Consumer Reports Can’t Recommend the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport and regular Ford Bronco will likely be remembered as the cars that represented the COVID-19 times the best. The Ford Bronco Sport was highly anticipated due to its killer looks and affordable price for an off-roader. However, the line has been met with delay after delay, and now that the Bronco Sport is out and about, it’s letting some people down. In fact, Consumer Reports finished its review and is not able to recommend the baby Bronco. 

2021 Ford Bronco Sport hauling dirt bikes | Ford

Is the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport a good car? 

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport landed 13th out of 23 on Consumer Reports 2021 Compact SUV list. The highly anticipated little Bronco only scored a 60/100 on the overall rating, making it fall just short of the recommended list. This is a dagger to the new SUV based on the Ford Escape. 

The Bronco Sport is the compact, cheaper version of the regular Ford Bronco. This came with the understanding that it would not be as strong as the big Bronco, but customers will still be excited to have an entry-level option. However, the Bronco Sport has seen three recalls in the short time it’s been on the market. These recalls, along with the reliability history of the Ford Escape, have really hurt the Ford Bronco Sport’s review from Consumer Reports. 

What is powering the Ford Bronco Sport?

2021 Ford Bronco Sport in different configurations parked in a field
2021 Ford Bronco Sports | Ford

Ford set the base model up with a turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder making 181 hp and paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission for the baby Bronco. While Consumer Reports liked the punchy midrange power of the three-cylinder, there is a bit of a low-end rumble and vibrations that get annoying. 

There is also a bigger engine that has caught CR’s attention. The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder is not only much more powerful – 245 hp – but it’s also much smoother and easier to live with. 

Although both powertrains are pretty good, CR notes that the rear unit of the drivetrain may seize, causing a loss of drive and/or a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. This accounts for one of the three recalls already posted for the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. 

Is the Bronco Sport comfortable? 

2021 Ford Bronco Sport Grille up close
2021 Ford Bronco Sport | Ford

Even though the Bronco Sport is based on the Escape, it has a much more interesting interior and a more rugged appeal. The interior sports a few cool design elements like copper-colored trim on the doors and dash, zippered storage pockets on the backs of the front seats, and a leather steering wheel with a chrome bucking bronco emblem. 

The Ford Bronco Sport is predictably a bit stiff. This is not an uncommon ride profile for off-road SUVs. However, given the fact that this is a unibody crossover and not a full-blown body-on-frame 4×4, this stiffness may turn from charmingly rugged to just plain annoying. 

As far as noise goes, the Bronco Sport does a surprisingly good job of isolating the driver from the road noise. However, Consumer Reports says the engine has an annoying sound that the driver can hear far too much of. Lastly, the seats are confusing because the backs are comfy and wide, while the bottom is hard and stiff. 

Death by one thousand cuts

The 2021 Bronco Sport has not had an easy launch. After three recalls and plenty of little annoyances, it has failed to impress CR testers like many of us thought it might. However, the Bronco Sport is new and will hopefully get better as Ford works through the tweaks. Though the tweaks are many, I have faith that there may be a better verison in the future that will be worthy of the “Consumer Reports recommends” label.

RELATED: Bronco Sport Gets TWO Recalls In One Week: Another Bad Ford Launch

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Here Is What a Car Dealership in North Korea Looks Like

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Visiting a car dealership while on vacation probably isn’t at the top of your list. After all, there are plenty of car dealerships in your town (or close to it) that you can visit on a regular basis. In addition to perusing the dealership showroom, you’ll be able to take advantage of the free coffee and there are plenty of salespeople that will be more than happy to chat with you and even show you around.

Unfortunately, this might not be the experience that you’ll get if you were to visit an auto dealership in North Korea. One YouTuber did just that during his tour of the country run by Kim Jong-un and, luckily for us, he recorded his experience.

The North Korean dealership looks a little staged

The three-minute video was shot by YouTuber Erick Tseng, who took a trip to North Korea back in 2015. Sure, it’s an old video, but we’re pretty sure that not much has changed in the dealership since. In either case, the dealership in question is Pyeonghwa Motors, which is the only dealership in town.

Tseng spends the entire video checking out some of the cars in the showroom, but also makes comments about the people standing around them. “There are a bunch of men and this woman over there, who I’m pretty sure are just actors,” Tseng said.

