Why Are Buyers Now Going AGAINST Consumer Reports Recommendations When Making Purchases?

Liz Doll, a real estate agent in Connecticut, had little interest in the highly rated Hyundai Elantra when shopping for a new car this year. She instead went with a Volkswagen Passat (PSAT) that has drawn mixed reviews.

“The handles on the Hyundai felt cheesy and cheap,” said Doll, a 37-year-old mother of three. “Everything you touched felt like it was going to fall off. I didn’t have that experience with the Passat.”

Models such as Volkswagen AG's Passat and Honda Motor Co.'s Civic, which lost Consumer Reports' coveted recommended status in August 2011, are among some of the biggest gainers in the U.S. auto market this year. The disconnect shows that buyers can be more forgiving in showrooms than testers are in labs as industrywide quality gains bring automakers closer to parity.




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JRobUSC - 11/2/2012 1:51:10 PM

+8 Boost

To summarize, to avoid buying the car where the handles felt like they'd fall off, she bought the one they actually might fall off. Good call.

vdiv - 11/2/2012 2:45:56 PM

+1 Boost

To each his/her own, though a comparison of a compact (Elantra) to a midsize (Passat) is not quite valid as they are usually built to a somewhat different standard and value.

Agent009 - 11/2/2012 2:20:11 PM

-1 Boost

Actually if you take the time to actually look at both, you will see what she means.

vdiv - 11/2/2012 3:01:36 PM

+1 Boost

Agree, even with the vast improvements of the Korean models and the incessant de-featuring and cheapening of the VWs sold in the US (and made in Mexico) there is still a significant and perceptible difference in quality, fit and finish. Style and bling vs. substance and performance.

A friend has a green 1999 Passat Wagon with 150k+ miles on it. The interior was trashed by the three kids with bits and pieces broken and missing, and the exterior by the adults not paying attention while driving into things, but that 1.8 L turbo engine and 5-speed manual are absolutely brilliant and still sound and perform as if the car was new.

chewy - 11/2/2012 3:19:12 PM

+1 Boost

Probably knew that Hyundai overstated/lied/fudged its EPA figures.

chewy - 11/2/2012 3:19:51 PM

-1 Boost

Which one could have figures out by reading more performance oriented magazines.

chewy - 11/2/2012 3:19:51 PM

-1 Boost

Which one could have figures out by reading more performance oriented magazines.

Agent009 - 11/2/2012 4:26:20 PM

-1 Boost

that went out in the 80's

lexworld - 11/2/2012 3:35:51 PM

+3 Boost

...Whatever this nonsense is about. The only people who would go against their gut instinct and rather believe that a, for instance, Hyundai is better than (not value wise) a Toyota, is an idiot. Common sense should lead any intelligent person TO KNOW that goin against a non bias Consumer Report or any other proven research institute is stupidity. The real point in purchasing a car with value vs a name brand is, if a person really could afford a Toyota or any other name brand, they would definately purchase the brand name over the cheaper brand. Get a Life!

Agent009 - 11/2/2012 4:27:36 PM

-2 Boost

So they should be Lemmings and follow the advice of a singular source?

lexworld - 11/2/2012 3:39:33 PM

+1 Boost

....Or should I say the premium name brand

2ndbimmer - 11/3/2012 10:09:32 AM

+1 Boost

I work in car sales and from my clients, they all say they don't trust Consumer Reports. They feel companies are paying them off to write good reviews. Just like any smart business person knows the BBB is extortion. They threaten you with a letter and if you pay them, it can be removed.
Gut instinct and that good feeling seems to be the way to go. Just like buying a house, when you walk through that front door, you want it to feel like "home". The definition of "home" is different for everyone.
The civic and carolla may be long lasting vehicles, but if you dont like the seats and the way the controls are set up, why buy it?

800over - 11/5/2012 10:39:44 AM

+1 Boost

Aaaahh....the "truthiness" argument. It doesn't matter if it's crap as long as your gut tells you it's good.

Consumer reports doesn't take any ad money. That's the whole point.

Your last sentence is true for any brand/feature...it's just another in a long list of reasons to buy/not buy a car. CR focuses on reliability. If two cars float your boat and one has a much lower reliability record? Easy choice.

lexworld - 11/5/2012 1:00:26 PM

+1 Boost

...Wow, this reminds me of what will happen if President Obama is re-elected for another 4 more years. Lord have mercy on this outfit if non-sense like this should ever replace our God given common sense.