Problems With the Ford Bronco Sport Are Beginning to Surface

by Gabrielle DeSantis

If the waiting list for the larger Ford Bronco is too long, you can probably pull out of the dealership in a Ford Bronco Sport instead. However, before buying the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport, check out a few issues that are starting to emerge. 

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport may have quality issues 

2021 Ford Bronco Sport | Ford

A mechanical review of the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport revealed a few issues. It comes with a standard 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine that’s also found in the Ford Escape. It provides 181 hp and 190 lb-ft of torque. 

The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 245 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque is reserved for higher trim levels. According to autoevolution, this fits the notion that Ford takes aggressive cost-cutting measures. 

Anyways, the mechanical review mentioned that Ford might have work to do in terms of build quality, reliability, and simple maintenance if people plan on keeping this SUV long term. The criticism is back by loose cables and wires, a struggling fuel line, rough cylinder deactivation, and one-position floating brake calipers. 

The driveshaft is very thin, and so are the skinny rear half shafts. While the Bronco Sport feels cheap, the fully-stamped steel subframe and magnesium-alloy lower control arms are robust features to be proud of. 

The Bronco Sport might overheat

A few automotive journalists found that the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport may be prone to overheating. One driver with the Outer Banks model was driving up an incline with all-wheel drive engaged. 

Then the Outer Banks model displayed a “4WD Drive Temporarily Disabled” message. But the Outer Banks trim doesn’t have the liquid-cooled Power Transfer Unit that’s in the Badlands trim. So, perhaps it was pushed too hard. 

But another driver in a Bronco Sport Badlands model was driving in the sand for about 15 minutes before the vehicle entered limp mode. It had to be shut off for five minutes before it was ready to move again. 

Again, the driver was blamed in this situation. Ford claims that they put each Bronco model through rugged off-roading testing. These drivers weren’t doing everyday things. But the Bronco Sport is for adventuring, right? We pushed it to the limits without finding a single problem, it was a blast!

There have been two recalls 

A yellow 2021 Ford Bronco Sport kicking up dirt
2021 Ford Bronco Sport | Ford

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport has faced two recalls so far. One was for faulty rear suspense. Suspension modules may not be properly attached to the subframe. This issue was pretty disabling. 

Then the Bronco Sport had a second recall for being equipped with the wrong front lower control arms. If not properly being attached wasn’t enough, somehow a few models received the wrong parts. 

It’s a little early to determine how reliable the Ford Bronco Sport is, but the Ford Escape doesn’t have the best record, and they share a lot of the same parts. The 2020 Escape has 11 reports of engine problems listed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) so far. 

While it’s a great SUV to consider, we will keep you updated about its quality and dependability. Waiting to see how new models perform before making your purchases is regarded as a safe practice.

RELATED: The Ford Bronco Sport Barely Beats the Jeep Renegade

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Two Midsize Luxury SUVs With Terrible Reliability Ratings – And Near Perfect Owner Satisfaction

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Both the 2021 Audi Q7 and 2021 Tesla Model X are customer favorites. Yet they both of these midsize luxury SUVs have poor reliability ratings. What gives? How do they have such high customer satisfaction scores with such poor reliability ratings? Let’s see what Consumer Reports thinks.  

2021 Tesla Model X | Tesla

Reliability is terrible in both the Audi Q7 and Tesla Model X

Consumer Reports gives the 2021 Audi Q7 only a 2/5 for its predicted reliability. Yet despite this, Audi Q7 owners rated the owner satisfaction a 4/5. The driving experience, comfort, and styling are an 84. Value, however, is just a 32. 71% of Q7 owners would buy their Q7 again.

The Tesla Model X also gets a 2/5 for its predicted reliability. Although there are no reliability ratings for 2020, 2019 shows a poor reliability rating. Major problem spots in the 2019 include the drive system, climate system, and suspension. Other major problem areas include paint and trim, as well as body integrity and body hardware. The power equipment in the 2019 Tesla Model X didn’t get a great rating, either. 

It’s surprising that with so many choices, people would keep buying these two midsize luxury SUVs with poor reliability ratings. Why do people love these SUVs so much?

