Certain brands made big news in what matters most to most car shoppers this week. Consumer Reports released its annual Top 10 best cars to buy for the year, and Toyota took four of the top 10 spots, led by hybrid and plug-in hybrid models. Never splashy but always appreciated, safety dominated news this week with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s annual Top Safety Pick awards. The industry’s most rigorous crash-test and driver-assist system evaluations criteria was led by Mazda and Genesis, which are brands that stepped up to this year’s tougher criteria.
Here’s a look at what moved us this week.
2024 VW ID.4 gets price hike, starts at $41,160
With a price increase of about $1,000, Volkswagen’s electric crossover now has up to a 291-mile range in the updated ID.4 Pro trim.
Toyota dominates Consumer Reports top 10 cars of 2024
Toyota, as well as plug-in hybrid vehicles, make inroads in the consumer advocacy group’s recommended picks for 2024.
Safest cars: Mazda, Genesis earn 2024 Top Safety Pick awards
The IIHS institutes tougher crash test criteria for the industry’s safest car awards.
Test drive: 2024 Lexus RX 450h+ reigns on the road, but doesn’t make cents
The plug-in hybrid version of the redesigned 2024 Lexus RX crossover SUV is the best iteration of the brand’s bestseller, but at $70,000 it’s far from a best buy.
With a strong safety rating, long driving range, and impressive performance, the bestselling electric crossover earns a TCC Rating of 7.5 out of 10.
VW recalls 261,000 Jetta, GTI, Sportwagen, Audi A3 for fuel leak
A busted seal could cause fuel to flood a filter and leak into the engine bay, triggering a fire.
BMW recalls 80,000 new models for loss of braking power
The integrated braking and antilock braking systems could fail, but the mechanical brakes still work.
Toyota recalls 381,000 Tacoma trucks for loose nuts
Loose nuts on the rear axle could compromise vehicle stability and braking on the bestselling midsize pickup truck.
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