Consumers Report: IF it was to report what we like

[BenBrown]

Joe,

I just read the most excellent rebuttals to Consumer Reports. Thanks for the link to that thread. I wonder if we can write an article about the advantages and what we like about the imiev? Like an imaginary CR article that should have been. I'd like to start a thread on that!

Ben

In the minutes I have left before I have to leave I'll start listing positive attributes:
Out of 15 people the description of 13 has been: Cute!!! (cute on the outside, world changing on the inside! )
12 have either agreed or stated first, its much bigger on the inside than it appeared.
All 15 have been surprised at its acceleration.
All have been impressed with its quietness.
14 found the seating as adequate if not better than their own car, front and back. 2 of the 14 commented,
"I feel like I'm in a huge space sitting in the front [this is impossible for the size car!] This is an amphitheater!!! Nano Van!!
It surpasses my personal daily commute needs by a lot. I can go 3 days without needing to charge. I run all my regular errands without worries.
I like being able to check by smart phone how my charging is coming along.
I absolutely LIKE being able to use our community solar/ChargePoint location and avoid further greenhouse gases
Mine is a good solid electric car and beats the daylights out of the competition for price/value consumption.

 

[jray3]

http://www.cheatsheet.com/automobiles/the-9-least-loved-cars-in-consumer-reports-rankings.html/3/?ref=OB

Some of the 'least-loved' cars were well-reviewed by the "professionals", including a few that have been selling very well. Almost all of them are either econoboxes or the lowest trim level of a particular model, indicating that their owners may have felt they were 'settling' for something subpar from day one. Or I wonder, do no-frills cars tend to attract buyers who simply do not fall in love with cars? There's something to be said for folks who simply purchase transportation appliances, buying what best meets their needs in the current market, regardless of what brand they used to drive. :shock:

 

[NeilBlanchard]

Ben, all the points you make are excellent. Most automotive journalists (and the people at CR) are very jaded. They have experienced a lot of cars, none of which they had to pay for, and none of which they had to live with.

 

[JoeS]

For our newer members, here's our thread which is a point-by-point dissection of the Consumer Reports magazine review as well as their online review:
Consumer Reports Got It So Wrong!

In addition to their very biased and opinionated comments, they also have factual errors - the most glaring of which, IMO, is their assertion that in their testing the i-MiEV's highway mileage was better than its city mileage.