An Overview On How Consumer Reports Tests Cars

Recently Consumer Reports publicized its automotive testing facility that is situated in rural Connecticut. The automotive testing facility is where all of Consumer Reports’ staffs test all their cars.

Consumer Reports has bought a yearly 80% of the cars they have tested. The cars are tested and driven for over thousands of miles before releasing the tests score. They don’t test the cars in the automotive test facility only but also on surrounding public roads. The tests cover:

Acceleration – times each car for 0 to 30 mph, 60 mph, and quarter mile runs

Handling – Test the each car’s limitations in Consumer Reports track by doing maneuvering and cornering.

Braking – tests that are conducted from 60 mph to 0 both on dry and wet pavement.

Controls and displays – evaluates the performance and quality of each car’s displays and controls.

Driving Position – Consumer Reports’ staff test the level of ease of use of every car’s steering wheel, pedals and other controls.

Fuel Economy – Consumer Reports’ conduct their own fuel-economy tests.

The evaluation process is 50 individual tests which includes objective and instrumented track tests that makes use of advanced electronic gear to yield empirical findings. The subjective tests are done by their engineers.

How Consumer Reports tests cars  | Consumer Reports News Cars