A safety recall has been issued for 2010 Jeep Wrangler sport-utility vehicles. Nearly 68,000 of the popular SUVs can catch fire due to a flaw in the design to protect the Wrangler's automatic transmission, warns the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Honda has recalled 52,615 of its 2007-2008 Acura TL sedans because over time, the power steering hose can deteriorate and develop a fluid leak, leading to a loss of power steering assistance.

We just took delivery of a car that is made for spring: a "Mars Red" SLK250. This two-seat convertible is just what the doctor ordered to get us out of the winter doldrums. And if the cold weather reappears, our SLK has a folding hardtop, heated seats, and the automaker's exclusive "airscarf neck-level heating system," which features vents in the head restraints that blow warm air on your neck. It's a nice touch that we really liked in the last SLK, and its SL big-brother we tested.

As the spotlight has shifted to battery-powered cars, other promising alternative fuels have been left in the dark. That's especially true for yesterday's transportation stars, fuel-cell vehicles. But that doesn't mean progress has stopped.

To kick its addiction to oil, the United States needs a raft of alternatives; no single alternative is likely to replace such an entrenched market any time soon. But electric car advocates at the Electric Vehicle Symposium held recently in Los Angeles say battery-powered cars are the one alternative that can meet all needs. Electricity isn't a fuel per se, only an "energy carrier." To generate electricity, you have to produce power from some other fuel source, such as coal, oil, and nuclear, or harness energy from renewable source, such as wind, hydro, or solar. Interestingly, this flexibility answers some big concerns of alternative-fuel critics.

The safety of 2012 Hyundai Elantra sedans is being investigated after the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration received a report from an owner who had been severely cut from a piece of metal reportedly from the car's side air bag deployment during a collision.

Any consistent reader of the Consumer Reports blog knows that when buying test cars, we try to do nearly all of the research and interaction with the salesperson(s) online. And while most domestic and Asian brands work well this way, it's harder when buying German cars. Why is this?

Motorcyclists face a variety of dangers, but when it comes to the common practice of lane-splitting—the practice of riding between lanes of stopped or slow-moving traffic—riders feel most threatened by drivers not looking in their mirrors and distracted drivers, according to a recent survey by the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS).

With long charge times and charging stations few and far between, government agencies, Google, and others have gone to great lengths to maintain lists of every charging station in America and make it available via smart phones. But EV drivers have another story.

A recall for GLX 501C motorcycle helmets made by Galaxy Helmets in Irwindale, Calif., has been issued by the U.S. Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A small number of extra large sized Galaxy helmets failed to meet government impact standards and might not adequately protect motorcycle riders in the event of a crash.

We're heading into the busy summer travel season and if a road trip is in your getaway plans, a used SUV may be a good choice to fit the family and gear. As we have been reminded by our recent tests, new SUVs can be pricey. To make shopping easier, we have identified some of the best used deals on small and midsized SUVs.

Even with their low cost of ownership, some have speculated that the electric car movement is being driven more by regulations than by consumer demand. Specifically, they're referring to regulations in the state of California that demand major automakers sell a set number of "zero emissions" (i.e. electric or fuel-cell) cars in the state. Each of the biggest six automakers that sells cars in the state is subject to increasing quotas every year.

There are two kinds of electric cars at this year's electric vehicle symposium, fondly known as EVS26: Purpose-built electric cars, and those that have been built from standard gasoline cars. The difference could not be more stark.

How much do you hate going to a gas station? Would plugging your car in every night be even more of a pain? Or would it become a simple routine, much like plugging in your cell phone at night? Those are some of the main questions electric car advocates are asking this week at EVS26, the 26th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles. The answers, of course, depend on what you're selling.

If the Toyota Prius plug-in is not electric enough for you, soon you'll be able to have a pure-electric Toyota RAV4. Toyota has been developing an electric RAV4 for years, starting with the first-generation RAV4. And at the 2010 LA Auto Show, Toyota announced its intent to build a production version. On Monday, the production RAV4 EV was unveiled at EVS26 (26th-annual Electric Vehicle Symposium) in Los Angeles.