What’s all this, then?
MotorMouths is a helpful web app. We make it easy for you to find published reviews and critics’ scores for every new car, so that you can buy the right one.
So what exactly do you do?
It might be better to explain what we don’t do. We don’t sell cars, and we don’t endorse one automaker or one model over another. We simply tell you which new cars get the best reviews and scores from leading automotive critics.
And how does it work?
We gather and organize the latest car reviews from a bunch of very good publications. We then derive a vehicle score for every new car, based on what each critic wrote about it. Then we calculate the average of those individual scores, to determine an overall score for every car. That was the short explanation. If you want more info, here’s the wonkish version.
Do users get to review cars?
Sorry, but nope. Here’s why. When considering a purchase as pricey as a new car, shoppers should have as much credible and expert information as possible. Car reviews by amateur critics just aren’t reliable enough to stake your money on. That’s why we use only expert critics to determine a vehicle’s overall score. But don’t fret. Some users will get do something even better — they’ll get to review the reviewers.
Who are these “experts” of which you speak?
Well, we link only to established publications, chosen based on their years in existence, journalistic reputation, circulation, and industry accolades. The critics working for these publications are some of the most knowledgeable automotive writers in the country. So there’s that. Also, every critic cited on MotorMouths earns an overall credibility rating, based on their published reviews, so you know just how trustworthy a particular critic’s opinions are.
How do you determine a critic’s credibility?
Actually, we don’t. Verified owners of the same model year car being reviewed rate the overall accuracy of that review, and thus the credibility of that critic. In other words, only the people who actually own and drive a particular model on a daily basis are allowed to rate reviews of their car. We built the critic credibility system that way to keep it accurate and honest.
How do I become a verified owner?
Owners register using their vehicle identification number. Once that VIN is verified, they can rate the accuracy of reviews of their car, and those ratings count towards a critic’s overall credibility rating.
Hey, I’m a published car critic. Am I on the site?
Congratulations — and perhaps. Here’s the current list of publications and critics.
Who are you guys?
John, Nick, Jeff, Ben, and David. Sometimes Mimi and Melissa help, too.
Do any of you ever write about cars?
Sure we do. But in very Meta fashion. Check out our blog and you’ll see.
How can I contact you?
Easy. Just write to us.