As requested, Car Reviews, here's your monthly update from ConsumerReports.org, your go-to place for information on the products and services you use every day. This month, we're featuring content from the brand-new July 2012 issue of Consumer Reports as well as other topics of interest.
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What's new on ConsumerReports.org
We publish dozens of ratings updates each month for appliances, consumer electronics, cars, home and yard gear, and even wine. Be sure to visit ConsumerReports.org regularly to find the latest product reviews, and read the Consumer News blog to stay on top of important consumer happenings, notifications of Ratings updates, exclusive videos, and much, much more. | |  |  | |  | Cars: Top service gripes, new road tests  | | | Prices that are too high and an inability to perform repairs properly are the main reasons that car owners become dissatisfied with auto-repair shops, according to our survey. Other common reasons are that a shop took longer than expected to complete the work or owners had to bring the car back because the repair didn't hold up.
We've published road test results for the BMW 328i, Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Veloster, Mercedes-Benz C250, and Toyota Prius C. See how these models fare in our battery of more than 50 tests. | | |  | | | Electronics: Smart phone Ratings, phones with serious camera features, lower-priced TVs | | | We keep hearing that this is the year that TV prices will rise. But based on the new models we've tested, it looks like prices are still falling, especially on step-up models with some key features, including 3D and Internet access.
Ten new smart phones, many with intriguing features, have made their way through our battery of lab tests. Included are two HTC models with serious camera features: the Titan II, with 16 megapixels, and One S, which can shoot a rapid series of pictures in "burst mode." Our latest smart-phone Ratings detail how each fared. | | | | | | Home: Deluxe kitchens for less, kitchen appliance Ratings, flooring, countertops, sinks | | | You don't need a bottomless budget to get a top-notch kitchen, and you can make every dollar count by sidestepping high-priced pitfalls. Plus follow our guide on where to buy appliances, for which more than 18,000 readers detailed their appliance buying experiences.
The results of our latest tests include Ratings for cooktop and wall oven combos that cost less than a range, greener dishwashers that really clean, 11 best over-the-range microwaves, some bargain ranges that really aren't, new refrigerators that offer more for less, stylish and strong countertops, top 12 picks for flooring that include vinyl you'll swear is stone, and stainless steel kitchen sinks that will outshine and outlast the rest. | | | | | | Food: Which frozen treats taste the best? | | | Our tasters checked out 21 fruit bars and ice cream bars and sandwiches to find the top-tasting snacks with the flavor of real fruit, vanilla, or chocolate. Lower-rated snacks tasted artificial, gummy or had a chalky texture. | | | | | | Health: Sunscreen Ratings, health care prices | | | In our tests of sunscreen lotions and sprays, we found many that provided excellent protection against UVB radiation (which causes sunburn), even after immersion in water. Most of the top-selling sunscreens we tested protected very well against UVB radiation, and many were very good at protecting against UVA radiation. But a couple were just OK for UVB protection, and others were less effective after a dunking.
If gas stations worked like health care, you wouldn't find out until the pump switched off whether you paid $3 or $30 a gallon. If clothes shopping worked like health care, you might pay $80 for a pair of jeans at your local boutique and $400 for the identical pair at the nearest department store—and the clothes wouldn't have price tags on them. | | | | | | Babies & Kids: 13 dangerous baby products to avoid | | | When you're shopping for kid stuff, you might assume that everything in those baby stores is safe. The products are made for children, after all and they must be government-regulated, right? Not necessarily. Some widely sold baby products have been associated with injuries and even deaths, and 40 percent of all recalls last year were for kids' products. Read 13 dangerous baby products to avoid to learn which products are hazardous. | | | | | | Personal Finance: Travel insurance, vacation clubs, 401(k) plans, defined benefit pensions | | | Vacation is supposed to be a time you leave everyday worries behind, but what if you break a leg in Istanbul? Or your cruise line goes out of business a week before your trip? Or you have to reschedule? Should you spend extra on travel insurance? We look at the pros and cons to help you decide, plus provide the low-down on those vacation clubs offering very appealing discounts on all-inclusive trips if you join their group.
There has long been two standbys to build your retirement nest egg: the employer-sponsored 401(k) plan and the defined-benefit pension. We investigated both and found neither is as bulletproof as it once was. Whether you're 25 or 65, this is information you need to know. | | | | | | |
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