The need for speed

Last week, I indulged my motoring fantasies by attending an International Motor Press Association (IMPA) event with a dozen or so Consumer Reports colleagues. At the annual track day event for IMPA members--auto writers and PR professionals--I was able to drive various vehicles from all major manufacturers on the Pocono Raceway.

Full disclosure: I'm not a race car driver and had never driven on a track before, but through the expert tutelage of experienced CR editors and engineers, I quickly learned how to safely manage the twists and turns at speed. Admittedly, I wasn't as fast as others. But, hey, I'm a typical driver—I use my car for commuting, to run errands, and to transport my family around on the weekends. My high-performance driving is typically done at the office on the information superhighway, as I nurture the ever-expanding Car channel at ConsumerReports.org.

Spending the first half of the two-day event driving cars on public roads, it became clear on day two that it's on the track where a vehicle's true capabilities stand out, amplified by speed, course design, and focus on pure driving.

Navigating around the Pocono race track, configured to be half road course and half high-speed oval, the differences from how cars feel on everyday roads was dramatic. For example, the redesigned 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX was fun to drive on regular roads. Notably improved in overall refinement, it had a nice ride and more usable power than the previous version. However, on the track it was a slightly different story. Based on this brief encounter, the WRX didn't feel as controlled or smooth through the turns in contrast to last year's tauter model. Some of my colleagues thought the new model had too much body roll and has grown soft in this generation. However, the story wasn't the same for all cars. Take the Infiniti G35. It accelerated quickly and smoothly, had great handling, and rode nicely in both locations. Ultimately, these cars may exceed buyer's daily driving expectations, but this track experience did provide nuanced insight into their behavior at the extremes.

Most consumers who test drive vehicles don't have the ability to see what a car can do on a track. The roundabouts and on-ramps near the dealership are about as close as most car shoppers can get to a track-like experience. Such brief drives can provide a comfort and ride impression, but the true power and performance can rarely be explored on public roads. That is where CR's test results and complete road tests can help.

At the Consumer Reports test track, we conduct a number of tests on all vehicles, such as avoidance maneuvers, emergency handling, wet braking, and many more. The results of these tests show how well a vehicle might respond if faced with an emergency situation, as well as the performance potential for the car. And unlike some media outlets, our testing is not limited to brief first impressions. We purchase each car, live with it for months during testing, and develop exhaustive reports (available in the New Car Buying Kit) based on our more than 50 tests.

Ultimately, it is the overall assessment--both on the track and on the road--that has the most value. From this event, it is clear there is much to look forward to in the 2008 models. And personally, I look forward to more track time, either at our Connecticut test facility or next summer at Pocono.

--Liza Barth