American Hot Rod
Parents say
Kids say
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Get it now on
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this reality show set in a high-end body shop follows the day-to-day work of refurbishing American cars. This show offers a glimpse into real-world applications of math, design, and engineering. Some minor personality conflicts arise, but most are handled professionally. The staff is racially diverse but is exclusively male.
Wondering if American Hot Rod is OK for your kids?
Set preferences and get age-appropriate recommendations with Common Sense Media Plus. Join now
Stay up to date on new reviews.
User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the story?
AMERICAN HOT ROD is a reality show about building or refurbishing cars and motorcycles. It tracks car designer Boyd Coddington as he and his employees complete projects ranging from redesigning an El Camino to fit a motorcycle on its bed to creating a flashy 1930 roadster for a corporate promotion. Viewers watch as mechanics strip cars down to their basic elements and then build them back up, using tools as simple as a tape measure and as complex as specialized software. Coddington is an appealing figure who likes to compete with his staff; for example, doing burn-outs in the parking lot to see who can create the most smoke. Each episode relies on the particular characters involved to make it unique, with some scenes highlighting minor personality tensions. But the focus is mostly on the car builds.
Is it any good?
As with many of its fellow car-centric reality shows, American Hot Rod is a great opportunity to show teens that work can be both hard and fun and that plenty of people turn their passions into successful businesses. The fact that viewers see tattooed guys using math to solve mechanical problems and people dealing positively with setbacks is an added plus.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about turning passions into professions. Teens, what are your passions? How could those be channeled into a career? What skills do you need to work on in order to do that? Have parents been able to use their own hobbies in their jobs? Are reality shows like this one more or less compelling and fun to watch than ones based on competition and conflict? Why?
TV details
- Premiere date: January 10, 2004
- Cast: Boyd Coddington, Brad Johnston, Mike Rowe
- Network: TLC
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Available on: DVD
- Last updated: September 20, 2019
Our editors recommend
Top advice and articles
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
Streaming options powered by JustWatch