Thanks to the democratization of technology, these days you don't have to rely on the media to post reviews of the latest and greatest all-new vehicles. As we've pointed out over the years, sometimes the media has a tendency to gloss over some critical details, it will post only one or two images or the publisher's opinion on the vehicle is non-conclusive or incomplete.
There's a couple of reasons for the last issue: 1) The publisher doesn't want to ruffle feathers at an automaker so it plays it safe, and 2) It's "in the bag" and wants to ensure it's on the next press junket to Timbuktoo.
But with the power of high-speed computing, DSLR cameras and photo editing software, and cheap access to film and edit video, we've seen media companies become less important. That's because actual owners are conducting reviews of their vehicles and posting them in a public forum. These reviews can be super detailed and provide a tremendous amount of color on an auto. However, with the good comes the bad: First off, some of the buyers have some serious bias as they've made an investment. In addition, a lot of consumer reviews are conducted by individuals that do not drive EVERYTHING on the market.
So, we have to ask: WHO do YOU trust more with vehicle reviews in the current climate — the MEDIA or OWNERS?