CONSUMER REPORTS GETS IT WRONG—AGAIN
As I often say on the air, if Consumer Reports says something about a car, it’s probably wrong. Hence my conclusion that this still holds true.
Consumer Reports rated the new Civic “too low to be recommended.” While I have not done a full review on the new Civic, I did drive it extensively. I thought Honda took a great car and made it better, which was a feat in itself.
The Civic dropped 17 points, from a very-good score of 78 to a mediocre 61, in the latest Consumer Reports road test of small cars.
What better way to grab attention and sell magazines than to slam the #2 selling car in America that is beloved by millions?
Previous Civic models have often been Consumer Reports’ highest rated small sedans, as well as Top Picks in five of the past 10 years, but the redesigned model was slammed for the cheapness of its interior, poor ride quality, long stopping distances and loud interior noise.
In a statement, Honda disagreed with the magazine’s findings.
“In virtually every way, the completely redesigned 2012 Civic is a step forward. The new Civic excels in areas that matter to small-car customers, including fuel efficiency, safety, and reliability,” the company said in a statement.
Honda also noted the magazine’s high marks for the redesigned Civic’s safety, as well as its long history of reliability, which was not measured in the test.
The 2012 Civic is now rated second-worst in the compact segment, behind only the VW Jetta, which also plummeted in the magazine’s ratings after it was redesigned for 2011. The second-worst in the compact segment? BUNK!
However, the Jetta has been a sales success, with buyers willing to forgive the cheapness of the fitments for a car that dropped $4,000 in price.
Consumer Reports also called the Civic’s steering “devoid of feedback.” I guess they want it to drive like a Porsche 911. In fact, one of the noticeable things about the new Civic was how well it steered and tight it turned.
I have a proposal for Consumer Reports: If you’ll stop reviewing cars, I won’t review toasters. That way, we both stick to things we know something about.