Road Test One of the main staples of
MotorWeek is the Road Test, where the team of testers puts a new car through various conditions to see how it operates. Over the years,
MotorWeek has conducted its basic tests at various venues. In the show’s early years, testing was primarily done at either
Martin State Airport in Baltimore, using one of the airport’s seaplane tarmacs.
MotorWeek also had access to a stretch of unfinished highway at an indeterminate location outside of Baltimore in its early days. One location was the west bound lanes of Interstate 70 from the terminus in Catonsville headed towards I-695. Another location used later was I-795 before it was opened. Eventually,
MotorWeek settled on the 75-80 Dragway in
Frederick, Maryland as its primary testing facility. The show used the quarter-mile drag strip up until the end of its 39th season; during much of that time,
MotorWeek had the only access to the track as it had closed multiple times for competition, the grandstands were eventually removed, and property maintenance was virtually nonexistent by the end. For season 40 and beyond,
MotorWeek has used the Mason-Dixon Dragway in
Boonsboro, Maryland as its test track. In the winter months, the show relocates the testing to
Roebling Road Raceway in Savannah, Georgia.
MotorWeek has also done tests at the Ford and General Motors proving grounds in the past as well as at several famous racetracks such as
Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania,
Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, and
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course near Lexington, Ohio, and
Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia. Each test starts with an overview of the car’s engine and features, as well as other options that are available. This portion is comprehensive, ranging from how much power the engine has to how the interior of the car is set up. The car is then taken out onto the drag strip. Here, tests are done to measure its zero-to-sixty time, how long it takes to traverse the quarter-mile drag strip, how the car handles a slalom course, how it handles quick turns, and how much distance it takes for the car to come to a complete stop from 60 miles per hour. A test is also done to determine fuel economy ratings against the ones provided by the Environmental Protection Agency; to perform this, the testers use a 100-mile loop that combines city and highway driving and averages their figures. Since 2008, the environmental impacts of vehicles (specifically their carbon footprints and their oil usage) are also included in the discussion. Older episodes also tested a car’s speed at 500 feet to simulate entering a highway as well as its turning diameter. Once the road test is complete, the car’s hits and misses are revealed as are the reasons why the testers felt a certain way about various issues. The car’s costs to the consumer are revealed at the very end of the segment, including what the vehicle would cost with various option packages.
Comparison Test For many years,
MotorWeek has conducted periodic competitive tests to determine what cars, in their opinion, are the top in a certain classification. In recent years these tests have been done in conjunction with
cars.com. For these instances, the team will choose a series of vehicles, usually six, that fit into the category (for example, compact sport utility vehicles). The vehicles, like every other tested by
MotorWeek, are supplied by the manufacturers themselves and each must adhere to the set of criteria selected for the competition (for example, transmission type or maximum cost). After the cars are put through a battery of tests, their performances are graded and the top four performing vehicles in the category are revealed in order from lowest to highest, with specific highlights such as price or fuel mileage noted.
Other segments • Quick Spin: Take a quick spin on new vehicles. • Two Wheelin': A two wheel review on
motorcycles. • First Drive: A first look at new vehicles. • Muscle Car Memories: A wide variety of vintage, classic, and memorable muscle cars. • Car of the Week: Featuring a photo album of automobiles sent in by viewers. • Long Term Test Update: News on cars loaned to
MotorWeek for tests, usually for one year. • MotorNews: An in-depth report on new and upcoming vehicles. • Over The Edge: An automotive industry on overdrive. Replaced Craig Singhaus' "Taking the High Road" segment. • FYI: Featuring an in-depth report on consumer trending. • Retro Review: A look back at
MotorWeek reviews from past seasons. • Eye Spy: Featuring photographic closeups of automobiles. • Your Drive: An automotive car care segment hosted by Audra Fordin, Logan McCombs and Dan Maffett. The segment was created in season 42 (2022–23) to replace ''Goss' Garage'' following
Pat Goss' death earlier in 2022. == Discontinued/Renamed Segments ==