Electric cars pose a distinct challenge for testing, with their limited range and lifestyle factors creating a wrinkle during the break-in miles and subsequent "living with" evaluations. Several Connecticut and New York staffers had tales of range anxiety, and worse, during the testing period for the Nissan Leaf. So, after the road test and Ratings were published, we shared the Leaf with our colleagues down in the Washington, D.C., office to learn their hands-on perspectives in a more urban setting.

Under the leadership of Carlos Ghosn (pronounced "Go-an"), Nissan has been known to be more bullish on the future of electric cars than perhaps any established automaker in the industry. Even in the face of faltering initial sales of electric cars, Ghosn remains optimistic.

As gas prices hover near $4 a gallon nationwide, there are more than 20 SUVs and trucks that cost more than $100 to fill up. But, there are almost 30 cars that cost less than $50 to refuel. We crunched the numbers and found the cheapest cars in America to fill up.

As gasoline prices continue to climb, the cliché "pain at the pump" is being thrown around with great frequency. But, how much pain is it really? Inspired by anecdotal complaints of drivers boasting of wallet-denting fill-ups, we crunched the data to see what the most expensive tanks are to fill, and we found more than 20 vehicles go beyond the $100 mark.

Despite seeming innovative in 2004 when it was launched, the Titan never really caught on with pickup truck buyers. The Titan brought a punchy and refined powertrain, large four-door cabin, relatively agile handling, a pre-sprayed bed, and a damped tailgate. But sales were lagging expectations and a host of reliability problems plagued it in the first few years.

As gasoline prices creep closer to $4 a gallon nationwide, fuel economy has become a paramount concern for most drivers. Consumer Reports has tested a fleet of new, small-cars looking for those that deliver good all-around performance. And the results show it is not smart to buy based on brand reputation alone.

Gasoline prices continue to climb, steadily approaching record highs well in advance of summer. As consumers look to ease their pain at the pump, the difference between the most and least fuel-efficient cars is coming into sharp focus. We ran the numbers and, depending on which model you choose, found that the annual fuel cost difference can be staggering.

Nissan North American is recalling about 8,120 Infiniti M45 luxury sedans, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The safety agency says the 2003-2004 model years of the Infiniti M cars have a flaw that causes the gas gauge to display a higher fuel level than the amount of gas actually in the vehicle's fuel tank.

Our Annual Autos Issue presents a dizzying array of facts and figures, all aimed at helping car shoppers choose the right model for their needs and budget. While we rate the automakers and present numerous best and worst lists, we haven’t offered a simple guide to the best and worst models by brand. Until now.

Nissan North America is recalling more than 23,500 of its 2011 and 2012 model year Nissan Quest minivans. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there is a software problem with the recalled minivans' fuel systems that could cause the vehicles to stall, increasing the risk of a collision.

The car market is regaining traction. And in testing about 80 vehicles in the past year, we’ve gotten a good look at what’s new and notable. With erratic pump prices and stricter gas-mileage standards being phased in, fuel economy is a prominent goal. Automakers are pursuing it with more small cars, hybrids, and diesels; more efficient gas engines and transmissions; and a budding wave of electric vehicles (EVs). Here are some highlights:

Nissan North America is recalling about 79,275 Infiniti sedans and SUVs as well as Nissan Juke vehicles for possible fuel tank leakage from an improperly installed fuel pressure sensor said the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

We all want a car to be safe, reliable, and perform well, but since we all spend too much time behind the wheel (and making payments!), it might as well be fun to drive, too. Our automotive engineers have combined their test data and notes to come up with the cars they have found to be the most fun to drive.

We’ve recently showed that most fuel-efficient cars can beat their EPA highway fuel economy estimates in Consumer Reports measured fuel economy testing. But if you want to hit 40 mpg on the highway, our tests show that you have more options than you might think.

Nissan North America is recalling a small number of 2012 Nissan Altima and Nissan Versa sedans for issues with their side curtain air bags, according to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Nissan vehicles were made with air bag initiators that contain an incorrect mixture of propellants that may not inflate the safety devices during a collision.