some highs, lows, and quirks found by consumer reports in their testing...

i found these quirks interesting and amusing
Minor gripes

The $97,000 BMW 750Li lacks an electronic compass.
Unclear on the concept

The Mercedes E-Class and Volkswagen Touareg share a peculiar quirk: When you shift into reverse, the radio comes on, as if a distraction is needed.

P is for Panic

Several BMW, Toyota, Lexus, and Mercedes models require you to hit a separate button to engage park. Until you get used to it, you're apt to shift into reverse, thinking you've reached park. When you let your foot off the brake and the car rolls backward, you are sure to get an unwelcome surprise.


http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/c...of-testing.htm

 

Interesting! Did not know the manual was that large lol

 

The shifting into park by a button is not a bad thing. Its a hybrid trend and is part of the experience of owning a hybrid

 

LOL! It is! Its huge, and I read the whole thing too...

Anyway, there is a hole in the trunk specifically designed to hold the manual. You have to read the manual to figure that out though, LMAO!!!

 

^ that manual should be on a microsd card and be able to be browsed on the car's screen. it would thus take up 1/1000th the space not to mention save a ton of trees.

 

lol that's awesome. Read the manual and get rewarded!

 

yeah, especially since people read manuals when their car breaks down... hopefully their nav works then :-)

 

Or models that don't have NAV...

 

CR, (like me to some extent) has been quite critical of many newer vehicles and their tendency to have lower-profile tires, stiffer-suspensions, and firmer rides. Probably more than half the vehicles they tested, in the last big Buyers' Guide, included the comments "firm ride", "stiff ride", "busy ride", "harsh ride", or "jiggly ride".

 

most people have smart phones now and could also just look it up (mfr's should just offer an app rather than have customers carry the remnants of a couple of dead trees around ).