In the mid-1950s—when the interstate highway system was in its infancy—the publication's reviewers relied on a relatively simple technology: a handheld stopwatch. Cut to today, and the publication now uses high-precision GPS gear in place of the stopwatch.

On top of performance road tests, C&D has expanded its repertoire of tests to include static evaluations of things like cargo space, infotainment responsiveness, blind spot size, and other things you might not immediately consider when hunting for a new vehicle.

All said, C&D collects more than 200 data points on the 400 cars, trucks, SUVs, and other vehicles it tests annually before compiling those figures—as well as their editors' observations—into their test reports.

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Performance testing

C&D performs its performance testing on a closed track to measure straight-line performance, cornering, and handling, as well as a vehicle's top speed using a GPS data logger, which uses U.S. and Russian satellites to collect speed data accurate to about 0.1 mph with positional accuracy of around six feet.

That testing includes various straight-line tests to evaluate acceleration (such as standing start 0-to-60, top-gear acceleration tests, etc.).

But a unique invention of C&D is the rolling start, where a vehicle will roll at around 5 mph and accelerate as quickly as possible to show powertrain flexibility.

The publication also conducts braking tests as part of its performance evaluations, with five stops from 70 mph done in quick repetition followed by a sixth stop after letting the brakes cool for a mile.

This test measures brake fade, which is the ability of the brakes to cool down after braking.

Regarding top speed, C&D's drivers often hit an electronic speed limiter during straight-line testing. But it notes that not every car gets the top speed treatment because of how fast new vehicles have gotten in the past few decades, making it difficult for the publication to find a safe place to test them at times.

Interior testing and cargo space

C&D uses a sound meter to measure the ambient noise in the vehicle while at the track under multiple speed conditions. The team also tries to measure the noise on the same stretch of pavement, as road conditions can affect cabin noise.

C&D's reviewers measure every storage space in the vehicle to see how much can fit before they give their verdict. Because automakers like to use cargo volume numbers that can seem vague or hard to quantify for most, C&D tries to use metrics that most will understand.

This includes testing how much carry-on luggage can fit into the trunk, or how many ping pong balls will fit in a glove box or small storage compartment. Not content with just cargo space, the team also measures the height required to lift an object into a cargo area.

Fuel economy and range

While the EPA has to certify automakers' self-reported fuel economy and

electric range

estimates, the C&D staff perform tests intended to compare that efficiency.

But rather than performing these tests in a lab as automakers do, they're conducted in real-world conditions to incorporate road conditions, temperature, traffic, and other variables.

The highway fuel economy test is conducted on a 200-mile loop on I-94 in Michigan, following a route and using cruise control while setting climate control to 72 degrees. The publication performs the same tests on electric vehicles with some minor exceptions.

Visibility

C&D uses the theoretical location of the driver's hip relative to the ground to measure visibility. To locate that hip point, the team uses a device called the H-point machine to mimic the body of an average human male.

This is used to measure how certain aspects of the vehicle—like structural pillars and seat height—affect visibility.

Safety and warranty

While C&D doesn't perform its own safety testing—it relies on ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for crash test information.

But the team does perform its own evaluations of vehicle safety features, like driver assistance technology, and things like child seat installation.

The C&D team also keeps some vehicles in its long-term test stable to evaluate how the automaker handles warranty issues should they arise for that vehicle.

Compiling a road report

All that, combined with observations from its staff, contributes to an overall rating published on C&D's website. Read more about how Car and Driver review their vehicles

here

MORE: What is Bring a Trailer? And Why Does 'Car and Driver' Do Picks for It?

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