Are What Car? Car Reviews Written by Experts?
Updated
What Car? describes its car reviews as expert reviews, and the site presents itself as a source for new and used car reviews, car deals, and automotive news and advice. Based on that self-description, the reviews are positioned as expert content rather than user-generated opinion. The site does not, in the available material, list individual reviewer credentials or a named editorial team, so the "expert" claim should be read as the publisher's own positioning rather than an independently verified credential.
What the site says about its reviews
The available description of What Car? states that visitors can "read expert car reviews, find great deals or get the latest automotive news and advice." That gives three things to expect from the review section:
- Expert car reviews — the publisher frames its reviews as expert-written.
- New and used cars — coverage is not limited to new models; used-car reviews are part of the offering.
- Deals and advice — reviews sit alongside deal-finding and buying-advice content.
The page evidence available here does not include a byline, author page, or methodology statement, so there is no named reviewer or testing procedure to check against.
How to judge whether a review is worth relying on
Because the "expert" label is the publisher's own, the practical question is whether a given review gives you enough to act on. When reading a What Car? review, look for:
- A named author or editorial attribution — if the review credits a person or team, you can compare their other work.
- Specific, testable claims — measured boot space, real-world fuel economy, listed standard equipment, or stated trim differences are more useful than general praise.
- Stated comparison points — a review that names the rivals it is judging against tells you what "good" means in that class.
- Clear separation of new and used advice — used-car guidance should reflect depreciation, reliability history, and running costs, not just the new-car verdict.
- A date or model-year reference — reviews age quickly when trims and prices change.
If a review lacks these, treat it as a starting point for your shortlist rather than a final verdict.
Where the expert framing helps and where it doesn't
| Question | What the site supports | What to verify yourself |
|---|---|---|
| Who wrote the review? | Publisher describes reviews as expert | Named author or editorial team, if shown on the page |
| What is covered? | New and used car reviews, deals, news, advice | Whether the specific model and trim you want is reviewed |
| How were cars tested? | Not stated in available material | Any stated testing or scoring method on the review page |
| Can I act on the verdict? | Reviews are presented as buying guidance | Current prices, trims, and availability for your market |
A practical way to use the reviews
Use What Car? reviews to build and narrow a shortlist, then confirm the details that change your decision. For example, if you are choosing between two family SUVs, read both reviews for the same trim level, note the boot and rear-seat claims, and then check the manufacturer's current specification for the version on sale where you live. That way the expert framing does the shortlisting work, and the checkable specifics do the deciding.
The short answer: What Car? presents its new and used car reviews as expert content, which makes them a reasonable reference for shortlisting. Because the available material does not name reviewers or describe a testing method, confirm author attribution and model-specific details on the review page before treating any verdict as final.