Consumer Reports compares luxury sedans

[ifcar]

1. M35X (now CR's currently top-rated sedan)
2. A6
3. STS
4. RL
5. GS300


M35:
Acceleration: 5/5 (0-60: 7.0)
Transmission: 5/5
Routine Handling: 5/5
Emergency Handling: 5/5
Braking: 5/5 (60-0: 128 feet)
Ride: 4/5
Noise: 4/5
Driving Position: 4/5
Access: 4/5
Controls and Displays: 4/5
Fit and Finish: 5/5
Trunk: 3/5
Front seat: 5/5
Rear seat: 4/5
Fuel Economy: 2/5 (18 mpg)

A6:
Acceleration: 4/5 (0-60: 7.7)
Transmission: 5/5
Routine Handling: 4/5
Emergency Handling: 4/5
Braking: 4/5 (60-0: 129 feet)
Ride: 4/5
Noise: 5/5
Driving Position: 4/5
Access: 4/5
Controls and Displays: 2/5
Fit and Finish: 5/5
Trunk: 3/5
Front seat: 5/5
Rear seat: 4/5
Fuel Economy: 3/5 (21 mpg)

STS:
Acceleration: 5/5 (0-60: 7.1)
Transmission: 5/5
Routine Handling: 5/5
Emergency Handling: 4/5
Braking: 5/5 (60-0: 131 feet)
Ride: 4/5
Noise: 4/5
Driving Position: 4/5
Access: 4/5
Controls and Displays: 4/5
Fit and Finish: 4/5
Trunk: 2/5
Front seat: 5/5
Rear seat: 3/5
Fuel Economy: 2/5 (18 mpg)

RL:
Acceleration: 5/5 (0-60: 6.9)
Transmission: 4/5
Routine Handling: 4/5
Emergency Handling: 4/5
Braking: 4/5 (60-0: 131 feet)
Ride: 4/5
Noise: 4/5
Driving Position: 4/5
Access: 4/5
Controls and Displays: 3/5
Fit and Finish: 5/5
Trunk: 2/5
Front seat: 5/5
Rear seat: 4/5
Fuel Economy: 2/5 (18 mpg)

GS300 AWD:
Acceleration: 4/5 (0-60: 7.4)
Transmission: 5/5
Routine Handling: 4/5
Emergency Handling: 3/5
Braking: 4/5 (60-0: 133 feet)
Ride: 4/5
Noise: 5/5
Driving Position: 3/5
Access: 4/5
Controls and Displays: 4/5
Fit and Finish: 5/5
Trunk: 3/5
Front seat: 4/5
Rear seat: 3/5
Fuel Economy: 2/5 (20 mpg)


CR is clearly biased towards Nissan, VW, and GM.  <_<  

[BMWDave]

What about the 5er?  Why wasnt it included?

[Raza]

Were these all AWD cars?  It doesn't make sense to compare the A6, M35x, RL, and GS300 AWD with a RWD STS.

[ifcar]

What about the 5er?  Why wasnt it included?

CR didn't include the 530i or E-Class because they had just tested them last year. Re-testing them would cost them an additional $100,000 or more.

Here are the rankings of the other comparable luxury sedans that they have tested:

1. M35X
2. E320
3. 530i
4. A6
5. STS
6. RL
7. X-Type
8. GS300
9. S80 T6

Raza, the STS can only be had in AWD with the V8. It makes more sense to compare comparable engines and prices than comparable drivetrains IMO.  

[Run Away]

What the hell, 3/5 have a 5 star rating for acceleration, the other two have 4 star?
5 competitors, rank them in order.
Fastest gets 5 stars
Second fastest gets 4
etc

This isn't kindergarten, where "everyone is a winner! Yay!".  <_<  

[TBR]

I completely agree with those rankings, something I never thought I would say regarding Consumer Reports.

[ifcar]

What the hell, 3/5 have a 5 star rating for acceleration, the other two have 4 star?
5 competitors, rank them in order.
Fastest gets 5 stars
Second fastest gets 4
etc

This isn't kindergarten, where "everyone is a winner! Yay!".  <_<

CR always uses the same rating system for all vehicles in everything but cargo space (in which wagon-style vehicles are held to a higher standard). Always have.  

