Behind the Scenes: How Does MotorTrend Decide Car of the Year?

For 70 years, MotorTrend has crowned a “Car of the Year”—the new or significantly revised vehicle that hits hardest against six key criteria, from standard metrics like fuel economy and safety to more editorial decisions, like advancement in design and performance of intended function. In this way, cars from the Kia Soul to the Porsche 911 can compete in a single competition. Curious? Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the decades-old process.