|
Browse by Tags
All Tags » ConsumerReports ( RSS)
-
|
Filed under: Car Buying For the second straight year , Consumer Reports has seen fit to release a second set of Top Picks comprised solely of American automobiles, and we're betting there will be plenty of discussion regarding the merits of such a distinction from both the pro-import and pro-domestic crowds, just as there was a year ago. We'll leave that up to you in the comments, but please remember to be civil. Getting to the actual rankings, there were enough surprising omissions from the list that CR decided to list its Top Performers, which don't necessarily earn a Recommended rating, alongside the actual Top Picks. Taking top honors in the Small Car category for '09 is the Ford Focus. Back in 2008, no American automaker had a small car that CR felt comfortable recommending. Ford also took the win in the hotly-contested Midsize SUV category with its Taurus X, though that model is currently scheduled to be cancelled after MY2009. CR's Top Pick for an American Family...
|
-
|
Filed under: Car Buying As we reported yesterday, Consumer Reports ' annual 2009 Auto Issue has just been released, and it seems that American automakers just can't catch a break from the popular magazine. Included alongside the Automaker's Report Cards are a list of cars that offer the best calculated value over a five year period. Hybrids, despite their initial cost disadvantage when the dotted line is first signed, managed to take five of the top several slots. The 2009 Toyota Prius Touring model bested all contenders as the top overall value out of all 300 vehicles CR tested for the '09 season. While perusing the results, we noticed the complete absence of any American automobiles on the Best Value list. We'd expect to see horrible performances from such vehicles as the HUMMER H2, which CR says will cost its owners $82,250 after just five years of ownership, but we're a little surprised to see that cars like the Ford Fusion or Chevy Malibu couldn't crack...
|
-
|
Filed under: Car Buying , Maintenance In what may be the least surprising news you read all day, Consumer Reports has released its annual 2009 Auto Issue that contains Automaker Report Cards. These report cards compile all of CR's road test data and predicted reliability ratings for all vehicles in its database, and Japanese automakers have again earned top rankings just as they have for as long as we can recall. Honda, Subaru and Toyota came out on top after all the scores were tallied, with every single Subaru model earning a Recommended rating from CR. Honda was the brand that fared the absolute best in predicted reliability, with just its Element small SUV barely failing to make the grade as a Recommended nameplate. Toyota also fared very well in reliability testing, as we've come to expect from the world's largest automaker. European automakers managed to get a shout out for offering unmatched performance, comfort and safety along with incremental increases in overall vehicle...
|
-
|
Filed under: Motorcycles As gas prices shot for the moon last summer, the tide of scooters and small-bore motorcycles began rising right alongside as commuters did all they could to save a buck or two on fuel bills. The folks at Consumer Reports took it upon themselves to reintroduce motorcycle testing to the popular magazine for the first time since 1981 in order to help their readership make informed purchasing decisions. Safety is of paramount concern when riders first take up the switch from four to two wheels, and this fact is hammered home by the rag's editors who designed a new 5.2-mile course that tests each motorcycle's handling characteristics, acceleration and braking capabilities. So, uh, how'd it go? The big winner was Vespa who's LX scooter managed to take top honors in the smallest 50cc class and also performed well against the slightly larger 150cc competitors where it tied with the Kymco People for the win. CR's first series of tests stopped at the 250cc...
|
-
|
Filed under: Economy , Sedans/Saloons , Hatchbacks , Chevrolet , Honda , Nissan , Suzuki , Toyota Click on the image above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Honda Fit Sport The folks over at Consumer Reports have ranked the Honda Fit Sport top among tested subcompact cars in their March 2009 issue. "We found the new Fit the most practical and enjoyable car in this month's group," says Consumers Union. The world's largest independent consumer product testing organization, who don't claim to be enthusiasts, ran the small Honda against the Suzuki SX4 , Nissan Versa , Toyota Yaris , and Chevrolet Aveo . Compared to the rest of the group, the Honda Fit Sport 5-speed was the quickest to 60 miles-per-hour (an asphalt-melting 9.2 seconds) and sipped the least amount of fuel during testing (a not too shabby 33 miles-per-gallon overall). The CU testers were pleased with the Honda's versatile and flexible interior, but not with its dismal headlights. Of the five, only the...
|
-
|
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Hyundai Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Hyundai Genesis sedan Hyundai made it clear from the onset that the new Genesis sedan would upset the balance in the luxury world, particularly at the expense of Lexus. Consumer Reports' latest round of testing proves that Hyundai has succeeded in dethroning Toyota's luxury arm as the latest credible entry into the "Upscale Sedan" arena. Just as Lexus was once the upstart that ruffled feathers, it's Hyundai's turn, and they are making the most of the opportunity with a win against all comers from the likes of Acura, Lincoln, Saab and Lexus, which had previously held the top overall spot with its ES350 sedan. Despite the Genesis' win in direct testing, Consumer Reports doesn't have enough data to rate the sedan as "Recommended." The same goes for the ES350, which means that the Acura TL is the only competitor in the segment that officially gets CR 's nod. Regardless...
|
|
|
|