Are auto mags taking us for a ride?

[BunnyPunia]

Harsh title?
Well, I was looking forward to the Spark's road test in both Overdrive (here in will be referred to as OD) and Autocar India (referred as ACI) magazines. Okay, they both carried the article BUT there is so much of a difference in both the tests, that i now think, are the mags in India taking us for a ride?

I will put forward some examples

When I came to reading the text, I found OD says Chevy needs to sort out the ride quality of the car and they werent too impressed with the way the car rides in city at low speeds.
ACI on the other hand says Spark takes the ride and handling to a new level in this segment. In their roadtest, they seem to be quite impressed with the way the Spark rides!

I was quite taken aback by this above thing, a complete reversal of things!
I went ahead and decided to compare the Logan tests too. Here is what i found

Figs for Logan petroll ( OD vs ACI)

0-60 : 6.30 vs 5.52 (diff of 0.78 secs)
0-100 : 15.24 vs 13.45 (diff of 1.79 secs)
Top Speed : 151.1 vs 167 (diff of 15.9 km/h!)
City Avg : 10.90 vs 9.9 (diff of 1 kmpl)
Highway Avg : 19.20 vs 13.4 ( diff of 5.8)

See the variation in figs?

I dont work for either mag, neither do i work for any other print magazine in India. I dont hate either mag : my point here is, what about thousands of those readers who refer to these magazine to buy cars?

[ported_head]

Originally Posted by BunnyPunia

I dont work for either mag, neither do i work for any other print magazine in India.

I think you said in another thread that you were an auto journo. Would you care to clarify?

[khaadu75]

Originally Posted by ported_head

I think you said in another thread that you were an auto journo. Would you care to clarify?

HE WAS ... I guess its in the past ??? But a very interesting point dude ..... Lets see what the experts have to say on this ??

A good thread after a long time ..............

Cheers

[speedzak]

Auto magazines also have to keep their advertisers happy. That's a known fact.

What's the new confusion??

[BunnyPunia]

Originally Posted by ported_head

I think you said in another thread that you were an auto journo. Would you care to clarify?

I was..with car india/bike india.

[CaliAtenza]

i trust top gear...more than anyone. But US/Euro mags are better any day of the week.

[BunnyPunia]

i wished to edit my post, but cudnt due to rules here (the 20 min rule)

Further putting more facts, figs of Palio Stile test (OD vs ACI)

0-60 : 7.6 vs 7.18
0-100 : 20.7 vs 20.45
top speed : 147.4 vs 132 (diff of 15.4!!!)
avg city : 12.02 vs 10.2 (diff of 2kmpl or 20%)
avg highway : 16.02 vs 15.04

Similar variations are also seen in the fuel economy figs of the new Getz Prime 1.1 (OD vs ACI)

avg city : 13.01 vs 9.3 (diff of almost 4kmpl!!!)
avg highway : 18.35 vs 14.6 (diff of 3.75kmpl!!)

************************************

FE is one of the most imp parameters for readers choosing a car. but in the above case of both the Getz Prime and Palio Stile, which mag shall we trust? there is a difference ranging from 20% to almost 40% in the figures

[Steeroid]

We've been 'enjoying' the 'ride' for quite some time now. Why is there a sudden prick of conscience?

[BunnyPunia]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

We've been 'enjoying' the 'ride' for quite some time now. Why is there a sudden prick of conscience?

Well, its been like a couple of weeks since i became a regular here. Didnt know you guys have been 'enjoying' the 'ride' for a while now.

Plus, as my relatives were looking at the Spark, and this time round with these two issues (as in the print issues of the mags) , i was really digging in deep so as to help my relatives judge the car. Yes i did know differences existed before as well, its just i thought of using figs and picking up the topic with facts here.

If the topic seems to be a problem, it can be deleted. No issues

[abhibh]

Originally Posted by speedzak

Auto magazines also have to keep their advertisers happy. That's a known fact.

What's the new confusion??

+ 1million. Totally to the point.

[RJK]

Originally Posted by CaliAtenza

i trust top gear...more than anyone. But US/Euro mags are better any day of the week.

I find US auto mags to be horse crap.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by BunnyPunia

avg city : 12.02 vs 10.2 (diff of 2kmpl or 20%)
avg highway : 16.02 vs 15.04

Similar variations are also seen in the fuel economy figs of the new Getz Prime 1.1 (OD vs ACI)

avg city : 13.01 vs 9.3 (diff of almost 4kmpl!!!)
avg highway : 18.35 vs 14.6 (diff of 3.75kmpl!!)

In terms of FE tests, ACI and OD have very different ways of testing FE.

ACI's method gives more "real world" (and hence comparable to your current car) figures
OD's method gives more repeatable (and hence comparable to other cars in heir mag) figures

This has been discussed in other threads here...

cya
R

[condor]

I find US auto mags to be horse crap.

Forget Auto mags - it's the same with others too. Cameras, gadgets .. take your pick.

Bunny, why do you think TBHP-ians go the lengths to TD cars and post their observations here ? TD - not is in Test Drive, but Torture Drives .

avg highway : 18.35 vs 14.6 (diff of 3.75kmpl!!)
Highway Avg : 19.20 vs 13.4 ( diff of 5.8)

But then again, figures like 14.6 and 13.4 here are over-all figures, not highway numbers.

[theMAG]

Auto mags have to always be taken with a spoon of salt. They're basically a readers-targetted, politically acceptable and sponsors-balancing act put together. Not dissimilar to the Lok Ayukta.

[GTO]

I found that very surprising too; one magazine lambasts the Sparks ride quality while the other praises it.

Anyone who buys cars based on commercial reviews / automagazines has lost his marbles.