Avoid These SUVs: Consumer Reports Drops Recommendations

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Consumer Reports recommends plenty of used and new cars each year, but not all of these vehicles stay on the list. Sometimes, the reliability of a car falls for one reason or another. Consumer Reports dropped the recommendations for these SUVs for one reason or another. In some cases, the list of reasons was quite long.

In scoring such vehicles, Consumer Reports stresses the importance of the predicted reliability. This is calculated by combining the results of the road test, owner responses from the annual auto surveys, and added safety features for the new year.

Consumer Reports dropped the Audi E-Tron reccomendation

Consumer Reports drops recommendations for the 2021 Audi E-Tron | Audi

The 2021 Audi E-Tron ranked 17th on the Consumer Reports list of 24 luxury midsize SUVs. It scored a 54 overall, with a far-below-average predicted reliability score. The expected owner satisfaction was average. While the Audi E-Tron has been on the market since 2019, it seems Audi has not figured it out yet. E-Tron owners report that the SUV has problems with just about everything. Owners said the electric drive system, electronics, infotainment system, power equipment, and even lights to give owners issues.

Price Range: $65,900 – $69,100

The Audi Q3 missed the mark from Consumer Reports

The 2021 Audi Q3 only scored a 63 overall from the Consumer Reports list. Coming in eight overall on the list of 11 entry-level luxury SUVs, the Q3 just didn’t cut it. Both the predicted reliability and owner satisfaction were below average. CR members noted that the body hardware (such as the doors) and premature brake issues plagued the Q3. Audi noted there are fixes on the way, but it might be too little too late.

Price Range: $34,000 – $36,000

Consumer Reports found the BMW X3 had issues

The 2021 BMW X3 ranked ninth on the list of luxury compact SUVs. While it had an average rating for the predicted owner satisfaction, the predicted reliability was below average. Owners reported issues with the power equipment, in-car electronics, and climate-system issues. Problems with the GPS and air conditioning were widespread.

Price Range: $43,000 – $69,900

The only pickup truck on the list is the Ford Ranger

The 2021 Ford Ranger scored a 46 overall from Consumer Reports. It did rank fourth out of eight on the list of compact trucks, but only six of the trucks had a score at all. The 2021 Ford Ranger had an above-average predicted owner satisfaction but below-average predicted reliability. Owners reported transmission issues, vibrations, and problems with the infotainment system. Ford says fixes have been offered, but not all of the issues have been fixed.

Price Range: $24,820 – $39,035

The Infiniti QX50 had a long list of issues

The 2021 Infiniti QX50 scored a 61 overall from Consumer Reports. It received the lowest score possible for the predicted owner satisfaction, and the predicted reliability wasn’t outstanding either. The QX50 had an extensive list of issues reported by owners. These included the doors, power equipment, hardware, in-car electronics, and more. Audi noted the company fixed some of the problems, but only for vehicles produced later.

Price Range: $38,050 – $56,950

The Kia Niro Electric dissapointed Consumer Reports

The 2021 Kia Niro Electric was a green choice but came in fourth out of fourth on the list of electric vehicles. The predicted reliability was far below average, but the predicted owner’s satisfaction was average. The Kia Niro Electric suffered from issues with the electric motor seizing, which required a complete replacement to remedy the problem. Kia does have a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, but it still caused owners a headache.

While vehicles can regain the recommendation by Consumer Reports reasonably quickly, some manufacturers didn’t seem to take the issues seriously. If you are looking for an SUV that won’t cause extra headaches, it might be best to avoid some of the options on this list.

RELATED: Consumer Reports: Most Reliable Used SUVs Proven to Get Over 200,000 Miles

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Elon Musk and Company Shareholders Fight in $2 Billion Tesla Lawsuit

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Does Elon Musk own Tesla, or is it the other way around? Now that the entrepreneur is embroiled in a $2.6 billion lawsuit with a contingent of company shareholders, observers are wondering why such a contentious legal battle between Tesla and its shareholders is happening and how it will pan out.

