Are car magazine editors idiots?

[larkinmj]

Car magazine editors are used to seeing how fast they can go from 0 to 60, or how many g's they can do on the skidpad. I would guess driving to attain maximum mpg does not come naturally to them.

[micheal]

IMO, one doesn't have to have mpg on the brain to get decent mileage (although unlikely to get best mileage). Generally, all it takes to get 45mpg or better is reasonable driving (exceptions include when hills, climate or short trips are a factor). But in those cases our whole reference point for what is decent mileage should change.

It is a sad state of affairs when the majority of drivers (and reviewers) are driving in a manner contrary to what is taught in practically every driving and defensive driving course.

[snowdog650]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(2bits @ Apr 4 2007, 06:19 PM) [snapback]417917[/snapback]</div>

If I drove 300 miles straight on the freeway, I'm pretty sure I could get around 50mpg.
[/b]

In city driving I get around 58-62MPG. Interstate driving (i.e., 70-75MPH) gets me about 45MPG. I'm pretty sure most folks here would agree that city driving is where the mileage is at.

[qbee42]

Regardless of mileage, referring to your original question: "Are car magazine editors idiots?", I think the answer is a resounding YES. My opinion is not based on scientific study, but on informal observation. From reading magazines and newspapers, and from the few news writers that I know personally, I'm not impressed with their general intelligence. Being able to write is no guarantee that you have anything meaningful to say (I submit this posting as an example of the previous claim.)

Tom

[malorn]

[quote=ewhanley @ Apr 4 2007, 09:09 PM) [snapback]417947[/snapback]</div>

Again. Malorn, what do you want from us? GM doesn't make anything even remotely comparable to the prius. Every time I fill up (about once a month) I am glad that I decided to get rid of my suburban (fill up every other week ~$115]$2.60/gal). I'm still not sure why you even hang around here.
[/b]

I don't want anything from you. I am just here to remind some of you on occasion that Toyota is not an American company and they are assisting in the transfer of American jobs overseas.

As for the mileage, I think you will find as the Prius expands their ownerbase more "dissatisfied" owners will spring up because they will be driving their Prius like they are at a racetrack and let it idle for 15-20 minutes every morning, don't do the scheduled maintenance and so on.

[snowdog650]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Apr 5 2007, 07:32 AM) [snapback]418154[/snapback]</div>

I don't want anything from you. I am just here to remind some of you on occasion that Toyota is not an American company and they are assisting in the transfer of American jobs overseas.[/b]

You're kidding, right? You really need to buy yourself a clue, or un-brainwash yourself. How many jobs has Toyota created in the United States over the past 20 years? Honda? Mercedes-Benz?

How many American workers has GM fired over the past 20 years? How about Ford? Chrysler?

You can thank your Union for that.

[iaowings]

I red one of these magazines about a year ago. The writer was talking about how the prius has no power, only gets <35mpg, cant corner, cant pass, and basically is not fit for road use. Turn the page and they have a spread on high-end sports cars (ie Porsche, bmw, Corvette and stuff like that.) the same guy who did the prius review. Turns out he is the sports car guy. How can someone be expected to write a review on an economy car when all that person has been driving is cars with 500+hp and 500+pounds of torque that can pull 1+ lateral G’s and have 0-60mph times of under 4 seconds to write a fair and comprehensive report. This guy is used to testing the performance of a car in since of extreme speed and handling and not normal driving.

[malorn]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IAO @ Apr 5 2007, 09:49 AM) [snapback]418167[/snapback]</div>

I red one of these magazines about a year ago. The writer was talking about how the prius has no power, only gets <35mpg, cant corner, cant pass, and basically is not fit for road use. Turn the page and they have a spread on high-end sports cars (ie Porsche, bmw, Corvette and stuff like that.) the same guy who did the prius review. Turns out he is the sports car guy. How can someone be expected to write a review on an economy car when all that person has been driving is cars with 500+hp and 500+pounds of torque that can pull 1+ lateral G’s and have 0-60mph times of under 4 seconds to write a fair and comprehensive report. This guy is used to testing the performance of a car in since of extreme speed and handling and not normal driving.
[/b]

They have biases like everyone else. I should say they have biases like almost everyone else, we all know that the folks at CR have no known biases.

[Walker1]

[quote=turbonick @ Apr 4 2007, 08:26 PM) [snapback]417892[/snapback]</div>

I just bought a Prius Saturday. I can't believe how much fun it is to drive! Anyway, every article I've read in the magazines or on the net have talked about not coming close to the MPG that's advertised. I kept reading about editors not being able to get more than 40 MPG and how disappointed they were. I've driven the car for 300 miles now and have averaged 53.8 MPG. I don't know how to pulse burn or anything like that. I just drive normally, and lawfully. What's their problem? Seems like anyone can get 50 MPG. Is there some conspiracy or something?
[/b]

I don't know for sure, but I pay no mind to writers who don't know much about a Prius. My milege is about 53 MPG in city and around 50 MPG] 70 MPH on the highway. I get 2+ MPG city & -10 MPG highway-(Sticker says 51 & 60).

[Delta Flyer]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Apr 5 2007, 09:32 AM) [snapback]418154[/snapback]</div>

I don't want anything from you. I am just here to remind some of you on occasion that Toyota is not an American company and they are assisting in the transfer of American jobs overseas.[/b]

Hmmmm....what does it say about Detroit when they had a chance to respond to Japanese cars since the 1970's yet they have steadily lost market share and consumer confidence? Explain in what way that Detroit's historical contempt for better fuel economy and greater incidence of repairs is Toyota's fault.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Apr 5 2007, 09:32 AM) [snapback]418154[/snapback]</div>

As for the mileage, I think you will find as the Prius expands their ownerbase more "dissatisfied" owners will spring up because they will be driving their Prius like they are at a racetrack and let it idle for 15-20 minutes every morning, don't do the scheduled maintenance and so on.
[/b]

Yes, anyone can tear up anything and can cite instances of such.