Consumer Reports: No to Chevy SUV, Ford crossovers, MyFord Touch
C. E. White
Kuzak defends Ford's new technology
Jamie LaReau
Automotive News -- January 4, 2011 - 6:00 am ET
Consumer Reports magazine said today it will not recommend the Chevrolet
Tahoe SUV and Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossovers because of low scores in
the magazine's tests, and panned Ford Motor Co.'s MyFord Touch and MyLincoln
Touch technology.
The magazine also said it will not recommend the Infiniti QX56, a V-8
version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Porsche Cayenne. Those SUVs
performed well in testing, but were too new for Consumer Reports to have
adequate reliability data to recommend, it said.
The Tahoe, Edge and MKX scored too low in testing to be recommended, the
magazine, published by Consumers Union, said in a press release.
"All three of these vehicles have a number of strengths, but each had some
notable weaknesses that forced their testing scores to fall below our
standard for a recommended SUV," said David Champion, senior director of
Consumer Reports' Auto Test Center in East Haddam, Conn.
Ford says more than 80 percent of Edge buyers are opting for MyFord Touch on
their vehicles. MyLincoln Touch is standard on the MKX.
The MKX and the Edge are the fastest selling products in their respective
showrooms, Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president of global product
development, said today.
Kuzak disagreed with Consumer Reports' review that the system is too
complicated and distracting. But he said Ford would meet with Consumer
Reports and consider tweaking the technology.
"All the controls are in people's hands and on the steering wheel, touch and
voice control. Nothing could be simpler or safer," Kuzak said.
"Having said that, we respect Consumer Reports. They're a very respected and
influential magazine and we'll work with them to understand their feedback
and work to improve it based on their feedback."
The publication said it only recommends vehicles that have "performed well
in its tests, have at least average predicted reliability based on Consumer
Reports' Annual Auto Survey of its more than seven million print and Web
subscribers, and performed at least adequately if crash-tested or included
in a government rollover test."
The full tests and rating for all the vehicles will appear in the February
issue of the magazine, which goes on sale today.
The reports also are available to subscribers of www.ConsumerReports.org.
MyFord failings
The magazine also gave a thumbs down to the MyFord Touch and MyLincoln Touch
technology available on the 2011 Edge and MKX.
A driver can use those control systems to operate the sound system, climate
controls and navigation system by means of either an 8-inch video touch
screen in the center console or voice commands.
Consumer Reports cited the technology as the main drawback to the Edge and
MKX. It said the technology is "a complicated distraction while driving. In
addition, first-time users might find it impossible to comprehend. The
system did not always perform as promised."
The Chevy Tahoe, in turn, was downgraded for its "ungainly" handling and
long stopping distances. Consumers Reports said the interior fit and finish
didn't match the Tahoe LTZ's high price of $57,435 as tested.
GM spokesman Patrick Morrissey declined comment, Bloomberg reported.
"Small percentage" of software woes
In early December, Ford acknowledged that a "small percentage" of vehicles
with the control system had software problems. Some problems were the result
of consumers not knowing how to perform certain functions. But in other
cases software flaws caused the Sirius Travel Link to function incorrectly.
Sirius Travel Link is part of the system's navigation system. It offers
sports scores, movie links and other information delivered by Sirius
satellite radio.
Read more:
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110104/OEM/110109980
PeterD
<cewh...@mindspring.com> wrote:
>Consumer Reports: No to Chevy SUV, Ford crossovers, MyFord Touch
>...
Consumer Reports has never been considered a very good evaluator of
vehicles. (or anything else, whatever they rate is excellent is never
available in stores for example...)
Student Mechanic
it. Yet they failed to recognize one very important point:
Choose front wheel drive over rear drive for the reason that
FWD is self limiting under planing conditions as a result of
differential gear behavior that always equalizes torque to both
driven axles. At the point of hydroplaning, one wheel planes,
riding on a film of water, torque is greatly reduced
(practically to zero lbs-ft) and the Opposite Wheel is relieved
of propulsive torque and freewheels. Vehicle speed cannot
increase; in fact, it actually slows and steering is maintained
by the continued road contact by the none-hydroplaning wheel.
