Consumer Reports auto team leader named Motor Trend executive editor

Mark Rechtin, who has overseen auto coverage at Consumer Reports for the past two years, has been hired as executive editor of Motor Trend magazine.

As chief editor for all content coming from Consumer Reports’s 327-acre test track and from its subscriber survey involving 740,000 vehicle data points, Rechtin led coverage of the Takata airbag recall and the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal. Both the April 2015 and 2016 auto issues he oversaw were nominated for Folio awards.

Prior to joining Consumer Reports, Rechtin served two decades as a reporter, bureau chief and regional editor with Automotive News. Rechtin held postings in Los Angeles, London, and Munich and won numerous prestigious journalism awards, including the Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award for his 2013 body of work.

“It is not every day you can add an award-winning talent like Mark,” said Motor Trend editor Ed Loh in a statement. “He brings immense value and insight from his leadership of Consumer Reports automotive division and is well known and widely respected across the automotive industry for his sharp reporting and strong news sense.”

Rechtin is a graduate of Northwestern University with a bachelor’s degree from the Medill School of Journalism.