I disagree that CR should pack it up and disappear. I have tons of subscriptions (got to do something with those unused frequent flyer miles), of which CR is one. Their reviews and articles on other items such as foods, appliances, services (such as car insurance), etc. are extremely useful.

I find the magazine to be very informative, but being a diehard car enthusiast, I've never paid much attention to their automotive review section. The criteria by which they judge automobiles has never been aligned with the standards set by motoring enthusiasts.

The CR auto testers are probably a bunch of old people whose parents drove Buicks and they, themselves, drive 7 year old Camrys. Their main criteria for a CR Highly Recommended vehicle is purely value driven which is why the Honda and Toyota lines dominate and will continue to dominate just as Oldsmobiles and Buicks dominated the CR rankings 3 decades ago.