As the longest-running automotive nameplate in America, the Suburban is a familiar face. The most recent generation is especially well represented: For 2021, the first year it was on the market, Chevrolet sold a healthy 85,000 copies. On the eve of the arrival of the facelifted version, we decided to re-familiarize ourselves with the 12th generation. We found that 2024 model year may be a sweet spot—not just among modern Suburbans, but among full-sized SUVs that don’t wear the label of a dedicated luxury brand.

As vehicle platforms go, the one underneath the 2021–present Suburban is relatively new, as GM introduced its latest body-on-frame architecture on the 2019 Chevy Silverado. It now underpins the Chevrolet pickup’s sibling, the GMC Sierra, and all GM SUVs derived from the platform—the shorter-wheelbase Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade; and the longer Suburban, Yukon XL, and the Escalade ESV. Engine choices across that versatile platform include V-8s, V-6s, and even an inline four-cylinder. On the current Suburban, you can choose between two gas V-8s and the 3.0-liter Duramax inline-6.

The primary virtue of the twelfth-generation Suburban is the design of its rear suspension: Rather than a solid rear axle, as all Silverados and all previous Suburbans used, it has an independent multilink design. (The Suburban’s main competitor, the Ford Expedition Max, has had IRS for … 21 years now.) Each year has sweetened the Suburban: 2022 added Google Built-In, plus an electronic limited-slip diff for the Z71 model, and made the 6.2-liter V-8 and the digital instrument cluster available on cheaper trims. In 2023, Super Cruise became available on the top two trims. Given the absence of any press materials for the 2024 model year, and its presence on the configurator, it appears that 2024 is essentially a carry-over model.

The 2025 model arrives with extensive but mostly superficial changes: New sheetmetal that closely resembles that of the newest Silverado; the large, two-panel digital display that is permeating Chevy’s lineup, and revisions to the diesel powerplant. Those changes will likely mean an uptick in price, so if the new look doesn’t speak to you, maybe your best bet is a 2023 or 2024 model, which have all the nice things Chevy added since 2021.

We tested the most powerful, most luxurious Suburban offered for 2024—a High Country 4WD with the optional 6.2-liter V-8, a two-speed transfer case, air suspension, and every electronic gadget and interior nicety available. If your goal is maximum luxury, we recommend the Advanced Technology package, which includes the hardware for Super Cruise, GM’s hands-free highway driving system, and a three-year subscription to the software; power retractable running boards ($1745), the panoramic sunroof ($1500), and air suspension ($1000). Don’t waste $2K on the rear entertainment package—a last-generation iPad would put the two second-row screens to shame, and the headphones are uncomfortable and fragile. 

Specs: 2024 Chevrolet Suburban High Country

The Suburban welcomes you into a living room worthy of some cozy cabin in Montana or Wyoming. The digital dash and center screen treat you to animations of autumn foliage, a snow-capped mountain, and a lake. Leather is everywhere, on the doors and on the binnacle and even below the touchscreen and above the A/C vents. It’s the color of Werther’s candy. The fabric trim on the edges of the seats is an odd black-and-white-sorta-zebra affair, which looks like it belongs on the strap of a Kayu shoulder bag. There are a few wood inlays and brushed metal accents, the latter used with admirable restraint. Almost all the controls are black plastic, from the four buttons that serve as the gear selector on the dash, to the window controls, to the climate controls.

Chevy hasn’t chased intricate details like Jeep has with the Wagoneer (see its knurled metal gear selector), but the Suburban’s interior still communicates luxury through light—the giant glass sunroof lets in a lot of light and comfort. The seats are curl-up-with-a-book comfortable. 

A disclaimer, before we discuss the driving experience: I did not grow up in the back seat of a Suburban. (We were a minivan family—Honda, then Toyota, because of the Odyssey’s pesky transmission failures.) Today, I daily drive a small, feisty hatchback, and I frequent old (read: small) downtown areas that have few parking lots and no parking decks. The Suburban is by far the largest vehicle I have ever piloted. Tip to tail, it measures nearly 19 feet.

I loved it.

When you slide behind the wheel and thunk the door shut, your first experience is one of regal isolation. Not only is your perch lofty and supremely comfortable, but the cabin is very quiet, thanks to windows made of acoustically-treated glass. Whether at idle or highway speed, the only noise from the V-8 is a subdued, reassuring burble. Under acceleration, the roar of the engine is as powerful and calming as a distant waterfall. 

For all its size and weight, the Suburban is a remarkably docile vehicle. Visibility is excellent thanks to upright B- and C-pillars and giant sideview mirrors. (Though it takes a little getting used to, the camera rearview mirror helps a lot in this regard. It’s standard on the High Country.) The 6.2 and the ten-speed are a delightful combination: Whisper-quiet at highway speeds but, at the prod of the accelerator pedal, ready to hurl you down an on-ramp or execute a purposeful merge.

The body-on-frame construction is evident in the gentle shudder you feel over bumps, but thanks to the independent rear suspension, the rear end never gets twitchy over imperfections in the road surface, as a solid-axle vehicle often does. The air suspension and the 22-inch wheels, the largest diameter offered, pair up nicely. Only the most severe bumps make it through to your bum: Most pass with only a gentle thunk sound, if we can use that word twice in one story.

When the ride is this relaxing, it’s easy to cultivate the patience needed for driving a Suburban in traffic. You don’t perform any maneuvers impulsively in a vehicle this large, whether it’s snatching a parking space or squeezing into a queue ahead of a split in the freeway. Parking is probably the most frustrating activity in a Suburban: I had to spot spaces much further ahead than I expected, and I often entered at too shallow of an angle—even aborting the mission required a three-point-turn, during which I blocked the entire aisle. However, with more time, any semi-competent driver should adapt to the process. Thankfully, since so many Americans drive pickups, most parking spots are appropriately sized—I parked on a downtown street in Farmington, Michigan, and the Suburban fit between the little white corners neatly. 

It’s easy to forgive the Suburban its parking-lot clumsiness when you see the space inside. By ditching the solid rear axle, the designers could drop the floor of the SUV. The main beneficiaries are the third-row passengers: As a 5’6” person, I had plenty of headroom in the third row. I might not want to spend six hours back there, but the space was definitely tolerable, and it didn’t feel like punishment, like the third row of a Traverse.

Capacity isn’t the only virtue of the interior, as its configurability is good, too.  (Pictured is the Goodwill run that your author made: The amount looked huge sitting in my hallway, but once I got it in the Suburban, it looked downright puny.) The second-row captain’s chairs are easy to stow out of the way, whether to ease access to the third row or, with that rearmost seat folded, increase stuff-hauling space. Yank the plastic lever on the lower side of the seat once, and it folds on itself; twice and the folded chair unlatches from the floor and rotates toward the front of the vehicle. You can fold (and raise!) the second and third rows from the rear thanks to a set of plastic rocker switches and an array of electric motors. The only additional control I wished for was a button to close the tailgate from the driver’s seat, but that may be frowned upon from a safety perspective.

If you think the best infotainment screen is the newest one, the 12.3-inch unit in this Suburban will disappoint you. The resolution is adequate but far from liquid, and it frequently lagged when switching menus, prompting a yellow progress bar. However, after several recent experiences with the larger unit that is coming to the Suburban for 2025 (it’s currently in the Silverado and Equinox EV models), I’d like to make a counterargument: Simplicity is also a virtue. I have yet to spend a week with that larger panel, and when I do so, I’ll be asking whether it actually works better than the one currently in the Suburban.

I could easily reach the far corners of the center screen from the driver’s seat without stretching. The smaller size of the screen made it easy to ignore: The message was “I’m here if you need me,” not “I moonlight as a flatscreen TV.” The digital instrument display never washed out in sunlight, thanks to its recessed position under a leather-upholstered binnacle. It’s a relief to a new driver to find an infotainment system that doesn’t require de-coding: Just plug in CarPlay and go. (You even get your choice of USB-A and USB-C!) For those who love the Suburban for its modern execution of an old-school mission, this two-screen setup is just right.

If you prioritize V-8 luxury but worry about seeming gauche, an optioned-out Suburban like this one is may be the answer. (The Expedition Max only offers a V-6.) The near-$95,000 price of our tester puts it firmly in the territory of ritzier American three-rows like the Cadillac Escalade and the Jeep Grand Wagoneer, and the interior of either would likely embarrass this Suburban. Perhaps the presence of this absurdly expensive Suburban variant suggests that buyers are willing to pay up to avoid standing out. Yes, you could drive an Escalade or a Grand Wagoneer for this money, but then you become a person who drives a Cadillac, or One of Those Fancy Jeeps. An everyman Suburban LS, in contrast, can be had for around $62,000. When you drive a High Country, you are simply one of the hundreds of thousands of respectable people who drive Suburbans. Nobody needs to know how much you paid. 

The Chevrolet Suburban isn’t just an old nameplate that GM enjoys recycling: It is a remarkably consistent recipe that GM has been refining for decades. As of 2024, the General has that recipe down to a science. If you are shopping for a full-size SUV, and you treasure old-school comfort in an understated package, this is your vehicle. It’s packed with the latest driver-assist features and capable of integration with your Google-centric lifestyle, but lacks the big-infotainment-screen pizzazz of the upcoming facelift—or its Ford rival, the Expedition Max. Sometimes, big enough is best. 

2024 Chevrolet Suburban High Country

Highs: Serenely comfortable ride, engine is remarkably punchy and quiet. 

Lows: Rear-seat infotainment system is a waste of $2K. Motifs of High Country are a little kitschy. Small parking lots are a no-go. 

Summary: The Suburban is for those who like their luxury SUV large, independently suspended, and understated, with old-school simplicity. 

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The post 2024 Chevrolet Suburban High Country: Too Big and Just Right appeared first on Hagerty Media.

The Prius has earned this. Whereas the humble city car once represented the avant-garde of electrification, it’s now a veteran in the space and, in some sense, the victim of its own success. The vehicle’s hybrid technology—what Toyota calls Hybrid Synergy Drive—now powers the RAV4, Corolla, Highlander, Crown, Sienna, and a litany of Lexus models. Even as fully electric models have proliferated over the last few years, both conventional (parallel) hybrids and plug-in hybrids from automakers across the globe are in huge demand. As Toyota group Vice President and General Manager Dave Christ put it, “The weight of the Prius name is heavy—it carries with it the identity of an entire category of vehicle powertrain.”

The new Prius, launched last year for 2023, may not deserve your undying passion as a driver. That would be a stretch. But it does deserve your respect. Not only is this fifth-generation the best-driving Prius in the model’s nearly three-decade run, it’s by far the best-looking, all while remaining a committed MPG maven.

Heavy may lie the crown, but this latest Prius is only marginally porkier than its predecessor. Base curb weight is up between 50 and 150 pounds, give or take, depending on trim. That’s despite a larger, 2.0-liter gas engine and significantly more overall power than the outgoing fourth-generation car. Whereas the prior Prius’ 1.8-liter engine and hybrid system peaked at 121 hp and 105 lb-ft of torque, here output ratchets up to 194 hp and 139 lb-ft (or 196 hp with all-wheel drive). That translates to a 0-60 time of 7.2 seconds for the new front-drive Prius, versus 9.8 seconds for the car it replaces.

Toyota says that the new Prius’ second-generation TNGA-C platform is lighter and more rigid than before. The battery pack now uses lithium-ion chemistry rather than nickel chemistry, saving space and as much as 40 pounds while increasing output by 15 percent.

Specs: 2024 Toyota Prius Limited AWD

Price: $37,160 (base); $39,938 (as-tested)
Powertrain: 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine, two electric drive motor/generators (one front, one rear), one integrated starter-generator; electronically controlled continuously variable automatic transmission
Output: 196 hp combined; 150 hp @ 6000 rpm, 139 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm gas engine
Layout: All-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger liftback sedan
EPA Fuel Economy: 49 mpg city, 50 mpg highway, 49 mpg combined
Competitors: Honda Civic Hybrid, Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, Kia Niro

Given that we’d previously reviewed a 2023 Prius Prime, the plug-in variant that comes exclusively with front-wheel drive, for 2024 we went with a Prius Limited with all-wheel drive. The $37,160 Limited is the loaded trim, incorporating the XLE’s standard features plus a 12.3-inch touchscreen, JBL eight-speaker audio system, heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated seats, eight-way power driver’s seat with memory, and a power rear liftgate. Optional extras on our loaner: the Advance Technology Package’s 360-degree camera and automatic parking ($1085), heated rear seats ($350), carpeted floor mats and cargo mat ($299), door sill protectors ($250), a rear bumper appliqué ($69), mudguards ($150), and a dash camera ($375). All in, MSRP came to $39,938 including destination fees.

For nearly 40 grand, a mainstream car better turn heads, and the Prius does. We got a number of neck snaps and stares from Prius drivers in particular. The new design is sleek and elegant, rather than the drab or dorky appearance that usually results from cars drawn exclusively for their aerodynamic efficiency. Sure, the car’s lines are significantly cleaner and simpler than the overwrought fourth-gen Prius it replaces, but the success of this design starts with its proportions. The car’s roughly one inch of extra width allows for a more planted stance and a lower hip point. The roofline is two inches lower, and the wheels are pushed out closer to the bumpers. Our Limited tester rides on standard 19-inch wheels, which hamper fuel efficiency by about 4 mpg over smaller wheels, but look damn stylish in the process.

Nothing about the interior suggests outright luxury, but neither does it betray obvious cost-cutting. Behind the better-than-average-quality plastics is a logical, practical, unfussy design. The starter button is right where you expect it to be. Climate functions operate via two rows of buttons positioned below the center screen. Two of the car’s six USB-C ports are situated just below that, alongside a 12-volt accessory port and conveniently above a handy phone tray. Press the release lever on the tray and you’ll find yet another storage tray—this one perfect for hiding valuables out of view when the car is parked. I wouldn’t call the center console generous, but given the other storage options in the vicinity, it’s alright. As for the phone slot in which you can lay your phone on its side—twofold brilliance. It charges in there wirelessly, and while stored there it seemed much less tempting to reach for at long stop lights. 

Longtime Prius fans may notice a few other important shifts. For starters, the giant iPad-like screen from the upper trims of the outgoing car has been replaced with a much more handsome center touchscreen. Beyond that, the instrument cluster now sits behind the steering wheel on a little perch, rather than up in the center of the dashboard behind the display. The shifter, too, is positioned in a more conventional location between the seats rather than on the dashboard like some electro-mechanical proboscis. All of these choices indicate a kind of design maturity—the Prius doesn’t have to constantly remind you it’s a hybrid, because the West has already been won. Instead it can focus on, well, being a thoughtful and useful car.

To wit, the new Prius’ liftback body style works great in daily use. The trunk is nice and wide, with a reasonably low load height. The all-wheel drive hardware on the rear axle—an electric motor and its accompanying components—contribute to a slightly taller trunk floor, but it’s within reason. On either side of the main floor are useful cubbies, perfect for the odd single grocery bag or tote. My favorite feature: a molded plastic piece on either side of the rear seats that, when said seats are folded, keeps the seat belt in position and out of the way of large cargo. 

The interior’s sole weak point I found during a week with the Prius is that rear-seat headroom is worse than before. (The price we pay for that sweeping roofline.) The seats could use a bit more support for longer drives. Oh, and when the windows are open at speed, the wind causes the moonroof shade to flap like a beached carp.

My only other major gripe concerns the noise of the gas engine when it kicks on from pure-electric operation. (It stays on if you select B mode, which better charges the battery.) The 2.0-liter sounds hoarse and unhappy, as if it just swallowed a cylinder of black peppercorns. 

That clatter arrives in contrast with what is otherwise a serene driving experience. The ride is composed, comfortable, and not excessively floaty. Turn-in isn’t exactly crisp, and the steering feels artificially weighted, but the Prius changes direction with poise. It’s sure-footed on bumpy roads, twisty roads, freeways, you name it. The car’s biggest achievement is how it blends brake feel, resulting in a seamless transition between mechanical and regenerative braking—no easy feat. (Those brakes do groan a bit at low speeds, however.)

In several hundred miles of mixed driving, the Prius had no problem getting 50 mpg, equaling its mixed highway rating from the EPA. The new car’s combined rating of 49 mpg is 2 mpg greater than the outgoing XLE e-AWD’s 47 mpg, but the older Prius highway rating beats this car’s 50 mpg rating by 1 mile. Suffice to say, the new car is about as efficient as the Prius it replaces while offering much more useful passing power and far superior handling. 

All that said, unless you live in an area that experiences severe winter weather, I’d much sooner buy a set of top-shelf winter tires for a base Prius LE ($29,470) or a mid-grade XLE ($32,490) and stick with front-wheel drive. This Prius makes a lot more sense as a mainstream car that punches way above its weight than it does as a luxury-adjacent commuter, and the LE returns an impressive 57 mpg. 

In fairness, the heated seats are nice and the 360-degree camera works flawlessly, but for $40,000 a Prius—even one this good—is facing competition from the Audi A3s and Mercedes-Benz CLAs of the world, not to mention the more spacious Honda Civic Sport Touring that comes with a standard hybrid powertrain for 2025. Hell, for the same price you could lose 6 or 7 mpg and pick up an Accord Hybrid Touring, which is a whole lot more spacious and luxurious.

Naturally, none of the above can boast Toyota’s track record for reliability. That and low long-term maintenance costs remain major factors in new-car decisions, which also explains the Prius’ generally fabulous resale value.

So far in 2024, its first full year of sales, Toyota is on pace to sell about 45,000 examples of the new-generation Prius. That’s a long way off from the heyday of the early 2010s, when sales topped 200,000 for three years running. However, don’t take that to mean the Prius has lost its way—if anything it has found it, maturing into a well-sorted and sophisticated hybrid commuter nobody should be embarrassed to drive. Think of this fifth-gen car as the Prius entering its golden years as a silver fox—older, wiser, and relieved from the burden of carrying so much early water for hybridization. Like it or not, this is the Prius’ world; we’re just living in it.

2024 Toyota Prius Limited AWD

Price: $37,160 (base); $39,938 (as-tested)

Highs: Useful power, practical interior, handsome styling. Excellent brake feel. And, of course, 50 mpg.

Lows: Sub-par headroom in the back seat. Noisy gas engine. Limited’s nearly-$40K price pits it against more spacious rivals.

Takeaway: Far and away the best-driving, best-looking Toyota Prius in history.

The post 2024 Toyota Prius Limited AWD: Elder Statesman, Youthful Verve appeared first on Hagerty Media.

It’s been nearly 10 years since Mazda unveiled the fourth, “ND” generation MX-5 Miata, continuing an exceptional sports car tradition. So enjoyable is Mazda’s two-seater, in fact, that I bought a 2020 Miata RF ND2. (In Zoom-Zoom nerd circles, 2019–23 cars are called “ND2”, referring to the second iteration of the ND generation.) It remains my daily driver. With a revised Miata now out for the 2024 model year, I was keen to sample the ND3’s host of tweaks and upgrades.

Part of the Miata’s appeal these days is that it has no direct competitor. Its closest rival—the Subaru BRZ/Toyota GR86—has rear seats and no available sunroof. Lotus does not even make a sub-3000-pound car anymore, yet 2300-pound Miatas are still out there roaming the roads.

Although a decade is an eternity in the car business, the Miata still looks and drives like nothing else in showrooms today. It’s agile, tossable, and friendly. For the ND3, Mazda thankfully didn’t mess with success. Small but significant improvements are focused on appreciable areas: the steering rack, differential, and interior. In sum, they make an already great car a little bit better. Rumors are swirling that the next-generation Miata will be either hybrid or electric, which, if true, would render this ND3 the final with Mazda’s 35-year-old formula: a lightweight open-top machine with a naturally aspirated four-cylinder, rear-wheel-drive, and a manual transmission.

The Miata’s last major update came five years ago for the 2019 ND2, when Mazda massaged the 2.0-liter, twin-cam four-cylinder (largely shared with the Mazda 3) to make 181 horsepower (instead of 155 in the 2016-18 “ND1”) and wind the tach up to 7500 rpm (instead of 6800), while also revising the six-speed manual gearbox. In the new-for-2024 ND3, both the drivetrain and overall weight are carryover.

The 2024 Miata is still available in two basic body styles and three basic trim levels, but prices are up slightly. MSRP for the cheapest soft top “Sport” model is $30,170—nearly a grand more than the 2023 version. The retractable hardtop RF body style is not available in Sport trim. The mid-range “Club” soft top (the ND3 I drove) costs $33,670 to start. Our test car also had the optional Brembo brakes/BBS wheels/Recaro seat package, which adds $4800 to the soft-top Club but comes baked into the $41,395 Club RF. The slightly more luxurious “Grand Touring” trim costs $36,390 in soft-top form and $39,165 in RF form. The Brembo/BBS/Recaro trio is only available on the Club, which is a shame if you want a dead-simple Sport or a cushy Gran Touring with a performance punch.

Specs: 2024 Mazda Miata Club

• Price: $33,670 (base); $38,470 (as tested)
• Powertrain: 2.0-liter fuel-injected, naturally aspirated, dual-overhead-camshaft inline-four; 6-speed manual transmission
• Output: 181 hp @ 7000 rpm; 151 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
• Layout: Rear-wheel-drive, two-door, two-passenger convertible
• EPA Fuel Economy: 26 mpg city, 34 mpg highway, 34 combined
• Competitors: Subaru BRZ, Toyota GR86

One of the chief complaints ever since the ND first came out, compared with the fun and flamboyant NA lineup from the ’90s, is that Mazda’s color palette is as bland as a bowl of sawdust. Other than Soul Red, it’s been mostly some version of black, white, or gray for the ND. If you’ve been praying for a handsome British Racing Green or a nice bright blue, keep praying, because Mazda has ignored you yet again. There is a new shade for 2024 but it’s… another shade of gray. Aero Gray, to be specific. Our test car was at least painted Zircon Sand Metallic, a shade added to the roster last year (and featured in our Gas + Stick article); it’s a sharp-looking, sort of muddy sand color with some green in it. Nice, but still somewhat muted for a very happy sports car.

Other changes to the exterior of the 2024 ND3 include new LED headlights and taillights. The daytime running lights, which used to flank the grille, are now integrated into the headlights. There are also new wheel designs and they look good, but so did the old ones. They’re also of the same size and ride on the same Bridgestone tires.

The interior wears the same basic design, laid atop a clean, functional, tight-ish cabin. Mazda uses its share of mass-market plastics and knobs, as well as cheap-feeling removable cupholders, but in concert with the brand’s premium aspirations there are some nicer touches: body-color paint on the tops of the door panels, padding and stitching in the middle of the dash, and chromed gauge bezels. The trim running around the shifter and down the sides of the console used to be plastic, but now it’s stitched and padded. The gauge cluster (tach in middle, speedo on right, analog-style digital readout on left) stays essentially the same but now uses higher contrast graphics that are easier to read, and the rear-view camera benefits from higher resolution. USB-C ports also replace the old USB ones.

By far the most notable interior change, though, concerns the infotainment screen. In the ND1-ND2 the interface was good enough, but the square screen looked like an overgrown, circa-2008 Garmin GPS glued to the top of the dash. The ND3 remedies that with an all-new 8.8-inch rectangular display that’s lower, thinner, better integrated into the dash, and much nicer to read. It’s still operated via touch, with some controls available on the steering wheel or on two small metal knobs behind the shifter.

Mechanically, the two major changes for the ND3 affect steering feel and how the rear end navigates corners. The steering rack is a new unit and the software in the electronically assisted power steering has been revised for both smoother steering and sharper response. At the back, Mazda redesigned the Miata’s conical clutch limited-slip differential. It now more strongly locks the rear wheels together on deceleration to combat oversteer and reduces locking during acceleration to mitigate understeer. This makes for more controllable cornering compared to the earlier, more tail-happy cars. The ND3 Club’s stability control system also adds a new “DSC-Track” mode, activated by a fun little checkered flag button, that raises the threshold of when the system intervenes, without shutting it off entirely. Only the Club model gets DSC-Track.

Entering, or rather fitting into, this car has never been comfortable for everybody. I’m 6’2” and fit alright, but if you’re within a haircut of 6 feet, haven’t had a salad in a while, and/or are more leg than torso, it’s a good idea to try before you buy. Getting in with a helmet (and remaining underneath the top of the windshield) is an additional challenge for the vertically blessed, although there are aftermarket seat options as well as kits to lower the factory chairs. As for the Recaros in our test car, they’re beautiful. With black leather, gray piping, and Alcantara inserts, they look like they’re out of a much more expensive automobile. They’re well-bolstered for track driving as well, but a little tight beneath the shoulders and around the hips of this driver.

There’s no glovebox in an MX-5—just a small cubby between the seats and another, secret cubby behind the passenger’s seat. The storage bin in the console is of limited use. The narrow but surprisingly deep trunk (no spare tire), meanwhile, has enough room for a two-person weekend getaway or a week’s worth of groceries.

On the nice days for which this roadster is intended, operating the soft top is a simple pull on a single central clip, pulling it back behind you, and clicking it in to stow behind the seats. It can all be done in a few seconds from the driver’s seat.

For the not-so-nice days, like the “derecho” storm that slammed Houston in May 2024 with 100-mph winds and three tornadoes, the soft top is reassuringly stout. I briefly got caught out on the road in the derecho, and despite wind and rain that can only be described as biblical, the soft top held tight as a drum. No flapping around, no leaks, and surprisingly little noise. Apart from an actual crash, it would hard to think up a much tougher test for a top, so this one passed.

Jumping straight from the driver’s seat of an ND2 into the ND3 is not a night and day difference, but it is a noticeable one. Steering feel is indeed sharper, smoother, and a little heavier. The change is noticeable at any speed, not to mention from the instant the steering wheel (which is the perfect size and looks great, by the way) moves from center. The new differential leaves the rear end feeling more planted and firmer through an apex, and although Mazda didn’t say it revised the suspension, we wouldn’t be shocked to hear if there were some small tweaks. The car does feel like it’s flatter through the corners. It’s still somewhat softly sprung and takes a bit to settle into the corner. The signature Miata lean/body roll is still there, but it’s less pronounced. All of these adjustments, including changes to the limited-slip, it should be noted, are really only discernible if you’re hitting a corner at about seven-tenths or above.

The slick-shifting, short-throw six-speed, meanwhile, is one of the best manuals around and there’s nothing to nitpick about it. Our test car also averaged a little over 30 mpg in mixed driving conditions, before a lengthy stretch in heavy traffic dropped it into the high 20s.

And while the car does corner more confidently, it’s still easy enough to get the back end to rotate and then use small inputs to keep things under control. This is still a great sports car in which to learn the basics of car control, as overcooking it doesn’t immediately send you into a spin. The dynamics are also entertaining at real-world, law-adjacent speeds on real-world roads. More fun to drive a slow car fast, and all that.

Indeed, 181 hp and 151 lb-ft isn’t a lot, but this is a tiny car and with the roof open, the 0-60 scoot in 5.7 seconds feels quick enough. For reference, that’s around the same output as a Honda S2000 (more about that car later), and the Mazda’s 2.0-liter four is almost as responsive. It likes to rev, really wakes up above 4000 rpm, and should be kept there for maximum smiles.

The Skyactive 2.0-liter isn’t a weak engine, then, but it sure sounds that way. If there’s any significant complaint one might have from behind the wheel of the ND3—and I only have one biggie—it’s the stock exhaust. It stinks. It’s too quiet. What sound does come out of the muffler is more rental-spec Altima than open-top toy. To be fair, not everybody likes their cars loud, but Mazda should absolutely offer an optional sports exhaust.

There are still small, specialist carmakers out there, but a driver-focused car like the 2024 Miata coming from a full-line automaker remains special. That it even exists in the electrified, increasingly automated new car market is a real treat. The closest thing in 15 years is, well, the last Honda S2000.

Thanks to its great reputation, great looks and jewel of an engine, a used 2000-09 S2K in excellent condition is worth about the same as a Miata in brand-new condition. The temptation to cross-shop is there. They have similar performance, similarly good looks, and similarly fine interiors. The Honda has a much sweeter engine, but the Mazda does most other things just as well or better. For the same price, it’s at least a 15-year newer car and thus comes with all the improvements in safety and convenience that have been made since the 2000s, plus a warranty. It’s the sensible choice.

Now, with the past out of the way, let’s end with the future. The next-gen Miata is slated for 2026. It will likely have a hybrid powertrain. What the whole package looks like and how it will be received by the MX-5’s legions of fans isn’t yet clear. What is clear, however, is that the ND3 is one of those “last of” cars. The Miata formula of basic, naturally aspirated four-banger, driving the rear wheels through a stubby manual ends with this car. Inevitably, snobs will call it the last “real” Miata. Good thing it’s the best one, too.

2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Highs: A shape that still looks special, even 10 years later. Lots of little improvements without losing any essential Miata-ness. Still exists in 2024.

Lows: Tight fit for bigger drivers. Quiet exhaust that makes a perfectly good engine sound like a weak one. Color choices remain frustratingly limited. Not much trunk space (duh).

Summary: A noticeable improvement on an already great car, and arguably the best Miata yet. If the next MX-5 is a hybrid, the ND3 also represents the end of a glorious era.

***

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The age of the compact sedan is gone: The most common passenger car sold here in the U.S. is a compact crossover. Chevrolet bears out this pattern—Silverado trucks aside, its best-selling vehicle in 2023 was the Equinox. This humble, two-row crossover may be a yawner for an enthusiast, but it is hugely valuable to the company, and to those who buy it. An affordable ($33,195), spacious, comfortable car, the Equinox easily serves as the only vehicle for a couple, even one with a kid or two. Is it possible to reprise the theme for an electric version? Earlier this month, we got our first chance to drive Chevrolet’s attempt to do exactly that.

The Equinox EV is a new car, and an important one. The cheapest model (the LT) will retail for $27,495 including a $1395 destination fee and the $7500 federal tax credit, for which it is eligible in full. (Leaving off the credit, the LT will cost $34,995.) Range for the most efficient version, the front-wheel-drive one, is 319 miles. Chevrolet has made electric vehicles before, and they have been similarly affordable, but none have been this large: Even the larger version of the Bolt, the EUV, was more of a tall hatchback than an SUV. The Equinox EV is a compact crossover, the format of vehicle that Americans like most. Not until now has Chevrolet offered an electric vehicle in this vehicle segment, and its hopes are high: The company aspires to sell 150,000 a year.

For the first drive event, Chevrolet provided Equinox EVs in a variety of trims and colors, both front- and all-wheel-drive. Your author spent the most time in a front-wheel-drive 2RS riding on 21-inch wheels, painted Radiant Red with an Adrenaline Red interior.

Specs: 2024 Chevrolet Equinox FWD 2RS

• Price, base/as-tested*: $45,790 / $50,880
• Powertrain: Single permanent-magnet electric motor
• Output: 213 hp, 236 lb-ft of torque
• Layout: Front-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger compact crossover
• 0–60 mph: TBD
• EPA fuel economy equivalent, MPGe: 117 city, 99 highway, 108 combined
• Competition: Ford Mach-E, Tesla Model Y, Volkswagen ID.4, Kia EV6

*minus federal $7500 EV tax credit)

Like all other GM EVs, and a few Hondas, the Equinox EV relies on GM’s Ultium platform—specifically, the BEV3 variant. The Equinox EV is assembled in Mexico with LG batteries built either in Tennesee or Ohio, making it eligible for the full federal tax credit of $7500. 

Styling, both inside and out, strikes a balance between familiar and futuristic, with the exterior leaning a little more to the latter. Size-wise, this vehicle is significantly larger than the outgoing version of the gas-powered Equinox. It’s closer in size to the recently revealed, fourth-generation Equinox, which looks very different, even from a distance: GM is intentionally bringing its ICE SUVs in line visually with its trucks. Exterior designer Samuel Bell says he didn’t look at the gas-powered Equinox at all when designing this electric crossover, and it shows: The Equinox doesn’t look much like its predecessors, but it’s easily recognizable as a Chevrolet. It’s a simple, handsome design, more obviously a crossover than the swoopy Blazer EV, which somehow looks too big in real life. 

The Equinox wears multiple details that make this car worthy of the price of its higher trims. For example, Chevrolet eschewed molded-in-color plastics for the arches around the wheel wells, using plastic but painting it as it would a metal body panel. The front and the rear fascia display thoughtful texturing, most notably a diamond pattern that does an excellent job at hiding the parking sensors. The pattern is complemented by a simpler sequence of slashes—at the front, you’ll find the pattern between the headlights. In the rear, you’ll see it on the very bottom edge of the bumper. You get the feeling Chevrolet sweated the details on this design even as it chased that thirty-something target price. 

If you’ve been in any other 2024 model year Chevrolet product, you’ll feel at home in the cabin of the Equinox EV. The shifter is mounted in the steering column, behind a familiar, three-spoke steering wheel with matte-plastic buttons, toggle switches, and faux-metal accents on the front and two rocker switches tucked onto its rear side. The location of the shifter allows for a storage cubby below the center console, as it does in the 2024 Traverse. Materials are mostly plastic, with different splashes of color and cloth or leather-mimicking Ecotex depending on trim. The dash is dominated by a two-panel digital display that absorbs the duties of instrument cluster, radio, navigation, and vehicle settings.

Only a few things signal that you’re in an EV, one of which is the absence of a start button or rotary drive-mode selector (which Chevrolet plans for the next-gen, gas-powered Equinox). The heavy dose of familiarity is wise for a vehicle perceived by many as relying on new-fangled technology; little about it feels novel or futuristic compared to the contemporary ICE lineup.

The hands-free start system does take some getting used to: If, like me, you associate pushing a start button with shifting a vehicle into drive, eliminating one eliminates both: Several times I got into the vehicle, which obediently lit to life, but nothing happened when I pressed the accelerator pedal. I learned my lesson by the fourth or fifth start. 

As a front-wheel-drive model, our test vehicle made the most efficient use of its 85-kWh battery and single, permanent-magnet primary drive motor: This is the version with the much-touted range figure of “315 plus” miles: 319, as estimated by the EPA. Output is 213 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque. An “eAWD” variant uses the same primary drive unit but adds a smaller, induction motor in the rear. In those Equinox EVs, you sacrifice a bit of range for more power: 285 miles, 288 hp and 333 lb-ft of torque.

There are a few rough edges to the driving experience, but they’re all forgivable at this price point. Because the torque is available instantly, the Equinox EV feels a lot quicker than the numbers suggest. When you only need max squeeze for highway merges or purposeful lane changes, the power is totally adequate. You hear bumps more than you feel them, with these 21-inch wheels and without the gentle background noise of an engine; but harsh impacts, like deeply recessed grates or badly filled repair areas, break through with a thonk to your ears and your butt. The more comfortable electric Equinoxes are likely the cheaper ones on the smaller wheels: Our drive route only involved asphalt, but these 21-inch wheels would likely get obnoxious if you lived down a dirt or gravel road. Stoplights and low speeds aren’t completely silent affairs: Even with the artificial hums and chimes silenced via the touchscreen, there’s discernible motor whine. Steering has some play in it on-center, and is light and artificial throughout the travel.

We’ll reserve judgment on the rear seats and cargo area until we’ve lived with the Equinox EV for a few days, but first impressions are quite good. Not only is a flat battery pack well suited to maximizing interior space, but the designers tucked a few thoughtful solutions into the car: Executive chief engineer Matt Purdy told us that he asked for a place to put a gallon of milk so that it wouldn’t slide around the flat trunk: Look to your right when you open the liftgate, and you’ll see the little plastic nook to hold your two percent. Lift up the flat floor of the trunk and you’ll uncover another cubby beside the charging cable bag.

Our early interactions with the Google-based infotainment system, much of which is of GM’s own design, were inconclusive. Like the driving experience, the price point covers a multitude of smaller sins: The visual language of the display is not particularly elegant, though the resolution is satisfactory. GM clearly prioritized customization: Not only can you download third-party apps, but you can move them around to prioritize the ones you use most frequently. You can even demote some to simplify your view. Someone who’s comfortable configuring their smartphone to mold to their habits will find the organization familiar, but for those who expect a less phone-like experience, in which each button only appears in one specific location, the degree of customization may be overwhelming, possibly frustrating. The size of the screen may be a detriment, too: There’s so much digital acreage to look at. Tapping through, say, various levels of brake regen requires more eyes-off-road-time than feels necessary: Why not just repurpose paddle shifters, like the rest of the world?

Be warned that the fanciest features on the Equinox EV, like Super Cruise and Google Maps and Google Assistant, require additional spend beyond the purchase price, either right away or eventually: Vehicle to Home charging is a an up front cost, the others further down the road. If you buy a charger from GM—not the only or the cheapest charging option, but the best one if you want to eventually add the home-charging station—figure in $1699. That home charging bundle is another $5600.

The other features are available free from GM for a trial period. After that window expires, you’ll need to purchase a subscription from Onstar to keep using them. As of this writing, Super Cruise costs $25 a month after the three-year free period, and that cost includes Automatic Lane Change. Access to Google Maps and Alexa is $15/month, but the trial period is longer than for Super Cruise: eight years. If you want to use your phone to check vehicle stats like tire pressure, cue a remote start, or favorite radio stations, that’s also $15/month. When we live with the car for a week, we’ll dive into more detail and make some suggestions of which services are worth the continued spend.

There are cheaper EVs on the market than the Equinox EV, such as the Nissan Leaf or the Mini Cooper SE. However, these are less spacious vehicles with smaller battery packs. Step up a size, to small SUVs like the Kona EV, and you still only get two-thirds of the Equinox EV’s 315+ mile range. The most established electric crossover, the Tesla Model Y, is more expensive than most front-wheel-drive configurations of the Equinox EV; you’re more likely to cross-shop the Tesla with the more lavish, eAWD versions of the Chevy.

Others, like the Mustang Mach-E or the Volkswagen ID.4, either cost more than the Equinox EV or have lower driving ranges … or both. Higher trims of the Equinox do overlap with the price of lower-spec Mach-Es, but that crossover has a more sporting persona than the humble, serviceable Equinox; it makes more sense as a rival for the bigger Blazer, a range capped by the tire-smoking SS model. The Hyundai Ioniq 6 and the Kia EV6 challenge the Equinox EV in terms of power and interior quality, but they are significantly more expensive—more in the territory of the Blazer EV—and neither is eligible for the federal tax credit. 

The point of all that name-dropping? With a generous range, a low price of entry, a familiar nameplate, and few sporting pretensions, the Equinox EV represents a sweet spot in the market for electric crossovers. The tasks of an Equinox may not be glamorous, but they are important—especially so if electric vehicles are to represent most of the vehicles on our roads. From first impressions, the Equinox EV appears worthy of its name.

2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD 2RS

Highs: Spacious interior, spunky powertrain, approachable styling inside and out.

Lows: Ride is rough around the edges. Low noise insulation from motor whine, tire noise. Coolest tech features require subscriptions.

Summary: An Equinox for the electric age, whenever that age arrives.

***

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The post First Look Review: 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD 2RS appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Larger SUVs are rarely designed to appeal to those who enjoy driving. By their nature, the best they can offer is a compromise.

That hasn’t stopped Mazda from trying, though—the company has never been afraid to give their SUVs some of the magic that makes their cars so enjoyable. The brand-new 2025 CX-70 continues that trajectory by offering something that can fight the suburban skirmishes on multiple fronts without losing focus on the commander at the controls. It will ferry the kids to school, and tote your clubs to the club, tow your Miata to the track, but it can also haul its own ass around that one fun corner between the grocery store and your garage to a degree that belies its size.

To find out how Mazda’s latest, and largest two-row SUV performed both around town and on true driver’s roads, we took Mazda up on their offer to explore the CX-70 lineup and test the Turbo S Premium Plus in the searing scenery of Palm Springs, California. 

The CX-70 is part of Mazda’s recent push into a more upscale market. It’s essentially the same machine as the CX-90 (minus the third-row seats) that kicked off that effort last year with the North American debut of Mazda’s new “Large Product Group” platform. What that platform lacks in an evocative name, it makes up for in its driver-focused, rear-wheel-biased all-wheel drive system and turbo inline-six.

There’s a host of modern engineering beneath the CX-70’s skin, but the wrapper itself has become an increasingly critical selling point in this crowded field. The CX-70 looks and feels closer to a status symbol than a sensible choice—especially in the Premium Plus package that fills the CX-70’s guts with aspirational levels of leather and metal. This is a path that previous Mazda SUVs have ventured down, though not as comprehensively.

To that end, while the CX-70 competes against similarly priced vehicles like the Honda Passport and Toyota Highlander, Mazda also wants to snag a few cost-conscious customers away from more luxury-oriented offerings like the BMW X5, Lexus RX, and Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe (all of which Mazda had on hand for static comparison). Mazda’s long argued that its SUVs provide a more characterful experience than other similarly priced models, but in aiming higher, the company now also makes the case that against these new foes, any gap in capability is narrower than the gap in price.

To cover a broader swath of buyers’ needs, Mazda provides a healthy range of options and pricing within the made-in-Japan CX-70’s seven varieties. For starters, there are PHEV and mild hybrid powertrains. The mild hybrid versions are all powered by Mazda’s e-Skyactiv G 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-six, with two levels of power to pick from: Turbo, and Turbo S. The Turbo models produce 280 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque on 87-octane fuel, and come in three tiers of luxury: Preferred, Premium, and Premium Plus. The cheapest of all seven CX-70s, the Turbo Preferred, starts at $40,445, while the Turbo Premium Plus starts at $48,900. 

For those seeking more shove, the Turbo S models churn out a hearty 340 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque on 91-octane fuel (should you need to use 87 octane in a pinch, you’ll drop down to 319 hp, but retain the same amount of torque). The Turbo S ditches the entry Preferred trim and is only available in either Premium or Premium Plus spec, starting at $52,450 and $55,950, respectively.

Specs: 2025 Mazda CX-70 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus

• Price: $55,950 (base); $56,545 (as-tested)
• Powertrain: 3.3-liter fuel-injected, turbocharged, dual-overhead-camshaft inline-six with 48V mild hybrid system; 8-speed automatic transmission
• Horsepower: 340 (on 91-octane premium fuel, 319 hp on 87-octane) @ 5000 rpm
• Torque: 369 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
• Layout: All-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger SUV
• Weight: 4863 lbs.
• EPA-rated fuel economy: 25 MPG combined
• Competition: Honda Passport, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Lexus RX

The 48V mild hybrid system is designed to aid low-speed efficiency and the operation of auxiliary functions like air-conditioning, but for customers who want a genuine plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), the CX-70 also comes with a powertrain option that combines a 189-hp naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-four with a 173-hp, 100-kW electric motor powered by a 17.8-kWh battery pack. The combined product is good for 323 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque on 91 octane. The PHEV version of the CX-70 is available in either Premium or Premium Plus spec, which start at $54,400 and $57,450, respectively. 

The PHEV’s EV-only mode provides a max range of 26 miles according to Mazda, and has an EPA-rated fuel economy of 56 MPGe for gas plus electric; 25 MPG overall gas only. (The mild hybrids return 25 MPG combined.) If you want to tow something, your best bet is the inline-six in Premium or Premium Plus trim—it has a towing capacity of 5,000 lbs compared to the PHEV’s 3,500 lbs.

Finally, every variant of the CX-70 is equipped with the same eight-speed automatic found in the CX-90, which Mazda developed specifically for the Large Product Group platform, and uses a wet clutch mounted at the rear of the transmission rather than a torque converter at the front. Mazda says it’s chosen this somewhat unconventional setup to free up space for both the inline-six’s mild hybrid unit and the PHEV’s larger hybrid system, while reducing rotational inertia across the board. 

