Best Classic Car Magazines

‍10 Best Classic Car Magazines

Classic car magazines are an excellent way to learn about the history of cars and the latest industry trends. They also provide a great way to find new parts for your car and figure out how to fix them.

There are plenty of options for choosing which magazine or website you want to read. These magazines offer a variety of articles, including reviews, restoration stories, technical articles, and more. They also offer special-edition issues throughout the year on various topics in the industry.

Many people in the United States and Canada are interested in classic cars. However, the number of people who are interested in this hobby is not big enough for a large number of magazines to be published about it. So, what is the best classic car magazine?

We will explore some of the best classic car magazines below and help you decide which one is best for you.

1. Classic Motorsports

Classic Motorsports is a website and magazine dedicated to everything cars, including project cars and buyer guides for enthusiasts. This is the perfect place to start if you want to learn more about the industry.

Not only do they have a physical copy magazine and a digital edition, but they also have tons of free content. There is also a forum for members to join to get involved in discussions, ask questions, and help others.

The Classic Motorsports subscription includes a monthly physical magazine subscription for $29.99. This includes six total issues released every other month, and you also get free access to both email newsletters.

Once you sign up and pay, you can also create an account to access just the digital edition, and each edition includes vehicle classified ads that can’t be found anywhere else. This gives you immediate access to classic cars on the market.

We rank this as the top choice because it’s completely devoted to only classic cars and trucks. Expect in-depth reviews of popular and less popular classic cars, including road tests, buying guides, etc.

2. Practical Classics

Practical Classics is a popular car magazine that has been circulated since 1980. It is a print and digital publication created for enthusiasts of classic cars. It offers reviews, features, and tips on how to buy and maintain classic cars.

This magazine is one of the most popular classic car magazines. It reviews all kinds of cars, as well as tips on how to take care of your vehicle. The only downside to this subscription is the high cost, but overall it provides the most information.

You have multiple subscription options, including print, digital, and both. Below we have listed the pricing for each option.

The Practical Classics brand is more than just a magazine, and they have built a strong classic car community. This includes a yearly competition for the classic vehicle restorer of the year.

While the initial price may seem steep, you are gaining access to much more than a magazine subscription here.

3. Hemmings Classic Car

The Hemmings Classic Car magazine is the world's leading publication for enthusiasts of classic cars. It brings readers the latest news, technical information, and events related to the hobby.

This is a monthly publication that covers all aspects of classic cars. It provides its readers with the latest news and information on events related to the hobby.

Each release also includes technical articles which help readers maintain their vehicles and identify parts needed for restoration projects.

This magazine is a niche publication because it focuses on an industry with a specific audience. It also provides readers with information about the history of cars and what they should look for when they are considering purchasing one.

When subscribing, you are given multiple options, including multi-year discounts. This is one of the cheapest overall classic car magazines too. Signing up gives you one monthly issue and a total of 12 for the year.

Pricing for this magazine subscription is listed below for comparison.

4. Car And Driver

The Car and Driver magazine is considered one of the world's most influential car magazines, with a strong reputation for its unbiased reporting on new vehicles and its long-term road tests of both foreign and domestic models.

In 1955, this brand was started under the Sports Cars Illustrated brand name. During the initial release, the focus was small, imported sports cars, but popularity caused the magazine to grow quickly to become a dominant player in the industry.

In 1961, the magazine was renamed Car And Driver. Today, the subscription price is $15 for one year of access to all prints.

This includes a monthly print; you can upgrade your purchase to $22.00 for one year. This includes six releases of Popular Mechanics magazine.

The other great thing about Car And Driver is the complimentary access to all prints digitally once you sign up. All editions include tons of information about car culture and expert reviews on all types of vehicles.

This is a massive magazine, so not only will you get the best information on classic cars, but there is coverage for most of the industry. This also includes professional photos, information, and a behind-the-scenes look into new and upcoming events.

