Customer Reviews

Automobile

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I'm afraid I can't say much to recommend Automobile unless, like me, you're hopelessly addicted to cars and will read almost anything about them.

Since it's inception, Automobile has always struck me as a bit snobbish and self-satisfied. This, despite not being very interesting. Their mantra has been "No boring cars!," yet it's usually a somewhat boring magazine.

They have some really great (and funny) editorials, and tend to be more honestly critical of cars than other mags, so for that they get 2 stars. But if you want to read great car reviews, this isn't for you. They're always very short, and comparison tests are given woefully inadequate space.

In many ways that's another of Automobile's problems - it's too small.

My overall impression over the years is that they'd really like to be England's CAR magazine, and even share writers (mainly George Kacher), but just aren't that good.

****Update on 12/20/2011****

I'd like to reiterate the last sentence of my original review: They would *like* to be seen as modeled on British car magazines, but they are just not that good. I've been reading several since roughly 1991 (Car, Performance Car, Evo, Performance Car (Part 2), Complete Car, BBC Top Gear and some more short-lived tryouts I can't recall), although I've trimmed that down to Car and Evo now. Automobile falls so short any comparison is folly.

Space is a major issue (oh lord, I've gone and made a pun). Automobile is the smallest of major U.S. car magazines. It feels just terribly thin in your hands. Even though I just received an amazing offer to renew my subscription, I'm going to pass because it's just a bore now.

Jamie Kitman used to be funny. Now all he does is whine. I can read complete articles of George Kacher's drives in CAR, so why read cut-down versions in Automobile? Road and comparison tests are still far to brief and uninformative. And now, for the last few months they've made things even worse with page after page of intensely dull travel guides masquarading as automotive journalism. If I was interested in where they ate, how nice their hotel carpets were, and sundry other details about absolutely everything BUT the car they happen to be driving, I might renew. But enough is enough.

They had their moments, but are the Saab of car magazines. And for those who don't know, the news this morning announced that Saab has finally died for good. I don't wish such ill on Automobile, but they lost me a long time ago.

Automobile is less interesting, and less likely to make you smile or challenge the reader, than when I first wrote this review, and I'd give it a single star now.

I subscribe to three car magazines. Road and Track, Car and Driver, since the 50's. Automobile replaced Road and Track as I my favorite from the first issue. It has the most color photographs and the best writing of the three.

Automobile is, bar none, the best American car magazine. It reminds me of how most American magazines used to be before the downturn in printed media in the late 1990s, i.e. gorgeously produced, with unobtrusive ad placement, and totally readable. Like its closest overseas counterpart, Car, it is intelligent, pragmatic, and forward-thinking. The details on car design and news on the automotive industry are much better than in Motor Trend, Car and Driver, and Road & Track, while the columnists are smart and interesting every time. Finally, they do not hold the conceit that car mags like Car and Driver do that their purpose is to "defend" cars from crazy environmentalists who want to take them away from the red-blooded Americans. Instead, they understand that it is possible to be concerned about the environment while at the same time see no problem with burning some gasoline. They stay out of politics because it is appropriate: owning and learning about and loving cars has nothing to do with one's political affiliation and it shouldn't. The other car mags could learn a thing or two from Automobile.

Automobile magazine emerged from the creative mind of David E. Davis, Jr. who founded it in 1986 after leaving Car & Driver abruptly. Their moto: "No Boring Cars." This moto has largely succeeded. Davis left several years ago - he's in his 70's so he's entitled to slow down - and left the editorship to Ms. Jean Lindamood Jennings, also formerly of Car & Driver. Personally, I think she is brilliant, but Davis and the suits didn't agree. She assumed the position of "President," while Brit Gavin Conway joined as the new editor in chief. Jennings colum returned to it's traditional place on the back page. She is charming, sharp-witted, and just a share irreverant. Like I said, brilliant. Other notables include the incomparable Jamie Kitman and the newly discovered Ezra Dyer. Both write with a candor unmatched by any other automobile publication.

The downside: the magazine is a bit thin. They charge as much or more than other magazines for a subscription, but include less "stuff" each month. Their tech stats also pale in comparison to others. But if numbers are your thing, read Road & Track or Car & Driver. However, if you read to read, you'll love Automobile. Personally, I just subscribe to them all.

Automobile magazine is a huge letdown. Their content, which was once somewhat edgy and original, has slipped to become mundane. What is worse, however, is the fact that they have the worst customer service in the industry. I was double billed for my subscription and after 3 calls to their customer service team, was informed that hey had no idea what I was talking about and could not fix the error. Additionally, there were 2 interruptions in my subscription, neither of which appeared to have any good reason. A few calls into customer service fixed the problem but I am definitely not buying them again. Try AutoWeek instead, or if you're more conservative, Car and Driver.

Reading this since I was 16... I am 44 now. always gets better.
Great photography and prose. targets the upper class and doesnt talk so much about 1/4 mile times, nascar, hotrodding etc. Focuses on the buyers of No Boring Cars.

I bought a subscription for my husband last year and learned that I enjoy reading the articles too. I just renewed the subscription. That's fine, but I want to get this on the Kindle Fire. Amazon, can you get this for the Kindle Fire?

Do not use this subscription service. I attempted to get a three-year renewal to Automobile magazine in August 2010, and nothing ever came. I complained in December, promises were made that a magazine would finally show up in February, but none ever came. I will get a refund from Amazon, but meanwhile I have been without one of my favorite magazines, and unable to take advantage of renewal offers that were as attractive as what was offered here. Do not get this magazine here. Get it directly from the magazine's site.

After subscribing to other car magazines I have found to be this one the best. I still receive motor trend and even though is good, it gets kind of boring at times (car and driver is almost the same). After reading Automobile at Borders I felt in love with it. The content is very refreshing, the articles are well put together, and they have sections (like the one where they analyze a new car styling) that I really enjoy and make it feel authentic. Every month, out of three car magazines i receive, this is the first one I read.

Automobile's long term tests are also the best since they actually update them online at least every week and discuss a lot of little details that only an owner will notice. Highly recommend it for anyone looking into buying a new car.

I am disappointed by Automobile...Over the course of two years they have shed about 50/60 pages of content off their magazine and it is now thinner than ever and stuffed full of ads. I was glad to not renew my Subscription

Cons:
- Very Biased (ALWAYS favor the Porsche)
- Little to no content
- Little to now actual Car News

Pros:
-Its $10 bucks
-I love the photography

Verdict: Get Road & Track or Car and Driver, They have never let me down