The 2021 Audi Q7 has a better road test score

The 2021 Audi Q7 scores a 92 in Consumer Reports’ road test. It scores a 4/5 for its acceleration and can reach 0 to 60 in 7.0 seconds. Its transmission scores a 5/5. Routine handling receives a very good 4/5, but emergency handling only gets a 3/5. Braking is also pretty good in the Q7, at a ⅘. It can brake from 60 mph on dry pavement in 133 feet and wet pavement in 141 feet. However, the Q7’s headlights only score a 3/5.

As far as comfort, the 2021 Audi Q7 gets a very good 4/5 for its ride. It’s quiet: it scores a perfect 5 for its noise. Both front and rear seat comfort in the Q7 also get perfect scores. Interior fit and finish get a perfect 5. The trunk and cargo space scores only a 3/5, with just 35.5 cubic feet of storage space.

On the other hand, Consumer Reports gives the 2021 Tesla Model X a 5/5 for its acceleration. It can reach 0 to 60 in a super fast 4.9 seconds. Its transmission also scores a perfect 5/5. Routine and emergency handling both receive a very good 4/5. The Tesla Model X’s max avoidance speed is 54 mph.

Braking is fantastic in the X. It scores a 5/5 and can brake from 60 mph on wet pavement in 127 feet and dry pavement in 135 feet. The X’s headlights are even worse than the Q7, at a not-great 2/5. As far as comfort, the 2021 Tesla Model X gets a 3/5 for its ride. It’s a quiet ride, as you might expect from an electric car: it scores a 4/5 for its noise. While the front seat comfort gets a perfect 5/5, rear seat comfort is just a 3/5. Interior fit and finish get a perfect 5. The trunk and cargo space scores only a 2/5, so it’s not a great vehicle for a family road trip.

The Audi Q7 comes with more safety features

Despite Tesla’s Autopilot, the Audi Q7 comes with more standard safety features. Consumer Reports recommends a slew of advanced safety features that car shoppers should consider, and the Audi Q7 come with all of these. 

The Tesla Model X comes with nearly all of the safety features, but there’s no option to get blind spot warning or rear cross traffic warning. 

Both the IIHS and the NHTSA have crash-tested the 2021 Audi Q7. The IIHS gave the Q7 all good scores, and the NHTSA gave it five stars for the overall side-crash, as well as overall side-crash, driver and rear passenger. The side pole crash also gets five stars. The 4WD rollover crash only gets four stars.

The IIHS hasn’t crash-tested the 2021 Tesla Model X, but the NHTSA has. It gives the 2021 Tesla Model X all good crash test-ratings.

It seems that the poor reliability ratings don’t include any major mechanical issues, which may be why people love their Q7s and Model Xs despite their flaws. They both offer a good blend of safety features, good road test scores, and owner satisfaction. You can’t go wrong with either the 2021 Audi Q7 or the 2021 Tesla Model X.

RELATED: Spicoli Approved: The 5 Best Cars For Surfers

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Electric Envy: Will America Ever Get the Honda e?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Honda has been one of the more eco-friendly major automakers over the past few years, as the company catalog currently features many fuel-efficient cars. However, Honda understands that the future is electric, and therefore has been increasing its focus on making EVs. With that being said, despite the Honda e being available elsewhere, it remains to be seen if the U.S. will ever get a chance at driving this Honda EV. 

Honda’s push to electrify its lineup

Honda e Urban EV Concept | Sjoerd van der Wal/Getty Images

Like many other automakers, Honda aims to stop producing conventional cars and instead switch fully to EVs. Currently, Honda’s goal is to go 100% EVs by 2040. This actually isn’t that ambitious of a goal, as other automakers are slightly more ambitious. For example, GM plans to stop producing conventional gas-powered cars by 2035. 

Honda’s goal is ambitious in one way, however. Honda currently doesn’t have many EVs in its lineup, and as such, Honda will need to expand its EV lineup over the next few years aggressively. That’s what Honda is planning to do, and indeed, Honda’s latest production EV, the Honda e, debuted in Europe in 2020. However, despite getting great reviews, there’s little hope that Honda will ever bring the Honda e to the U.S.

The Honda e is a car that Americans will have to envy

Off the bat, as MotorTrend wrote, the Honda e is an EV that’s simply great for the city. Its numbers aren’t that competitive with other similarly-sized EVs, but that’s not too relevant. For example, the Honda e’s 35.5 kWh battery gets about 137 miles of range, and that isn’t much range, especially compared to a Tesla. Furthermore, the Honda e’s 134-hp electric motor isn’t going to make it a sports car by any means. Plus, the EV starts at about $38,000, so while it’s attainable, it won’t be cheap.

