Consumer Reports News

Harley-Davidson goes old school with new motorcycle models: Seventy-Two, Softail Slim

Harley-Davidson is nothing if not a manufacturer with a respect for its own heritage and traditions. But the Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based motorcycle maker has chosen to break with tradition this year, by introducing two new models in the dead of winter, months earlier than their usual rollout. Fans of the status quo need not be concerned, though, because the breaking of new ground stops with the timing.

The new models are variants of the big V-twin designs Harley has been cranking out for decades, with styling and graphics strong on heritage but aimed at new and younger audiences. Those are riders critical to a company whose owners are largely aging baby boomers.

The Seventy-Two is the latest version of the Sportster, powered by an air-cooled 1200cc V-twin engine in the Harley-Davidson tradition. Decked out with metal-flake paint, whitewall tires, and raised handlebars, it’s inspired by stripped-down choppers from the Easy Rider era. Prices start at $10,499. Anti-lock brakes (ABS) are not available. With all due respect to heritage, we’d like to see Harley, and other manufacturers, expand ABS availability to all its models.

The Softail Slim (below) reaches even further back into the past for inspiration, drawing on a custom look from the 1950s, with shortened, chopped fenders, wide “Hollywood” handlebars, black trim, and other retro bits adding to the minimalist look. Power comes from a 1690cc, twin-cam V-twin. Prices begin at $15,499, and ABS is only available as part of a security package adding $1,195.

Both bikes are available now. But riders in northern climes looking forward to spring are best advised to bring woolies along with your leathers if you’re planning a test drive.

Honda recalls 2012 Crosstour and Accord for air bag issues

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a recall alert for 2012 model year Honda Accord sedans and Honda Crosstour vehicles. The cars may have an air bag inflator that wasn't manufactured to specifications and may fail to deploy the driver's side- or passenger's side air bags during a collision.

According to the NHTSA, just under 350 of the Honda vehicles may have an issue with its side curtain air bag inflators. And American Honda Motors will begin notifying Accord and Crosstour owners affected by this recall on or about Feb. 10.

Honda says it will replace the side curtain air bags from the recalled Accords and Crosstalks free of charge.

For more information, consumers can call Honda's toll-free customer service line (800-424-9153) or visit the NHTSA's website: www.SaferCar.gov.

Recall: 2011 Honda Accord / 2011 Honda Crosstour - Side air bags      Campaign ID#: 12V030000 [NHTSA]

Sneak peek: Larger, five-door Fiat 500L

The Fiat portfolio will expand next year when the larger, five-door 500L joins the Cinquecento range in the United States. This new model will make its world debut next month at the Geneva Motor Show.

Fiat has been building out the 500 line here, adding the clever 500 Cabrio convertible, special Gucci and Pink editions, and soon a sportier 500 Abarth. The 500L will be the first truly different model.

It measures about two feet longer than the familiar 500, promising a more family friendly package than the current car. We found that access to the rear seat in the two-door model was difficult and accommodations rather tight once there.

Fiat has said three engines will be offered in Europe, but no details have been announced yet for the States. Hopefully it will offer more grunt than the 101-hp, 1.4-liter engine now used in the 500.

Read our road tests of the Fiat 500 and 500C.

Recall: 2011 Toyota RAV4—Non-compliant curtain shield air bags

Toyota is recalling 427 of its RAV4 vehicles from model year 2011 because one or both curtain shield air bags may not deploy due to the inflator potentially not performing properly. In the even of a crash, the air bags may not be able to properly protect an occupant, increasing the risk of injuries.

In the curtain shield air bags, propellant with the incorrect specification was used for the initiator assembled in the air bag inflator. The recalled RAV4 vehicles were manufactured from November 24 through December 19, 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported.

Toyota will notify owners and dealers will check the vehicle identification number to identify the curtain shield assemblies and replace the assemblies as necessary with new ones free of charge. The Safety recall is expected to begin in early March.

Owners can contact Toyota at 800-331-4331, or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 or visit www.SaferCar.gov.

427 2011 Toyota RAV4s for non-compliant curtain shield air bags [NHTSA]

Car owners wins lawsuit over Honda Civic Hybrid mileage claims

Heather Peters took on corporate giant Honda in a southern California small-claims court over the fuel economy of her 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid. And she won.

A former lawyer, Peters chose not to join a class-action suit that would reportedly pay out $100-$200 per owner and include a $1,000 credit toward a new car. Instead, she presented her own case in a Torrance, California, small-claims court where judgments are limited to $10,000, and she was awarded $9,867 yesterday.

By going this path, Peters avoided paying legal fees. For contrast, she cites fees as being $8.5 million for the trial lawyers proceeding with the class-action suit. An Associated Press report quotes Peters as saying she hopes the victory will encourage other Civic Hybrid owners to follow her example, and she has set up a website to help get them started: dontsettlewithhonda.org. (Car enthusiast blog Jalopnik has posted an interesting, related piece: “How You Can Sue An Automaker In Small Claims Court And Win.”)

The core issue for Peters is that Honda had advertised the Honda Civic Hybrid as delivering 50 miles per gallon, and she did not experience that figure. Worse, she says a battery-related software update further reduced her mileage down to no better than 30 mpg.

Consumer Reports’ testers were disappointed in the fuel economy results when we tested the 2006 Civic Hybrid. The car achieved 37 mpg overall, with 26 mpg in the city and 47 mpg on the highway.

At the time, it was EPA-rated at 50 mpg combined, 49 mpg city and 51 mpg highway, hence the source for Honda’s claims.

With the revised EPA fuel economy figures put in place for the 2008 model year for all passenger vehicles, the 2006 Civic Hybrid was adjusted to 42 mpg combined, with 40 mpg city and 45 mpg highway.

The revisions the EPA made to its fuel economy ratings have brought their numbers closer to what we feel car owners, in general, will experience in the real world. Even still, there can be notable variance with hybrids, particularly in city driving.

Clearly, results will vary based on driving style, fuel, terrain, speed, traffic flow, altitude, and weather.

Like Peters, many Honda Civic Hybrid car owners allege that a software update resulted in a reduction in fuel economy, but we have not verified that claim.

Consumer Reports feels the current EPA figures provide a solid, comparable basis for consumers to cross-shop vehicles. We had worked hard for years to encourage an update to the fuel economy ratings methodology to better reflect how cars are used today, compared against in the 1970s when the previous protocol was developed. Today, air conditioning is common, more time is spent in cities, and highway speeds are greater. Those considerations are factored into the revised methodology.

While the methods could be further enhanced, we feel the improvements make them far more useful.

Further, updates to window stickers for the 2013 model year and beyond provide much more information for consumers and should help people make informed comparisons right on dealers’ lots. If fuel economy is a priority when shopping for your next vehicle, we recommend checking our test results. The video below shows how we test fuel economy.

Also watch: Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood explains the new fuel-economy labels.