According to Car Scoops, it’s been reported that foreign tourists who visit the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea are taken on tightly-controlled, pre-arranged tours through certain parts of the city. It has also been claimed that many of the parts of these tours are staged in order to show a better side of North Korea, which is why Tseng made the comment.

As he continues to walk around the dealership in the video, Tseng also comments on the “employees” standing around and not doing anything. Which goes to show that they may have just been stand-ins as part of the tour. Although to be fair, many car salespeople stand around in dealership showrooms in the U.S., so it’s technically not that unusual.

Pyeonghwa Motors is a “genuine land of curiosity”

Pyeonghwa motors peace car, Pyongan Province, Pyongyang, North Korea. | (Photo by Eric Lafforgue/Art In All Of Us/Corbis via Getty Images)

Pyeonghwa Motors is a brand that’s local to the North Korean market and you likely won’t find any of its cars anywhere else. Car Scoops reported that it is only one of two automaker brands that ever existed in the country and it stopped making cars back in 2012.

According to the Koryo Tours group, which guides tours through Pyongyang, Pyeonghwa Motors is a “genuine land of curiosity.” Judging by the stoic and look of the wandering “employees” in the video, we couldn’t agree more. The brand is reportedly responsible for about 20% of the cars driving around Pyongyang, but considering most of the residents can’t afford to buy a car, we’re not too surprised they stopped making them.

You can still visit this dealership

Pyeonghwa motors car advertising billboard, Pyongan Province, Pyongyang, North Korea.
Pyeonghwa motors car advertising billboard, Pyongan Province, Pyongyang, North Korea. | (Photo by Eric Lafforgue/Art In All Of Us/Corbis via Getty Images)

In case you ever plan a trip to North Korea, or get invited on one, the Pyeonghwa Motors dealership looks like a pretty interesting stop. Fortunately, you can still take a tour of it, but note that the “staff are not actual guides,” notes Koryo Tours. By the looks of it, they’re definitely just there for decoration, just like the cars. Well, at least there’s a gift shop where you can buy a souvenir of your stoic experience.  

RELATED: Sketchy CNC Motors Consignment Supercar Dealership was a Ponzi scheme?

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Van Wars: Kia Carnival Vs. Honda Odyssey

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Minivans are the perfect vehicles for traveling with the family or carpooling with friends. Minivans aren’t historically the most powerful or stylish vehicles, but they do offer some advantages that are unique to their vehicle class. Purchasing the right new minivan can ensure years of comfort and reliability. Minivans are also the best vehicles to take on long road trips. So which new van is the better buy, the Honda Odyssey or the Kia Carnival?

The 2022 Kia Carnival is a new kind of minivan

The Kia Carnival Kia

The Kia Carnival resents being called a minivan. Instead, Kia considers it a multi-purpose vehicle or “MPV”. The Carnival doesn’t warrant the creation of an entirely new vehicle class, but it is pretty futuristic when it comes to safety features and driver assistance features.

The 2022 Kia Carnival is extremely affordable, starting at $32,100. The interior features one 12.3-inch LCD panel for the infotainment system and another panel for instruments. The second row of seats can include an optional twin rear-screen entertainment system with Apple and Android screen mirroring. There are twin 110-volt power outlets and USB ports in every row.

If the dual hands-free power-sliding rear doors didn’t give it away, its features surely classify the 2022 Kia Carnival as a minivan despite its best efforts to separate itself from competitors. Its 3.5-liter V6 engine makes 290 horsepower. Some of its best features are reserved for the $47,275 Kia Carnival SX Prestige trim, but overall the Carnival is a comfortable, peppy minivan with lots of tech features.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was designed for families

The 2022 Honda Odyssey starts at $32,290. Its 3.5-liter V6 makes 280 horsepower. The base model includes several safety features like a road departure warning system, a rearview camera with multiple angles, and intelligent traction control with a snow mode.

According to Car and Driver, the 2022 Honda Odyssey is the best-driving minivan. It provides a comfortable, smooth ride. The Odyssey handles well and has enough acceleration to be enjoyable for a minivan. It has an 8-inch infotainment system and optional 10.2-inch rear entertainment system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, WiFI hotspot, and multi-row USB port options. Front and rear parking sensors and hands-free trunk access are also available.

