Re: Consumer Reports: Asian Cars Better

>> >>>> "larry moe 'n curly" wrote in >>>> message >>>>> How can CR be just hype and distortion when nearly identical >>>>> cars with >>>>> different nameplates get very similar reliability ratings >>>> >>>> When the same car with different nameplates get far different >>>> ratings. >>>> >>> ...like the Vibe compared to the Matrix in a recent issue? s >>> >> Or the front wheel drive Chevy Novas compared to the same year >> Toyota Corollas? >> >> Whitelightning >> > Another analogy exactly. Causes me to WONDER: Is CR that slack? > Is CR getting bribed? Causes me to KNOW: I don't put lotsa faith in > their testing! It'd be interesting to look back at how they > compared Honda Passport and Isuzu Rodeo. s

Actually CR rated the Rodeo and Passport from the same year exactly the same. They probably had to combine results since neither was sold in large numbers. As I mentioned in another post in this thread, I believe CR is blending results for badge engineered vehicles in some cases. This was not true in the past, but it appears to be true now, at least for GM and Ford badge engineered models. In other cases it does not appear to be true for badge engineer models sold by different manufacturers. For instance, the Matrix and the Vibe have different reliability rating in the CR tables (not wildly different, but significant in some cases). The information on line does not go back far enough to compare the Nova and Corolla, but I can compare the Chevrolet Prizm (also a Corolla in disguise) to the Corolla. The two cars do not have the same ratings as for the same years. It is possible that the differences between the GM marketed Toyotas (Prizm and Vibe) and the Toyota marketed versions (Corolla and Matrix) are because of dealer service and optional equipment. CR does not give you enough information to make this sort of determination. For both the Prizm and Vibe, the Toyota versions (Corolla and Matrix) scored higher.

Ed

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C. E. White
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