More online retailers collecting sales tax, industry group says

More online retailers collecting sales tax, industry group says:

Consumers should be prepared to start seeing sales tax collected on more and more of their online purchases as cash-strapped states look for additional sources of revenue, says tax industry research group CCH, a Walter Kluwers business.

Although the industry analysis does not predict that sales tax collection will have a big impact on this holiday shopping season, CCH reports that sales tax for online purchases is becoming the trend with or without a legislative push. In recent months, both Democrats and Republicans have sponsored Federal legislation to compel online retailers to collect sales tax. Under current Federal law, states cannot force sales tax collection on online retailers that do not have a physical presence in their state.

Several states have already moved forward with their own legislation, however, compelling online retailers, such as Amazon.com, to collect sales tax. So called "Amazon laws" require e-commerce companies with a presence in that state to collect sales tax from their customers.

Whether legislatively compelled at the Federal or state level or through online retailers seeing it as inevitable, the trend is moving toward more online retailers collecting sales and use taxes,

said Daniel Schibley, CCH senior state tax analyst.

Overall, 45 states currently have a sales tax and 16 states have enacted or have legislation proposed to require online retailers to collect sales and use tax, according to CCH.

Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos stated in May of this year that federal legislation is required to address differing state policies on the collection of sales taxes from e-commerce companies, but that until such a time his company would fight state efforts to enact such sales tax laws. Then in June, California passed a bill to tax online retailers, which Amazon then fought by dropping its California affiliates and turning to voters to nix the law. The state subsequently let Amazon delay collection of sales tax for one year. That year is up September 2012.

Several other states, such as Arkansas, Connecticut Illinois, and Tennessee have also done battle with Amazon over the issue of sales tax.

CCH Says Internet Taxes Becoming the Trend With or Without Legislative Push [CCHGroup]

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Missed our Facebook chat? Pull up a chair and watch the video

Missed our Facebook chat? Pull up a chair and watch the video:

Today our home and car teams pooled their collective wisdom and shared tips on how to get ready for winter in a “Live from the Labs” chat on Facebook. It was lively, indeed. From lightbulbs, to tires to putting away your mower and getting out your blower, host Sue LaColla kept the action moving along.

You can pace through the video at your own leisure. It starts with lightbulbs but you can move the slider to skip ahead to tires (15:05), grills (27:45), lawn mowers (35:20), car batteries and car wax (43:25) and snow blowers (57:00). Maybe you’ll get ideas for some weekend projects.

Watch live streaming video from consumerreports at livestream.com

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Test report: Apple iPhone 4S has one of the best phone cameras

Test report: Apple iPhone 4S has one of the best phone cameras:

Consumer Reports engineers have completed tests of Apple's iPhone 4 S's revamped 8-megapixel camera and have determined that its performance compares with the best phone cameras we've seen.

The camera performance of the iPhone 4S is Very Good overall, noticeably better than performance of the iPhone 4, its predecessor, which remains available.

In shooting still images, the most noticeable improvements between iPhone 4 and 4s were found in the still camera's performance under low-light and high-dynamic-range conditions, such as when shooting a subject in the shadows on a bright, sunny day.

Pictures taken in low light had much more detail, while colors appeared natural. Visual noise levels—the grainy patterns that often mar uniformly toned images, such as a human face or the sky—were minimal. The iPhone 4S also did an impressive job of preserving the finest details of its subjects under a wide range of lighting conditions, from extremely dark to very bright.

In its iPhone 4 version, at least, Apple’s smart phone was already among the better smart phones for shooting video. Video quality is slightly better for the 4S, thanks in large part to its ability to shoot in higher resolution—that is, in 1080p, or so-called “full high-definition,” compared with the 720p resolution of the iPhone 4. Our video tests revealed greater rendering of details, as well as improved exposure performance in bright light.

Bottom line: The iPhone 4S lives up to Apple’s claims of a significant improvement in camera performance, notably in still-camera performance, where the company had fallen behind competitors over the past year or so. Indeed, the 4S is among the best phones we’ve ever tested for imaging performance, rivaling another recent phone with an 8-megapixel camera, the T-Mobile G2X.

We're continuing our tests of the iPhone 4S and will report soon on other aspects of its performance.

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Aggressive driving connected to identifying with your car

Aggressive driving connected to identifying with your car:

Drivers who consider their car an extension of their identity are more likely to behave aggressively behind the wheel and break the laws of the road, a new study finds.

The two-part study, “Aggressive Driving: A Consumption Experience,” examines how personality, attitude, and values contribute to aggressive driving behaviors. Published in the Journal of Psychology & Marketing, the survey was conducted by Temple University Fox School of Business Professor Ayalla Ruvio.

Ruvio found that drivers with compulsive tendencies are more likely to drive aggressively with disregard for possible consequences. In addition, those who admit to aggressive driving also admit to engaging in more incidents of breaking the law. Study authors also state that younger drivers still in the early stages of forming a self-identity might feel the need to show off more than others while behind the wheel. They may also be overconfident in their skills and underestimate the risks involved in reckless driving because of a lack of experience on the road.

The findings are based on research conducted in Israel. One study interviewed 134 men and women with an average age near 23 about the influence of personality, attitudes, and values on driving. The second study included interviews of 298 people, looking at factors such as risk attraction, impulsivity, driving as a hedonistic activity, and perceptions about time pressures.

Study findings also included:

• Increased materialism, or the importance of one’s possessions, is linked to increased aggressive driving tendencies.
  
  
• A sense of being under time pressure leads to more aggressive driving.

Perhaps it is not a surprise that aggressive driving tendencies increase incidents of drivers break the law. The study authors state that:

Individuals may view cars and the road space they occupy as their territory and will seek to maintain control over it and defend it as necessary.