What the big-bucks lawsuit is all about

Led by the San Diego-based law firm of Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd, the most recent lawsuit against Elon Musk alleges that he and other Tesla directors bailed out the alternative energy company SolarCity in a manner that went against the best interests of Tesla shareholders. SolarCity was a dominant force in the United States clean energy market at the time of the bailout, but it was running dangerously low on funds.

The suit alleges that SolarCity was perilously close to bankruptcy, that Tesla CEO Elon Musk improperly used stock to acquire the clean energy company, and that Musk, along with his cousins Peter and Lyndon Rive, directly benefited from the transaction. Plaintiffs also allege that Musk was the direct force behind negotiating the shady transaction and that, during negotiations, he encouraged Tesla’s board of directors to raise, not lower, the amount of money paid to acquire his family-owned solar power company, Automotive News reported.

Attorneys for the plaintiff testified in court that SolarCity “had consistently failed to turn a profit, had mounting debt, and was burning through cash at an unsustainable rate.” They added that the solar energy outfit had accumulated more than $3 billion in debt over the course of its 10-year history and that half of that sum was due for repayment before the end of the 2017 fiscal year.

Lawyers speaking on behalf of the plaintiffs allege that Musk, who owned more than 20 percent of Tesla stock when the 2016 bailout of SolarCity occurred, was a controlling stockholder who also happened to hold a majority stake in his own Palo Alto-based car company while serving as chairman of the board of SolarCity. At the time, Musk also held 22 percent of SolarCity stock, TechCrunch reported.

The non-jury trial, heard by Vice-Chancellor Joseph Slights III in the Court of Chancery in Wilmington, Delaware, is expected to last two weeks.

Not the first time Tesla shareholders have sued Elon Musk

In 2016, Tesla shareholders filed a lawsuit to stop the SolarCity buyout, alleging Musk and family members wanted to acquire the company to protect their reputations and personal financial interests. According to Silicon Valley Business Journal, the 2016 lawsuit stated:

“Tesla’s proposed acquisition of SolarCity represents Musk’s latest attempt to ensure his legacy to change the world, while saving the financial interests of himself, and his family and friends, even though this action directly conflicts with Tesla’s and its stockholders’ best interests.”

Musk settled that lawsuit in 2020, paying some $60 million to shareholders without admitting guilt, CNBC reported. Two years earlier, Musk settled a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for around $20 million.

If Musk loses this case

If Tesla’s unhappy investors win their shareholder derivative action against Musk, the world’s second-wealthiest individual might be required to repay Tesla Inc. every penny of the $2.6 billion he used to bail out his cousin’s company.

Even if Musk is forced to pay back almost $3 billion, it likely won’t cause a dent in his bank account. Whether or not losing the lawsuit will affect Tesla sales remains to be seen.

RELATED: Tesla Fell to Ford for 2021 EV of the Year, but Don’t Get Too Upset

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Liar Liar: SSC Finally Admitted the SSC Tuatara Didn’t Break 300 MPH Record

by Gabrielle DeSantis

You might remember when the SSC Tuatara Hypercar broke the top speed record back in October of 2020. If you do, you also might remember all of the insane news surrounding the 331 mph run. Well, it turns out that never happened, and SSC did not break the top speed record. SSC lied about it for the last year and a half.

Is the SSC Tuatara the fastest car in the world?

the SSC Tuatara Didn’t Break 300 MPH | SSC

Well, the SSC Tuatara charaded as the fastest car in the world for the last nine months. Shelby Supercar (SSC) has finally admitted that the Tuatara did not break the record back in October of 2020. The Tuatara has a 1750 hp V8 and costs around $1.9 million, but it isn’t the fastest production car anymore.

According to Car and Driver, the Shelby Supercar (SSC) Tuatara supposedly went 331.15 mph. This beat the previous record of 284.6 mpg set by Koenigsegg back in 2017. In 2019, a Bugatti Chiron hit 304.77 mph in Germany. Quick, but not fast enough.

The SSC Tuatara did not break the record…obviously

For whatever reason, the supercar victory was shrouded in doubt from the start. There was a video of the top speed run, which only fueled the fake story fire. Now, if you look at YouTube, more videos are debunking the story than confirming it.