This phenomenum usually occurs at between 55 and 65 mph when the
road is flooded by 1/4 inch or more. Conversely, with RWD, the
car will continue to pick up speed because the rear tires run in
the cleared tracts of the front tires. When both fronts
hydroplane, directional control is lost and a crash is imminent.
Beware of pickups, RWD passenger cars and SUVs for use as family
passenger vehicles.
I learned all this in Auto Shop II from a really smart teacher
who dropped out of engineering school to "turn them bolts and
nuts."
Student Mechanic, age 17
Nate Nagel
OK, so that is one advantage to FWD... but there are plenty of valid
reasons why a driver would prefer RWD... personally I learned to drive
on RWD vehicles and to this day find them easier to control in low
traction situations, despite "common knowledge" being that FWD is easier
to drive...
nate
--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
Irwell
When push comes to shove pulling is better.
hls
"Irwell" <ho...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:17a1pgwyeywml.1x09szt6hpzaf$.dlg@40tude.net...
My first FWD was a VW Passat.. The first time I hit a really wet patch
of road, it scared the life out of me. I didnt lose it, but I really began
to
question whether FWD was as good as everyone had been saying.
Michael Dobony
Slippery conditions and FWD can be deadly! Ever hear of compression
braking? Picture driving your bike and only using the front brakes. Crash
is imminent! Some idiot pulls out in front of you in said slippery
conditions. Compression braking on the front drive wheels puts you into a
spin. How do you get out of it? hit the gas and plow into the idiot who
pulled out in front of you. Going down hill on a gentle grade in slippery
conditions and let up on the gas pedal and you also go into a spin. My
s-i-l was about 2 inches away from flipping into a very deep ditch (20-30'
deep)because of said compression braking. RWD would not have done that.
With RWD you gain control in said conditions, not loose control. Also
consider that braking in hydroplaning conditions is a no-no, but that is
exactly what happens with FWD compression braking.
Irwell
If you drive a real car, ie manual gear shift, then you
have clutch!!!
Stewart
"Nate Nagel" <njn...@roosters.net> wrote in message
news:ig5sc...@news5.newsguy.com...
I learned on RWD, but have had quite a few FWD and currently have both
(though the RWD also has 4WD). I prefer the FWD to standard RWD,
especially in snow (ok, 4WD is most preferred, but that's the wife's
car).
Controlling either in any given situation is learned through
experience.
forbes...@gmail.com
Fwd will work way better in snow then a RWD. FWD pulls you through snow
while RWD pushs you into. it. The biggest problem with RWD is generally the
rear of a vehicle isd lighter thus less traction.
Ed Pawlowski
<forbes...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9E697E1B1D42...@69.16.185.247...
Don't bet on it. In some situations RWD will work better and I've seen a
video of a big Ford LTD go up a snow covered hill right past a FWD Taurus
that was slipping. Put a couple of concrete blocks in the trunk and the
differences get more in favor of the RWD.
I was told by a GM exec the main reason they went to FWD car is they can be
built for $50 less.
Ashton Crusher
I used to drive in snow all the time and always in large RWD cars with
V8. Never had a problem but I passed many people who did have
problems. The main thing you need to drive in snow is the skill to do
so, which certainly can be learned, as well as familiarity with what
you are driving. In some situations RWD is better and in some FWD is
better and in most all, 4x4 is better but it will still be controlled
a lot by the driver skill. Many drivers give up their FWD advantage
by driving stupider and/or faster.
Fred
My old mustang had great traction with 2 cement bags over the rear axle
in the winter.
Irwell
Doesn't the engine weight on a FWD count?
forbes...@gmail.com
>
>
> I used to drive in snow all the time and always in large RWD cars with
> V8. Never had a problem but I passed many people who did have
> problems. The main thing you need to drive in snow is the skill to do
> so, which certainly can be learned, as well as familiarity with what
> you are driving. In some situations RWD is better and in some FWD is
> better and in most all, 4x4 is better but it will still be controlled
> a lot by the driver skill. Many drivers give up their FWD advantage
> by driving stupider and/or faster.
