Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota have a commanding lead in car brand awareness, as determined from interviewing car owners for the 2012 Car Brand Perception Survey.

Automakers are constantly mining their past glory for new products: Special edition this; anniversary model that…sometimes it’s no more than a tape stripe or special numbered badge.

Chrysler’s mid-sized sedans--the Chrysler Sebring and its platform-mate, the Dodge Avenger--left them in a bind. The cars were woefully uncompetitive with slow sales as a result. All-new replacements from their then new-found alliance with Fiat were years away. Killing off the Sebring and Avenger would leave a line-up with no sedan smaller than the large Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger. And keeping the mid-sizers on sale unchanged wasn’t much of an option.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a recall warning for the 2012 Fiat 500 compact car and 2012 Dodge Journey midsize SUV. Certain models of both vehicles from the Chrysler Motor Corp. may have been assembled with contaminated brake fluid which can lead to loss of stopping power.

Consumer Reports recently unveiled the results of its latest reliability survey, showing that Asian brands continue to occupy the top-tier, claiming nine of the top 10 spots in our rankings. However, the findings among the domestic brands are noteworthy, and there’s plenty of good news within each segment.

Let’s have a nice round of applause for our pals at Chrysler Corporation. Sergio and his amici in both Italy and Detroit have brought the carmaker back from the abyss, and their efforts are paying off in the marketplace. And as we have experienced, in the products, as well.

“The best Chrysler sedan in decades.” That’s how we announced our recent test results of the 2011 Chrysler 300C, which received an excellent test score in our Ratings. Chrysler’s big flagship sedan has come a long way.

Minivans offer the best combination of cargo and people space with usually good fuel economy and abundant convenience features to appease all members of the family. Some shoppers are minivan averse, not wanting to embrace the “soccer mom” and “carpooler” image, and therefore buy SUVs or other vehicles. They are simply missing out. If transporting family and friends is your top priority but you also need interior versatility to carry cargo, there is no better all-purpose vehicle than a minivan.

Four upscale sedans tested for November issue of Consumer Reports—Acura TL, Chrysler 300, Hyundai Genesis, and Toyota Avalon—delivered a strong performance. Also included in this latest test group were the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Nissan Leaf.

Chrysler is recalling 667 model-year 2012 vehicles because debris inside the engine block could cause connecting rod bearing failure, which can lead to engine seizure and thereby increase the risk of a crash.

Some days are better than others, especially if they are spent at a private test track with dozens of new cars. Several members of the Consumer Reports Cars team went to the Monticello Motor Club last week for the annual International Motor Press Association (IMPA) track days, sampling the latest cars on a 3.6-mile race track. Naturally, the staff found some favorites from among these high-speed first impressions.

As a result of Chrysler Corp. divorce from Mercedes-Benz, Ddoge lost the Sprinter commercial van leaving a hole in automaker's portfolio. Enter new partner Fiat with a solution, the Fiat Doblo.

Chrysler has recalled just under 300,000 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Grand Voyager, and Chrysler Town & Country minivans because air bags could inadvertently deploy.

There is only one Government Motors. As of today the federal government has sold its last remaining shares in Chrysler Corp. to Italian automaker Fiat for $500 million. This gives Fiat complete control of the iconic American auto giant and closes the last official chapter of the Chrysler bankruptcy. The government still owns 20-plus percent of GM, which the company hopes it will be able to sell soon.

The Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger have received a substantial reworking for 2011. A much more competitive V6, improved road manners and nicer interior and slightly better visibility are the highlights.