The 10 Best Episodes Of Top Gear Every Gearhead Should Watch
The BBC may have canceled "Top Gear," but it remains one of the best car shows to watch, even in 2024. Of course, this is in reference to the "Top Gear" revival that began in 2002. The series dates back to the 1970s, but it didn't really catch on as a global phenomenon until Jeremy Clarkson and Andy Wilman gave it some extra juice around the turn of the century. It has a vibrant visual style and features such an eclectic assortment of vehicles that even the most seasoned enthusiasts can find something to learn. That's not even getting into the show's excellent sense of humor, particularly when it comes to the camaraderie between the main crew. "Top Gear" presenters regularly perform memorable stunts or race exceptionally powerful vehicles, so it's easy to see how the renewed series could get well over 200 episodes out of such exciting premises.
Whether you're considering a rewatch or wanting to get into the show for the first time, it can be daunting going all the way back to 2002 to watch every single episode. That's why we've assembled a list of the series' 10 greatest episodes (in no particular order) that any gearhead should see at least once. If these episodes catch your fancy, you can naturally peruse others and go through the remainder of the series at your leisure. It's not like there's much long-form storytelling at play, so you can jump in and out in whatever way feels most comfortable to you.
Vietnam Special (Season 12, Episode 8)
Honestly, a list of the 10 best "Top Gear" episodes could be entirely populated by its various specials. Every so often, the show would unveil a special edition episode where the presenters go on a road trip in a ridiculous vehicle. Usually, they're given a ludicrously low amount of money and have to scrounge up a car to reach the destination. They're honestly a lot of fun, but in the interest of providing a well-rounded collection of great "Top Gear" episodes, this list only contains one of these specials, and it's Season 12's "Vietnam Special."
Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May are plopped in Saigon and must make their way to Ha Long City in eight days. It may not seem too bad, especially when they're initially given 15 million Vietnamese dong, but the presenters (as well as viewers at home) soon learn that's only around $1,000 USD. As such, they can only acquire motorbikes, but that simply provides a more intimate journey as they traverse the country.
"Vietnam Special" is widely regarded as one of the show's best moments. In fact, it's the second highest-rated episode on IMDb, with a rating of 9.4/10. The trio eventually returns to the country for "The Grand Tour Presents: Seamen," only they begin in Cambodia and end in Vietnam, but the special episode clearly made a mark on them and audiences for them to venture back.
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Tubi
Reliant Robin Space Shuttle Challenge (Season 9, Episode 4)
The Reliant Robin is widely considered to be one of the worst three-wheeled vehicles on the market. Given how the presenters of "Top Gear" enjoy a bit of fun, it should come as no surprise to hear the car has been featured on the show on numerous occasions. One notable instance comes in Season 15, Episode 1 when Jeremy Clarkson takes one for a drive and repeatedly flips it over. However, the team took the Reliant Robin to the next level before that even happened — in Season 9, Episode 4 — "Reliant Robin Space Shuttle Challenge."
The episode is precisely what the title suggests. The crew attempts to transform a Reliant Robin into an honest-to-goodness space shuttle, and the kicker is that they only have 12 days to do it. It sounds like a recipe for disaster, and that's because it largely is. When launch day finally arrives, things seem fortuitous for a brief period, but while lift-off goes well enough, the fuel tank fails to separate from the shuttle, bringing the whole thing crashing to the ground in a fiery inferno.
BBC America had a chance to catch up with James May about the whole ordeal, and he joked, "It explained very neatly for the viewers why Britain doesn't have a space program." Undoubtedly, no one has ever asked anyone to try to get a Reliant Robin into space, but that's what makes "Top Gear" special — they do the recklessly needless for millions of people's enjoyment.
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Tubi
Building Motor Homes (Season 15, Episode 4)
In the same vein as "Top Gear" presenters doing something ill-advised, the Season 15 episode "Building Motor Homes" sees them turn various cars into camper vans. That doesn't just mean turning them into vehicles that merely look like motorhomes — they must be actually livable, complete with restrooms and the means to cook.
