For the last half century this magazine has had the reputation of being the most “corporate” American auto buff magazine. As a case in point, Motor Trend’s greatest source of visibility — its Car of the Year awards — have been quite rightly ridiculed, e.g., Derek Kreindler described them as irrelevant (2011).
For 2018 Motor Trend chose the Alfa Romeo Guilia as its Car of the Year. This is the same car that Consumer Reports rated dead last out of 15 luxury compact cars. “We found it to be quick and fuel efficient. But ultimately, compared to some of its near-perfect peers, the Giulia falls short on interior quality, quietness, and ergonomics, among other things,” stated the Consumer Reports website. “These and other setbacks all play out as major annoyances during daily driving” (2018).
An auto enthusiast could argue that Consumer Reports treats cars as appliances. II don’t think this is as true as it was a few decades ago. However, even if it was, at least Consumer Reports operates with a certain level of objective detachment in its auto testing, e.g., is published by a nonprofit organization that sells no advertising, buys its cars off the lots anonymously and does not allow its ratings to be used in automaker advertising.
Motor Trend does its business in the opposite manner — which discredits the meaningfulness of its awards. Presumably they keep doing them because they sell magazines — or, perhaps more importantly, advertising.
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RE:SOURCES
- Consumer Reports; 2018. “Alfa Romeo Guilia Road Test.” (Subscription required.) Accessed June 11.
- Kreindler, Derek; 2011. “Motor Trend’s Car Of The Year: As Relevant As You’d Expect.” The Truth About Cars. Posted Nov. 16; accessed May 5, 2013.
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