Ford Motor Company is recalling a small number of 2012 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs. Both large sport utility vehicles have rear seat head restraints that fail to meet federal safety standards for protecting passengers during a collision.

The question few have asked, concerning a car even fewer can afford, was answered at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show this week when the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 convertible took the stage. How can Ford outdo the 2012 GT500 and the 580-hp Chevrolet Camaro ZL1? Bristling with a 650-hp supercharged V8, the next GT500 answers the call by pushing the boundaries of topless American muscle.

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.

Consumer Reports’ 2012 Car Brand Perception Survey reveals how consumers rank car brands across seven purchase-influencing factors, such as safety, quality, and value. And the research also sheds light on what brands consumers are likely to purchase from for their next new car. Ford, Toyota, and Chevrolet lead purchase intent, though Honda has a higher brand loyalty rate than its domestic competitors.

The people have spoken: Toyota, Ford, Honda, and Chevrolet excel over other brands in the minds of adult car owners, though the brand’s advantages are less this year than in the past. These are among the findings of the 2012 Car-Brand Perception Survey, conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center.

In Detroit, we took another look at the upcoming 2013 Ford Escape to share our initial impressions as the upcoming crossover continues to make the rounds on the show circuit.

Ford, Honda and Subaru all announced partnerships with Internet radio providers this week at CES, promising digital and custom user-created radio stations and other web content into their vehicles by leveraging the user’s smart phone and a free downloadable app.

Among the central themes at this year’s Detroit auto show was the rise of the mainstream plug-in hybrid. My colleagues who attended the show point to another key theme: the resurgence of American automakers in their hometown, with Detroit brands making the biggest splash with mainstream models. Either way, call it an American sunrise.

Ford and National Public Radio have partnered to make voice-controlled NPR News content available to SYNC users on demand.

Ford is recalling about 206,000 2004 and 2005 Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey vehicles, because the torque converter output shaft may fail.

Ford has recalled about 245,000 Escape vehicles from model year 2001 to 2002, that are equipped with a brake master cylinder reservoir cap that could leak brake fluid, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported.

Lincoln’s performance during today’s press conference (see “2012 Detroit auto show: Will a new MKZ be enough to revive Lincoln?”) clearly showed that company knows it has a problem and seems to be committed to righting the listing ship.

The last 20 years saw the rise of luxury brands, including Lexus, Acura, BMW, Infiniti, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. Even Cadillac, once near death, was revived by edgy styling, improved driving dynamics and a rocking Led Zeppelin ad campaign.

The latest version Ford’s free SYNC Destinations app for cell phones will let SYNC Services subscribers send directions remotely to their vehicle from their smart phone using SYNC AppLink. Previously, users could only send directions to their car from a desktop computer or laptop.

Detroit automakers seem resurgent in their hometown. That’s the take of Consumer Reports Senior Director of auto testing, David Champion. The most impressive models on display so far at this year’s Detroit auto show in the Motor City include the Big 3’s bread-and-butter sedans. The midsized Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fusion sedans, and the smaller Dodge Dart, the first offspring of the combined Chrysler and Fiat all look competitive in their segments. Another impressive domestic is the Cadillac ATS. The company’s first small car in decades could be a credible BMW and Mercedes fighter, says Champion.