Car reviewers are people too! They are just in a unique position and have the opportunity to experience a wide variety of new and used vehicles almost on a daily basis. The best of them get to attend new vehicle debuts, fly to auto shows across the world, and even drive pre-production versions of the newest models.
Even though they have to go home at the end of the day and have their own vehicle, all of their experience certainly dictates what kind of vehicle they ultimately buy for their family.
With all of that experience comes knowledge, opinion, and the opportunity to disseminate information to the masses with the understanding that people will seek their advice.
Although the best reviewers and publications do a great job of presenting the facts, many also present their own opinions on what, how, and why a vehicle exists.
It is here that many reviewers often lose a little bit of touch with the majority of would-be car buyers. It is a battle which I find myself losing sometimes; therefore, extra caution must be taken to ensure that opinion and information is not mixed in an inappropriate manner.
So, in my opinion, here are some of the most common things that vehicle reviewers forget in their reviews.
Digital vs. Analog:
Infotainment systems are all the rage now. Most new vehicles have them anymore and their responsiveness to touch and ease of use are judged harshly by the general public and by critics.
A recent debate as a result of this trend has been the question of a volume knob versus a slider control in the touchscreen. Most reviewers get this part right and the general public backs up the fact that most people like a physical volume knob, at the very least. It’s just easier to use than going through a bunch of menus before you can quiet the radio.
The more hot-button top is the use of digital vs analog gauges for things like speed, mileage, fuel economy, and engine revs.
Automakers like Audi and BMW are heading up the fully-digital “virtual cockpit” age with what is essentially an almost completely customizable infotainment screen where a normal speedometer and tachometer would be for the driver.
Vehicle reviewers and a lot of other people like the amount of customization these systems bring. Even if the driver gauge cluster is not 100% customizable or digital, many new vehicles have some form of customizable data screen within the gauge cluster.
The part that reviewers get wrong here is when they criticize a vehicle for not having a digital screen or the amount of customization within the gauge cluster they deem necessary for a driver.
It would seem reasonable that high-end luxury and performance cars would have these kinds of systems, and most likely, this will eventually trickle down to the most mundane of vehicles one can buy. The fact is, that a lot people are still OK with having simple gauges that tell them what they need to know. Even more expensive vehicles don’t all use digital gauge clusters, and that is just fine.
To be fair, not all automotive journalists are on board with digital gauge clusters, but there are some who just seem to care about them a little too much. All that needs to be said from their perspective is that it adds a nice touch to luxury car rather than, “At this price point, these analog gauges look cheap.”
To that I say that some of nicest and most expensive watches in the world have analog faces. Analog gauges can still look nice.
Performance:
While it is true that vehicle performance has dramatically improved with technology, it should be noted that even 300 horsepower is really not that normal in most average vehicles.
Performance vehicles, hot hatchbacks, luxury cars, and even some top-of-the-line “regular” vehicles definitely hit that mark, but these are small segments of the market that cater to an atypical type of consumer. That is to say that most average drivers will not be driving these types of vehicles on a normal basis.
150 to 200 horsepower is more than adequate for most normal vehicles anymore, and the average vehicle probably makes anywhere from 130 to 250 horsepower. That is a huge difference, but it is still not 300 horsepower.
This one isn’t so much that reviewers belittle a vehicle for its lack of performance, though some do. It is more so that they neglect to further the idea that the performance of the vehicle they are testing may be lacking compared to other vehicles against which that particular vehicle competes.
So, next time you are doing some research on a particular vehicle, and the article says that it is slow, ask yourself two questions. “What does ‘slow’ actually mean?”, and “Does it really matter?” After that, test drive it to see if you can live with whatever performance it does have to offer… you might be surprised.
Safety features:
I’ve talked about this one before, so I won’t spend too long on it here.
A $90,000 BMW should – and usually will – have some of the best technology available on the automotive market. After all, that’s kind of what the whole “German engineering” thing is all about. Save for perhaps the absolute most current and sophisticated self-driving technology, this should include most of the latest safety technology.
It is surprising that many high-end vehicles still don’t offer things like blind-spot monitoring as standard equipment. That is not surprising on a $19,000 Kia Rio. As good of a small, inexpensive car that it is, nobody expects it to have every single available safety feature on the market.
You might not think that given some reviews. As much as I love Consumer Reports and the fact that their information is based on real-life owners with real-life experience, their “We wish all these safety features were standard on all cars” bit just isn’t realistic if vehicle prices are to be kept low.
People are keeping their vehicles longer than ever, because vehicle prices have risen so much in the past several years. Putting the best technology in the lowest priced ones is just going to make that trend worse.
I’m not saying vehicles aren’t safe, but I am saying that some vehicles are a lot safer than their reviewers give them credit for, even if they don’t have pedestrian detection, a 360 surround-view parking camera, or lane departure mitigation.
Top of the line or nothing:
When automakers send reviewers their vehicles, they are often fully-loaded or near fully-loaded so that the reviewers can bask in the glory of their top-of-the-line models. This is not always the case, but many times it is.
Really good reviewers will publish exactly what model and trim they drove to give full disclosure about their experience.
The time for you to beware is when reviewers talk about the Toyota Camry, which has a V6 engine, a sub-5 second 0-60 time, and 300 horsepower. Pictures of the vehicle in question are usually displayed as well. If it looks like it came straight from a NASCAR circuit, they are only showing you the top of the line model.
Indeed, the Toyota Camry XSE V6 does all of these things. It even comes with quad exhaust tips, large sport wheels, a black roof, and a rear diffuser, but this is not the Camry that most people will get or even be interested in getting.
If it sounds a little too good to be true, do a little digging. Even a middle-of-the-pack Camry SE comes with a rather mundane 2.5 liter four-cylinder engine making a hair over 200 horsepower. This is exactly what most Camry buyers are going to be looking for, and the one that will be most readily available on dealer lots.
Convenience vs. necessity:
Ah yes… We’ve been so spoiled with automotive technology – well… technology in general – over the past decade. It can be difficult to distinguish the things that we really need and the things we “need.”
For example: We need four wheels, a driver’s seat with a few more added if a family is involved, an engine to power the vehicle, a steering wheel, and whatever other things the government deems necessary to allow this vehicle to be driven on the road.
We don’t need adaptive cruise control that works to 1 mile per hour, Napa leather seating, or a rear-seat entertainment center.
As much as those things are nice and available, it is also important to know your limitations. Be aware that even though reviewers make the observation that a certain feature is becoming more and more standard on most vehicles, this doesn’t make it a necessity and doesn’t mean that it actually should be a necessity.
Whatever vehicle you need for yourself is the vehicle you should search for. If you want a few more things, be prepared to pay for them and know how much you are willing to spend.
The point of this article is not to paint vehicle information in a bad light. Somebody has to review and come to a conclusion about the vehicles we drive for your benefit. That often includes opinions and advice, and it may mean that you will have to look through a few things before you come to the best conclusion possible for yourself.
Always be aware that there will be a smidgen of biased information in every piece of information you read, and be prepared to recognize it.
Vehicle reviewers are wonderful people who do their best to provide you with accurate information, but they also feel the same kinds of things as you do and think the same kinds of thoughts you do. They may not be there to sell you a vehicle, but they can definitely point you in the right direction.
