Consumer_Reports_-_April_2020

Buying a car is a major financial decision for most people,

but it’s also one that should be a pleasure. To help you focus on

the fun of choosing a vehicle you’ll love, we at Consumer Reports

buy and scrutinize 50 to 60 models a year to steer you to top-

performing SUVs, sedans, trucks, and minivans. That means

reliable, fuel-efficient, comfortable, and—most important—safe.

Marketing claims abound, but CR is uniquely qualified to advise

you because we never accept advertising, and we anonymously

buy every vehicle we test, to the tune of $2 million each year. CR

engineers and other experts working at our 327-acre Auto Test

Center in Colchester, Conn., drive the vehicles about 900,000 miles

each year. And we scrutinize data from our

member surveys to give you reliability and

owner satisfaction ratings for vehicles new

and used.

We’ve also made changes to address

the fact that the world is in the midst of

an automotive safety revolution, as cars

with increasingly complex systems work

hard to help you avoid crashes. These

features are collectively known as advanced driver assistance

systems (ADAS) and can automatically brake to avoid hitting

another car or a pedestrian, warn you if you’re drifting out of

your lane, or help you see into blind spots. We evaluate ADAS

features in tested models to see how easy they are to use.

We also survey our members about their experiences

with safety systems. They told us that blind spot warning

(BSW) is making a real difference, helping them to avoid

crashes. So we took action and now give extra credit

to tested models that have BSW standard across all trims.

We do the same for tested models with standard automatic

emergency braking (AEB), forward collision warning (FCW), and

pedestrian detection.

This year we also added pedestrian detection as a requirement

for vehicles to make our list of Top Picks, given the steady climb

in pedestrian fatalities since 2009. This is likely due to increased

driver distraction as well as more SUVs on the road, which pose a

greater danger to people walking or riding bicycles. Also adding to

the problem may be pedestrians distracted by smartphones.

We’re here for you, and hope that our preoccupation with

safety and quality gives you the confidence to choose a vehicle

you and your family will enjoy for years to come.

—The Editors

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ILLUSTRATIONS

BY GIACOMO BAGNARA

APRIL 2020 CR.ORG 7