November 2006
Consumer Reports Autos Staff Bio
TOM MUTCHLER
Automotive Test Engineer
All-time favorite car: Mazda Miata. "I like cars that are nimble and feel light on their feet. The Miata embodies that. It's fun to drive even at sane speeds, and it totally lacks pretense. Plus, it's affordable and easy to own, like having your cake and eating it too."
Tom's avid interest in cars began early: "I started reading car magazines when I was 5. When I went with parents and friends to car showrooms, I knew more than the salesmen."
Trying to do something useful with this interest, Tom earned his mechanical-engineering degree from the University of Rochester. While in school, he interned at what was then the AC Rochester Division (now Delphi) of General Motors, specializing in developing, testing, and troubleshooting engine-management systems. "I worked on everything from Corvettes to Cadillacs to medium-duty farm trucks."
After graduation, Tom was hired at Consumers Union. "It was a dream job: I had read the magazine for years and years." He tested a wide variety of products and came to specialize in automotive aftermarket equipment, such as batteries, windshield wipers, and GPS navigation systems. Tom helps oversee the testing of aftermarket products.
Working at Consumer Reports also fed Tom's interest in human factors and ergonomics. "When you look at 20 different products at a time, or over 80 cars a year, you very clearly see who puts effort into designing products that are easy to use and properly fit users--and who doesn't." Pursuing this interest, he earned a master's degree in ergonomics and biomechanics from New York University.
Tom now oversees many of Consumer Reports' evaluations of vehicle interiors, including front-seat comfort, fit and finish, driving-position evaluation, and the design of the vehicle's controls. "I once said in an interview that working at Consumer Reports was like being a kid in a candy store. If you're a car enthusiast, driving over 80 different cars a year and having a dedicated test facility at your disposal is more like Willy Wonka handing over the keys to the candy factory."
When not working, Tom and his wife enjoy whitewater kayaking and mountain biking. Those hobbies have affected his vehicle purchases: "I was probably one of the youngest station wagon owners in history. My wife and I now own a minivan, even though we don't have kids; it's so easy to just toss the kayaks or bikes in the back."
Automotive Test Engineer
All-time favorite car: Mazda Miata. "I like cars that are nimble and feel light on their feet. The Miata embodies that. It's fun to drive even at sane speeds, and it totally lacks pretense. Plus, it's affordable and easy to own, like having your cake and eating it too."
Tom's avid interest in cars began early: "I started reading car magazines when I was 5. When I went with parents and friends to car showrooms, I knew more than the salesmen."
Trying to do something useful with this interest, Tom earned his mechanical-engineering degree from the University of Rochester. While in school, he interned at what was then the AC Rochester Division (now Delphi) of General Motors, specializing in developing, testing, and troubleshooting engine-management systems. "I worked on everything from Corvettes to Cadillacs to medium-duty farm trucks."
After graduation, Tom was hired at Consumers Union. "It was a dream job: I had read the magazine for years and years." He tested a wide variety of products and came to specialize in automotive aftermarket equipment, such as batteries, windshield wipers, and GPS navigation systems. Tom helps oversee the testing of aftermarket products.
Working at Consumer Reports also fed Tom's interest in human factors and ergonomics. "When you look at 20 different products at a time, or over 80 cars a year, you very clearly see who puts effort into designing products that are easy to use and properly fit users--and who doesn't." Pursuing this interest, he earned a master's degree in ergonomics and biomechanics from New York University.
Tom now oversees many of Consumer Reports' evaluations of vehicle interiors, including front-seat comfort, fit and finish, driving-position evaluation, and the design of the vehicle's controls. "I once said in an interview that working at Consumer Reports was like being a kid in a candy store. If you're a car enthusiast, driving over 80 different cars a year and having a dedicated test facility at your disposal is more like Willy Wonka handing over the keys to the candy factory."
When not working, Tom and his wife enjoy whitewater kayaking and mountain biking. Those hobbies have affected his vehicle purchases: "I was probably one of the youngest station wagon owners in history. My wife and I now own a minivan, even though we don't have kids; it's so easy to just toss the kayaks or bikes in the back."
