ConsumerReports.org Presents Its Free Annual Auto Hub

Find everything about cars at http://www.ConsumerReports.org's Auto Hub - top picks for 2001 vehicles ... future safety technology ... how to get the best deal on the car you want ... a virtual tour of Consumer Reports test track ... and more

YONKERS, N.Y., March 15 -- Where on the Internet can you find out which cars are both top performers and reliable? Whether auto manufacturers' online sites are worth a visit or what that auto lease will really cost? Where can you take interactive quizzes, participate in an online poll, and learn how much lower an auto's wholesale price is than its invoice price? Find what every savvy consumer needs to know about new or used cars at one site -- http://www.ConsumerReports.org, the web site from Consumer Reports(R) magazine. This free annual Auto Hub, filled with unique information written just for the site, is available after 10 PM EST Wednesday, March 14. Researching and buying or leasing a car doesn't have to be an ordeal. Armed with knowledge and an organized plan, anyone can get the right vehicle, well equipped, at a fair price. To ensure that consumers receive the best car for their money, http://www.ConsumerReports.org's Auto Hub has features to assist them in selecting, purchasing, and caring for their valued vehicles. The site provides visitors with a comprehensive look at the world of automobiles, from CR Good Bets on used cars to a rundown on the hottest in-car electronics to a guide to automotive safety features. Available for free by clicking on the Auto Hub link on http://www.ConsumerReports.org's home page, the Auto Hub provides one-stop Internet advice. There are shopping tips, an assessment of the car marketplace in light of the current economy, and facts on performance, reliability, security, and convenience innovations, both standard and optional, in used vehicles as well as 2001 models. "Auto Hub is a must-visit site for obtaining car information -- whether or not you are about to buy a new or used vehicle," says Paige Amidon, Chief Marketing Officer, New Media. "It also offers free advice on the latest innovations in safety, style, and much more. This year, we've jam-packed it with interactive features that help you pick the right car for you, along with a virtual tour of our test track. There are also online polls, quizzes, and free forums where Consumer Reports car gurus discuss kid-safe cars and in-car electronics."

There are four main areas of the Auto Hub:

-- At the Test Track - a Multi-Media Virtual Tour: Consumer Reports buys cars as any consumer would and then tests them at its own track, located on 327 acres in East Haddam, Connecticut. There, experienced engineers and support staff operate the largest, most sophisticated car-testing facility of its kind in the world. The test staff conducts more than 60 individual tests, ranging from emergency handling, acceleration, and braking to fuel economy measurements, noise-level evaluations, and bumper-impact tests -- and you can virtually visit this state-of-the-art facility. Find out all about this extensive consumer-oriented testing program. Meet the testers by reading their online profiles. Discover what surprises the auto testers have learned from the cars they tested this past year. Also on your virtual tour -- Rock Hill, with 300 tons of boulders set in concrete that four-wheel-drive vehicles must climb; the Hydroplane test that evaluates tires on wet roads; and the skid pad that helps evaluate emergency handling.

-- Highlights: In addition to the latest news highlights from Consumer Reports' Annual April Auto issue, look for online-only features, such as information on safety technology of the future and online polls. You'll also find information on the Consumer Reports Wholesale Price with actual figures that show your potential savings for some popular vehicles.

-- News & Trends: US government rollover resistance ratings and the latest trends in auto electronics. Also, a look at the soon-to-be discontinued Oldsmobile nameplate and what its discontinuation means to car buyers; the difference between 4WD (four-wheel drive) and AWD (all wheel drive); and more.

-- Buying Basics: Everything you need to research and select a new or used car. There's advice on whether to buy or lease a new auto; how to get the best deal; and plenty of interactive tools -- to help select the right car for you and the buy vs. lease quiz. To help navigate successfully, through the huge used car marketplace -- whether buying, selling, or trading-in -- there's a used car selector, Consumer Reports unique reliability data, tips on inspecting a used car, and good advice on how to sell your present car.

In addition to all the free features, there are also links for paid subscribers to more in-depth reports, featuring the unique independent testing and survey-based ratings and recommendations on new and used cars and trucks from the experts at Consumer Reports. Since 1936, Consumer Reports' independent and unbiased testing reports and its annual survey results (the largest survey of its kind in the world, collecting the real-life experiences of hundreds of thousands of subscribers about vehicles' reliability) make Consumer Reports the number-one source for everything about autos. Much of this information is now available at http://www.ConsumerReports.org, the fastest growing web site of its kind, with more than 530,000 paid subscribers. All site visitors have free access to helpful advice, safety alerts, recalls, and much more. Site subscribers receive unique product ratings and service recommendations, access to the latest issue of Consumer Reports and four years of past reports, plus invaluable Consumer Reports's auto information, including the chance to participate in http://www.ConsumerReports.org forums, where subscribers exchange tips, questions and comments with Consumer Reports's experts. The entire site is ad-free. There are two types of subscriptions: an annual subscription for $24 (current subscribers to the magazine can join for $19 per year), or a monthly subscription for $3.95.

The material above is intended for use by legitimate news entities only; it may not be used for commercial or promotional purposes. http://www.ConsumerReports.org is the web site of Consumers Union, an independent, nonprofit testing and information-gathering organization, serving only the consumer. They are a comprehensive source of unbiased advice about products and services, personal finance, health, nutrition, and other consumer concerns. Since 1936, our mission has been to test products, inform the public, and protect consumers.

CONTACT: John McCartney, 212-699-2547, john@middleberg.com, or Lauren Hackett, 212-699-2521, lauren@middleberg.com, both of Middleberg Euro rscg, for ConsumerReports.org.