Moving on from the on-paper specs to real-world impressions, the CX-70 cuts a handsome figure. It stands out in that it doesn’t try to stand out—the grille isn’t enormous, nor is there any flame-surface try-hard design. Besides the black-and-silver 21-inch wheels, the CX-70 is basically devoid of bling—but it does have enough stylistic gravity to warrant a double take.

The proportions do the aesthetic heavy lifting, and for a vehicle that’s a smidge over 200” long and 68” tall, it looks more like a fattened-up wagon than a slimmed-down SUV. You could almost call it svelte. The body’s dash-to-axle ratio suggests the sportiness of its longitudinal-engine layout, and that, combined with a front overhang that’s much shorter than the rear, gives the CX-70’s silhouette the look of being swept back under the persuasion of acceleration.

The exterior isn’t controversial or stunning; it’s attractive and will continue to look good when you’ve lived with it for a while. Aside from a few flashy color options, the reserved look carries into the interior. If you opt for the Turbo or PHEV in Premium Plus spec, you can get a striking red color for your Nappa leather, but to get the best of what Mazda offers you’ll want the tan diamond-quilted seats, suede accent panels, and two-tone steering wheel in the Turbo S Premium Plus.

Sight isn’t the only sense that Mazda appealed to: Materials felt of excellent quality in the Turbo S Premium Plus, and the contrast between materials (metal inserts, smooth Nappa, and suede) gave the impression of something pricier than a Mazda. The fit and finish was pretty faultless, too, with even stitching lines and tight gaps throughout.

Of course, this is an SUV, and the space behind the front seats matters at least as much as material choices. The rear appointments mirror the front, and the second row folds flat with a touch of a button. (You’ll need to manually flip them back up, however.) The CX-70’s 75 cubic feet of cargo space is class-competitive.

After familiarizing ourselves with the CX-70’s details, we set out, first spending time on full-size freeways, two-lane highways, and stoplight-to-stoplight surface roads with the Turbo S Premium Plus.

Underway, the seating position gives a good sense of where all four corners are located and provides ample headroom even for taller drivers. Overall visibility is adequate, with the only noticeable obstruction coming from the wide D-pillar. The head-up display—standard on all but the Turbo Preferred—is a nice safety feature/creature comfort to have as well. The full suite of information comes via the 12.3” digital cluster, which is accompanied by another 12.3” screen for infotainment located in the center of the dash. 

Said infotainment system is intuitive and simple to operate at a stop or in motion, and from either the steering wheel controls or the center console-mounted navigation wheel. The CX-70 features hands-free infotainment controls via Alexa (a Mazda crossover first) plus wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The 12-speaker Bose sound system in our test vehicle performs adequately but not notably better than other higher-end OEM audio systems, with a soundstage centered around the dash’s mid panel. 

Up front, the seats are comfortable for cruising around town. The adjustable lumbar support on Premium packages and above is a welcome feature, especially on longer freeway stints, and they’re supportive enough to prevent rag-dolling when cornering. If spec’d with the Premium Plus package, the CX-70’s front seats get ventilation in addition to heat (which comes standard for the fronts on all trims; to get rear heat you’ll need to spring for Premium Plus). Hopping in the back for bit, we discovered that the rear seats are comfortable as well, but lacking the support of the fronts. Rear legroom is adequate but maybe a smidge less than you’d expect from the wheelbase.

The six-cylinder in the Turbo S has more than enough power to merge safely onto the freeway or squirt through a yellow light, but a few instances of excessive shifting pop up when manipulating the throttle at lower speeds. Brake feel is excellent, with a reassuring sense that more pressure on the pedal meant more braking force instead of the jarring on-off binary that some new cars offer.

Although the CX-70’s steering ratio isn’t exactly quick and snappy, it is pleasantly linear and perfectly easy to wheel around in a congested parking lot, if a tad heavier than competitors. Combined with a minimal dead zone on center, the Mazda is impressively reactive without feeling twitchy.

The ride is stiffer and more communicative than expected from an SUV that will probably be used around downtown grids more often than backroad esses. It feels perfectly fine for someone who likes driving sports cars, and is consistent with Mazdas like the CX-5 that have proven popular, but could be a bit much for someone cross-shopping a Honda or Toyota (or Lexus). Given the company’s push toward luxury and how well the double-wishbone front end and multilink rear performed in the mountains, Mazda may have missed an opportunity to equip the CX-70 with adaptive dampers for softer in-town manners—that might have captured a broader array of tastes.

Speaking of mountains, the snaking section of Route 74 running high above the Coachella Valley proved the CX-70 to be a capable enough curve-carver. There’s no way to completely hide the Turbo S’ 4863 lbs (the PHEV comes in at 5198 lbs), but it’s composed, consistent, and confidence-inspiring. Driven hard in this environment, the eight-speed shifts when expected, the powerband is ready and willing, and the AWD is surefooted. The various driver aids stay very much in the background.

Two big factors in the CX-70’s composure are the i-Activ AWD system and Mazda’s Kinematic Posture Control (KPC). The i-Activ system sends torque to the corner with the most grip as expected, but there’s also a baked-in consideration for steering input that prioritizes a consistent and smooth power output for the driver. This system complements the KPC tech, which has a similar end goal of consistent, predictable, unadulterated handling. The KPC algorithms work to—as subtly as possible—keep the suspension compression and dive angles as neutral as possible through a corner, which it achieves by minor manipulations of the brakes and differentials. The result we discovered is a vehicle that’s playful for its size, communicative, and competent.

After experiencing the CX-70 across the full range of its natural habitat, it gives every impression of being a solid addition to Mazda’s burgeoning effort to pierce the premium side of the market. It may not compete outright with the X5s of the world, but it doesn’t have to—the Mazda has the BMW beat on price to the point where it just might peel away a few buyers. And compared to its more direct competition, the Mazda is more fun to drive. Not everyone cares if their A-to-B SUV can boogie, but Mazda’s found success with this value-meets-driving-pleasure combination before. We’ll soon see if it works for the CX-70.

2025 Mazda CX-70

Highs: Good-looking inside and out without design gimmicks, fun to drive, solid range of trim levels.

Lows: A little bit stiff around town, not always smooth at low speeds.

Takeaway: Indubitably Mazda. Admirable focus on driving dynamics. Not all things to all people, and that’s ok.

***

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]]> https://www.hagerty.com/media/new-car-reviews/first-drive-mazdas-cx-70-pitches-driving-fun-and-value/feed/ 3 https://www.hagerty.com/media/new-car-reviews/2024-acura-tlx-type-s-review-german-alternative/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/new-car-reviews/2024-acura-tlx-type-s-review-german-alternative/#comments Tue, 07 May 2024 18:00:00 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?p=396137

If the Acura Integra Type S is a turn-key track animal, the TLX Type S is a buttoned-up road warrior. Like the two generations of TL Type S before it, Acura’s V-6 sport sedan aims to blend back-road performance, luxury feel, and comfort at a competitive price compared to German four-doors—think Mercedes-AMG C43, Audi S4, and BMW M340i. In many respects, the TLX Type S still trails behind these rivals, but the gap has never been narrower. Let’s take a look.

Acura refreshed the entire TLX lineup for 2024, three years after introducing the Type S model for 2021. Changes are pretty minor, which means underneath we’re dealing with the same exclusive Acura platform, 3.0-liter V-6 engine packing a single turbo, and the brand’s trademark Super Handling All-Wheel Drive with torque vectoring. Updates for the 2024 TLX Type S include revised front and rear fascias, improved throttle response in Sport+ mode, and a new all-digital 12.3-inch instrument cluster. A surround-view camera that was previously optional is now standard. 

For enthusiasts, however, the most significant change is that the lightweight wheel and summer tire package—previously an $800 extra—is now a dealer add-on costing a whopping $3493. The factory standard is a new 20-inch wheel with Pirelli Cinturato7 all-seasons. For summer rubber die-hards, this one stings.

Otherwise, the Type S is loaded up with everything Acura can muster as standard. The only option on our $58,795 test car was its $600 Urban Gray Pearl paint—essentially a new-for-2024 also-ran meant to evoke Audi’s Nardo Gray or BMW’s Brooklyn Grey Metallic.  

Specs: 2024 Acura TLX Type S

• Price: $58,795
• Powertrain: 3.0-liter turbo V-6; ten-speed automatic transmission
• Output: 355 hp @ 5500 rpm; 354 lb-ft @ 1400 rpm
• Layout: All-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger sedan
• EPA Fuel Economy: 19 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, 21 mpg combined
• Competitors: Audi S4, BMW M340i, Mercedes-AMG C43, Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400

It’s a handsome color, and it looks great in a variety of light conditions, but unfortunately for Acura it does little to distract from the TLX’s bizarre proportions. The designers’ intent here was to make this front-drive-based sport sedan appear more like a rear-drive one, but the uncanny valley effect is palpable. There are few angles where the TLX looks of one piece. The profile view in particular accentuates the hood’s height, which disturbs the overall silhouette and visual balance. 

On the plus side, the Type S has some attractive details, which are subtle enough to look cool without veering into shouty territory. The widened air intakes and front splitter are sharp and purposeful, and they accentuate the tension of the redesigned front grille without distracting from it. Around back, the trunklid spoiler and diffuser add a sense of aggression without drawing too much attention from the main appeal—the Type S’ striking quad exhaust.

Many Acura customers end up with a car like the TLX because they want a luxury model without the social baggage associated with the German brands. And with its gorgeous red leather, supportive front seats, sensational ELS 3D audio system, and super-crisp center display, this interior feels upscale if not quite as refined as an Audi, BMW, or Mercedes. Acura’s quality fit and finish make the Cadillac CT4 and Alfa Romeo Giulia seem cheap by comparison, but some of the TLX’s details still won’t fool longtime luxury-brand customers. The steering wheel, for instance, appears suitably fat and dimpled to the eye but feels hard and slightly tacky to the touch. 

Happily, climate control buttons, including heated and cooled seats, are simply and clearly laid out, with no gimmicks or endless menu-diving necessary. The Type S’s standard heads-up display works excellently, and drivers will appreciate the large buttons on the left side of the dashboard to adjust its position. Acura’s new all-digital instrument cluster is fine, but the semi-analog setup it replaces benefitted from a much more sophisticated view from the driver’s seat. The push-button shifter in the center waterfall takes no time to figure out, and there is a dedicated volume knob and track-change button next to the touchpad. 

But oh, that touchpad—an awkward, imprecise nightmare that combines the worst aspects of physical controls and touchscreens. Lexus learned its lesson and moved away from the technology, which soured a lot of people to that brand’s last-generation vehicles, and Acura should know when to fold ‘em as well.

Packaging could be better. The TLX’s back seat is surprisingly small given the roughly Audi A4-ish size of this car, and the trunk isn’t especially generous. Even more puzzling is the fixed X-brace between the trunk and the back seat, which makes storing long packages impossible. 

Acura says that 25 percent of TLX buyers go for the Type S, which, despite the $7000 increase in cost makes sense if you’ve driven both it and the lesser A-Spec model. This a fast, satisfying daily driver. The 355-hp turbo V-6 makes its maximum 354 lb-ft of torque at just 1400 rpm, and the engine feels responsive and willing all the way to about 5500 rpm. It’s paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission that manages to avoid the sensation of constant shifting in pursuit of fuel economy. Sport+ mode—activated by holding the drive mode knob all the wait to the right for a few seconds—turns throttle response, exhaust noise, shift mapping, and torque-vectoring on the rear axle to their most aggressive settings. This is a solid, punchy powertrain that drivers will happily choose over the workaday four-cylinder in the TLX A-Spec, but the engine lacks the juicy smoothness and aural charisma of BMW’s B58 inline-six.

Sport+ is highly entertaining for your favorite back road, however. Most impressive is the all-wheel drive system, which can send 70 percent of torque to the rear and then distribute 100 percent of that torque to either rear wheel. The Type S is sure-footed no matter the situation and never has issues putting down power, though dialing in the adaptive suspension to Comfort using the Individual settings does cut down on head-toss over small- and medium-sized bumps. We’d suspect that the summer tires also improve initial turn-in, which can be a little vague in elevation changes. Steering is accurate and predictable. The brakes (Brembos up front) are by far the dynamic high point, though—powerful and reassuring when the car is at full blast, with a consistent, fantastic feel through the pedal. In normal traffic, they totally disappear into the background.

Overall the TLX is not the most aggressive sport sedan out there, and purists will definitely balk at its 4221-pound curb weight, but it is impressively competent and satisfying to drive. Compared to past Type S iterations—the 2002-03 TL and 2007-08 TL—this TLX Type S comes across as much more considered and carefully engineered. At just under $60,000 this Ohio-built TLX Type S costs almost exactly the same, when adjusted for inflation, coming in at $4000-$7000 cheaper than today’s German competition, depending on exact options. While those prior Type S models were fun in their own right, they didn’t exhibit this level of dynamic refinement beyond their respective base models. Drivers of the 07-08 TL Type S may remember its considerable torque steer under full throttle. (That second-gen car was, however, astonishingly better-looking.)

Those earnestly cross-shopping the TLX with a 3 Series or C43 won’t find them to be in the same league. That’s perhaps more a reflection on the TLX than the Type S in particular, which is a more-than-respectable effort for a performance badge that has appeared only in staccato fashion up to this point. With a TLX this good, not to mention the thrilling Integra and swift MDX Type S, we hope these performance models are here to stay. 

2024 Acura TLX Type S

Price: $58,195/$58,795 (base/as-tested)

Highs: Sweet powertrain. Sophisticated all-wheel drive that never gets caught out. Supportive seats with nice leather and soft suede-like fabric. Killer audio system.

Lows: Digital gauge cluster is a downgrade from the pre-refresh model, as is the new summer tire/lightweight wheel pricing. Some materials feel not-quite luxurious. Touchpad controller needs to go.

Takeaway: The TLX Type S shows signs that Acura still cares about satisfying enthusiast drivers, but European brands need not panic. This 2024 refresh doesn’t much move the needle.

***

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]]> https://www.hagerty.com/media/new-car-reviews/2024-acura-tlx-type-s-review-german-alternative/feed/ 7 https://www.hagerty.com/media/new-car-reviews/first-look-review-2024-chevrolet-traverse-z71/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/new-car-reviews/first-look-review-2024-chevrolet-traverse-z71/#comments Thu, 02 May 2024 13:00:00 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?p=394766

Automakers like to brag about radical improvements from one generation of a vehicle to the next, but the outgoing Chevrolet Traverse—even though it was the oldest three-row SUV on the market—got a lot right: a spacious interior, a quiet driveline with a healthy towing capacity, and a $35,915 starting price. After spending a few hours with the third-generation Traverse, which arrives for the 2024 model year, it appears that Chevrolet, wisely, didn’t fix what wasn’t broken. Even with its new handsome sheetmetal, tech-focused cabin, and first-ever Z71 trim, the ethos of the Traverse is much the same: An affordable, spacious family hauler that can take a beating.

Context matters, because the ambitions (and the success) of the Traverse’s competition are not so modest. The chief threats, in Chevy’s eyes, are the South Korean manufacturers, Hyundai and Kia, which came in for 2020 with their first three-row SUVs—Telluride and Palisade, respectively—and hit immediate home runs. Dealers, it’s rumored, nicknamed the former “Selluride.” Sales have increased each year since launch, and Kia continues to add new paint shades and interior colors that help the upper trims feel far more luxurious than their price point. A new rival from another trusted brand has entered the three-row space, too—the Toyota Grand Highlander, introduced for 2024.

The 2023 Traverse, which you can still configure on chevrolet.com, is neither fresh nor fancy. It is the six-year-old representative of the second generation. Built on the C1 platform, the 2018–23 Traverse came with a V-6 or a 2.0-liter turbo four but dropped the latter as of 2020. The design was slightly larger and more square than that of the original Traverse, which was a bulbous, van-like affair on the Lambda platform (think V-6, front- or all-wheel-drive GM crossover: GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, Saturn Outlook). Wikipedia says the first Traverse, which debuted for the 2009 model year, was based on a 2005 concept called the Sequel. If only something that interesting had made production, Chevrolet might not have needed to rehaul the sheetmetal for this third generation. The new look is handsome and reminiscent of the burlier full-size Silverado pickup and Tahoe SUV. The new Traverse costs three grand more than the outgoing, 2023 model, and it looks the part.

Built on an evolution of that C1 platform, the new Traverse ditches the two most luxury-oriented trims of yore to add another, aimed in a different direction: The $47,795 off-road-oriented Z71. Marketers were keen to point out that the Z71 is more than a sticker package, and they are right. The calling card of this trim is a twin-clutch rear differential sourced from the Cadillac XT6, which is capable of directing torque laterally; up to 100 percent of the available twist can be sent to either the right or the left rear wheel, as needed. (The AWD system that gets the torque from front to back uses a hydraulic clutch housed in the power take-off unit.) Both the Terrain and Off-Road drive modes take advantage of this diff. The former is meant for use at any speed and can prevent you from getting stuck in loose dirt or sand by sacrificing some yaw control to maintain higher wheel speed. Off-Road, meanwhile, is a low-speed sort of “crawl” mode that reprograms the accelerator pedal to apply the brakes upon throttle lift. Think of it as one-pedal driving, but for off-road. The active dampers, made by ZF and shared with the rest of the Traverse lineup, boast hydraulic rebound stops and unique tuning on the Z71. (The dampers on the 2023 model are passive.)

PR specialists and engineers work together to curate first drives in order to reflect the strengths of a given vehicle. The routes are designed to show journalists exactly what automakers want to highlight, and to avoid situations that would make the car look incompetent, especially in inexperienced hands. The short, 15-minute course chosen for the Traverse Z71 illustrated the type of intensity for which this driveline is built: a mown two-track across a smooth, grassy field (a section we were advised to take at around 40 mph), followed by more two-track in the forest, which was mostly Georgia orange clay but overlaid, in some spots, with chunky gravel. The Z71 was hush-quiet across the grass, with nary a rattle from the cabin; on the clay, the array of camera angles (front, overhead, and both sides) projected onto the center display minimized anxiety around tight bends. Several times, in fact, the camera showed that we had far more room to skirt a sapling than we thought, after peering over our shoulders and out of the second-row windows. Neither a first-time “off-roader” nor their passengers will find anything to be scared of here and will probably feel quite adventurous after that first jaunt off the tarmac.

Terrain mode was easy-peasy to use. Take your foot off the gas, and the Traverse squeezes its own brakes to bring itself to a stop. Nudge the gas, and you’ll creep forward at a gentle pace. We didn’t have much time with the system, but our only complaints concerned the user interface: There’s only one, teeny icon on the expansive touchscreen to tell you what mode you’re in. Unless you’re in Terrain mode, it’s hard to tell which mode you’re in just by seat-of-the-pants feedback. Several times we’d prod the rocker switch, mounted on the dash to the left of the steering wheel, just to see which mode was active, then prod it again to re-signal that mode. (For the new Traverse, Chevy moved the gear selector to the column to create more space in the console, so we aren’t surprised that a rotary mode selector, as used by the Telluride or Grand Highlander, didn’t make the cut.)

Though the Z71 is the newest Traverse variant, and the one Chevrolet was most eager for us to drive, the off-road-oriented trim seems honest in its goals. As the chief engineer noted, the Z71 Traverse is not some sort of rock-crawling monster you’d drive in Moab—it’s the kind of vehicle you’d drive to Moab. Indeed, the Z71’s off-road paraphernalia is unobtrusive on-road. Though the tires look chonky, the Goodyear all-terrains are surprisingly quiet on-road, with a murmur of road noise rather than the howl of the K02’s on your spouse’s Wrangler. Crossing a railroad track is quieter, with these smaller-diameter wheels, than in the up-scale RS trim ($56,090, FWD), with its 45-section tires and 22-inch rims. Both versions nod their heads upon aggressive braking and squat a bit under brisk acceleration, but that’s to be expected from a family-hauling crossover that prioritizes comfort.

We didn’t drive the Traverse above 60 mph, and our route didn’t involve any highway segments, so there’s much we have yet to learn about the turbocharged 2.5-liter four behind the Traverse’s handsome new face, although it does share a bottom-end design with the 2.7 four in the Colorado and is the only powerplant available in the new Traverse. Output is up by 18 horses compared to the outgoing V-6, for a total of 328 @ 5500 rpm, and torque is improved by 60 lb-ft, to 326 lb-ft at 3500 rpm.

Our first impressions are that this turbo four, mated to a responsive and unobtrusive eight-speed transmission, is sufficiently spunky and also capable—as was its predecessor—of remarkably smooth starts, which is noteworthy for a driveline that has no hybrid component. An electronic, rather than a hydraulic, phaser deserves much of the credit. A GM first, this component can advance or retard timing by 100 degrees (measured on the crankshaft) to achieve the proper valve timing before the first engine combustion start (credit to this SAE paper for helping us understand the arrangement). Overall, fuel economy is up compared to the V-6. The city rating for the FWD model increases by 2 mpg, which raises the combined average from 20 to 23 mpg; the AWD model also improves in the city by 2 mpg but is slightly worse on the highway, by 1 mpg. As a result, the combined rating is up from 20 mpg to 21.

A few improved conveniences that anyone with a family will appreciate: Smart Slide is finally available on both driver and passenger sides of the second row. The nifty system folds the back of the second-row captain’s chairs forward while scooching the seat forward to allow access to the third-row bench seat. The rear hatch now opens without the need to touch a button or kick awkwardly beneath the bumper; just stand close to it with the key fob on your person and four beeps will announce its opening. (If you move away from the vehicle within those four beeps, it will stay closed. For those anticipating garage-door disasters, you’ll be relieved to know that you can disable the proximity-open system altogether.) Another nice feature of the top-trim RS is that you can electronically lower and raise the back of the third-row seats from the cargo area using a set of buttons. You can also fold the second-row captain’s chairs using the same set of controls. With second- and third-row seats folded flat, the Traverse offers 98 cubic-feet of cargo space.

Many complaints about the outgoing Traverse centered on its half-hearted attempt at luxury. One way in which Chevy has addressed this is by adding Super Cruise to the Traverse lineup: The hands-free system is standard on the highest trim, the RS, optional on LT and Z71, and unavailable only on the base-model LS. Adding it to an LT costs $3280 and $3755 to an Z71. The difference in price on the Z71 is due to the inclusion of the camera mirror along with Super Cruise.

Two other obvious upgrades to the cabin are the giant, two-pane sunroof and the 17.7-inch diagonal touchscreen. Google is built-in, meaning that the native map displays will be familiar to anyone who prefers Google Maps to the Apple version. We especially appreciated the option to display the map directly behind the steering wheel, on the “digital instrument panel.” Both adaptive cruise control and Super Cruise are still easy to control, even when most of the digital real estate is occupied by directions. CarPlay, by the way, is available on the new and improved Traverse: Evidently, it’s more important to GM to phase out the tethering system from its EVs than its gas-powered vehicles, in part because those EVs (especially the Cadillacs) rely on navigation and audio apps that require more computing power than is available on your average smartphone.

Even with those technological improvements, the materials and color choices in the 2024 Traverse don’t wow. Black is the dominant hue in any trim or color configuration, even when you spec the lightest colorway, which upholsters the seats in gray cloth. (Where did Maple Sugar go?) Red is the only pop of color available, and it’s restricted to the Z71 and RS, where the shade appears in small sections on the seats and in the plastic trim on the doors and dash. Unfortunately, the look and feel of that decor is chintzy. We’d far prefer that Chevy use the red-and-black fabric available on the seats of the RS-spec Equinox EV. One more complaint: The spare tire is not full size—for a vehicle with off-road pretensions, this is an oversight. (The Pilot Trailsport judges you, Z71.)

We cumulatively spent an hour and a half with Z71 and RS versions of the new Traverse, so there’s much we don’t know about living with the vehicle—specifically, the new engine and that huge touchscreen. But, at first blush, we’re confident in the success of this three-row. Sure, several competitors are more luxe, but the value proposition of the Traverse is strong, especially with Super Cruise, one area in which the Traverse outclasses its competition. Jettisoning the High Country and adding an off-road trim that costs less than almost every competitor (Telluride X-Pro, Pilot Trailsport) looks like a smart choice. Meanwhile, GM has clearly left much room for the new Acadia (the Denali, specifically) to be the premium offering. When we get our hands on a Traverse for a week, you’ll know.

The post First Look Review: 2024 Chevrolet Traverse Z71 appeared first on Hagerty Media.

The new-for-2023 Subaru Solterra, the company’s only electric vehicle, practically had “first effort” written all over it. Essentially a kissing cousin to Toyota’s first electric, the bZ4X (arguably the worst-named import since the Merkur XR4Ti), the Solterra SUV gave Subaru an electric toe to dip into the water, and claim its share of those $7500 federal tax credits.

An aside: That tax credit is applicable for leases only. Since the Solterra is built in Japan (65 percent Japanese parts, 35 percent Chinese, says our window sticker), the $7500 can’t apply towards purchase. The main difference between the bZX4 and the Solterra, by the way, is that the Toyota is offered in front-wheel-drive, and the Subaru is exclusively all-wheel-drive.

For 2024, the Subaru Solterra has enough updates to make it feel like a plucky second effort. Mainly, it charges more quickly: For 2023, Subaru said that on a DC fast charger, the battery could reach 80 percent capacity “in about an hour,” which lagged the competition. For 2024, it’s down to about 35 minutes. It can also charge, Subaru says, “significantly faster” in cold climates than the 2023 model.

Range is the same as in 2023, an estimated 228 miles from a full charge for base models with 18-inch tires and wheels, or 222 miles for models with 20-inchers, which includes this test vehicle. Our test Solterra was delivered with a 94 percent charge, which, said the dashboard, equated to 198 miles’ worth of juice. By comparison, Kia says the 2024 EV6 Wind e-AWD has an estimated range of 282 miles, and a combined 320 horsepower, which is 105 more than the Solterra, at a comparable base price to our test vehicle.

Size-wise, the Solterra measures out to match most of the competition. Length is 184.6 inches, one inch shorter than a Ford Mustang Mach-E. Width is 74.1 inches, a tenth of an inch wider than a Kia EV-6. The Subaru has 23.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place, 63.5 cubic feet with the rear seatbacks folded down.

Inside, it’s roomy for four, a little tight for five. The interior has an upscale look and feel; the exterior styling is pretty busy and angular, but in the cockpit, the design is mostly conventional, aside from the new oval steering wheel. I like flat-bottomed steering wheels like this one—they make sliding into the driver’s seat easier.

In the middle, there’s a wide console, leading up to the 12.3-inch multifunction touchscreen. Instruments and controls, while not exactly intuitive, are reasonably easy to figure out. The sound system, a 576-watt, 11-speaker Harmon Kardon was just fine, but most premium stereos are consistently good nowadays.

Specs: 2024 Subaru Solterra Touring

• Base price/as tested: $44,995/$54,558
• Powertrain: Dual electric motors, one at the front axle and one at the rear, with a 96-cell, 72.8 kWh lithium-ion battery
• Combined Output: 215 hp; 249 lb-ft of torque
• Layout: All-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger SUV
• Estimated range at full charge: 222 miles
• 0-60 mph: 6.7 seconds
• Competitors: Toyota bZ4X, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Kia EV6

Outside, the design doesn’t look particularly like a member of the Subaru family. I kind of like it, but opting for the “Elemental Red Pearl” paint also gets you “Galactic Black” trim (the colors cost an extra $890, the peculiar names are free), plus those big charcoal arches over the front and rear wheels that sort of blend in with colors like gray or blue, but contrast loudly with the red. Not everyone was in favor of it. The bZ4X has the same plastic cladding—neither company tried very hard to differentiate the exterior styling. Nor the driving style, for that matter.

Being a Subaru, the company’s marketing does what it can to paint the Solterra as an off-roader, but that’s a stretch. Yes, it has 8.3 inches of ground clearance, but that’s barely more that the Toyota bZ4X’s 8.1 inches, and Toyota press materials make only a passing reference to “off-pavement exploration.” Both companies offer Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud settings, and Grip Control and Downhill Assist Control, both using the same name for all those self-explanatory settings, sort of unusual for two separate brands.

Another aside: In case you were wondering (I wasn’t, but maybe you are), the name Solterra “was created using the Latin words for ‘Sun’ and ‘Earth’ to represent Subaru’s commitment to deliver traditional SUV capabilities in an environmentally responsible package,” the company says. That’s likely one reason the comfortable seats were trimmed in polyurethane “StarTex,” which definitely isn’t leather. Base models use “cloth.” Helpfully, Subaru explains that polyurethane is “synthetic plastic,” presumably in comparison to plastic that grows wild in nature.

On the road, the Solterra, despite having just 215 total horsepower, has more punch than you’d expect, and our 0-60 mph time of 6.7 seconds isn’t bad. During quite a bit of local and highway driving, I never wanted for more power. That said, the base AWD Ford Mach-E comes with 266 horsepower, and Ford says the 0-60 mph time is 5.2 seconds. Not that owners are likely to drag-race either vehicle.

The Solterra handles nicely in town, but its long suit is its highway performance. The rather basic independent suspension—MacPherson struts and coil springs up front, double wishbones in the rear—offers a smooth ride on all but the most uneven pavement. The steering has a precise feel on-center, and doesn’t require continual adjustment to keep the Solterra going in a straight line.

I didn’t have the opportunity to comprehensively test out the Solterra’s off-road capability; the cow-trailing we did could have been mastered by a Ford Crown Victoria. I don’t doubt that the Subaru could handle some moderate obstacles, and it certainly has enough electronic assistants to help navigate a variety of surfaces. Before I tackled anything challenging, though, I’d want a more aggressive tire tread than what’s available on the Solterra.

The Solterra is offered in Premium, Limited and Touring trim, with Touring being the top of the line. Our Solterra was a Touring model, with a starting price of $51,995, a significant step up from the Premium’s $44,995. With freight ($1345) and a handful of small options, our test car listed for $54,558.

For that, you get about everything you’d want, from a panoramic moonroof to a 360-degree camera to the handsome alloy wheels, plus a long list of electronic safety features. Like the Subaru-Toyota marriage that birthed the successful Subaru BRZ and its near-twin, the Toyota GR86, this Solterra/bZ4X collaboration works very well.

2024 Subaru Solterra Touring

Price: $54,558

Highs: Upscale interior; excellent ride, especially on the highway; comfortable seats front and rear, best-in-class ground clearance.

Lows: Middling range and charging time, polarizing styling, pricey unless you just want an electric Subaru.

Takeaway: If you can live with the range and mediocre power, pretty much a viceless electric SUV with some moderate off-road chops.

***

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For the 2023 model year, BMW discontinued the standard-issue, 600-hp M8 after three years on the market. That left only the hotter, 617-hp M8 Competition. It’s unclear what percentage of buyers picked the base model over the “Comp,” as the in-crowd says, but I can’t imagine it was high. What customer strolling into their local BMW dealer with $150,000 to plop on the table walks out with the second-most powerful car on the 8 Series roster?

That base car was more like a bait car. Any Porsche salesperson, for instance, knows which of their customers simply want the most expensive, most excessive version of the car they like. (These people never fail to receive dealership Christmas cards.) Think about it: maybe you’ve seen a few new-ish Cayenne or 911 Turbo S examples in the wild … but have you ever seen a regular Turbo? I’m neither Kahneman nor Tversky, but I’d wager the mere existence of the latter psychologically bolsters the desirability of the former.

Most BMW buyers would be plenty satisfied with the silky straight-six in the 840i. And they’d be downright charmed by the healthy 523 horses in the twin-turbo-V-8-powered M850i. Six-hundred and seventeen horsepower is indeed excessive, albeit here that’s true in the more delicious, wonderful sense of the word. The M8 gobbles up back roads and eats up highway miles with an insatiable greed for speed.

BMW claims it can bang off 0-60 sprints in 3.0 seconds, which feels conservative given the violence with the M8 launches and the relentlessness of the engine’s 553 lb-ft torque. This kind of burly, boisterous attitude in a big two-door such as the M8 Coupe is logical for a car that’s all about making a statement.

Specs: 2023 BMW M8 Competition Coupe

• Price: $155,345
• Powertrain: 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8; eight-speed automatic transmission
• Output: 617 hp @ 6000 rpm; 553 lb-ft @ 1850-5860 rpm
• Layout: All-wheel-drive, two-door, four-passenger coupe
• EPA Fuel Economy: 15 mpg city, 22 mpg highway, 17 mpg combined
• Competitors: Mercedes-AMG GT, Aston Martin Vantage, Porsche 911

The statement that a flagship two-door makes in 2024 is in the language of sportiness, rather than elegance. Thus, the M8 Coupe looks like a Mercedes S-Class piped through a particularly aggro Betty Crocker decorating tip. The design is hardly pretty, but it commands attention in traffic. Proportions are almost comically chunky, the stance is wide, and the 20-inch rims really fill out the wheel wells. A standard quad-tip M Sport exhaust guarantees the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 will be heard, though at idle and low speeds the noise never verges on obnoxious. New for 2023 was a 12.3-inch center display, a handful of new colors, and the optional M Carbon bucket seats already offered on the M3 and M4.

The total MSRP of $153,345 placed our Brooklyn Gray Metallic test car closer in price to the 577-hp AMG GT 63 and 655-hp Aston Martin Vantage than the Porsche 911 Turbo. We borrowed an M8 for a road trip to some of Ohio’s greatest roads near Hocking Hills State Park, complete with a spendy suite of options appropriate for a car so committed to excess: Sakhir Orange full leather interior ($3500), Driving Assistance Pro Package ($1700), carbon-ceramic brakes ($8150), M Driver’s Package ($2500), and the M Carbon Exterior Package ($5400).

You can safely skip the expensive carbon bits, but the M Driver’s Package—which raises top speed to 189 mph from 155 mph—is interesting particularly because it comes with a ticket to an M driving academy at either California’s Thermal Club or the BMW Performance Center in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The carbon-ceramic brakes, too, are appropriate for a car this large, fast, and heavy. Thanks to their heat-shedding properties, these high-diameter discs—400mm front and 380mm rear—don’t quit when you really need them.

Though our previous test of the M8 Coupe—a 2019 track outing at BMW’s Spartanburg facility—showcased the car’s immense capability, it was clear that few customers would flex its muscles in this fashion outside of a BMW-sanctioned setting. That said, the M8 is not entirely at home on curvy country roads, either. For one thing, the Bimmer’s 191.8-inch length and 75.1-inch width make it difficult to place on roads that don’t have visible corner exits. Then there’s the 4300 pounds of mass, heft which the M8 never lets you forget as it heaves its way over twisting ribbons of pavement. You don’t dance through corners so much as you march through them with righteous indignation, constantly stomping on the sharp-grabbing brakes and relying on the handy all-wheel drive and M differential to right the ship.

Though it does not require any special skill to drive quickly in this fashion, the M8 is nevertheless entertaining. Imagine riding a mechanical bull that never quite throws you off into a cheering crowd of Tecate drinkers. The sensations of speed, power delivery and weight transfer are always apparent; I suspect this is in part a consequence of BMW’s choice to stick with adaptive suspension rather than an air ride setup, as well as traditional rather than active anti-roll bars. The chassis never responds unnaturally or feels disconnected from inputs, though the steering feel on center could use more nuance. The variable-ratio steering setup does result in quick reflexes at speed, however, and the all-wheel drive system maintained the M8’s composure despite changing road surfaces, temperatures, and sections with slick leaves. The chassis is, I must admit, supremely engineered and tuned to handle abrupt transitions with casual indifference. And despite the ride’s appreciable stiffness, the M8 glides across the interstate, its V-8 purring as you whisk away the miles.

Perhaps that last bit isn’t so surprising, given that the 8 Series is more of a luxury GT model than a true sports car. The 8 employs a modified version of BMW’s aluminum-intensive CLAR architecture, which is also used on the 5 Series, X5, and 7 Series. Though the four-door 8 Series Gran Coupe is more practical, the two-door is surprisingly spacious compared with a 911. With the back seats folded I was able to squeeze in three days of camping gear, groceries, and an extra-long pop-up tent. The standard M seats are all-day supportive and cosseting, and every single thing you touch feels high-quality. There are no squeaks, rattles, or fitment gaps. A lovely little compartment with a fold-up door, just in front of the gear lever, makes for convenient phone storage. Buttons and clear displays render radio and climate controls simple. There is a touchscreen, but the familiar iDrive rotary controller is much less awkward and more intuitive to use.

BMW’s major miss here is the design of its all-digital instrument cluster, used across a variety of M and M-lite products, which is hopelessly illegible as it is aesthetically unimaginative. Other small demerits: the too-thick steering wheel—which never feels reassuringly handy when conditions call for fast work—and the wide center tunnel that noticeably impinges on the size of the pedal box. Harman Kardon’s surround sound audio system is solid, but it’s bottom of the pack compared with Audi’s Bang & Olufsen system, Volvo’s Bowers & Wilkins, or Mercedes-Benz’s Burmester.

After that track drive five years ago, our chief gripe was with the conventional eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission. Though it was a bit too eager to upshift when on maximum attack on a road course, that fault was not nearly as apparent on Ohio’s back roads where the gearbox—happiest in Sport mode, rather than the most aggressive Sport Plus—did not miss a step. In Comfort mode the powertrain settles nicely into the background, so you can drive through subdivisions and downtown areas without needing to manage rowdy power delivery. A touch of tire noise reaches the cabin at higher speeds, but I didn’t notice any wind noise, which can get tiresome on multi-hour drives.

I find it particularly delightful that BMW even offers the M8 in coupe form. Big two-door bruisers like this are all but dead, though the AMG GT has been reimagined for its second generation as a four-seater rather than a two-seater. More impressive still is that a car with so much girth, muscle, and appetite for absurd velocity remains balanced and even enjoyable on public roads. Some of the larger Mercedes AMGs and Audi RS products suffer in all-out performance guise, but the M8 manages to avoid this fate.

Too much, in this case, is just the right formula for a luxury car with an evil streak. So crank the volume to turn up the noise on Dave Matthews’ “Too Much” and chow down on whatever unsuspecting stretch of road appears in the M8’s windshield:

I told God I’m coming

To your country

I’m going to eat up your cities

Your homes, you know

I’ve got a stomach full it’s not

A chip on my shoulder

I’ve got this growl in my tummy

And I’m gonna stop it today

2023 BMW M8 Competition Coupe

Price: $131,995/$153,345 (base/as-tested)

Highs: Relentless V-8 engine. Drives smaller than it is. Materials quality inside is outstanding.

Lows: Ungainly styling. Illegible gauge cluster. Steering could be more lively.

Takeaway: Excess means little if it doesn’t add up to a memorable experience, and this ballistic missile version of BMW’s flagship coupe is hard to forget.

***

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April 17 marks sixty years since the Ford Mustang’s public debut at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. The original pony car immediately became a pop-culture and automotive phenom, and it remains one of the most impactful cars in history. We’re celebrating with stories of the events surrounding the Mustang’s launch, the history of the early cars, and tales from owners. Click here to follow along with our multi-week 60 Years of Mustang coverage. -Ed.

Cynics call this one the “rental spec.” They would have you believe that the modern Mustang EcoBoost, thrust on stage sans its V-8 Viking helmet, is forever relegated to that endless grey blah world in which the Hertzes and Enterprises slither. The brightest spots in a car’s history tend to claim the column inches, and by extension, they tend to write the lore heavily in favor of themselves. In the case of the Mustang, that means the V-8s. Everything else just becomes fleet fodder in the eyes of enthusiasts.

Shame, that. This is not your Mustang II‘s four-pot, nor a wheezy, compromised Fox-body. Ford’s current 2.3-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder makes 85 more horsepower and 70 more lb-ft of torque than the fastest factory Fox-body. It can return nearly 30 mpg at interstate speeds, with enough scoot on tap to make passing a cinch.

If this is a rental spec, ask yourself: How on earth can that be viewed as a bad thing?

Ford has sold more than 10 million Mustangs worldwide. Most have never seen stoplight launches or off-camber apexes; they’re just cruisers. When we reached out to Ford to line up a modern Mustang for a week on Michigan’s roads, we asked for a cruiser—an everyman spec, hewn as close as Ford could manage to those 1964 World’s Fair cars.

Weeks later, a 2024 Mustang EcoBoost Premium Convertible rolled up to our Ann Arbor, Michigan office, and off we went. To our car’s $44,185 base MSRP, five options added $5915 of additional cost: Rapid Red Metallic paint, $495; a Bronze appearance package (bronze pony logos, bronze 19-inch wheels) another $995; Equipment group 201A (12-speaker B&O sound system, voice-activated navigation, illuminated door sill scuff plates, and more) tacked on $3000; An active valve performance exhaust, $1225; and fancy floor mats, $200. All told, ours rang in at $50,100, including a $1595 destination fee and a $645 “acquisition fee.”

The build sheet reads suspiciously like the efforts of someone determined to sidestep the “rental spec” label, which is fine; media testers are rarely modest. That deep red paint does wonders for the car’s curb appeal, highlighting the new bodywork just so. Ditto the Bronze appearance package, which is a must in our eyes.

Specs: 2024 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Convertible Premium

• Price: $44,195/$50,100 (base/as-tested)
• Powertrain: 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, 10-speed automatic transmission
• Output: 315 hp, 350 lb-ft (with premium fuel)
• Layout: Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, two-door, four-passenger convertible
• EPA Fuel Economy: 22 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, 26 mpg combined
• Competitors: Dodge Charger, Subaru BRZ, Toyota GR86

As we noted in our first-drive review of the Mustang EcoBoost, calling this seventh-generation car “all-new” is a bit of a stretch, but astute passers-by will see that much of the exterior sheetmetal is indeed revised. The new car’s nose appears flatter and wider, more crouched to the ground. Sharp hips protrude just aft of the doors and harken back to the original pony’s flanks. The forward-canted bodywork on the car’s rear looks decent from the side, but the three-quarter and dead-on views reveal a pinched, too-tight confluence of lines. We preferred the caboose of the sixth-generation, S550 car.

The main justification for anointing this car as belonging to a new generation is the interior. Ford proudly touted the “video-gamification” of the Mustang’s cabin, headlined by a new dashboard that sports two massive screens laid side-by-side to handle infotainment and instrument cluster duties.

Parts of the new user experience are made better, such as the instrument cluster that can display the gauges of a Fox-body Mustang in the name of nostalgia or a smart dual-zone layout on the center screen that allows both Apple CarPlay and another piece of information from Ford’s Sync 4 infotainment software to display concurrently.

Other parts leave something to be desired, such as a climate control interface that, when asked to change anything, jumps up from the bottom bar to take over large chunks of the screen, only disappearing after you tap off elsewhere or cease touching the screen entirely for a bit. Nevertheless, this touchy tech is hot with the youths, and as Ford attempts to woo those buyers, the changeover seems prudent.

Those same younger buyers probably won’t groan at the thought of a four-cylinder, since basically everything gets one nowadays, including full-size pickups. On 91-octane gas, the 2.3-liter produces 320 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque, which is plenty to make things interesting when you desire. Even with regular, the car is plenty peppy. Our car did without the High Performance package, a $3475 bundle that nets a shorter 3.55:1 Torsen limited-slip rear end, upgraded suspension components, Brembo brakes, that kitschy electronic drift brake, and paddle shifters, among other things. Sans the paddles, you’re left with no way to call up specific gears, which takes away some of the urge to wring the car’s neck.

