About Long-Term Tests

Most road tests of new cars or trucks are generated after the author spent barely a week in the selected vehicle. While this generally provides enough time to get a good idea of the vehicle's highlights and weak spots, it's not quite the same as living with it on a day-to-day basis. In the auto journalist's life, most test cars are guests, not roommates.

The result? Vehicle attributes that are initially deemed innovative and pleasing may become increasingly irritating after months of use. Characteristics that get under the writer's skin at first may actually be inconsequential once the miles start piling up. There's nothing like living with a vehicle every day for months or years on end to really determine what it's all about. Additionally, driving a car or truck on a more permanent basis provides insight regarding build quality, reliability, costs of ownership and maintenance and the dealership experience.

With that in mind, we launched a long-term test program to more thoroughly evaluate selected models. During each year, we acquire between eight and 12 new vehicles specifically for the purpose of an extended test-drive. We focus primarily on redesigned or all-new vehicles, though an occasional certified used vehicle will join the fleet to test that manufacturer's certified program.

We attempt to choose a mix of domestic and import models that reflect the marketplace and consumer interest on our site. Most vehicles are tested for one year — enough time to rack up approximately 15,000 to 20,000 miles. During that time, the vehicles are rotated among the staff members on a monthly basis, with each driver recording their own personal observations, pet peeves, gas mileage, dealer experiences, etc. In our initial program, updates were posted on a monthly basis, but we have now gone to quarterly reports on each vehicle. Although the total number of updates is significantly reduced, the quarterly updates are more in-depth, with commentary drawn from multiple drivers as well as selected quotes from actual site users who drive the same vehicle.

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