The episode has garnered high marks on IMDb, with one reviewer insisting it's "one of the most hilarious episodes of this show besides from the specials." It's easy to see why, as the vehicles turn out rather odd-looking, particularly the one spearheaded by Jeremy Clarkson. His motorhome has a full three stories, with the second story dedicated to a Japanese contemplation area. Of course, constructing these monstrosities is only half the battle. Once they're done, the presenters are told they must drive them for a little getaway, which is amusing all on its own.
As one might surmise, Clarkson's three-story camper van doesn't fare too well, as it's ultimately blown over. By the end of the episode, the vehicle's destroyed after falling over a cliff when a prank by James May and Richard Hammond goes sideways. It's an installment that really summarizes the ethos of "Top Gear" — the presenters put so much effort into something that doesn't matter by the end.
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
Season 25, Episode 4
After years of courting controversy, Jeremy Clarkson physically assaulted "Top Gear" producer Oisin Tymon. He was ultimately fired from the show, but the series carried on with other presenters, including former "Friends" star Matt LeBlanc. Some fans may have felt inclined to tune out after Clarkson's departure, but there were plenty of gems during this era, including Season 25, Episode 4.
A major driving force of the episode involves LeBlanc testing a new Dodge car called the Demon, which boasts greater acceleration than anything manufactured by the top dogs in the industry, including Lamborghini. Racing such a feat of engineering would be cool enough on its own, but the episode also sees LeBlanc help NASA land one of its research planes. Even amid all the adrenaline, there are plenty of humorous moments that stack up against Clarkson's era.
It may have taken long-time fans some time to get used to the new dynamics on the show, but this episode exemplifies everything LeBlanc and his team brought to the series. Redditor u/xiaodown praised this episode: "It took a couple of seasons, but this group has come into its own, and it's fantastic." After 25 seasons and a change in presenters, Season 25 proved "Top Gear" still had a few tricks up its sleeve.
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
Amphibious Car Challenge (Season 8, Episode 3)
There are good reasons why amphibious vehicles haven't caught on in the mainstream. Even when the Amphicar came to fruition, it was plagued by major issues. Still, it makes for good TV fodder, which is why Season 8, Episode 3 — "Amphibious Car Challenge" — remains such a delight to watch.
The episode sees Jeremy Clarkson and the other two presenters attempt to turn normal cars into something that can work on both land and sea. The real highlight is seeing all three of them attempt to get their creations to traverse a body of water, as each faces a myriad of issues. The installment was clearly popular, as it received a sequel on Season 10 where the team tries to do the same thing. Only this time, they attempt to cross the English channel.
"Amphibious Car Challenges" absolutely deserves a spot on the list of the best "Top Gear" episodes, in part because of what Redditor u/phyrephawckce has to say. "I wasn't sold on watching the show until I saw the one where they turned cars into boats," they wrote. "I know there are better episodes, but that one got me hooked because I don't think they did anything else like that up until that point." It's an ideal entry point for newcomers to "Top Gear" because of how it showcases the ingenuity and personalities of the presenters.
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Tubi
Police Car Challenge (Season 11, Episode 1)
One of the most amusing aspects of any given "Top Gear" episode is to see how the presenters go completely left field to try to win a challenge. That's on full display in Season 11's "Police Car Challenge," where everyone's given a small amount of money to purchase a dinky car to customize into a police cruiser. The best part is none of them are really concerned about trying to get close to a realistic police car. Instead, they just want silly gadgets to make them as unwieldy as possible. They're more suited for an installment of "Wacky Races" than catching criminals.
For example, Jeremy Clarkson outfits his car with a spike strip he can deploy to halt any vehicles coming up behind him. However, in the end, Richard Hammond emerges victorious ... probably. Hammond was supposedly one point ahead, but he ate the paper before it was made official. Of course, creating custom police cars is only part of this great episode. Another portion focuses on the team recognizing that fuel prices have gone through the roof, and they handle this information in a manner befitting "Top Gear."
At the end of the day, "Top Gear" is a show about a few chaps seemingly giving in to any intrusive thoughts they have concerning cars. They rarely take anything seriously, and it makes for some excellent television.
