0-60 Specs is a reference database of independently published vehicle acceleration tests. This page explains exactly how we decide what to include, how we label and classify each result, and how we calculate the averages and ranges shown across the site. Our goal is to present measured, sourced performance data — not marketing claims — so you can compare vehicles on a consistent basis.
What qualifies as a verified test
A verified test is a single acceleration run (0–60 mph and, where measured, the quarter-mile) that was instrumented and published by an independent source — typically an established automotive publication or outlet that conducts its own testing. To qualify, a result must:
- Come from a named, independent source that we can cite and link back to.
- Be produced with measurement equipment (e.g. a VBOX or comparable GPS/data-logging device), not estimated by feel or extrapolated from other figures.
- Correspond to an identifiable vehicle — a specific make, model, model year, and trim/engine where available.
Results that cannot be attributed to a published, independent instrumented test are not marked as verified and are not included in our figures.
Tests that use rollout
Yes — tests that apply rollout are included. Rollout is a standard part of how most publications and drag strips report acceleration, so excluding those tests would remove the majority of legitimate data. We record the published figure as reported by the source. Where a source states its rollout convention, we retain that detail with the record.
How one-foot rollout affects reported times
Many U.S. publications and drag strips subtract the time it takes the car to travel the first foot before the clock starts — this is one-foot rollout. It mimics the way a drag-strip timing beam works and typically makes a 0–60 time roughly 0.2–0.3 seconds quicker than the same run measured from a true standstill. Because different sources use different conventions, small gaps between two published times for the same car are often explained by rollout rather than by a real difference in the vehicle. We list each run as its source reported it rather than normalizing everything to one convention, and we show the full range of results so these differences are visible instead of hidden inside a single number.
Drag-strip and prepped-surface tests
Where a result was recorded on a prepared drag strip or other prepped surface, we label it as such. A prepped surface offers far more traction than a public road, which can meaningfully improve launch and quarter-mile figures, especially for high-powered or all-wheel-drive vehicles. Labeling these tests lets you distinguish a best-case, high-grip result from a typical instrumented road test.
Instrumented road tests vs. manufacturer estimates
We include independently instrumented tests only. Manufacturer-claimed or -estimated times are excluded from the database and from every average and range we publish. Manufacturer figures are marketing numbers — sometimes conservative, sometimes optimistic, and rarely produced under conditions you can reproduce. An instrumented road test is a measured result from a third party who does not benefit from the outcome, which is why it is the only kind of figure we treat as verified.
How duplicate tests are identified
A duplicate is the same published run appearing more than once — for example, the same figure re-quoted by an aggregator or re-published by the original outlet. We identify duplicates by comparing the source, the vehicle (make, model, year, trim/engine), and the reported figures. When we find the same run represented twice, we keep a single record so it is not double-counted in any average or ranking.
Importantly, two separate runs of the same car are not duplicates — see below.
How vehicles are classified
Every test is tied to a vehicle classification so that like is compared with like:
- Production — a regular-production, showroom-specification vehicle. These are the results shown by default and used for production-focused rankings.
- Prototype / pre-production — an early or engineering example tested before regular production. Specification and calibration may still change, so these are flagged separately.
- Concept — a show or demonstration vehicle that is not a saleable product. Included only where clearly identified as such.
- Modified — a production vehicle altered from factory specification (tuning, forced-induction changes, weight reduction, non-standard tires, etc.). Modified results are kept distinct from stock results and are never mixed into production averages.
Production and non-production results are clearly distinguished throughout the site, so a modified or prototype figure never inflates the numbers you see for a stock vehicle.
How averages and medians are calculated
Averages and medians are calculated only over verified production runs for a given vehicle. Modified, prototype, and concept results are excluded from these figures.
- The average (mean) is the sum of the qualifying times divided by the number of qualifying tests.
- The median is the middle value when those times are ordered, which reduces the influence of a single unusually fast or slow outlier.
- We also show the fastest and slowest verified runs so you can see the full spread, not just a central figure. Fastest 0–60 and fastest quarter-mile are treated as independent measurements and may come from different tests, trims, or sources.
Missing quarter-mile results
0–60 and quarter-mile averages are computed independently. Not every test reports a quarter-mile time. When a quarter-mile figure is missing, that test still counts toward the 0–60 average, but it is excluded from the quarter-mile average — we never treat a missing value as zero or estimate it. As a result, the number of tests behind a 0–60 average may be larger than the number behind the quarter-mile average for the same vehicle.
Two tests of the same physical car by the same publication
If a single publication tests the same physical car on more than one occasion — for instance a first-drive figure and a later, more thorough instrumented test — we treat these as separate, legitimate runs, not duplicates, provided each was independently measured and published. Real acceleration results vary with temperature, altitude, surface, tire condition, and driver technique, so two honest runs of the same car can differ. Listing both reflects that reality and both contribute to the range and averages. This is different from a duplicate, where the same run is simply reported twice.
When a test record was added or corrected
Each vehicle page reflects a "last updated" date so you can see when its data most recently changed. When we add a newly published test, correct a figure, re-classify a vehicle, or merge a duplicate, the affected records are updated and the vehicle's last-updated date advances. Corrections are made in place rather than kept as a separate log; if you believe a figure is wrong or a source is missing, you can suggest a test on the relevant model page and we will review it.
Questions about how a specific figure was sourced or classified? Visit the relevant model page to see each run's source, or read more about 0-60 Specs.