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Lexus, Subaru, Mazda score highest Consumer Reports' rankings

Japanese brands, led by Lexus, Subaru and Mazda, continue to dominate Consumer Reports' rankings of the best light vehicles on the market, claiming "top pick" honors in seven out of 10 product segments and capturing the top seven spots for overall brand reliability and performance. The brands that scored best on the magazine's report cards for 2013 were Lexus, with a score of 79 out of 100, followed by Subaru and Mazda, which both scored a 76. Toyota, Acura, Honda and Scion rounded out the top seven.

Senate passes cash-for-clunkers extension

The Senate added $2 billion to "cash for clunkers" on Thursday, ending a week of suspense about whether the popular new program would have to shut down for lack of funds. The bill, identical to the one that passed the House last week, now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature. The administration has pushed hard for the new funding.

Third of motorists admit to driving with no MOT

A third of motorists have driven a car knowing the MOT had expired, risking fines of up to £1,000 and invalidating their insurance in the process. That’s according to a survey conducted by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which found that of 1,000 UK motorists, 67% had driven without an MOT for up to a week, 24% for a month, 7% for six months and – shockingly – 2% for more than six months. Now we’d give the 67% who admitted driving without an MOT for a week the benefit of the doubt – it’s easy to forget the test is due.