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Tubi
Nissan GT-R vs Japanese Bullet Train Epic Race (Season 11, Episode 4)
"Top Gear" fans often debate the merits of each episode while ranking the ones they believe to be the best of the very best. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but when looking through one Reddit thread asking people for their top five episodes, some common answers materialize. One episode that gets quite a few shoutouts comes from Season 11, Episode 4 — "Nissan GT-R vs Japanese Bullet Train Epic Race."
Bullet trains are magnificent feats of engineering, so Jeremy Clarkson thought he'd test their mettle by racing one in a Nissan GT-R. Richard Hammond and James May have the far more desirable task of simply hanging out inside the train and going on a nice little journey, but even that comes with its own perils when they find themselves separated. Clarkson wins by just a hair, but it's hard to argue that Japan has some of the best public transportation in the world.
Any episode that espouses the virtue of bullet trains is all right in our book, especially since even faster models have come out since the episode first aired. Some of the fastest passenger trains in the world have exceeded 200 mph, and it would be a treat to see someone try to race one of these.
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Tubi
Did The Communists Make A Good Car? - Ford Fiesta With The Royal Marines (Season 12, Episode 6)
Some of the most exciting and humorous bits from "Top Gear" come from the episodes where they have to make their own cars or race in extravagant fashion. However, it's also nice to see an episode where they delve into the history of a certain subject, which is the case for Season 12, Episode 6 — "Did The Communists Make A Good Car? — Ford Fiesta With The Royal Marines." James May and Jeremy Clarkson are tasked with determining if there are any vehicles made in communist countries that pass muster, and while it's somewhat educational, there are still ample zingers.
That's only part of why this episode is worth checking out, as Clarkson also puts a Ford Fiesta through the wringer to see what kind of conditions it can withstand. This involves teaming up with some Marines who mock-storm a beach with the Fiesta in tow. It looks completely out of place, which is 100% the charm of such a sequence.
Anyone interested in learning more about the history of certain cars might want to check out a related series, "James May's Cars of the People." That show can be accessed on Amazon Prime Video, Pluto TV, and The Roku Channel.
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Tubi
Bugatti Veyron vs. Typhoon Jet Fighter (Season 10, Episode 3)
A common feature of any "Top Gear" racing segment is that Jeremy Clarkson gets some cool car to use while James May and Richard Hammond get something you'd assume is faster. The thing is, May and Hammond usually have to go through more annoying, occasionally bureaucratic procedures to get their vehicle to take off. On Season 10, Episode 3 — "Bugatti Veyron vs. Typhoon Jet Fighter" — the pair get caught up doing so many pre-flight procedures in their jet fighter that Clarkson manages to take an early lead. Clarkson was so assured of his victory at one point that he even stopped for some coffee.
Clarkson emerges victorious in his Bugatti Veyron, which he even refers to in the episode as the best car ever made. It's such an amazing vehicle that it even took home the "Top Gear" prize for being the best car of the decade. But this episode holds greater significance than showing off a true top car — it also marked the first time Clarkson had gotten behind the wheel of a vehicle after suffering a horrific crash in a Vampire dragster. If there was ever an occasion to relax with some coffee in the middle of the race, it would be for this race right here.
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Tubi
Caravan Holiday (Season 8, Episode 6)
As you've probably learned from this list, "Top Gear" is an incredibly funny show, and its best episodes exemplify that humor. Few places do it better than Season 8's "Top Gear Sets a World Record with an F1 Car," when Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May go on their own holiday along with Top Gear Dog to understand why caravans cause traffic jams. The episode becomes a total comedy of errors, as they continually encounter problems, including one moment where Hammond and Top Gear Dog are "kidnapped" by a fan.
Their journey ends in the only way appropriate for the "Top Gear" presenters: The caravan burns down. But they still have to tow it to complete the trek. London's Evening Standard later reported how the blaze was staged, and even though the presenters may try to present themselves as incompetent, we'd like to think they wouldn't be careless enough to burn something to the ground through negligence.
It all made for one stellar episode that has earned a spot on many best-of lists. earned spots on many lists of the best "Top Gear" episodes. MotorTrend actually summed up the appeal of this episode well in its review: "It's the perfect distillation of the show's tagline, 'ambitious but rubbish.'" There are plenty of other ambitious "Top Gear" episodes that don't quite stick the landing, but these 10 are a good place to start for anyone — from newbies to longtime fans.
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Tubi