Consumer Reports Car Buying Guide Official

While CR does not perform its own crash tests, it incorporates data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the NHTSA. Bonus points are awarded for standard safety features like city-speed automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. Methodology and Testing Rigor

This depth allows CR to catch issues that shorter press reviews might miss. For instance, they evaluate "fit and finish" by measuring panel gaps and tactile quality, and they use a "pipe box" to measure the actual usable cargo volume rather than relying on manufacturer-claimed cubic footage. Reliability: The "Used Car Verdict" consumer reports car buying guide

CR distills its vast amount of data into a single for each vehicle. This score is built upon four critical metrics: While CR does not perform its own crash

Every year, CR’s engineers put roughly 50 new vehicles through more than 50 rigorous tests at their 327-acre facility in Connecticut. These include acceleration, braking, emergency handling, fuel economy, and specialized tests like a "rock hill" to evaluate off-road capability. For instance, they evaluate "fit and finish" by

This measures whether owners would "definitely" buy the same car again if they had to do it over. It captures the emotional and experiential side of ownership that road tests alone might miss.