Again: cruiser spec, or rental spec if you’re untrusting of most yahoos on the road.

If you do decide to get your knuckles out, however, the car comes alive in a charming way. The transmission doesn’t stumble or dump you into the wrong gear, and the long wheelbase allows for predictable, creamy little slides. This is still a fun car to hustle, even if some inputs can’t be accessed.

Part of what makes it fun to hustle, however, also detracts from more modest driving. The steering feels too sharp in normal mode, with a small on-center spot that impedes the car’s ability to settle into the background and chow asphalt. Dial it back to comfort mode and things improve, but you’ll wish that comfort was the baseline, not something to seek out. Before you leave the dealer lot, spend some time setting up your custom mode via the button with the Mustang icon on it below the center screen. Our recommendations: Comfort steering, quiet mode for the exhaust—more on that in a moment—and normal mode for the throttle mapping.

On our car’s order sheet, the active valve exhaust is the first thing we’d ditch. It may make cold starts sound more menacing, but inside, an inescapable booming resonance at low RPMs will hamper your cruising enjoyment. We thought dropping the top might remedy the situation, but alas, it did not. The best move is to switch the exhaust to mute mode (which still doesn’t entirely eliminate this drone) and try to stay out of the 1500 rpm range, a task easier said than done around town.

The exhaust also nets you dual tips at each corner, which to the aforementioned yahoos on the road, hints that you’ve got a GT with the V-8 under the hood. Expect roll-race invites that you didn’t ask for. The latter of these qualms is remedied with a measured hand in the configurator, and you can probably get used to the former.

The rest of what’s here has an immutable charm that seeps into your bloodstream quickly. Point the long, sculpted hood of the Mustang down an interstate, turn on some twangy bluegrass, and hoover up miles like salted almonds.

And while the experience is pretty good with the top open, fresh-air cruising is where this car really hits its stride. That power-folding top lasted all of four minutes once we’d exited the highway near Traverse City. The remaining 40 minutes of drivetime were spent al fresco, heat cranked, totally absent regard for the 48-degree, cloudy weather. (Did Mother Nature make me pay the following Monday by dousing the roads in snow and nearly stranding me at the bottom of my heavily inclined driveway? Listen, perhaps. But that’s certainly not the Mustang’s fault.)

If you want to knock the seventh-generation Mustang for being not much more than fresh dressing atop reheated bones, I suppose I can’t fault you. But I humbly offer this food for thought: This car’s new interior could indeed rope in younger buyers who love their tech above all else. If it’s not for you, great news: You can get largely the same driving experience with buttons and a more analog interface—now at used car prices!

Ford had a choice with the 2024 Mustang: Throw up its hands and blame emissions regulations/the march of progress/changing market tastes, sending the pony car as we know it to the big parking lot in the sky—like a certain cross-town rival did—or adapt it, preserve the charm, and trust that despite current challenges, the nameplate would have what it takes to press on for another chapter.

As it has done so many times over sixty years, Ford chose the latter. Whether you receive the keys from a rental counter or over a dealership desk, you’ll be glad this charmer is still kickin’. We know we sure are.

2024 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Convertible Premium

Highs: New interior feels correctly targeted at younger buyers, still a top-five top-down cruising machine. Can we say that the Mustang still being around in this form is a high?

Lows: Active valve exhaust drones incessantly at common speeds, steering that’s too sharp for normal mode.

Takeaway: Sixty years on from the nameplate’s world debut, Ford shows that it still knows how to make the pony car sing. Here’s to sixty more.

***

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The phrase “if you know, you know” tends to get thrown around too much, but in the case of the Toyota Land Cruiser, the adage works. Toyota’s prolific off-roader has conquered pretty much every continent, garnering a cult-like fandom from here to Tokyo to Timbuktu.

In the States, however, before its departure from our shores in 2021, the Land Cruiser had been trending toward being a fringe vehicle. Prices had crept north of $80,000 in the late 2010s, and by then it was more than a decade old. When the massive, V-8–powered J200 Series Cruiser did finally depart, there was a collective moan from the nameplate’s fans—even if only a few hundred actually held the cheese to buy one.

It’s little surprise, then, that news last August of the Land Cruiser’s return to our shores was cause for celebration among Toyota faithful. Even if the new vehicle was a radical departure from Cruisers past and no longer quite the halo ride in a world-famous lineup of off-road vehicles, North American enthusiasts would once again have access to this cherished nameplate.

We flew to San Diego to join Toyota at a ranch a few miles from the Mexico border for a product blowout at which we’d drive the new Land Cruiser, Camry, Tacoma hybrid, and see the new 4Runner. (Many on-site jokingly referred to it as “The Real Toyotathon.”) We were eager to see if a hybrid drivetrain and half as many cylinders as its predecessor would tarnish the Land Cruiser’s appeal. Though our time with the new Land Cruiser (Toyota calls this one the J250) was brief, we walked away with plenty of thoughts. Let’s dive in.

The first thing you notice walking up the new Land Cruiser is its styling, particularly when examined in contrast to the other vehicles that share Toyota’s TNGA-F body-on-frame platform. In addition to the Land Cruiser, those bones underpin everything from the Tundra and Sequoia to the 4Runner, the Tacoma, the Lexus GX 550, and the LX 600.

Even relative to the Lexus vehicles, the Land Cruiser’s styling is distinctly subtle, far less angular and aggressive than anything else on this frame. There’s a sense of confidence in the looks of the Land Cruiser, while the other offerings may render as a bit try-hard.

As Toyota tells it, that’s because this is a more globally focused vehicle than other TNGA-F offerings, which are aimed more specifically toward the North American market. The J250 had to fit a far broader styling brief than the other Toyotas, thus the more subdued sheet metal. For some, that will be a plus; for others, the J250 might feel boring. (I fall decidedly into the camp of the former.)

Specs: 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser

• Price: $63,345/$68,645 (Base for mid-tier “Land Cruiser” grade / As-tested for “Land Cruiser” grade)
• Powertrain: Hybrid, 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four, eight-speed automatic transmission, 48-hp integrated electric motor, 1.87-kWh NiMH (nickel-metal hydride) battery
• Horsepower: 326 hp @ 6000 rpm
• Torque: 465 lb-ft @ 1700 rpm
• Drivetrain: Full-time 4×4 with two-speed transfer case, standard locking center and rear differentials
• Layout: Front-engine, four-door, 5-passenger body-on-frame SUV
• EPA-estimated fuel economy: 22 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, 23 mpg combined
• 0–60 mph: 6.5 seconds (est.)
• Competitors: Toyota 4Runner, Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco, Lexus GX 550

Unlike the 4Runner or the Tacoma, you can only have your Land Cruiser with a hybridized 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder producing 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. That powertrain configuration is offered on the other two, but so are gas-only versions.

We didn’t get a chance to drive the Land Cruiser on the road, but we did get plenty of time bouncing this system through rock gardens and trails. While it sounds a bit tractor-like from the outside—almost like a little turbodiesel at times—the powertrain stays mostly out of the way off road. Torque from the 48-hp electric motor integrated into the transmission’s bell housing was subtle enough to be unnoticeable, bridging the gap between idle speed and the engine’s peak torque—which arrives below 2000 rpm—nicely.

All Cruisers get full-time four-wheel drive and a two-speed transfer case with high/low ranges, along with locking center and rear differentials as standard. Dropped into four-low, the Cruiser made short work of dusty climbs, off-camber corners, and obstacles built to hoist a wheel into the air. We clamored over everything with just the center diff locked, which hinted at just how capable this thing is right out of the box.

Spring for the pricier of the two core trims, simply called “Land Cruiser,” and you’ll get access to an electronically disconnecting front sway bar, as well as Toyota’s Multi-Terrain Monitor system, which offers front and side camera views to make positioning the J250 a cinch. The lower-grade Land Cruiser 1958 does without those added tricks but was no less capable off-road, even with the blandest, road-grade (Yokohama Geolandar X-CV all-seasons, if you care) tires we’d ever seen on something offering real four-wheel drive. Expect more aggressive tires to be offered somewhere down the line.

We’ll have to wait to sample a Land Cruiser for a longer period on roadways to say much about the eight-speed transmission, but it displayed no glaring faults as we trundled up and over the rattlesnake-infested hills south of San Diego.

Is the new powertrain more charming than the 5.7-liter, all-aluminum V-8 the J200 offered? That feels like a stretch, but there’s no denying it is markedly more efficient (the J250’s 23 mpg combined vs. 15 mpg combined in the J200). The aural appeal and character of the engines powering these Toyota brutes have never really been part of the selling proposition anyway. You buy one because it continuously proves itself the best candidate to roll over 300,000 miles without much issue. Time will tell if the new arrangement can offer the same promise, but we’ll give Toyota a longer leash than most competitors here.

Blessedly, the Land Cruiser’s interior came off as the sort of place you would happily spend 300,000 miles in. Scores of buttons—real ones!—adorn the center stack and console, controlling HVAC, drive modes, diff lockers, and more. We’ve known for a while that throwing controls into touch screens is a cost-play first and foremost, with any thought on longevity coming later on in the decision tree. Toyota’s choice here to stick with buttons feels noteworthy, as if the automaker still has an eye toward the way its vehicles will look, feel, and operate a decade-plus down the road.

Indeed, most of comprises the J250 in terms of mechanicals and styling feels pretty buttoned up. More of a question mark is how the new Land Cruiser will be received by would-be buyers, particularly when you look at the other offerings within Toyota’s own lineup—and those of its fancier sibling, Lexus.

The 2024 Land Cruiser 1958, the bottom rung of a three-step ladder, starts at $57,345, including a $1395 destination and handling fee. For that money, you get the charming round headlights, a 2400-watt AC inverter, and all the capability of locking center and rear diffs plus a real 4×4 drivetrain. But you also make do with manually adjusted fabric seats, no moonroof or Multi-Terrain Monitor, a tinny six-speaker audio system, and other touches that make this trim feel rather agrarian.

The middling grade, simply called Land Cruiser, is where the niceties begin. You’ll get power-adjusted seats clad in SofTex, Toyota’s faux leather material engineered with ease of use and cleaning in mind. You’ll get access to those cameras from the Multi-Terrain Monitor, a larger center screen (12.3 inches vs. the 8-inch one in the 1958 grade), more speakers, and added capability thanks to the electronically disconnecting front sway bar.

This trim feels like the clear volume seller, but it starts at $63,345. If you tack on the Land Cruiser Premium Package, a $4600 bundle that nets you a 14-speaker JBL audio system, a power moonroof, a wireless charging pad, a head-up display, and more, you’re suddenly looking at almost $68,000. The top of the line is the Land Cruiser First Edition, limited to 5000 units, which adds leather seats and much of the content of the Premium Package. It comes in at $76,345. Gulp.

Problem is, for just a few hundred more than a J250 with the Premium Package, you could score a Lexus GX 550 Overtrail that offers much of the same capability off-road, a far nicer interior, and a twin-turbo, 3.4-liter V-6 that boasts more power (349 hp vs. 326), more torque (479 lb-ft vs. 465), and roughly 3000 pounds of additional towing capacity. Those trying to stretch their dollars in this space will spring for the Lexus; it’s just too good to ignore.

Then you have to examine the other box in the room, the similarly sized and hotly anticipated 4Runner. The 4Runner has more nameplate equity here in the States, and while pricing information won’t be available for a while yet, we’d bet you’ll be able to score a good chunk of the Land Cruiser’s capability for a few thousand less.

While skeptics may see this overlap as nameplate infighting among the TNGA-F offerings, Toyota insists it’s actually an advantage. The company still views the Land Cruiser as a halo product, even if it now hews much closer to the other products it supposedly lords over.

Reading between the lines, I don’t think anyone at Toyota is expecting the Land Cruiser to unseat the 4Runner as the North American king of TNGA-F. That’s probably fine. The appeal will probably come from knowing that you’re part of a global club enjoying one of the most prolific vehicles ever to huff dust, which is plenty for some.

Wherever you fall on these hypotheticals, I’ll leave you with this: American dealer lots with Land Cruisers on them are better than those without. If you do decide that the Cruiser is right for you, you’ll catch no guff from me. Maybe just a hat tip.

After all, if you know, you know.

2024 Toyota Land Cruiser

Price: $63,345/$68,645 (Base for mid-tier “Land Cruiser” grade / As-tested for “Land Cruiser” grade)

Highs: Delightful styling wholly distinct from anything else on the TNGA-F platform, capability worthy of the nameplate’s lofty ideals—even wearing full-on street tires. Thoughtful interior that, like the rest of the vehicle, feels crafted with an eye toward the next decade.

Lows: The pricing ladder gets dicey quickly. Cannibalization from siblings is a real threat, especially for indifferent buyers. Crying out for chunky A/T tires, though we’d bet those are coming.

Summary: That the Land Cruiser is back is cause for celebration. That it’s offered alongside so many compelling siblings might not be. Still, for the die-hards, there’s a lot to like.

***

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The Accord Hybrid you see here possesses a more refined powertrain than ever—hushed and impressively consistent in operation. The packaging of that system is top-notch, so the Hybrid model suffers no carrying capacity penalty compared with the standard Accord. Fuel economy is stellar. The car even looks pretty good, and the interior materials are better than what you get in a base BMW 2 Series. It would be fair to say the 2023 car is the best Accord Hybrid that Honda has ever made. But is it the best Accord? 

For my money, no. That honor—still—goes to the 2013 Accord Sport with V-6 and manual transmission, which even was briefly offered as a coupe. I always thought of this four-door as a 2010s version of the 326 V-8-powered ‘64 Pontiac Tempest—healthy power in a decent-looking, spacious family sedan. By the next-generation Accord, launched for 2018, the V-6 was gone in place of a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and the option of a six-speed manual or a new, 10-speed automatic. This Accord Sport lacked some of the bullishness of the V-6 version but was fundamentally excellent—quick, agile, comfortable, and fairly priced at about $35,000.

When Honda redesigned the Accord for 2023, it killed the 2.0T and now pitches the Hybrid powertrain as a sporty performance alternative to the base 1.5T/CVT setup. Offered on Sport, EX-L, Sport-L, and top-dog Touring trims, its max output of 204 hp and 247 lb-ft (up 2 hp and 15 lb-ft from the 10th-generation car) is more than sufficient in normal operation, but the setup is optimized for short bursts in traffic. This is great for stop-light take-off and quick lane changes, but it’s not an outright barn burner anymore. Car and Driver clocked the 2023 Accord Hybrid Touring at 6.5 seconds sprinting from 0 to 60 mph, which is down a full second compared with the outgoing 2.0T/10-speed-auto car. (The V-6 Camry still scoots at 5.8 seconds, 0 to 60.) 

Specs: 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring

Price: $38,435
Powertrain: 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine (146 hp; 134 lb-ft) with generator, single electric motor (181 hp; 247 lb-ft), and 1.1-kWh lithium-ion battery
Combined Output: 204 hp; 247 lb-ft
Layout: Front-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger sedan
EPA Fuel Economy: 46 mpg city, 41 mpg highway, 44 mpg combined
Competitors: Toyota Camry Hybrid, Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

The automaker expects that, for this 11th-generation car, 50 percent of examples sold will be Hybrids. The gas-only Accords, the entry-level LX and EX, are 192-hp 1.5-liter turbo-four affairs. All that is a long way of saying that Honda has spoken, and the hot Accord is no more. Boo hiss.

Fortunately, Honda’s hybrid system is excellent. Power delivery is so consistent and smooth that most people won’t even be able to tell the electrified Accord apart from a pure gas variant, other than to notice how quiet it is. Most of the time, the 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder (now with direct injection) is not connected to the drive wheels; instead, it works in tandem with a generator to power the 1.06-kWh battery and/or electric motor, the latter of which drives the front wheels. In certain situations, such as highway cruising, the engine can engage a clutch to drive the front wheels. The four-cylinder is completely disengaged while the car is decelerating, stopped, or when the system determines battery power is sufficient. Unlike many of the start-stop systems in modern gas cars you may be familiar with, both shut-off and restart here are imperceptible. 

I did encounter an issue, however. After stepping outside the car for a minute to return a library book, I left it running with the hazards on and the key in my pocket. I got back in, drove off, and at the first stop light the car completely shut down with the transmission somehow still in D. The car would not move, the wheels would not turn, and all of the screens were black. I couldn’t get it to restart until I shifted into Park, pressed the starter button to fully turn the car off, pressed the starter button again to reactivate it, and then put the car back in D. There was no indication at any point that the car no longer recognized the key. It was a one-time problem that I tried and failed to replicate, but being trapped in traffic for thirty seconds, for any reason, is nonetheless disconcerting. 

The drive motor runs in reverse during coasting or braking to recharge the battery, and the tuning for the mechanical braking system is spot-on, such that the two systems blend seamlessly in normal operation. Integrating the two while producing a natural feeling is extremely difficult, and Honda nailed it. There are six levels of regenerative braking, selectable using paddles behind the steering wheel, and the most aggressive level can bring the car nearly to a stop, so it’s not truly one-pedal capable like many EVs are. Wearing the top-tier Touring example’s 19-inch wheels, the Accord Hybrid has an EPA rating of 44 mpg combined (48 mpg for the EX-L). In mixed city and highway driving, our results were closer to 42 mpg. For context, the Accord Hybrid is 8-10 mpg off the Toyota Prius’s EPA rating, but its powertrain is smoother and the vehicle itself is meaningfully larger, quieter, and more comfortable.

The Accord’s underlying platform is essentially the same as before, though this 11th-generation car is 2.7 inches longer and has a 0.4-inch wider rear track. Honda says it made the chassis more rigid and implemented suspension and steering updates—one of those changes is that the Touring model no longer gets adaptive dampers, sticking with a more traditional fixed setup. The Accord’s steering is not quite as sharp and lively as before, particularly mid-corner, but the ride is immaculate. The Accord comports itself with phenomenal composure regardless of the conditions. It could be city streets, country roads, or long stretches of highway—the car’s balance, responsiveness, and overall comfort best every new entry-level luxury car I’ve driven.

Unfortunately, the Accord doesn’t look quite as luxurious on the outside. This is a rather plain redesign, in my opinion. The faster roofline over the second row is attractive, but the front end has a dull bluntness to it that I wouldn’t call flattering. The curved, C-shaped air intakes at the lower corners of the front fascia do not blend well with the rest of the nose, which is covered in almost exclusively sharp, geometric angles. Out back it’s a little better, with the full-width taillight treatment adding a modern, minimalist sort of flair. The prior, 10th-generation car was perhaps aesthetically busier, but it was also a lot more interesting. The new Hyundai Sonata, in particular, blows the new Accord out of the water when the two are parked next to one another.

It’s a different story inside. The revised interior uses many of the same design cues as the smaller Civic—mesh-pattern HVAC vents across the dashboard, in particular—albeit with far superior materials. I’d be curious to try a lower-level Accord, say, the $30,000 EX for comparison, but the interior of the Accord Touring is among the highest-quality and easiest to settle into for under $40,000. (The 2024 model, at $39,985, just squeaks under that threshold.) The leather padding on the door armrests feels cushy and natural, rather than plasticky or sticky. None of the switches come across as cheap. Outward visibility is outstanding, which is rare in a modern car. It’s hugely spacious, with wide seats up front and gobs of rear legroom, and the trunk can easily swallow a bike with its front wheel detached. Or luggage for a family of four on a weekend getaway. You might want a bit more room than the Accord offers in the center console, but that’s about it.

The Accord Touring packs a number of niceties over the next-down Sport-L: wireless phone charging, ventilated front seats, heated rear outboard seats, a head-up display, 5G Wi-Fi hotspot, parking sensors, a Bose 12-speaker premium audio system, and Google Assistant/Maps built into the 12.3-inch center screen and infotainment. When it comes to infotainment technology, Honda has neither been particularly willing to swing for the fences nor especially competent at integration, but this system works great. It’s fast-responding and unfussy. The visuals are pretty crisp, and the Google navigation system is clear and easy to follow when it pops up in the HUD. The Bose system is nothing to write home about, but this is a lot of feature content in a $38,000 car. Okay, Honda! 

Well, this particular test car was too connected for its own good. Who can say why, but at one point, I went to start the car in the early morning and it refused to do so, citing a pending, over-the-air System Update. No amount of button pushing or cursing could convince the car to knock it off. It finally relented after 10 minutes or so, lighting up the dashboard as usual aside from a rather lippy message in the instrument cluster that the car’s software update was interrupted and would resume at the next shut-off. 

Listen, car. You do what I tell you to do … right?

Aside from those two oddball bugs I experienced, the Accord Hybrid is an impressive package. I miss the outright performance of the 2.0T, but the 2023 Accord Hybrid zips around happily, handles better than practically every other mainstream family sedan, and sips fuel while generally not letting on in any way that it has a battery and electric motor. Our Touring test car even convincingly cossets you in near-luxury. In every way other than ground clearance and sheer carrying capacity, the Accord Hybrid is a compelling reason to skip a milquetoast crossover and keep it classy with a sedan. Best Accord Ever? Not in my book, no, but for most Accord folks there’s good reason to hail the ascendance of the Hybrid.

2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring

Price: $38,435

Highs: High-quality interior materials. Efficient powertrain that doesn’t reveal itself as a hybrid. Exquisite ride and handling for a mainstream family sedan.

Lows: Ghosts in the machine that gave us two separate no-start conditions. Plain exterior design feels stodgier than the outgoing-generation car.

Takeaway: A hybrid family sedan that compromises nothing to hit its mpg marks. The Honda Accord Hybrid deserves serious respect, provided you don’t have the same bugs we did.

***

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It’s a good time to be a truck fan. If you’re a buyer shopping for an off-road pickup, the options available are staggering. We continue to be impressed with the terrain that new 4x4s can tackle straight off the showroom floor while still managing to be comfortable daily drivers. Brand, size, powertrain—take your pick, there are options aplenty.

But ever since we got behind the wheel of Chevrolet Silverado’s top off-road trim, the ZR2, we knew it was special. Its combination of locking differentials, dynamic spool valve Multimatic dampers, and a mild lift (that allows it to fit 33-inch tires) place it in a sweet spot. It’s not too wide, and its suspension eats up just about anything you can throw at it on the trail without compromising its highway manners. We raved about it when we first drove the truck in 2022, but even then we wondered how it would fare with the brand’s 3.0-liter Duramax diesel rather than the fan-favorite 6.2-liter gasoline V-8. (We wish we could take the credit for Chevy equipping the 2024 ZR2 with the inline-six diesel, but we don’t have that much sway.) Nonetheless, we jumped at the opportunity to try out this new-for-2024 powertrain.

The Duramax-powered Silverado 1500 ZR2 looks exactly like its 6.2-liter V-8-powered counterpart, but the engines’ sound and feel are markedly different. The inline-six has a distinct diesel growl at idle. The personality of the 3.0-liter Duramax—its smoothness, rumble, and subtle turbo sound—never lets you forget you’re driving a diesel. Performance is potent: tip into the throttle and the engine responds with immediate, effortless torque. Even climbing grades on the highway, engine speeds rarely climb above 2000 rpm, instead letting boost do the work. Really get on the throttle, and the turbo spools up as the engine easily revs toward its peak power of 305 hp at 3750 rpm. It wasn’t long ago that the ubiquitous 5.3-liter V-8 was producing 305 hp. Of course, the 3.0-liter Duramax produces its power in a more relaxed manner. Peak torque arrives at just 1500 rpm.

Specs: 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ZR2

• Price: $71,795/$75,800(Base/as tested)
• Powertrain: 3.0-liter inline-six turbodiesel, 10-speed automatic transmission
• Output: 305 hp, 496 lb-ft of torque
• Layout: Four-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger full-size pickup truck
• EPA Fuel Economy: 20 mpg city, 22 mpg highway, 21 mpg combined
• Competitors: Ford F-150, GMC Sierra, Nissan Titan, Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra

Before we ventured off-road, we used the ZR2 just like any other pickup in Los Angeles: running errands, heading to the next town over to get lunch, and tossing hardware store purchases in the bed. We’d logged about 90 miles of mixed driving before the digital fuel gauge seemed to register anything other than a full tank. We expected to see this big, blocky truck and its 33-inch tires to take a bigger toll on the fuel economy; compared to the 6.2-liter ZR2’s EPA rating of 14 mpg city, 17 mpg highway, and 15 mpg combined, the Duramax ZR2 has a rating of 20 mpg city, 22 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined. In practice, that seems laughably underrated. The city rating seems about right, but we easily exceeded the highway rating if the truck’s dash readout is to be trusted. After we noted the strangely sluggish fuel gauge, we decided to top off and hit the highway again to get a more accurate test. We got on Highway 101 and headed west out of California’s San Fernando Valley. With the air conditioning on, and without any hypermiling tricks such as drafting behind semis, we saw a reported 30 mpg over an 18-mile stretch. The 60-mile loop we had planned saw us briefly encounter traffic in each direction, dropping to a reported 28 mpg average. That seems like a reasonable number that could be hit on longer drives.

Even with our slow-going, dirt-road driving through the hills of Santa Clarita and the initial giddy, lead-footed romps to uh. . . evaluate the Duramax’s throttle response, our total average fuel economy easily bested the EPA’s 21 mpg combined rating by 15 percent. Double-checking the dash’s calculated mileage with the odometer and our receipt from the pump, we found the onboard computer to be highly accurate. It underreported fuel economy by just a tenth of an MPG.

Off-road, the Duramax ZR2 was just as willing to take on rutted trails and sandy whoops as its gasoline counterpart, however, it came with a tradeoff. Despite its aluminum block and cylinder head, the diesel’s turbocharger and associated charge cooler add a bit of weight to the front of the Silverado. It’s not much, but it’s noticeable. The diesel removes only 100 pounds off the gasoline ZR2’s tow rating, so we’d assume that correlates to the added mass. For slow going up tough sections of trail, the 3.0-liter’s abundant torque and the transfer case’s low range make for a formidable team.

Chevrolet has positioned the Duramax as the base engine in the ZR2, with the excellent 6.2-liter V-8 a $1695 option. The V-8 is rowdy, with excellent throttle response and a willingness to hoon. It’s the devil on your shoulder goading you to send it over the whoops and kick up a rooster tail on the dune. The Duramax is on the other shoulder, suggesting you load up some gear and venture to that quiet camping spot way out in the desert, letting the truck’s range and sure-footed crawling ability ensure you get there and back. It’s a testament to the Silverado ZR2’s versatility that it can have such disparate, perceptible personalities. Of course, if you decide to send the Duramax ZR2 a bit too aggressively off an incline, or in our case, misjudge a bump on a trail, the suspension will shrug off what would have otherwise been a jarring jolt. The Multimatic dampers’ ability to soak up impacts remains impressive, even seven years past the date they first appeared on the Colorado ZR2. Compared to the ¾-ton GMC AT4X AEV that we recently tested, the ½-ton Chevy counterpart is more maneuverable and offers a smoother ride, as to be expected.

Whether or not the 3.0-liter Durmax makes sense for you will depend on what you ask of the truck. You’ll have to do the math for yourself and also factor in the cost of filling the Duramax’s Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) tank every few thousand miles. For our test, which we did in Southern California, diesel was closest in price to 87-octane gasoline. It often comes in even cheaper, albeit by a slim margin. Considering the mini-Duramax returns an EPA-estimated 40 percent increase in fuel economy compared to the ZR2’s 6.2-liter V-8, which requires 91 octane, the savings could add up over the course of the vehicle’s lifetime.

There’s not much we’d change about the ZR2. However, we wouldn’t mind if the ZR2’s awesome suspension and lockers were an option package rather than a trim. And as comfortable and decked-out as the ZR2’s interior is, we’d like the choice to configure a Custom trim with all of the ZR2’s capabilities of the ZR2 without a mandatory leather-wrapped interior. To its credit, Chevy does let buyers build a Custom Trial Boss with a factory-installed lift kit. Further, we know that crew cab, short-bed trucks are the most popular, and we do have a propensity for craving the forbidden fruit, but a Double Cab ZR2 with a slightly longer bed that has the same overall length might fill an interesting niche for those looking to build an overlander’s basecamp that favors extra bed capacity.

Sigh … such a rig would probably only sell in the triple-digits, so we understand. Sort of.

2024 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 1500

Highs: Do-it-all suspension. Smooth, quiet powertrain with impressive fuel economy and range.

Lows: Opting for the diesel means no raucous and rowdy V-8. ZR2 suspension comes with a towing capacity penalty: an 8700-pound rating for the diesel compared with 8800 pounds for the 6.2-liter gasser.

Takeaway: The 3.0-liter Duramax ZR2 feels like a special truck—unique in its class for its mix of raw performance and real-world practicality.

***

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Silver Needle is among the most expensive, most prized tea varietals in the world. Traditionally grown in the mountains of China’s Fujian Province, Silver Needle is made exclusively from the fuzzy, shoot-shaped top buds of the tea plant, plucked before they open. Harvesting of the most prized buds takes place during the March-April “first flush,” and ideally in the early morning when the sun has dried any overnight dew. Plucked shoots are then laid out in baskets to further dry under the sun, lightly oxidizing before they are baked at low temperature. Silver Needle tea is savored worldwide for its delicacy, light sweetness, and exquisitely refined flavor lacking any astringency. It is, in many ways, the Rolls-Royce of fine teas. The Spectre is that British automaker’s latest brew.

Rolls-Royce has always been about outright elegance and extreme refinement. I’ve ridden in a handful of old ones, including a ‘50s Silver Cloud, and driven newer examples—the Wraith, Ghost, and Cullinan. Each felt wonderful in its own way. The 2024 Spectre, Rolls-Royce’s first all-electric car, is remarkable not because of any particular advancement, but rather for how effectively it harnesses EV technology to deliver the brand’s trademark characteristic: effortlessness.

An electric drivetrain has scarcely ever been more suited to its intended use. Everything that makes EVs impractical as daily drivers (cost, available charging infrastructure, charging speeds) and uninspiring for sports cars (vapid-feeling motors, lack of sound, weight) is unimportant for an ultra-luxury machine like this. A range of 266 miles (for models with 23-inch wheels, or 291 miles with 22-inch wheels) should be plenty when the average Spectre owner has seven cars, any number of which may have gas engines for longer trips. Still, it’s not much for a car costing this much money, and it should be noted that newcomer Lucid’s base Air claims more than 400 miles of range. Contrary to reputation, Rolls owners in the United States tend to drive their cars themselves and don’t have a chauffeur. Which is to say, they drive because they want to, not because they need to. When a car trip isn’t to their preference, yachts or private jets suffice. 

Barge-like mass is practically a requirement for a Rolls-Royce, and exquisite quietude has long been a hallmark of these cars, whether they packed V-8s or V-12s. Spectre engineers targeted a 0-60-mph sprint of 4.4 seconds—optimal, in their view, to deliver immediate passing power that nevertheless remains smooth and doesn’t throw passengers around. The sheer concept of Tesla’s Ludicrous Mode, to the comfort-obsessed boffins in Goodwood, must seem, well, ludicrous.

Specs: 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

• Price: $500,000+ (est.); $424,750 (base)
• Powertrain: 102-kWh lithium-ion battery, 2 separately excited synchronous motors (190 kW front; 360 kW rear)
• Output: 584 hp; 663 lb-ft
• Layout: Twin-motor, four-passenger, all-wheel-drive coupe
• EPA Range: 266 miles (23-inch wheels); 291 miles (22-inch wheels)
• 0-60 mph: 4.4 seconds
• Competition: Strictly speaking, nothing lines up apples-to-apples.

New for 2024, the Spectre rides on the same Architecture of Luxury platform as the Cullinan SUV and Ghost sedan. According to a company press release, the all-aluminum spaceframe was engineered and designed from the outset to accommodate pure electric power “as and when the technology became available.” The Spectre uses a 400V electrical system and includes two separately excited synchronous electric motors, one on each axle, capable of producing 584 hp and 663 lb-ft of total output. The battery is a 102-kWh lithium-ion unit, shared with the BMW i7, and alone accounts for 1543 of the Spectre’s 6371 pounds. Rolls-Royce boasts that by integrating the battery into the body structure, the spaceframe is 30 percent stiffer than any prior model from the brand. Another bonus: the battery’s low position serves as a large brick of insulation from road and wind noise.

The base price for a 2024 Spectre is $424,750, before options. Most owners will spec their cars beyond $500,000. Our Arctic White test car wore no official window sticker, but the spec sheet glittered with the following goodies: Aero Two-Tone paint, polished 23-inch wheels, a Navy and Charles Blue interior scheme, open-pore Mimosa Negra wood interior trim, contrast stitching in white, stowable blue umbrellas, a “bespoke” clock, illuminated treadplates, ventilated massage seats, and a “Starlight” headliner that extends onto the doors with 4796 individual points of lights.

The interior is eerily quiet, such that the HVAC system produces substantially more noise than the powertrain. Every single object and texture within reach is utterly beautiful to touch or look at. Knobs find their little detents with satisfying precision. The steering wheel is gorgeous, simple, and has a pleasant but controllable heft at any speed. The exposed wood is finished in such a way that you can appreciate the grain of the wood while also sensing that it is almost perfectly even and smooth in its curvature. Despite this downright overwhelming exuberance, the interior’s fundamental layout is crisp and simple—a far cry from the tech-laden, pixelated song-and-dance in BMW, Audi, and Mercedes flagships. This is intentional, as if the car wants you to say “hmm,” and “oh,” rather than an immediate “wow.” The lambswool carpet on the floor of the back row feels orders of magnitude softer than any piece of clothing I’ve ever owned. The new instrument cluster is all-digital, but the display mimics traditional gauges and is blessedly free of corny gimmicks.

The Spectre seats four, but only nominally in the way that the Porsche 911 does. What oil baron is going to shame their friends, colleagues, or even children by asking they duck in the back row, plush and extraordinary as it is? That sloping roofline does not allow for generous rear-seat headroom. More so than the Cullinan or Ghost, the Spectre is for the driver rather than the passenger. Even without a companion on board, you can feel like an entire orchestra is there with you thanks the the 18-speaker, 1400-watt Bespoke Audio system. It offers a stunning tapestry of sound that is all the more impressive and enjoyable with no competing sound from the rest of the car to distract your ears.

Out on the roads in metro Detroit’s more posh suburbs, the Spectre glides over potholes and rough pavement like they’re not even there. The floatiness is at first bizarre and even disconcerting, especially when approaching a corner, but you quickly learn to trust the car’s electronic body control. Using a variety of sensors and GPS data, the Spectre can automatically disconnect its anti-roll bars on straight roads to let each wheel react to road conditions without disrupting the wheel on the other end of the axle. Over highways with repeated, visible expansion joints, it works so well you’d think the road was runway-smooth. (Not having to think about it at all is more the point.) When a corner approaches, the system reconnects and stiffens suspension dampers in anticipation.

It is not an exaggeration to say I could have one-handed the steering wheel and comfortably sipped a cup of hot tea. Probably wouldn’t have spilled a drop, either.

Part of what makes all this possible is a new software architecture known as Decentralized Intelligence; the setup features dedicated data processors positioned close to their sensor source, rather than through a single central processing unit, to “respond more quickly to driver inputs and changing road conditions.”

A four-wheel steering system aids handling; engineers chose to use a 12-volt motor for this application, rather than a 48-volt unit, because the latter’s torque would have required a stiffer attachment where the half-shaft meets the wheel, resulting in harsher feedback for the driver. The system is most noticeable at low speeds and in parking lots. At 215.55 inches long, the Spectre is less than an inch shorter than the outgoing Wraith, so every bit of help turning it on its axis is necessary. It’s no tougher to park than a mid-size sedan, which feels odd when you remember this behemoth is six inches longer than a regular-cab F-150.

Out of curiosity, I floored the accelerator from a dead stop on an empty, picket-fence-lined road. There was no scramble of clawing wheels, no cheesy Tron-like whir noises pumping through the speakers, no dramatic thrust back into the leather throne as the car reared on its ample haunches. The Spectre simply… went. Not unpleasantly, mind you, but rather in the very English sense of simply getting on with it. For me, the real achievement of this car is that driving it doesn’t feel like an artificial cloud devoid of feedback. The body moves when you swing it into a hard corner, but just so. Braking hard from a high speed does elicit a sense of sheer mass, communicated through the pressure in the brake pedal, that’s quite distinct from what you feel slowly rolling to a stop. It’s one of the only moments you remember what a large vehicle you’re driving. One-pedal driving in max-regen “B mode” is also possible, but at times the brake pedal felt strange and unnatural when used in this mode.

We didn’t have the opportunity to use any charging services, but Rolls-Royce claims that the Spectre’s battery takes 34 minutes on a 195-kW DC fast charger (Level 3) to go from a 10 to 80 percent charge. Just don’t expect to see a Spectre parked at a city charging station or the dinky setup at to your local Kum & Go—Rolls owners drive their cars, on average, just 3200 miles a year and one can expect that almost all EV charging will happen at owners’ homes, luxury hotels, or similar tucked-away locations.

Rolls-Royce has said it plans to have a fully electric lineup by 2030. The brand’s embrace of EV technology is strategic not just because of the perceived benefits to its products, but also as a means of aligning with its customer base’s preferences. According to PR spokesperson Gerry Spahn, Rolls has been working hard to lower the average age of its clientele over the past decade or so. The average owner is now 43, which is “considerably less stodgy” than when the modern Phantom launched in 2003. “That first Phantom was very formal, targeted at older drivers,” said Spahn. “By 2009-2010, the Ghost was bringing in younger, newer wealth in the 40-to-50 age range. Then, the Dawn and Wraith, around 2015, brought in a whole wave of young entrepreneurs who struck it big.” 

Forty percent of Spectre buyers will be taking delivery of their first Rolls-Royce, and, Spahn said, many of these customers “want the car for its social benefits.” Translation: the ability for an owner to say that they drive an EV, rather than an emissions-spewing gas car. Notwithstanding the ongoing debate around the true environmental impact of electric cars and batteries, let alone the contradiction of an average owner of six cars and a $425,000-plus Rolls-Royce trying to make any statement about sustainability, it’s obvious that cachet and status are important considerations in this ultra-elite social stratum. 

The Spectre is, in many ways, the slab-sided silent hovership of the ultra-elite’s dreams. It can be completely personalized to the customer’s taste, such that it represents not only their preferences but functions “as a monument to their achievements,” in Spahn’s words. Rolls-Royce points out that, in 1900, company co-founder Charles Stewart Rolls saw potential in the electric car: “The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean. There is no smell or vibration. They should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be arranged.” 

Charging stations are being arranged nationwide, albeit piecemeal and with inconsistent reliability for the masses. A Rolls-Royce, however, makes a highly convincing use case as the ideal application of EV technology—among the most economically privileged class, anyway. These fortunate few can lay back in their gorgeous leather seats, stare at the simulated stars in the headliner, and fondle the painstakingly crafted materials in their cockpit that have been shaped from untold man-hours of expert processing. It is a haven from which the astringency of life is reduced to less than a whisper, quiet enough to practically hear the steam rising from a cup of Silver Needle.

2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

Highs: As quiet as a car could reasonably be. Rides like a dream. Looks, feels, smells, sounds like a Rolls-Royce ought to.

Lows: Occasionally odd braking feedback in regen mode. Though it may not strictly be necessary (no element of such a car is), more than 300 miles of range should be doable for a car at this price point.

Takeaway: That the Rolls-Royce Spectre is a damn-near perfect EV (and a damn-near perfect ultra-luxury coupe) is a strong indicator of the class to which this technology, in its current state, is most suited.

***

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There are many gobsmacking vehicles out there that make no rational sense. The Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato is one of them. I mean, really, if you were picking something to drive across Africa would you go with one that barely holds a suitcase and gets 15 mpg on a good day? And, stunning as it is, the deep Sahel is not known for its abundance of gas stations. Nor Neiman Marcuses.

The jacked-up, cladded-up Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato has such a narrow usage case that you might call it the automotive equivalent of a diamond-encrusted waffle maker. At first glance, anyway. What purports to be a supercar for the bush, in fact, turns out to be a supercar for all occasions, which is as much a revelation as it is a contradiction in terms. Do you want your hyper-exotic to be as capable of handling potholed, frost-heaved, possibly salt-encrusted roads as it is at banging off 3.4-second zero-to-60 sprints? Well, uh, hmmm.  

With its acres of black plastic butch-armor, the Sterrato looks like a Merrell trail moccasin, which is to say a supercar built by Subaru. Underneath it’s a regular all-wheel-drive Huracan, except that the intake plumbing to the 5.2-liter V-10 has been routed from the roof to reduce the dust uptake. That cuts horsepower by 30 horses to 602, though peak torque of 413 pound-feet remains unchanged. Still, as the old salts at Rolls-Royce used to say, the power of this car is “adequate.” Indeed, very adequate.

Elsewhere, the Sterrato is denoted by another 1.7 inches in ground clearance and a wider track front and rear. Besides the cladding, exterior telltales include a pair of black blisters on the hood that house LED driving lights, and relatively blocky and fleshy (for a supercar) Bridgestone Dueler AT002 tires. This set of rubber is made specifically for the Sterrato because, obviously, no tire company keeps a design on the shelf for a two-seat, 600-hp, 49-inch-high off-road wonder wedge.

Specs: 2023 Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato

• Price: $301,439/$373,216 (base/as-tested)
• Powertrain: 5.2-liter, DOHC V-10, seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual
• Output: 602 hp at 8000 rpm and 413 lb-ft of torque at 6500 rpm
• Layout: Mid-engine, all-wheel-drive, two-door, two-passenger coupe
• Competition: Porsche 911 Dakar, Mercedes G63 AMG, running the Baja 1000 in any reasonably competitive vehicle.

The Huracan’s rear glass (handy for seeing rearward), is gone, replaced by a race-car-like beetle back with slots for heat extraction that are too small to provide meaningful rear visibility. If The Man is chasing you through the dust, you won’t know about it until they start shooting.

Our test car’s base price of $301,439 (with gas-guzzler tax and an eye-watering $26,162 delivery charge) was boosted by more than $71,000 in options. We could have happily forsaken many of these, including the $16,500 matte white paint (called Bianco Phanes), and the $7600 sport seats, which look fabulous with their deeply bolstered and elegantly stitched contours but wear like suits of iron tailored for grotesquely misshapen people. The seats put such a pressure point on the lower back that a half-hour was all we were able to manage before throbbing pain set in. So, don’t get the sport seats; like ski boots, they only feel good when you step out of them.

Lamborghini’s loan agreement specifically forbade off-road driving. However, thanks to recent landslides in waterlogged California, we were able to experience off-road-like conditions without ever leaving the pavement—or indeed, Los Angeles—thus observing the letter if not the spirit of the agreement. The Sterrato, around 3400 pounds fully fueled, romped over buckled and side-shifted pavement, the suspension with its magnetorheological shocks eating the bumps and ruts with astounding indifference while keeping the car on path. The extra suspension travel provides a welcome break from the jaw-rattling ride most exotic cars deliver over rough patches, and you begin to wonder if this isn’t the best urban runabout you’ve ever driven.

Let’s face it: Thanks to chronic under-maintenance, American infrastructure isn’t what it used to be. The Sterrato is perhaps the perfect middle finger to this sad fact. Things get stiffer if you move the drive mode selector on the wheel from Strada (street) to Sport. The third mode option, Rally, which loosens the stability control intervention even further, makes no appreciable difference if you’re just tooling around and not actually rallying and going for lurid slides in corners.  

