Should You Trust Consumer Reports?

[American_Jihad]

I think not all the time...

Should You Trust Consumer Reports?
Agent009
submitted on 8/13/2007
(update coming)
Auto Spies Photos Timestamp:


Consumer Reports, the publication of Consumer’s Union, has long been accused of a bias toward imported cars, particularly those made by Japanese brand manufacturers, and against anything built by a Detroit automaker.

The bias hasn’t changed. Apparently, it’s intentional and institutional.

The current issue of Consumer Reports purports to offer a comparison test of the new Toyota Tundra pick-up truck and the Chevy Silverado, as well as the Dodge Ram and Ford F-150.

So, you’d expect them to get comparable vehicles, wouldn’t you?

Apparently not if you’re the people at Consumer Reports. They pitted the Tundra with the optional 5.7 liter V-8 against the Chevy with the standard 5.3 liter engine, producing 66 hp less than the Tundra. They could have used the 6.0 liter optional Vortec V-9 MAX which is more closely comparable to the optional Toyota engine, but they chose not to.

They also pitted a Tundra with a 4.30 axle ratio against the Silverado with a 3.73 ratio, then gave the Tundra praise for having better acceleration. But the Silverado offers a 4.10 axle ratio as a no charge customer selection. Not only that, but they predicted that Toyota’s Tundra would have an above average frequency of repair rating. The Silverado? Too new to classify.

The Toyota won the test.

...

Should You Trust Consumer Reports? - AutoSpies Auto News

 

[American_Jihad]

After calling it the best car ever, Consumer Reports no longer recommends the Tesla Model S

Consumer Reports found the Tesla Model S has “too many problems to recommend.”

By Sanjay Salomon | @SanjaySalomon
Boston.com Staff | 10.21.15 | 4:38 PM

On Tuesday, Consumer Reports dropped its “Recommended” honor from the all-electric Tesla Model S.

Just a few months ago, the magazine named Model S the best-performing car it had ever tested.

So what changed? The reliability scores came in.

After reviewing about 1,400 survey responses collected from its Annual Auto Reliability Survey, the publication determined owners of the Tesla Model S will experience “a worse-than-average overall problem rate.”

Consumer Reports says vehicles that achieve its “Recommended” label must demonstrate strong results in testing, safety, and have a better or average level of reliability.

The complaints
...
After calling it the best car ever, Consumer Reports no longer recommends the Tesla Model S

 

[WinterBorn]

After calling it the best car ever, Consumer Reports no longer recommends the Tesla Model S

Consumer Reports found the Tesla Model S has “too many problems to recommend.”

By Sanjay Salomon | @SanjaySalomon
Boston.com Staff | 10.21.15 | 4:38 PM

On Tuesday, Consumer Reports dropped its “Recommended” honor from the all-electric Tesla Model S.

Just a few months ago, the magazine named Model S the best-performing car it had ever tested.

So what changed? The reliability scores came in.

After reviewing about 1,400 survey responses collected from its Annual Auto Reliability Survey, the publication determined owners of the Tesla Model S will experience “a worse-than-average overall problem rate.”

Consumer Reports says vehicles that achieve its “Recommended” label must demonstrate strong results in testing, safety, and have a better or average level of reliability.

The complaints
...
After calling it the best car ever, Consumer Reports no longer recommends the Tesla Model S

New company working with new technology means there will be issues. But the warranty covers them. And not with the resistance of a dealership, but dealing directly with the company that built them.

 

[pwjohn]

Yeah it's to bad consumer reports feels compelled to jury rig the vehicles prior to doing any comparison testing. If true.

But I think what consumer reports might up against here is some kind of a shell game being played by some or all of the manufacturers trying to meet or beat the EPA's newer and much higher gas mileage standards.. So lets face it, nobody in their right mind is gonna buy a full size pickup truck with a sewing machine motor under the hood. Not even a Toyota.