The eight pillars, one by one

Performance is pulling power, gradients and loaded drivability. Mileage is fuel or gas economy as operators report it. Cabin is comfort, heat, noise and long-day fatigue. Reliability is breakdowns and maintenance between services.

Service is network reach, parts price and waiting time. Resale is what the vehicle fetches when it moves on. Value is the whole sum, what you pay against what you get. Safety is brakes, stability and what the cabin protects in a hit.

The overall is the mean of the pillars that have scored, so a thin pillar waits instead of dragging the number. Read the pillars before the number: a vehicle that is strong on performance and weak on service is a different proposition from its average.