Meanwhile, the blessedly turbo-free V-10 burbles and wails behind you, providing slingshot acceleration to its howling 8500-rpm redline whether you leave the transmission in manual mode or kick it down manually with the paddles. When you want to boil through corners, the steering is quick and connected if somewhat isolated from the road (see the McLaren dealer if you demand steering that stiffens and sags with the camber changes) and the grip is locked down. A race track would be the only place most people might notice that the tires are slightly compromised for both on- and off-road duty. Otherwise, they’re plenty sticky. 

Lamborghini’s center touchpad, with its blizzard of menus, is clearly designed for people who have lots of time on their hands (i.e., not while driving). Changing the radio volume is a two-step process and Lamborghini doesn’t deign to include a volume control on the steering wheel among the many buttons there. Ditto adjusting the climate control. You can, however, trigger the high beams from the steering wheel, which is the only way to also illuminate the LED driving lights (operated by a separate switch on the center console). Turn off the high beams and the LEDs turn off too. No doubt having the driving lights available to work at all times violated some dull sub-paragraph of the federal rules.

Even so, and despite the horrendous seats, the Sterrato is a joy to motor around the urban hellscape in because it just seems so unbothered by it all. The company is only committed to building 1499 examples of it, but we’d love to see this rally/Dakar concept make its way into less expensive vehicles. A Subaru BRZ or Toyota Corolla GR or even a Supra with the same treatment? Yes, please!

2023 Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato

Highs: Doesn’t look like your ordinary Lamborghini, a usable supercar even on crumbling roads, eats speed bumps for breakfast.

Lows: Optional sport seats are tortuous, clunky infotainment interface assures distractions, delivery fee is preposterous.

Takeaway: A purchase that seems at first glance to have a very narrow justification, in practice, greatly broadens the justification for purchasing a Lamborghini.

***

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The Panamera is ideal for the owner who needs a Mercedes S-Class but still wants a 911. It’s a luxurious four-door sedan that delivers the driving panache expected from Porsche—a car with exemplary agility and response through the twisty bits and cool composure at high speeds. The 2024 Panamera builds on that solid foundation while adding more speed, more sparkle, and more refinement into the mix. There’s never been a better reason to ignore the Cayenne and cast your lot with Porsche’s lower-slung liftback.

The new Panamera looks familiar, and there’s a lot of familiar hardware under the skin. But this 2024 model is much more than a mid-cycle facelift. Among other things, it marks the debut of Porsche’s first-ever active suspension system, plus new plug-in hybrid powertrains that have more power and more EV range. “From our point of view, it is a new car,” says Thomas Friemuth, the man in charge of the Panamera product line.

Indeed, Porsche redesigned every exterior panel for the new Panamera, apart from the door skins. The new front bumper fascia features larger air intakes, including a vent above the front number plate, and air blades are integrated into the outermost vents to improve aerodynamic efficiency. The hood is more sculpted, and the top of the front guards has been raised to give drivers a more 911-like view through the windshield. 

At the rear, above the new rear bumper and rear lights, is a new hatchback lid with glass that extends out to the inner edge of the pillars rather than being enclosed in a metal frame. But perhaps the most significant styling change—most noticeable on cars with bright trim around the side windows—is the slightly more formal double apex kink in the C-pillar that replaces the Nike-like swoosh of the outgoing car.

Inside, the new Panamera features the multi-screen dash layout seen in the electric-powered Taycan. The 12.6-in digital instrument panel is split into three different independently configurable sections. At the center of the dash is a 12.3-in touch screen to handle infotainment chores. An optional 10.9-in screen for front seat passengers can stream video content even while the car is moving, albeit digitally shielded from the driver’s view to avoid distraction.

The redesigned center console has no shifter. Instead, a small toggle-like gear selector, similar to that used in the 911, is located on the dash, next to the steering wheel. New door trims feature elements that can be configured in a mix and match of colors and materials. Ambient lighting bounces off surfaces in the doors and under the dash to produce gentle washes of color around the cabin.

The entry-level, $101,550 rear-drive Panamera and the $108,550 all-wheel-drive Panamera 4 are powered by the same 2.9-liter turbocharged V-6 used in the outgoing car, driving through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. However, changes to turbo boost pressure, fuel injection flow rate, and ignition timing have boosted power to 348 hp and torque to 368 lb-ft, increases of 22 hp and 36 lb-ft.

Specs: 2024 Porsche Panamera

• Price: $101,500 Panamera/$108,500 Panamera 4 (Base); others TBA
• Powertrain: 2.9-liter twin-turbo mild-hybrid V-6; 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 with co-axial PSM electric motor; 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 with co-axial electric motor; 8-speed dual-clutch transmission
• Horsepower/Torque: 348 hp, 368 lb-ft (Panamera and Panamera 4); 464 hp, 479 lb-ft (Panamera 4 E-Hybrid); 536 hp, 553 lb-ft (Panamera 4S E-Hybrid); 670 hp, 686 lb-ft (Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid)
• Layout: Rear- and all-wheel drive, four-door, five-passenger sedan
• Curb Weight: 4295-5202 lb
• EPA-rated fuel economy: N/A
• 0–60 mph: 5.0 sec (Panamera); 4.7 sec (Panamera 4); 4.1 sec (Panamera 4 E-Hybrid); 3.5 sec (Panamera 4S E-Hybrid); 3.0 sec (Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid)
• Competitors: Mercedes-Benz S-Class; BMW 7 Series; Audi A8

Porsche claims the rear-drive Panamera will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds and reach a top speed of 169 mph. All-wheel-drive traction gets the Panamera 4 to 60 mph three-tenths of a second quicker, but drivetrain losses knock the top speed back to 168 mph. Even on an autobahn, few would notice.

Three more Panamera variants are set to join the U.S. lineup in the next few months, all of them plug-in hybrids. The Panamera 4 E-Hybrid and Panamera 4S E-Hybrid combine the V-6 engine with a new, co-axially mounted, 187-hp, 332-lb-ft e-motor located within the housing of the redesigned eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.

In the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, the V-6’s output has been dialed back to 300 hp and 309 lb-ft, reductions of 14 and 16 percent, respectively, compared with its tune in the base car, but the heft of the e-motor still delivers a system output of 464 hp and 479 lb-ft. That’s enough to get the car to 60 mph six-tenths of a second quicker than the non-hybrid Panamera 4 and on to a top speed of 174 mph. 

With all 348 horses and 368 lb-ft pumping from the V-6 under its hood, the Panamera 4S E-Hybrid packs a total system output punch of 536 hp and 553 lb-ft. It will dispatch the 0-to-60-mph sprint in about 3.5 seconds, says Porsche, and reach a top speed of 180mph.

Top of the range—for now—is the Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid, whose plug-in hybrid powertrain is anchored by Porsche’s versatile 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 and produces a total system output of 670 hp and a thumping 686 lb-ft of torque. That’s just 20 hp fewer than the outgoing Turbo S E-Hybrid, but with 45 lb-ft more torque it’s enough to make the Turbo E-Hybrid just as quick, with a claimed 0-to-60 mph acceleration time of 3.0 seconds and a top speed of 196 mph.

A new Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid is coming, confirms Thomas Friemuth. And though he won’t talk numbers, it’s logical to assume it will have at least 700 hp and probably 700 lb-ft of torque.

Key to the new PHEV Panameras is the eight-speed PDK transmission, which has been redesigned not just to accommodate the e-motor, but also to handle much more torque than the old unit. The compact e-motor’s design is unusual, the inner spinning inside a fixed outer element, which Friemuth says reduces inertia by half, improving response. 

The design also allows for the e-motor to be oil-cooled using the transmission oil, which reduces weight by 11 lb and enables it to produce a higher continuous output. Additionally, the internal combustion engine can be decoupled from e-motor and transmission, enabling the new Panamera to coast with the engine shut down when you lift off the accelerator pedal.

Powering the e-motor is a 25.9-kWh battery that has 45 percent more capacity than the battery in the outgoing PHEV Panameras and has almost doubled the pure EV driving range to a claimed 56 miles. Why 56 miles, rather than the 62-mile range that now seems to be the benchmark for German premium PHEVs? Friemuth says Porsche’s research showed that, on average, most PHEV owners rarely traveled more than 50 miles in a day. Opting for a 56-mile range meant the size of the battery could be made slightly smaller, saving weight. 

That said, the Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid is no feather, tipping the scales at 5202 pounds—a hefty 907 pounds more than the V-6-powered rear-drive Panamera.

Air suspension is standard on the new Panamera, but the outgoing car’s three-chamber air springs have been replaced with simpler, lighter two-chamber units. The key enabling technology here is supplier ZF’s two-valve damper, which, according to vertical dynamics engineer Jochen Liebold, allows independent tuning of compression and rebound damping. In essence, the tech makes three-chamber springs redundant. The dampers are also central to the new Panamera’s headline technology—Porsche Active Ride (PAR).

In simple terms, PAR uses four fast, ultra-precise pumps to actively control the force at each wheel in both compression and rebound by pumping fluid through the dampers to push or pull the wheel. Pump control units—one for each axle—can detect what is happening at each wheel every millisecond, and the pumps can independently vary the compression and rebound damping force acting on each wheel by plus or minus 10,000 newtons in 30 milliseconds.

PAR allows Porsche dynamics engineers to create forces that control the acceleration, velocity, and travel of each wheel—and the motion of the body in relation to the wheel—in nearly real-time. 

Electronic complexity (the new Panamera has a four-core CPU, and one core alone is needed to control PAR) has enabled mechanical simplicity. There are no physical anti-roll bars, and the car rides on single-chamber air springs. Overall, the PAR system weighs the same as the 48V anti-roll setup used in the outgoing Panamera. It will only be available as an option on PHEV versions of the new Panamera because it needs the car’s 400V electrical architecture to make it work.

And how does it work? In a word, brilliantly.

In addition to the Panamera and Panamera 4 models we sampled in Spain, we drove a PAR-equipped Turbo E-Hybrid, which comes standard with rear-wheel steering and Porsche’s Torque Vectoring Plus, on the track and on nearby roads. While the 21-in wheels shod with aggressively sporty Michelin Pilot Sport S5 tires (275/35 up front and 325/30 at the rear) mean there’s some noise and impact harshness (which is heard more than felt), PAR made the Panamera otherwise feel as calm and composed as a Mercedes-Benz S-Class without compromising its sporty dynamics.

The primary ride is outstanding, the body barely moving as the suspension shrugs off humps and heaves that would leave other cars crashing down on their bump stops. Body roll through corners, along with dive and squat under braking and acceleration, are virtually eliminated. The system also actively changes the ride height, lowering the car mid-corner to lower its center of gravity. 

Despite the furious flow of electrons making all this happen, the feedback through the steering and through the seat of your pants is concise and granular. (Jochen Liebold says Porsche Active Ride could have been tuned to eliminate all body motions, but test drivers complained of a lack of feel.) Even when the car is stationary PAR is alert and ready to react, instantly raising the car 2.2 inches when you open the door to make entry and egress easier.

The Turbo E-Hybrid’s default drive mode, Hybrid Auto, allows drivers of PAR-equipped models to select additional functions that will tilt the car into corners or raise the nose under braking and the tail under acceleration. These counter-intuitive motions are designed to reduce the sensation of g-loads for passengers, but experienced drivers will prefer the greater connection with the road surface afforded by the standard PAR settings.

Porsche Active Ride won’t be cheap; in Germany, it’s the equivalent of an $8900 option. But given that amounts to barely a four percent bump over the car’s base price, and about what Porsche charges for the PCCB carbon-ceramic brake package that you’ll only ever (doubtfully) fully employ on a track day, it’s worth every penny. You’ll feel the money well spent every time you get behind the wheel.

The Panamera and Panamera 4 models confirmed the myriad of detail engineering and design changes have indeed added more speed, more sparkle, and more refinement to the basic Panamera package. The upgraded 2.9-liter V-6 delivers noticeably more punch, particularly in the mid-range, and snarls smoothly to its 6750-rpm redline. There’s a precision in the steering and in the braking that’s impressive for a car 198.9 in long and 76.3 in wide, rolling on a 116.2-in wheelbase, and the revised suspension delivers a calmer primary ride, and better wheel control.

Consider that 2024 Porsche Panamera exists at the same company in which an army of talented engineers in Weissach are spending millions of man-hours trying to make the tall, clunky, hot-selling Cayenne SUV drive as well as it does. The truth is, if you want a roomy, versatile four-door Porsche that, well, drives like a Porsche, don’t buy a Cayenne. Buy a Panamera.

2024 Porsche Panamera

Highs: Complex PHEV powertrain and Porsche Active Ride are not just Porsche engineers showing off. The benefits are the real deal.

Lows: Exterior redesign might be a little too subtle for those who want to show off at the country club.

Takeaway: More performance, more refinement, more panache—together it makes this 2024 Panamera feel a lot more than “refreshed.”

***

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Almost 25 years ago, in the comedy classic Meet the Parents, Greg Focker arrives at ex-CIA spook Jack Byrnes’ front door in a green Ford Taurus. The nice color, Focker admits, was the rental counter attendant’s choice. “They say geniuses pick green,” he tells Focker, laying a trap for his daughter’s nervous boyfriend. “But you didn’t pick it.”

If that same scenario were to play out today, with a 2023 Volvo XC40 in metallic Sage Green, even a dunce like Focker would have taken credit for the selection. The XC40 is a rare thing in a sea of forgettable compact crossovers—a stylish, attractive city car with a range of unconventional color choices and useful features. And unlike Ben Stiller’s hapless Focker, who flubs and fumbles at every opportunity, the XC40 comes across as thoughtful, wise, and savvy in its intended urban environment. 

The XC40 is Volvo’s smallest crossover, launched for the 2018 model year. It’s the first car to use the automaker’s Compact Modular Architecture, which also underpins the all-electric Polestar 2 (along with a number of Geely and Lynk & Co vehicles sold primarily in China). Since the original XC40’s launch, Volvo has added a coupe-like C40 variant as well as plug-in hybrid and pure-electric powertrains, but for 2023 the changes to the gas-powered XC40 were minor. Aside from a new mild-hybrid system that’s standard, a built-in Google/Android infotainment system, and revised front-end styling, it’s more or less carryover.

Not that we’re complaining—the XC40 is arguably the best luxury compact crossover out there, competing with the BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLB, and Audi Q3. Being a luxury product, the XC40 is fairly expensive for a car this size at $50,190, but it really does look twice as good as a Honda HR-V that costs $25,000. The short overhangs, chunky D-pillar, and clean body lines give the XC40 a sophisticated air without being overwrought. The pale metallic green paint looks daring and upscale, distinct from the grays, silvers, and blacks in every suburban cul-de-sac. It’s exactly the type of vehicle wealthy parents buy their fortunate teenagers as a first car, or that a young professional with a well-paying gig stretches to afford when a Toyota Corolla Cross starts to feel low-rent.

Specs: 2023 Volvo XC40 B5 AWD Ultimate

• Price: $47,595/$50,190 (Base/as tested)
• Powertrain: 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder; hybrid integrated starter-generator; 8-speed automatic transmission
• Horsepower/Torque: 247 hp, 258 lb-ft
• Layout: All-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger SUV
• Curb Weight: 3861 lb
• EPA-rated fuel economy: 23 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, 26 mpg combined
• 0–60 mph: 6.1 seconds
• Competitors: BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLB, Audi Q3, Alfa Romeo Tonale

Despite Volvo selling about a third of BMW’s volume in the U.S., the XC40 has outsold the X1 in each of the last four years. (2021 was Volvo’s best year in the segment, with 26,802 XC40s sold.) One reason for that is the variety in the model’s lineup, which has included the pure-electric Recharge since 2020. Another reason, we’d wager, is the overwhelming appeal of the XC40’s interior. 

Compared with the fairly rote and dull X1 or Q3, the inside of the XC40 is bright, airy, and optimistic. Our top-trim Ultimate test car features the tasteful “Driftwood” trim, along with a Harman Kardon sound system, crystal gear selector, leather seating surfaces, the blonde-colored headliner, and a panoramic moonroof. At least at this trim level, this is a small luxury car that does not feel cost-cut. The door handles are metal and feel hefty. Buttons actuate with a pleasant click. The only obvious evidence of penny-pinching is the speaker grille treatment for the rear doors, which uses plastic rather than the handsome metal employed up front.  

The main weak point of the environment is that the primary touchscreen is designed for the outgoing Sensus system’s vertical orientation, while Google/Android’s tile-like software arrangement (and Apple CarPlay’s) is optimized for horizontal display. The result is somewhat awkward to use, particularly when the car is backing up and the top half of the screen turns more or less into a black box because the rear-view camera feed has to render in a discernible aspect ratio. In general, the icons appear somewhat small, and the system can be frustrating to navigate while the car is moving. 

The driver sits high up, which is what most buyers in this segment want—a sense of command from behind the steering wheel. Shoulder room is excellent for a subcompact car, and there are a number of helpful storage compartments. The door pockets are positively huge (lined in fabric rather than scratchy plastic) and inside the center console is a handy removable wastebasket for gum wrappers and McNuggets boxes. If you’re getting takeout, rather than place the bag haphazardly in the footwell or second-row floor, you can hang it safely on a deployable “curry hook.” Inside the glovebox is a designated pocket for the manual, keeping it tucked away for when you need it. Back seats are more than reasonable for the subcompact class, and the mesh map pockets behind the front seats are genuinely useful. In the trunk, too, is a foldable divider that better contains groceries and prevents them from flying around. Lift up the trunk floor and there to greet you is another rarity in the world of modern luxury cars: a spare tire with a jack.

Comfortable as the XC40 is for short trips, the seats are a bit firm and don’t have the support for multi-hour trips without needing to stop and stretch. Indeed, the XC40 doesn’t feel nearly as planted and sure-footed as the larger SPA-platform cars like the XC60 and XC90, which barrel down the interstate like bullet trains. The XC40 is much more at home darting through city traffic, where its short wheelbase and compact dimensions shine. Despite the Ultimate trim’s 20-inch wheels, the ride is controlled and smooth even over big impacts. There’s a small amount of body roll and head toss when making sharp turns, but it’s nothing egregious. Spanking the XC40 over your favorite road will reveal no hidden fun, but for the concrete jungle, this is an expertly tuned suspension.

The powertrain, too, is suited to the city: low-rpm torque in quick bursts. The XC40’s sole gas powertrain is a 2.0-liter, direct-injected turbocharged four-cylinder packing 247 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. It’s a punchy little powerplant with a workaday personality, happier below about 3400 rpm than anywhere else in the rev range. It’s mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission that could be a bit quicker to downshift but is otherwise unobtrusive.

What’s disappointing here is the mild-hybrid setup. Volvo makes a big deal out of this in its marketing materials, particularly on its website. The automaker touts how the 48V battery and 13-hp integrated starter-generator aid in acceleration and braking to improve performance and reduce fuel consumption. In practice it adds just 1 mpg city (and 1 mpg combined) on the EPA rating system, for a total of 23/30/26 mpg city/highway/combined. Perhaps it’s a good thing that the system is unnoticeable when accelerating, but it causes the brake pedal to, at times, feel oddly firm and difficult to modulate. Meanwhile, the non-hybrid BMW X1 xDrive28i makes similar power and 295 lb-ft of torque from its 2.0-liter engine yet manages 25/34/28 mpg highway with one fewer transmission gear. Fuel economy isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker in luxury segments, but we’d expect better from any hybrid, mild or otherwise.

At just over $50,000, the XC40 is a few thousand dollars more expensive than a comparable X1 or GLB. Stooping to the next-down XC40 Plus model saves about $3500 and forgoes the 20-inch wheels, adaptive cruise control, and Harman Kardon audio system without sacrificing much else, so that’d be our pick. Green or not, it doesn’t take a genius to realize Volvo has a great little car on its hands.

2023 Volvo XC40 B5 AWD Ultimate

Highs: Fantastic styling, practical interior, great ride quality over rough city pavement.

Lows: Lackluster fuel economy for a hybrid, inconsistent braking feel, seats not up to usual Volvo standards for long trips.

Takeaway: The XC40 nails exactly what entry-level luxury customers want from a small crossover, whether it’s fashion or function.

***

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Among an increasingly competitive flock of volume-seller compact crossovers, one South Korean offering looks like nothing else on the road in North America. So different is the 2024 Hyundai Kona, even compared with the first-generation version it replaces, it might even take people some time to figure out what the stylish little SUV even is.

As of the 2024 model year, Hyundai’s subcompact Kona is in its second generation. We loaned an N Line variant—the sportiest and second-highest of the Hyundai’s trims—for a long weekend in California and hit the highways of San Francisco, the neighborhoods of Berkeley, and the curves of the Marin headlands to see whether this urban trucklet improves upon its predecessor.

Let’s begin with the comprehensive changes that define this new-era Kona. Longer, wider, and taller than the first-gen (2018–22) car, the 2024 Kona looks … weirder. If the first-gen car was a mix of funky and adorkable, this follow-up is a mix of R2D2 and robot dog. It’s still cute but with an edgier, more futuristic flair. One reason consumers may struggle to identify it as a Hyundai is that the company’s product range includes so many different aesthetics: The softly contoured, big-grilled Venue; the blocky 2024 Sante Fe with its eight-bit-inspired headlights, a retro vibe shared by the Ioniq 5 electric hatchback; the teardrop-shaped, doe-eyed Ioniq 6 electric sedan; the aggressively flashy but gently surfaced Palisade SUV. The Kona, with its unbroken slit of LED running lights high on its snub nose, and headlights pushed nearly into the fender flares, looks like none of the other Hyundai vehicles. The knife-like creases on the sides of the new Kona are similar to those of the techno-Brutalist Ioniq 5 … but there the similarities end. Despite the inconsistency of the overall lineup, we honestly like the look of the new Kona.

Hyundai originally launched the Kona for the 2018 model year with four trims: SE, SEL, Limited, and Ultimate, adding the electric variant as a separate model in 2019. Upon the introduction of the sporty-chic N Line variant for 2022, Hyundai fired Ultimate, promoted Limited, and backfilled the latter with the N Line. (The grin-inducing, 276-hp N model arrived for 2022.) That arrangement worked well, apparently, because the hierarchy carries over to the second-gen. The bones of the two cars are similar, as well: Hyundai stretched the platform of the first-gen Kona and tailored it for the second-gen EV model, known as the Kona Electric, then for the gas-engine versions. (This enabled Hyundai to build a plug-in hybrid model on the same chassis, though that powertrain isn’t available in the States.)

Like the outgoing car, the new Kona offers two gas powertrains. The base engine remains the 2.0-liter, naturally aspirated four-cylinder (147 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque), included on the lower two of the four trims: SE and SEL. The higher two (N Line and Limited) again receive a 1.6-liter direct-injection engine blessed with a turbocharger, but for 2024 there are a couple of changes to its setup: Though torque output remains the same, at 195 lb-ft, the 1.6-liter now makes 5 fewer horsepower (190 total). It is mated to a shift-by-wire eight-speed automatic that replaces the previous seven-speed dual-clutch unit. All four gas-powered Kona trims are available in front- or all-wheel drive. The latter carries a $1500 upcharge, regardless of trim, and adds a third drive mode: Snow.

Specs: 2024 Kona N Line AWD

• Price, base/as tested: $33,485 / $33,695
• Powertrain: 1.6-liter, turbocharged inline-four engine, shift-by-wire eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission
• Horsepower/Torque: 190 hp @ 6000 rpm, 195 lb-ft of torque @ 1700–4500
• Layout: All-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger crossover
• Curb weight: 3483 pounds
• EPA-rated fuel economy: N/A. Manufacturer estimate: 24/29/26 (city/highway/combined)
• 0–60 mph: 8.5 seconds (est.)
• Competitors: Kia Niro, Mazda CX-30, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Buick Envista, VW Taos

The aesthetic differences compared with the outgoing Kona N Line are obvious at first glance—the absence of the three slits in the nose, the distinct and highly angular front and rear lower fascia, and the honking big spoiler mounted on the trunk. (The spoiler reminds us of the now-dead Veloster N, and that makes us sad.) The look is completed by a set of 19-inch wheels adorned with center caps bearing the N logo of the company’s performance division, which didn’t appear to have much material input on this car.

The N Line is a show-not-go trim. Unlike its predecessor, there is no mechanical difference between the N Line and the other three trims. The main letdown is the eight-speed transmission. Even in Sport mode, downshifts using the paddle shifters show up a half-second after you request them. To be fair, Sport mode will hold gears with admirable tenacity, but the fun of tossing about what seems to be a decent car with a competent chassis and fairly spunky engine is undercut by the dawdling arrival of said gear.

Our irritations with the transmission weren’t singular. When faced with the surging, steep neighborhood streets of Berkeley Hills, the transmission would allow engine speed to slump below 1000 rpm, which is 700 rpm below the low end of the peak torque range. When we brought the car to a halt at a neighborhood stop sign, the eight-speed transmission would realize the task before it and hang onto first, then second to keep revs between 1700 and 4500 rpm, and the difference in peak torque was significant. When the transmission cooperated, the setup felt plenty peppy.

On highways and byways, the Kona N Line faded into the background. The driveline packs enough punch for purposeful highway passes—if you twist the drive-mode selector to Sport, the task is far more pleasant—and is quiet above 70 mph. The car’s steering fails to transmit any meaningful information about the road through the wheel, but it’s otherwise unobtrusive. The seats held your five-foot-six author in reasonable security even during the attempted back-roads shenanigans and never produced a twinge of discomfort during longer highway stints. Though it is a larger vehicle than the one it replaces, the 2024 Kona is small enough to easily parallel park, and good outward visibility minimizes the stress of the process. Loading groceries or luggage into the trunk (25.5 cubic feet with seats up, 63.7 if they’re down) is easy, thanks to a friendly load height and a tailgate that swings well above your author’s head.

The interior does the heavy lifting to make this car feel worth its $34K price tag (about $3000 more than the first-gen N Line we tested in 2022). The lines are clean and geometric, and symmetry rules: The dash is nearly flat, pillar to pillar, and accented with a single red line. It is mounted with a two-in-one rectangular screen that rises above a friendly set of buttons. As with most new cars, the only direct charging ports are of the USB-C variety, and the cupholders won’t fit a 32-ounce Hydroflask. The diversity and quality of materials make this cabin feel refined: The seats are upholstered in part with Alcantara, unique to the N Line trim; the frame around several buttons wears a satin-brushed effect; and the pedal covers and sill plates are aluminum. Headrests wear the N logo, but on the steering wheel the Hyundai H is absent; in its place is a silver-colored bar with four depressions, echoing the treatment we’ve seen in Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 and 6.

Our only niggles about the interior: One, the twist action of the column-mounted gear shifter is fussy, though the piece itself, with its finned metallic finish and rectangular cross-section, feels like it’s made solidly. The action takes some getting used to; it took me some time to find the shifter when I first got in the car, and several seconds to realize I was supposed to twist the end of the stalk to shift into drive, rather than lever the whole arm, as you would if it were hinged at the column. “Park,” a la BMW, is activated by pressing the button on the end of the stalk. Another, smaller complaint: The matte plastic sections of the door cards show grease. (I was in California, and I like cheeseburgers, so of course I visited In-N-Out.)

As with all Hyundais, the warranty is excellent: five years or 50,000 miles for the whole vehicle, 10 years or 100,000 miles for the powertrain. You’ll get complimentary maintenance for three years and unlimited-mile roadside assistance for five. However, if you’re not gaga over $33,695 N Line’s body kit, and care more about dollars than horsepower, you’ll be better served by the SE or SEL model.

The budget-conscious can build out an SE ($25,585) or SEL model ($26,935) with front-wheel drive. Not only are those configurations cheaper, but the FWD driveline is more fuel efficient. (As of this writing, the EPA has not released fuel economy figures for either engine, though Hyundai quotes the 1.6 at 26/32/28 mpg city/highway/combined for the FWD version and 24/29/26 mpg for the AWD model.) The budget route has its perks, still: For 2024, Hyundai offers the Kona in nine colors, including three particularly vibrant new ones: orange, lime green, and a lovely sage. All examples get the blade-like touchscreen, though the instrument cluster readout is different for the two lower trims. On the SE and SEL, you’ll sacrifice the sunroof and the Bose stereo, but you can add back heated seats, wireless charging, and the digital instrument cluster section for $2200 on an SEL and still squeak in for under $30K. In our minds, the only reason to spend more than that for a Kona is for the all-out N model, which, judging from the previous generation of the Kona, will be as different from the N Line as Sweetgreen’s Crispy Rice Salad is from authentic bibimbap. (Hyundai hasn’t talked about the second-gen N model yet, but we can promise you’ll hear from us when it does.)

Most people will find the 2024 Kona to be a serviceable companion for city or suburban needs, an affordable vehicle with useful space and attractive style. As of the 2024 model year, the Kona is confident and stylish like never before, and the main reason we’re harsh on the performance of the N Line variant is because N has proved, multiple times over, that it is a sub-brand worth taking seriously. N Line? A shouty trim level on this workaday crossover, but a compelling one, at that.

2024 Hyundai Kona N Line AWD

Highs: Unique exterior style, thoroughly Korean-made with a great warranty, airy interior with quality materials

Lows: N Line styling promises more performance than the driveline can deliver.

Summary: Beneath the genuinely head-turning body kit, this is a competent compact crossover that will faithfully serve you and your budget.

***

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Men! How tall are you?

If you answered less than six feet, your odds of playing in the NBA are 1 in 1.2 million. Sorry, short kings, you’ve got your work cut out for you. However, if you answered more than seven feet, this is where things get interesting. Males measuring seven feet or taller have a 1-in-7 shot of being a pro baller.

Views are certainly clearer at that altitude. The same odds could surface when shopping for full-size sport utilities. Take the Sequoia, for example. Toyota’s long-running full-size sport utility doesn’t face the same competition—in terms of quantity of competitors—seen by mid-size and compact SUVs. Toyota only really has to outduel its domestic counterparts for the attention of buyers shopping for big rigs with a rear hatch—tackle the Tahoe and subdue the Suburban. Exterminate the Expedition. Whoop the Wagoneer. I’ll stop.

In case you missed it, Toyota rolled out a new Sequoia for the 2023 model year, replacing the old generation that had graced streets and trails since 2008. The all-new three-row truck ditched the tried-and-true 5.7-liter V-8 for a twin-turbo V-6 hybrid powertrain across all trim levels. What it lost in cylinder count it made up on the stat sheet; Toyota’s new big tree delivers almost 50 more horsepower and can haul nearly one ton more than the outgoing model. On the flip side, Toyota also scrapped the power roll-down rear glass beloved by the model’s most faithful buyers.

I quite enjoyed my time in the old Sequoia, which we used as a photoshoot support truck in Southern California in 2021. Its lumbering V-8 and leviathan size evoked memories of my family’s old 1996 Suburban. Naturally, I was curious to sample the latest edition.

A couple of months ago, a 2023 Sequoia Capstone painted in Supersonic Red arrived at my downtown Detroit doorstep. At first blush, it looks dramatically different than the old rig. Bulbous curves are replaced by numerous edges and angles—less Winnie the Pooh, more Storm Trooper. Its new look shrinks the overall curb presence despite gaining three inches in overall length.

The Sequoia was and always will be big. Appropriately, the new generation’s assembly was moved from Toyota’s Princeton, Indiana, assembly plant to San Antonio, Texas, alongside its bed-carrying brother, the Toyota Tundra. From the front glass forward, the new Sequoia is virtually identical to the new Tundra. Underneath, even more twinning ensues. The Sequoia has the same underpinnings as Toyota’s big pickup. In fact, the fully boxed steel frame, dubbed TNGA-F in ‘Yota-speak, shares its architecture with everything from the Tundra to the Land Cruiser to the Lexus GX and more.

The 3.4-liter V-6 between those rails can be had in the Tundra, too. The 437-horsepower hybrid plant delivers 583 lb-ft of torque and a 9000-pound towing capacity. The electric generator of Toyota’s i-Force MAX hybrid system is found within the bell housing between the engine and the 10-speed automatic transmission. As with most tech, this could prove divisive for Sequoia buyers of old, who preferred the dead-nuts simple naturally aspirated V-8 engine.

Fed by a 1.87-kWh battery, the electric motor does its part to deliver a combined 20 miles per gallon for a four-wheel-drive Sequoia, an improvement of three MPG over the old engine. The rear-wheel-drive Sequoia does two better at 22 miles per gallon. Out on the road, the hybrid engine packs plenty of punch for quick merging and stoplight pulls. Coming to that stop was curious, though, as the brake pedal was softer than I expected. Still, it was a smooth ride throughout and, despite the increase in length, the new truck felt more maneuverable.

Specs: 2023 Toyota Sequoia Capstone 4×4

• Price: $76,865/$80,906 (Base/as tested)
• Powertrain: 3.4-liter twin-turbo hybrid V-6, 10-speed automatic transmission
• Horsepower/Torque: 389 hp, 479 lb-ft (engine only), 437 hp, 583 lb-ft (hybrid combined)
• Layout: four-wheel-drive, four-door, seven-passenger sedan
• Curb Weight: 6185 lbs
• EPA-rated fuel economy: 19 mpg city, 22 mpg highway, 20 mpg combined
• 0–60 mph: 5.6 seconds
• Competitors: Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon, Jeep Wagoneer, Nissan Armada

The Sequoia’s overall footprint feels smaller from the driver’s seat. Chopping almost three inches from the overall height of the vehicle surely has something to do with it. Combining this lower-slung feel with a more responsive engine creates an overall sportier package. The pivot from an independent rear suspension layout to a multi-link system with a stick axle doesn’t noticeably hinder the ride quality in the new-gen rig.

Reverting back to a live-axle rear layout, something the first-generation Sequoia (2000–2007) had but the second-gen model ditched, is especially noteworthy when you size up the competition. The headline change for the latest iteration of GM’s full-sizers was their switch to an independent rear layout. Ford’s big box has been without a stick axle for more than 20 years.

The ride is also enhanced by exceptional seats that are both comfortable and quite handsome in Capstone’s exclusive white and black leather. This luxury trim line (think GMC Denali) is quite a handsome package, with several touches, like the digital gauge cluster, the drive mode selector, and the radio knob, that look like actual architectural capstones.

The Cap’ is the top dog among Sequoia’s five trims. Among its glint and glimmer, 22-inch rims, American Walnut interior trim, and power running boards top the list. (Pro tip: Do not hop into the truck with haste lest you prefer your shins to collide with the lowering boards.) It’s a truly luxurious feel that no doubt will give the Yukon Denali and the Grand Wagoneer a run for their woodgrain. The Capstone is also the only Sequoia grade to feature acoustic glass in the front doors for more exterior sound deadening. Despite this hush-hush tech, we did notice a faint whistle from the driver’s side door at highway speeds.

At this level of opulence, you’re also treated to a 14-speaker JBL sound system. Toyota’s premier stereo is right up there with GM’s Bose systems in volume and sound quality but still needs some refinement before competing with Acura’s or Volvo’s more luxurious speaker sets from ELS and Bowers & Wilkins.

Sound and climate are easy to control from the driver’s seat, with a 14-inch infotainment screen underlined by a set of physical climate control buttons. Steering wheel buttons are logically placed for cruise control, sound, and scrolling through telemetry on the 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. The angled wireless phone-charging pocket saves console space and prevents the phone from sliding should you take the big tree off-road. (Oh, and thank goodness for a USB-A on the dash!)

Back-seat passengers have three types of charging options as well as a pared-down climate control interface. Similarly styled captain’s chairs are a bit more rigid but just as comfortable as their front-seat counterparts. The third row folds, but not flat—a consequence of the new stick axle over the retired independent rear suspension. Should you wish to haul loads beyond a few suitcases, give some additional thought about how many people are tagging along.

When tested, the 2023 Sequoia Capstone exceeds an $80K price tag after factoring in delivery fees. This is where things get dicey. You can buy a lot of truck for that kind of dough—a new Escalade starts at $83K, though with much fewer options included.

Even at the base trim level, the Sequoia skews on the pricier side of most full-size SUVs. A brand-new base 2024 Sequoia—which is unchanged from the 2023 model—is more expensive than Tahoe, Yukon, or Expeditions and just a bit less money than a Grand Wagoneer. Still, depending on options and trim levels, Sequoia is right in the mix and should be on your shopping list.

For my money, I’m still taking a Suburban, though I think that has more to do with my affinity for the Bowtie. If you’re in the market for a hybrid-powered full-size SUV, the new Sequoia is the only game in town. Sit down, “1-in-7,” this new truck has a 100-percent chance of playing in primetime.

2023 Toyota Sequoia Capstone 4×4

Price: $76,865/$80,906 (Base/as tested)

Highs: More horses and pulling power, feels more maneuverable, handsome styling that shrinks overall curb presence.

Lows: Stick axle eats into cargo space, pricey at lux trim level, no more V-8 or power back glass.

Summary: The all-new Toyota Sequoia loses cylinders, but the performance and curb appeal gains are signficant.

***

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It’s barely been 15 years since the house of Bruce McLaren reinvented itself by plunging into the business of two-seat mid-engine road burners. What a glorious ride it’s been. In that brief time, the Woking works has continuously advanced the state of the art in supercars, putting the heat to archrival Ferrari with both sublime production models such as the 570 and 720 and with limited hypercar offerings like the hybrid P1, the Speedtail, and the Senna. McLaren’s next opus, the 750S is fusion cuisine of sorts, attempting to merge together two outgoing models into one while still improving on both. It’s a tightrope that McLaren has strung for itself, but the new 750S walks it with aplomb.

Those two outgoing models are the 720S, which wrapped last year after a six-year run, and the 765LT, its limited-production (765 units) banshee twin targeted at rich berserkers who like to bang and crash over city streets in full-zoot track machines. The 765LT, offered from 2020 to 2022, took all the velvety comfort and elegant subtlety that made the 720 such a sweetheart and ground it off with a power sander. It was loud, harsh, brittle, and generally obnoxious. It also sold out rather quickly, even at its optioned-up price of around half-a-mil.

The lesson McLaren drew from this: It needed one car to rule them all, both the folks who want a little calm and compliance with their butterfly “billionaire doors” and 2.7-second zero-to-60 sprints, and the crazies who like it straight to the face with a baseball bat. Behold the 750S, which could be McLaren’s last completely gas-powered vehicle. It’s really more of a mid-cycle refresh of the 720 than a whole new car. McLaren boasts that 30 percent of the 750S is all new, which means 70 percent is carryover. To be clear, we’re not complaining; exotics like these have ten-year lifespans (or more) and given how good the 720 was, it seems a bit early to fully retire it.

Specs: 2024 McLaren 750S Coupe/Spider

• Price: $331,740/$352,740
• Powertrain: 4.0-liter, turbocharged DOHC V-8, seven-speed automated manual
• Output: 740 hp @ 7500 rpm; 590 lb-ft of torque @ 5500 rpm
• Layout: Mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, two-door, two-passenger coupe or convertible
• EPA Fuel Economy: 15 mpg city/19 mpg hwy
• Competition: Aston Martin DBS, Ferrari 296 GTB/GTS; Lamborghini Huracan STO, Maserati MC20

As chief engineer Sandy Holford explained over dinner at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel, where McLaren recently opened a brand store that sees as many as 800 people a day cross its threshold, the goal was to stretch the car’s envelope. That meant moving up its performance threshold from even that of the 765 while not moving the baseline comfort of the old 720, then giving buyers the option of leaning their car one way or the other depending on the options. A copious, Porsche-like option sheet with 114 separate a la carte items ranges in price from an ashtray ($250) to an orange-and-blue Gulf paint livery ($90,556). Buyers can spec exactly the car they want.

Also—and this was considered critical—McLaren wanted to make the car more engaging. Because there’s no point in going fast if you’re not having fun (right, Bugatti?). Besides a quicker steering ratio, slightly shorter gearing amps up the throttle response as well as the sense of speed. At one point, my co-pilot on the test drive spotted a Nevada trooper and nervously asked how fast we were going. A just-over-the-limit 82 mph was the answer, but it indeed felt much faster. Which is a good thing in a world of speed limits and consequences.

The way McLaren accomplished the performance push was by boosting the power a smidge in the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, to 740 horses and 590 pound-feet. A few of the engine mods include higher turbo pressure, a triple-layer head gasket to handle the higher cylinder pressures, and a second fuel pump that builds in a comfort layer in the juicing capacity at full power.

Elsewhere in the carbon-fiber tub and aluminum crash structures, the engineers widened the front track by a hair (6mm) and sped up the steering ratio. McLaren is one of the very few car companies still using hydraulic power steering units, with everyone else having switched to electric systems. But until electric is as organic-feeling as hydraulic, McLaren won’t switch, Holford says.

Engineers took advantage of technological improvements to the hydraulic accumulators that govern the dynamic dampers, dubbing the 750’s suspension the “third generation” of their Proactive Chassis Control system. The claim is that it broadens the damper range, making the softs softer and the firms firmer while better-supplying everything needed in between. Revised spring rates (slightly softer in front, slightly stiffer in the rear) are meant to sharpen up the 750’s steering response.

On the outside, the self-deploying rear wing is 20 percent larger while also lighter by 3.5 pounds, part of a ruthless effort to cut mass and bring the base car’s curb weight to just a hair over 3000 pounds (3062 pounds for the coupe, 3170 for the Spider)—a phenomenal feat in this day and age. The 750’s styling changes are subtle and headlined by revised headlight openings and a wall-to-wall mesh screen across the back that evokes the 765’s butt.

Inside, a revised instrument cluster conveniently tilts and telescopes with the wheel (though it doesn’t fold into an F1-style rev display as in the outgoing 765) and handy twist paddles governing the transmission and drive modes now bracket the display—a vast ergonomic improvement first adopted by the hybrid Artura. On the redesigned center stack, strengthened to reduce vibration, a “Speedy Kiwi” button lets drivers instantly access their own self-programmed drive mode, in which the driver can individually spec the aero, handling, powertrain, and transmission settings.

We nervously unhinged the butterfly doors and sank into the carbon bathtub that forms the center of the 750. Nervous because we were worried that McLaren had pushed the 720 off the deep end, robbing it of its comfort and daily useability in a mad pursuit of tenths of a second in lap times. Our particular test car was optioned with the cush power seats, the comfiest of the three buckets offered, and while they are by no means soft, they did prove accommodating and fatigue-free over the next few hours of driving.

Turned loose on open roads, the 750S proved that McLaren has once again made some excellent choices. The car has lost none of the divine balance of the 720 while offering a taste of the bull bravado of the 765. It accelerates instantly when prodded, like a 1-liter superbike, and sucks in the horizon as if it’s on an inertia reel, while the carbon brakes push it back into place again with a rigid pedal that feels like it’ll stop an oil tanker. A new exhaust, lighter than the previous one and part of the car’s weight-trimming program, pushes a little more snarl through the noise-suppressing wall of the turbos.

Of course, you expect a car whose six-digit price starts with a 3 to be quick. What we didn’t necessarily expect was the most natural and organic steering available on a production car. The way the wheel perceptibly stiffens and sags with the changes in cornering loads puts a modern Porsche to shame, while still not being the hyper-reactive go-kart wheel of, say, a Lotus Elise. McLaren seems to know intuitively what information to telegraph up the column to its customers and what to filter out; the compromise is pretty much perfect.

