MotorTrend is the world's automotive authority. Every issue of MotorTrend informs and entertains with features on the testing of both domestic and import cars, car care, motor sports coverage, sneak peeks at future vehicles, and auto-industry news.
Our friend, colleague, and teammate Ryan Ono passed away just before we began our annual Of The Year programs, which make up most of this issue. His parents, Elizabeth and Richard, told us that despite the intense heat and long hours of the OTYs, Ryan enjoyed them tremendously, and “He couldn’t believe there were jobs like this in the world.” We can’t believe Ryan is gone and miss his presence every day. You won’t find Ryan’s byline in any issue of MotorTrend or on MotorTrend.com even though he worked with us for the better part of 13 years. Ryan was not a writer, photographer, or editor; he worked behind the scenes under the catchall title of “content coordinator.” Yet he touched every part of our organization and was always a…
50 DECEMBER/JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1975/1976 PRICE: $1.00 The winter of 1975–76 felt like the car industry was killing time as it adapted to new emissions standards and buyers stung by the energy crisis. We chronicled the history of Pontiac and the Corvette, took Bob Bondurant’s anti-terrorist driving course, and learned about accident investigation, the recall process, and what it took to make an armed, bulletproof Ford LTD. We covered cars including then-new future classics like the Jaguar XJ-S and Porsche 911 Turbo. We wrote fond farewells to the Cadillac Eldorado and the last jumbo-sized, overstuffed incarnation of the Ford Thunderbird. (Well, we weren’t so fond of that one.) In our quest for fuel economy, we sampled a V-6-powered Buick Century, which delivered 21.9 mpg at the cost of a 17.3-second 0–60 time.…
They Drive by Night Aaron Gold penned a brilliant, engaging, and spot-on story about traffic in Los Angeles (“Destination Dawn,” Fall). It read like a script for a short film noir, featuring the Rolls Royce Black Badge Spectre as the night-owl protagonist. Bravo! I couldn’t have done any better myself. David Rizzo Via email Hey, Gold, do you have your mules writing letters again?—Ed. What’s in a Name? It’s official: Stellantis produces the longest, silliest, and most immature car names in the industry. I cite the 2026 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat Jailbreak and 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye as just two examples. I’m a longtime Mopar fan, and I remember when a car needed—at most—just two names for you to know they were badass (think AAR Cuda, Charger Daytona,…
STUNNINGLY EASY TO DRIVE FAST, THE GTD IS A CHEAT CODE FOR THE ROAD AND THE RACETRACK Die mad, haters. “It’s lame,” you cried. “The GTD is too big and too fat, and its Nürburgring time wasn’t fast enough.” Yeah, and? There’s exactly one thing wrong with the 2025 Ford Mustang GTD, and it ain’t the weight. Four thousand, three hundred eighty-six pounds. That’s the number. Ford didn’t really want to advertise it, but enthusiasts dug a lower number out of EPA certification documents, and the company has finally clarified it. It’s roughly 400 to 500 pounds heavier than a Mustang Dark Horse depending on options and nearly 1,200 pounds more than a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, the car Ford couldn’t shut up about beating with the GTD. Seems bad,…
We made no changes this year to the six criteria we use in determining our Of The Year awards; as a refresher, they are advancement in design, efficiency,, engineering excellence, performance of intended function, safety, and value. With that out of the way, we deployed to the Honda Proving Center (HPC) in Cantil, California, to begin our Car of the Year proceedings. We used a high-speed oval with a lane that simulates Los Angeles’ 110 freeway, a curvy and undulating winding road, a special surfaces area with obstacles for testing suspension, and a vehicle dynamics area (VDA) with our figureeight cone course. Everything went smoothly until word circulated that the BMW M5 Touring was vibrating; one of its wheels was bent, and no replacements were available. Unfortunately, the Isle of…
SUVS CONTINUE TO DOMINATE THE MARKET, BRINGING MORE POWERTRAINS, TECH, AND INNOVATION FROM ALL CORNERS JUDGES/TESTERS Erick Ayapana Associate Road Test Editor Kyle Conner Out of Spec Reviews Founder Miguel Cortina Mexico Editor Gordon Dickie Automotive Industry and Engineering Executive Scott Evans Features Editor Aaron Gold Senior Editor Josh Jacquot Contributor Jered Korfhage Technical Writer Alex Leanse Associate Editor Ed Loh Head of Editorial Alisa Priddle Detroit Editor Billy Rehbock Associate Editor Christian Seabaugh Features Editor Eric Tingwall Testing Director CONTENDER Acura ADX PROS Smooth daily drive • Strong on safety • Has real buttons CONS Overpriced entry luxury • Powertrain lacks punch • HR-V interior design The ADX arrives as Acura’s new entry-level SUV, positioned above the Honda HR-V but priced squarely in the premium space. With a $36,350 starting…
