Editorial Policy
How we research, write, source and correct our automotive coverage, and where the line sits between our journalism and our advertising.
Who We Are
AutoTimegist publishes car reviews, automotive news, head-to-head comparisons, buying guides and maintenance advice. Our readers use what we publish to make decisions that cost real money, so the standards below are not decoration. They are the conditions under which we are willing to publish.
Every article carries a named author with a linked profile. You can see the full team on our authors page.
How We Source Our Reporting
We prioritise primary sources. Where a manufacturer has published a press release, specification sheet or newsroom statement, we work from that document rather than from another outlet's summary of it.
- Manufacturer material: official newsrooms, press kits and published specifications.
- Regulators and agencies: bodies such as the NHTSA, the EPA, the IIHS and Euro NCAP for safety, recall, emissions and efficiency data.
- Established automotive press: outlets including Car and Driver, MotorTrend, Edmunds, Kelley Blue Book and Consumer Reports, cited by name when we reference their testing.
- Our own observations: clearly written in the first person or attributed to the named author.
When we quote another publication, we name it. When a figure comes from a specific test or regulator, we say which. Where reporting disagrees, we say so rather than silently picking the more convenient number.
Accuracy and Fact-Checking
Before publication we check that specifications, prices, dates and quoted figures match their stated source, and that any quotation attributed to a third party reproduces what that party actually said.
On numbers: Range, efficiency and performance figures depend heavily on the test that produced them. We label WLTP and EPA figures separately and do not present one as if it were the other, because the two are not interchangeable.
Prices, specifications and availability change frequently and vary by market. Figures are accurate to the best of our knowledge on the date of publication or last update, which is shown on every article.
Corrections
We correct errors rather than quietly deleting them.
- Factual errors are corrected as soon as they are confirmed, and the article's update date is changed to reflect the revision.
- Significant corrections — anything that changes the substance of a verdict, recommendation or headline claim — are noted within the article itself.
- Minor fixes such as spelling, grammar or broken links are made without a note.
If you believe something we have published is wrong, please tell us through our contact page and include the article and the specific claim in question. We would rather be corrected than be wrong.
How We Use AI Tools
We use software throughout our workflow, including AI-assisted tools for research, drafting support, formatting and proofreading. We are open about that because readers deserve to know how the work is made.
What does not change is accountability. Every article is assigned to a named human author who is responsible for its accuracy, and no article is published without human review of its facts, sources and conclusions. AI tools do not decide our verdicts, and we do not publish machine-generated text as though no one stood behind it.
Editorial Independence
Our reviews and recommendations are not for sale. Manufacturers, dealers and advertisers do not see articles before publication, do not approve our conclusions, and cannot have coverage removed because they dislike it.
A negative verdict on a car from a company that advertises with us stays published. If that ever becomes a commercial problem, it is our problem to solve, not the reader's.
Advertising and Affiliate Links
AutoTimegist is funded by advertising, including Google AdSense, and may earn commission through affiliate links. Advertising is visually distinct from editorial content.
- Advertising placement has no influence on what we cover or what we conclude.
- Where a link earns us commission, that relationship never changes the ranking or the recommendation.
- Any sponsored or paid content, should we publish it, is clearly labelled as such.
Further detail on data and tracking is set out in our privacy policy, and commercial terms in our terms of use.
What Our Advice Is, and Is Not
Please note: Our maintenance and buying content is general information, not professional advice. Vehicle work carries real risk, and requirements vary by model, model year and market. For anything safety-critical — brakes, steering, suspension, airbags or high-voltage systems — consult a qualified technician and your vehicle's official documentation. Content touching on tax, finance or insurance is journalism, not tax or financial advice; verify current rules with the relevant authority or a qualified professional before acting.
Reader Contact
We welcome corrections, tips and questions about how we work. Reach us through the contact page. Correspondence about a specific article is most useful when it names the article and the claim at issue.