In Comfort mode, the 750 is as silky as the 720 was, so mission accomplished there. Move it up to the Sport or Track settings and the fangs come out. Not that it becomes a 765—it doesn’t, and surely another hyper-performance model is planned based on the 750—but it definitely becomes a potent track tool. Though due to a paperwork snafu we weren’t actually able to try it on the track. We did learn that some of the shift and suspension logic used in the Comfort and Sport modes to make the car feel more engaging actually works against setting lap times, so the varnish gets totally stripped off in Track mode, which is not nearly as pleasant as it is ruthless. When they say Track, they mean track.

As with the 720, 360-degree visibility is excellent, and a revised nose jack is a one-button operation that cuts the raising time from 10 seconds to four while working with the steering almost fully locked (the old system required the wheels to be more or less straight). The downsides of the 750 are common complaints with McLarens in general: Nobody gets in or out of this tight little capsule gracefully, and the passenger legroom is a bit short.

Still, the 750S is a convincing display of McLaren’s engineering prowess as well as its enthusiasm for high performance. So much so that we’d love to see the company partner up with another automaker as it did with Mercedes on the 2003-2010 SLR and produce something besides a mid-engine two-seater, something based on a more mass-market component set. Well, maybe not an SUV, but who wouldn’t want to see what McLaren could do with an E-Class-sized sedan? Or a wagon? The imagination reels.

2024 McLaren 750S

Price: $331,740/$352,740 (Base Coupe/Base Spider)

Highs: Loses none of the comfort or subtlety of the near-perfect 720S; gives buyers wanting more, more; scores of options let you build what you want.

Lows: Getting in and out is a comedy for some body types, never graceful for anyone; not much passenger legroom.

Summary: In perfecting the two-seat supercar—yet again—McLaren raises the question: What else can it do?

***

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The date my road test was published in the Orlando Sentinel—April 19, 2008—confirms that it has been nearly 16 years since I first drove a 2009 Nissan GT-R, the introductory model for the R35-generation of this momentous supercar. Having just spent a week in a 2023 GT-R, one thing is clear: The Nissan has aged better than I.

The 2023 GT-R makes the same mildly disconcerting click, pop, and clunk noises as always, especially at low speeds. But over the years the noises have gotten quieter, more muffled. When I get out of bed in the morning, my bones go click, pop, and clunk, but I’m pretty sure they are getting louder.

Despite multiple updates over the years, it really is astounding how much the GT-R hasn’t changed. The basics are still there: a 3.8-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6; a six-speed, dual-clutch transmission; all-wheel-drive. And the “Godzilla” nickname beloved by the GT-R faithful endures.

The R35 even retains its hydraulic power steering and a center-console-mounted, mechanical parking brake. That piece of anachronism is sort of endearing, but I don’t miss the old steering wheel; the 2023 setup feels better than ever. Nissan has teased us periodically with rumors of an upcoming R36-generation GT-R, but we’re not holding our breath just yet. Nissan likes to hang onto its sports car platforms for a long time; the 370Z, for instance, debuted as a 2009 model and stuck around until 2020. (You can read our review of the 2024 Z Nismo here.)

The 2009 GT-R I drove, as well as the 2023 model, was fitted in Premium trim, which has accounted for the vast majority of sales for the car over the years. In 2009, the GT-R Premium wore a $71,900 MSRP (about $103,000 today), assuming you could get one at sticker price, a problem then and now. Its value has held up pretty well: In #3, or “Good” condition, Hagerty values the car today at $52,700. That’s a little less than the value of a 2009 Porsche Carrera 4S, which Hagerty says is $59,000. But the 2009 Carrera 4S had a base price of $92,300.

GT-R prices have gone up since 2009 (what prices haven’t?) The test car I had for a 2013 drive cost $96,820, and for a 2018 test, $110,400. This 2023 Premium started at $116,040. As it was in 2018, shipping for the new model is still $1895—pricey then but closer to the norm now.

The 2023 GT-R I drove had three options: $1000 for the paint (a lovely Bayside Blue), $490 for floor mats, a first-aid kit, and USB charging cables; and $4280 for “hand-stitched, semi-aniline” leather upholstery, which was nice but not that nice. Base seats are “leather-appointed with synthetic suede inserts,” which I’d wager are fine.

Specs: 2023 Nissan GT-R Premium

• Price: $116,040 / $123,705 (base/as-tested)
• Powertrain: 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-6; 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission
• Horsepower: 565 @ 6800 rpm
• Torque: 467 lb-ft @ 3300 rpm
• Layout: Front-engine, all-wheel-drive, two-door, four-passenger coupe
• Weight: 3935 lbs.
• EPA-Rated Fuel Economy: 16/22/18 mpg (city/hwy/combined)
• 0–60 mph: 3.1 seconds

Those front seats, which have cutouts in the back for a racing harness, were very comfortable, even for a 275-mile day. I’m six feet tall, and moving the front seat back to where it felt comfortable left zero space for legroom in the rear seat. Yes, it’s theoretically a four-passenger car, but rear-seat passengers had best hope for a brief trip.

Instruments and controls were updated with the 2017 freshening, eliminating 16 buttons and switches, and they are basically the same as they were then. The smallish (by today’s standards) eight-inch center display calls up the various performance pages, of which there are many, some a bit redundant. There has always been a computer-game feel to the GT-R: After all, knowledge of this Skyline-based model essentially debuted to America as part of the groundbreaking Gran Turismo video game in 1997, four years before the Fast and Furious craze made the GT-R even more famous. (Or to some, infamous.) The GT-R is still profoundly digital, but Nissan has toned it down. And most cars today—EVs especially—are even more digital in both essence and user experience.

Despite the use of lightweight materials—the hood, trunk lid, and doors are aluminum—and some carbon fiber, this remains a very heavy car at 3935 pounds. A base Chevrolet Corvette weighs 3366 pounds, and even the Corvette E-Ray weighs just 3774 pounds. The sticky Dunlop tires, 255/40ZRF20 up front, 285/35ZRF20 in the rear, work in concert with the Bilstein DampTronic shocks and the rest of the taut suspension, along with excellent Brembo brakes (they say “Nissan,” but they are Brembos) to help make you forget that the GT-R weighs two tons. And fill up the 19.5-gallon gas tank—with 93-octane premium, please—and you add about 120 pounds to the weight of the car.

Speaking of those sticky Dunlop Sports Maxx GT600 run-flat tires, there is a stifling amount of road noise, especially on concrete pavement, even with the active noise cancellation and added soundproofing, plus the acoustic-glass windshield, all of which have been around since the 2017 refresh. The noise is taxing on longer drives, likely causing you to crank up the 11-speaker Bose sound system to help drown it out.

The powertrain—that 565-horsepower V-6 and six-speed automatic transaxle—are fundamentally what we got for 2009, except then with 480 advertised horsepower. Most of us who drove the GT-R at that first press event, held at the modest Reno-Fernley Raceway in Nevada, were convinced that Nissan was under-reporting the horsepower then, by maybe 25 or 30, and independent tests since then have confirmed it.

The engine is a masterpiece, each hand-built by a single craftsman in Japan, complete with a nameplate. Tsunemi Oyama built the engine in this 2023 GT-R; a veteran of over four decades at Nissan, he and the other four GT-R engine builders have become celebrities among the car’s substantial fan base. The quick-shifting transmission is also built by a handful of craftsmen: There are steering wheel-mounted paddles, but the computer-directed shifts are faster. Engine sound is piped through a titanium exhaust system.

Then and now, the GT-R is a guided missile, a point-and-shoot car that works very hard to make you look good. Recall that the GT-R was introduced at about the same time as the second-generation, 450-horsepower Dodge Viper. As much as I loved the Viper, you had to work twice as hard to go not quite as fast as the GT-R on a racetrack, which appealed to me but not to a lot of my colleagues at the time, who insisted that all the computer aids on the GT-R made driving on a racetrack too easy. Somehow that was less valiant. The GT-R hasn’t changed much but other modern sports cars sure have, and most come with as many (or more) technological aids as the GT-R.

The 2024 Nissan GT-R should be arriving at dealerships in the next few weeks. It shows off a mild makeover, including restyled front and rear fascias, a new rear-wing design, plus the usual smaller enhancements, such as using a thinner mesh in the grille to reduce drag. The T-Spec model returns, with carbon-ceramic brake rotors from the 600-horsepower NISMO model, gold-painted Rays wheels, and two colors from the past: Millenium Jade and Midnight Purple, from the R34 GT-R era. The powertrain is a holdover from the 2023 driven here, which is kind of a holdover from 2009.

Starting price on the 2024 GT-R Premium is $121,090; for the T-Spec, $141,090; and for the NISMO, a whopping $221,090. The 600-horsepower 2015 GT-R NISMO I drove at Homestead-Miami Speedway listed for about $151,000, so that’s a lot of inflation.

Nissan only sold 390 GT-Rs in all of 2023. I’m not sure how they continue to justify its existence. But the GT-R is a wonderful throwback with a historically significant story. I’m glad Nissan has kept the car around to tell it.

2023 Nissan GT-R Premium

Highs: Still very fast, especially from a standing start; incredible brakes, reasonably comfortable ride given what this car is; sort of invisible except to those in the know… and they all want to talk about it.

Lows: Rear seats are virtually unusable; thirsty, even when driven conservatively; road noise is truly intrusive.

Takeaway: Like driving a brand-new, 15-year-old supercar. For better and worse (but mostly better).

***

 
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The full-size truck market is more than likely the most competitive and innovative in North America. Crew cab pickups have taken on the role of family movers, commuters, and weekend toy haulers. It’s a lot to ask of a vehicle, but modern trucks do it amazingly well, and manufacturers keep giving buyers more and more compelling reasons to jump on the pickup truck bandwagon. Ram’s current half-ton offering has been very competitive even as Ford, Chevrolet, GMC, and Toyota have kept firing salvos with increasingly advanced technology and capability. For 2025, Ram served up a major refresh for its half-ton that improves nearly everything buyers already loved about the 1500.

There’s just one thing missing this go-round: a V-8. The 395-hp 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 is gone, and in its place is a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo inline-six named Hurricane. As fans of the Hemi, we wondered how the new model would fare with six-cylinder powerplants. We spent a day with Ram in Austin, Texas, with several versions of the 2025 Ram 1500 to find out.

A high-output version of the Hurricane engine churns out an additional 120 horsepower and 52 lb-ft of torque with zero drivability drawbacks. The 540-hp version will only be offered on Ram’s three most luxurious trims—Limited, Limited Longhorn, and a new trim called Tungsten—where it will be standard. Eventually, this burlier Hurricane will also reach Ram’s new top-of-the-line off-roader, which is launching in the third quarter of 2024 to hoist the mantle for the Hellcat-powered TRX, which ceased production at the end of 2023.

Power arrives in a pleasantly linear fashion. And although the twin-turbo inline-six has a relatively low redline, the ZF eight-speed automatic, laudable as always, has no trouble keeping it under boost when the throttle demands it. The lower gearing (trucks with the stronger engine also get Ram’s lowest axle ratio of 3.92:1) only amplifies the effect of the additional torque, and all trucks equipped with the high-output 3.0-liter will get a beefier rear axle to hold up under the additional stress. Thankfully, Ram’s engineers declined to pump in additional—read: fake—engine noise into the cabin. The straight-six delivers a well-tuned exhaust note, but it’s more understated than bellicose throughout its operation.

The biggest updates in the 2025 Ram’s interior refresh are the even larger Uconnect 5 infotainment system screens. An improved version of the 12-inch Uconnect screen is now offered across more lower-rung trims, while Limited Longhorn, Limited, and Tungsten trims get a 14.4-inch center screen and a standard 10.25-inch screen directly in front of the front-seat passenger. Just like in the Grand Wagoneer, that passenger-focused monitor is screened from the driver’s view and can display camera views so the copilot can be a spotter in tricky off-road situations. The screen can also be used to control the audio system and navigation, which helps keep the driver distractions to a minimum by handing important road trip duties off to the copilot.

Specs: 2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten

• Price: $89,150
• Powertrain: 3.0-liter, turbocharged DOHC inline-six, eight-speed torque-converter automatic
• Output: 540 hp at 5700 rpm and 521lb-ft of torque at 3500 rpm
• Layout: Four-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger full-size pickup truck
• EPA Fuel Economy: 15 MPG city, 21 MPG highway, 17 MPG combined
• Competition: GMC Sierra Denali, Ford F-150 Platinum, Chevrolet Silverado High Country, Toyota Tundra Capstone

Ram’s existing trim levels of Tradesman, Longhorn/Lone Star, Rebel, Limited Longhorn, and Limited all return for 2025. They’re joined by the new range-topping Tungsten trim that takes Ram’s luxury truck game to new heights with interior upholstery in Indigo/Sea Salt, soft suede for the headliner and the A- and B-pillars, and unique textures on the trim. You can spot a Ram Tungsten easily, as it’s the only 2025 Ram trim that offers a fully painted front fascia rather than a separate bumper. Every Tungsten model will be a crew cab, short-bed 4×4, and every Tungsten will be pricey; the starting MSRP, including destination, is a hefty $89,150.

Tungsten trucks also pack a 23-speaker Klipsch Reference Premier audio system that puts speakers in seemingly every nook and cranny of the cab, including a pair that are in the back of the front seats. The 23-speaker Klipsch audio system looks great and sounds even better, but driving the Tungsten back-to-back with a Limited, the difference wasn’t striking. That’s not a slight to the Klipsch system, it’s just that to a casual, non-audiophile listener, the 19-speaker audio system in the Limited was great and perhaps it takes a more sophisticated ear to notice the subtleties. We were a bit surprised that this high-end system still only offers just a three-band equalizer for customizing the audio experience, but we didn’t have any issues adjusting the sound to match our preference. The current Ram Limited was already a very nice place to spend a long highway trip and competed well with the top offerings from GM, Ford, and Toyota, and the 2025 version maintains the same level of comfort and style, with soft-touch materials on the dash and door panels, along with massaging seats.

In addition to the on-road miles we racked up in the 2025 Ram, we got to play in the mud a bit with a more off-road-focused Rebel. The Rebel’s optional air suspension allows for a taller ride height for low-speed off-roading, adding a bit of ground clearance up front and increasing the breakover angle. The 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler tires performed admirably when things got sloppy. (Your mud may vary, of course.) Usually, the large voids between lugs that make a tire so good on thick mud come at the cost of howling or whining at speed, but the Rebel felt largely free of that penalty, delivering the same quiet highway driving we’ve come to expect from all Ram 1500s. The Rebel should be a popular choice as it packages impressive off-road capability and a comfortable and feature-packed interior.

Ram still has a few surprises in its pocket—an “RHO” version of the truck that won’t be unveiled until April. What “RHO” entails is still not certain (Really High Output?), but it seems to succeed the beautiful and brash TRX. We were already into the idea of Ram offering a 6.4-liter version of the TRX with the end of Hellcat production, because as fun as the Hellcat V-8 was, the real star of the show was the TRX’s suspension. We’d gladly take a 540-hp, Hurricane-powered off-roader as long as it delivers on the TRX’s legacy of off-road performance.

Leading with its twin-turbocharged engines, the 2025 Ram makes an impressive pickup even better. We have a feeling that drivers will not miss the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 once they try even the standard-output turbo-six, let alone the high-output version that pushes the Ram into new performance territory. With advanced new powertrains and a world-class interior that’s only gotten better, Ram has ensured that its next salvo will be heard loud and clear across the pickup truck battleground.

2025 Ram 1500

Price: $42,270/$89,150 (Base Tradesman/as-tested Tungsten)

Highs: Tungsten adds another level of luxury. New turbocharged powertrains are impressive. Ride and handling are still excellent. Interior is spacious and comfortable.

Lows: Fewer configurations are available. Big screens aren’t for everyone. V-8 soundtrack is the only thing missing.

Summary: The updates made to the core of the 2025 Ram 1500 lineup refine what was already a great package, adding helpful technology and smooth, potent powerplants.

***

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I was raised on the sound and the (inconsistent) fury of the V-8. Make no mistake: I appreciate the exhaust note of a well-tuned three-, four-, six-, 10- or 12-cylinder engine, as I do the near-silent power of electric cars. But there’s something about a V-8 under load that speaks to me. Usually loudly.

Even if most are now in pickup trucks or big SUVs, I’m grateful they are still out there. The imminent death of the Dodge Hemi-powered cars and the Chevrolet Camaro at the end of the 2024 model year is saddening. I nonetheless find hope in Ford President and CEO Jim Farley’s recent statement: “If we’re the only one on the planet making a V-8 affordable sports car for everyone in the world, so be it.”

A couple of accomplished V-8-powered cars recently cycled through my press-car custody, and I think it’s worth discussing them together: a 2023 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack Swinger and a 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse.

Apples and oranges? Perhaps, but not as much as you’d think. They are comparable in horsepower (485 for the Challenger, 500 for the Mustang), sticker price ($66,815 for the Challenger, $63,920 for the Mustang, though both may have dealer markups on top of those prices). Both have six-speed manual transmissions, and they are just a tenth of a second apart in 0-to-60 mph times. They’re both EPA-rated at a combined average of 17 mpg, and both prefer to drink premium fuel. The Challenger has a $1000 gas guzzler tax; the Mustang’s is $1300.

I don’t think I’m giving away the ending of the story to say this: Both cars are such a blast to drive.

Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack Swinger

The final Dodge Challenger rolled off the assembly line at the Stellantis plant in Brampton, Ontario on December 22 of last year. There are no 2024-model Challengers; all the new ones are leftover 2023s.

We’ve told you all about Dodge’s “Last Call” promotions, designed to send the aging Challenger and Charger off with a series of seven special editions. Special edition number three was the $5580 Swinger package, harking back to a Swinger model of the 1969 Dodge Dart, which was not necessarily a performance car unless you ordered it with the 340-cubic-inch V-8.

The Challenger Swinger wasn’t the most powerful of the Last Call cars, but it had a more-than-adequate 6.4-liter Hemi V-8. Dodge built 1000 Challenger Swingers, all of them widebody models.

Some of the Last Call Challengers were legitimate fire-breathers, including the very last one built: It was an SRT Demon 170 with 1025 horsepower. When the Swinger was announced in September, 2022, Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis said it had a “unique, fun character” with no real claims of immense performance.

So, essentially, it’s a cruiser. Albeit one with a healthy 4.3-second 0-to-60 mph time, reached in second gear. While it may not have monster horsepower, the big engine’s 475 lb-ft of torque helps it launch off the line with authority. The Swinger also has a “shaker” hood, meaning you can watch the exposed hood scoop shake under acceleration. We must note that it barely moves, unlike the shakers on the original Challengers.

The Swinger’s sturdy Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual has been around since 2008, and it has proven itself to be durable in high-horsepower applications, but it’s a little truckish and stiff-shifting.

Specs: 2023 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack Swinger

• Price: $47,265 / $66,815 (base/as-tested)
• Powertrain: 6.4-liter V-8; 6-speed manual transmission
• Horsepower: 485 @ 6100 rpm
• Torque: 475 lb-ft @ 4100 rpm
• Layout: Rear-wheel-drive, two-door, five-passenger coupe
• Weight: 4298 lbs.
• EPA-Rated Fuel Economy: 14/23/17 mpg (city/hwy/combined)
• 0–60 mph: 4.3 seconds

Perhaps the Swinger’s biggest surprise is its ergonomics. Front seats are excellent. Rear seats are passable for two but awfully small for three, despite that the Challenger is a five-passenger car. Controls are a bit dated—after all, this car has been around since 2008 and hasn’t had a real facelift since 2015—but they actually complement the retro theme. Getting to the data-logging and electronic tuning “performance pages” takes a little longer than the Dark Horse’s one-button access, but the pages are useful when you get there.

Handling has never been the Challenger’s long suit, and it still isn’t, though the reasonably stiff adaptive-damping suspension and huge 305/35ZR20 all-season Pirelli tires help the Swinger get around corners quite well, and the Brembo brakes, with six-piston calipers up front, are stout.

Still, there’s no masking the fact that this is a big, heavy car weighing in at nearly 4300 pounds. While Ford and Chevrolet trumpeted the Mustang’s and Camaro’s handling on twisty roads and road courses, Dodge emphasized the V-8 Challenger’s ability on the drag strip, where weight matters a little less. To that end, the Swinger boasts line lock and launch control features.

While the 2023 Challenger has been out of production for nearly two months, at this writing, there are more than 23,000 still on dealer lots, according to Dodge.com.

We plugged three filters into the “new inventory” search engine—Challengers with the 6.4-liter V-8, R/T Scat Packs, the wide body kit, and the manual transmission—and found 314 still available, including a Last Call Swinger painted Sublime Green (a $395 option) with the exact same equipment and list price as our test car, located just 150 miles away. Your search results may vary.

You could do much worse than any of the Challengers with the same specifications as our Swinger. A big car, big engine, big personality. And the styling remains classic.

2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Ford calls the 2024 Mustang the car’s seventh generation (S650), which some may consider a stretch since it’s basically built on the (S550) sixth generation’s platform, which debuted as a 2015 model. But unlike the Challenger, the Mustang Dark Horse feels entirely fresh. At first, I wasn’t convinced the Mustang’s exterior update was an improvement, but it’s growing on me, especially the Dark Horse’s surprisingly anonymous yet slightly sinister looks.

Our Dark Horse was lightly optioned, but the car comes with a long list of impressive standard equipment, including Brembo brakes, transmission and differential coolers, selectable drive modes, the excellent MagneRide suspension damping system, a Torsen limited-slip differential, and a 12-speaker B&O premium sound system.

One option I do suggest is the leather-trimmed Recaro front seats—pricey at $1650 but better (and better-looking) than the standard cloth and vinyl seats that came in our test car. If you plan to frequently track your Dark Horse, by all means, opt for the $4995 Handling Package; it includes a more aggressive rear spoiler, stiffer chassis tuning, and adjustable strut top mounts, which helps dial in a track-focused alignment.

Mostly, though, the package gets you bigger and better wheels and tires: 305/30R19 up front and 315/30R19 out back, compared with the base 255/19/40R front and 275/40R/19 rears that our Dark Horse wore.

Specs: 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse Premium

• Price: $59,485 / $63,920 (base/as-tested)
• Powertrain: 5.0-liter V-8; 6-speed manual transmission
• Horsepower: 500 @ 7250 rpm
• Torque: 418 lb-ft @ 4900 rpm
• Layout: Rear-wheel-drive, two-door, four-passenger coupe
• Weight: 3949 lbs.
• EPA-Rated Fuel Economy: 14/22/17 mpg (city/hwy/combined)
• 0–60 mph: 4.2 seconds

Both sets are made by Pirelli, but the Handling Package version features P Zero Trofeo RS tires that are superior for cornering braking. Buyer beware: The best price we could find on a replacement set of those tires was $2317.

If you don’t plan to take your Dark Horse to the track, the standard (summer) tires and suspension are just fine. The base Dark Horse corners amazingly well, and the ride, especially on the “normal” setting, is more comfortable than you’d think. (The six drive modes are Normal, Sport, Slippery, Track, Drag Strip, and Custom.)

Perhaps the biggest surprise is the Dark Horse’s rev-matching Tremec TR-3160 six-speed manual transmission. It’s decidedly better than the Getrag MT-82 in the Mustang GT—the gear shift lever throw is short and sure, and the clutch feels just right. There’s nothing wrong with Ford’s 10-speed automatic, a $1595 option, and there are several cars where I prefer the automatic over the manual. The Dark Horse is not one of them.

Inside, the front seats lack some lateral support, and I had trouble getting comfortable in longer drives. I’ve driven a Dark Horse with the Recaros, and they are worth the money. The instrumentation and electronic controls take some getting used to; there’s a 12.4-inch horizontal digital instrument cluster, and just to the right is a matching 13.2-inch center display. As you’d suspect, it’s all configurable.

The biggest decision you’d have to consider with a V-8 Mustang purchase is whether or not the Dark Horse is worth the extra money over, say, a Mustang GT Premium, which starts at $46,015 and has just 14 fewer horsepower if you get the active exhaust. The Dark Horse starts at $57,970, and I’d be perfectly happy with one that had zero options. My guess is that if you plan to keep the car, that $12,000 gap between the two would narrow rather quickly due to the perceived higher resale value for the Dark Horse.

As for which I’d take, it’s a matter of personal preference rather than outright merit. I’d be delighted to own the Challenger, but I suppose I’d prefer the Dark Horse, for that transmission and suspension. And for that 5.0-liter V-8 engine sound, which speaks to me at just the right volume—louder than loud.

2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Highs: Sweet engine, excellent transmission, under-the-radar looks, if indeed that’s what you want.

Lows: Standard front seats need work. Somehow gets worse fuel mileage than the Challenger.

Takeaway: Get one while you can.

2023 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack Swinger

Highs: Supple ride and handling, great front seats, wonderful exhaust note under acceleration, look-at-me styling and color, if indeed that’s what you want.

Lows: Rear seats supposedly good for three… but woe is that middle person.

Takeaway: Get one while you (barely) can.

***

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As I mingled with the crowd at a Wednesday night bike gathering in Venice, California, my helmet hung uncomfortably in my right hand. At any moment, one of the interesting people I was talking to would ask what I rode in on, at which point I would have to explain the vehicle I had parked a block away, which was probably earning a ticket for an expired meter. Inevitably, someone asked, and I answered: Polaris Slingshot.

“Wait, what is that? The vintage-looking things?”

Someone else: “No, that’s the Morgan 3 Wheeler or the Vanderhall.”

A bystander, from a few feet away: “It’s those three-wheeled things all the tourists rent and drive annoyingly in traffic.”

The original question-asker: “Oh yeah! Those things are weird.”

I couldn’t argue. I was a tourist, renting a Slingshot, and it was kind of weird.

Nature tends to favor even numbers. We humans are no exception, from the television volume to the wheels on our vehicles. Four wheels? That’s a car or truck—we love those. Two wheels? Motorcycle, cool. Eighteen wheels? Roll on, Snowman.

But three wheels? That’s literally an odd one. Since five- and seven-wheeled vehicles just haven’t taken off, trikes take up the flag for automotive oddities. Is the peculiar wheel count a detriment to those vehicles? Rather than sit and philosophize, Aaron Robinson and I took to the streets in and around Los Angeles to spend three days with two of the most polarizing vehicles on the road today: The Morgan Super 3 and the Polaris Slingshot.

The Morgan Super 3 has a longer history and more charm. This 2023 model traces its lineage back over a century to 1909 when Henry Fredrick Stanley Morgan first put a vehicle of his own design into production. The design was born from thrift. After learning that cyclecars were not taxed the same as motorcycles, his plan to construct a bike utilizing the 7-hp Peugeot twin-cylinder morphed into a plan to build a trike, with two wheels up front and a backbone frame to support the single rear wheel.

It was weird. The V-twin was mounted up front with a slim, lightweight body behind it. Decorated English fighter pilot Albert Ball once remarked that driving his Morgan was the closest he could get to flying without leaving the ground. Morgan’s 3 Wheeler has gone through a handful of iterations, including one built from 2012 to 2020 that featured an S&S air-cooled V-twin out front to fit the tradition.

The latest version of the Morgan is the Super 3, and it changes the form a bit by tucking a Ford-sourced, 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine behind a small, semi-circle grille and under the low and sleek hood that establishes the very aeronautical shape of the body. A Mazda-sourced five-speed manual transmits the engine power to the rear wheel using a bevel gear and belt drive. The whole shape would be even more fuselage-like if it weren’t for the sideboards attached to each side behind the front wheels that are designed to hold luggage. Even your spare socks get the open-air experience.

That aircraft theme is carried to the interior where two simple gauges sit front and center with a few weatherproof switches for the accessories underneath. A small digital gauge pod sits atop the steering column. It can be used for GPS navigation with the help of Beeline, an aftermarket motorcycle-oriented navigation system. The diamond-stitch interior panels are thinly padded, which makes getting into the driver’s seat a little easier by offering steadier footing climbing in. Sliding down into the driving position requires limber joints, especially because the steering wheel will bend if used as a grabbing point. Once you are in place, it becomes clear there is not much to do besides drive. You don’t get to a 1400-pound curb weight by filling a car with trinkets and farkles. Instead, flip the switch cover between the gauge pods and press the start button twice to wake the 118-horsepower three-cylinder. Shift to first, and away you go.

It shakes a little at idle. The steering wheel is small and inputs all feel quick no matter how many times I tell myself “slow hands” while diving through corners in the Malibu canyons. Within the narrow body shape, the pedal box is cramped. There is no room for a dead pedal, leaving me to try and brace myself against the floor and the sideboard, which drives my left knee into the metal eyelets that create a kitschy bungee-cord storage system. Maybe I just need a pair of driving gloves to wedge in there. It would fit the aesthetic, but a seemingly better solution is for the car to gain an inch at nearly every measurable point. Interior, exterior, and suspension travel all would benefit from a little more space or travel.

Since the Morgan is registered as a motorcycle, helmet laws do apply depending on your jurisdiction, and while behind the wheel we often prefer the additional insulation a helmet provides. The small windshield bumps the current of air up (but not completely overtop) the occupants, and the wind buffeting we experience is just like what we feel in a motorcycle. The H-pattern five-speed hails from the NC-generation (2005–2015) Mazda Miata and makes freeway entry or just motoring about engaging and fun. Expect attention everywhere you go, but understand that attention meets you from a thinly padded, narrow, and non-adjustable seat that gives a perfect angle to inspect the inner fenders of a stock full-sized truck.

The Morgan has a certain simplistic charm that is hard to find in a modern car. There is nothing going on inside the Super 3 that keeps a driver or passenger from paying more attention to what is going on outside the sheetmetal bathtub; this is a vehicle that allows you to focus more on the experience of the drive rather than the destination. That said, handling is best described as quirky: I spent many of my weekends last year racing motorcycles and have enough track time in a car to know the Morgan was encouraging me to back off, rather than to push quicker and drive it more aggressively. Most drivers will be wise to slow down and take in the scenery.

If both the Morgan and the Polaris are attempting to prove that 4 < 3 > 2, Morgan is a gray-haired math professor who still scrawls his proof on chalkboards and, after a century of trying, uses roughly the same method. The Polaris Slingshot is the newcomer, the rough guy from Southie who wrote on the chalkboard one night when he was supposed to be cleaning.

While Morgan is a small British company with aeronautical roots dedicated to keeping old-world craft alive, Polaris is a relatively young U.S. company that got its start with snowmobiles in the 1950s. It later expanded into the side-by-side market, and also the boat and motorcycle market, by acquiring and reviving brands on the brink of collapse. The Slingshot has been sold since 2015 and has experienced plenty of changes over those years. The largest is the switch from a Chevrolet-sourced Ecotec inline-four to an in-house, Polaris-sourced Prostar 2.0-liter inline-four. This engine is part of what makes the Slingshot charming. It pulls strong from low rpm and continues to sweep smoothly up the tachometer to a 10,000-rpm redline. Said engine is mated to the same Miata transmission as you’d find in the Morgan.

The Slingshot looks at things differently and adds new variables. The angular front end is busy, but that is the nature of the beast when hanging double-wishbone front suspension out in the air. The 205-series 17-inch front tires look massive when parked next to the Morgan’s 195/65R-15 all-seasons. In all but one of the five color schemes available from Polaris, the tubular chassis becomes a visual highlight along with the door bars and roll hoops, which are painted in contrasting colors: red, orange, purple, and lime green. The accent color extends to the single-sided swingarm that hangs proudly off the back and houses the belt that transfers power to the meaty, 18-inch rear wheel.

Though the Polaris has far more grip than the Morgan, that larger rear tire still struggles to plant the 203 horsepower. Leaving one tire track after a burnout was the subject of many a joke during our test, but the Slingshot is no laughing matter. Compared with the Morgan, it is relatively luxurious: There is power steering hidden under the clamshell, which was welcome when swapping from one to the other. The “interior” has simple vinyl bucket seats with good bolstering that feature both heating and cooling for the back and bottom. It’s clear that Polaris has powersports experience because the fit and finish is nice despite everything needing to be some form of plastic to handle the exposure that comes when you ditch a roof. Close your eyes while sitting in the driver’s seat of the Slingshot, and it all feels like a car. Open your eyes, though, and the sounds and smells of the world come through stronger than ever. Even with a helmet on the eau de perfum of the 405 cannot be ignored. The lack of insulation is a trade-off: Once out of traffic, the sounds and smells of the wild canyons permeate your senses and create an escape. The front wheels are out in the wind and so are you.

While similar in concept, the Slingshot and the Super 3 produce very different responses for me. I drove the borderline-gaudy Polaris for hundreds of miles during the week I was out West, but always with a slight tinge of happiness that I was wearing a helmet. I didn’t really want to be seen in it, despite enjoying the driving experience. The Morgan was the polar opposite. An extra trip around the parking lot to look for a “better” spot? No big deal—the Morgan turns heads without the stigma. The Super 3 is a novelty designed to be interesting and succeeds at doing so. The Slingshot is a novelty that also functions well and suffers for its relative practicality: It’s seen on the road far more often, and passersby have opinions hardened by factors that have less to do with the Slingshot and more to do with the people who typically drive it.

The history of three-wheel vehicles has pretty much always been centered around either functionality or experience. The first self-propelled vehicle had three wheels, in fact, not four: Around 1770, Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot grafted a steam boiler powering a single wheel onto a simple cart that would be defined in modern terms as a powered trailer. Even with those low expectations, it failed to perform tasks better than un-powered four-wheel or two-wheel carts.

Over 250 years later, trikes are not solutions to transportation problems; they are lifestyle choices. As extensions of their owner’s personalities, they are no different from antique iron. Could you live every day with the Morgan or the Polaris as your sole vehicle? Sure, if you’re okay with carrying a helmet with you everywhere, but let’s not pretend daily use was ever part of the design brief for these machines. They are novelties, and the only problem they solve is forcing a driver to be more aware of what’s on the road.

Only after driving these trikes can I say that not everything strange is bad. As a person who buys vehicles for the experience they can provide, I would consider either of these if a spot in my garage opened up. You might have experienced everything on two or four wheels, but the Morgan and the Polaris are different. They are like motorcycles, but somehow not consolation prizes compared with riding two wheels. They provide the openness of a motorcycle but are so much less busy to drive. Each is unique; it flies in the face of convention and is coveted or shunned for doing so.

Proving whether two, three, or four is the correct number of wheels for a vehicle will only drive you mad. Why be mad when you could drive either of these three-wheelers with a grin on your face? The only axiom that matters is driving = fun.

Specs: 2023 Polaris Slingshot R

Price: $33,999 ($34,299 in California)/$33,999 (Base/as tested)
Powertrain: 2-liter inline four-cylinder, five-speed manual transmission
Horsepower:203 hp @ 8250 rpm
Torque: 144 lb-ft @ 6500 rpm
Layout: rear-wheel-drive, no-door, two-passenger roadster
0–60 mph: 5.3 seconds

Specs: Morgan Super 3

Price: $53,937.98/$79,028 (Base/as tested)
Powertrain: 1.5-liter three-cylinder, five-speed manual transmission
Horsepower: 118 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque: 110 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm
Layout: rear-wheel-drive, no-door, two-passenger roadster
0–60 mph: 7 seconds

***

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If you think that automakers are content to let the aftermarket suck up profits from off-road enthusiasts, think again. Over the past half-decade, we’ve seen nearly every marque try its hand at something with meaty tires, hoisted suspension, and a skidplate or six. The roster has only gotten bigger and better: Ford’s Bronco is back and buzzing, the Jeep Wrangler has never been more impressive, and the full-size truck wars have officially left the pavement. Even supercars are snorting dirt like it’s going out of style.

If the space interests you at all, the Lexus GX is almost certainly a familiar sight. These machines have always excelled where the going gets rough, but since the GX’s inception in 2002, its reputation as an off-roader and overlander has been inextricably tied to the aftermarket. Beloved for their bulletproof reliability and sturdiness, the GX is often treated as a blank canvas for custom and off-the-shelf adventure parts. With the new Overtrail and Overtrail+ trims, that well-regarded trail capability is finally the focal point of Lexus’s own strategy.

As we’ve written about previously, the GX is able to go in this direction because a new model—the three-row TX—fulfills Lexus’ need for a luxurious, on-road-focused SUV.

Our first date with the 2024 Lexus GX 550 took place in Tucson, Arizona, at the vehicle’s official press launch. We spent the day rolling through desert trails and over nearby highways and roads, sampling a few of the six trims offered on the new GX (Premium, Premium+, Luxury, Luxury+, Overtrail, and Overtrail+). At the end of the day, the Overtrail variants were the ones that most held our attention.

Added to the base price of $77,250 (including a $1350 destination fee), the options list on the $80,915 GX 550 Overtrail+ you see here was relatively modest: $350 for bi-tone paint that adds a blacked-out roof to contrast the sandy Earth (flat tan) paint; a 21-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound system for $1140; a head-up display for $900; and a few other small-ticket options. An MSRP north of $80,000 is no small sum, but for what you get, the price feels right. (To learn about the trim-specific features of the Overtrail and Overtrail+, click here.)

Specs: 2024 Lexus GX 550 Overtrail+

• Price: $77,250/$80,915 (base/as-tested)
• Powertrain: 3.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-6, 10-speed automatic transmission
• Horsepower: 349 hp @ 4800–5200 rpm
• Torque: 479 lb-ft @ 2000–3600 rpm
• Layout: Full-time four-wheel-drive, four-door, 5–7-passenger body-on-frame SUV
• Manufacturer-estimated fuel economy: 15 mpg city, 21 mpg highway, 17 mpg combined
• 0–60 mph: 6.5 seconds
• Competitors: GMC Yukon AT4, Land Rover Defender 110, Chevrolet Tahoe Z71

Toyota and Lexus are nearing the back half of a gargantuan product turnover, with everything from the Tacoma to the Land Cruiser to the LX and GX entering new generations. All of the aforementioned vehicles (and then some) now ride on Toyota’s TNGA-F platform, a global architecture underpinning everything built by Toyota or Lexus with a body-on-frame architecture. According to Lexus, the new frame is 20 percent stiffer than its predecessor.

Atop that new frame sits what might be Lexus’ best-ever SUV design. Gone are the days of a massive spindle grille creating a visual black hole at the nose of the vehicle. The new metal is more cohesive and avoids veering into hyper-aggressive territory. The linear, geometric shape has whiffs of the new Land Cruiser—the upward turn of the beltline on the second-row door looks exactly the same—but you’ll forgive the similarities because, well, they both look fantastic.

The outgoing GX had a mishmash of body lines and surfaces that never melded, resulting in a busy, not-quite-right profile. By contrast, this one feels resolute and whole, from the angular hexagonal wheel arches to the conservative but cohesive front and rear ends. It’s as if Lexus’ designers finally nailed the GX appearance that can both attract new customers and give longtime fans something both familiar and fresh.

Relative to the outgoing GX 460, the new GX 550 is larger in almost every dimension. Overtrail variants are 4.52 inches wider, while the other trims gain just 3.74 inches of width. The wheelbase grows 2.4 inches, now up to 112.2 (which, not coincidentally, is the same wheelbase as the LX 600), and overall length increases to 197.05 inches, up nearly 5 inches from the old GX. Unless you’re parking your new GX 550 next to an older generation, though, that added footprint isn’t apparent.

From the inside, the growth is even less noticeable. Forward and lateral visibility are remarkable, thanks in part to that lower beltline and an A-pillar that’s been pulled rearward to stand the windshield more upright. The hood features a depression in the middle flanked by bulges on either side, which makes placing the GX’s nose a cinch. To help occupants better gauge just how tilted they get on a trail, the GX’s dashboard is almost perfectly flat, with a low, uniform height across its entire width.

It is possible to configure a GX 550 to seat anywhere from five to seven passengers. The Overtrail and Overtrail+ trims hold just five butts, removing the third row entirely. Good riddance, at least for adult passengers; we forced ourselves into the third-row seats in another test car and found them quite punishing. A 112.2-inch wheelbase and a solid rear axle are not conducive to comfy way-back seating.

The new generation of the GX is powered by a 3.4-liter twin-turbo V-6 that churns out 349 hp and a whopping 479 lb-ft of torque. Those figures are up from the outgoing V-8-powered model, which produced just 301 hp and 329 lb-ft of torque. Power routes through a 10-speed automatic transmission to a full-time four-wheel drive system with a locking center differential across all models. Overtrail and Overtrail+ models get an additional locking rear diff. Towing figures are stout: Four of the six trims can pull over 9000 pounds, and the remaining two (Luxury and Luxury+) can still manage 7600-plus. By comparison, a comparably equipped GMC Yukon AT4 tops out at 8200 pounds. The previous generation of GX could pull 6500 at most.

Call me a Luddite, but I adored the dead-simple 4.6-liter V-8 in the outgoing GX. It was a thirsty, not especially powerful engine, but it felt unhurried and largely effortless in its GX application. Thankfully, the new powertrain feels even more unstressed. There’s enough giddyup to keep the driver entertained (0–60 takes just 6.5 seconds, down 1.3 seconds from the outgoing model), and the 10-speed automatic operates seamlessly in the background on throttle. We did, it should be said, feel the occasional clunk while coasting down to a stop.

Our morning drive was through a modest trail system carved through a nearby ranch. The (very) mild path was designed to lift the GX into the occasional three-legged stance and highlight the added wheel articulation from the Electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (E-KDSS). The system can lock and unlock the front and rear roll bars in low-speed situations (read: crawling through a trail) to stretch the wheels downward and maintain those precious contact patches. At higher speeds, it re-engages the bars to help keep the GX poised in the corners.

I got the sense that we were barely scratching the surface of what the GX Overtrail+ could do. The knobby 33-inch tires, developed in collaboration with Toyo, clawed their way over the muddy rutted trail without a hint of lost traction. On the drive to and from the ranch, the taller sidewalls soaked up pavement imperfections like they weren’t even there. You’ll want an Overtrail if you live somewhere that suffers from potholes. Conveniently, the 18-inch wheels are also the best-looking option by a longshot; the shoes on the other trims leave a lot to be desired.

Unlike the previous GX, there is no height-adjustable suspension offered for this generation. Adaptive variable suspension is offered for Overtrail, Overtrail+, and the Luxury+ trim, the latter of which we also drove and is not pictured here. Our take: the standard dampers felt plenty sufficient.

User interfaces have been the bane of most modern Lexuses, but the new cabin layout improves upon them. (The center stack is an evolution of what’s featured in the compact Lexus NX.) This might be the first time I’ve been glad to see fewer buttons in a new car and more functionality assigned to a central touchscreen. In the older GX, controls to adjust drive modes, suspension settings, or off-road systems were tucked into what seemed like 15 different locations. Here, driving-related controls are concentrated just ahead of the shifter, making them much easier to use. Operating anything else, like the climate control or the radio (note the pair of knobs!) takes place almost entirely on the central screen and can be learned quickly.

Lexus is hoping to move 33,000 GX 550s this year, with the Premium+ trim ($69,250 starting MSRP) shouldering the lion’s share of those units. We’re betting that the Overtrail and Overtrail+ trims pull just as much weight. The automaker says it’s already received a record number of deposits for the new ute, and it’s not hard to see why.

