It is almost 1:30 in the morning and I just read your input. I laughed so loud that my dog came into the computer room and looked at me like WTF?

Just because a statement is repeated often doesn’t make it true. For many years the Passat was CR’s top rated mid-sized sedan in part because of it’s then best in class driving dynamics.

Consider CR’s “Quick Picks” for a few categories:

“Affordable V8 muscle: Ford Mustang GT”
“High-performance cars: Porsche 911, Audi S4″
“Affordable sporty cars: Mazdaspeed3, Mazda RX-8, Honda Civic Si, Mini Cooper S”

Now look at what they say when comparing two of their top compacts: “The Civic has better fuel economy and crash-test results. The Mazda3 has more agile handling and is more fun to drive.”

Now tell me again why you think Consumer Reports only likes “boring cars”.

Actually, I’m pretty sure you mean, “precede us.”

I suspect, however–actually I know, since my wife consults for GH to this day–that their standards were and are infinitely higher than Motor Trend’s.

I read it some times, and liked it more than MT, C&D and R&T

Consumer Reports loves boring cars and gives almost no value to any pleasurable aspects of driving

Not at all true. They just don’t let it creep into objective ratings, nor are they given to flowery prose. They’re also not swayed by a big engine and a whiff of nostalgia, so there’s a certain bent in what the consider “fun”.

It’s rather European, actually.

CR has praised a number of cars that handle well and are fun to drive. They’ve been especially kind to Mazda (notable the RX-8 and Miata), as well as Ford (Focus, especially the old SVT; the Fusion), Subaru and BMW/Mini.

They’ve also called certain makes/models (Toyota, GM, Chrysler) on producing cars with big engines and rather dead handling characteristics. They were about the only reviewers to remark on the mundane, perhaps even “dead” feel of the Chrysler LX cars at a time when everyone else was crowing about rear-wheel drive.

Consumer Reports loves boring cars and gives almost no value to any pleasurable aspects of driving

MT has certainly sold out. C&D without Brock Yates (even John Phillips can’t singlehandedly save them) has succumb to Chubby Cerub’s lazy editorial style.

Even Top Gear isn’t immune from fawning over an Aston or Jag a little too much, and they don;t take any money at the Beeb

Make your decisions, think for yourself and collect info from a lot of sources, good and bad, I would certainly count this site (along with Jalop) as one of the best.

However, for a site that prides (sells) itself on its ability to cut through the hype and identify spin, it sure does dish out plenty of hype and spin for its own ends. Also, with constant pats on the back for the readers affectionately referred to as the “best and brightest”, it is ironic that some if not many of those very same readers take TTAC’s own hype and spin hook, line and sinker.

Fact is, TTAC has to rely on its alleged lack of bias and affiliation as its selling point and to suggest that another media source (Such as MT) could be an objective observer of the industry takes the wind out of TTAC’s sails.

For example: a Mazda dealer can, say, buy a copy of CR’s auto issue to show to prospective Mazda5 customers (the 5 finishes top of it’s class) but Mazda, it’s affiliates or dealers cannot quote, mention or re-use CR’s material in Mazda5 promotions.

Of course, CR has the twin advantages of being non-profit and non-advertiser supported. There’s no pressure to whore itself out in the same fashion as C&D or MT and–I’m fully expecting this oon–Edmunds’ “Most Wanted”.

I won’t even read Motor Trend while I’m taking a dump.

Motor Trend is going down in flames.