The Honda Odyssey has gained a reputation for being one of the most consistent great family minivans. The second row of seats is completely adjustable, and the middle seat can even be removed. The 2022 Honda Odyssey recognizes and addresses many issues that consumers have with the conventional minivan, such as seating and keeping children constantly engaged and protected. It also makes life easier on minivan owners with features like Rear Seat Reminder, a feature that could save you many trips back and forth between the van and your residence.

Kia carnival Vs. Honda Odyssey

A gray Honda Odyssey.
The Honda Odyssey | Honda

The Honda Odyssey is a great family minivan. It offers many standard safety features and provides a great driving experience. The Odyssey’s trim levels offer additional features that vastly improve its cabin and make the vehicle convenient and entertaining for the kids.

The Kia Carnival beats the Honda Odyssey because it has the better tech. The Honda Odyssey may drive better, but when it comes to entertaining the family or friends, two screens are much better than one. The Carnival’s infotainment system is also larger. The Honda Odyssey hasn’t gone through huge changes between model years recently, but the Kia Carnival is a huge style and tech upgrade from the Kia Sedona. The Kia Carnival wins the war against the Honda Odyssey because it is attempting to reinvent the way consumers see minivans.

RELATED: Avoid the Last-Place 2021 Kia Sedona and Wait for the 2022 Model

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How Many Miles Should I Get When I Lease a New Car?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Leasing a new car can be a little confusing if you’re not familiar with the terms. The down payment that you put toward the lease, as well as your monthly payments, are important. However, there are certain caveats like the mileage allotment that you’ll need to account for. So how many miles should you opt for when leasing a new car?

How does mileage work on a lease?

Car signs Lease or Buy. | (Photo by David Cooper/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

When you lease a car, you’ll be able to pick the mileage allotment for every year included on the lease. For example, you can typically choose between 10,000, 12,000, and 15,000 miles per year during the three-year lease. That doesn’t mean that you can’t drive over the miles every year.

At the end of the lease, the total amount of allotted miles will be taken into consideration (i.e. 30k miles, 36,000, or 45,000) and you will be charged for every mile that you went over the limit.

Most automakers will charge anywhere between 15 to 25 cents per mile, which can add up quickly if you end up going over by a lot. Even going 5,000 miles over can cost you an extra $750 (at 15 cents a mile) when you return the car.

Calculate the number of miles that you think you’ll drive every year

Sales and leasing consultant assists a customer in the new-car showroom
Sales and leasing consultant assists a customer in the new-car showroom. | (Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images)

If you’re wondering how many miles per year you should choose when leasing a car, your answer lies in some basic calculations. You can get a rough estimate by adding up the total miles that you normally drive on a weekly basis. Factor in commutes from home to work or school and add in some extra miles for running errands or other small trips. After getting that number, you can multiply that by 52 in order to get the estimated amount of miles that you drive annually.

Don’t forget to add in any long road trips you might take during the year as well. You can round up to 1,000 miles, just to be safe. In the end, you’ll know roughly how many miles you’ll need for the lease term and then overcompensate for them with the allotment. For example, if you calculated that you’ll drive rough 12,500 miles every year, then we suggest getting 15,000 miles per year, just to be safe.

A high-mileage lease could be the answer

If you plan on going over 15,000 miles per year on a leased car, then you might want to consider financing the car instead so that you don’t need to worry about excess mileage. However, if financing is not an option for you (due to the higher monthly payments), then you can opt for a high-mileage lease instead.

Car and Driver states that high-mileage leases might not be available everywhere, however, all you need to do is ask the salesperson. Typically, a high-mileage lease will allow for 18,000 or 20,000 miles per year. However, the major downside to it is that you’ll have to pay a higher monthly payment.

How can I prevent getting charged for excess mileage?

A leasing sign is displayed in a window
A leasing sign is displayed in a window at a General Motors dealership. | (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

You’ll really only get charged for excess mileage when you turn the leased car back into the dealership when a contract is up. But if you want to circumvent the added cost in the end, one solution is to buy the car, reports Pocket Sense. In that case, you’ll pay the residual value owed on the car, which can be financed, if needed.

Another way to get around the excess mileage would be to trade the car in for a new one with the same brand. Many dealers will waive the excess mileage fee if you trade the car in for a new one. Ultimately, there are few things to consider when you lease a new car and mileage is one of them. However, with some simple calculations, you’ll be able to figure out how many you need.

RELATED: Is Leasing a Car a Stupid Idea?

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