[Raza]

What about the 5er?  Why wasnt it included?

CR didn't include the 530i or E-Class because they had just tested them last year. Re-testing them would cost them an additional $100,000 or more.

Here are the rankings of the other comparable luxury sedans that they have tested:

1. M35X
2. E320
3. 530i
4. A6
5. STS
6. RL
7. X-Type
8. GS300
9. S80 T6

Raza, the STS can only be had in AWD with the V8. It makes more sense to compare comparable engines and prices than comparable drivetrains IMO.

They should have left out the STS completely.  You've got four AWD entrants and one RWD?  Deciding which one doesn't belong should be an elementary exercise.  

[Raza]

What the hell, 3/5 have a 5 star rating for acceleration, the other two have 4 star?
5 competitors, rank them in order.
Fastest gets 5 stars
Second fastest gets 4
etc

This isn't kindergarten, where "everyone is a winner! Yay!".  <_<

Everyone's not a winner, clearly.

[ifcar]

What about the 5er?  Why wasnt it included?

CR didn't include the 530i or E-Class because they had just tested them last year. Re-testing them would cost them an additional $100,000 or more.

Here are the rankings of the other comparable luxury sedans that they have tested:

1. M35X
2. E320
3. 530i
4. A6
5. STS
6. RL
7. X-Type
8. GS300
9. S80 T6

Raza, the STS can only be had in AWD with the V8. It makes more sense to compare comparable engines and prices than comparable drivetrains IMO.

They should have left out the STS completely.  You've got four AWD entrants and one RWD?  Deciding which one doesn't belong should be an elementary exercise.

It's not exactly a comparison test in the same vein as a C/D comparo. CR refers to these as Road Tests, so their comparison is simply a group of road tests done at the same time to keep their ratings and statements relative to a group. If they left out the STS, they wouldn't have a review available probably for another two years, maybe more.

[mazda6er]

They should have left out the STS completely.  You've got four AWD entrants and one RWD?  Deciding which one doesn't belong should be an elementary exercise.

Which other group would you test the STS with? This is the only place it fits.  <_<  

[mazda6er]

CR is clearly biased towards Nissan, VW, and GM.  <_<

They most certainly are NOT biased toward any of those brands. GM routinely gets crushed in their ratings, VW cars are not reviewed without noting at least once their horrendous reliability, and the previous gen Frontier and Xterra were rated by far the worst in their respective classes. If anything, they are biased towards the same companies as everyone else: Honda, Toyota and BMW. The low ranking of the Lexus, I would imagine, is due in large part to the electronic "nannies" everyone has been bitching about.  

[BMWDave]

CR is clearly biased towards Nissan, VW, and GM.  <_<

They most certainly are NOT biased toward any of those brands. GM routinely gets crushed in their ratings, VW cars are not reviewed without noting at least once their horrendous reliability, and the previous gen Frontier and Xterra were rated by far the worst in their respective classes. If anything, they are biased towards the same companies as everyone else: Honda, Toyota and BMW. The low ranking of the Lexus, I would imagine, is due in large part to the electronic "nannies" everyone has been bitching about.

I think Iffy was joking  (since those 3 finished in top order).

[mazda6er]

CR is clearly biased towards Nissan, VW, and GM.? <_<

They most certainly are NOT biased toward any of those brands. GM routinely gets crushed in their ratings, VW cars are not reviewed without noting at least once their horrendous reliability, and the previous gen Frontier and Xterra were rated by far the worst in their respective classes. If anything, they are biased towards the same companies as everyone else: Honda, Toyota and BMW. The low ranking of the Lexus, I would imagine, is due in large part to the electronic "nannies" everyone has been bitching about.

I think Iffy was joking  (since those 3 finished in top order).

I thought he might be joking, but I figured he would have used a different smiley if he was. Grrrrr....I hate looking at text instead actually seeing people talk.  rokon.gif    

[BMWDave]

CR is clearly biased towards Nissan, VW, and GM.? <_<

They most certainly are NOT biased toward any of those brands. GM routinely gets crushed in their ratings, VW cars are not reviewed without noting at least once their horrendous reliability, and the previous gen Frontier and Xterra were rated by far the worst in their respective classes. If anything, they are biased towards the same companies as everyone else: Honda, Toyota and BMW. The low ranking of the Lexus, I would imagine, is due in large part to the electronic "nannies" everyone has been bitching about.