Aggressive driving: A consumption experience [Wiley Online Library]

Associating Your Car with Your Identity Leads to Aggressive Driving [Newswise]

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3D and touch technology give monitors a lift

3D and touch technology give monitors a lift:

Gamers and movie buffs: If you’ve been holding out for lower prices and better performance on 3D monitors, it might be time for you to start shopping. We just completed testing on a number of new monitors, most coming in at less than $500, and we found several that produced a great 3D picture.

For example, we’re recommending a 23-inch model from Planar (SA2311W) with very good overall display quality that costs just $370 and is 3D-capable—though you have to buy the active-shutter 3D glasses separately.

The monitors we tested used either active-shutter or passive 3D technology. Although passive 3D lets you use less expensive glasses, similar to the ones given out at 3D movies, the viewing angle on monitors with passive 3D technology is narrower and can cause eye fatigue. Monitors using active-shutter technology, however, looked great.

Another feature you’ll be seeing more on new monitors is touch-screen technology. The monitors we tested already work with Windows 7’s touch-screen capabilities, but it’s more important to consider what’s coming with Windows 8: Microsoft’s new OS is being built with tablet computing in mind and will incorporate touch-screen features that will add to your tablet experience as well as to your computing. Windows 8 is due for release in the fall of 2012.

Finally, a new monitor from Apple, the 27" LED Cinema Display, is one of the best displays we’ve ever seen, with a wide viewing angle, appreciable contrast, high resolution, and accurate color. You may not be too surprised to hear that it’s also one of the most expensive monitors in our Ratings. Find out more about the monitors we tested in our freshly updated Ratings (available to subscribers).

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The 4 best places to retire in America?

The 4 best places to retire in America?:

We rate all kinds of things here at Consumer Reports, but places to retire aren’t one of them. Any number of other publications, websites, and organizations do, however, and the editors of the Consumer Reports Money Adviser newsletter follow their efforts with interest. Every so often, we like to compare different lists side by side and see what, if any, places they agree on. No single place made all four of the lists we looked at most recently, including one released just this week, but these four cities each made two:

Cape Coral/Fort Meyers, Fla. (pictured at right)

Ithaca, N.Y.

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Tucson, Ariz.

If you toss in a fifth, somewhat more specialized, list, USAA’s best places for military retirement, Pittsburgh gets a third vote, and two additional cities, Austin/Round Rock, Tex., and Harrisburg, Pa., each get a second vote.

Obviously where to retire is a highly personal decision, and it’s unlikely that anybody has ever made the choice based solely on somebody else’s list. At least we hope not. But if you’re shopping around for a place to retire, those could be among the cities you’ll want to check out. They must be doing something right.

The four lists we consulted:

AARP’s “10 Affordable Cities for Retirement”

Money Magazine’s “25 Best Places to Retire”

Portfolio.com’s “Best Places for Senioritis” (For comparison purpose, we considered just the top 25 entries out of a total of 157.)

U.S. News & World Report’s “10 Best Places to Retire in 2012”

Still another list, which rates states rather than cities, wasn’t included in our comparison but might be of interest:

MoneyRates.com’s “Best States for Retirement 2011”

Finally, from our own website, some advice on another major retirement housing decision:

"Buying vs. Renting in Retirement"

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Toshiba's first passive 3D TV: A decent set with very bad sound

Toshiba's first passive 3D TV: A decent set with very bad sound:

Like LG and Vizio, Toshiba is now offering passive 3D LCD TVs, which can be used with inexpensive polarized glasses like the ones you get in movie theaters. The main benefits to this technology are the comfort of the 3D glasses, less ghosting than on many active LCD 3D models, and a generally brighter picture. In our newest TV Ratings (available to subscribers), we thoroughly tested the first passive 3D TV we've seen from Toshiba, the 47-inch 47TL515U. Unfortunately, this TV lagged in the Ratings—it had the lowest overall score of any tested 3D LCD model.

In addition to 3D, this TV has a lot of features, including an energy-efficient edge LED backlight, 240Hz technology to reduce motion blur, and built-in Wi-Fi with access to online content, including streaming movies and/or TV shows from Blockbuster, CinemaNow, Netflix, and Vudu. Like most other 3D models, this set includes a 2D-to-3D conversion feature for adding 3D effects to regular 2D content. It comes with four sets of polarized glasses.

We weren't thrilled about this Toshiba TV's 3D and sound: In the 3D mode, the TV did OK, although its overall performance was a notch below the better current-generation sets. And while this set had effect depth with little ghosting and a pleasingly bright picture, like other passive sets it lost half its vertical resolution. But we found the effects of this loss of resolution—course, limited image detail and significant jaggies and moire on fine detail—were more pronounced on this set than they have been on passive 3D models we've tested from other manufacturers.

Where this set really fell down was in sound quality, which as with some other Toshiba sets, was among the worst of any TVs in the Ratings. Our reviewers likened its sound to an AM radio, with no bass and limited tonal and volume range. As a result, if you're considering this TV, we strongly recommend pairing it with an external sound system, such as a sound bar speaker.

There were also some things we liked about the Toshiba set, including very good overall picture quality, although black levels were only fair. And unlike many LCD TVs, this one has a fairly wide viewing angle, so even those viewing the TV from off to the side of a room get a decent picture. For those who might considering using this TV in a bright room, its matte screen finish did a great job minimizing reflections.

If you're looking for a budget-priced big-screen TV, the latest TV Ratings also include a new 55-inch LCD TV from Sanyo (DP55441), a brand sold at Walmart, and a 55-inch Insignia LCD model (NS-55L780A12), from Best Buy's house brand. There are also new LCD TVs from JVC, Panasonic, Philips, and Samsung.

For those looking for something a bit different, we also tested a uniquely styled 27-inch TV/monitor combo from Samsung (T27A950). In addition to 120Hz technology and the ability to access online content, including streaming movies and TV shows, this model is 3D-capable, making it the smallest set with that feature we've tested.

If you haven't checked out our TV Ratings recently, you'll found that we've greatly expanded the amount of information we provide for each model, including an enhanced Detailed Test Results section that provides greater insight into how well—or badly—each model performed in a number of key categories.

