What Happened to Car and Driver? The Real Story Today

Car and Driver did not vanish. The brand still publishes online, while its print footprint shrank and older issues moved into Hearst archives, library databases, and back-issue markets. Miss that split, and you may pay for the wrong issue or look in the wrong place for current coverage. This guide covers the ownership timeline, editorial shift, and where to find current and past issues.

What happened to Car and Driver?

Car and Driver moved from a standalone print magazine to a digital-first brand under Hearst. The name stayed active, but the monthly print title largely ended after Hearst folded it into Road & Track in 2021, and current Car and Driver material now appears on its own website. (caranddriver.com)

What readers noticed first

Readers first noticed the separate monthly print magazine was gone. Automotive coverage did not stop. Reviews, news, features, and long-term tests kept running online under the Car and Driver name.

📊 Car and Driver was founded in 1955. Source: What Happened to Car and Driver: Shocking Truth Revealed.

How did Car and Driver start?

Car and Driver began in 1955 as Sports Cars Illustrated, then became Car and Driver. That history matters because the magazine built its reputation long before the 2021 change, through road tests, buyer guidance, and enthusiast coverage that shaped the title for decades.

Why the magazine mattered before the transition

Before the consolidation, Car and Driver was one of the best-known American automotive magazines, with a long print life under Hearst. Its name meant comparison tests, model news, and editor-led car evaluations in a familiar monthly format.

What changed in 2021?

Hearst Magazines announced a merger in 2021 that combined Car and Driver with Road & Track, the other Hearst-owned publication in the deal. The goal was to build a stronger digital presence, and the practical result was a major move away from a separate monthly print product.

What the merger changed for editorial and distribution

The merger changed how the brand reached readers more than it changed the subject matter. Car and Driver kept its name online, but distribution shifted to the web, and the standalone monthly print edition largely ended as a separate title.

Timeline point	Brand status	What it meant for readers
1955	Founded as Sports Cars Illustrated, later renamed Car and Driver	Readers got a long-running print automotive magazine with a strong testing identity
Before 2021	Separate Hearst magazine brand in print and online	Readers could buy or subscribe to a distinct monthly Car and Driver issue
2021	Hearst Magazines announced a merger with Road & Track	Readers saw the start of a consolidation that moved the brand toward a shared digital future
After the merger	Standalone monthly print edition largely ceased	Readers lost the separate monthly print package and had to look online for new content
Current destination	Car and Driver continues as a dedicated website	Readers can still get reviews, news, features, and long-term tests under the Car and Driver name

Is Car and Driver still publishing reviews?

Yes. Car and Driver still publishes reviews, news, features, and long-term tests under its own name online. The editorial scope stayed in place after the print shift; the format changed, and the website became the main place to find current Car and Driver coverage.

What content still appears under the Car and Driver name

Current readers should expect the same broad automotive mix: new-car coverage, comparison content, road-test reporting, and longer features. The difference is where those stories appear. Instead of waiting for a monthly issue, readers now find them on the brand’s dedicated website.

Where can you read Car and Driver now?

You can read Car and Driver content on its dedicated website, which appears to be the main place for current stories. That is where the brand’s reviews, news, features, and long-term tests live today, while older print material tends to appear through archives, databases, or back-issue sellers.

How to find older issues and archives

For older issues, the safest path is to use Hearst-backed archives, library databases, or reputable back-issue marketplaces. Access rules can vary, so check whether the issue you want is offered as a scan, a reprint, or a full digital archive entry.

1. Search the Car and Driver website for the current article or topic.
2. Check a library database for archived magazine issues.
3. Look for Hearst or magazine-archive access if you need scanned back issues.
4. Use a back-issue seller only if you need a physical copy.
5. Verify the issue date before paying, especially for collectible copies.

What does the change mean for readers?

For readers, the biggest change was access. The brand still exists, but the monthly print habit faded, and current coverage moved online. If you used to wait for a mailbox copy, you now need to read Car and Driver through its website or through digital archive services for older material.

Subscription and print-reader implications

A common mistake is assuming a magazine that “merged” in corporate language must still arrive in the same form. That is not what happened here. The corporate consolidation happened in 2021, but readers saw the loss of a separate monthly print edition.

