The trusted name in unbiased product reviews, it has been providing consumers with automotive reviews and information since 1936. Consumers turn to its reviews to make informed purchasing decisions. But what happens when a company needs to test a vehicle? Does Consumer Reports rent, lease or purchase its vehicles for testing, and how does the company test and obtain them?
How does Consumer Reports pay for the cars it tests?
He buys all the compounds he tests. And it spends about $2.7 million on the cars it tests. And of course, CR buys these cars anonymously, so no one knows which vehicles are being tested at any time to avoid pressure from the car manufacturers.
Gifts. The site buys trim level cars with optional features rather than the upgraded versions that manufacturers like to show off. In addition, CR can keep the vehicle for as long as possible to thoroughly test every safety, reliability and comfort feature.
Another factor that contributes to the reliability of Consumer Reports reviews is that the site is a non-profit organization that does not accept advertising. The lack of advertising frees it from the duty to please advertisers when reviewing products. Instead, Consumer Reports relies on donations, independent grants, magazine and website subscription fees to buy cars, and paying full-time autotest staff.
How does Consumer Reports test cars?
A full-time staff, including Jake Fisher, Director of Vehicle Testing, helps test the cars. Engineers, statisticians, technicians, writers, editors, photographers and videographers work together to test and evaluate vehicles and present results.
While Consumer Reports offers Automotive a practice on its track, which is located in 327 acres of land and surrounding public roads, the company uses state-of-the-art equipment that monitors and documents performance. Employees then test and review the cars by driving them 6,000 miles and base their results on informed personal opinions.
Fisher says that because the auto test team tests cars using them during their daily routines, it becomes an issue when he picks up his kids. As a result, his children never know what car to expect when he arrives.
How does Consumer Reports determine the overall score?
Once Consumer Reports has determined an overall vehicle rating score, that score can change at any time. The result can vary based on additional data received or vehicle features added or modified from the manufacturer. Here’s how Consumer Reports determined its overall score:
- safety
- road test
- credibility
- Reza the owner
Scores vehicle safety by obtaining crash test statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The site then assesses any or lack of safes that may be present in the vehicle.
In addition to running the car through a road test to evaluate performance, CR polls its members. The surveys allow the company to predict the reliability of new cars being produced based on member experiences. Consumer Reports also surveys members to determine their satisfaction with the vehicle they own and whether they would repurchase the same vehicle.
Taking this into account auto appraisal and registration, it’s no wonder CR has been a trusted source of information when shopping for cars for more than 85 years.
