I'd say that a survey after
I'd say that a survey after an extended period of ownership is far more indicative of reality than one that, as CR says, is conducted during the "honeymoon period." For example, reliability or quality issues are way more likely to show up after a year or two or three than in the first three months. As for bad CR reviews correlating to sales...look at how many people buy Dodges. Being a good car as CR defines it doesn't have much to do with the decision-making process of the average American car buyer.