Many drivers and car shoppers turn to Consumer Reports for information on new and used vehicles before making a purchase decision. However, like many other car critics, Consumer Reports writes car reviews based on having actually tested the car, and car critics put a lot of hurdles on those cars. One of these hurdles is simply mileage, so let's look at how far Consumer Reports drives their test cars.
Here's how Consumer Reports got the test car.
Consumer Reports has been testing and reviewing cars since 1936, according to its website. Most car critics get trial cars on loan from the automakers themselves. That's why most car reviewers don't actually own the cars they test and review.
This can be a problem for several reasons. Automakers may want reviewers to test drive a specific trim or version of their car, so they only provide that version to reviewers.
On top of that, car critics might want to play softball with their reviews because they don't want to offend the automakers offering test cars, so power dynamics come into play.
The good news is that Consumer Reports hasn't received test cars from automakers. Instead, Consumer Reports purchases all the cars it tests directly from dealers. In this way, car reviewers can ensure that they are testing cars driven by other people, and keep their reviews as objective and independent as possible.
This is the number of miles Consumer Reports has put the test car through
Car critics buy and test drive about 50 cars each year. In fact, Consumer Reports said he spent $2 million just buying a test car last year. One of the most important aspects of the entire testing process is simply recording miles on the odometer.
Consumer Reports wrote that even before reviewers test their cars, reviewers first drive the car 2,000 miles to acclimate it.
After the reviewers drove the test cars 2,000 miles, they were subjected to various other tests, many of which included many more drives. For example, a test that evaluates the ride quality of a car is done on a loop that is 30 miles long.
Much of the testing takes place in the real world as well, simply by driving the test car on public roads like a normal driver. In addition, test car controls are evaluated over several months as the testing process takes. In total, test cars will probably drive thousands of miles before a car critic writes a review.
Other details about these tests
The best way to understand a car is simply driving it, but obviously driving it in different terrains and settings is also important. This is exactly what Consumer Reports does. The Consumer Reports Auto Test Center is a 327-acre facility in rural Connecticut where the majority of automotive testing takes place.
Its facilities include a variety of test courses, including drag strips, handling courses, and accident avoidance courses. There is also a 33% grade rock hill to test the vehicle's off-road capabilities. Most of the roads are in Connecticut, but Consumer Reports uses cars on the ice rinks as well as the plains of West Texas.