Not only is this new GX exactly what fans wanted from an out-of-the-box capability standpoint, the new SUV will check all important boxes for customers who want a modern, stylish, and solid-feeling mid-size luxury SUV. It has the looks to lure even those who don’t dream of off-grid adventures and the chops to handle the escapades of those who do. If the GX 550 is any bit as reliable as its predecessors (Lexus says that roughly 95 percent of all GXes are still on the road today), this is a winning formula—and then some.

2024 Lexus GX 550 Overtrail+

Highs: Home-run styling draped over an interior that finally feels additive instead of tolerable. Trim-specific features are worth every penny. Still room for the aftermarket to run wild.

Lows: Third row is cramped enough to make you ponder the necessity of its existence. Non-Overtrail wheel designs feel mismatched to the rest of the exterior.

Summary: Lexus finally let GX engineers and designers off the leash, to seriously cool effect. If it’s as reliable as the last generation, the third owner will probably love it as much as (if not more than) the first.

***

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They’re closing in. Can you see it? Can you feel it?

We are refining the automobile, improvements coming in hundredths, not tenths. Eventually, we will have the perfect car. Every behavioral science department is humming. Teams armed with algorithms and reams of data are forecasting what buyers want and need. The technology exists—we can have an eleventy-twelve-speaker sound system, heated seats, and four cup holders. Heck, we could have 14 heated cup holders if that’s what the focus groups agreed on.

The Lexus TX is the logical product of this march toward customer optimization. It is technically a new entrant into the three-row, midsize luxury SUV segment. The TX replaces the enlarged Lexus RX, previously dubbed RX-L, and rides on the same platform as the Toyota Grand Highlander. Luxury buyers in America don’t want a minivan, so the ones with minivan needs buy something like this instead. Earlier this month, a 2024 Lexus TX 350 showed up to my Detroit doorstep wearing a coat of Wind Chill Pearl paint. I opened the driver’s door.

First impressions: This ute is nice. The Lexus ideals of comfort, quality materials, and subtle style converge here. It’s not an enthusiast’s zenith, like a 1968 L88 Corvette or a 1000-horsepower Mopar. But if you need to shuffle seven human beings to highway cruising velocity while every one of their phones charges, it’s then that you’re appreciative of the TX’s seven USB-C ports. A 14-inch touchscreen dominates the dashboard. There’s “NuLuxe” synthetic leather trim all over, save the leather-trimmed steering wheel, plus snazzy ambient lighting to jazz up the place at night.

More than anything, though, the unibody TX has space, for people and things. The aim here is full-size, body-on-frame SUV-like capacity (think Lexus GX) with better packaging, more car-like handling, and much better fuel economy—27 mpg highway in this front-drive TX vs. 21 mpg in the upcoming GX.

Most impressive was that this loaner TX was the base model, the TX 350, estimated to cost $55,050. (The average transaction price for a new car in 2023 is about $48,000.) I felt like a 19th-century peasant who time-traveled to Target’s clearance aisle. These lux sport utilities, even in standard trim, are mind-blowing in their tech and comfort. My daily driver, a last-gen Chevy Colorado, is a ’65 Mustang compared to the new TX.

The TX can be had in nine different variants, ranging from this base front-wheel-drive TX 350 to the all-wheel-drive hybrid TX550h+ Luxury. The latter is the only one of the bunch with a 3.5-liter six-cylinder, whereas the other flavors utilize a 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four, with or without hybrid assistance. Inside, the trims are also varied in their level of equipment. The chief differences among the spread are the materials, sound system, and seat count. Luxury trims ditch the middle row bench for a pair of captain chairs, turning the seven-passenger Lexus into a sixer.

Regardless of where or how you sit, all chairs are super comfy. The front buckets are heated, and true to Lexus form, can hold buns for extended miles without causing cramping or tingling. Lexus, though, seems to be the most proud of its work in the back row. And unless you play in the NBA, the manual-folding third row ain’t too bad.

“It’s only human to want the best seat in the house. And it’s only Lexus to make every seat the best seat,” said Dejuan Ross, group vice president and general manager, Lexus Division. “TX prioritizes comfort in every row.” It helps that it is riding on a sport utility platform with a 116-inch wheelbase that’s only four inches shorter than the span you’d find on a Chevy Tahoe.

Specs: 2024 Lexus TX350 FWD

Price: $55,050/$55,050 (Base/as tested)
Powertrain: 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, eight-speed automatic transmission
Horsepower: 275 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 370 lb-ft @ 1700–3600 rpm
Layout: front-wheel-drive, four-door, seven-passenger sedan
EPA-rated fuel economy: 21 city, 27 highway, 23 combined
0–60 mph: 7.1 seconds
Competitors: Acura MDX, Volvo XC90, BMW X5, Genesis GV80

Perhaps the most divisive part of this Lexus is its face. This seems to be the ongoing trend and the key differentiator amongst luxury cruisers that can do it all. The GV80’s giant argyle smile or the X5’s big ol’ kidney bean—if you want to be a competitor in this space, you better thrill with the grille. Even after a week-long loan of the TX, the verdict is still out. On one hand, the horizontal slats look menacing, like a Cylon Centurion helmet. On the other, it has the same face as my wall-unit air conditioner.

Like an appliance, the drivetrain performs the intended task with acute reliability. I drove the TX to Indianapolis for a weekend and whether we were open-road motoring or gridlock juking, the mid-size SUV was unfazed. The eight-speed automatic delivers smooth, consistent power from the 275-horse turbocharged four-cylinder. (I would prefer a shifter that moved and clicked rather than rocked into gear, however.) This Goldilocks power output should work well for anyone. Even the towing capacity is decent at 5000 pounds. To put that in perspective, that’s a thousand more than the turbo-four-powered Ford Maverick.

Given the size, the TX overachieves with its turning radius and is perfectly capable of navigating the tightest spots, despite its three-row status. There aren’t any glaring blind spots and the vehicle’s four corners feel within your grasp. It’s big, but not ungainly. The brakes do their job, but they felt a bit soft, and required a long push and a heavy foot for stop signs. Stopping and starting are smooth nonetheless with MacPherson struts up front and a five-arm multi-link out back. The rig feels composed in abrupt turns and highway cloverleaf exits.

It’s an extremely pleasant ride, and even with base trim, the TX still knows how to cosset its occupants. The touchscreen works well, and dual physical knobs allow for quick adjustments while maintaining a view of the road. The seven-inch digital instrument display clearly provides all pertinent driving information. The buttons on the wheel aren’t as overwhelming as some of the new luxury wheels, though I did struggle to toggle between regular cruise and adaptive cruise and was fed a this-feature-is-not-available-now message regarding the cruise on multiple occasions. (In fairness, this is technically a prototype vehicle and thus not part of the regular production run.)

Lexus’ NuLuxe synthetic leather is applied liberally throughout the spacious cabin. I also enjoyed the adjustable cup holders in the center that could be unclipped if you wanted to place something larger or oblong between the front row. My only big gripe for the interior may be a sign of my dinosaur status, but there were only USB-C ports, no older types.

The standard 12-speaker sound system is plenty loud but lacks that refined clarity that true audiophiles seek. I’d be curious what the 21-speaker PurePlay Surround Sound (available in Premium and Luxury variants for $1160) can do for the ear.

Of course, when you start tacking on the available options like 22-inch wheels for $2140 or the $895 convenience package that includes a Traffic Jam Assist, the three-row SUV that I tested for $55,050 quickly surpasses the $60K or even $70K threshold. At that mark, this vehicle is out past its depth into waters filled with sharks like the Mercedes-Benz GLE or a Genesis GV80 Prestige.

This base-model TX is right where it should be, in among the other handsome seven-passenger haulers like the Acura MDX or the Volvo XC90. And if refining the automobile in 2024 means everything you need and pretty much nothing you don’t, I get the appeal. Buyer decisions for a segment like three-row crossovers often come down to the most minute differences in aesthetics or utility, like a grille with horizontal vs. vertical slats or a center console with removable cup holders. The Lexus TX manages to give the focus groups what they want, without losing focus on the comfort and usability fundamentals that matter most.

2024 Lexus TX 350 FWD

Highs: Seems even bigger on the inside, can hold seven adults comfortably, powertrain is smooth and predictable.

Lows: Too many buttons on the steering wheel, slightly spongy brake pedal, infotainment menus have a learning curve.

Takeaway: The TX might be a new name, but it looks, feels, and drives like a veteran three-row luxury family hauler.

The post 2024 Lexus TX350 FWD Review: Frilled yet focused appeared first on Hagerty Media.

For the 2024 model year, Subaru adds some special pop to the sporty 2+2 BRZ, and the changes are not under the hood. They’re below what’s under the hood.

This enthusiast brand and its enthusiast car, which is now in the third year of its second generation, just got some upgrades to be more, well, enthusiastic about. The latest tS model, tuned by Subaru’s STI performance division, plusses out the already fun-to-drive BRZ in a couple of different ways.

First, Subie swaps out the standard dampers for Hitachi’s Sensitive Frequency Response Dampers (SFRD). These marvels of modern driving tech mechanically adjust internal valves, making micro corrections as they respond to road imperfections. The rears only receive single-mode dampers, but you won’t care because they’re tuned to the same specifications as the front SFRDs. Expertly tuned by STI, the BRZ tS gets transformed into a formidable driver’s car. Uneven pavement, potholes—I was shocked, no pun intended, at how little these left the BRZ unsettled. Regardless of imperfect road conditions, my passenger and I could have sipped tea without a spill.

The tS also gets upgraded stoppers with 12.8-inch ventilated discs. Squeezing you to a stop are four-piston Brembo calipers—painted gold, thank you so much. At the rear, the car is equipped with 12.4-inch discs with dual-piston gold Brembos. Steering feels light, but not too light, and quick, must-have characteristics on hairpin turns, where the BRZ handles like a much more expensive car. Turn-in feels sharp and body roll mitigated to a whisper.

Packed with a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter four-cylinder boxer engine, the BRZ, a joint venture with Toyota, gets moving with 228 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque that peaks at 3700 rpm. If that doesn’t sound like much, factor in its 2846-pound curb weight, and things become more interesting.

A smooth-shifting six-speed transmission comes standard, but you can order the BRZ with an automatic if you’d prefer. Most BRZ buyers don’t: with a 73.8 percent take rate on the DIY gear selector, Subaru is succeeding where most car companies are failing—it’s saving the manuals. Though redline arrives at 7000 rpm, the gear ratios feel well-tuned. Second and third do the heavy lifting when carving canyons, even though you don’t get into the meat of the powerband until close to 4000 rpm. Because the car is so light, however, that doesn’t feel as though it hampers performance.

Around the 18-inch allow wheels wrap 215/40 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer tires, which afford the BRZ excellent grip under the right conditions. Driver beware in the rain, though: I found out the hard way, on a wet, tight turn taken too quickly, that even with nannies, the BRZ’s back end can quickly get away from you.

Specs: 2024 Subaru BRZ tS

Price: $31,315 (base), $36,465 (as tested)
Powertrain: 2.4-liter boxer four-cylinder, six-speed manual transmission
Horsepower: 228 @ 7000 rpm
Torque: 183 lb-ft @ 3700 rpm
Layout: rear-drive, two-door, four-passenger coupe
Weight: 2846 pounds
EPA-rated fuel economy (city/highway/average): 20/27/22 mpg
Competitors: Toyota GR86, Honda Civic Si, Hyundai Elantra N

You may not get more power in the tS than you do in a regular BRZ, but with both brake and suspension improvements, you’ll have free rein to push what you do have far further. The BRZ has a naturally low center of gravity—at 17.95 inches, slightly lower than the mid-engine Corvette—which helps make this lightweight rear-driver epic amounts of fun to drive.

If you’re afraid to have too much fun, then Subaru has you covered. Even equipped with the manual transmission, EyeSight, Subaru’s suite of advanced safety technology, is now available on all BRZs. That even includes Subaru’s Adaptive Cruise Control, though it won’t make a complete stop for you. The rules of physics still apply: If you’re using ACC on a manual BRZ, you can still stall out on the freeway. You also get a pre-collision warning and braking system, lane departure, and sway warnings, though thankfully the systems are easy to disengage if you’re planning on a spirited canyon drive—and I highly recommend you do.

Subaru swathes the interior of the tS in black cloth with trim-specific blue stitching and seat accents. The sport-designed front seats offer the driver enough support but aren’t uncomfortable during a longer haul. The surprisingly plush interior is rounded out by a leather steering wheel and boot cover, a large-enough 8-inch multimedia touch screen, which integrates Smartphones, Bluetooth, and XM technology, a 7-inch digital gauge screen, and red STI badging and accents.

From the outside, in addition to those blingy brakes, you’ll know you’re driving a BRZ tS by the script on the front grille. “BRZ tS” also appears on the rear decklid, but what you won’t find back there is a wing, which used to grace the tS in previous iterations; Subaru omitted the wing to help keep costs down.

Speaking of, the Subaru BRZ tS gets a sticker price of $35,345. That doesn’t include Subaru’s $1120 destination and delivery fee. For a fun performance rear-wheel drive car with a manual transmission, a sport-tuned suspension that lives up to the hype, and brakes to get it all safely to a stop that sounds like a deal. The BRZ Premium, which is the entry-level trim, starts at $30,195.

While some folks might remain unaware of the BRZ’s existence, all the right buyers know. According to Subaru’s sales statistics, BRZ buyers rank as some of the brand’s youngest customers, showing that Subaru is doing a second thing that most manufacturers can only dream of: keeping driving alive for the next generation.

2024 Subaru BRZ tS

Highs: Transformative suspension upgrades. Solid, confidence-inspiring brakes. Smooth-shifting gearbox.

Lows: Surprising low fuel economy. Infotainment screen on the small side. No additional power in the sportier trim.

Verdict: New tS upgrades put the already spirited BRZ into true driver’s car territory.

***

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The TR designating the second-highest trim level of Subaru’s WRX used to mean “tuner ready.” For the 2024 version, “track ready” might be more appropriate, says the company. If the location of the press junket location was to be taken literally, TR could also mean Targa Ready: The drive was held on a 91-mile historic racecourse around the Italian island of Sicily, the site of the famous Targa Florio race, held from 1906 to 1977.

Still driven by a 2.4-liter DOHC turbocharged engine, the WRX TR doesn’t get power upgrades. That four-banger limits drivers to 271 horses and 258 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers don’t disappoint, however, especially around twisty roads where straight-line speed doesn’t matter. Torque feels plentiful as it comes on full at 2000 through 5000 rpm. This tried and true mill pulls the WRX TR’s 3430 pounds nicely and the standard AWD keeps the car plenty balanced and stable.

In 2008, TR meant the base model WRX, stripped and available on the cheap so customers could tune, modify, tweak, customize, hot rod, or whatever else they wanted to do to their vehicle. For 2024, the TR is closer to the top of the model lineup, with performance enhancements already built in.

This TR comes equipped with upgraded Brembo brakes including 13.4-inch cross-drilled rotors and six-piston monoblock red calipers up front and 12.8-inch drilled rotors with two-piston monoblock calipers in the rear. There’s also a larger master cylinder controlling all that formidable stopping power, which is highly necessary around the twisting roads in Sicily, from the original Floriopoli pit garages up to Caltavuturo, which sits 2000 feet above sea level, and back down to the Mediterranean. Those brakes were at the ready when an unexpected pothole—or, worse, a crevice—appeared out of nowhere, demanding the full attention of the driver.

The Sicilian roads have seen better days; half of them seem to have fallen away, with cones and extreme caution signs in their place. There, the suspension upgrades were welcome. The weather swirling around Mount Etna, the volcano that is the island, cares not that drivers prefer smooth, unbuckled pavement and has left the roads an undulating mess.

Up front the WRX TR gets slightly stiffer springs and the dampers, . As a driver, I’d have preferred to push the car a bit harder, but conditions forbade it. That being said, with Subaru’s full-time AWD, controlled by a viscous coupling differential that splits torque from right to left 50/50, the WRX felt balanced. The torque vectoring system is brake-based and effective. Torque steer feels well-managed and minimal. In extreme conditions, the suspension felt jouncy and unpleasantly talkative. I had an opportunity to test the BRZ tS which has been upgraded with a different set-up and the two-door felt more composed under the same circumstances.

Specs: 2024 Subaru WRX TR

Price: $33,855 (base), $42,775 (as-tested)
Powertrain: 2.4-liter DOHC four-cylinder turbocharged boxer engine, six-speed manual transmission
Horsepower: 271 @ 5600 rpm
Torque: 258 lb-ft @ 2000-5200 rpm
Layout: AWD, four-door, five-passenger sedan
Weight: 3430 pounds
EPA-rated fuel economy: TBD
Competitors: Honda Civic Si, Toyota GR Corolla, Hyundai Elantra N

The 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels, finished in satin gray, look great on the TR. Subaru retuned the steering for a bit more feedback, and Bridgestone Potenza S007 performance tires that come standard point exactly where the driver wants them to go.

At this price point, the WRX feels like a well-put-together car. And buyers are agreeing: According to Subaru, sales of the 2023 WRX will post as the second-best ever for this generation, and 79.3 percent of second-gen customers have chosen the manual transmission. A continuously variable-type transmission comes optional on the WRX TR and can be operated in a manual mode with paddle shifters. Even though few customers will experience it, Subaru’s engineering efforts here have paid off; the CVT is not a bad option.

Recaro Ultrasuede seats secure you in the cockpit, which offers drivers a litany of standard amenities and creature comforts, including an 11.6-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Graphics are clear and the processor works quickly, and there are also enough buttons and knobs to prevent drivers from looking away from the road when trying to perform basic functions such as temperature and volume control.

When you must look away, EyeSight—Subaru’s suite of safety features that includes advanced tech like adaptive cruise control, lane centering assistance, and lane departure prevention—helps keep you in line with pavement markings. On the TR the moonroof has been deleted to subtract weight and add head room in the event you’re wearing a helmet and tracking your car.

Fuel economy numbers for the TR haven’t been published yet, however, the 2023 WRX model wasn’t the most efficient car on the road, posting a 22 combined city/highway number with the manual and a 21 combined for the automatic. It’s likely the 2024 numbers will look similar, though the TR might take a small hit with its added weight.

The base model WRX starts at $32,735 minus Subaru’s $1120 destination and delivery charge. The WRX TR starts at a moderate-by-today’s standards $41,655. The top-of-the-line WRX GT asks that buyers part with $44,215. Unlike other brands with enthusiast cars, Subaru has strongly encouraged its dealer network to not add on a steep markup. Maybe that’s why it is so beloved. Take note, sellers of the Toyota GR Corolla.

While the Targa Florio road race concluded its impressive 71-year run in 1977, the name lived was adopted for an off-road rally race on the European Rally Championship circuit from 1978 until 2019, and yes, there Subaru took the top step on the podium in both 1995 and 1999. While driving in Sicily might have been a bit of a stretch for the Japanese brand, there’s still some Italian in Subaru’s bloodline.

2024 Subaru WRX TR

Highs: Improved, sportier suspension. Brembo brakes add to driver confidence. The torque vectoring and AWD systems give the WRX solid handling and performance credentials. Manual transmission standard.

Lows: Dampers display a good deal of jounce on uneven pavement under severe load. Some feel the new exterior design pales to that of the previous generation. No additional power for the TR or “track ready” model.

Verdict: The WRX TR nicely plusses a solid daily driver, though it lacks some refinement at speed on imperfect roads.

***

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My Maserati does one-eighty-five

I lost my license, now I don’t drive

***

Legendary rocker Joe Walsh, whose 1978 hit “Life’s Been Good” included that immortal couplet, would love the Maserati Ghibli 334 Ultima, though he might have even more trouble hanging on to his license. You see, the Ghibli 334 Ultima is a Maserati that will do 208 mph. What’s more, it’s a four-door, so Joe would be able to bring his buddies along for a thrill ride in what Maserati claims is the fastest sedan in the world.

The Ghibli 334 Ultima, along with the Levante Ultima SUV, commemorates the end of an era: They will be the last Maseratis built with a V-8 engine.

Both Ultimas bid farewell to the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-8 (codename F154) shared with Ferrari, which has powered top-of-the-range versions of the Ghibli and the Levante since 2018. In Maserati specification, the F154 features a cross-plane crank and a wet sump (the Ferrari version used in the Roma, the F8 Tributo, and the SF90, is dry-sumped, with a flat-plane crank) and develops 572 hp at 6750 rpm, and 538 lb-ft of torque from 2250 to 5250 rpm.

Just 103 Ghibli 334 Ultimas, all painted in a deep pearlescent blue called Blu di Persia, will be built.  Both the number to be made and the color are a nod to Maserati’s first ever V-8-powered road car, the 5000GT. And the 334 bit? That refers to the limited-edition Ghibli’s top speed, in kilometers per hour, which Maserati says makes it the fastest four-door sedan in the world.

The 5000GT was created at the request of the Shah of Iran, who wanted a car that combined the comfort and features of Maserati’s six-cylinder 3500GT coupe with the performance of its V-8-powered 450S sports racer and offered to pay the development costs to get it built. Known internally as the Tipo 103, the Shah’s car had bodywork painted a unique shade of blue.

Maserati would build a mere 34 5000GTs between 1959 and 1966, their V-8s cloaked in bodies from nine different coachbuilders. Joe Walsh, who didn’t own a Maserati when he wrote “Life’s Been Good,” later acquired a lovely red 1964 Allemano-bodied 5000GT, telling Rolling Stone in a 2020 interview he’d been embarrassed into buying it. “I finally got one,” he said, “because everyone was making me feel really guilty. The look of sadness on their face… so I went and got a Maserati.”

And the punchline? “I don’t know if it does 185,” he admitted. “I chickened out at 140.”

Color aside, the Ghibli 334 Ultima is distinguished by its carbon exterior package, a rear spoiler, matte dark graphite 21-inch alloy wheels, and a “334” logo painted in red on the front fenders. Inside is an interior trimmed in black Alcantara and pale terracotta leather, with carbon fiber accents, 334 logos stitched into the seats, and a numbered plaque on the center console.

Specs: 2024 Maserati Ghibli 334 Ultima

Price: TBA
Powertrain: 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-8; eight-speed automatic transmission
Horsepower: 572 hp @ 6750 rpm
Torque: 538 lb-ft @ 2250–5250 rpm
Layout: Rear-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger sedan
Weight: 4285 lb
0–60 mph: 3.7 seconds
Top speed: 208 mph
Competitors: BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe, Porsche Panamera GTS

Confirming the 334 Ultima’s claimed 208-mph top speed, which is 5 mph higher than that of the regular Ghibli Trofeo, wasn’t an option on the snowy, sinuous mountain roads through the Italian Alps. Nor was it possible to test whether its 3.7- second 0-60 mph time is indeed 0.3 seconds quicker than the Ghibli Trofeo’s. But in the tunnels and galleries that occasionally shielded the road from the threat of avalanche, there was enough dry tarmac to enjoy the V-8’s animal snarl and intoxicating bite above 4000 rpm.

The F154 V-8 under the hood of the regular Ghibli Trofeo produces the same power and torque as the 334 Ultima version: The higher top speed and quicker 0-60 time is all due to attention to detail. Though the 334 Ultima’s homologated weight of 4340 lbs. is identical to that of the Trofeo, its more sports-oriented standard equipment manifest means it weighs 55 pounds less. The rear spoiler cuts drag at high speeds, and stickier compound tires mean the car launches harder from a standing start.

Again, heavy snow and freezing temperatures made it impossible to determine whether the 334 Ultima’s special compound tires extended its dynamic envelope beyond that of the Ghibli Trofeo. Our test car was instead fitted with Pirelli’s impressive Sottozero 3 winter tires, and the conditions tested their capabilities to the limit. The slippery roads proved the effectiveness of the traction and stability control protocols in the Normal and Sport drive modes, intervening quickly and smoothly to help keep the 334 Ultima on the road.

As Corsa mode dramatically dials back the electronic nannies, it could only be used sparingly in the conditions. Apart from the stiffer ride and crisper throttle response, Corsa nicely sharpened the upshifts of the eight-speed automatic transmission. Downshifts, even in manual mode, remained disappointingly sluggish, however. In addition to quicker downshifts, the 334 Ultima could use a firmer, more decisive brake pedal to better finesse braking, especially on slippery surfaces.

The calm composure of the Levante Ultima over the same roads proved why powerful, all-wheel-drive SUVs are rightly be considered the ultimate gran turismos of the 21st century. All-wheel drive doesn’t rewrite the laws of physics, of course, but it does allow the Levante, which boasts a claimed top speed of 188 mph, to confidently tackle all roads in all weather.

At 4938 pounds, the Levante Ultima weighs 485 pounds more than the Ghibli 334 Ultima, which dulls the response of the F154 V-8 just a tad. That said, in addition to propelling the Levante Ultima to 187 mph, the engine still has muscle enough to hustle the big, bluff Maserati from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, the acceleration helped by a lower final drive ratio than the Ghibli’s.

Specs: 2024 Maserati Levante Ultima

Price: TBA
Powertrain: 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-8; eight-speed automatic transmission
Horsepower: 572 hp @ 6750 rpm
Torque: 538 lb-ft @ 2250–5250 rpm
Layout: All-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger SUV
Weight: 4938 lbs.
0–60 mph: 3.8 seconds
Top speed: 187 mph
Competitors: Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid, Range Rover Sport SV

A total of 206 Levante Ultimas will be built, 103 of them painted a color called Blu Royale and the other 103 in a black named Nero Assoluto, with a red “V-8 Ultima” logo painted on the front guards. All will roll on black-painted 22-inch aluminum wheels and, like the Ghibli 334 Ultima, come equipped with a carbon exterior package and an interior trimmed in pale terracotta and black, although the seat material is all leather rather than the 334’s leather and Alcantara combination.

Maserati has built more than 100,000 V-8-powered road cars since 1959, and those powered by the F154 are among fastest ever to wear the storied Trident badge. The engine’s vibrant top end, the speed with which the tach needle zings from 5000 rpm to the 7200 rpm redline, is impressive for a turbocharged motor.

Maserati’s innovative and charismatic Nettuno V-6 is one of the finest powerplants in the business, more than ready to take over as the Italian brand’s front-line high-performance internal combustion engine. But the forceful and vocal V-8 will be missed. Arrivederci!

2024 Maserati Ghibli 334 Ultima

Highs: Punchy engine, Bentley-busting top speed.

Lows: Spongy brake pedal, languid downshifts in manual mode.

Takeaway: The Ghibli 334 Ultima sends off the V-8 with typical Maserati brio and panache.

2024 Maserati Levante Ultima

Highs: Characterful V-8 sound, good capability on all roads in all weather conditions.

Lows: Exterior styling lacks the elegance expected of a Maserati. And it’s heavy.

Takeaway: Though it’s now getting old, Maserati’s first-ever SUV has matured into a much better, more competitive super grand tourer.

***

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Short of a pickup, there seems to be a Porsche permutation for every person, family, and enthusiast. Need a twin-turbo hyper-coupe? 911 Turbo S. Freaky fast fun for five? Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, available as a sedan or—for a little while longer, anyway—a wagon. Is the cabin a bit snowed-in this time of year? Pick a Cayenne, any Cayenne. Maybe you want a little bit of everything previously mentioned, minus the thirst for gasoline? A Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo is a real model, not a Mad Lib, and it checks the battery-only box. If any Porsche can be called a hot hatch, though, it’s the Macan GTS.

Yes, we admit the Macan GTS is larger and rides quite a bit higher than, say, a VW Golf R. But if you want practical transportation with a Porsche badge, this is about as lively and well-balanced as it gets. Our loan of this Python Green 2023 Macan GTS took place in Phoenix, Arizona, allowing us to visit a car-themed coffee shop that’s been on our radar—the Fourtillfour cafe. It’s the type of place that 911 owners frequent; can any people-mover Porsche fit in with such a crowd?

We’ll get to the coffee later. First, a refresher: The Macan launched in 2014, and a almost decade later it’s still competitive with rivals like the BMW X3 and Mercedes GLC. The GTS is the top dog of the current Macan lineup, whereas Porsche previously offered a Turbo variant. For the 2021 model-year refresh—ushering in the third iteration of the Macan since its 2015 model-year debut—Porsche reorganized the Macan family tree so that the new GTS effectively replaces the prior Turbo in performance and price. Lesser Macans include the base model, the Macan T, and the Macan S.

In practice, the new hierarchy means that the 2023 GTS packs the same 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 and seven-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission as the now-dead Macan Turbo, complete with the same 434 hp and 406 lb-ft. The “GTS” badge, used on a variety of models including the 911 Carrera, signifies a suite of performance upgrades over the standard car; aside from a 0.4-inch drop in ride height, the adaptive dampers are 10 percent stiffer at the front and 15 percent at the rear. The optional $12,010 GTS Sport package adds more meaningful goodies, including a limited-slip rear differential and 21-inch lightweight wheels shod in gluey Pirelli P Zero Corsa PZC4 summer tires.

Specs: 2022 Porsche Macan GTS

Price: $81,250 (base); $99,170 (as-tested)
Powertrain: 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V-6; seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Horsepower: 434 hp @ 5700–6600 rpm
Torque: 405 lb-ft @ 1900–5600 rpm rpm
Layout: All-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger SUV
Weight: 4400 pounds
EPA-rated fuel economy: 21/27/23 mpg city/hwy/combined
0–60 mph: 4.1 seconds
Top speed: 169 mph
Competitors: BMW X3M, Mercedes-AMG GLC 63, Audi SQ5, Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

As you’d expect given the hardware, the Macan GTS is quick. Porsche claims a 4.3-second 0-to-60-mph scramble, but Car and Driver has clocked it at 3.5 seconds on the way to a 12.1-second quarter-mile. That 434-hp six-cylinder shrinks arrow-straight desert highways like a retracting tape measure. Standard all-wheel drive and dual-clutch gearbox make for snappy response and on-demand merging speed that’s particularly useful when you need to outrun a semi on short notice. In more clogged city conditions and over craggy pavement, the Macan GTS remains nearly as comfortable as your average upmarket crossover, despite the slightly stiff ride and sub-par bump isolation.

Everything else makes for a dandy daily driver. The Audi-sourced 2.9-liter six retains much of its quad-ringed cousin’s robust but generally placable character. Aside from some muffled growl, there’s nothing in its normal operation that indicates there’s more on tap here than the base Macan’s 261-hp turbo-four.

Porsche’s dual-clutch (PDK) transmission, as usual, is faultless: mundane in ordinary traffic and whip-quick when you break free onto some country roads. The gearbox really shines when given the chance to make use of the V-6’s thick torque; even in the Normal drive mode, the transmission is shockingly quick to drop down multiple gears when necessary. Strong acceleration is a moment away, any time. Power does not noticeably drop off until you’re cruising at extra-legal speeds. In the most aggressive “Sport Plus” mode, the transmission holds gears until near redline unless directed otherwise via manual paddle shift, drawing on every hoof of that 434 hp. Taken entirely within the context of a small-ish crossover SUV, there is a spooky amount of grip from those wide Pirellis.

Following my arrival into Phoenix, the arrestingly green super-crossover struck us as a nicely equipped yet highly conspicuous runabout, useful for hauling luggage, people, and groceries, occasionally all at once. The Macan’s interior proved a popular point with our passengers. The snug sport seats, carbon fiber trim, Alcantara, and green stitching combined to produce a far racier vibe than the Audi Q5-ish exterior profile suggested.

The color, though, did a lot of the heavy lifting as far as helping the Macan GTS blend in aside the Fourtillfour Cafe. Located in Old Town Scottsdale, the coffee shop isn’t strictly Porsche-themed, but the moto-chic décor drips with depictions of air-cooled 911s and bygone Porsche race cars. High-end coffee beans are served in a modern facsimile of vintage oil cans, while small, customized scale-models of cafe founder Nico Samaras’ various real-life 356s pop out between cascading potted plants.

An Arizona native, Samaras started Fourtillfour after two tours of duty in the Marine Corps, fostering his love of both old Porsches and coffee while still enlisted. Prior to and during his service, he bought and sold a number of 356s, hosting drives and cultivating community under his “4till4” brand—3:56, or four minutes until 4 o’clock. Get it?

The small Scottsdale café opened in 2015, and quickly evolved into one of Arizona’s most popular stops for enthusiasts. Official themed Cars and Coffee gatherings happen each weekend, with monthly events for Porsches, motorcycles, “fast cars,” air-cooled VWs, vintage European and JDM metal, and classic off-roaders. A second, larger café opened in Encinitas, California a few years later and is now a staple of the Porsche scene in San Diego.

The verdant Macan loaner was the only Porsche in sight on our gray, mid-week morning visit. Which means nobody was there to tell us we didn’t belong! Eager to get out before that status could be challenged, we blasted back out into the Sonoran desert for some mountain driving. Up the slithering AZ State Route 88—officially known as the Apache Trail—the Macan GTS felt every bit a sports car.  Like most modern Porsches, the steering weight at speed is marvelously dialed in, imparting uncanny granularity through the helm, which feels plucked right from a 911 or 718. This, of course, is a much larger and taller car, and enormously strong brakes bring the 4400-pound crossover to a brisk halt.

By every parameter, the Macan GTS is a tremendously capable five-seater, but comes shy of what we’d call “thrilling.” There’s still no escaping the car’s size, weight (a BMW M340i weighs about 400 pounds fewer), and elevated driving position compared with a traditional sports car or sedan. On the charge, you can sense that adaptive suspension sweating to maintain the car’s composure.

Still, the Macan GTS is, without pretense, the sharpest and most engaging four-door Porsche under $100,000—as long as you’re careful with the options. It falls short only of the sharpest Panameras, Taycans, and the supernatural Cayenne Turbo GT, which can be many tens of thousands of dollars pricier.  If we’re sticking to ideal characteristics of a hot hatch—a fine balance of performance, usability, practicality, and affordability—the Macan falls short only in the latter category. An all-electric Macan is in the cards for the next-generation crossover, likely due next year, but this third-wave GTS quenches our hot-hatch thirst as-is.

2022 Porsche Macan GTS

Highs: Sports car–worthy chassis dynamics, astoundingly good transmission, sensible interface layout.

Lows: Bit tight inside compared with rivals, options stack up quickly, ride not as polished as it could be over large bumps.

Takeaway: The Macan GTS is about as convincing, usable, and rewarding as an SUV with sports-car ambitions can get.

***

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The $60,000 price point is unfamiliar territory for Mazda. But that’s what the nicest versions of the 2024 Mazda CX-90 cost, which is about $10,000 more than its predecessor, the nimble three-row CX-9 SUV, asked for its top-spec Signature model.

Frankly, the CX-90 looks odd with the Mazda badge on it. This is the small Japanese automaker’s first “large platform” vehicle ever for the North American market, and at first glance it looks even bigger than the numbers suggest. (It’s 200.8 inches long—1.4 inches longer than the outgoing CX-9 and about three inches longer than a Kia Telluride.)

The CX-90 is larger in every dimension than the SUV it replaces. Mazda realized that as customers’ families grew, the CX-9 couldn’t compete with newer SUVs like the Toyota Grand Highlander, so the CX-90 is targeted at those customers who were already driving a Mazda, as well as conquest customers cross-shopping for a premium-feeling, roomy three-row SUV.

Mind you, the company doesn’t force buyers into that $60,000-plus zone. A dizzying array of lesser CX-90 trims begins with the Turbo Select, a nicely-equipped SUV with seating for eight, listing for $40,970 (including shipping). If you can afford more, there’s the Turbo Preferred, Preferred Plus, Turbo Premium, and Turbo Premium Plus, which takes you up to $54,325. Then there’s a more powerful Turbo S and plug-in hybrid PHEV, with six models total in those configurations. That’s 11 CX-90 models altogether to choose from.

The CX-90 is strictly a Japanese product, with a Japan-sourced engine and transmission, and final assembly in Mazda’s Hofu plant. In fact, 90 percent of the SUV’s content is Japanese. That includes the sweet top-of-the-line 340-horsepower, 3.3-liter inline six-cylinder Turbo S engine, which feels and sounds like it should be in a premium sedan.

The 3.3-liter Turbo S pumps out those 340 horses on premium fuel; on regular, it’s rated at 319 horsepower. There’s also a milder turbo version with 280 horsepower, so rated on any fuel. All Turbo models feature M-Hybrid Boost, a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that’s there to help out with start/stop, and accessories like air conditioning.

Mazda has a third option for the CX-90 powertrain, reflected in our test vehicle: a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated, 189-horsepower four-cylinder PHEV, helped out by a 173-horsepower, 100-kW electric motor, with a 17.8 kWh battery pack. It has a 26-mile pure-electric range. It’s rated at 323 horsepower on premium fuel, 319 horsepower on regular. It’s Mazda’s first plug-in hybrid. When the onboard state of charge is less than 20 percent, the system keeps the gas engine running, reserving that 20 percent to help out when extra acceleration is required.

All models come with a new eight-speed automatic transmission which matched the engine nicely under acceleration, but felt sort of clunky as it searched for a proper gear at lower speeds. It has a wet clutch instead of a torque converter—an interesting choice.

Our car was Rhodium White Metallic, a $595 upcharge and our PHEV Premium Plus CX-90’s only option. Upholstery was black Nappa leather. It’s a handsome vehicle but nobody we showed it to picked it as a Mazda; there were a couple of guesses for Infiniti, likely because of the square-ish styling and the little bright nameplate just ahead of the front doors, which indeed looked Infiniti-like.

Specs: 2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus

• Price: $56,950 (base); $58,920 (as-tested)
• Powertrain: 2.5-liter fuel-injected, dual-overhead-camshaft four-cylinder with 100 kW electric motor; 8-speed automatic transmission
• Horsepower: 323 (gas plus electric on premium fuel) @ 6000 rpm
• Torque: 369 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
• Layout: All-wheel-drive, four-door, seven-passenger SUV
• Weight: 5243 lbs.
• 0–60 mph: 6.2 seconds
• EPA-rated fuel economy: 56 MPGe gas plus electric; 25 mpg overall gas only
• Competition: Kia Telluride, Honda Pilot, Toyota Grand Highlander

Our CX-90 rode on handsome 21-inch alloy wheels with competent Falken ZIEX P275/45 R 21 radials (19- inch tires are standard on the less expensive models), which accented the premium, sporty appearance. The Mazda’s direct competitors don’t come with 21-inch tires and wheels, but the CX-90 perhaps needs them to carry the weight—a porky 5243 pounds for the PHEV model, compared to 4709 pounds for the base car.

That said, though it’s down 17 horsepower from the 3.3-liter Turbo S model, the PHEV is actually faster. Car and Driver clocked a very quick 5.9 seconds from 0 to 60 mph (a time we couldn’t quite duplicate) for the PHEV, 6.3 seconds for the Turbo S. All-wheel drive, by the way, is standard across the lineup. Towing capacity is 3500 pounds with the PHEV model, or 5000 for the 3.3-liter six-cylinder models.

On the road, the CX-90’s manners, with double wishbone suspension up front and multilink out back, are composed and predictable. Steering is nicely linear but surprisingly stiff, which grew tiring on longer drives. Given its weight, the PHEV is reasonable agile (a common Mazda characteristic) but handling is not quite as fluid as the CX-9 felt. Brakes are very good, though.

Inside, Mazda designers and engineers outdid themselves. The Nappa leather was creamy and rich, accented by a light-colored center stripe. Front seats worked well for long stints; center-row seats were comfortable, but knee room was a little more compromised than we expected. The third-row seat had three sets of seat belts, but the center passenger won’t be as cheerful as the other two. A two-passenger rearmost seat is offered on Turbo S models.

Instruments and controls were properly displayed and easy to master. The digital cluster display is 12.3 inches, accompanied by a 10.25 color center display. The sound system was a typically good 12-speaker Bose unit.

While the CX-90 isn’t billed as an off-roader, ours did come with hill descent control, hill launch assist and off-road traction assist, and the drive mode has an off-road selection (along with sport, towing and EV).

In any of the three basic models, the 2024 Mazda CX-90 seems poised to be a decidedly valuable flagship for the company as it continues its evolution from an economy brand to a premium one. This is a strong step in that direction, with choices for plug-in proponents as well as gas-engine stalwarts.

2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus

Highs: Muscular looking, good engine choices, nice interior. Prices for every budget.

Lows: Transmission balky around town, stiff steering. Heavy.

Takeaway: A coup for designers and engineers, but will top-of-the-line conquest customers come looking for a $60,000 three-row SUV from Mazda?

***

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What a happy little car this 2024 Subaru Crosstrek is, all painted up in Pure Red. This is a modern Subaru, so in contrast there’s plenty of charcoal body cladding and trim, too. It’s a handsome-enough, new-enough package for Subaru to call the 2024 Crosstrek the third-generation model, but in reality it seems more like the second-and-a-half generation.

The test car we drove is a mid-level Premium model, with the smaller 2.0-liter horizontally-opposed direct-injection four-cylinder. The boxer engine purrs at idle as smoothly as a Honda, something you can’t always say about Subaru engines.

Coupled to a “Lineartronic” continuously variable transmission, one of the less annoying CVTs we’ve experienced, the powertrain is as spunky as the rest of the car. But that’s more of an attitude thing; it is objectively slow, with just 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque pulling all four wheels via Subaru’s permanent all-wheel drive. Curb weight is 3300 pounds—heavy enough so you should plan your freeway merges in advance. The CVT has shift paddles with eight preset ratios which in normal driving don’t have much use but probably help with towing.

Fuel economy is EPA-rated at 27 mpg city, 34 highway and 29 combined, which we actually beat by one mpg during our week-long loan. The gas tank is big, 16.6 gallons, which should be good for a range in excess of 400 miles.

As it has been since the 2013 model-year launch of the original XV Crosstrek, today’s Crosstrek utilizes the same platform as the Impreza. It does feel a little more distinctive this time, though. The chassis is 10 percent stiffer than last year, and dual-pinion electric power steering from the WRX is more responsive. The exterior has been tweaked with a new grille and headlights, and a more “sculptural” body, whatever that means. The cabin is quieter, Subaru says.

Specs: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Premium

• Price: $26,195 (base); $29,685 (as-tested)
• Powertrain: 2.0-liter fuel-injected, dual-overhead-camshaft boxer four-cylinder; automatic CVT
• Horsepower: 152 @ 6000 rpm
• Torque: 145 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
• Layout: All-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger small SUV
• Weight: 3296 lbs.
• 0–60 mph: 8.8 seconds
• EPA-rated fuel economy: 27 mpg city, 34 highway, 30 overall
• Competition: Hyundai Tucson, Kia Seltos, Nissan Rogue

Inside, the cloth front seats are surprisingly comfortable, and rear seats can handle two adults and a third in a pinch. There’s an 11.6-inch multimedia screen, with, for the first time, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The sound system is fine, no better.

Blind spot detection with lane-change assist and cross-traffic alert was an option, as was a small sunroof and an all-weather package. Emergency steering intervention is included with the lane-change assist.

The Crosstrek has a real “right-sized” feel: large enough to handle a small family but still nimble. Cargo room is an impressive 19.9 cubic feet with the 60/40 rear seats up, 54.7 cubic feet with the seats folded down. There were also reasonably beefy ladder-type roof rails. And if all that isn’t enough, the Crosstrek can tow 1500 pounds, which would make it even slower.

The LED headlights are steering-responsive, a nice touch. Also helpful: A tire-specific pressure monitoring system.

On the road, the Crosstrek drives bigger than it is, which for a car like this is a compliment. Handling is especially good for the class, with the new steering system proving its worth. Acceleration is leisurely, as you’d expect, so if that’s a dealbreaker the Crosstrek’s optional 182-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder (standard on the Sport model that costs $2850 more) may be of interest. Still, the base 2.0-liter version we drove cruises without effort at 70 mph.