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Disagreement over standards inhibits fast-charging for electric cars

Disagreement over standards inhibits fast-charging for electric cars:

The other issue inherent to electric cars, in addition to their limited range, is how long it takes to recharge them. A “quick” 30-minute recharge could make a big difference for electric car drivers, albeit it’s still longer than a fill-up. And one reason such fast chargers have been slow to appear—other than cost, who pays for them, and how do they become profitable—is that it can be hard to get a bunch of car companies to agree on anything. So when seven automakers agree to a new standard for charging, it sounds like a breakthrough. Except when the rest don’t.

That’s what happened last week when Audi, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Volkswagen all agreed on a standard plug to use for “fast-charging” their electric cars in the United States and Europe. A “fast” charge can recharge an electric car to 80 percent of its full capacity in about a half hour. Charging any more quickly or fully would damage the battery and dramatically reduce its lifespan. The new plugs will use the standard SAE J1772 120/240-volt plug above two pins for fast charging when it’s available.

But Nissan, along with Mitsubishi, Tesla, and others, already use a different Japanese standard called ChaDeMo. The Nissan Leaf includes a ChaDeMo-compatible charge port on the SV trim level; it is otherwise optional for $700. (The Leaf has the two chargers side-by-side inside the charge port door on the nose.)

There are very few public fast-charge stations installed in the United States, and all so far use ChaDeMo plugs. Now that seven automakers have agreed on a different standard for the United States, Pacific Gas & Electric, which owns the California station, has reportedly shut it down pending certification of the charger by Underwriters Laboratories.

This will leave hundreds or thousands of Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i drivers without a fast charger to extend a trip from Sacramento to San Francisco. This inconsistency in charger standards is one of the things that stymied the adoption of electric cars in the 1990s. Back then, with every automaker using a different charger plug, no EV driver could count on being able to use any public charger they encountered. So it was impossible to roll out a compatible public infrastructure.

Now that 240-volt chargers have a standard plug around the world, some cities can begin rolling out these so-called Level 2 chargers in public locations. But it looks like it may be some time before they’ll be able to do the same with DC “fast” chargers.

See our guide to alternative fuels and cars.

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52-MPGe Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid ready for the streets

52-MPGe Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid ready for the streets:

The Fisker Karma has finally gone on sale after receiving EPA certification along with final fuel economy estimates.

The Karma is a luxury plug-in hybrid sedan that sells for $97,000. Like the Chevrolet Volt, it runs initially on electric power alone, stored in a 23-kWh battery pack. Once the battery is discharged, a turbocharged, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine starts and acts as a generator to provide electricity to power the car. It does not drive the wheels directly. The engine is a 260-hp GM-supplied unit that last saw service in the Chevrolet Cobalt SS.

According to the official EPA certification, the Karma has an all-electric range of 32 miles and gets the electric equivalent of 52 mpg. Once the gas engine starts, the car is rated at 20 mpg in combined city and highway driving.

Fisker had already delivered a handful of cars to customers, but without certification, they remained registered to the company. Now that the Karma has received its official mileage ratings and emissions certification, Fisker’s 88 dealers can begin retail sales.

Related:

Plug-in hybrid Fisker Karma Surf adds a wagon model

Tesla Motors releases production Model S photos, Fisker updates Karma release

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Hospitals cut infections, but still have room for improvement

Hospitals cut infections, but still have room for improvement:

Hospitals got better at preventing four common and deadly hospital-acquired infections last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And our updated hospital Ratings show similar results. But there’s still plenty of room for improvement, and a need for broader access to data, say our hospital-infection experts.

The CDC said that in 2010 hospitals reported, on average, 33 percent fewer bloodstream infections in critical-care patients, 18 percent fewer MRSA infections, 10 percent fewer surgical-site infections, and 7 percent fewer urinary-tract infections related to catheters compared with a national baseline. Those improvements put hospitals on target for meeting goals of a 50 percent reduction in the incidence of bloodstream infections and MRSA infections by 2013, the CDC says.

John Santa, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center, says:

That’s progress. But research shows that bloodstream infections can be eliminated, so that should be the goal for all hospitals.

Moreover, the CDC says that hospitals are still lagging at preventing surgical-site infections as well as infections of Clostridium difficile, a bacterium that can lead to potentially deadly gastrointestinal infections.

The director of Consumer Reports’ Safe Patient Project, Lisa McGiffert, says that public-reporting laws were instrumental in kick-starting the movement to end hospital-acquired infections, “but we are just measuring the tip of the iceberg, and we need to move more quickly. Too many people are dying and being injured!”

Bottom line: Our updated hospital Ratings also showed an overall reduction in infection rates, based on data from the nonprofit Leapfrog Group. Specifically, the average number of such infections among every 1,000 days that patients had central lines in intensive care units dropped from 1.5 in 2009 to 1.2 in 2010, a 25 percent improvement.

For details, see our updated hospital Ratings, including information on bloodstream infections and staying safe in the hospital.

Source

National Targets and Metrics Monitoring Progress Toward Action Plan Goals: A Mid-Term Assessment [Department of Health and Human Services]

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BlackBerry service failure cuts Abu Dhabi crashes by 40 percent

BlackBerry service failure cuts Abu Dhabi crashes by 40 percent:

Police in the United Arab Emirates are attributing a big drop in motor vehicle crashes to last week’s three-day failure of some BlackBerry services, according to Abu Dhabi-based English language newspaper The National.

The paper reports that crashes dropped by 20 percent in Dubai during the disruption, and by some 40 percent in Abu Dhabi, where none of the crashes that occurred were fatal. By comparison, there is normally a fatal crash in Abu Dhabi every two days, and a crash occurs every three minutes in Dubai.

The service disruption knocked out BlackBerry users’ email, text messaging, and internet access in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

"The roads became much safer when BlackBerry stopped working," said Brig. General Hussein Al Harethi, director of the Abu Dhabi Police Department Traffic Department.