On the official SSC website, the Tuatara “current top speed” is listed at 282.9+ mph, and it says “world record holder” underneath that information. The last Twitter update from the official SSC North America account is from October 19, 2020.

“316.11 mph. That is the average top speed of the SSC Tuatara after two consecutive high speed runs of 301.07 mph and 331.151 mph on October 10. Record officials verified all record criteria was met during the testing on Nevada State Highway 160.”

SSC North America Twitter

SSC noted that a firm called Dewetron had confirmed the top-speed record. Dewetron issued a press release (which has since been suspiciously scrubbed from the internet but was quoted from Car Throttle) noting that it “did not validate any data from world record attempts or preceding tests.”

This week, SSC took to the official SSC North America Instagram. The long and short of it is: “we would like to acknowledge officially that we did not reach the originally claimed speeds of 331 MPH or even 301 MPH in October of 2020.” While SSC plans to continue attempting to break the record, it seems it might be a moot point.

Where does SSC go from here?

Where does the SSC Tuatara and SSC brand go from here? The comments on social media as suspiciously positive, which makes it seem negative comments have been deleted. Since this has been suspected for months now, it is suspect that the company waited so long to say anything. That is likely because the whispers got too loud to ignore.

While SSC claims to be working toward breaking that top speed record, does it even matter? While the record books might demonstrate that SSC broke the record, most people know SSC lied about it for half a year before admitting defeat. The company already made another pass at the record in Florida and his 282.9 mph.

In the court of public opinion, the SSC Tuatara and Shelby Supercar (SSC) brand are pretty tainted. The Tuatara starts at $1.9 million but will forever be known for this long-winded scandal. SSC has been somewhat deceptive throughout the predicament. Is the brand this deceptive when it comes to hypercar production? Well, probably.

RELATED: World’s Most Expensive Supercar Crash: $3.8 Million in Damage

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Watch: Camry Flying Thru the Air Crash Caught on Dash Cam

by Gabrielle DeSantis

You’ve probably seen plenty of stunts like this in movies. But this is no stunt. The Toyota Camry seen flying over this levy is the real deal. And it was all caught on a passing car’s dashcam. When you see it you won’t believe a car like this Camry can be launched into the air like that in the real world.

When the flying Camry hit the pavement, it hit very hard

This happened in Yuba City, California. It was first reported by CBS Sacramento and the video was soon posted on YouTube. When passengers in the passing car saw the flying Toyota they screamed, shrieked is more like it, and the driver stopped. 

When the Camry hit the pavement, and it hit the pavement hard, it slid and then flipped onto its roof and then stopped. The passing car’s passengers called 911 and then checked on the Camry driver. Miraculously, the woman driving the Camry was alive. 

Estimates put the Camry’s speed at between 80 and 100 mph. This road runs next to Highway 99 which is the route through the San Joaquin Valley. The speed limit for the road is 25 mph. 

The Camry flying wasn’t even the strangest part of this insanity

Flying Camry | YouTube

What is even stranger than the stunt jump is what led up to it. According to the California Highway Patrol, the car had just left the scene of a hit-and-run accident. The hit and run was the result of the Camry driving backward on Highway 99 then exiting an onramp. 

Exiting onto the road next to 99 it makes a sharp left turn which the woman in the Camry failed to negotiate. Actually, there was no negotiation. It just kept going straight over the levy, into the air and smashing onto the adjacent street. 

Amazingly, the Dukes of Hazzard jump that the Camry traveled was able to thread itself between two power poles. There was also a lot of dry grass around where this happened. Had the Camry come to rest around some of that brush it would have started a fire. In all, a pretty crazy chain of events.

Intoxication has been ruled out as a contributing factor

Flying Camry landing
Flying Camry | YouTube

There is also a surveillance video of the jump from another vantage point. The quality isn’t great, but it gives you another angle of insanity. Intoxication has been ruled out. 

The woman was admitted to the hospital with minor injuries and walked out later that day. Kudos to Toyota and federal regulators for this major crash resulting in only minor injuries. As of this writing, no arrests have been made, but the CHP is investigating the hit and run incident. 

RELATED: Hyundai Flying Cars Begin Testing As Soon As Possible

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