The methodology behind U.S. News ‘Best Car’ awards
One of my favorite auto commercials in recent months is the Kia Sorento spot about champions.
In it, a father is upset at the trophy his son is carrying home after a football season.
He sees it reads, “Participant.’’
“But you won every game,’’ he says to his son, then rips off the label and writes in “Champ.’’
It reminded me of the conversations I used to have with longtime Globe High School editor Larry Ames about “champions.’’
Ames knew how to identify winners. He expanded the Globe’s All-Scholastic program and scholar-athlete awards. If you have one of those awards on the mantle at home, it should mean a lot.
However, our conversations would revolve around the Mass. Interscholastic Athletic Association adding championships and Super Bowls to the point where it the achievement is watered down.
“Pretty soon everyone will be a champion,’’ I would rail.
“But the MIAA is making a lot more money this way,’’ was his response.
In the end, it blurs the distinction between participant, successful campaign, and winner.
So it is when the world of automotive journalism hands out awards.
Naming a lot of winners or “best ofs’’ is a good way to dispense lots of trophies, goodwill, and titles that can be used in advertising.
What does it mean to the consumer?
If you agree with the award, it reinforces your shopping tendencies; if it doesn’t, you might add the winner to your shopping consideration list.
My colleagues at the New England Motor Press Assn. are going through this now—voting on the cars and SUVs they’ve driven over the winter to select our overall Winter Vehicle of the Year and winners in myriad different classes.
Being a class winner is a nice honor, but being The Official Winter Vehicle of New England actually is a big deal.
U.S. News & World Report has an active automotive section under the supervision of managing editor Jamie Page Deaton, a New Englander and familiar voice to listeners of MPBN, where she joins AAA car doctor John Paul regularly on “Maine Calling’’ with host Jennifer Rooks.
Deaton’s team annually publishes a series of Best Cars awards, including Best Vehicle Brands, Best Cars for the Money, and Best Cars for Families. The awards draw 45 million unique visitors to usnews.com each year.
The magazine recently evaluated 256 models to select 21 Best Cars for Families. That’s on the heels of its February list of 21 Best Cars for the Money. The 21 is an increase of two categories: subcompact SUV and luxury subcompact SUV.
“What sets the US News awards apart is that they’re not based on our own tests and opinions. Instead, we collect and analyze every published, credible review of a given model and use that analysis to give the vehicle numerical scores, which are then combined with safety and reliability data,’’ says Deaton.
“For best cars for families, we add in the availability of family-friendly features, and for best cars for the money, we add in pricing and total ownership cost data. The awards are a great tool for consumers who don’t want to have to wade through dozens of contradictory new car reviews filled with automotive jargon they don’t understand and skid pad tests they don’t need. We do the research and analysis so car buyers don’t have to.’’
In was interesting to see what vehicles might have been chosen in both categories.
A half-dozen vehicles are two-time winners (all 2016 vehicles and three of them by Honda): the Nissan Murano (2-row SUV), Honda Pilot (3-row SUV), Honda HR-V (compact SUV), Chevrolet Impala (large sedan), Honda Odyssey (minivan), and BMW X1 (luxury subcompact SUV).
Full lists of the winners can be found at usnews.com/cars. Scroll down a bit and “Best Car’’ winners can be found in the middle of the page just under New Car rankings.
Of course, the real winner is the one you bring home for your garage or driveway.
Story continues after gallery
Check out U.S. News’ Best Cars for the Money award winners
[bdc-gallery id=”1424128″]
Etc.
In a time when SUVs are taking over our highways (see the growth in the subcompact SUV segment), it’s nice to see that Honda is introducing a Civic hatchback prototype to North America at this week’s New York Auto Show. Question is: Will they actually build it? … Hyundai’s “Hope of Wheels’’ charitable arm has been raising money to fight pediatric cancer for 18 years. You may have seen one of the vehicles with children’s handprints on it in a showroom. This year, Boston’s Dana-Farber was named one of four $1 million grant winners ($250,000 for four years) along with the University of Florida, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center in Seattle … Chevy is planning to offer eAssist, GM’s mild hybrid system, on a limited number of Silverado pickups. The system adds about 100 pounds and provides up to 13 horsepower, 44 lb.-ft. of torque, and perhaps a 13 percent increase in city mileage. Chevy says it should return 18 mpg in city driving, 24 on the highway, and 20 mpg combined.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com