Dubai Police Chief Lt. General Dahi Khalfan Tamim said his department saw "a significant drop in accidents by young drivers and men on those three days." He added that young people were the largest users of messaging services.

Abu Dhabi police recently announced a campaign targeted at drivers using their devices behind the wheel, and General Tamim says Dubai Police have plans to begin using electronic evidence against drivers who cause accidents while using their smart phones.

"We have the capability to know who sent what when, and if an accident occurs while someone was messaging we will prove it and present the electronic evidence to the Public Prosecutor, and charge the driver with the costs of retrieving that evidence," he said.

The Abu Dhabi experience underscores that cell phones, and smart phones in particular, can be a dangerous distraction behind the wheel.

Related:

Fighting distracted driving: Technology can be part of the solution

Making NOYS: Teen safety summit tackles the dangers of texting and driving head on

Special section on teens and distracted driving

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Samsung Galaxy Nexus to launch on Verizon Wireless

Samsung Galaxy Nexus to launch on Verizon Wireless:

Galaxy Nexus from Samsung, the first smart phone to run on the new Google Android 4.0 mobile operating system (also called Ice Cream Sandwich), will be available on the Verizon Wireless network first.

The Galaxy Nexus will launch on the Verizon Wireless network "later this year," according to Verizon.

Consumers considering purchasing the Galaxy Nexus by Samsung should know that they will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless voice plan, starting at $40, and a data package starting at $30 for 2GB.

Features of the phone include:

• A 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED display, the largest we've seen on any smart phone, with a resolution of 1280 by 720.
  
  
• Near Field Communications (NFC) enabled.
  
  
• A 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chatting, plus a 5-megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash, zero shutter lag, and 1080p full HD video.
  
  
• Download speeds of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G LTE mobile broadband coverage areas, according to Verizon Wireless.

The Galaxy Nexus also has 1GB of RAM, and will be available with either 16GB or 32GB of internal memory. Also built in are an accelerometer, a compass, a gyro, a proximity sensor, and a barometer.

Android 4.0 brings a newly designed user interface, a fast browser, and a new implementation of Gmail that lets you search through messages even when you're offline. A new app called People lets you browse high-res photos and updates from Google+.

Verizon Wireless Introduces The Galaxy Nexus By Samsung [Verizon Wireless]

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2011 Annual Car Reliability Survey: Best and worst vehicles by brand

2011 Annual Car Reliability Survey: Best and worst vehicles by brand:

If you are looking for a reliable car, don’t assume that certain brands are always shoe-ins. Each manufacturer has models that have a range of reliability in Consumer Reports’ annual car reliability survey.

When shopping for a car, it’s best to look at individual models and not make assumptions based on brand perceptions. In addition, just because a vehicle scored well in our reliability survey doesn’t mean it's recommended by CR or a good vehicle to buy.

Some models are reliable, but don’t do well in our testing. One example is the Jeep Patriot, which had the best reliability for Jeep, but scores too low in our testing to be recommended. Alternatively, the Audi Q5 scores very high in our tests, but its reliability is well below average, so we cannot recommend it.

There are also disparities within brands. Some manufacturers have very good reliability within all its models across the board, but we’ve seen that list drop from seven consistent brands last year to only two this year. Only Scion, Acura, and Mazda do not have any models that have below-average reliability. Others like BMW and Mercedes-Benz have some that score very high and others that are well below average.

Below is a list of the best and worst vehicles by brand based on predicted reliability. Models with an asterisk (“*”) are based on data for one model year only.

Make	Worst model	Best model
Scion	xB	xD
Lexus	IS Convertible*	CT 200h*
Acura	TSX	TL (FWD)
Mazda	CX-9	MX-5 Miata
Honda	Odyssey*	CR-Z*
Toyota	Sienna (AWD)*	Highlander (4-cyl.)
Infiniti	G Convertible	QX56*
Subaru	Tribeca*	Forester (non-turbo)
Nissan	Z	Titan*
Volvo	XC90*	C70*
Hyundai	Santa Fe (V6)	Elantra Wagon
Kia	Sedona	Optima*
Jeep	Wrangler (4-door)	Patriot
Lincoln	MKX (FWD)*	MKZ Hybrid*
Chrysler	Town & Country	200*
Volkswagen	Routan	Golf TDI
Chevrolet	Silverado 2500*	Volt*
Mercedes-Benz	GL-Class	C-Class (RWD)
BMW	550i*	X3*
Ford	Edge (AWD)*	Fusion Hybrid
Dodge	Ram 2500 (turbodiesel)	Caliber
GMC	Sierra 2500*	Sierra 1500 (V6, 2WD)
Mini	Cooper Clubman S	Cooper Hatchback
Buick	LaCrosse (AWD)*	Enclave (FWD)
Cadillac	Escalade*	CTS (V6, RWD)
Audi	Q5 (V6)	A4 (4-cyl.)
Porsche	Cayenne*	911*
Jaguar	XF	XJ*

*Based on one model year; redesigned or introduced for 2011

As these results show, it is unwise to judge a book by its cover. Avoid assumptions based on past history or anecdotal experience. Instead, do your research before you buy your next vehicle. It takes just a few minutes to browse the model overview pages, or use the interactive new car selector tool, which sorts and filters by the parameters that matter most to you.

Either path will reveal Consumer Reports recommended models that did well in our road tests, score average or better in reliability, and perform at least adequately if included in government or insurance industry safety tests.

For more details on our 2011 Annual Car Survey, including the full list of most and least reliable new cars by vehicle type, see our new car reliability report. Also, check out our guide to car reliability for more details on new and used car reliability as well as owner satisfaction.

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Recall: 2012 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain for bad tire pressure monitoring systems

Recall: 2012 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain for bad tire pressure monitoring systems:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a recall of nearly 34,000 Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The cross-over vehicles from General Motors have tire-pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) that fail to comply with federal safety standards.