5. Old Cars Weekly

The Old Cars Weekly is a popular car magazine that covers all the industry's auctions, shows, and trends. It has been around for over 50 years and has a loyal following.

The magazine offers readers an inside look at the latest trends and developments in the automotive world. It also provides readers with a look into some of the most prestigious car auctions around the world.

The editors are always on their toes to bring readers a fresh perspective on current news and emerging trends in this industry. The best thing about this magazine is the volume of issues released, with 27 total each year.

For pricing, you can expect to pay around the industry average, depending on the type of subscription you’d like. There are both print and digital options; pricing is listed below for reference.

Whether you want to read about a classic car review, current restoration project, or upcoming events in your area, this magazine has it all. They also have a free newsletter and a classic car marketplace to find deals.

6. MotorTrend

MotorTrend is a publication that has existed for over 60 years and has been one of the best classic car magazines for as long as it has existed. It covers everything in the industry, from reviews to news and more.

The magazine is published monthly and offers readers a mix of editorial content, including articles on new models, performance tests, road tests, self-driven adventures, and reader-submitted photos and videos.

The monthly magazine has 12 yearly releases that cover all aspects of automotive culture, including new and classic cars, motorsports, travel, design, and technology. They also have a website that provides updated information on car reviews, features, videos, etc.

Pricing is cheap at only $19.99 for a yearly subscription for the printed edition. You can also add a digital subscription to your bundle for an additional $9.99.

MotorTrend is great to find any new news in the industry, and advanced buying guides on classic cars and upcoming vehicle releases too. One more great thing about MotorTrend is its authority in the industry.

They provide all types of access and free content on top of the magazine subscription. You might not get the most targeted magazines for vintage cars, but they supplement it with free content extremely well.

7. Road And Track

Road And Track is a magazine for people who enjoy classic cars. They talk about how to fix up your car, where to find parts for your car, and how to work on your car.

However, it not only focuses on classics from the past, but you can stay up to date on new vehicles through high-level story-telling, elegant photos, and plenty of overall coverage about things happening in the industry.

This is the perfect magazine to mix your passion for classic cars while learning about new vehicles and the current races and events happening worldwide. Upon signing up, you can expect to see the first publication in 4-8 weeks.

However, you also gain access to the digital portal, where you can access the current publication immediately. The price for one year of access is $30.00, with the option to bundle this together with a Car And Driver subscription for $40.00.

This is an awesome deal to get both at once to give you full coverage for all angles within the industry.

8. Hot Rod

The Hot Rod classic car magazine is similar to MotorTrend and sold by the same provider. However, you can expect different content with more focus on adventure and performance vehicles.

This magazine is known for its coverage of hot rod and custom car culture. It also covers topics related to the automotive industry, such as new products and classic cars.

It is sold under the same brand as MotorTrend magazine, but this Hot Rod publication focuses more on project cars and custom classic vehicles. It also has a section where readers can submit their custom-car creations to be featured on the publication's pages.

The Hot Rod Magazine was started as a way to document the early days of hot rodding and now has evolved into an all-encompassing publication that covers everything related to automobiles, including vintage cars, motorcycles, and trucks.

Pricing is low at only $19.99 for a printed edition subscription for the year, plus an additional $9.99 per year to gain access to the digital edition.

9. Hemmings Muscle Machines

The Hemmings Muscle Machines magazine is a monthly publication that reviews and features classic American performance cars. The Hemmings Motor News company publishes the magazine.

This publication was first published in 2003, and the magazine has been publishing ever since. It is one of the most popular magazines for all things muscle cars.

The publication includes a mix of new and used car reviews, classified ads, technical articles on restoration and modification projects, industry news, and more. This magazine is perfect for those who are interested in the history of American automotive culture or just love to admire beautiful vehicles.

There are 12 total publications released each year, with one occurring every month. The information included ranges between vehicle reviews, buying guides, event news, and the latest industry trends.

The pricing is structured the same as in other Hemmings magazines for those interested. You can see the pricing options below.