However, despite its lack of power and high starting price, the Honda e is still a great car for city driving. Not only does it drive well and look stylish, but it also has a very comfortable ride. The interior of the Honda e is also unique and well designed. In fact, MotorTrend wrote that the model’s interior has a “distinctly Scandinavian vibe.”

Additionally, the Honda e is equipped with a lot of screens. There’s an 8.8-inch screen for the driver and two 12.3-inch touch screens on the dash. So, while the Honda e doesn’t have the most range of all EVs, it has a lot of “charm and character.” Unfortunately, that won’t be enough to get the car to America.

Why the Honda e isn’t coming to America anytime soon

As Car and Driver wrote, it’s actually kind of simple. When considering the EV market, Honda thinks that Americans are looking at things like range and price. When it comes to those metrics, the Honda e indeed falls short of other EV options. Americans may also not want to buy the Honda e because of its size, as the model is definitely a smaller car for the American automotive market.

Therefore, Honda made the somewhat logical decision not to sell this EV in the U.S., as Honda thinks few Americans would buy one. Since the Honda e is Honda’s only production EV right now, that means American Honda fans are out of luck for now. That said, Honda fans in the U.S. will have a chance to buy a Honda EV soon enough. That’s because Honda plans to produce two new EVs in 2024.

Not much is known about those future Honda EVs, but one of them, the Prologue, will definitely be an SUV. This makes a lot of sense since SUVs are far more popular than sedans are in the U.S.

RELATED: The Honda Prologue EV SUV is Coming in 2024

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3 Used Subarus Consumer Reports Gave the Never Buy Label

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Some vehicles aren’t worth the headache, even if you once loved such a vehicle. While Subaru generally appeases drivers and critics alike, these three SUVs were given the “never buy” label from Consumer Reports. What makes these vehicles worth avoiding? Recalls, fuel economy, and an overall lack of owner satisfaction.

Consumer Reports suggested avoiding the 2019 Subaru Ascent

Consumer Reports gave the never buy label to three Subaru vehicles | Paul Marotta/Getty Images

While the 2019 Subaru Ascent isn’t even old yet, Consumer Reports is no longer recommending it. The used Subaru Ascent received one out of five for reliability and three out of five for owner satisfaction. Some of the positives noted were the comfortable ride, quiet and roomy interior cabin, and visibility in the three-row SUV.

Consumer Reports found the vehicle was not very agile, and there are five recalls for it. The first recall was for a fuel pump failing, which could cause the SUV to stall and crash. The second issue was for the fluid pressure within the powertrain. Another recall from 2019 noted that “an unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.”

There was a second recall for the powertrain and a final recall for spot welds on the structure of the Ascent. The 2019 Ascent is only offered in a four-door style with a CVT paired with a 2.4L turbo engine. The 2020 and 2021 Ascent fared better.

A used Subaru Impreza from 2013 is also worth avoiding

Consumer Reports called the 2013 Subaru Impreza a green choice. CR noted that the Impreza had a comfortable ride and came with all-wheel drive standard. It also had impressive fuel economy. However, the positives end there.

The reliability and owner satisfaction both scored far below average. When it came to reliability trouble spots, every section for the engine, transmission, and drive scored far below average. Some of the 2013 Subaru Impreza recall issues included the engine, electrical system, and exterior lighting.

The engine could stall and cause a crash, while the air injection pumps might overheat and increase the likelihood of a fire. The final recall was for improperly illuminated brake lights.

The 2013 XV Crosstrek might be worth avoiding

There is a good chance the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek was not on your list of cars to check out. The Subaru Crosstrek received one out of five for reliability and two out of five for owner satisfaction. When it came down to reliability trouble spots, most of the areas scored far below average. That includes the engine, transmission, and drive system.

Consumer Reports noted that the cost of the XV Crosstrek balanced out with the included safety features. It has solid fuel economy and a comfortable cabin. CR did note that if you don’t plan on going off-road with your SUV, buyers might be happier with the Impreza Sport hatchback for less cash.

While Subaru doesn’t have too many vehicles worth avoiding, these three made the list for a reason. The good news? Subaru’s reliability and owner satisfaction seem to be improving year after year. Consumer Reports has favorable reviews from critics and drivers alike, for the most part, so skipping these particular vehicles should be simple enough.

RELATED: The Best Selling Cars in America of the 1990s

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