TPMS computers are designed to alert drivers if the air pressure in any of the vehicle's tires fall 25 percent below the recommended cold inflation pressure. However, the TPMS in certain models of 2012 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles won't illuminate the dashboard warning lights until internal tire pressures are more than 25 percent below recommended pressure levels.

According to NHTSA, under-inflated tires could overheat and blowout, possibly causing a collision with injuries. Improperly inflated tires could also lead to premature and uneven tread wear, poor vehicle handling and poor fuel economy. (See Early warning signs of tire failure and How to keep your vehicle's tires safe in Consumer Reports' Tire & car care section, for more information.)

General Motors will begin this month to notify customers affected by this NHTSA recall. Owners will be scheduled to bring their recalled vehicles in to a local dealership where mechanics will replace the faulty TPMS modules for free.

Owners of 2012 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles with additional questions can contact Chevrolet (800-630-2438) or GMC (866-996-9463). Consumers can also visit the NHTSA Safer Car website (www.SaferCar.gov) for more information.

Recall: 2012 Chevrolet Equinox / GMC Terrain - TPMS - Campaign ID #: 11V511000 [NHTSA]
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Big Lots recalls gliding recliners and ottomans for entrapment dangers

Big Lots recalls gliding recliners and ottomans for entrapment dangers:

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission and Big Lots of Columbus Ohio have announced a recall of 375,000 recliners and ottomans. The furniture, which glides horizontally, has exposed mechanisms which can inadvertently crush fingers and even entrap small children.

According to the CPSC, there have been two reports of small children (under two years old) who have had their necks trapped by the chair's gliding mechanism. Both children were freed by parents without permanent injury.

The CPSC recall affects the Microfiber Glider Recliner and Leather Glider Recliner, sold at Big Lots stores from January 2005 to December 2009 for about $170. Both the chair and ottoman sit on circular metal bases made from 1.25 inch metal tubing and have cushions covered in either light brown or green microfiber fabric or dark brown simulated leather fabric. A label under the seat of the chair identifies the manufacturer as Dongguan Shindin Metal & Plastic Products Ltd. There is a small label on the front metal rod under the seat that states "Maximum wt load 250 lbs."

Consumers are urged to immediately stop using the furniture and contact Big Lots for a free repair kit which will cover the exposed moving parts.

For more information, consumers can contact Big Lots toll-free (866-244-5687) or visit the company's website: www.BigLots.com.

To report dangerous incidents with consumer products, visit the CPSC's Safer Products website: www.SaferProducts.gov.

Big Lots Recalls Glider Recliners with Ottomans Due to Entrapment and Finger Crushing Hazards [CPSC]
Product recall information [Big Lots]

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Here it is, the biggest refrigerator we've ever tested

Here it is, the biggest refrigerator we've ever tested:

There are about 180 models in Consumer Reports' current refrigerator Ratings. Since we started testing this appliance back in 1939, too many to count have come and gone. But it's safe to say that no model has been as mammoth as the new Kenmore Elite 7205 French-door bottom-freezer, with its claimed 31-cubic-foot capacity. Setting aside for a moment the question of whether so much space is necessary, let's take a closer look to see how Kenmore managed the feat.

The first space-saving innovation is in the walls of the Kenmore Elite 7205, where vacuum-insulated panels (VIPs) replace the conventional insulation found on most refrigerators. VIPs are thin and flat, which results in narrow walls and a roomier interior. That coupled with a slightly larger footprint (its 35-inch depth is a few inches above the norm) accounts for much of the expanded capacity.

Inside the refrigerator, the first thing you might notice is what's missing—no bulky icemaker taking up interior shelf or door space. Instead, the "Slim In-door Icemaker" fits neatly in the door panel holding the exterior ice and water dispensers. Then there's a bevy of expansive storage options, including door bins that are deep enough to hold a gallon container and then some, say a bottle of ketchup; a full-width pantry drawer for deli meats and cheese; dual crisper drawers; and a tilt-out freezer door that allows you to access the double pull-out drawers and deep bin without sliding out the entire freezer compartment. There's also multi-level LED lighting, which doesn't affect the actual dimensions, but does make the interior feel bigger and brighter.

Beyond its ample capacity, the Kenmore Elite 7205 performs very well. It scored an excellent in our temperature tests, which measure accuracy and consistency. Noise was also excellent, while energy efficiency and ease-of-use were very good. And the fridge's dual evaporators maintain high humidity levels in the fresh-food section and keep freezer odors from migrating, which together could help extend the life of your food.

So is it worth spending upwards of $2,800 on the Kenmore Elite 7205? From a performance standpoint, several French-door models in our Ratings do better for less, including the top-rated Whirlpool for $1,700. That makes the decision mostly about size and features. Industry guidelines have, in the past, recommended refrigerators with a total capacity of between 19 and 22 cubic feet for a typical household of four. By that estimate, the Kenmore Elite 7205 would make sense only for very large families, say those with six or more members. However, if you entertain frequently, you might also value this record-setting refrigerator.

Source: Google Reader

Report: Amazon making 'millions more' Kindle Fire tablets

Report: Amazon making 'millions more' Kindle Fire tablets:

The new tablet from Amazon won't ship till November 15, but the company's CEO Jeff Bezos said in a statement that the volume of pre-orders that Amazon has received has caused a huge ramp-up in production of the Fire—to "millions more" than originally planned.

The 7-inch Kindle Fire tablet was announced on September 28, which, as Amazon reported in its third-quarter earnings statement, was the "biggest order day ever for Kindle." At $199, the Fire's price is appreciably lower than that of any current version of the Apple iPad and is also lower than most other Android tablets on the market. The Fire will feature Amazon content and services, including books, video, and music, with a curated selection of apps from Amazon's app store for Android devices.



Amazon Is Making 'Millions More' Kindle Fires Than Originally Expected After Huge Demand [Business Insider]

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2011 Annual Car Reliability Survey: Most reliable American cars

2011 Annual Car Reliability Survey: Most reliable American cars:

Consumer Reports recently unveiled the results of its latest reliability survey, showing that Asian brands continue to occupy the top-tier, claiming nine of the top 10 spots in our rankings. However, the findings among the domestic brands are noteworthy, and there’s plenty of good news within each segment.