10. Collectible Automobile

The Collectible Automobile magazine is for avid collectors most interested in antique and classic car styles. This magazine is ultra-targeted with a dedicated community too.

This magazine is a lesser-known classic car magazine about collector cars. It has been around for over 20 years and has a large following. The magazine is published every month and targets the collector car market.

It also covers some of the most prestigious international events and exhibitions and current news in the collector car world. The articles are written by experts with extensive knowledge of the subject they are writing about.

Pricing is slightly higher at $44.95 per year for a print and digital subscription with the option to backorder old issues for a discount too. If you want to get more involved with the community, you can join the Facebook group to chat with others.

This magazine has been in circulation since 1984, and they release a monthly publication with professional photographs and zero outside advertising. This is one of the reasons the community has grown so strongly.

What Is The Best Classic Car Magazine?

Classic car magazines are a great way to find the best classic cars and learn how to care for them. Finding a magazine that matches your interests and preferences for what you want to read about is important.

We rank Classic Motorsports as the best overall classic car magazine because it is affordable with the most in-depth industry publications. While there are fewer releases, you still get plenty of access to digital editions and weekly newsletters.

If you are looking for a magazine with a dedicated social media community, consider looking at Collectible Automobile. They have an active Facebook group with over 50,000 members.

In general, the best way to find what you need is by testing various subscriptions to see what works. They are low-cost, so it's quite common to subscribe to multiple releases as a trial to choose your favorite.

How To Find The Best Classic Car Magazines

Many car magazine publishers are in the market today, but not all offer quality content. A good magazine should have articles about new cars, reviews of classic cars, interviews with famous car designers and engineers, coverage of classic international events, and much more.

Below we have listed some key factors to keep in mind. This will help you filter through the market to find the perfect classic car magazine that fits your interests.

Digital Edition

Classic car magazines are not just about the physical copy of the magazine. They also have a digital edition that is available to subscribers. This is a great way to read classic car magazines on any device, anywhere, and anytime.

Most of the top magazines will give this for free, or you may need to pay a slightly increased subscription cost. However, it is worth it to give you full-time access from anywhere.

Total Prints

Next, you can make a note of how many prints and publication releases you get with your subscription. For example, if you would like regular releases, a magazine like Old Cars Weekly would suit you well.

They provide 27 releases per year compared to the 6-12 publications from many other magazines. This should only be a small factor, though, because it is about the magazine's quality too.

Price

A classic car magazine subscription is a great way to learn more about the car world. Whether you are interested in buying a vintage car or just want to learn more about the history of automobiles, these magazines offer a wealth of knowledge.

Overall, you won’t need to worry too much about pricing on these magazines. They are competitively priced aside from a few outliers, and $50 is likely what you will pay yearly for a single magazine.

Article Types

Several types of classic car magazines are available, with some focusing on specific makes or models. Others focus on restoring cars from the ground up, while others focus on the history and culture surrounding these classic vehicles.

The types of articles will determine whether you enjoy the magazine or not. For example, if you prefer to read about 1960s classics but the magazine you buy only discusses 1970s vehicles, you will be disappointed.

How Much Is A Classic Car Magazine Subscription?

A classic car magazine subscription is a bit more expensive than other magazines because of its niche focus. The price for each issue will depend on whether you are buying it from an online retailer or from a local store.

However, they have become much more affordable due to the printing press and only access to each release. On average, you should expect to pay between $10 to $50 for the year.

Factors like the number of releases, access granted, and type of content all impact the total cost you can expect to pay. If you are happy to pay upfront, you can get substantial discounts from many top providers.

Are Old Classic Car Magazines Valuable?

It might surprise some people, but hanging onto your classic car magazines is a smart investment, and many older publications are extremely valuable today.

If you have been an avid collector for a while and find any old publications from the 1940s, 50s, 60s, or 70s, there is a strong chance you are sitting on a gold mine.

Like how you treat your car, use your classic car magazine subscription to your advantage and keep each publication in good condition. You never know which ones might become worth something later on.