2018 Unreliable? CR verdict: 2 out of 5

[Phyzman]

Anyone know why, after several model years of Consumer Reports Reliability Verdicts of 5/5, the 2018 T4R Reliability Verdict nosedived to 2/5? What’s going on?

 

[Orc]

Typeo

 

[JP421]

Accounts payable forgot to sign the check.

 

[Phyzman]

But they “paid” eagerly and amply for 5/5 for
2017
2016
2015 and
2014
?

If you want to cast Consumer Reports as crooked, you should probably buy a Wrangler and skip the warranty. And you’re apparently willing to disregard the positive reviews for so many years.

 

[Titanpat57]

What loon would put ANY faith in what CR says...:shrug:

 

[thennen]

Anyone know why, after several model years of Consumer Reports Reliability Verdicts of 5/5, the 2018 T4R Reliability Verdict nosedived to 2/5? What’s going on?

I’ve owned Toyotas for the past 37 years. While I like Consumer Reports, I rely on my personal experience nowadays. I don’t make vehicle purchases based on quality assessments from ratings companies. I will use them for appliances and other things, though. There is valuable info there.

 

[AGS92]

Must be a mistake. I just reviewed the 2018 reliability report on CR and there weren't any categories rated below the second highest rating ... and only two categories received this rating. All other categories, 15/17 received the highest rating for reliability. Hopefully CR corrects this error soonest.

 

[2016 4Runner SR5]

CR also ranked the 90s Taurus as a good value and reliable vehicle. We all know how that turned out. CR is a waste of time, google and do your own homework.

 

[T4R2014]

After the BS they pulled on the Suzuki Samurai and Isuzu Trooper, why would I trust them? Does anyone remember their reviews of the 5th gen 4Runner when it came out? They have zero weight in opinions on these vehicles.

 

[Charlievee]

Every one is for sale of the price is right.

 

[ForRun]

Yep, CR bought a rigged. My dad follows it then goes into denial when I show him the Buick they rated #1, he bought it, one year later it fell to the bottom the pile. Its fun when you see your favorite rated high. Sad its paid for thou

 

[Orc]

If you watch a YouTube video on how consumer reports works as well as JD power, consumer reports appears to be legit. A survey is taken by new owners. As a person that has purchased 15 or so new vehicles in the past 15 years I'm not sure I've ever filled out a survey for consumer reports. So in my experience consumer reports is fake. Years ago they used to send us the catalog of scores, looking through them I always thought they were convoluted.

JD power is paid, obviously Chevy has some stock in them.

 

[Phyzman]

They have zero weight in opinions on these vehicles.

So the 5/5 Reliability Verdicts for 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 should be given zero weight.

So how awful were the 4Rs for those years, really? Given that 5/5 was wrong, what should they have been scored as?

The point is that anyone who casts the 2/5 Reliability Verdict for 2018 as "bogus" *simultaneously* casts the 5/5s for 2014-2017 as equally "bogus".

 

[Phyzman]

CR is a waste of time, google and do your own homework.

Hilarious!

Google "2018 4Runner reliability" and tell me which results on page 1 aren't pay-to-play, advertising-supported auto manufacturer promotion sites.

CR is as independent as it gets. But you find "random dudes on the internet" to be more credible? Indeed: it wouldn't be on the Internet if it wasn't true.

Amusingly, the Wrangler fanboys also have no use for... CR, IIHS, Euro NCAP, etc. They, too, prefer Internet randos as Ultimate Sources of Truth. It's heartwarming to see the T4R-Wrangler kinship.

 

[Phyzman]

Must be a mistake. I just reviewed the 2018 reliability report on CR and there weren't any categories rated below the second highest rating ... and only two categories received this rating. All other categories, 15/17 received the highest rating for reliability. Hopefully CR corrects this error soonest.

I've submitted a detailed inquiry to CR. But like most big online entities, I get the sense they're not really keen to get feedback, especially any that questions their ratings. I'm setting my expectations low for a response/correction. But we shall see.

 

[AGS92]

I've submitted a detailed inquiry to CR. But like most big online entities, I get the sense they're not really keen to get feedback, especially any that questions their ratings. I'm setting my expectations low for a response/correction. But we shall see.

I submitted an inquiry as well. Will be interesting to see if they provide similar explanations to us. I've been a long-time CR subscriber ... unfortunately though, it seems as if their reporting/analysis has declined over the past several years.

 

[thennen]

So the 5/5 Reliability Verdicts for 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 should be given zero weight.

So how awful were the 4Rs for those years, really? Given that 5/5 was wrong, what should they have been scored as?

The point is that anyone who casts the 2/5 Reliability Verdict for 2018 as "bogus" *simultaneously* casts the 5/5s for 2014-2017 as equally "bogus".

So what is it you're looking for, exactly? Are you trying to find out if 4Runners from past years are reliable? Or are you simply trying to validate CR ratings of 4Runners?

 

[2016 4Runner SR5]

Hilarious!

Google "2018 4Runner reliability" and tell me which results on page 1 aren't pay-to-play, advertising-supported auto manufacturer promotion sites.

CR is as independent as it gets. But you find "random dudes on the internet" to be more credible? Indeed: it wouldn't be on the Internet if it wasn't true.

Amusingly, the Wrangler fanboys also have no use for... CR, IIHS, Euro NCAP, etc. They, too, prefer Internet randos as Ultimate Sources of Truth. It's heartwarming to see the T4R-Wrangler kinship.

So you figure owner reports on this forum and other forums are less reliable than CR? I trust what I see here and on other forums far more than CR that's for damn sure. If you're so worried about the 4R reliability, go buy something else, whatever CR tells you to buy, and move on.

 

[jhguth]

it has to be some kind of typo or error from automation, the predicted reliability is better or equal in every category compared to previous years. here is the full chart:

 

[T4R2014]

CR is as independent as it gets. LOL. Believe everything you are told.