Bolt for the gold
Chevy clean car tops Tesla and Prius
Hyundai’s luxury Genesis sedan topped the annual ranking of new vehicles — while GM’s electric Chevrolet Bolt was namedNo. 1 pick for compact green car, beating out Toyota’s Prius and Tesla’s Model S, according to Consumer Reports.
Millions of prospective auto buyers consult the magazine’s rankings, which are based on road testing, reliability, safety and owner satisfaction scores.
Genesis, a new model, came out on top after Consumer Reports tested two different versions of the top-of-the-line car.
Onthe green side, Consumer Reports did not consider Tesla’s long-delayed Model 3 sedan because it is not yet widely available.
The Bolt, which has been a hit with the driving public, saw sales hit 23,297 in 2017.
Tesla has told some holders of Model 3 reservations that they would not get their cars until 2019. Frustrated Tesla buyers, afraid that waiting could cost them a $7,500 electric-vehicle tax credit, have factored into brisk demand for Bolts, according to GMdealers in California, the top USmarket for electric vehicles.
Volkswagen AG’s Audi luxury unit was ranked second among brands, right behind the Genesis. The VW brand was 16th, and its Porsche brand was fifth.
BMW ranked third, with Toyota’s Lexus brand fourth. Kia Motors was sixth, followed by Subaru, Tesla and Honda. The Toyota brand was in 10th place.
Toyota had four of the top 10 vehicle picks on the list — with its Corolla, Camry, Highlander and Sienna taking the honors.
Ford ranked 20th, but its best-selling F-150 pickup truck was named the best in class.