After Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May departed Top Gear for good in 2015, the search was on to find a winning recipe of presenters capable of succeeding the iconic trio. While Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc would ultimately fail in their attempt to re-capture the magic, that wasn't to spell the end of the show.

On the contrary, in 2019, a new trio became the face of a series in desperate need of an identity. Chris Harris, the shows resident car nerd under Evans stayed on, with Paddy McGuinness and Andrew Flintoff joining him for the upcoming series.

McGuinness is a well known comedic presenter in the UK, while Flintoff, a former England cricketer, has also forged out a career in entertainment after retiring from the sport. The Grand Tour's success on Amazon Prime is undeniable, with the natural chemistry of the presenters maintaining a loyal fanbase.

Despite this, there are a few things that new Top Gear has over its streaming rival...

Back To Basics

Top Gear's new presenting trio of Chris Harris, Andrew Flintoff and Paddy McGuinness
via Digital Spy

The Grand Tour, for all of its success, has slowly moved away from the Top Gear of old that Clarkson, Hammond, and May popularised. The show utilizes Hollywood style special effects and cinematography, making the most of its sizeable budget. This is all well and good, but what drew fans to Top Gear originally was, in part, its reliability. Tackling consumer concerns with challenges that involved buying cards for very little money was a cornerstone of the shows' early years. This 'back to basics' approach is what new Top Gear is once again reverting to.

In Top Gear's first episode under the presenting trio of Harris, Flintoff, and McGuinness, the challenge involved driving across Ethiopia in the first car each presenter ever bought. The vehicles were cheap and unreliable, but that in many ways was part of the charm. The challenge had a hint of old Top Gear about it, reminding many viewers of the sort of thing they used to see on the show in the mid-2000s.

RELATED: The Hidden Truth Behind The Making Of Amazon's The Grand Tour

Old School Car Reviews

Top Gear presenter Chris Harris
via Top Gear

Furthermore, for some avid car enthusiasts, The Grand Tour's new direction into entertainment, rather than being a factual car review show, has been an unwelcome change. The tweak was unsurprising, given that Top Gear's biggest successes often did involve challenges and adventures in far-flung regions of the world.

But for the real gearheads, a proper old school review of the latest car releases was just as, if not more enjoyable. Clarkson's car reviews were iconic for their entertaining, yet informative nature - meaning the pivot away from this aspect of the show is a notable shift from what made Top Gear the show that it was. Thankfully, for those who miss such segments, Chris Harris has brought back car reviews - maintaining the quintessential splash of humor that we so associate with Top Gear.

The show today may not be able to contend with The Grand Tour's worldwide appeal, but for the true car enthusiasts, it does offer refuge for viewers who miss Top Gear's former nerdy nature.

RELATED: Why Matt LeBlanc Wasn't The Right Pick For Top Gear

The Grand Tour Losing Its Sense Of Britishness

Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond pictured during filming for Top Gear
topgear.fandom.com

In some ways, The Grand Tour has become a victim of its own success. After moving to Amazon Prime in 2015, the former Top Gear hosts were, in doing so, inviting a whole new global audience of viewers. Top Gear always was a global show under Clarkson, Hammond, and May, but its popularity outside of Europe was never intentional.

The show, being produced by the BBC, was only ever catered towards a British audience, meaning that it connected a great deal with its core viewership. However, The Grand Tour now has to be mindful of the shows global fan base in a way that Top Gear never did - as Amazon prime itself isn't even based in the UK.

This had led to some criticism that The Grand Tour is moving continuously away from what made original Top Gear so popular - which was its distinct Britishness. Jokes about the war, traffic, and the terrible nature of British-built cars were gags that required a certain level of cultural knowledge to understand. It was exclusive, but it also gave the show a great deal of uniqueness.

Under Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc, the series had a very international feel - unsurprising given the fact that the former Friends star is American. Now, with Paddy McGuinness and Andrew Flintoff at the helm, the show feels far more in touch with its core British audience. This comforting sense of familiarity, that Top Gear of old captured brilliantly, is certainly an advantage that the BBC show holds over its rival - with The Grand Tour instead having to cater to fans all over the world.

Sources: Topgear.com, BBC News, Metro.co.uk, theguardian.com

NEXT: 10 Cool Facts We Didn't Know About The Grand Tour (And 5 Things The Hosts Don't Want Us To Know)