Consumer Reports: Must Have Safety and Convenience Features On New Cars

New Car Ratings and Reviews 2006 includes complete guide to Fuel Economy CR reviews 260 new cars, trucks, and SUVs

YONKERS, NY– When buying a car, certain safety and convenience features can make a dramatic difference for your safety and overall enjoyment, according to Consumer Reports car experts in the organization’s current issue of New Car Ratings and Reviews 2006.

“Safety should be one of your highest priorities,” said David Champion, Senior Director of Consumer Reports’ 327-acre Auto Test Center in East Haddam, Connecticut “But a well-designed interior, a few comfort features, solid performance and respectable fuel economy can improve your ownership experience and increase resale value.”

Consumer Reports New Car Ratings and Reviews 2006 is on newsstands now with this story and a complete guide to fuel economy to help consumers make an educated and enjoyable new-car buying decision. Ratings and reviews of 260 New cars, SUV’s and trucks are also included.

Consumer Reports recommends that new car buyers consider purchasing vehicles equipped with the following safety and convenience features:

1. Electronic stability control (ESC) – CR highly recommends this feature that helps prevent loss of control in a turn. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that cars with ESC are involved in 30 percent fewer single-vehicle accidents than cars without ESC; that number rises to 63 percent for SUVs. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) forecasts that if all vehicles had ESC, it could potentially save 7,000 lives per year.

2. .Antilock braking system (ABS) – ABS helps keep the vehicle under control during heavy braking, allowing the driver to steer around an obstacle without losing control—something he or she can’t do if the wheels lock up. ABS has also been shown to reduce stopping distances on slippery pavement.

3. Side and head-protection air bags – Vehicle occupants are most vulnerable to injury in side impacts because doors and side panels absorb very little crash energy. Side- and head-protection airbags provide critical cushioning between occupants and a vehicle’s side structure, and have been show to greatly improve crash protection performance in IIHS side-impact crash tests.

4. Backup systems – Backup systems help drivers detect objects in the vehicle’s rear blind zone. Camera systems often display the image in the navigation system screen when the vehicle is in reverse. Sensor systems use an audio alert when you are near an object. CR’s tests show the sensor worked well for parking, but weren’t a reliable aid for preventing back-over accidents.

5. Steering-wheel controls – These make it easy to adjust the audio, climate control, or cruise control system without taking your eyes off the road or your hands off the steering wheel. Controls that are illuminated are preferred to make it easy to see them at night.

Consumer Reports New Car Ratings and Reviews 2006 is on newsstands now and also includes a complete fuel economy guide to help new car buyers find a vehicle that meets their needs. The guide will help consumers compare models, gage fuel economy against performance and cargo space, as well as provide a complete list of the best and worst in fuel economy by vehicle class.

Consumer Reports New Car Ratings and Reviews 2006 ($5.99 U.S./$6.99 Canada) is available everywhere magazines are sold. It includes expert reviews for 260 models from the 2006 model year, along with detailed reliability ratings and more: Low Load Limits can Hinder Vehicle Safety, Five Steps to Getting the Right Car at the Best Price, Summer Tires Can Leave You Out in the Cold.

To help consumers choose a new car that is best for them, Consumer Reports’ New Car Price Service provides all the pricing information and advice a consumer needs to get the best deal on virtually any vehicle. Call the service toll free at 1-800-395-4400 or order online at www.ConsumerReports.org. Complete pricing reports with detailed reliability information and advice on negotiating the best deal are available online, or by fax or mail. A three-month subscription to the New Car Buying Kit costs $39. Individual new car-pricing reports are available for $12.