How can Consumer Reports list the VW PASSAT as a "TOP PICK" along with the Camry when just a few months ago they rated it as GARBAGE????????????? These ****** have lost all credibility with me!

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Consumer Reports: Most reliable cars
Sedans from VW, Mercedes, BMW fare poorly while Japanese models take the top spots.
November 8, 2004: 6:01 PM EST

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - European sedans may have many wonderful attributes. Reliability, however, is not among them, according to the latest Consumer Reports reliability survey.

Of the 11 sedans with the lowest predicted reliability, according to the survey, 10 were from European brands including Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and BMW. Most Volkswagen models were rated far below average for reliability. The all-wheel drive Volkswagen Passat received the lowest reliability rating of any vehicle in the survey.

A spokesman for Volkswagen of America did not deny that the company's products have had problems.

"We are obviously aware of some of these issues," he said.

The company has been working to track and correct reliability problems, he said, adding that customers should see results in upcoming redesigned 2005 versions of several of its cars.

http://money.cnn.com/2004/11/08/pf/a...lity/index.htm

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January 13, 2005

Consumer Reports ranks Toyota Camry best out of four family sedans

Yonkers, New York - In its February issue, Consumer Reports magazine ranks the Toyota Camry LE best overall in tests of four family sedans.

Freshened for the 2005 model year, the Camry received a "Very Good" overall rating. The Camry has consistently been ranked among the best family sedans by Consumer Reports in recent years.

Two of the other vehicles in the group, the Nissan Altima and the Mitsubishi Galant, ranked second and third overall in this month's group; they were mid-pack in CR's tests among all family sedans that CR has tested. The newly-introduced Pontiac G6 ranked near the bottom of the pack in CR's ranking of 24 family sedans.

Consumer Reports' Top Picks in the family sedan category are the six-cylinder Volkswagen Passat and four-cylinder Honda Accord. The V6-powered Toyota Camry XLE is CR's top-rated family sedan under U.S.$30,000.

 

If you would bother to read Consumer Reports ratings thoroughly ( like I do) before you go spouting off and using obscenity, you would see that their ratings of the Passat depend on model year and engine. Consumer Reports is not a Fly-By-Night outfit; they are one of the most respected organizations in the auto testing buisness.
To get a Consumer Reports "Recommended" rating, a vehicle must perform well in a variety of different CR and Goverment tests AND have at least an average reliablity rating. A car that has an average rating, if it performs well enough in CR tests, can and sometimes does outrank a car that has bullet-proof reliability but does not test out quite as well.The Passat has performed very well in these tests for several years now but has had an inconsistent reliability ratings between 4, 6, W8, and diesel versions...though most have been worse than average and not recommended because of that. Some Passats have outranked Camrys and Accords in CR ratings, not on reliability alone but on outstanding performance in CR testing. The Camry and Accord have consistantly had well-above average reliability and test ratings....though the Camry last year had briefly dropped to average before rebounding again. For many years they rated higher than the Passat overall, but the latest Passat has performed so well in CR tests that CR is recommending NOT ALL Passats but JUST the ones that have had an average reliability record. Consumer Reports is very specific WHICH Passat models they recommend and which ones they DO NOT recommend each year (based on both reliability and testing) when they do the new-car ratings.
Also...keep in mind that not all versons of the same car tested are likely to get the same rating, or even reliability records. Much depends on engine and components. For instance, the Camry SE 's ride, handing, and steering response are different from other Camrys due to a different suspension, tires, and steering gear. Same with the Altima SE and other Altimas. The repair record of the Mustang V8 is much worse than the V6 models primarily because so many of the V8's are driven so hard and abused. There are MANY other examples here...too many for one post.

 

I don't need you to lecture me.

"TOP PICK" and "SHIITTY RELIABILITY" should not describe the same vehicle - even within 1-2 model years. If you can't see the obvious inconsistency, you are lost.

 

Not lecturing...just ponting out a fact. A car with " S - - - -y " reliability, as you put it, is not going to be on CR's recommended list. That is why some Passats are and some aren't.

Another good example: The Nissan Sentra was on CR's list of recommended small cars for years because of both good performance and good reliability. It still performs well in tests, but has been recently taken off of the CR recommended list because of a drop in reliability to below average.
I may have some faults, but believe me......being lost is NOT one of them. I spend much of my spare time in auto research......have for MANY years.

 

Gekko, the language, please.
I'll add my 2 cents later, got 2 run

 

C/R is a biased magazine in my eyes, but I like Bangle cars so I must be smoking some high grade or writing too many notes with sharpies .

 

How are they biased, and in what way?
True, they are not speed and performance enthusiasts like many people here on CL, so they are not going to promote the sales of products like the BMW M cars, M-B AMG cars, and high-performance sports cars like the Viper and Ferrari. (although they do occasionally test expensive luxury and sport cars). They do not advertise, nor do they allow any advertising in their magazine by any company. They do not take bribes, and fire any employee who does. They do not, to my knowledge, donate any money to any corporation or political campaign , although Ralph Nader, ex-CR Director, was a Presidential candidate twice. Nader did NOT run for President while acting as CR director, either...he had left that job.
And how are they biased in auto testing? They don't just flunk an SUV for nothing....they give ALL SUV's the same slalom tip-over tests, with the same equipment, the same speeds, and the same courses.
Ditto for regular car tests. They test every product by the same standards and report what they find objectively....although common sense would dictate that you cannot expect a Town Car to have the same sharp handling as a Miata or a Miata to have the same smooth ride as a Town Car.
So.....how are they biased? If you have any credible evidence of any bias, let's hear it.....and believe me....CR's Board of Directors would like to see it, too.

 

These are two different models of the Passat. You should avoid the all-wheel drive (four cylinder and V6 version, if available in a V6) and seriously consider the V6 version (of course without all-wheel drive, if it's an option on the V6).

 

Agreed. CR has always been a reputable outfit. If you were looking to Automobile Magazine or Road and Track for information found in CR, then that would be another story. But as MMARSHALL stated, with accuracy, CR is not out to pick personal favorites, that is simply not their business.

 

I am disappointed to see such obscene and immature language here at clublexus. Like Mmarshall said, read the whole story before jumping to conclusion. How many clueless kids are out there?

 

consumer reports isnt perfect, but their information is very accurate. Also notice that cars become less reliable over the years. If the brand new passat is reliable for the first year then they give it an above average reliability. You may see that after 3-5 years it is not reliable but how are they suppose to know that? Read up on everything they say and also look into the ratings of every aspect of the car. Just cause a car is unreliable doesnt always mean its the engine and transmission at fault. Reliability of new cars is merely a prediction for the first three years or so. In my opinion any new car today should have no problems within the first three years. Consumer reports is a great resource, they have been around for decades, they know how to rate cars.