We’re often asked how the domestics’ reliability stacks up, especially with some people wanting to specifically buy American. (Of course, defining what is an “American” car can be a challenge.) The results show that there are some very reliable U.S.-branded models, but they also remind of potential risks with buying first-year models.

Below is a list of vehicles with the highest predicted reliability within their respective segments. (We have only listed models whose predicted reliability is average or better.)

Small SUVs

Ford Escape Hybrid



Midsized SUVs

Chevrolet Equinox (V6)

GMC Terrain (V6)



Luxury SUVs

Buick Enclave (FWD)

Large SUVs

Dodge Durango

Full-sized pickups

Ford F-150 (V8, 2WD)

Family cars

Ford Fusion Hybrid

Upscale cars

Lincoln MKZ Hybrid

Sporty cars

Dodge Challenger

Fuel-efficient hatchbacks

Chevrolet Volt*



Small hatchbacks

Dodge Caliber

Some of these models, such as the Dodge Caliber, have above average reliability but did not do well in Consumer Reports’ tests. Hence, the Caliber is not recommended. CR only recommends models that have performed well in tests conducted at its 327-acre Auto Test Center in Connecticut, have average or better predicted reliability based on the annual survey, and perform at least adequately in government or insurance-industry crash and rollover tests, if tested.

* The Volt’s data is based on a sample size that just a little more than Consumer Reports’ minimum threshold of 100 cars, and most respondents had owned theirs for only a few months. Consider it an early, promising indicator.

Some categories, such as small and subcompact cars, are not represented here by the domestic brands due to lackluster performance. For example, the U.S. model that had the highest reliability ranking is the Ford Fiesta, but it came in below average.

Our reliability data are based on responses on 1.3 million vehicles owned or leased by subscribers to Consumer Reports or ConsumerReports.org. The survey was conducted in the spring of 2011 by Consumer Reports’ National Survey Research Center and covered model years 2002 to 2011.

Related:

Guide to car reliability and owner satisfaction

2011 Annual Car Reliability Survey: Best and worst vehicles by brand

Consumer Reports' 2011 Annual Car Reliability Survey: Ford drops, Chrysler rises, Scion leads

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Motorola Droid RAZR pre-orders begin tomorrow

Motorola Droid RAZR pre-orders begin tomorrow:

The Droid RAZR, announced last week by Motorola for Verizon Wireless, will be available for pre-order tomorrow, Thursday October 27, at 8 a.m. (Eastern). Verizon says the phone will ship "no later than November 10."

Billed as the world's thinnest smart phone at 7.1mm thick, the RAZR is priced at $299.99 with a two-year contract and data plan from Verizon. It will run on Verizon's 4G LTE network.

The Droid RAZR is powered by a dual-core 1.2-GHz CPU and features 1GB of RAM. It can record HD video at 1080p, and it's the first phone that can download HD video from Netflix. Verizon is offering NFL Mobile free for 4G LTE customers for the rest of the 2011 season. The phone also features a huge 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display, protective Kevlar fiber on the outside, and Gorilla glass on its front.

Motorola DROID RAZR available for pre-order from Verizon tomorrow for $299.99 [BGR]

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Bad Boy buggies being recalled for bad steering

Bad Boy buggies being recalled for bad steering:

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a recall for about 3,200 off-road vehicles made by BB Buggies of Atlanta, Ga., and Bad Boy Enterprises in Natchez, Mass. The issue: The steering assembly can break, causing a loss of control and crash hazard.

According to the CPSC, there have been 15 reports of the Bad Boy off-road vehicles suffering from steering arm breakage, but no injuries have been reported.

The CPSC reports that there have been two previous recalls of Bad Boy buggies for sudden acceleration problems. And last month, Bad Boy Enterprises paid a $715,000 fine to the CPSC for failing to notify the agency of those buggy defects in a timely manner.

The current recall affects four models of four-wheeled off-road buggies: The Bad Boy LT, Classic, XT, XTI and XT Safari models. All four models are electrically-powered; have bench seats for the driver and passengers; and have "Bad Boy" printed on the side or front. Bad Boy Buggy dealers nationwide sold the buggies in camouflage patterns, hunter greenm red and black from August 2009 through June 2011 for approximately $7,000 to $15,000.

Bad Boy buggy owners are warned to stop using the defective off-road utility vehicles and contact an authorized dealer or BB Buggies directly for a free steering assembly replacement.

For more information, consumers can contact BB Buggies toll-free (855-738-3711) or go online to the company's website:www.BadBoyBuggies.com.

Bad Boy Buggies Recalled by BB Buggies Due to Loss of Steering Control and Crash Hazard [CPSC]

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Update: Chevrolet Volt sees fuel economy increase

Update: Chevrolet Volt sees fuel economy increase:

We have made an upward revision to the fuel-economy numbers for the Volt that we originally published in the October issue of Consumer Reports. When running on gasoline (aka charge-sustaining mode) rather than pure electric power, the highway-driving portion of the test moved from 36 to 41 mpg. The city figure got bumped from 21 to 23 mpg.

Our revision was prompted by General Motors, the Volt’s manufacturer, which alerted us to a previously unnoticed phenomenon peculiar to the car. Since in gas mode the engine devotes some of its power to partially recharging the drive battery to maintain it at about 20 to 25 percent state-of-charge, our original fuel count may have included more than the amount just needed to propel it. Our revision excludes those battery-maintenance portions to give a better idea of how much fuel the Volt uses once the electric portion is depleted.

This change boosts our overall-average fuel economy for the Volt from 29 to 32 mpg and raises the Volt’s road-test score from 67 to 68. The revision does not affect the Volt’s consumption while acting as an EV, which at 2.93 miles/kWh works out to be the equivalent of 99 mpg.

Read our Chevrolet Volt road test.

