Best car magazine...
Discussion
I have Autocar on subscription, it's good for keeping up with new models and the road tests seem pretty balanced to me. I like the Used Car section too. Inevitably there's a lot of EV stuff which I aren't really interested in but it's the way forward. Being a Lotus nut I like Absolute Lotus, out every two months and a refreshing change from the established club magazines. I buy Classic and Sports Car when there's some Lotus content.
Best for modern - CAR with the occasional topical Autocar
Best written - The Automobile
Most beautiful - Roadrat
Best for classics - Classic and Sportscar (Octane currently diminishing)
Best for motorsport - a thinning field with Autosport checked out and the new format Motorsport disappointing.
Practical Performance Car can be amusing but is somewhat patchy and Practical Classics is worth a read too when it has something particularly odd or unusual
Best written - The Automobile
Most beautiful - Roadrat
Best for classics - Classic and Sportscar (Octane currently diminishing)
Best for motorsport - a thinning field with Autosport checked out and the new format Motorsport disappointing.
Practical Performance Car can be amusing but is somewhat patchy and Practical Classics is worth a read too when it has something particularly odd or unusual
DoctorX said:
Captain Smerc said:
Car Magazine has always worked for me, it's back at the top of its game right now. Shame that the current paper quality is poor though.
I agree, it’s a pale imitation of what it was but I still think it’s the best all rounder. Not on Readly any longer which is irritating. I know it doesn’t get you away from screens, but this app is fantastic for skipping through lots of car mags and just reading the content you like without spending a fortune on the print versions. Another vote for Modern Classics though, although I’d agree the articles aren’t always as interesting as the cars. I've read CAR since 1978, I've never missed an issue of EVO.
I lament Fast Lane, Performance Car and Motor.
But nothing comes close to The Road Rat. If the rest are Quaglinos and The Orrery, The Road Rat is The Fat Duck.
I lament Fast Lane, Performance Car and Motor.
But nothing comes close to The Road Rat. If the rest are Quaglinos and The Orrery, The Road Rat is The Fat Duck.
Only ones I regularly read any more are :
1. Motor Trend - It's something like £1 a copy via Zinio and I quite like the US angle (although I usually skip the SUV and Truck reviews, so it doesn't take long to read in a month)
2. Classic & Sportscar - Been a subscriber since the mid 1990s - I sometimes build up a pile of unread issues and think "I'll skip read them to catch up", but I nearly always end up reading 80%+ of the articles in full, there's always something interesting (except, possibly, for me in the '30s - '50s or '70s saloon comparisons - these are the ones I do often skip).
3. Automobil Sport - Fantastically high quality (but not inexpensive) historic motorsport magazine from Germany (published in German and English) - I imagine the quality is up there with Road Rat (I've not seen that in person, so guessing from the photos), more like a quarterly softback book than a magazine - I've got all 22 issues so far, but I'm yet to read one all the way through - A little project for my retirement!
)
I used to read EVO, but every issue seemed remarkably samey - Gushing about some 911, gushing about some Clio/Megane, Gushing about the latest McLaren - Nice photos (often), but I got bored with it.
Things like Autocar seem like the Beano (but less enjoyable) these days - Wafer thin and printed on cheap paper (I only ever read these waiting for Chinese takeaway...)
M
1. Motor Trend - It's something like £1 a copy via Zinio and I quite like the US angle (although I usually skip the SUV and Truck reviews, so it doesn't take long to read in a month)
2. Classic & Sportscar - Been a subscriber since the mid 1990s - I sometimes build up a pile of unread issues and think "I'll skip read them to catch up", but I nearly always end up reading 80%+ of the articles in full, there's always something interesting (except, possibly, for me in the '30s - '50s or '70s saloon comparisons - these are the ones I do often skip).
3. Automobil Sport - Fantastically high quality (but not inexpensive) historic motorsport magazine from Germany (published in German and English) - I imagine the quality is up there with Road Rat (I've not seen that in person, so guessing from the photos), more like a quarterly softback book than a magazine - I've got all 22 issues so far, but I'm yet to read one all the way through - A little project for my retirement!
)I used to read EVO, but every issue seemed remarkably samey - Gushing about some 911, gushing about some Clio/Megane, Gushing about the latest McLaren - Nice photos (often), but I got bored with it.
Things like Autocar seem like the Beano (but less enjoyable) these days - Wafer thin and printed on cheap paper (I only ever read these waiting for Chinese takeaway...)
M
Edited by marcosgt on Monday 14th October 10:49
I'm really enjoying the re-launched Retro Cars. They've ditched the embarrassing Max Power stuff in a total change of direction. Picked it up first on readly but have subscribed now. It's like Modern Classics without everything tediously having to be a "halo car", actually think SoTW magazine - but in a good way 
Was a subscriber to Retro Japanese from the early issues and really enjoyed the mix of mundane and special, plus being surprised at how little I knew about once common models. Sadly that has folded now.
Flick through Evo on readly now, as a past subscriber having lost interest. All I'm interested in is the older stuff in their fleet reports and the odd article, not interested in the new stuff, 911s, or endless mass-market supercars.
Was a subscriber to Retro Japanese from the early issues and really enjoyed the mix of mundane and special, plus being surprised at how little I knew about once common models. Sadly that has folded now.
Flick through Evo on readly now, as a past subscriber having lost interest. All I'm interested in is the older stuff in their fleet reports and the odd article, not interested in the new stuff, 911s, or endless mass-market supercars.
Fast forwarding to the end of 2021, as an Evo subscriber for the last 4 or 5 years I find myself wanting something with longer, more detailed stories.
Photography in Evo is consistently great but where I'm after 1,000+ word essays about some of the key launches or 60/70 pages for a car of the year test, it seems to be slimmer with each year that passes (albeit this year's ECotY promises a 32 page suppliment for subscribers, which will be nice).
I hear a lot about Road Rat, but it sounds a little pretentious... am I wrong? Any other recommendations?
Photography in Evo is consistently great but where I'm after 1,000+ word essays about some of the key launches or 60/70 pages for a car of the year test, it seems to be slimmer with each year that passes (albeit this year's ECotY promises a 32 page suppliment for subscribers, which will be nice).
I hear a lot about Road Rat, but it sounds a little pretentious... am I wrong? Any other recommendations?
Nyloc20 said:
Since my last post on here at the top of this page I’ve ditched Autocar, all the EV and SUV stuff just don’t interest me. I still get Absolute Lotus, fantastic if you’re a Lotus fan, and occasional monthly Classic mags if the content interests me.
Not got round to ditching it but couldn’t agree more with your sentiments, I probably only bother reading around 2/3 of it tbh; another phev SUV anyone?Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff