Motor Trend

What Motor Trend does

MotorTrend Group operates the largest automotive-focused media portfolio in the United States, serving two primary customer groups: automotive enthusiasts (consumers seeking vehicle reviews, rankings, and car culture content) and automotive manufacturers and advertisers (OEMs and aftermarket brands seeking targeted reach and branded content). The company is organized as a multi-platform "360° content engine" with the MotorTrend brand at the center, and it operates as a subsidiary within the Warner Bros. Discovery corporate structure (Hearst Autos, Inc. appears as the legal entity in certain filings).

The core product surface comprises five interconnected platforms: (1) MotorTrend+, a subscription streaming service (SVOD) with over 8,000 episodes of automotive programming distributed via Amazon Prime Video Channels, Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, FireTV, and mobile apps; (2) MotorTrend Network, a linear television channel reaching 70M+ U.S. households (formerly Velocity); (3) MotorTrend FAST TV, a free ad-supported channel launched on Pluto TV in June 2025; (4) motortrend.com, the flagship digital editorial platform covering news, reviews, and the Ultimate Car Rankings across 250+ vehicles in 50 segments; and (5) a live events business including Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge (Woodward Avenue drag racing), Ultimate Adventure, HOT ROD Power Tour, and Best Driver's Car. Supporting infrastructure includes MotorTrend Studios for original and branded content production, an instrumented vehicle-testing methodology that collects proprietary performance data at proving grounds, and recurring industry awards programs (Of the Year "Golden Calipers," Best Tech, and the Software-Defined Vehicle Innovator Awards at CES).

The business model combines recurring subscription revenue (MotorTrend+), advertising across linear TV, FAST TV, digital, and YouTube (6.6M subscribers, the largest U.S. automotive channel), enterprise branded-content and sponsorship deals with major OEMs (Ford, Dodge/Stellantis, Lexus/Toyota, Genesis/Hyundai, DeLorean, Lucid, Rivian, MINI, Honda, Porsche, among others), and event ticket and partnership revenue. Distribution partnerships with BBC Studios (Top Gear America), BlackBerry QNX and Vector (SDV Innovator Awards), and Mecum Auctions (collector car broadcasts) round out the revenue mix. Pricing for the consumer SVOD tier is not publicly disclosed beyond a 30-day free trial offer.

Name

Motor Trend

Legal name

Hearst Autos, Inc.

Website

https://motortrendgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

MotorTrend Group is the largest U.S. automotive media company, operating MotorTrend+ SVOD streaming (8,000+ episodes), MotorTrend Network linear TV (70M+ households), FAST TV on Pluto TV, motortrend.com, live events, branded content, and industry awards for automotive enthusiasts and OEM advertisers, as a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Media

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)

akta.pro primary industry

Motorsports Media Rights & Broadcasting (Series-Owned/Controlled) (MPAKAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Motorsports Fan Engagement & Membership Programs (Series/Team-Owned) (MPAKAGAI)

Keywords

• Automotive media
• Video streaming services
• Vehicle testing rankings
• Branded content production
• Live automotive events

Headquarters

HQ city

El Segundo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Subscription Video-on-Demand (SVOD): MotorTrend+ (formerly MotorTrend OnDemand/MotorTrend App) is a subscription streaming service offering over 8,000 episodes of automotive programming including original series, motorsports, live events, and historical archives. Revenue is generated through monthly and annual subscription fees, distributed via Amazon Prime Video Channels and direct app subscriptions.
2. Branded Content & Sponsorship: MotorTrend Studio creates custom branded content series for automotive manufacturers (e.g., Ford, Dodge, Lexus, Genesis, DeLorean, Hyundai, Kia, Rivian, MINI, Honda, Porsche, Toyota). These programs include video production, digital amplification, social media promotion, and experiential activations, generating sponsorship and advertising revenue.
3. Linear Television Advertising: MotorTrend Network (formerly Velocity) reaches over 70 million households in the U.S., generating advertising revenue through traditional TV commercial inventory and sponsored content integrations.
4. Event Revenue & Partnerships: Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge, Ultimate Adventure Presented by Rugged Ridge, HOT ROD Power Tour, Best Driver's Car competition, and other live events generate revenue through ticket sales, sponsorships, and brand partnerships with automotive companies.
5. FAST TV / AVOD: MotorTrend FAST TV channel on Pluto TV generates ad-supported viewership revenue through advertising impressions, expanding the company's addressable audience to free streaming viewers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

MotorTrend Group is a multi-platform automotive media company that produces and distributes automotive content via subscription streaming (MotorTrend+, 8,000+ episodes), linear television (MotorTrend Network, 70M+ U.S. households), free ad-supported streaming (MotorTrend FAST TV on Pluto TV), digital publishing (motortrend.com), and live events (Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge, Ultimate Adventure). The company also monetizes its audience through branded content production (MotorTrend Studios), sponsorships, advertising, and prestigious annual awards programs (Of the Year, Software-Defined Vehicle Innovator Awards).

Product overview

MotorTrend Group is a motor-inspired entertainment company operating as a multi-platform media organization with interconnected products and services. The core offerings include MotorTrend+ (SVOD streaming service with 8,000+ episodes), MotorTrend.com (digital editorial platform), MotorTrend TV (linear broadcast network), and MotorTrend FAST TV (ad-supported streaming). These are supported by MotorTrend Studios (original production), MotorTrend Events (live experiences like Roadkill Nights), MotorTrend IntelliChoice (automotive cost analysis), the Software-Defined Vehicle Innovator Awards (industry recognition), and MotorTrend Buyer’s Guide with Ultimate Car Rankings (consumer research tools). The portfolio spans subscription streaming, broadcast television, digital media, branded content, live events, and awards programs, creating a 360-degree automotive media ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MotorTrend+: Subscription streaming service dedicated entirely to the motoring world with over 8,000 episodes of automotive series and specials.
• IntelliChoice
• MotorTrend FAST TV
• Software-Defined Vehicle Innovator Awards

Products and services

• MotorTrend+ Subscription video-on-demand streaming service for automotive enthusiasts, offering 8,000+ episodes of original series (Roadkill, Top Gear America, Wheeler Dealers), motorsports coverage, live event streams, and historical automotive archives accessible via web, mobile, and connected-TV platforms.
• MotorTrend TV (formerly Velocity)

Quantifiable outcome

• MotorTrend reaches 70M+ TV households and generates 35M monthly video views across digital platforms
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• VectorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2025Vector is co-presenting partner of the Software-Defined Vehicle Innovator Awards alongside QNX. Vector is also co-developing a foundational vehicle software platform with QNX targeting high-performance computing architectures, and is an official sponsor of the SDV Innovator Awards programme.
• Pluto TVcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 June 2025MotorTrend FAST TV channel expanded through a partnership with Pluto TV, the leading free streaming television service, allowing automotive fans to stream MotorTrend's extensive library of premium automotive programming on Pluto TV.
• BlackBerry QNX (BlackBerry Limited)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023MotorTrend and BlackBerry QNX co-created the Software-Defined Vehicle Innovator Awards program, a 172-page book 'Coding the Car', and a 22-minute documentary highlighting automotive software pioneers. BlackBerry QNX technology is embedded in over 215 million vehicles worldwide. The partnership culminated in an inaugural awards ceremony at CES 2023.
• Discovery Inc. / EurosportcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 8 March 2018Velocity (owned by Discovery Inc.) and MotorTrend secured North American broadcast rights for FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), providing live coverage of all qualifying sessions and races in the USA and Canada. Coverage produced in association with Discovery-owned Eurosport, reaching over 65 million households.
• Dodge (Stellantis)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerDodge and MotorTrend co-produce 'Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge,' an annual street-legal drag racing event on Woodward Avenue at M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan. The event began as a pop-up parking lot gathering in 2015 and has grown into a major annual car culture attraction. The partnership includes live streaming, Dodge Thrill and Drift Rides, sponsored activations, and the Direct Connection Grudge Match.
• BBC StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBC Studios co-produces Top Gear America with MotorTrend Group, featuring hosts Dax Shepard, Rob Corddry, and Jethro Bovingdon. The show premiered January 29, 2021, on the MotorTrend App.
• Mecum AuctionsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMotorTrend TV and MotorTrend+ serve as the exclusive broadcast home for Mecum Auctions collector car events, including Mecum Harrisburg with approximately 1,200 collector vehicles per event. Coverage reaches millions of viewers, with Kissimmee 2022 drawing 6.3 million viewers (76% YoY increase).
• Warner Bros. DiscoverycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMotorTrend Group is a Warner Bros. Discovery company, operating as the company's auto-enthusiast media joint venture. MotorTrend Network (formerly Velocity) operates within Discovery's cable television ecosystem.
• Rugged RidgecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRugged Ridge has been the presenting sponsor of Ultimate Adventure for multiple years, a grueling overland/off-road event that has run for over two decades. Coverage spans Four Wheeler Network's social, digital, and print platforms, reaching millions of truck and off-road enthusiasts.
• Pirelli World ChallengeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMotorTrend OnDemand was the exclusive North American digital video distribution partner for Pirelli World Challenge races, streaming 11 race weekends and the Streets of St. Petersburg season opener live in 2017.
• Ansel Adams TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMotorTrend partnered with Lexus and the Ansel Adams Trust for the 'Chasing Light' campaign, creating the first-ever automotive brand partnership with the Ansel Adams Trust to promote the all-new 2014 GX through documentary-style photography content.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Autoblog: Digital-first automotive media brand covering news, reviews, and buying guides. Direct peer in automotive editorial media with comparable content categories and digital audience targeting.
• Car and Driver: Hearst-owned automotive enthusiast magazine and digital media brand covering new car reviews, rankings, and buying advice. Direct competitor to MotorTrend in the automotive editorial media category with similar content franchises and audience overlap.
• Road & Track: Hearst-owned automotive enthusiast media brand focused on performance, racing, and luxury vehicles. Direct peer with overlapping editorial coverage, awards programs, and OEM branded content partnerships in the automotive enthusiast segment.
• Top Gear: BBC-owned global automotive entertainment brand producing TV shows, digital content, and events. Direct peer in automotive enthusiast entertainment; notably, BBC Studios co-produces Top Gear America with MotorTrend, evidencing direct category overlap.

Emerging players

• Edmunds: Online automotive research and shopping platform providing reviews, pricing, and dealer connections. Comparable as a digital automotive media and shopping resource, with stronger transactional/commerce orientation than MotorTrend's editorial focus.
• CarGurus: Online automotive marketplace and research platform with significant consumer automotive traffic. Comparable in audience overlap (car shoppers, enthusiasts) but competes from a marketplace/data angle rather than editorial content.
• Hagerty Media: Hagerty's media division produces automotive enthusiast content including video, editorial, and the Radwood car culture events. Comparable as a niche automotive enthusiast media brand with growing event and content business.
• The Drive: Digital automotive media brand covering reviews, news, motorsports, and car culture. Comparable as a digital-native automotive editorial competitor focused on enthusiast audiences with similar YouTube and social distribution strategies.

Broad incumbents

• Warner Bros. Discovery: Parent company of MotorTrend Group and one of the largest global media conglomerates. Comparable as a broad incumbent whose portfolio includes entertainment, news, and lifestyle networks overlapping with MotorTrend's content categories at the corporate level.
• Hearst Autos: Hearst's automotive media division (Car and Driver, Road & Track, Autoweek). Comparable as a broad incumbent automotive media portfolio competing for the same OEM branded content and audience engagement budgets as MotorTrend Group.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MotorTrendGroup
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MotorTrend
• Facebookfacebook.com/motortrend
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/motortrend
• Instagraminstagram.com/motortrend
• TikToktiktok.com/@motortrend

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Motor Trend