Consumer Reports is an independent, non-profit member organization that works side by side with consumers for truth, transparency, and fairness in the marketplace. The organization is dedicated to unbiased product testing, investigative journalism, consumer-oriented research, public education and consumer advocacy.

Consumer Reports anonymously buys all the cars it tests — about 50 per year — and drives them for a total of about 900,000 miles annually. Formal testing is done at the track and on surrounding public roads. The evaluation regimen consists of more than 50 individual tests. Some are objective, instrumented track tests using state-of-the-art electronic gear that yield empirical findings. Some are subjective evaluations: jury tests done by the experienced engineering staff.