Say your shelf holds a 2019 print issue and you want the next comparison test for the same model. The current article may only exist online, so checking the website first saves time. If you buy old issues, you may end up with a collectible copy instead of the latest coverage.

What stayed familiar and what did not

What stayed familiar was the Car and Driver name and its focus on cars, tests, and buying information. What changed was the format, the distribution, and the print routine. The brand continued in a new consolidated form, but not as the same standalone monthly magazine many readers remembered.

Why did Car and Driver merge with Road & Track?

Hearst said the merger with Road & Track was meant to build a stronger digital presence. Instead of supporting two separate print brands with overlapping auto coverage, Hearst consolidated the portfolio around a digital model that could serve readers online more directly.

Why the digital era pushed the change

Magazine habits changed as readers moved online for faster news, comparison shopping, and model research. Car and Driver’s consolidation with Road & Track reflects that shift. The brand stayed valuable, but the delivery system changed from monthly print to web-first publication.

Who owns Car and Driver now?

Hearst Magazines appears to still own Car and Driver as part of its magazine portfolio. The 2021 consolidation did not transfer the brand out of Hearst; it reorganized how Hearst managed the title and how readers received its content.

How ownership affects the brand

Because Hearst remains the owner, Car and Driver’s archive, website, and editorial identity still sit inside a large media company structure. That matters for readers trying to trace old issues, understand continuity, or figure out why the print version changed shape.

What year did Car and Driver merge?

Car and Driver merged with Road & Track in 2021. That is the key date to remember if you are tracking when the brand changed publicly, even though the print and digital transition did not feel identical for every reader on the same day.

Why the year matters

Knowing the year helps separate older print-era material from the current website era. If you are searching for a comparison test, subscription detail, or back issue, 2021 is the dividing line that explains why some material still exists in print form while newer coverage does not.

Did Car and Driver shut down?

No. Car and Driver did not shut down outright. The standalone monthly print edition largely ended, but the brand survived in digital form and continued publishing automotive coverage under the Car and Driver name on its dedicated website.

Why the shutdown question keeps coming up

People often use “shut down” to mean “no longer available in the same way.” In this case, the magazine format changed, but the brand stayed active. That is a corporate consolidation, not a total disappearance.

Can you still get Car and Driver in print?

You generally should not expect the old standalone monthly print magazine in the same way you did before the 2021 consolidation. The separate print title largely ended, although older issues can still appear through archives, resale listings, and library collections.

What to do if you want paper copies

Use a back-issue seller, a library, or a digital archive search if you need a specific issue. If you want current coverage, the website is the correct destination. If you want a printed collectible, verify the issue date and condition before buying.

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Car and Driver magazine?

Car and Driver was consolidated by Hearst in 2021 and shifted away from being a separate monthly print magazine. The brand did not disappear; it moved into a digital-first format, with current stories posted on a dedicated website and older print material available through archives and back issues.

Did Car and Driver shut down?

No. Car and Driver did not shut down. The standalone monthly print edition largely ended, but the brand continues online under Hearst ownership. Readers can still find reviews, news, features, and long-term tests on the Car and Driver website.

Why did Car and Driver merge with Road & Track?

Hearst said the 2021 consolidation with Road & Track was meant to build a stronger digital presence. The move also reflected changing media habits, where readers increasingly expect fast online automotive coverage rather than a separate monthly print magazine.

Is Car and Driver still publishing reviews?

Yes. Car and Driver still publishes reviews online, along with news, features, and long-term tests. The publication shifted its main output to its dedicated website, so readers looking for current vehicle coverage should start there rather than searching for a print issue first.

Who owns Car and Driver now?

Hearst Magazines owns Car and Driver now. The 2021 merger did not sell the brand away; it folded the title into a more digital-oriented structure within Hearst’s magazine portfolio, with the Car and Driver name still active for readers.

Where can I read Car and Driver content now?

Current Car and Driver content is on its dedicated website. For older material, use archives, library databases, or back-issue sellers. If you want the latest reviews or long-term tests, the website is the clearest place to look.