What Does a Motoring Journalist Actually Do? A Practical Look at the Job
A motoring journalist drives new cars, writes about them, and gets paid for it — but that summary hides most of the work. In practice the job is a mix of road testing, research, interviewing, photography, video, and constant pitching. Some writers are staff members at a magazine or website; many more are freelancers who sell stories to several outlets at once. If you are considering this career, the useful question is not "how do I become a famous car writer" but "what does a normal working week look like, and what can I do this month to move towards it?"
The core activities of the job
Road testing and reviews
This is the visible part of the job. A typical review involves:
- Collecting a press car (often from a manufacturer's press fleet) and checking it against the spec sheet
- Driving it in conditions readers will recognise — city traffic, motorways, back roads, and if relevant, a track
- Measuring or at least sanity-checking real-world fuel consumption
- Taking notes on ride, handling, cabin quality, ergonomics, boot space, and infotainment
- Photographing the car properly, or working with a photographer who does
- Writing 800–1,500 words that give a clear verdict, not just a list of features
The skill readers reward is judgement. Anyone can list horsepower figures; a good reviewer explains who the car suits, what it costs you in practice, and how it compares with two or three direct rivals.
Launches, events and press trips
Manufacturers invite journalists to launch events, usually a day or two of presentations, technical briefings, and driving routes. You then file a first-drive story, often to a tight deadline. These trips look glamorous and are genuinely useful for access, but they are work: you are gathering material, asking questions, and often writing in a hotel room at night.
Features, interviews and long-form work
Beyond reviews, motoring journalists write:
- Interviews with designers, engineers, executives, and racers
- History and heritage features
- Buying guides and comparison tests
- Technical explainers (how a particular hybrid system or suspension design works)
- Opinion and industry analysis
This is where a specialism pays off. Writers who understand engineering, motorsport, classic cars, or the business side of the industry get commissioned for work that general reviewers cannot do.
The unglamorous half
A large share of the job is admin: pitching ideas by email, chasing invoices, managing relationships with PR teams, maintaining a photo archive, keeping a contacts list, and updating your own website or social channels. Freelancers also handle their own tax, insurance, and equipment. Budget for this — it is not optional overhead, it is the business.
How people actually get in
There is no single gatekeeper. The realistic routes are:
1. Journalism or media training first
A journalism degree or NCTJ-style qualification teaches news writing, law, ethics, and shorthand. It gives you a portfolio and work experience placements. The downside is cost and time, and it does not teach you about cars.
2. Automotive or engineering knowledge first
A degree in automotive engineering, motorsport, or a related field gives you technical credibility that many writers lack. You still need to prove you can write clearly and to deadline.
3. Specialist motoring journalism courses
A small number of universities and colleges run motoring journalism modules or short courses. These are useful mainly for contacts, feedback, and a structured portfolio — check current availability and cost directly, as provision changes.
4. Start writing now, unpaid if necessary
The most common entry point is simply publishing. Write for a student magazine, a club newsletter, a small enthusiast site, or your own blog. The point is to build a visible body of work you can send to editors.
5. Move sideways from an adjacent job
People arrive from PR, dealerships, motorsport teams, technical writing, photography, and video production. Adjacent experience is often more valuable than a generic degree.
Skills that actually matter
| Skill | Why it matters | How to build it |
|---|---|---|
| Clear, accurate writing | Editors commission reliable writers, not just enthusiastic ones | Write weekly, get edited, read good motoring journalism critically |
| Technical understanding | Lets you explain why a car behaves as it does | Study vehicle systems; ask engineers questions at events |
| Photography | Many outlets expect words and images from one contributor | Learn lighting and composition; practise on your own car |
| Video and audio | Launch coverage and social content increasingly demand it | Start a simple YouTube or podcast project |
| Deadline discipline | Miss a deadline twice and you stop being commissioned | Treat every small commission as a test |
| Networking | Most work comes through people who know your work | Attend events, be useful, stay in touch |
How digital media changed the job
Twenty years ago, a motoring journalist's output was a monthly magazine feature. Today the same person may file a news story within an hour, post a short video from the launch, write a longer review for the website, and record a podcast. The upside is more outlets and faster publication. The downside is lower rates per piece at many titles, more competition, and pressure to produce content continuously.
Practical consequences for a newcomer:
- Learn to shoot and edit short video; it is now a baseline expectation at many outlets
- Build an audience on at least one platform, but treat it as a shop window, not a substitute for editorial standards
- Expect to combine several income streams: reviews, features, copywriting, photography, video, or teaching
Concrete first steps
- Pick a niche and a format. For example: "used electric hatchbacks under £15,000, reviewed from an owner's perspective." Narrow beats vague.
- Write three strong samples. One review, one feature or interview, one explainer. Aim for 800–1,200 words each, clean and factually checked.
- Get one published credit, even unpaid. A club magazine or small site is fine. A published clip opens doors that a personal blog sometimes does not.
- Build a simple portfolio page. Your name, a short bio, three to five clips, contact details. No design awards required.
- Pitch properly. Find the editor's name, read the outlet, and send a two-paragraph pitch: the idea, why it suits their audience, and why you can deliver it. Keep it short.
- Say yes to small jobs. Event reports, buying guides, and news items build relationships and speed.
- Keep a spreadsheet. Track pitches, deadlines, payments, and contacts. Freelancing fails on admin more often than on writing.
A realistic expectation
Staff jobs at major titles are few and competitive. Most people spend years freelancing before, if ever, landing one. Income is uneven at the start. The writers who last tend to be reliable, curious, technically literate, and pleasant to work with — not necessarily the most dramatic prose stylists. If you enjoy explaining machines to people and can hit deadlines, the work exists. Start small, publish regularly, and treat every commission as a reference for the next one.