on in a car’s fuel tank than you may think,” says John Ibbotson, CR’s chief mechanic. “Fuel systems have become more sophisticated to keep up with stricter emission laws." Topping off could damage the onboard refueling vapor recovery (ORVR) system, which consists of a charcoal canister that collects and absorbs potentially harmful fuel vapor during the refueling process. The ORVR helps reduce hydrocarbon emissions by about 95 percent during refueling, according to the automotive supplier Eaton. Adding more fuel can saturate the canister and cause the check engine light to illuminate. If the ORVR is damaged, it won’t adequately capture…

IF YOU’VE EVER financed any purchase, you know your credit score is important to getting a good deal. A good credit score can get you a lower interest rate, while a poor score—or no credit—can push you into the subprime category. This indicates a higher risk to the lender, so you have to pay more, adding significant finance costs on top of the price. Anywhere from one-fifth to one quarter of all car loans fall in the subprime category, according to analysts at TrueCar, a major online automotive marketplace that is partnered with Consumer Reports. That’s more than 5 million car loans per year. But your credit rating may not be the only factor driving up the rate on your car loan. If you finance through a car dealer, using a lending option…

DRIVERS LIKE CAR safety technology best when it helps them see what they sometimes can’t, such as when they’re backing out of a parking spot and can’t see around the big truck in the next space. Or when they’re about to change lanes but can’t see if there’s a vehicle hidden in their blind spots. That’s what over 47,000 CR members told us when asked what they thought about their vehicles’ advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), which use sensors, cameras, and other technology for added safety and convenience. The responses to our survey included drivers who appreciated the stress relief of systems that automatically take over some acceleration and braking functions in traffic jams and those who credited their car’s advanced safety systems for saving them from getting into a serious…

IT’S HARD TO overstate how important tires are to safe driving. After all, they’re the only part of the car that touches the road. That’s why so many consumers in colder climates take the time, make the effort, and spend the money to switch to winter/snow tires once a year to ensure that their vehicles have the best grip possible. With the inconvenience of swapping tires in mind, some manufacturers have introduced all-weather models designed to perform well in winter conditions and year-round. Some cost more than the average price of the all season tires they typically replace, but buyers come out ahead by avoiding the cost and hassle of seasonal tire changes. “The best all-weather tires provide year-round traction that truly combines all-season and winter/snow performance,” says Ryan Pszczolkowski, Consumer Reports’ tire-program…

INSIDE CR’S LABS NO MATTER HOW much they beg, most kids won’t be ready to use a car’s seat belt alone until they are about 10 to 12 years old, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Between the time that they outgrow their forward-facing harnessed seat and when they are ready to use the vehicle seat belt, booster car seats come into play. Booster seats raise the child so that the vehicle seat belt fits their body correctly, positioning the belts to provide optimum protection while minimizing potential harm. Of the three types of boosters Consumer Reports evaluates—high-backonly, backless-only, and high-back-to-backless—we recommend boosters with a back over backless models. Shoulder-belt fit tends to be better, and the headwings provide additional protection for the child’s head. Our evaluations of the latest booster models…