Awards are nice, but don't let them cloud your judgment

The media attention generated about award-winning vehicles is usually flattering for the manufacturers.

For new-car dealerships, earning a "best" ranking for any model can translate into greater interest in, and increased sales of, a particular model. Manufacturers and dealers often use award status in their marketing efforts.

I don't mean to diminish the many automotive awards or the processes used to determine the winners, but they are like icing on the cake for manufacturers and dealers.

It's gratifying for a vehicle to be singled out as best in its class, whatever the source or the category of the award.

If you looked hard enough, though, you'd probably find that every car and truck on the road today has earned some form of award or recognition.

Cars are high-profile items that draw a lot of attention from industry and non-industry types, and there is a strong urge to categorize them.

I enjoy the build-up to and announcement of the awards – especially the more prestigious ones, which carry with them bragging rights.

There is a sense of anticipation among manufacturers and dealers, as they wait to hear how their models stack up against the competition.

There are a few contests that I follow very closely, and it's exciting to see which vehicles win and which don't. Sometimes, my predictions are bang on; other times, I'm not even close.

Each year, consumer advocate groups, research firms, media companies and automotive journalists evaluate hundreds of new vehicles, based on a wide spectrum of criteria. "Most eco-friendly," "most fuel-efficient," "best handling" and "best in class" are just some of the categories on which vehicles are judged.

Some awards are highly prestigious and can affect buying decisions for thousands of consumers.

J.D. Power and Associates, Motor Trend magazine and the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) are a few of the more respected names that provide vehicle rankings, and whose approval rankings are coveted by carmakers.

In as much as manufacturers and dealers welcome praise for their vehicles, how important are the awards for consumers?

Should certain models be any less worthy of consideration, if they have not received an award?

I'd say no.

I think that any type of award – Best New Vehicle, Sexiest New Car, Most Improved Car, etc. – should be put into proper context and should not serve as anyone's sole reason for buying.

Car buyers should gather as much information as they can about the vehicle they intend to purchase. That includes the literature that accompanies any awards the vehicle may have won.

I once met a computer executive who told me about a recent car-buying experience. He said one of the main reasons he chose a particular sedan was because it had earned "Canadian Car of the Year" distinction from AJAC.

AJAC is a highly respected association of automobile journalists, whose members conduct rigorous testing on various automobiles.

Many Canadian car buyers study AJAC's vehicle rankings carefully, before making a decision about buying a new vehicle.

Car buyers, however, need to pay attention to more than a vehicle's award-winning status, when making a commitment to buy or lease a car.

The brand, maintenance costs, fuel efficiency, budget, lifestyle and dealership experience are no less important, when considering one model over another.

Don't let awards (or the lack of awards) cloud your decision-making process.

This column represents the views of TADA. email: president@tada.ca or

visit www.tada.ca.

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