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Grate tips on putting your grill away for the winter

Grate tips on putting your grill away for the winter:

Year-round grilling is a growing trend but if you’re not a fan of getting chilled while you grill now’s a good time to clean your grill and put it away for the season. In Consumer Reports recent Facebook chat, Bob Markovich, Home and Yard editor, offered step-by-step tips on how to clean and store your grill so it’s ready when you remove the cover next spring.



Burn off the gunk. Heat up the grill one last time according to the manufacturer’s instructions to burn as much dried grease as possible off the grates before the final cleaning.

Clean the exterior. After the grill has cooled, use a soft cloth or sponge and mild dishwashing detergent on stainless steel exteriors and apply stainless polish afterward. For painted or enameled exteriors, use a non-scouring nylon brush and a 50-50 mix of water and white vinegar.

Then the interior. Use a nylon-bristle brush for porcelain-coated cast-iron grates, and steel­­—not brass­—brushes to clean uncoated cast-iron grates. Wash flavorizer bars with soapy water and a non-abrasive pad. Dry grates and bars thoroughly so rust doesn't form. Also remove and the drip pan and clean it with a scraper followed by a mild detergent and a non-scouring pad. Finally, hose off the interior and dry it as best you can.

For more tips, watch the video and check the advice from Consumer Reports experts.

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PhotoPlus Expo: Canon’s $7,000 SLR, Sony’s 3D binoculars

PhotoPlus Expo: Canon’s $7,000 SLR, Sony’s 3D binoculars:

Today, tomorrow, and Saturday, photographers from beginners to pros can view a wide variety of digital imaging products: point-and-shoots, advanced cameras, printers, digital frames, and more—even 3D binoculars—at the PDN PhotoPlus Expo at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City. I stopped by and got to play with some of new and innovative photography products. Here are a few highlights.

Canon’s amazing 18-MP SLR. Although there have been relatively few camera announcements leading up to this show, Canon recently overhauled its flagship pro SLR by introducing the 18-megapixel Canon EOS-1D X (pictured above). At nearly $7,000, this camera is not for most consumers—but it’s impressive to anyone interested in digital photography. The EOS-1D X can capture 12 frames per second when shooting RAW or, amazingly, JPEG+RAW. And it speeds up to 14 fps when shooting just JPEGs. When I fired this SLR off at the booth, it felt like I was shooting a machine gun.

Another startling spec (among many) on this model is that it appears to be extremely sensitive in low light: In its standard setting, the EOS-1D X has an ISO range from ISO 100 to 51,200. It can also be expanded to two additional higher settings: ISO 102,300 and ISO 204, 800, settings that might enable you to shoot on the dark side of the moon.

The EOS-1D X is due to hit store shelves in March of 2012 at a cost of $6,800. It will also be available with a wireless file transmitter for $600 and a GPS module for $300.

Canon also announced a new printer at the show: the Pixma Pro-1, $1,000, which has no less than 12 ink tanks, including five monochrome ones. According to Canon, the monochrome inks (Photo Black, Matte Black, Gray, Dark Gray, and Light Gray) will produce deeper and richer blacks and reduce bronzing effects, which degrade print quality.

Nikon’s rugged point-and-shoot. The Nikon booth had an intriguing setup, in which several Coolpix AW100 subcompacts (each about $380) were mounted on a mountain bike. This 16-megapixel Coolpix model is Nikon’s first rugged camera. The company claims it is waterproof to a depth of 33 feet and can withstand a 5-foot fall.

Pentax goes big and small. Pentax, at a small booth with its parent company Ricoh, displayed two advanced cameras at opposite ends of the size spectrum: Its gigantic pro camera, the Pentax 645, which is a medium-format digital camera with a 40-megapixel sensor geared for professionals alongside Pentax’s first SLR-like camera, the very tiny 12-megapixel Pentax Q, $800, which is available in black or white.

Sony’s 3D binoculars. In addition to traditional digital-imaging products, some companies had more exotic products on view. Sony had one of its two digital recording binoculars: The DEV-5, about $2,000, was on view at the booth. In addition to its two 20x optical zoom lenses, this model can also record full HD-resolution video (1080i) and capture 7-megapixel still photos. It can capture 3D images and video as well, and has a built-in GPS module for geotagging what you capture. But what surprised me was how light the model was. Still, it’s quite pricey for most consumers.



All photos except top by Terry Sullivan.

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Škoda Wins 2011 WRC S2000 Championship

Škoda Wins 2011 WRC S2000 Championship:

Škoda has won its first FIA World Rally Championship title in its history, after the Red Bull Škoda Fabia S2000 team of Juho Hänninen/Mikko Markkula (Finland) secured victory on the last rally of this year’s Super 2000 World Rally Championship (SWRC) at the RACC Rally de España in Spain last weekend. They finished first in the S2000 class and tenth overall.

How times change. A couple of decades ago Škoda was one of those long-in-the-tooth East European auto manufacturers that had become the butt of too many jokes. True, the company had a history dating back to the 1890s and it had been racing its cars for over a century.

Then Volkswagen bought the Czech company in 2000 and now sales of the rejuvenated brand are increasing around the world. Škoda has now garnered a strong reputation for reliability and customer satisfaction.

The S2000 WRC class is for 2-liter 4WD rally cars that are based on smaller models such as the Ford Fiesta and will form the basis for WRC cars in the future. The S2000 cars were competing for the first time this year and although they are slower than the full-on WRC cars they are much faster than the Production WRC cars. They are also less expensive to build, so the FIA is hoping this will encourage more manufacturers to compete in the WRC.

The success of the Škoda team bodes well for Volkswagen Motorsport as it will be campaigning a full-on WRC team in 2013 with the VW Polo WRC, which is based off the Škoda Fabia S2000 rally car. The Fabia has been used by VW this year as it prepares for its new rally team to take on the might of the Citroen, Ford and Mini works teams.

Related posts:

1. Kia Wins First Championship in its Second Season
2. 2011 WRC Contenders Revealed
3. Unveiled: the 2011 Ford Fiesta WRC Car!

