YouTube is one of the largest media platforms in existence today. Not only does it provide us with millions of hours of possible entertainment, it also provides a truly enormous amount of information on just about any subject.
It is a great place to learn about the car and trucks we buy.
You can easily find video reviews on just about every model, repair videos for when your vehicle doesn’t work as it should, and even hilarious adventure videos where someone uses a vehicle for something completely different than its designers intend.
One of the best things about YouTube is that just about anybody can make and post a video. That also means that not everything that is posted is true, beneficial, or helpful.
There will always be some YouTube channels that have better content than others, that are more entertaining, and that stand out over the rest.
Here are our picks for the ten best current automotive YouTube channels.
Kelley Blue Book:
Kelley Blue Book has been around for a long time. Many know them as the premier authority on vehicle resale value, but they also provide a great amount of information in each of their vehicle reviews.
If you need to know anything about a particular model, KBB has you covered. Their reviews are simple, concise, and don’t include too much extra, which is good for people who don’t want to be dragged down by unnecessary information.
They cover the newest vehicles and have been producing content for years, so you can usually find older reviews on what are now used vehicles.
If you need more info than what they have on YouTube, just go to their website!
Scotty Kilmer:
To many first time viewers, Scotty Kilmer probably comes across like a grumpy old man. To be fair he is probably one of the oldest YouTubers consistently posting on the platform today, but he really isn’t grumpy.
He’s just seen a lot, and he knows what he likes and what he doesn’t like. And that isn’t without any information to back it up.
Call him old fashioned if you like, but he has been working on cars for fifty years. No matter how many times you hear the word “Toyota” come out of his mouth during an episode, he knows what he’s talking about and gives very solid advice.
Practical advice, viewer questions, how-to videos, and even some informational videos are what you can expect when you visit his channel.
Hoovie’s Garage:
Hoovie’s Garage is one of the up and coming YouTube channels that has exploded in popularity over the past year.
Tyler Hoover essentially buys “interesting” vehicles every month, presents them, fixes them up, then drives them for a while… or finds out they are just too expensive and loses money selling them. It’s what makes his channel so entertaining.
Hoovie’s Garage isn’t so much an informational channel as it is for entertainment, though Tyler does sneak a good bit of solid information into each episode around all the shenanigans.
He doesn’t do any crazy adventures, weird vehicle-related challenges, or anything like Top Gear or The Grand Tour, but he is knowledgeable, he actually does know what he is doing, and he always provides a good laugh for the viewers.
Doug DeMuro:
Doug DeMuro is one of the most well-known automotive YouTubers. Like Tyler Hoover, he works for Autotrader, but unlike Tyler Hoover, he strictly makes informational videos.
This can be helpful and interesting, but he has shifted from reviewing more personal, relatable, and common vehicles to rare, more expensive, and new vehicle reviews. Just like most other channels, his has evolved from the days of doing whatever it takes to get views to finding out what people like.
He has definitely found what his viewers like, and everything he does is very professional, informative, and unbiased – for the most part. His “Doug Score” method of rating cars can be helpful as well.
Engineering Explained:
Jason Fenske is behind this iconic YouTube Channel. He has an engineering degree, and he uses it to teach his viewers about the inner workings of vehicles.
This can be helpful if you like well-organized, not so simple, yet still concise explanations of what is going on under your hood or around you while you drive.
He doesn’t just do informational videos though. He includes his own personal vehicle projects and does press release videos along with his brainy content.
If you want to learn more about how cars work, this is the right channel for you.
Savagegeese:
A lesser known automotive YouTube channel, Savagegeese is a privately funded informational channel that focuses on no-nonsense vehicle reviews.
Not only do they drive the vehicle, they get underneath it to examine what it makes it good or what makes it bad. Just be prepared for harsh, unbiased criticism. They don’t hold back when it comes to the bad points that every vehicle has.
Despite this, their reviews are very comprehensive. If you need the most information on a particular model, Savagegeese will give all of it to you… the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Consumer Reports:
Consumer Reports is quite possibly the best source of automotive information you can get. Not only do they buy all of their own vehicles – making their information unbiased – but they also get information from real owners who have years of personal ownership experience.
That means they give you real-time information from both experts and everyday people.
You can find information on just about any model available in the past 10-15 years.
In addition to vehicle reviews, they do podcasts and keep up to date information on vehicle recalls, safety concerns, and automotive news.
To see all of their comprehensive reviews, you have to pay for a subscription to their site, but it is well worth the few dollars it takes to get in.
Carfection:
If you find movies easier to watch than somebody rambling on about every vehicle specification for a specific model, Carfection is the perfect channel for you.
High production quality sets them apart from most other automotive channels, and their cinematic approach to their reviews and stories make their videos easy to watch.
They are beautiful, they tell a story, and they truly believe that every car has value.
Think of their content as a cross between a Grand Tour review mini-movie, Hoovie’s Garage, and a personal blog.
Autoblog:
Autoblog is very similar to KBB with their type of content but without the strict vehicle review wooden-ness.
Their content is interesting and very detailed, but not so in-depth that you become lost in all the numbers generally thrown around during a normal review. Everything is well-written and well-presented.
One other thing they do better than KBB is produce auto show content. They do live videos, tours, and future vehicle spotlights anywhere from Detroit to Germany. They also feature an extensive portfolio of vehicle reviews, comparisons, and even short lists for viewers with a little less time to sit and watch a full review.
The Fast Lane Car/Truck:
The Fast Lane Car/Truck is primarily an informational channel that combines a little bit of almost all the content we’ve discussed thus far. Really, the only thing you don’t get is the cinematic quality and stories that Carfection provides.
They go to press releases, perform real-world testing on vehicles, do comparisons, review vehicles, have mini-series builds, do live discussions, present top ten lists, and provide a huge variety of content that ranges from very helpful to moderately entertaining.
One of their strengths is reporting on future vehicles as they have a dedicated crew that looks for test vehicles for future production.
I am personally not that big a fan of everything they do just because their content doesn’t flow as nicely as other channels and the occasional dry humor inserted into their videos, but I can’t deny the fact that their information is top notch, and their reporting is always up-to-date.
More and more people are turning to YouTube for information, entertainment, and a host of other things. There are also more automotive YouTubers than ever before.
Not everybody can make the list, and there are still some fantastic automotive YouTube channels out there that could easily slide into the 10 best. But, I have to stop somewhere, and based on what these channels give viewers, I think it’s a pretty solid list.
What do you think?
Who should have made the list? Who should be off the list?
Let me know in the comments below!
