....BMW .....the car is quite great, it’s just not worth the long term cost of ownership.
Ha, I have an X1 and that’s exactly the swap I’m trying to make before the BMW is out of warranty. I will say that CR’s criticism of the X1 handling and engine noise is nonsense - the car is quite great, it’s just not worth the long term cost of ownership.
I think the most important way to convince someone is to have him or her drive the Mazda.
There are still plenty of folks who wear blinders that say Toyota and Honda on them.
Please keep in mind that when CR says that a cabin is noisy (as in the BMW X1), they mean that according to their instrumented testing, which almost definitely is very controlled...
CR's noise rating is a combination of objective measurements and subjective evaluations. In a recent episode of their Talking Cars podcast, they acknowledge that they prioritize the latter. A vehicle that is quiet overall may have less pleasing sounds than a vehicle that is louder overall. Example: An EV that has a lot of high-frequency wind noise and motor whine may register a relatively quiet 65 dB overall with a peak at 4,000 Hz while a powerful sport-luxury vehicle may register 70 dB with a peak at 100 Hz. Of course, it's much more complex than that, but hopefully that conveys the general idea.
How Consumer Reports Tests Cars - Consumer Reports
Learn how CR tests cars at its 327-acre Auto Test Center. We drive nonstop and dig into data so you can make a fully informed choice on your next auto purchase.www.consumerreports.org
"What Is the difference between dB and dBA? dB sound pressure levels are unweighted. dBA levels are "A" weighted according to the weighting curves to approximate the way the human ear hears. For example, a 100 dB level at 100 Hz will be perceived to have a loudness equal to only 80 dB at 1000 Hz."
This measurement can be made with meters designed to mimic the human ear response.
Please keep in mind that when CR says that a cabin is noisy (as in the BMW X1), they mean that according to their instrumented testing, which almost definitely is very controlled, the X1 is noisier than the latest CX5. The X3 and the X5 are not as noisy as the X1, which is not worth the premium over the CX5. That premium (in this comparison and others) pays for name recognition.
Many tires produce more noise as they age (get harder) and wear (slightly uneven). Consumer Reports does rate noise levels of tires. They are definitely not all the same.