Added on March 31, 2014  The News Wheel   , , , , , , , , ,
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Consumer Reports Lists Best and Worst 2014 Cars for Visibility

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One of the most important aspects of a vehicle that so many of us take for granted is visibility. Think about it: if your vehicle has blind spots that you could fit a tank in and you find it difficult to monitor all of the goings-on on the road ahead without sticking your neck out or taking your eyes off of the road for long periods of time, then you’ve got a problem. Fortunately, Consumer Reports makes a list for just about everything automotive, which means of course they have a list of the best and worst 2014 cars for visibility.

Consumer Reports’ formula consists of determining how well drivers of varying heights can see from the front, to the sides, and out the rear while using inside/outside mirrors. There doesn’t seem to be much of a formula, however, for determining which vehicles will fit where: two of the four best are sedans and the other two are SUVs; of the worst, we have a muscle car, two convertibles, a two-seat sports car, and a land tank.

Best Visibility

  • Infiniti G Sedan – Good in the front and sides, but mediocre in the rear; this is improved by an additional rear-view camera.
  • Nissan Altima – Good visibility all around, but high rear deck and roof pillars limit visibility a bit.
  • Subaru Forester – Called “outstanding,” the Forester has a small blind spot in the rear corner, which is made up for by larger side mirrors and available rear-view camera.
  • Subaru Outback – Good overall visibility is only aided by available rear-view camera with a sizeable display.

Worst Visibility

  • Chevrolet Camaro – Knocked for short windows, bulky hood, and thick roof pillars; CN says a rear-view camera is basically a requirement to drive the Camaro.
  • MINI Cooper S Convertible – Short windshield limits view of traffic lights, and high dash makes it difficult for shorter drivers to see.
  • Nissan Z – Poor rear-quarter and full-rear view with smaller windows; CN recommends instituting a blind-spot monitoring system.
  • Porsche Boxster – Low seataing, high dash and deck, and roll hoops make it difficult to see through front and back.
  • Toyota FJ Cruiser – Hate to speak ill of the dead, but the FJ Cruiser suffers from large blind spot zones that make backing out and changing lanes difficult.