>
Yes you are right there it does not matter what you drive if the person
driving does not know how to drive it would not matter what they drove.
I have always said FWD has its moments, but when you see people driving
in four wheel drive at the posted speed in smow you just have to shake
your head. You use FWD to get you out of problems not put you in them.
Vic Smith
Sure, There's just no comparison. FWD has better traction in snow.
Think about engine/transaxle weight on the tires.
If you want to get a RWD close to it, put weight in the trunk.
I carried at least 200 pounds of bagged sand in the trunks of my RWD
cars during the winter. Worked good.
Another thing I learned is usually the easiest way to help somebody
get unstuck from the snow when their wheels are spinning is not to
push, but to stand on the bumper.
Two guys on the bumper is worth 4 pushing, their feet sliding and
their backs in danger.
Too bad bumpers are gone now (-:
Biggest part is the driver. There's methods for getting going in deep
snow, and most drivers don't have the "feel" for it.
Worst traction I ever had was with my F-100 pickup.
Needed 500 pounds in the bed and I never did set it up to keep the
sand bags secured well over the axle.
Luckily, I usually had a second vehicle to drive in the snow.
Worst thing is when snow is so high it's on the under-carraige.
Might as well stop right there.
Only ran into snow that deep once, and happened to be driving the
F-100 with 500 pounds in the bed.
Didn't help much since cars were stuck all over the streets and
traffic ground had to a halt as the snow piled up.
That's why having a fancy-dancy 4WD doesn't help in snowstorms
in many cases. Streets are clogged with stopped cars.
I had stupidly gone out in that stuff to get a Racing Form, and had
plowed the F-100 into a snowbank filled parking place near my
destination, slogging through the snow for the final block.
Of course the Racing Form hadn't been delivered to the newstand.
That driver was stuck with everybody else.
There was a great rib place next to the newstand and I went in there.
The ribs smelled real good!
But I had enough money for a slab of ribs or 6 beers.
I picked the beer, and nursed them for 5-6 hours until the streets
cleared. Took that long.
About 1 AM now.
I had called my wife and work - was working the midnight shift then.
Slogged back to the truck and rocked it out of the snow bank.
Saw the same guy at the bus stop who was there when I came.
Waved him over and took him home, out of my way, but on the wider
streets I preferred to use in this mess.
Drove around hundreds of abandoned cars, even on the Kennedy X-way.
This was the north side of Chicago.
Some were stuck in the snow, others probably ran out of gas.
This was it
http://blog.chicagoweathercenter.com/2010/02/teh-crippling-april-2-1975-chi.html
You really want to stay home when it snows like that.
And if you're at work and know it's coming, get home before it hits.
Plenty of stories about that too. Here's mine.
Valentine's Day, 1990.
I was working 6AM-3PM and left work early because it was coming down
hard. Left at 2:30.
Half-hour commute took me an hour, but I really dodged the bullet.
45 minutes after I left management told everybody to go home.
Took most 8-10 hours to get home.
Which gets me off my Chicago snow stories and back to RWD traction.
The Buffalo, NY guys have better snow stories anyway.
I was driving a RWD '78 Chevy Beauville van then.
Best traction of all the RWD's I've had.
Don't know if was on a 1500# or 2000# chassis, but it had good
traction. Passenger van with heavy bench seats.
Don't remember ever putting sand bags in it.
--Vic
Stewart
"Ed Pawlowski" <e...@snetnospam.net> wrote in message
news:trednSE5KI41UrbQ...@giganews.com...
My first front wheel drive vehicle, a 1976 Subaru, would go through
snow I wouldn't even attempt with one of my old RWD vehicles of that
day. Had a lot of fun with that one ;-)
Stewart
"Fred" <fre...@optimum.net> wrote in message
news:4D2C3520...@optimum.net...
I used to use 3-4 50lb bags of rigid PVC pellets from work....