Oliver Young has been a reviewer for What Car? since 2024, after having previously been the title's used car reporter for three years. He reviews new cars for print and online as part of the road test team.
His automotive journalism career began in 2018, when he took on an editorial apprentice role at the age of 16. With agency Blackball Media, he gained experience working on brands such as Car Dealer Magazine and PA Media. He performed a variety of tasks, from reviewing a new Ford Fiesta to interviewing Jeremy Clarkson.
In the meantime, he studied at Highbury College to complete his NCTJ Level 3 Diploma in Journalism. After two years, Oliver came away with a distinction grade.
Oliver is an expert in:
- Car reviews
- Car group tests
- Electric cars
- Small cars
- Hot hatches
Oliver Young Q&A
What’s the best piece of advice you could offer a car buyer?
Whilst we’re here to offer comprehensive, informative, objective advice, we all have varying priorities when buying a car, so choose the one that best suits you. It might not even be our top choice, hence we feature “Best for” alternatives in our What Car? Car of the Year Awards and What Car? Used Car of the Year Awards. On top of that, see any car you're considering in the metal and, if you can, take it for a test drive.
What’s the best car you’ve ever driven?
It’s a tough one, but the Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 is definitely up there. I only took one for a short spin, but it's astonishing how quickly you feel at one with that sports car. It's completely on your side – as great driver's cars are – and allows you to exploit the near-endless precision and balance of its handling to your heart's content. It's intoxicating (as is the 4.0-litre engine).
What will the car market look like in 20 years?
As of right now, the future looks almost entirely electric. There are some exceptions, such as the used market giving buyers access to existing petrol and diesel cars, but even that should eventually make a shift in favour of electric cars, particularly if the government bans the sale of new combustion-engined cars – currently slated for 2035. Nothing is set in stone, mind you, and alternative fuels like hydrogen and e-fuels are worth keeping an eye on.
