You Can't Blind Test Cars

[Chaz_23]

Were would you put reviewers like The 'Truth' about Cars and those Borat-wannabees at Jalopnik who are more interesting in parading their fascinating (so they think) personalities instead of talking about the cars.

[carscomblogger]

Interesting article. Where do you see Cars.com and Edmunds?

At Cars we're trying to add a bit more of the entertaining factor and stripping tech speak in our reviews but not for the afficianados. It's really for car shoppers who get glassy eyed during their research.

Also on bias:
Having reviewed hundreds of cars it is not bias when you get into a new Pontiac expecting to compare it to the last Pontiac you were in OR the competition you last drove. That isn't bias, that is an informed reviewer. I'm using Pontiac as an example but if Pontiac is trying to sell the G5 today why wouldn't I compare it to a tC or a Civic Coupe?

Cars.com also has a strict editorial policy and I think a lot of what bothers informed car enthusiasts is the idea that some publciations take freebies, trips etc. from automakers and that may cloud the editorial side. I think that's why CR is so highly regarded by the everyday consumer.

At Cars we don't even take free gas in our press cars and pay our own way on any media trip. Same was true when I was at Autoblog. Not so much at MPH

I'm not stating this as a promotion but wanted to weigh in on the conversation as I find the perception of the reader really interesting when it comes to the site I work on.

[Ghrankenstein]

I mentioned certain publications as examples, not to "call them out." Others that I didn't mention fall at various points on the continuum.

Having reviewed hundreds of cars it is not bias when you get into a new Pontiac expecting to compare it to the last Pontiac you were in OR the competition you last drove. That isn't bias, that is an informed reviewer. I'm using Pontiac as an example but if Pontiac is trying to sell the G5 today why wouldn't I compare it to a tC or a Civic Coupe?

Reviewers need to be informed, at least enough to respect their audience and the vehicle they're reviewing. That's all great. That earlier Pontiac, and the competitors, both give unavoidable biases when the next Pontiac is tested. Continuing that example, how many Pontiac reviews still mention body cladding?

It's not wrong to have biases, tastes, preferences, or any other subjective opinions. Unless you can brown-bag vehicles, you're going to have them. Recognizing them just makes your review all the more powerful.