Characteristics Jetta vs Prius people

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by bwilson4web, May 10, 2013.

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  1. jgilliam1955

    jgilliam1955 Sometime your just gotta cry! 2013 Prius 4.

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    Thanks for the honest comment. Your point shows everyone is different & we should respect that. I think the Hybrids & TDI's are for two different type of drivers.
     
    #61 jgilliam1955, May 19, 2013
  2. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    The right tool for the right job certainly applies. For example, Consumer Report (CR) gives a high ranking to driver comfort, low cabin noise, and 0-60 times yet nothing for fuel economy or utility. Because of this, they gave the 'Prius c' a very low score . . . and have taken a lot of heat for it. But it also led to a reverse-engineering analysis of the CR scoring system.
    If I made my living writing car reviews, I too might be tempted to use a reviewer friendly scoring system:
    1. fast acceleration - the test drive is over sooner, less boring, and back to my comfortable office
    2. driver comfort - the test driver's comfort
    3. noise - the test driver's noise tolerance while maximum acceleration
    4. handling - making the drive more 'fun'
    5. stability - make the drive more 'fun'
    6. fuel economy does not count - the test driver does not pay for the gasoline used
    7. interior space/seats does not count - the test driver is the only one in the car during test
    Now if the CR test were more family oriented instead of just single driver oriented, I suspect a lot of scoring problems would be fixed. But I don't see that happening soon which explains their distribution of score vs MPG:
    [​IMG]
    Notice how high mileage has no detectable effect on the CR score.

    Although I understand how CR calculates their car score, it doesn't mean I have to continue to pay for reviews that do not meet my requirements. Edmunds has more fact based and family friendly reviews.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #62 bwilson4web, May 20, 2013
  3. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    I like the data and transparency of CR more than enough to subscribe. So while I do not share the preferences and priorities of CR car reviewers, I don't find that to be a problem. I read them for data, not opinion.

    IMO CR weights cabin noise over fuel economy because that is what their mainstream reader wants.
     
    #63 SageBrush, May 20, 2013
  4. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    If they didn't have 'the score,' I would be OK with just the data. But the score is not well documented and it took some work to get a rough handle on how they are doing it.

    Now if they announced 'online' users could define their weighting for the metrics so we could have individual scores for vehicle, I would be pretty happy. Those who like creature comforts and 'high-G' maneuvers could get their 'pony car' rating and others could choose what 'cranks their tractor.'

    Like when I was in the Marine Corps, one size does NOT fit all.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #64 bwilson4web, May 20, 2013
  5. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    I agree that publishing the weighting would be in line with CR's general mode of transparency. OTOH I find relatively few Americans grasp what weighting means, which puts the idea at odds with CR's other desire to be read and understood by it's readership.

    Certainly a qualitative mechanism that allowed consumers to weight different priorities might be a really useful tool for the readership and also avoid what appears to be bias against non-mainstream preferences.

    Btw, my gut feeling is that CR is just as insensitive to cost as it is to fuel economy.
     
    #65 SageBrush, May 20, 2013
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  6. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    LOL!
    Another difference of Prius people . . . we don't spend much time having to educate each other about what we consider normal conversation . . . but we expect to have to do that with everyone else. <GRINS>

    Bob Wilson
     
    #66 bwilson4web, May 20, 2013
  7. kgall

    kgall Active Member

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    So far as I can tell, for the past 50 years, CR ratings have been proudly almost 100% insensitive to price. The idea, so far as I can tell, has been that they list the prices. They do the ratings. You, the consumer decide whether the additional cost for a higher priced item is worth it to you.
    The only places I know that they are price sensitive is in their Best Buys (highly rated items at low prices) and in their choice of items to review--sometimes they will review, e.g., speakers in a certain price range.
     
    #67 kgall, May 20, 2013
  8. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    I suppose I have summarized it a bit differently as "if you have the money, convenience and comfort will matter more to you than fuel economy." For the mainstream readership of CR I imagine this is correct.
     
    #68 SageBrush, May 22, 2013
  9. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    In the case of cars, Consumer Reports gives a score totally divorced from "Best Buys" it is not unusual to see their recommended vehicle has a lower 'score' than others in the same class.

    Christopher Hogan turned me on to a very simple yet effective metric:
    • volume * MPG -> (ft{3} mile) / gallon
    It turns out this simple metric has good correlation to the sales volumes we see in the monthly Dashboard report.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #69 bwilson4web, May 22, 2013
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