Editorial Guidelines

These guidelines govern everything published on AutosAdvisor. They exist to protect our readers, our writers, and the credibility that makes this publication worth reading.

Coverage Standards

Every article published on AutosAdvisor must meet the following standards:

Accuracy: All factual claims must be verifiable from primary sources (manufacturer documents, official press materials, government data, or the writer's direct observation). Claims based on secondary sources must be attributed.
Specificity: Vague impressions are not acceptable. Reviews must include specific observations - particular road surfaces tested, specific driving modes compared, exact figures where available.
Expert qualification: Writers cover topics within their documented expertise. A maintenance article is not assigned to a journalist whose background is collector cars.
No filler: No article may be padded with generic introductory material, obvious statements, or content that does not add information or analysis to what is already widely available.

Fact-Checking Process

Before publication, all factual claims in an article are reviewed by the editor assigned to that category. Key numerical claims (specifications, prices, sales figures, technical measurements) are verified against primary sources. When a writer makes a claim based on personal observation during a test drive, that is noted in the article. When a claim comes from a manufacturer, that source is cited.

AutosAdvisor does not publish information we cannot verify. If a source provides information we cannot independently confirm, we will either attribute it prominently or decline to publish it.

Correction Policy

We correct our mistakes. When a factual error is identified - by readers, editors, or writers - we:

Correct the article immediately
Append a correction notice at the bottom of the article, noting the original error, the correction, and the date the correction was made
Do not silently edit articles to remove errors without a correction notice

To report an error, email editorial@autosadvisor.net with "Correction Request" in the subject line. Include the article URL, the specific error, and a source for the correct information.

Author Qualification Standards

We require that writers have demonstrable, documented expertise in their primary coverage areas. This may take the form of professional credentials (ASE certifications, engineering degrees, race licenses), direct professional experience (years as a technician, time as an engineer at an OEM), an established body of published work in the specific domain, or a verifiable personal history with the subject (competition participation, long-term ownership, documented restoration work).

Writers are not assigned to areas outside their expertise. An EV technology correspondent does not review off-road trucks; a DIY maintenance writer does not cover motorsport strategy.

Conflicts of Interest

Writers must disclose any potential conflict of interest to their editor before accepting an assignment. This includes:

Personal ownership of a vehicle directly compared in a review
A financial stake in any company mentioned in an article
A personal or professional relationship with an executive, engineer, or spokesperson quoted or discussed
Receipt of any compensation, gift, or benefit from a manufacturer beyond a standard press vehicle loan and associated press event hospitality

Disclosed conflicts are evaluated by the editor. Depending on severity, the assignment may be reassigned, the conflict may be disclosed in the article, or both.

Test Vehicle and Press Loan Policy

Press vehicles are accepted under standard loan agreements with no expectation of positive coverage and no editorial review rights granted to the lender. Writers return vehicles at the conclusion of the test period. Acceptance of a press loan does not commit AutosAdvisor to publishing any specific coverage. Writers may decline test vehicles at their discretion.

Questions

Editorial inquiries: editorial@autosadvisor.net.