The ride is better than you’d expect in all conditions. All Subarus are marketed as having some degree of off-road chops, and the Crosstrek, with 8.7 inches of ground clearance, is no different. However, if you’re serious about going off road, best opt for the (pricier) Wilderness model that brings an additional half-inch of extra ground clearance, more capable suspension, all-terrain tires, and a metal front skid plate. Don’t expect to be charging through the Darien Gap in either model, but you’ll have confidence and a measure of control on dirt, sand, mud, or snow—more so with the Wilderness.

Inside, instruments and controls are easy to get used to. Yes, there’s a lot of hard black plastic, but at least it’s attractively designed, and most of the trim feels robust. The vinyl-covered steering wheel, on the other hand, feels downmarket.

Base price of the Crosstrek Premium is $26,195, with $2245 in options. List price is $29,685, not bad for a very useful all-wheel-drive hatchback-wagon. It’s a viceless, basic-transportation car that should meet its owners needs and bring a welcome dose of trailhead fashion.

2024 Subaru Crosstrek Premium

Highs: Good-looking, functional little hauler for a small family. Permanent all-wheel drive good for adverse conditions. Plenty of useful standard features. Good mileage.

Lows: CVT better than most, but still a CVT. Underpowered. Lots of plastic in the interior.

Takeaway: Hardly a penalty box, the Crosstrek is ubiquitous at ski slope parking lots and rock climbing gyms for good reason.

***

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Take a step inside and those factory-to-dealer incentives start to make sense. Remember, this car went on sale as a 2016 model, and even then it had far from a best-in-class interior. The Competizione’s sport bucket seats have rubbery leather with seat bottoms seemingly infused with concrete—a stark contrast to the premium seats from other automakers. Some of the leather wrapping has the usual red-stitch accents, while others use the familiar silver-gray thread from other Giulia models. The plastic dash/door trim with metal-like wrapping befits a Nissan Altima, which is troubling at this price point. At least the dashboard’s round HVAC ducts give off strong Ferrari vibes, and if the rest of the interior isn’t immensely high-quality it at least fits like a snug track suit. You sit nice and low but can still see clearly out of the car, the hood isn’t too long or high, and the steering wheel is the perfect size. Pedals are placed just right. Rear seat room may be tight by modern “compact” standards, but it’s not punishing back there.

Alfa’s boosted four-banger cranks out respectable muscle while still netting 33 mpg on the highway. The peak power and torque figures won’t set anyone’s heart aflutter, but the secret sauce is in the power delivery. The Giulia has a thrilling power peak, and growls as if its camshafts are higher-lifting than your average GM Ecotec mill. It feels like Alfa Romeo was willing to sacrifice a bit of low-end grunt for the thrill of more horsepower up top. The eight-speed automatic performed flawlessly at all levels of throttle input, and the elongated aluminum paddle shifters feel wonderful in your hands as the clicked off gear changes with impressive urgency. If you care about the Alfa brand’s connection to Ferrari, you might also like that the shift paddles are mounted on the steering column, rather than the helm itself.

The powertrain keeps the Alfa Romeo brand relevant to enthusiasts, but it’s this Giorgio-platform chassis that makes the Giulia worth serious consideration. The car is responsive to inputs and fluid on a curvy road, yet the ride is compliant enough for ordinary drivers to consider it alongside a Lexus IS. We took the Giulia on the twisting roads of Ohio’s Hocking Hills, a combination that goes together like pasta carbonara and red wine. We witnessed plentiful grip and flat cornering from this impressive chassis, while the powertrain (in sport mode) happily stayed in its turbocharged torque peak. The limited-slip differential earned its keep on the region’s many tight corners and forested areas covered in wet leaves.

Specs: 2024 Alfa Romeo Giulia Competizione

Price: $54,590 (base); $56,815 (as-tested)
Powertrain: 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4; eight-speed automatic transmission
Horsepower: 280 @ 5200 rpm
Torque: 306 lb-ft @ 2000–4800 rpm
Layout: Rear-drive, four-door, five-passenger sedan
Weight: 3522 pounds
EPA-rated fuel economy: 24/33/27 mpg city/hwy/combined
0–60 mph: 5.5 seconds
Top speed: 149 mph
Competitors: BMW 330i, Tesla Model 3 Performance, Lexus IS500, Audi A4

Putting the active dampers in their firmest “Dynamic” setting made a modest change to suspension rebound, but even the base setting offers more athletic handling than your average C-Class. The beefy brakes performed flawlessly on Hocking Hills’ sharp turns and steep hills, and the steering had the right amount of lightness while never feeling numb. The Giulia offers a refined, enjoyable performance package is so balanced I lament how little I could even enjoy it in the urban hellscape of Houston in which I live.

On the other hand, despite the tech being a little dated, this might not be a bad to kill time in urban gridlock. The in-car entertainment was reasonably intuitive thanks to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is essential given that Alfa’s less-than-intuitive sub-menus make the native interface occasionally frustration. In the end it’s still not a big concern for long-haul owners, as overcoming the learning curve happens pretty quickly. The Harmon Kardon audio system’s 14 speakers hit the highs and lows crisply and precisely, but the same can’t be said for the frustrating rattle emanating from the driver’s door panel at one specific frequency. On the plus side, there is a plethora of physical buttons in this car, from the era before touchscreens and capacitive haptic-feedback won the day. (Did I mention those delightful knobs for the physical HVAC controls. I like them.) It’s another instance of the old-school, proven attributes of some aging new-car designs.

All in all, the interior niggles and quality concerns are modest. If you are a die-hard Alfa fan and are feeling charitable, you might even say they add character. Remember yesteryear’s debate about a temperamental Ferrari over a more mundane Porsche product?

As always in the luxury compact space, one must factor price into the equation. The Giulia’s sticker price doesn’t necessarily give off Walmart Black Friday vibes—a base model is thousands more than a Lexus IS, Audi A4, or Tesla Model 3—but I maintain as a dealership-staff alumnus that the sheer quantity of promotions erode its inherent integrity among serious luxury customers. Promotions like what you see above are often plastered on a local dealership’s LED billboard, in my case overlooking one of the busiest motorways in America (Interstate 10) and subsequently burning a value-driven hole in each passerby’s retina. All that makes it difficult to talk up your sweet new executive sedan from Italy. Will other people really perceive you’ve “made it” by taking advantage of the same kind of “dealer’s special” they’re offering for $459 at the Dodge lot?

You simply do not see this level of urgency from the competition. Yes, BMW, Lexus, and even Tesla discount like mad when push truly comes to shove, but there’s a right and a wrong way to move inventory out the door. The Competizione package may be pricey at $4500 or so more than the next-down Veloce, but at least it feels a little special and will appeal to the brand die-hards it targets. It’s a tougher sell for the more ordinary Giulias. Until Alfa dealers get with the program and start walking the walk, they’re doing a disservice to a genuinely excellent car that, for as long as it’s still around, could shine brighter. 

2024 Alfa Romeo Giulia Competizione

Highs: Fantastic chassis dynamics, jaw-dropping styling, four-cylinder engine that’s actually worth getting excited about. 

Lows: Spotty fit and finish, unsupportive seat bottoms, retail experience lacks polish.

Takeaway: A fantastic sports sedan for that speaks well of Alfa Romeo in a way the brand could really use right now.

***

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The 2015 Mercedes-AMG GT was the three-pointed star’s first attempts to take on the Porsche 911. It was, strategically, an anti-911: a fast and loud sports car whose layout and execution echoed that of the legendary 300 SL and the intimidating SLS AMG. It was a snug two-seater with bodywork shrink-wrapped around a rumbling, front-mounted twin-turbo V-8 that drove the rear wheels via dual-clutch transaxle transmission. Ultimately, the 911 hegemony proved more impregnable than the folks at AMG headquarters in Affalterbach imagined: Global sales of the GT through to the end of 2021 totaled less than half the number of 911s that Porsche sold just in the U.S. over the same period.

The 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT is another shot across 911’s bow, albeit this time taking a slightly different tack. The decision was made to base the new GT on the same AMG-developed platform as the recently launched SL roadster, which makes economic sense. That approach also dictated a longer wheelbase, ditching the transaxle dual-clutch transmission, and a weight increase of nearly 600 pounds.

On paper, the new GT thus seems less of a sports car than the original. On the road, though, and particularly in the context of Porsche’s all-wheel-drive Carrera 4 S and Turbo models, it’s an even more credible 911 rival than its predecessor. Why? Like those 911s, the 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT—far less raw and rambunctious than before—is just as at home noodling down to Sunday brunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel as it is attacking the Nürburgring Nordschleife. It is a 24/7, very-high-performance sports car you can drive all day, every day.

The new AMG GT is 7.1 inches longer and 1.6 inches wider than the outgoing car, with a 2.8-inch longer wheelbase that allows the addition of optional rear seats—a feature that has long made the 911 unique among dedicated sports cars. The longer wheelbase and longer cabin have changed the proportions compared with the first-generation GT, the roofline sweeping more elegantly towards the tail. Up front, the toothy AMG grille hides additional cooling and aero vents at the lower sides and underneath.

As with the SL, the GT packs AMG’s versatile 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V-8 under its long hood. The engine is available in two states of tune: The 469 hp and 516 lb-ft version powers the entry-level GT 55, while the 577 hp and 590 lb-ft variant powers the top-of-the-line—for now—GT 63. The engine is held by active engine mounts and drives all four wheels through AMG’s nine-speed Speedshift multi-clutch transmission (a wet star-off clutch replaces the traditional torque converter) and its performance-tuned 4Matic+ all-wheel drive system.

The GT debuts AMG’s new semi-active suspension, which uses cross-linked shocks to control roll, eliminating the need for anti-roll bars. Rear-wheel steering is standard, as is an electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential. The standard brake setup utilizes steel rotors, but AMG’s high-performance carbon-ceramic brake package is available as an option. The carbon-ceramic brakes are not only lighter, but the front rotors are bigger, measuring 16.5 inches, compared with the 15.4-inch steel items.

Specs: 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT

Price: TBA
Powertrain: 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8; nine-speed multi-clutch automatic transmission
Horsepower: 469 hp @ 5500-6500 rpm (GT 55); 577 hp @ 5500-6500 rpm (GT 63)
Torque: 516 lb-ft @ 2250–4500 rpm (GT 55); 590 lb-ft @ 2250–4500 rpm (GT 63)
Layout: All-wheel-drive, two-door, two or four-passenger coupe
Weight: TBA
EPA-rated fuel economy: TBA
0–60 mph: 3.8 seconds 183 mph (GT 55); 3.1 seconds (GT 63)
Top speed (elec. limited): 183 mph (GT 55); 196 mph (GT 63)
Competitors: Porsche 911 Carrera 4S, Porsche 911 Turbo

Other standard goodies include 20-inch aluminum wheels, AMG’s Track Pace performance monitoring app, digital LED headlights, and active aero, which includes an air flow control system and active splitter up front, and an active rear spoiler that deploys at speed. The interior, much more upscale looking than that of the outgoing GT, features a 12.3-inch LCD instrument display, electrically adjustable AMG sports seats, the AMG performance steering wheel with drive mode control buttons, and a large central touchscreen controlling the latest version of the MBUX interface.

Options include the folding rear seats, an aero pack that features a fixed rear wing, and Carbon and Night appearance packages like those seen elsewhere across the Mercedes-AMG lineup. In GTs with no rear seat, the bulkhead between the load space and the cabin is fixed. The enhanced cargo flexibility offered by the folding rear seats—with the seats folded flat AMG claims the GT will carry three golf bags or even a bicycle—is the reason the take rate on the rear seat option is expected to be very high.

Pricing won’t be announced until the car arrives at U.S. Mercedes dealers in the first half of next year, but as convertibles traditionally command higher prices than coupes, our guess both the GT 55 and GT 63 will sticker for less than their SL counterparts. That would put the GT 55 right on the $140,250 Carrera 4S, which packs 26 fewer horses and has 126 lb-ft less torque, while the GT 63 could cost almost $20,000 less than the $199,850 Turbo, whose 3.8-liter flat-six produces near-identical power but 37 lb-ft less torque.

Both all-wheel-drive 911s are quicker to 60 mph, the Carrera 4S taking 3.4 seconds for the sprint versus the GT 55’s 3.8 seconds, and the Turbo 2.7 seconds versus the GT 63’s 3.1 seconds, according to figures from both automakers. That’s mostly the mass talking: The GT weighs 19 percent more than the Turbo and 24 percent more than the Carrera 4S, not the least because it’s a much bigger car with a wheelbase almost 10 inches longer than that of the 911. And yet AMG’s latest sports car does a remarkable job of disguising its size and weight.

True, there’s a typically Mercedes heft to the way the AMG GT drives; on the fast and demanding roads of southern Spain, our GT 63 tester felt nowhere near as light on its feet as a 911 Turbo. Yet the standard rear-wheel steering system, which can turn the rear wheels as much as 2.5 degrees in the opposite direction to the fronts at speeds up to 60 mph, combined with the e-diff and the sophisticated stability control system, which can apply rapid brake interventions on individual wheels to control yaw motions, endows the GT with impressive agility.

Cleverly, the level of agility the GT displays doesn’t directly depend on the drive mode you’ve selected. As per usual AMG practice, there are six drive modes available—Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Race, and Individual—the first five of which offer ascending levels of engine and transmission response, suspension stiffness, and steering effort, with Individual mode enabling drivers to mix and match certain settings. Within those modes, though, you can further adjust the way the GT’s chassis responds to your inputs.

In simple terms, using a menu dubbed AMG Dynamics, the yaw control parameters assigned to Comfort mode can be used in Race mode, and vice versa. The default setting in Comfort mode is called Basic and endows the car with high yaw damping and very stable handing. Selecting Sport mode activates the Advanced setting, which supports more aggressive turn in response, while Sport+ mode shifts the parameters towards an even more dynamic setup. But each one of these can be activated in all three drive modes, as well as in the most aggressive Race drive mode, via a menu on the central touchscreen.

Race mode allows drivers to access Master level in the AMG Dynamics system, but only with the ESP switched to ESP Sport, or switched off. AMG says Master mode is aimed at drivers who want track-day thrills; it offers a vehicle balance with slight oversteer, a low steering angle aided by the rear wheels, and a sharper steering response. Though prudence prevented us from fully exploring the nuances of the AMG Dynamics system on public roads, the differences in the way the GT responds to steering and throttle inputs in the different levels were noticeable.

A key weapon in the GT’s dynamic arsenal are the cross-linked adaptive shocks, which use oil pumped between the units on either side of the front and rear axles to control roll and body motions. The compression stages of the shocks on the left-hand side of the car are connected to the rebound stages of the shocks on the right of the car via a hydraulic line and two-way valves, and vice versa. Both circuits are additionally connected to a central pump. Hydraulic pressure is used to counter roll motions, ensuring the car stays flat through corners.

The system not only does away with the need for mechanical anti-roll bars but also allows for independently variable roll rates at the front and rear axles. The precise control of the damping also endows the GT with an impressively refined ride, especially in Comfort mode, as the car can run softer spring rates than the previous GT. Suspension noise and impact harshness is very well suppressed: On all roads, at all speeds, the Mercedes is noticeably quieter and feels more refined than any Porsche 911.

And that’s the genius of the Mercedes-AMG GT, especially the GT 63. It is thrilling in the twisty bits, the rear-wheel steering and yaw control systems enabling it to dive hungrily into a corner, the roll control system helping maximize mid-corner grip, and the epic grunt of that twin-turbo V-8 funneling though the all-wheel drive system, punching it hard past the apex. (That 4Matic+ setup never sends more than 50 percent of the available to the front wheels.) Yet the GT is also a comfortable and refined grand tourer, a car capable of crossing continents or idling along crowded city streets with minimal effort.

In terms of its execution and the way it drives, the 2024 AMG GT is a more mature and accomplished all-rounder than its predecessor. Although it lacks some of the original car’s bite, this follow-up is more so a proper Mercedes. Whether that amounts to a more compelling Porsche 911 alternative on the sales charts, we shall see.

2024 Mercedes-AMG GT

Highs: Easy to drive fast, composed ride, roomy interior for a sports car.

Lows: Heavy, infotainment menus can be confusing, some drivers might miss the rawness of the prior car.

Takeaway: The second-generation AMG GT is more of a 911 imitator, yet also a more convincing Mercedes than its predecessor.

***

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Most car reviews give people a sense of whether the subject is something they’d want to buy. Maybe someday soon, maybe down the line. This is a review of the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, a car so expensive almost nobody could buy it new. And even if you did have an offshore account balance a couple years ago sturdy enough for the $3.8 million buy-in—$4.3 million as-tested if you must know—Bugatti today has none left to sell. The Chiron order book closed early last year, and the artisans at the brand’s Molsheim workshop are busy assembling customer cars through sometime in 2024.

When these cars are finished, it’ll mark the end of the Chiron’s official production. (We can’t rule out a parade of sold-out-upon-arrival one-offs and commemorative editions), the Chiron Super Sport is the end of the “production” run of Bugatti’s W-16 hypercar. If you remember Bugatti’s much-publicized 304-mph record smash from 2019, this is the softened, silken sibling of that top-speed record-beating Chiron Super Sport 300+.

Perhaps “softened” is a misleading for such a hyperbolic machine. Bugatti is coy on what specifically differentiates the Super Sport 300+ from the standard Super Sport, but in accordance with the Super Sport’s (SS) focus on “top speed while fully embracing both luxury and comfort,” the interior is wrapped dash-to-bulkhead in rich, creamy leather and appointed with handsome aluminum trim. It’s a palpable contrast to the 300+’s Alcantara and carbon-fiber cocoon.

Crucially, the SS is—er, was—available in a wide spectrum of colors, both inside and out. The SS’ elongated bodywork is made of carbon fiber, and while purchasers of the 300+ were able to spec their trans-galactic lozenge any way they so desired, word on the street is they were highly encouraged to stick with the marketing launch car’s exposed carbon fiber theme with orange accents. Thus, a good portion of the 30 customer cars left Molsheim wearing this uniform.

Not so with the Super Sport, whose owners are embracing a hallmark of Bugatti: individualization. With a car costing more than $4M after specified to the customer’s preference, creativity is encouraged.

The car I drove is one of the more demure examples; rich silver metallic paint flows over the front two-thirds of the motorized missile, contrasted by lacquered, blue-hued carbon-fiber weave for the rear and roof sections. The polished five-spoke wheels are deceptively simple and surprisingly elegant compared to the satin-black sport wheels commonly found on top-spec, performance-focused Bugattis.

Revised turbochargers, oil pump, and valvetrain improves power to 1578 hp and 1180 lb-ft, a 100-hp jump over the original Chiron and a sobering 591 hp over the original Veyron. The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is requisitely beefed up to handle the power, as is the clutch pack and driveline.

The Super Sport is limited to a pathetic 273 mph, up 12 mph on the standard Chiron but lagging the 300+ by 31 mph. I was mentally prepared to try for at least 290 mph on California’s Pacific Coast Highway, but seeing as even the Chiron’s famed “Speed Key” won’t unlock speedo digits past that 273-mph mark, I couldn’t be bothered and outside a few hard highway pulls stuck to Malibu’s 45-mph limit.

Bugatti reps mapped out a test loop between the Santa Monica rendezvous point and the terminus in the Santa Monica mountains north of Malibu. The first half of the drive I spent carefully guiding the $4.3 million asset through spotty midday California traffic, a process that included equal parts blind-spot vigilance and flashing smiles at the many, many phone cameras pointed in my direction.

In some ways, this relaxed coastal cruise is three-hundred-plus-times more relevant to how these cars are actually driven than chasing 250 mph on an air strip. This is, after all, one of the most likely environments in which to spot a Chiron outside of Dubai’s JBR or Knightsbridge in London. You don’t buy a Bugatti to keep a low profile, and as much as the enthusiast in me fantasizes about breaking the sound barrier on desert highways between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, most Bugattis don’t leave city limits.

Why would they? Precious few of these big Bugs will see any sort of hard canyon driving, let alone any circuit or drag strip use. That’s perfectly fine, and in keeping with the fact that the Chiron and its Veyron progenitor were never designed for any track use outside of VW’s private Ehra-Lessien speed loop. In practice, it’s best to approach the Chiron as an extraordinarily athletic cousin of the Bentley Continental GT.

Specs: 2022 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport

Price: $3.8M+ ($4.3M as tested)
Powertrain: 8.0-liter quad-turbo W-16
Horsepower: 1578
Torque: 1180 lb-ft
Layout: Mid-engine, two-passenger all-wheel-drive coupe
EPA-rated fuel economy: 8/11/9 mpg city/highway/combined
0–60 mph: N/A, but 0-100 takes 4 seconds.
Competitors: None, really.

Through traffic and over semi-smooth pavement, it’s alarmingly easy to forget there’s 1600-hp under your right foot and 230 mph left on the speedo. Inputs are moderately and purposefully dampened over lighter, sharper supercars, with the tactility of the SS cutting the difference between the Bentley and the latest Porsche 911 Turbo S. Pedal travel is long, and reserved throttle mapping leans on the Chiron’s absurd torque for smooth, low-speed operation.

All the while, you’re ensconced in one of the finest crafted interiors ever put to pavement. Leaving aside the obvious reasons of vanity, it only takes a few minutes in a modern Ferrari, Lamborghini, or McLaren to understand why billionaires spring for this small-batch stuff. Even at the top of the range there is a fair bit of plastic componentry to be found in a Ferrari, even more so in a Lamborghini. (Metal and extended leather adds weight and production complexity, carbon fiber and plastic less so.)

In the Bugatti, all you can see and touch is either leather, metal, or satin-finish carbon fiber. At this level of both price—you could fit just about ten new Ferrari 812s in your driveway for less than the Chiron SS’s MSRP—and hand-finishing, attention to detail is everything.

The Veyron was consciously designed with future generations in mind, presciently eschewing screens and tacky control clusters for a fine stack of elegant metal controls and acres of extended upholstery. The idea is that it the car needed to age well, and it’s the same in the Chiron. What you think surely has to be plastic is actually frosted titanium, use for the the door handles, rotary switches, and pressure-regulating vents on the windowsill.

Finally, we turn onto an ascending mountain road that is both empty and curvy. Squeezing the throttle has the same effect as a defensive tackle standing your chest; intense pressure, accompanied by a spike of adrenaline as the world seems to compress and the speedometer spins up like a bathroom scale. As the scenery smears by, sixteen cylinders rage behind your head with a guttural bellow more appropriate to a tank or Batmobile than hypercar.

Even in this encroaching age of brutal EV acceleration, the sensation of a hard launch in an infernal combustion Bugatti is still inimitable. An extended full-throttle blast in the SS transitions from fun to reckless in a matter of four seconds—the time it takes to hit 100 mph. Thus, 60 mph isn’t really an observable state for a rampaging Chiron SS, and 150 mph arrives in 8 seconds.

The thrust is truly mind-blowing, but the car’s handling isn’t. Compared to your average crossover, it’s an LMP car, of course, but against a McLaren 720S or even a C8 Corvette Z51 it is a 4600-pound marshmallow. The Chiron SS is less about savoring every apex than it is about effortless motorized teleportation from point to point.

Unfortunately my drive time was limited, and it was time to turn back. The base of the mountain road arrived in a flurry of wide eyes and turbo whistle, the fuel tank several glugs lighter. Despite the fact that a $4M car is irrelevant to almost everyone alive, its almost romantic obsession with the internal combustion engine feels poignant at a time when that technology is losing favor. When it’s gone, it will be missed, even by those who knew it as only as a scale model or smartphone wallpaper.

There will never be another car like the Chiron. Never. There is a very strong chance we’ll never see an internal combustion engineering effort of this unbelievable level again from a major automaker, least of all Volkswagen Group. The Big Bad Bugatti is already lagging behind some elite EVs in terms of performance metrics. (Hagerty’s own Jason Cammisa demonstrated as much in his three-way drag race against two anodyne-looking electric sedans each with seating for five.)

As of November 2021, Bugatti isn’t even really owned by Volkswagen anymore. The mad electric scientists at Rimac own the majority share, now operated under the apt Bugatti Rimac joint-venture. Official details on what the Chiron’s successor will look like are still under wraps, but the next-gen hypercar is rumored to carry a hybridized V-8, spelling the inevitable doom of the now-iconic 8.0-liter W-16.

So, this is it. As the final Super Sports leave the Molsheim atelier, the world gets a little cleaner, a little quieter, and a whole lot less interesting.

2022 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport

Highs: Exquisite interior materials. Joyous mechanical wizardry in service of astounding acceleration. Comfortable in real-world driving situations.

Lows: No longer technically competitive, for those who care. All sold out.

Takeaway: As another gas poster car bites the dust, we hope the hypercars of the future feel this joyous and special.

***

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The conversation was terse, as they often are in highway rest stop bathrooms.

“Sharp car,” said the guy on my left. “What is it?”

“A Toyota Crown. Replaces the Avalon.”

“How much?” he asked.

“That one’s over $54,000, but it starts at about $41,000.”

“Seems cheap.”

“It kind of is for a flagship,” I said.

“Built in America?”

“Nope,” I said. “Japan.”

“Huh.”

Business transacted, we wished each other safe travels and went on our way.

That was not the only compliment the black-over-bronze Toyota Crown Platinum received. The car looks miles better in person than it does in pictures. Either way, it’s an odd duck, and a stretch for the usually conservative Toyota.

The Crown, reviving a name from earlier in Toyota’s history, straddles the line between sedan and SUV. From the (roomy) inside, the feel is more car than sport-ute, though the rear hatch opens to reveal 15 cubic feet of cargo room. The rear seat is spacious enough for a pair of six-footers, and a smaller third person in the middle. Though the sloping roof looks like it might limit headroom, there’s plenty. It’s a better design than the similar, late Honda Crosstour.

There are two powertrains, both of them hybridized. The base XLE has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, helped out by an electric motor in the rear; output totals 236 horsepower, which is modest for a car weighing in at over 4000 pounds. The specific trim we tested, the Platinum, has a turbocharged 2.4-liter four cylinder engine and a pair of motors, one front, one rear, that totals a heftier 340 horsepower. The transmission is a six-speed automatic in the Platinum, a CVT in the base car.

The 21-inch tires (surprisingly grippy Michelin Primacy 225/45 R21s) fill the wheel wells nicely. Those wheels, silver and black 10-spoke, are suitably bold for a car wearing two-tone brown and black paint. There’s a big CROWN in capital letters across the back, another way the car shouts its presence.

Specs: 2023 Toyota Crown Platinum

Price: $52,350/$54,638 Base/as tested
Powertrain: 2.4-liter four-cylinder turbocharged hybrid with a six-speed automatic transmission
Horsepower: 340 combined
Torque: 400 lb-ft combined
Layout: all-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger sedan
EPA-rated fuel economy: 29 city, 32 highway, 30 combined
0–60 mph: 5.7 seconds
Competitors: Nissan Maxima, Volvo S90, Volkswagen Arteon

On the road, the Crown Platinum handles far better than you’d expect. It is startlingly nimble on the winding roads of Ohio’s Hocking Hills, yet it maintains a comfortable ride. The transmission shifts down a little reluctantly, but the engine’s power makes up for it. Though the EPA overall average is 30 mpg, we came in just short of that despite enthusiastically diving into and powering out of corners. If mileage is important, opt for the cheaper XLE model; it’s rated at 42 mpg in the city, and 41 mpg on the highway and overall.

Toyota apparently spent some money on sound deadening, because it’s quiet inside, at least when the 11-speaker JBL sound system isn’t engaged. The interior in general is conservative compared to the outside, which isn’t a bad thing. The shifter is console-mounted, next to a pair of cupholders. Most controls are piano key-like, mounted under the 12.2-inch touchscreen. The steering wheel is fat and leather-wrapped. A few expected luxury-type components are conspicuously missing: the tailgate is of the non-power variety, and the hood is held up with a prop rod rather than gas dampers.

Outside, well, the photos do the talking. If the two-tone models are too much, the Crown does come in single colors, which tempers the stylistic impact. Presumably Toyota is hoping the Crown picks up the same, not-inconsequential senior market that long embraced the Avalon. I’m not sure the styling fits that demographic, but the car certainly does, and that is not a criticism.

Those of us who drove the Crown liked it far better than I was expecting.  Said Sajeev Mehta: “Put the Crown in Toyota’s most aggressive Sport Plus mode and the traction control disappears from sight, allowing a more aggressive throttle mapping to hurl the big brown Crown out of all but the tightest corners with ease. The long-travel suspension has reassuring amounts of body roll, but the turbocharged hybrid powertrain is shockingly aggressive in putting power down to the correct wheel at the correct time. Some of the pleasant surprises come from the fact that the hybrid’s bulky battery is parked ahead of the rear axle, making the weight distribution akin to that of the also-hybridized Ferrari SF90. If only in theory, as no Ferrari would force upshifts in Sport Plus mode as quickly and rudely as the Crown did on our test. But this car can hustle, and it’ll hurt some feelings when caravanned on a tight road with ‘real’ performance cars.”

While the Avalon always felt like a Camry dressed in pressed pants, this looks and feels like something different.

Something better, assuming you and the design get along.

2023 Toyota Crown Platinum

Highs: Adventurous styling, relative bargain price, surprisingly competent handling.

Lows: Two-tone will turn some people off, some luxury equipment is missing, base model is down on horsepower for such a heavy car.

Takeaway: Why isn’t this car getting more respect?

***

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After driving the 2025 Volvo EX30 on the recent media launch in Spain, we have multiple intriguing takeaways. Above all, however, we suspect the central one for most prospective buyers will be the little EV crossover’s base price: $34,950 for the Core model, or $36,245 with shipping.

And, you’re probably thinking, it’ll be even more tempting if that cost can be reduced by $7500 in federal tax credits. That, unfortunately, will not happen; the EX30 is built in China, and as such isn’t eligible for such incentives according to Inflation Reduction Act stipulations demanding final assembly in North America.

Under 40 grand for a premium-badged daily driver and a usable range still sounds relatively compelling, though.

The EX30, which should be at A Dealer Near You by late spring 2024, comes in three basic flavors: A regular-range (215 miles) model that won’t be sold in the U.S.; an extended-range (275 miles) rear-wheel-drive model, and a dual-motor version (265 miles) that has a motor in front and in back, and is therefore all-wheel-drive.

That all-wheel-drive model is considerably pricier than the rear-drive extended-range one, but even checking every option box on Volvo’s configurator won’t top $50,000. During a few days in Barcelona, we sampled both the Single Motor Extended Range model and the Twin Motor Performance versions.

Let’s get the horsepower ratings on the record: 268 hp and 253 lb-ft of torque for the single motor, and 422 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque for the twin motor. If that sounds like the little Volvo might make a decent autocrosser on the right tires, we agree, although the suspension may prove a bit soft.

When we say “little,” we mean it. The EX30 looks bigger than it is, but in reality it is more compact than a Hyundai Kona. Front seat room is reasonable for two six-footers, but rear seat room is cramped for average-sized adults. The second row will supposedly hold three passengers, but pity that middle person. For kids it’s fine, and everything about the EX30 shouts young family, well-to-do college kid’s car, or possibly empty-nester ute.

My other complaint concerns the EX30 is the center-mounted vertical display; this iPad-like command center is the sole interface for almost every selectable function. Only door locks and the center-mounted window controls are independent. Want to adjust the outside mirrors? That’ll require three screen changes. As in a Prius or Tesla Model 3 there’s no instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, so you’ll unavoidably be taking your eyes off the road from time to time. Also, rather than mount speakers in the doors, the Harman/Kardon stereo uses a sound bar that fits tidily in front of the base of the windshield. (It works fine.)

A lot of this interior design has the minimalist feel of a (Volvo-owned) Polestar product, which some people will find appealing. Cynics may conclude that Volvo is enjoying the benefits of simplifying things as much as possible for budgetary reasons, not limited to the manufacturing ease it likely lends to switching from left-hand drive to right-hand drive in the production process. Of course, in any car built to a competitive price point, the trick is hiding that fact or turning it into an element of the design and engineering philosophy.

To that end, we must say, the interior design is quite clever and profoundly sustainable. Interior trim is made from recycled PVC window frames, carpet from plastic water bottles, upholstery from recycled blue jeans and fishing nets. There are four interiors, one of them made with “responsibly sourced” wool and another with flax. There’s a heavy use of a leather-like material called Nordico, including on the stitched steering wheel. (As you’d suspect, the interior is leather-free, we were told with a hint of snide. “Of course there’s no leather!”)

Still, there are upscale touches: The rear hatch was power-operated on the test cars, and the hood is held up by hydraulic struts, not a prop rod.

There are five exterior colors: Moss yellow, which is more of a gold; Crystal white; Cloud blue, Vapor gray, and Onyx black. The body is quite aerodynamic, with a drag coefficient of 0.28.

Rear luggage capacity is 14.1 cubic feet, but that doubles with the 60/40 rear seat folded. There’s a “frunk,” but it only has room for a charging cable. There is no conventional glove compartment, but there is storage space beneath the center console, along with a pair of clever slide-out cupholders. Packaging is thoughtful for a car that is just 166.7 inches long, a little over three inches longer than a Chevrolet Bolt and about three inches shorter than a Bolt EUV.

Specs: 2025 Volvo EX30

Price: $36,245 base, $41,100 and $47,900 as tested
Powertrain: One or two permanent-magnet electric motors
Horsepower: 268 rear-drive single motor; 422 all-wheel-drive dual motor
Torque: 253 lb-ft rear-motor version; 400 lb-ft twin motors
Layout: rear- or all-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger crossover
Range (estimated): 265/275 miles per charge, twin motor/single motor
0–60 mph: 3.4/5.1 seconds, twin motor/single motor
Curb weight: 3858/4140 lbs, single motor/twin motor
Competitors: Hyundai Kona EV, Chevrolet Equinox EV

On the road, the MacPherson strut front suspension and multilink rear keep the EX30 nicely planted and able to minimize the impact of bumps and potholes. Rubber is of the 18-, 19- or 20-inch Goodyear Efficient Grip SUV variety—we’d like to see how cornering would be improved by some more aggressive treads, but the Goodyears, which will be offered in the U.S., work well enough and presumably aid range. The wheels are quite handsome. Ground clearance is a healthy seven inches. Steering is properly weighted. Brakes feel strong, responsive.

Power is plentiful with the 268-horse single motor; beyond plentiful with the 422 horses supplied by the dual motors. The front motor engages mostly when extra power and/or traction if needed, hence the fact that the dual motor model’s range is only slightly less than the single motor model’s. You can choose one-pedal driving, decelerating using regenerative braking, but the mode is non-adjustable and has to be selected using that same center-mounted screen.

Volvo says the 200-kW single-motor version has a 0 to 60 mph time of 5.1 seconds, with a top speed of 112 mph. The 315-kW dual-motor EX30 has the same top speed, but with a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.4 seconds, you’ll get there more quickly.

As far as recharging goes, peak DC fast-charge rate is 153 kW. A 50-kW DC fast-charger will take the battery from 10 to 80 percent in 57 minutes, while a 175-kW DC charger will do it in 27 minutes. A 240-volt home charger (Level 2) will fully charge the lithium-ion battery overnight.

The EX30 is built at Volvo owner Geely’s factory in Zhangjiakou, China, and Volvo recently announced that soon the car will also be built in Ghent, Belgium, too. (Quality control on the test cars was impressive, but it usually is when models are sampled by the international media.) The single-motor version will come in three trim levels: Core ($36,245), Plus ($40,195), and Ultra ($41,895). The dual-motor comes in Plus ($46,195) and Ultra ($47,895). Those prices include shipping. To us, the Ultra single-motor car makes the most sense for the buck. For either model, towing capacity is 2000 pounds.

We predict strong sales for the 2025 Volvo EX30, perhaps sullied only by those still wary of Chinese-built. Regardless, this may just be the product to supply a little spark for the entry-level electric-car market.

2025 Volvo EX30

Highs: Handsome styling, solid performance, de rigeur interior materials and design, attractive price.

Lows: Cramped rear seat room, cargo space could be more generous, center display can be a distraction.

Takeaway: Small but mighty—especially the 422-hp AWD version—the EX30 packs a punch into a budding segment.

***

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BMW hasn’t screwed it up. Isn’t that a relief?

If you’re an enthusiast, and I’d assume you are if you’re on this website, then it’s probably in your best interest to forget that cars like the BMW XM exist. But the 5 Series is core BMW stuff, so if the company had got this one wrong, people would be out in the streets burning Bavarian flags. But, to put your mind at ease, the new fünfer is reassuringly good.

Specifically, the BMW i5, since alongside combustion models, this is the first generation of 5 Series to be offered in fully electric form. There are two models to start with: the rear-wheel-drive eDrive40 and the all-wheel-drive M60 xDrive, with an in-between xDrive40 arriving a little later down the line.

The i5 eDrive40 is the base model, though it’s not expected to be the core model in the way the gas 530i will be. Cost is a factor; the i5 eDrive40 starts at $67,795, or about $9000 higher than the jumping-off point for the range as a whole.

That said, there won’t be much comparison between the gas and electric entry points. The eDrive40 gets a 335-hp, 317 lb-ft electric motor mounted at the rear axle, compared with 255 hp and 295 lb-ft for the 530i and its 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder. A bit like Porsche Taycan pricing overlapping with the Panamera, this should see more than a few people giving the i5 a whirl purely out of curiosity.

Specs: 2023 BMW i5 eDrive40 & M60 xDrive (U.S.)

Price: $67,795; $85,195
Engine: Single; dual electric motors
Transmission: Single-speed, rear-wheel drive; all-wheel drive
Power: 335 hp; 593 hp
Torque: 295 lb-ft; 586 lb-ft
Weight: 4915 pounds; 5247 pounds
Range: 295 miles; 256 miles
0–60mph: 5.7 sec; 3.8 sec
Top speed: 120 mph; 130 mph

Topping the entire range, meanwhile, is the dual-motor M60 xDrive (335 hp at the rear, 258 hp at the front, for a quoted 593 hp total). That makes it easily the most powerful and accelerative of any new 5 Series—until an M5 arrives at some point—and the outgoing one of those was about $112,000. Basically, everything’s quite expensive these days.

Styling? It’s not bad, really. In fact, the i5 is less divisive than some other recent BMWs. The front, as ever, will take the most getting used to (with or without opting for M Sport Pro trim on the M60, which illuminates the perimeter of the kidneys). The back’s simply standard modern BMW, while the side profile is most interesting, with a down-sloped trunk lid of the kind we haven’t seen on a 5 Series since the E28 generation.

The proportions do a good job of hiding the new i5’s size—this is now a 16-and-a-half-foot-long car—though we noticed a styling quirk of the flat sides, which almost make the doors look like they’re bowing out when the light catches them a certain way. It’s as if the panel gaps sit in slight valleys. You’d not get that on an Audi, is all we’ll say on the matter. Large wheels help visually shrink the car, too; the eDrive40 we drove was on 20-inchers, also offered on the M60. (The 20s come at a slight range penalty.)

The i5 is arguably most appealing from the inside out. The layout and materials riff on the larger 7 Series and i7, and as soon as your derriere hits the “Veganza” artificial leather, the seats have the same astonishingly soft and comfortable feel as those in the i7. The difference in the i5 is that you sit lower in the car, and you can get lower still if you wish, as there’s enormous adjustment in both the seat and the steering wheel.

The dash layout is similar to that of many modern BMWs: A widescreen display incorporating both the driver’s instruments and the infotainment screen, and the latter is both touch-sensitive and can be operated by the glistening crystal iDrive knob between the seats, a device whose design reminds us of the old glass ashtrays you used to get in pubs, turned upside down.

As ever, the infotainment is a bottomless pit of features, most of which are best investigated before you move off, if you wish to spend any time with your eyes on the road. Luckily, frequently used stuff like climate control settings can be prodded quickly and accurately on the move, and there are various shortcut buttons around the iDrive ashtray, none of which are quite as tactile since they’re rendered in piano black plastic, a substance nobody seems willing or able to banish from automotive interiors. There’s less of it in the back, but more space than ever, thanks to the car and its wheelbase growing for this generation.

There’s little drama to starting either i5, as we’ve come to expect with EVs, but it doesn’t take much of a press on the accelerator pedal to hear futuristic noises emanating from the speakers, part of a collaboration between BMW and movie composer Hans Zimmer. They’re nice enough; we didn’t feel compelled to turn them off, and they really only come into play when you’re accelerating hard.

That’s something both cars will happily do. The eDrive40 gets from 0–62 mph in 6 seconds dead, and the M60 in 3.8. Even with only its rear wheels driven, the eDrive40 finds plenty of traction off the line, and with a quick ramp-up of power so it doesn’t turn all four tires into smoke, the M60 really launches hard; if you’re not a Tesla or Taycan regular, it’s enough to make you blurt out a few expletives the first time you give it a try.

A “Boost” paddle behind the left-hand steering wheel spoke gives an extra hit of torque, which is also fun but shows BMW has clearly reined in the ultimate performance of both cars. Basic, everyday things like getting the holeshot in converging lanes or overtaking Ethel in her Honda Fit feel like you’re entering Verstappen’s weekend wheels into a Formula Ford race. Still, this should not disappoint the 5 Series faithful.

Nor should handling. These are heavy machines, and it takes some time to wrap your head around a 5 Series that weighs, as a minimum, 2.5 tons. The much-beloved E39-generation 5er was under 3750 pounds at its lightest, a whole Caterham Seven less than the i5. But you’ll also struggle to wrap your head around the way it doesn’t at all drive like such a porky car, with abundant grip and next to no body roll.

The eDrive40 and the M60 actually feel very similar, even though the latter has adaptive dampers and the ability to decouple its anti-roll bars in a straight line to the benefit of ride quality. Both have impressive agility for their size and weight, neither complains at fairly quick changes of direction, and they obviously have the power to surge out of corners as if they have no inertia.

At normal road speeds, this resolute control of their faculties does leave them feeling a little aloof, particularly given the steering doesn’t relay many messages beyond a gentle increase in weight in quicker turns, and its natural accuracy and response. It actually leaves you thankful for the M Sport suspension settings, which renders the ride quality just tense enough that you notice what’s going on underneath, without it being actively uncomfortable, though it means really rough sections can jostle you around a little. High-speed refinement, though, is predictably excellent: little road or suspension noise, the merest rustle of wind, and obviously next to nothing from the drivetrain.

The roads of our test weren’t of the kind to really put braking under strain, but BMW has blended regenerative and friction braking well enough that you’ll rarely curse pedal feel, while the regen itself varies on the road, depending on where you are, whether you’re following someone, and other predetermined scenarios. Lift off on a motorway and you’ll likely coast (for a really long time—the i5 has a drag coefficient of around 0.22, so it barely seems to shed speed), but do the same approaching a 35-mph zone from a 65-mph zone, and the motors will harvest energy to slow you down. It’s more intuitive than it sounds.

Regen brings us on to efficiency, and with a usable 81-kWh of battery capacity, the eDrive40 is claimed to do 295 miles on a charge, with the M60 slightly less at 256 miles. Real-world range will likely be a little lower, but it’s enough to make either more useful than a Taycan or Audi e-tron GT, if not a Tesla Model S or Mercedes EQE. Both i5 models support 205-kW fast charging, so a 10–80 percent top-up takes as little as half an hour, and if you’re low on juice, a 10-minute fill can gain you as much as 100 miles.

