Consumer Reports: Exceeding a Car's Load Capacity Is Easier Than Most People Expect

EAST HADDAM, Conn. --- According to Consumer Reports, loading up a car to the point of exceeding its load capacity is easier than most people assume. For example, a five-seat Ford Edge is designed to hold 909 pounds. But when five average-size adults climb into the car, the cummulative weight of 927 pounds exceeds that recommended limit by 18 pounds --- and there is still cargo space available in the back. The lesson: Advise fleet drivers not to "squeeze another passenger in" when a group of employees head off to a meeting or event. Consumer Reports Auto-Test Director David Champion told KETV that exceeding a car's weight limit changes how the vehicle handles and has the potential to pose safety risks. "All the testing, all the brakes, all the tires, all the handling, have all been designed around a maximum load in this vehicle of 909 pounds, so the safety of the vehicle could be compromised," Champion said.