Matt’s been writing about cars professionally since 2009, cutting his teeth on specialist titles including BMW Car, Land Rover Owner and Retro Cars. In 2013, he joined automotive start-up Car Throttle, assisting with its rapid audience growth before becoming editor in 2016.

He moved to Auto Express in 2022, becoming deputy executive editor. After a few years away from the business, Matt returned as a contributor in 2026. Away from cars, Matt’s a keen mountain biker and motorcyclist. 

Matt’s main areas of expertise: 

• Electric cars
• Mainstream cars
• Commercial vehicles 
• Performance testing
• Social media

Matt says:

‘It’s a fascinating time for the car industry, with emerging companies causing established players to look carefully at what they’re doing as brand loyalty is tested by exceptional deals. Things could look very different in a few years if aggressive pricing from the newbies can be sustained, but for now, there is still a sense of ‘getting what you’ve paid for’, which is the first thing I try to ascertain when testing new cars.’

Matt Robinson Q&A 
Q: What was your first car?

A: “A 1990 Rover Mini Studio, although I barely used it. I was driving in front of my brother and he noticed that in a straight line, he could see right down the side of the car… it was exhibiting the classic ‘crabbing’ problem associated with a bad subframe. I swiftly offloaded it as a project and bought the first car I actually put some miles on, a Peugeot 306 XS. I still miss it” 

Q: What is your dream car?

A: “A Porsche 911 R. I never got to drive one, but I’ve come close with things like the 991.2 GT3 RS and the GT3 Touring. There’s just something about the way a 911 drives and the sound of a naturally aspirated, high-revving flat-six that means I’d have one over a more exotic hypercar, even if I had the money for one. I don’t have the money for a hypercar or a 911, sadly.”

Q: If you could change one thing about cars, driving or the car industry today what would it be?

A: ‘I’d bring back ‘proper’ buttons en masse. There’s this ridiculous assumption that because we’re all used to the touchscreens on our phones, they’ll work in cars, where you’re being bumped around and shouldn’t be taking your eyes off the road. At least some manufacturers have started to see sense and reverse this ill-thought-out trend.