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Wanna See Rennsport on TV?

Wanna See Rennsport on TV?:

Well, you can! Speed TV just announced its broadcast schedule for the Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV, which was held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca October 14-16. All times are PST:

Sunday, Nov. 13 - noon

Monday, Nov. 14 - midnight

Saturday, Nov. 19 - 1 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 30 - 11 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. - 1 a.m.

Tune in to see 350 Porsche racing cars blasting around one of America’s best tracks!

More Rennsport

• The Porsche 911: Born To Race »


• Porsche 911: Evolution of a Racing Icon »


• Legendary Porsche 911 Racing Teams »

Exclusive Porsche 911 Poster

911: Evolution of a Racing Icon »

A beautiful poster printed on high-quality 80-lb. stock and featuring the illustrations of Paul Laguette covers the evolution of the 911.

Related posts:

1. Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV: Jeff Zwart: Rennsport Man!
2. Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV: Great Rennsport Video
3. Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV: Rennsport Wrap-Up

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Happy Birthday, Derek Bell!

Happy Birthday, Derek Bell!:

Derek probably won’t thank me for showing this picture of him as an impecunious 30-year-old at Brands Hatch back in 1971, but one of the world’s greatest sports car drivers is about to clock up his 70th birthday on October 31st, Halloween night.

“Derek Bell made motorsport history with Porsche. Whether it was in a 917, 936 or 956 – he was always one of the fastest and above all most reliable drivers. Derek Bell won the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times for Porsche. He won the World Championship twice. For that we owe him our gratitude and great respect,” said Matthias Müller, Chairman of the Board of Management of Porsche AG.

Derek Bell began his racing career with Lotus in 1964, and by 1969 had reached the F1 grid.

For the 1971 season, Bell drove the Porsche 917 and 908/03 for the Gulf team, forming a successful driver duo with Jo Siffert. This was followed by appearances in the Porsche 934 and 935 in 1976 and ‘77 before he took his place on the Le Mans grid as a works driver in a 924 Carrera GT.

In 1981, together with Jacky Ickx in the Porsche 936/81 Spyder, Bell won the first of his total of four overall victories at Le Mans in a Porsche. 1982 saw the beginning of the Group C era with the Porsche 956, during which time he made his mark as one of the most successful endurance drivers of all time. Together with drivers such as Jacky Ickx, Stefan Bellof and Hans-Joachim Stuck, he won, not only, numerous overall victories in the Types 956 and 962 but also the World Sportscar Championship in 1985 and 1986.

Derek Bell remains in close contact with the Porsche factory, continuing to undertake ambassadorial duties for the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer; for example at the Oldtimer Grand Prix at the Nürburgring and at this year’s Corso to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the car.

Bell has also remained faithful to the Porsche brand off the race track: he can often be seen on the roads of Britain driving his classic 1981 Porsche 924 Carrera GTS.

What this Porsche-sourced press release doesn’t mention is his time with Ferrari, his disastrous association with Tecno, his earlier success in F2 with the likes of Clay Regazzoni, Francois Cevert and Ronnie Petersen, his IMSA success with Audi and his role as a brand ambassador for Bentley.

Nor does it acknowledge the role he played in Steve McQueen’s ‘Le Mans’ epic film, or the respect and admiration he still has for him as an actor and, above all, a racing driver.

I first met Bell many years ago, and he always had time for hacks and was very astute at remembering names and faces even if he had just finished his night stint at Le Mans, was knackered and wanted a rest. He always gave you a useable quote.

But if I have one memory of time I spent with him it was a Bentley Continental GT drive from Malaga to Monte Carlo, a distance of just over 1000 miles. But that didn’t matter as we were setting off on Saturday morning and expected in Monte Carlo for dinner on Sunday evening, naturally having enjoyed a splendid dinner on Saturday night, and don’t forget the photographers: just one more…

That Spanish motorway hugs the Mediterranean coastline like the incoming tide, dipping and weaving through the mountains. Add rain and weekend motorists that don’t use rearview mirrors never mind indicate, and it was a daunting drive, especially at speeds approaching 150 mph and more for most of the time. Easy for ‘Ding Dong’, as he is affectionately known, but for a mere hack like me trying to keep up with him in a second Bentley. Well, let’s just say it was character forming…

I last saw Derek at the Festival of Speed earlier this year, with his son, Justin, who works with Jay Leno. Actually, he saw me first and called me over for a catch up chat. He’s that sort of bloke.

Related posts:

1. Derek Bell, My Racing Life

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Green Car of the Year Finalists Announced – 2011 Los Angeles auto Show

Green Car of the Year Finalists Announced – 2011 Los Angeles auto Show:

Who’s the most environmentally conscious on the new car lot? The Green Car Journal has been keeping that score for seven years now, and has announced the finalists in its 2012 Green Car of the Year contest.

The five finalists are the Ford Focus Electric, Honda Civic Natural Gas, Mitsubishi i, Toyota Prius v and the Volkswagen Passat TDI. All are 2012 models, and the winner will be announced November 17th as part of the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Making the green call were the Editors of The Green Car Journal joined by representatives of major environmental groups and automotive enthusiast celebrities. Among others, these include Carl Pope, Chairman of the Sierra Club, Jean-Michel Cousteau, president of Ocean Futures Society, Jay Leno and Carroll Shelby.

Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal, says it’s no coincidence the five finalist vehicles use a differing strategies in their quest for environmental conservation. “…There is no single solution to our transportation challenges,” he stated while noting the VW Passat TDI champions clean diesel, the Honda Civic Natural Gas relies on that clean-burning dry fuel, the Toyota Prius v is a hybrid while the Ford Focus Electric and Mitsubishi i explore the electric arena.

Related posts:

1. 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show Preview: 17+ Global Debuts
2. World Car of the Year Finalists – New York Auto Show Preview
3. 2011 New York Auto Show Preview – WCOTY Top 3 Finalists Announced

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