I’ve been watching car shows for almost 30 years, and I think I’ve picked up a fair bit over the years. I was fortunate enough to spend just over a year with Trade Price Cars in Wickford, Essex as a car reviewer on YouTube, and I learnt a massive amount of insight whilst there. It’s a passion of mine to take a car and play with it for a day, to really understand it and what makes it marketable and suitable for the buyer. So here’s a quick five-step rundown as to what I think makes a good car review.
1. Honesty
It’s really important you don’t run with the crowd. Give your own honest opinion about something, even if it doesn’t match the norm. People follow a car reviewer for their integrity and their personality. If you stick to what the corporate byline tells you, then you lose all sense of independent thought. People will see through you in a heartbeat. I personally would much rather people reject my opinion as nonsense, then mark me as a commercial salesman itching you to buy a product because the car company in question told me what to say. What makes the Clarkson, Hammond and May trio so likeable is that they don’t pander to the manufacturer’s whims – they say it as they find it. Being genuine counts.
2. Being Comfortable in Your Own Skin
Energy is important, but it has to be your own energy. There’s no point trying to be somebody you’re not. Different people are very watchable for varying different reasons. Look at the Clarkson, Hammond and May trio again as a perfect example.
They are three completely different personality types, yet they blend and gel so well together. Jeremy Clarkson is loud, boisterous and controversial – he leans on his abrasive attitudes and extrovert nature to create a persona that is as flamboyant as it is objectionable. Richard Hammond meanwhile is more charming, cheerful and agreeable in style. He brings joy to what he does, a scientific approach and questionable demeanour as well as an inquisitive manner with a sharp wit that makes him engaging and amusing. James May is my personal favourite – his honesty and integrity are beyond repute. He is not afraid to be himself – a calmer more sensible approach but very simplistic. He doesn’t overshine the apple, and he doesn’t degrade for pointless amusement either. His humour is very boyish in nature and genuinely relatable. He is the “everyman” and probably the presenter that the average Joe has the most in common with. He’s also in tune with Britishness, and is the perfect flavour of car reviewer for the people actually buying a car for function and practicality.
My own style is probably quite unique. I’m interested in the function of a car myself, I’m not overly impressed by flashy gadgetry, I like things to be simple in a car and I often find innovation irritating and off-putting. But if I like driving a car, I will talk about it with the flamboyance and energy akin to Toad of Toad Hall. I’m bouncy and excitable in a good mood, whilst deflated and sombre in a negative mood. It’s a very marmite style of broadcasting, but I’m not afraid to be who I am on camera. Whilst I’m not everybody’s first choice, it’s the plain and simple fact that if you are who you were born to be in your style of presenting your authenticity is what makes you brilliant at what you do.
3. Facts Are Your Friends
I’m obsessed with trivia, and it comes in handy when reviewing a car. I always find that if I can use some interesting facts about both the car model and its manufacture, it can steer me in good stead during a video or an article. This is where being nerdy can really help you.
Obviously, a car reviewer’s best friend in terms of statistics are the car’s economy if you’re a sensible person – miles per gallon, CO2 per kilometre and storage capacity, for example – and performance if you’re a little more charismatic – top speed, 0-60mph time and torque range. If you want to appeal to both audiences, you should lean into both angles and you can easily make yourself sound appealing and engaging.
Trust the information given to you, even if you disagree with it. If you do, don’t be afraid to challenge it…….
4. Remember to Be Balanced
In my opinion, you cannot spend an entire review being positive or negative in total measure. You have to be able to look for both sides of the argument.
If you don’t like a car, you still need to look for aspects that make it good. If you like a car, it’s still important to find things you’re not particularly keen on. Jeremy Clarkson was always brilliant at this in his annual car videos – he knew people wanted to see the latest Ferrari or Aston Martin, and whilst he would praise its brilliant elements, he would never shy away from the aspects of a car he disliked. This builds a relationship with a viewer – you’re not just a “yes man” and you’re not just a “negative nelly”. You look for everything you can about the vehicle that will appeal to as many different people as possible. That’s how you win your audience over. You’re not just talking to the high rollers, you’re also talking to the parents, the construction workers, the first-time drivers, the care workers, the auxilary staff and yes, even the civil servants.
And on that note……
5. Speak to Everyone
It’s important to find your true voice and make sure you can appeal to as many different people as you can – not just in car reviews, but in life. I am quite blessed in that regard, as I have held so many different positions in so many different fields. I’ve been a cleaner, a delivery boy, a double-glazing salesman, a waiter, a telephone marketer, a cinema ticketseller, a barman, a student, a youth worker, a film crew runner, a school substitute teacher and a broadcaster. This puts you in touch with almost every type of person in every type of field.
Being approachable is what makes you the car reviewer that stands out from the crowd. You can’t buy integrity or authenticity, and it certainly can’t be created by AI. You have to remember that all sorts of people could see your review, so speak to as many people as possible. Widening your vocabulary is essential to speak to as many types of people as possible. I personally utilise Audible and BBC Radio 4 – audiobooks and comedy shows really help to expand your mind and in turn broaden your reach.
If you can harness all of these techniques, you can deliver a great review. But there’s certainly a lot more to it than that, even I am still learning! However. if you wish to get started to make a career of it, these are the kinds of techniques that will help you make a start. Who knows – with the power of social media and the faith in your own ability and persona, you could teach The Grand Tour trio a thing or two! Good luck!
