Now you can see how we score every car
Welcome to Driving’s new rating system
You’ve read our reviews for insight, compared different models — now you can see the score we’re giving every new car we drive.
Welcome to Driving ’s rating system, a detailed and carefully constructed numerical evaluation that will reflect what we’ve discovered — and how we feel — about every vehicle that has gone through a weeklong road test by one of our experienced journalists. It’s a new and useful tool for car shoppers, one that will help filter the vehicles on your shortlist.
Based out of 100, every rating on every vehicle uses 10 criteria, ranging from value to storage. Some are subjective, some are objective and some are given more weight than others. But each rating covers the entire vehicle and how it ranks against other vehicles in the same class at that time, based on the trim level of the vehicle driven.
It’s a snapshot evaluation meant to bolster the more-detailed written review, your quick and easy reference to see how the vehicle measures up.
If the score looks low, the reasons will be found in the written review. If the rating is high, the writer will explain how it got such a glowing report.
That’s why the two work so well together: The rating is your instant insight while the written review is your comprehensive guide to the vehicle.
With both, you’ll be prepared to form your own opinion — and decision — about a new car.
To this new rating system, we’ve also added an Editor’s Choice designation, which calls out a vehicle so good that it stole the writer’s heart and is a vehicle he or she would buy themselves. Armed with that kind of recommendation, you can be sure you’re on the right track to find a vehicle that not only fits your needs, but is one you’ll be happy to own.