I think Iffy was joking  (since those 3 finished in top order).

I thought he might be joking, but I figured he would have used a different smiley if he was. Grrrrr....I hate looking at text instead actually seeing people talk.  rokon.gif  

Yea, it can be confusing some times  

[Raza]

They should have left out the STS completely.  You've got four AWD entrants and one RWD?  Deciding which one doesn't belong should be an elementary exercise.

Which other group would you test the STS with? This is the only place it fits.  <_<

With rear drivers like the 530i, E350, GS300, and M35.  You know, the rear drive models.

[ifcar]

Then you don't think they should test the RL at all? As I said, they were simply conducting their tests of luxury sedans, and running them at the same time.

[ifcar]

CR is clearly biased towards Nissan, VW, and GM.  <_<

They most certainly are NOT biased toward any of those brands. GM routinely gets crushed in their ratings, VW cars are not reviewed without noting at least once their horrendous reliability, and the previous gen Frontier and Xterra were rated by far the worst in their respective classes. If anything, they are biased towards the same companies as everyone else: Honda, Toyota and BMW. The low ranking of the Lexus, I would imagine, is due in large part to the electronic "nannies" everyone has been bitching about.

I was kidding. I thought it was clear enough.  

And the GS lost because it had the least interior space and the most-relaxed handling in the group.

[Raza]

Then you don't think they should test the RL at all? As I said, they were simply conducting their tests of luxury sedans, and running them at the same time.

The RL was AWD, just like 3 other cars in this test.  The STS was the only rear driver.  It wasn't relevant in a review that has such a seemingly narrow focus.

[ifcar]

Right, going by your standards they had to choose not to review the STS (doing the other 4 with AWD) or choose not to review the RL and A6 and review the other 3 as RWD. Even C/D didn't do that.

[Raza]

I see, that considering this is CR, they don't get very technical, but if you've a review that has several RWD cars and a few AWD cars, then the focus is broad enough to encompass both sets of vehicles.  But you don't compare 5 SUVs and a Ferrari.

[mazda6er]

CR is clearly biased towards Nissan, VW, and GM.? <_<

They most certainly are NOT biased toward any of those brands. GM routinely gets crushed in their ratings, VW cars are not reviewed without noting at least once their horrendous reliability, and the previous gen Frontier and Xterra were rated by far the worst in their respective classes. If anything, they are biased towards the same companies as everyone else: Honda, Toyota and BMW. The low ranking of the Lexus, I would imagine, is due in large part to the electronic "nannies" everyone has been bitching about.

I was kidding. I thought it was clear enough.  

And the GS lost because it had the least interior space and the most-relaxed handling in the group.

Not your fault, I always have trouble telling who's serious and who isn't on the internet.  :)  

[ifcar]

I see, that considering this is CR, they don't get very technical, but if you've a review that has several RWD cars and a few AWD cars, then the focus is broad enough to encompass both sets of vehicles.  But you don't compare 5 SUVs and a Ferrari.

The difference isn't that great between RWD and AWD.  <_<  

[JYODER240]

I see, that considering this is CR, they don't get very technical, but if you've a review that has several RWD cars and a few AWD cars, then the focus is broad enough to encompass both sets of vehicles.  But you don't compare 5 SUVs and a Ferrari.

The difference isn't that great between RWD and AWD.  <_<

Depending on the torque split, some are very FWD biased, others more RWD.  

[Raza]

I see, that considering this is CR, they don't get very technical, but if you've a review that has several RWD cars and a few AWD cars, then the focus is broad enough to encompass both sets of vehicles.  But you don't compare 5 SUVs and a Ferrari.

The difference isn't that great between RWD and AWD.  <_<

Well, all analogies break down somewhere.  But still, you get my point.  I realize now that it was done on scale to the other comparisons it had already done, but had this been a stand alone comparison, it would have been foolish.