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Originally Posted by pl001
The last CR review I read was some years ago when they tested small SUVs. Their recommended pick was the least utilitarian of the bunch. Cargo space, towing, off road ability did not factor in at all. Inexcusable in a utility vehicle review.
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Except none of those factor in normal use. There might be exceptions, but most people only need enough cargo space for groceries, don't tow things (*maybe* a light camper trailer, but they could do that in their Honda Civic), and certainly don't go off road (unless by "off road" you mean "well-maintained dirt road" - which, again, even a Honda Civic can do mostly problem-free).
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I also read a snowblower report where they used sawdust instead of snow. Complete waste of time.
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Not really. Gives them a good idea of the clearing power and lets them do the report on new models in time for late autumn (ie, a November or December issue), when most people would be looking to buy. Except for emergency replacements, people don't buy snowblowers in February or March (the earliest they could get it out for the magazine if they waited for any amount of snow on the ground where ever they happen to be based).
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You are certainly right in that their reports are not for techies, hobbyists, or enthusiasts. Trouble with that is that techies, hobbyists, and enthusiasts are the best equipped to know what is to be expected of the product.
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...and are the ones who have absolutely no need for Consumer Reports and who are not the target audience.