So, to reiterate, BMW hasn’t screwed up with the i5. If you’re good with the looks and the general concept of owning an electric car, then there’s a lot here to like. A classic 5 Series will still involve you more as a driver but you knew that already; a more pertinent comparison is that the i5 is nearly as good to drive as a much more expensive Porsche Taycan, but more accommodating and it goes further on a charge, for less initial outlay. And it leaves us wondering: Would an all-electric M5 be such a bad thing?

2023 BMW i5 eDrive40 & M60 xDrive

Highs: Excellent acceleration, generous room in the back row, relatively restrained styling for a modern BMW.

Lows: Immense weight, uncommunicative steering, brittle ride over imperfect roads.

Summary: The i5 is the perhaps the best all-electric BMW we’ve seen yet, evolving the 5 Series reputation for luxury and performance that punches way above its price point.

***

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Angelo is the dispatcher with whom I schedule media loaner cars for review. This week I asked him not to send me a Mazda Miata or Chevrolet Corvette or anything electric this week, because I had to take my wife and her friend to the airport for their seven-day trip to Georgia for the fall foliage season. Those two pack like they are wintering both in the Amazon and Antarctica—two carry-on suitcases and two suitcases the size usually reserved for deployment in a foreign country.

Angelo sent me a Buick. Fine, I thought: The Encore GX could handle the bags and three well-fed Americans, and an Envision or Enclave certainly could.

Wrong! I got a Buick Envista, the car that shares a basic platform with the little Chevrolet Trax and has a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine—turbocharged, thankfully. The Envista exists because maybe a certain number of Buick customers, likely of a certain age, roll into the dealership looking for something that resembles a car.

“Certainly,” the salesperson says. “Will it be an Encore, Envision, or Enclave?”

“No,” the customer replies. “Those are SUVs. I want a Buick car, like I’ve been driving since Eisenhower was president.”

Until now, the salesperson would have been carless, or shepherding the customer to a used Century. Now, Buick has a car, or at least what passes for one in 2023. And it is startlingly good, much like the Encore with its general competence and clean, effective styling. Both the Encore and Envista are built in South Korea.

Buick labels the Envista a “crossover,” because at some dealerships “car” is a nonstarter. But I know a hatchback car when I see one, and I bet Eisenhower did, too. The EPA, by the way, lumps it in with “small station wagons.”

Outside, the Envista looks like a Buick, and that’s a compliment. It also looks larger than it is. And bless its heart, with the 60/40 split rear seat folded down on the “40” side, and the hard cargo cover removed, it swallowed all of us and the suitcases. There’s a healthy 20.7 cubic feet of space behind the rear seat, and 42 cubic feet with the seat folded down. Surprisingly, there was a power liftgate.

Specs: 2024 Buick Envista Avenir

Price: $22,400 (base); $30,635 (as-tested)
Powertrain: 1.2-liter turbocharged I-3 with a six-speed automatic transmission
Horsepower: 137 @ 5000 rpm
Torque: 162 lb-ft @ 2500–4000 rpm
Layout: Front-drive, four-door, five-passenger hatchback
Weight: 3115 pounds
EPA-rated fuel economy: 28/32/30 mpg city/hwy/combined
0–60 mph: 8.8 seconds
Competitors: Hyundai Kona, Lexus UX, Toyota Corolla Cross, Mazda CX-30

I tested the Avenir model, which is the upscale expression of the Envista. (And while we’re at it, I realize that Buick is, for whatever reason, invested in the letter “E” for all its models, but Envista and Envision? One sounds like the past tense of the other.)

The Avenir package, available on all Buicks, gets you a few nice features on the Envista, such as these 19-inch “Avenir Premium Pearl Nickel Aluminum” wheels, which just looked like, uh, “wheels,” albeit nice 10-spoke ones with the new Buick “tri-shield” logo in the center. Tires were Continental 245/45 R19 all-seasons. Seventeen-inch wheels are standard; 18-inchers are optional. The 19-inch tires and wheels fill the wheel wells nicely, making the Avenir look more expensive than it is.

The Envista starts at $22,400 plus $1095 in shipping, but don’t expect to find many Envisions for that price. I did locate one in a 500-mile search; even for $23,495, this is a pretty well-equipped car. It had a ton of safety equipment, including Stabilitrak, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Braking, Forward Collision Alert, Following Distance Indicator and auto high beam headlights, and the basics you need: Air, power windows, a six-speaker sound system, tilt and telescoping steering and, thank goodness, illuminated vanity mirrors.

The Envista ST, or Sport Touring variant starts at $25,195 with shipping, and gets you a few more features, such as black-painted 18-inch wheels. The Avenir, which starts at $29,695, has a Watts-link rear suspension that is optional on the ST, but it’s hard to imagine a lot of Buick customers would be shopping for a specific suspension. Up front, it’s a MacPherson strut setup. The suspension works as intended much of the time, but it seems surprised by potholes and speed bumps.

How does it all work on the road? Pretty darn well. The four-wheel disc brakes are excellent. With the larger tires, handling is reasonably crisp and similar to other front-drivers like, say, the Hyundai Kona. The engine, a slightly updated, lightened version of the aluminum Mexico-sourced 1.2-liter three-cylinder, is adequate, but the hard-working six-speed automatic transmission could use another gear or two. First and second are fine, but a tall shift to third makes the engine flatten out. The 0-to-60 mph time of 8.8 seconds won’t win any drag races. For a mini-engine, fuel mileage is good but not great at 28 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, 30 mpg overall. The base Toyota Corolla Cross, by comparison, gets 32 mpg overall.

Though Buick touts the presence of “Buick QuietTuning” with active noise cancellation, quite a bit of tire noise makes it into the cockpit, especially on porous pavement.

Inside, the interior is exceptionally handsome, with an eight-inch driver information center and a big 11-inch diagonal color touchscreen, and logically-placed controls and instruments. It isn’t until you start tapping on all the hard plastic that you notice the Envista is built down to a price, but Buick designers did a good job of integrating it all. The Avenir’s thin perforated leather interior won’t be confused with a Mercedes, but it is leather, a plus for the price. The leather-wrapped, flat-bottom steering wheel feels just right. Seats were supportive; rear-seat room is adequate for a pair of six-footers.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard even on the base Preferred model. The stereo sounds decent enough, and three months of Sirius XM radio comes with it, plus you get three years of OnStar on all models—a major selling point in this market. A sunroof is optional at $795 but wasn’t on our test car.

The Envista, like the Encore before it, may not be a home run for Buick but it’s at least a solid stand-up triple. It’s the best shot Buick has had in years of attracting younger buyers to the brand, and keeping some traditional customers who might go elsewhere. That has to be a plus for GM in general, Buick in particular. The designers, inside and out, deserve a bonus. A crossover car well done.

2024 Buick Envista Avenir

Highs: Styling looks good in pictures, great in person. Willing little engine. Handsome, functional dashboard.

Lows: Six-speed transmission isn’t optimal. Interior has lots of hard plastic. Fuel mileage is so-so for the class.

Takeaway: Superior styling in an entirely livable package.

***

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Standing alongside the bright blue CERV III concept—a 650-horse, mid-engined, all-wheel-drive Corvette concept from 1990—Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter sought to explain the new E-Ray in a historical context. We were in Denver, at the first-drive event for Chevrolet’s first production all-wheel-drive Vette, the first to have an electric drive motor.

Juechter reminded us, too, that Corvette dabbled in powering all four wheels with the CERV II concept, completed by Corvette legend Zora Arkus-Duntov in 1964. Then, as now, additional technologies like all-wheel drive were added to amplify performance. In the 2024 Corvette E-Ray, Juechter noted, electrification is a means to that end.

“This is a performance hybrid, and the result of what sports car maniacs do when they get ahold of this technology,” he said. “We knew we were going to do an all-wheel-drive car when we committed to a mid-engine platform, so we studied options for mechanical or electric drive for the front wheels. The outcome wasn’t even close.”

In interviews on site, other members of the Corvette team confirmed that the E-Ray’s V-8-in-back/electric-motor-up-front layout was optimal for packaging, for keeping parasitic drivetrain losses at bay, and for overall performance. Knowing that powering four wheels inevitably adds heft, they stressed their efforts to trim weight wherever they could. The electric front drivetrain components (all of which are built in-house), along with changes to the front shock towers to accommodate the axles, add about 265 pounds over the Z06. (You can take a deep dive into more technical aspects of the E-Ray here.)

Specs: 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray

Price: $104,900 (Price as tested: $130,905)
Powertrain: 6.2-liter V-8, permanent magnet motor with 1.9-kWh lithium-ion battery; 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Horsepower: 655 combined (495 gas/160 electric)
Torque: 595 lb-ft combined (470 gas/125 electric)
Layout: all-wheel-drive, two-door, two-passenger coupe
EPA-rated fuel economy: 16 city, 24 highway, 19 combined
0–60 mph: 2.5 sec
Competitors: Porsche 911, Mercedes-AMG GT

Though the E-Ray is a hybrid, it is not a plug-in. As such, its small battery does not permit much pure-electric drive range—four miles, tops. Its purpose is to enable a more versatile all-weather, all-season Corvette with a very approachable 655 total system horsepower, 160 of which electrically powers the front wheels. It also launches like no other production Corvette in history. Zero-to-sixty comes in 2.5 seconds, a tenth quicker than the Z06 and four-tenths quicker than the Z51 Stingray.

Drag-race prowess aside, the E-Ray is positioned as a high-tech grand-touring option in an expanding Corvette lineup designed to meet a broader array of buyers. Think Z06 pace, absent the edgy, track-focused chassis tuning and the LT6 engine’s flat-plane-crank wail.

We were handed the keys to a Sea Wolf Gray Tricoat Corvette E-Ray—a new color for 2024—and encouraged to disappear into Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. At $130,905, this top-trim 3LZ example came packed with $9880 worth of aesthetic bits, including carbon-fiber accents inside and out, a red engine cover, and black exhaust tips. Other add-ons: the popular Front Lift (a $2595 option that is certainly cheaper than front bumper repairs) and the $500 Performance Package (larger rear wickers and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires). To demonstrate just how capable the E-Ray was on the base tire, however, our tester was re-fitted with Pilot Sport all-seasons.

The first thing you notice when you walk up to the E-Ray is the absence of black accents. All of the car’s body panels are shared with the Z06, but the front fascia and the strakes along the enormous side intakes are instead painted to match the color of the body. The handsome, thin five-spoke wheels look like they came out of a Ferrari catalog, more sports car style than motorsport-butch. Even in flashy look-at-me colors, the E-Ray gives off an air of restraint when compared with the more manic Z06.

Inside, as has been the case since the inception of the C8, you can order your interior as ostentatious or as toned-down as you like. The E-Ray’s interior is the same as the others in the lineup, though a new color—Artemis, a soft green-gray hue—has been added. Our car’s Natural tan coverings, accompanied by a wash of carbon accents, felt in line with the car’s price point and near-luxury comfort pretenses.

We opted to start our journey in Stealth mode. It’s the E-Ray’s pure-electric function, intended for leaving your neighborhood without angering the Joneses next door. Novel silence and a slight hum filled the cabin as I poked the start button. That’s about all Stealth mode provides, however. Air conditioning is not available in this mode, as the 1.9-kWh lithium-ion battery doesn’t pack enough punch. Once you reach the limits of the battery (either by mileage, by exceeding 45 mph, or by using more than 30 percent throttle) the 495-horse 6.2-liter LT2 V-8 kicks on, and the only way to return to Stealth mode is to shut off the car and restart it. All this is to say, the E-Ray is not an electric sports car in the sense some people might expect. The electrification supplements, deepens, and alters the scope of Corvette performance and the environments in which it is usable; in this context, Stealth mode is best thought of more as a handy add-on than a prominent feature.

It didn’t take long for us to appreciate the E-Ray’s grand touring recipe. Eighth-generation Corvettes have been competent cruisers since day one, and even the Z06 isn’t too jarring for long journeys. The E-Ray, though, takes that a step further. Bolstered by its electric motor, there’s a dissonance between the E-Ray’s unburdened, almost relaxed V-8 sounds and the immense pace the car so effortlessly carries. It’s a wholly different personality than the Z06’s urgent, ever-thrumming sound and sharp-edged handling.

Because of that, during the early part of our road drive, we found ourselves wondering whether the E-Ray was too docile and buttoned down for something of its looks and capabilities. As our route began to bend through the mountains west of Denver and we pushed the car harder, the E-Ray began to hint at its potential, but always with an unflappable, “I got this” demeanor.

Effortless power delivery and a stratospheric performance envelope constitute the E-Ray’s personality. Torque arrives early and linearly to all four wheels, backed up by Michelin all-seasons (345-section in the rear, the largest such tires offered on a street car) that offer far more grip than can be safely used on the street. The pull from the front axle—a feeling that takes some getting used to in a Corvette—builds trust that the front end will actively guide the car’s trajectory as you exit corners on throttle. The uniquely tuned Magnetic Ride Control suspension, softer than the Z06’s, keeps the chassis poised and unperturbed by imperfections. There’s very little theater associated with carrying speed in this car, and never a moment on the street when the E-Ray feels like it will run out of give.

That said, the E-Ray is still fun. It’s still a C8 Corvette, which means it delivers all of the brilliant chassis feedback we’ve come to expect from recent General Motors performance vehicles, including the Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwings. Even the steering, now forced to accommodate the additional mechanical components and thrust of all-wheel drive, conveys a clear sense of what the front end is up to.

We did, however, encounter a foible unfamiliar to the Corvette faithful: torque steer. Heading into a valley, while on throttle and driving over changing camber on a low-grip surface, the wheel pulled left in a quick instant. Over our hours of street and track driving in the E-Ray, this jitter only occurred with one perfect confluence of circumstances. But it served as a salient reminder: the E-Ray is a different kind of Corvette.

How different? These same all-wheel-drive dynamics put to rest any concerns about the E-Ray’s personality at the rough-surfaced Pikes Peak International Raceway (PPIR). With enough room to fully stretch its legs, the E-Ray’s relaxed confidence on the street translated to approachability on track.

“The stability that’s built into the car is a little bit on purpose, and a little bit comes for free,” explained vehicle dynamics engineer Stephen Padilla. “Given the broader mission envelope of the E-Ray, we set up the suspension to yield a Corvette that’s easier to quickly get comfortable with compared to the Z06. And the fundamentals of an all-wheel-drive platform are inherently going to contribute to that goal.”

Effectively applying 655 horses to road course pavement is rarely this easy. Despite the gritty surface, the E-Ray (equipped with the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires for the track session) launches without fuss, hurtling past triple digits in seconds.

PPIR’s road-course-oval configuration contains several pavement transitions that require vigilance at speed, but the E-Ray traversed them with confidence. As we modulated the standard carbon-ceramic brakes with the ever-firm pedal, the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission grabbed the proper downshift every time, without hesitation.

While you’ve got your eyes up in the brake zone in preparation to crank the wheel at corner entry, the E-Ray’s regenerative braking charges the battery. Optimized for continuous discharge and recharge, the battery is capable of several laps at full capability around this one-minute circuit. The system is always active and never fully discharges. When the battery is low, the motor will adjust its protocol and contribute primarily during on-throttle cornering to maintain consistent handling dynamics. The Charge+ mode more actively uses the electric motor as a generator to replenish the battery.

Unless you’re trail braking, the E-Ray gives a faint brush of turn-in understeer at the limit. Remember—this is the kinder, gentler high-horsepower Corvette. Your fastest pace requires getting the car pointed to corner exit as soon as possible, and then stomping on the throttle; from corner apex to the edge of the track is where the E-Ray’s all-wheel drive and brutal thrust shine. Its chassis is not knife-edge precise like the Z06—nor is it supposed to be—but the E-Ray will lay down a seriously fast lap without unsettling drivers with less experience or suboptimal car control.

Unfortunately, our track time was cut short by a warning notification from the Performance Traction Management system (GM’s driver aid featuring adjustable traction and stability control, commonly called PTM). The other two drivers on track with us suffered the same fault. GM has since told us it was the result of a preproduction bug that has since been worked out of the system. The E-Ray is the first car in which PTM—renowned for its scalability and non-intrusiveness—has been used in an all-wheel drive configuration. In this application the system has the benefit of an additional front axle to dial inputs, but that sword cuts the other way in the form of added complexity.

To stress the E-Ray’s agility and capacity to misbehave with the best of its rear-wheel-drive Corvette siblings, Chevy offered up an autocross course with a drift circle. All-wheel-drive calibration engineer Jason Fahland shared a bit of guidance as we sat between the start cones: “The E-Ray takes less countersteer input than you would need in a rear-wheel-drive car. If you keep more steering lock in it,” he added, “it’s going to keep that side slip going.”

The big-fendered E-Ray scythed through the cones better than you might expect, pulling toward apexes with the nose under measured throttle and happily rotating the rear at full tilt. Breaking the rear end loose on the drift circle came like this: Initiate the turn, find the lateral limit, and then stab the throttle. Holding the drift proved a more delicate balance between just the right throttle inputs and, as Fahland said, less countersteer than we’re accustomed to. With another session to practice (and perhaps another set of tires, since we threw a cord in a cloud of tire smoke on our second trip around the circle), we’d have cracked the code. Not all the journos present could get the car sideways, though, and some complained of understeer. At the end of the day, the E-Ray will flatter most drivers.

That the all-wheel-drive E-Ray can enthusiastically drift, turn a lap time within a breath of a Z06, and then cruise along quietly while coddling its occupants is a testament to the technology and tuning behind it. Difficult as it is for yours truly—an adamant track rat—to admit, not everyone who wants a Corvette can live with the Z06’s high-intensity, feverish personality. Still, most wouldn’t mind similar pace, and the E-Ray provides it with a bit less amygdala tickle.

Over its seven-decade run, the Corvette has meant a lot of different things to a lot of people: Road course terror. Summertime companion. Quarter-mile monster. But it’s always been an American innovator. The E-Ray is all of those. Now, Chevy would argue, it’s also an all-weather cruiser. Through that lens, the groundbreaking E-Ray needs little explanation.

2024 Corvette E-Ray

Highs: A high threshold that isn’t hard to reach; monstrous launch; pace on the street feels effortless.

Lows: Light on personality at lower speed; preproduction tech hiccups limited our seat time; price tag for the top trim is no joke.

Takeaway: An all-American, grand touring, modern marvel.

***

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Haven’t you heard? Americans are driving their unibody SUVs like Parnelli Jones, ripping up mountain roads, counter-steering through the mud, fording creeks and leaping boulders and ending up on some flowery hill with a campfire or, if you’re Subaru, to the precipice of a mountain cliff. That’s what we can conclude from TV commercials, anyway, which have not-so-rugged SUVs outdoing each other in hardcore ruggedness. This is seemingly not a selling point, it’s the selling point. Even Honda’s family-friendly SUV has gone butch, judging by the new-for-2023 Pilot TrailSport we recently drove.

I’ll admit to being confused. Certainly, an SUV should have some utility—it’s part of the acronym. But I live near some great off-road trails, and all I see there are Jeep Wranglers, new Ford Broncos, some Toyota 4Runners aside from a bunch of clapped-out, doorless, raised-up Jeep Cherokees. I’ve never, ever seen a Nissan Rogue emerge splattered in mud from one of these trails.

Honda, bless its heart, held off for as long as it could. For 2023, it nominated the Pilot for a TrailSport package, which is, of course, rugged. Or rugged-er. Neither are candidates to tackle the Rubicon Trail. (Check out our 2022 Passport TrailSport review, too.)

That said, we’ve recently driven the new Pilot TrailSport, and it’s a genuinely nice package, with some off-road chops that don’t get in the way of on-pavement prowess. The two-row Passport TrailSport was mostly cosmetic upon its debut for 2022, this Pilot version less so.

The TrailSport slots in the middle of the five Pilot models. Our test model was priced at $50,935, including $1375 in shipping. The Pilot starts at $38,465 for the base LX and tops out at $53,855 for the Elite model. The Passport is about 11 inches shorter than the Pilot, so we’d expect it to be a little more nimble off-road. The Pilot TrailSport is hardly a lightweight, clocking in at 4685 pounds.

Specs: 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport

• Price: $48,800 (base); $50,935 (as-tested)
• Powertrain: 3.5-liter fuel-injected, dual-overhead-camshaft V-6; 10-speed automatic transmission
• Horsepower: 285 @ 6100 rpm
• Torque: 262 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm
• Layout: All-wheel-drive, four-door, seven-passenger SUV
• Weight: 4685 lbs.
• 0–60 mph: 7.1 seconds
• EPA-rated fuel economy: 18 mpg city, 23 highway, 20 overall
• Competition: Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek

This fourth-generation Pilot, at about 200 inches in length, is a little longer than the Kia Telluride and the Nissan Pathfinder.  It’s Honda’s largest SUV ever. The TrailSport seats two up front, two in the middle, and three in the third row, but even a child the middle-seat rearmost passenger will hope for a short trip. Second-row seats, however, are quite comfortable even for adults. The interior is finished in black “synthetic leather,” with orange stitching. There’s 18.6 cubic feet of space behind the third row seat; fold it down and there’s 48.5 cubic feet behind the second-row.

The TrailSport we tested was painted “Diffused Sky Blue Pearl,” a very pretty color but, along with three additional colors, a $455 option. Black and white come at no extra cost. Fit and finish on this Alabama-built Pilot was uniformly good.

As it has been since the Pilot was introduced in 2003—yes, 20 years ago—the TrailSport is powered by 3.5-liter V-6 engine. This latest iteration has 285 horsepower and 262 foot-pounds of torque, good for a 5000-pound towing capacity. It’s a punchy, pleasant engine that’s happy running on regular gas. The Georgia-built 10-speed automatic transmission is certainly efficient but borders on being too busy, especially when it’s searching for a gear as you cruise at 45 mph or so.

The TrailSport is rated at 18 mpg city, 23 mpg highway and 20 mpg overall, a little thirstier than the other Pilots likely due to the off-road appointments, like 265/60 R18 Continental all-terrain tires and an extra inch of ground clearance (a useful 8.3 inches in total).

Standard equipment includes a panoramic sunroof, a 245-watt, nine-speaker sound system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay; active noise cancelation, fog lights, a power tailgate, and all the safety equipment Honda can jam onto a Pilot. Instruments and controls are well-placed and simple to interface with.

TrailSport-specific stuff includes 18-inch wheels, a torque-vectoring rear differential, steel skid plates, hill descent, front and rear recovery points, and an off-road tuned suspension. It’s also the only Pilot with a full-size spare tire, which matters if you actually plan on any off-roading. The TrailSport’s turning circle, at 37.7 feet, is a foot tighter than the other Pilot models. The TrailWatch video system helps you maintain driving visibility when cresting a hill; you simply activate Trail mode to view a live feed of the surrounding terrain on the nine-inch touchscreen. And whereas the Passport TrailSport we tested before included only a front skidplate “garnish,” this Pilot includes actual steel skid plates to protect the underbody.

The central feature of the TrailSport package is the availability of multiple drive modes: Normal, ECON, Snow, Tow, Sport, Trail, and Sand. I did some mild cow-trailing and a little mudding in the TrailSport, and it seemed eager for more. For regular driving, we stuck with Normal and ECON. Sport was a little terrier-like—cute, but it might get on your nerves after a while.

Bottom line: Assuming you plan some off-roading—and you’ll be letting down your TV set if you don’t!—Honda has packed the Pilot TrailSport with a lot of appropriate equipment that does not harm the SUV’s daily usefulness. The company may be late to the off-road party, but Honda got it right.

2024 Honda Pilot TrailSport

Highs: Good-looking for a family hauler. Functional. Off-road chops are (relatively) substantial. Plenty of useful standard features.

Lows: Busy transmission. Only two colors at no added cost. Lower fuel mileage than other Pilot models.

Takeaway: No longer just a cosmetic package, the Pilot TrailSport brings cool off-road digs and added capability with little to no downside.

***

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Last year marked a new generation for the Mercedes SL, including some significant changes to this stalwart of Stuttgart luxury. All-wheel drive is a first, standard on SL 55 and SL 63. Then there’s that second row of seats—this is the first SL in the U.S. to seat four since the R107 generation’s SLC, back in the 1970s. (The subsequent R129 did offer rear seats in Europe.) More important, perhaps, is that the SL is now a fully AMG-developed model, effectively a topless version of the AMG GT coupe. Nevertheless, Mercedes has seen fit to offer a more tame version of the SL roadster, sans fire-breathing twin-turbo V-8. Behold the 2024 Mercedes-AMG SL 43, which we drove for a few late-summer days earlier this month.

Because Mercedes model names and designations practically require a decoder ring these days, allow us to assist: The SL 43 is the entry-level, turbocharged four-cylinder model, equipped exclusively with rear-wheel drive. That information suggests that lightness is a priority in the SL 43, and the model’s press release does reference weight reduction—an astonishing 16 times. Weight reduction is also one of the reasons AMG selected the M139 four-cylinder, an AMG spokesperson told Hagerty. (Another reason: the inline-four offered better packaging, and thus, superior weight distribution, than Mercedes’ inline-six.) The M139 is complemented, in the SL 43, by legitimate lightening measures—a soft rather than a hard top, aluminum composite construction, forged aluminum suspension and steering components, and composite-metal brakes, to name a few.

Still, the SL 43 comes in at 3825 pounds, exceeding the Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet by—get this—288 pounds. We’re talking a silverback gorilla of mass difference here, despite that the 911 has two extra cylinders. Why so strapping? Footprint, for one: The SL 43 is 7.3 inches longer, 2.5 inches wider, and 2.4 inches taller than a 911 Cab, with a whopping 9.8 inches more wheelbase. It also boasts wonderful luxuries such as massaging front seats with heaters built into the headrests (Airscarf, in Mercedes speak), so you can parade across the interstate in your own little private spa.

Specs: 2024 Mercedes-AMG SL 43

Price: $111,050 (base); $117,035 (as-tested)
Powertrain: 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 with electric belt-driven starter-generator; nine-speed multi-clutch automatic transmission
Horsepower: 375 @ 6750 rpm
Torque: 354 lb-ft @ 3250–5000 rpm
Layout: Rear-drive, two-door, four-passenger convertible
Weight: 3825 pounds
EPA-rated fuel economy: 21/27/23 mpg city/hwy/combined
0–60 mph: 4.8 seconds
Top speed: 170 mph
Competitors: Porsche 911 Cabriolet, Lexus LC 500 Convertible

Apart from all this, the SL 43’s M139 four-cylinder engine is paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, a technology not known for its light weight. Mercedes does not specify the size or weight of the onboard battery, but we know that the electric motor is teeny tiny, only 1.6 inches wide. The idea here is faster throttle responsiveness and better low-end torque; the motor is meant to spin up the turbo right away until exhaust gasses can take over in conventional fashion.

Whereas past versions of Mercedes-AMG hybrids—such as the six-cylinder AMG GT 53 4-Door and AMG E 53—used a small electric supercharger to perform a similar function, the 48-volt system in the SL 43 powers both a belt-driven starter generator and that little electric motor. The e-motor is integrated directly into the turbo housing so that it can spin the turbocharger shaft in the most efficient manner. Mercedes is very proud that this tech trickles down from the AMG Petronas Formula 1 team. The starter-generator can provide 14 hp of additional grunt in certain situations, on top of the 375 made by the engine.

None of this performance comes without an AMG-worthy price—$117,000 as tested. Our loaner car’s options list included aluminum exterior trim ($750), 21-inch AMG Y-spoke wheels ($2450), a suite of driver assistance features ($1950), plus a few other odds and ends. That seems like a lot of spaetzle until you price out a 911 Cabriolet with comparable equipment, much of which comes standard on the Mercedes but costs extra on the Porsche: sport exhaust, keyless entry, a high-end Burmester surround-sound audio system, seats that are heated and ventilated. You quickly end up with a 911 that costs north of $140,000. Yikes.

As a luxury environment, the SL 43 far outshines a base 911. It’s more beautiful, for one, wearing a truly elegant design that seems to have been envisioned as a roadster from the start. (Every 911 Cabriolet looks like, well, a 911 coupe with its roof slashed off.) The SL’s leather is rich and soft. At night, the ambient lighting provides a futuristic, spaceship-like atmosphere. (Maybe too spaceship-like for some, who may also balk at the giant tablet screen and haptic-touch steering wheel functions.) Seats are all-day comfortable. Even the round little air vents possess a pleasant weight when their position is adjusted, something we are certain a cadre of German engineers fussed over for weeks.

This hybrid four-cylinder, on the other hand, does not feel ready for prime time. It’s a coarse, clinical torque-implementation device compared with AMG’s characterful twin-turbo V-8, or even with Mercedes’ silky straight-six. When fired up, the engine sounds on the rough side of raspy, a note accompanied by unpleasant idle vibrations and resonances in the cabin. In the CLA45, the hot hatch that debuted this M139 engine in 2019, some of these characteristics seemed to complement the car’s youthful, pocket-rocket attitude. Farty four-pot upshift noises seem all wrong in this otherwise-distinguished SL.

The engine is paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, a multi-clutch affair that uses a wet start-off clutch in place of a traditional torque converter. It’s smooth off the line, but the gearbox programming is frustratingly hesitant to downshift in city conditions. You notice this most when attempting quick maneuvers, like a quick lane-change followed by sharp acceleration to match traffic speed. When the downshift arrives, a second and a half or so later, your opening has often passed—or you’ve completed the lane change and cut somebody off in your $117,000 car. The automatic top might fold in 15 seconds, but trust us, that’s not quick enough to protect you from a targeted barrage of expletives in Metro Detroit.

Once you start caning it on a back road, the SL 43 finds an easier rhythm. The powertrain is much happier in its mid- and upper range than at its low end, and the gearbox programming reacts more like you’d expect when speed and steering input increase. Throttle response is excellent in these conditions, and the four-cylinder makes plenty of power way up to redline, with peak power at 6750 rpm. On the way there, however, thrills are few. Torque delivery is more of a steady stream than a dramatic swell, and the whole experience falls shy of the muscle-car emotion that once defined AMG engines. If you treat the SL 43 as a long-distance cruiser, however, the four-cylinder is happy to play that part. It’s smooth, reasonably quiet, and comfortable at 80 mph, with usable torque even in eighth and ninth gear.

It’s really a shame about the engine, because this might be the most well-rounded chassis of any modern AMG product. For a car so long and wide, the SL is wonderfully balanced and agile. The rear end naturally follows the front, such that you rarely need to make steering adjustments to reposition the car on twisty roads. Using conventional dampers, the suspension walks the line between controlled and supple. Fine body motions communicate what the chassis is doing without making it feel unsettled. More often than not we looked down at the speedometer and saw a number 15 or 20 mph higher than we expected. Whereas the outgoing AMG GT roadster was overly stiff on bad pavement, the SL subtly squats over rough bits and keeps on going, not a care in the world. Brakes are responsive, with strong pedal feel and consistent behavior throughout the stroke.

This is fundamentally a luxury roadster, but it can roll up its cuffs and satisfy when need be. If it’s raw speed you’re after, the 911 is appreciably faster, more rewarding to drive quickly, and much more alert-feeling in city traffic. For something more stripped down there’s always the Lotus Emira, which in base form uses this same AMG engine.

We have a few other quibbles. The SL 43’s convertible top cannot be operated immediately when the car starts, which is usually the first thing you want to do before backing out of the driveway, and the system takes a few seconds before it’ll accept the command—either a swipe on the tablet or a double-tap of a physical button beneath the screen. Second, morning condensation on the windshield tends to bead up into larger drops and drop over the A-pillars, often onto the driver or passenger’s door-adjacent thigh. Last, the door handles never quite seem to work the way you expect them to; getting them to pop out from the doors requires reaching just so—not too fast! Pulling them to open the door seems to require the same monkish patience. Every passenger we took for a ride experienced the same phenomenon, which then required the driver to explain how the doors work with some insufferable phrase such as, “No, you have to open it like this.”

With some tweaking to this engine, or perhaps a different one entirely, the SL 43 would be quite a compelling alternative to the open-top Porsche 911, a Mercedes more concerned with comfort and grace than with corner-carving. With a base price of $111,050, it is more accessible than the next rung up on the SL ladder, the $137,400 SL 55, to say nothing of the $184,150 SL 63. Yet at the same time, no luxury roadster on the market so effectively combines refined chassis dynamics with the SL 43’s level of luxury and creature comforts. We suspect the powertrain will nonetheless be a deal-breaker on many test drives; even in 671-hp tune, it has won few friends in the new C 63 S E-Performance. Maybe AMG needs to take the hint and consider this miniature horse might not be fit to pull certain carts. Especially one as lovely as this SL.

2024 Mercedes-AMG SL 43

Price: $111,050 (base); $117,035 (as-tested)

Highs: Spectacular design. Uncompromising materials and luxury features. Refined chassis with handling that belies the car’s size.

Lows: Gruff engine. Lethargic transmission in city driving. Steering wheel busier than Shibuya Crossing.

Takeaway: A convincing modern-day Mercedes roadster in search of a deserving heart.

***

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At this year’s Monterey sales, someone famously paid $1,875,000 for a twisted, burned tangle of metal. Equal parts unpleasant and unremarkable to behold, a scrapyard would pay the new owner approximately $650 for the aluminum mess had it not been fire-fatigued. According to marque experts, the singed chassis tag and recorded provenance indicate it was, at one point, a car—a 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider, to be exact. And, with a heavy checkbook and a skilled workshop, it will be a car once again, ready for a packed schedule of world-class events and prestigious rallies.

A deeply evocative daydream made real—but what’s the payoff here? Aside from the obvious financial upside to mid-century Ferrari ownership, what can be expected of this vehicular Lazarus?

It’s been just shy of 60 years since this Mondial was roadworthy, or even recognizable. The population of folks who were present—let alone cognizant—during chassis No. 0406MD’s appearance at the 1954 Mille Miglia is low, to put it generously. To the average modern enthusiast, cars of this caliber might just as well be grainy black-and-white blurs in a book; if you’re one of the lucky few who attend significant concours or the staging areas of rallies, they’re jeweled sculptures in an art museum. Look, but don’t touch. Watch, but don’t drive. 

The average enthusiast likely has a better idea of how the pyramids were really built than how a multi-million-dollar midcentury race car drives. Are they fast? Are they scary? Are they tricky?

Are they even cars?

“It’s the closest you can get to greatness,” Matthew Ivanhoe says with more than a hint of reverence. “A big part of why we love these cars is that cars are tangible pieces of history. Like, I’m sitting and holding the same wheel that Cabianca held while winning the Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti.” We grabbed lunch with Ivanhoe in early summer at a gorgeous Italian restaurant just outside New Canaan, Connecticut, where he owns and operates The Cultivated Collector. Renowned for its rotating inventory of some of the world’s greatest analog supercars, Ivanhoe spends the rest of his driving hours behind the wood-rimmed steering wheels of exactly the rarified ephemera we’re talking about.

In the restaurant’s gravel lot, his blue-and-cream 1952 OSCA MT4 ticks over in the shade. It’s a two-time Mille Miglia competitor—in period. Ivanhoe believes the striking barchetta has around 28 major historical races under its fanbelt, split between hill climbs, endurance races, and grueling mountain pass sprints. Even stationary, it’s a vision of past heroism.

Today, it’s simply a device for acquiring spaghetti. I ask Ivanhoe about the average use case for a car like the OSCA MT4. “It’s not a car, it’s an event pass,” he says. “Any of the coolest events you could ever possibly want to go to on planet earth? That car goes. It’s easier to say what events it doesn’t get into than to list what it does.” This includes the modern running of the Mille Miglia, a terribly exclusive event that is often as logistically daunting as it is prohibitively expensive to participate in. Even if you have the cash, finding a car that qualifies isn’t your ticket in, as you’ve got to pass the event’s rigorous selection process that often ends in rejection. But, with the OSCA? Avanti!

Since it’s a documented two-time competitor, the path to the modern Mille as an automatic entry is paved in gold. The corner of the OSCA’s low Plexiglas wind deflector is plastered in competition stickers, as if to prove his point. Ok, so it’s a rolling backstage pass to some of the most romantic automotive events on the planet, but what’s it like when you leave the starting line? It’s a purpose-built race car—surely it’s miserable to operate and impossible to tame, right?

Let’s find out.

From a distance, the MT4 appears as a rather gorgeous children’s car; up close, the barchetta’s Lilliputian footprint is borderline precious. Riding on a wheelbase some three inches shorter than that of a first-generation (NA) Mazda Miata, the OSCA nearly disappears under the beltline of today’s Honda Accord, let alone one of the gazillion crossovers clogging our byways.

As an early MT4-2AD—or Maserati Tipo 4 cilindri—a 1092-cc twin-cam four-cylinder barks out just under 100 hp. Not much when compared to Ferrari’s contemporary 210-hp 225 S, but with just 1400 pounds to scuttle through the Italian countryside, the featherweight MT4 was a veritable giant-killer.

In its 18 years of serious competition, the mighty MT4 logged 939 entries, 449 race starts, 98 class wins, and a stellar 81 overall victories. These laurels were grasped against some of history’s greatest cars; aside from a perpetual stream of Ferraris and early—but very competitive—efforts from Porsche, the Brits terrorized circuits with prototype Jaguars and Astons, while OSCA’s homegrown antagonists included big-budget Alfa Romeos, Lancias, and Maseratis. The MT4’s peak arrived in 1954. Sir Stirling Moss wheeled Briggs Cunningham’s MT4 to an overall victory at that year’s 12 Hours of Sebring, immortalized since as the only overall win for a sports car with an engine displacement less than 1.5 liters.

Meanwhile, the stakes for glory on this New England afternoon have never been lower. Back in the gravel lot, the MT4 rasped to life with a blat of rusty rumble that belied the size of both heart and hoof. Ingress is simple but nerve-wracking; the tiny doors are easy to open and there’s no roof or windshield to rock your forehead against, but since the car’s windowsill struggles to reach my standing hip, you lower yourself into the OSCA’s tub not terribly unlike you would in a go-kart. Mind where you support yourself, however—under your weight, most cockpit protrusions will snap and most aluminum surfaces will bow.

But once you’re in, it’s the view of dreams. Aside from a smattering of patinaed gauges and some scattered, unlabeled switchgear set into the razor-thin aluminum dashplate, it’s entirely a wheel-and-shifter operation. Forward vision is broken only by the slight swell of that curved hood, with everything else falling away beyond the barchetta’s short nose.

As we sit there taking account of the flight controls, the quattro cilindri snorts and spits; it’s time to move. A four-speed manual of OSCA’s own design backs the rorty four, offering an unexpectedly light shift action as I find first. Like all pissed-off half-pints, torque comes relatively high in the tach, so starts are smoothest with some cacophony.

There’s no hiding those competition bones. Throttle response is instant and eager, matched by steering response as direct as a spinal tap. The engine leaks more character from 1.1 liters than any modern V-12 manages with six times that, ripping through Connecticut’s preternaturally calm suburbia with enough mechanical thrash ‘n gnash to shave a cat at 60 feet.

Weighing roughly half as much as an impact-bumper Porsche 911, it moves like a bee on a string, and feels like a frozen espresso fizz thrown in your face. Every input—no matter how minor—is heroic, full, and unfiltered. All the while, you’re fighting biting wind. You’re fighting for road space, too, with modern behemoths like Subaru Imprezas and Audi TTs, realizing that even a minor bump would send you into a violent spin that surely ends in a cartoonish explosion.

Oh well. At least my death arrives in an OSCA. At least it’s interesting. At least it’s a story.

But, we survive this race—er, cruise. I burble into The Cultivated Collector’s quiet parking lot, where small drops of rain are just starting to sizzle on the blacktop. We hustle the roofless little gem into Ivanhoe’s showroom just in time to beat the summer shower. The smell of warm fuel vapor drifts through the garage, a space filled with other midcentury Mille masters from Cisitalia and Ferrari.

I ask Ivanhoe if this was the first time he’s taken out the MT4 just to grab some lunch. “Man, I take that thing to dinner, I’ll stop at the grocery, I’ll go out on a nice Sunday ride with it,” he says, laughing. “These ’50s sports racers—I’m not talking a 356, I’m talking a proper sports racer—are the final hurrah of being able to have that kind of experience while still wrapped in a package that is easily digestible.”

I look back on our quick blast. I’m not sore, hot, hurt, or hobbled after wheeltime in a dedicated prototype race car engineered to run at the peak of capacity for thousands of kilometers. Acclimation involved carefully exploring the clutch, and making sure I didn’t money-shift the four-speed. That’s it.

I don’t think I can say the same about race cars a decade junior to the little OSCA.

Ivanhoe agrees. “By the time you get to the 1960s, things get way more purposeful, for a lack of better description,” he explains. “They become much more hardcore and much, much more focused. “917s, GT40s, the 512S—epic, unbelievable cars—but good god man, you’re not taking one of those to the store to grab a gallon of milk.”

When I interviewed GT40 owners for a feature earlier this year, they echoed this sentiment. I mention this to Ivanhoe. “Cars like that, they’re hot, they’re uncompromising, the clutches are on-off switches, if you’re not moving-moving, they overheat. It’s a race car. It’s a race-race car,” he says. “These ’50s racers are still usable as a car. The suspension is pretty compliant, the motors are pretty usable and easy, they’re not deafeningly, painfully loud.”

It makes sense. Back when Ivanhoe’s OSCA was a prime athlete, portions of the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio were unpaved; suspension compliance was seen as a plus, not a fault. Mid-race fuel stops were also occasionally iffy, meaning these engines couldn’t rely on drinking only the hot stuff. “They’re not running such high compression that you need to run some crazy jungle juice you can’t find at a gas station,” he says. “You run pump gas, you can add an auxiliary fan and then drive them in traffic.” Just like we did.

And short of catastrophe, if something goes sour, there’s little that can’t be fixed by a competent collector car mechanic on the side of the road. “It was super innovative and cutting edge for the time, but we’re not talking about stuff made from unobtainium,” he explains.

I’m hopelessly hooked—but what can I do? At the time of this writing, the Hagerty Price Guide holds the 1100-cc OSCA MT4 at an average value of $986,000, with the crappiest at $789,000 and the best at $1.5 million. A steal, considering an equitable Ferrari sports racer runs between three and five times that, depending on provenance.

Alright, so what’s a reasonable analog? I ask Ivanhoe if a stripped-out, hotted-up twin-cam MGA or a similarly spiced Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider would scratch this itch. “A stripped-out Giulietta is a fantastic car. I love it. It absolutely gets you 80 percent of the [OSCA] experience, maybe more,” he enthused. “But man … that last 20 percent!”

“But, that’s the thing. An enthusiast with a hot-rod Giulietta and an enthusiast with an OSCA—they’re speaking the same language,” he continues. “We all love the same shit. One’s just a bit spicier than the other.”

I think again on the crumpled Ferrari that sold back in August for $1.875 million. At the time, what a lark—if it’s Ferraris you want, that cash buys you a nice Daytona and a good Dino, with enough left over for a few 308s and Testarossas.

But now, armed with the best kind of bugs-in-the-teeth context, I’m not so sure that Mondial wasn’t one of the best buys of Monterey.

***

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Via Insider

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Company policy, albeit a generous one, requires you to get an SUV for a company car. Annoyed, you look for the least SUV-like SUV you can find. There’s a solution: An Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Not just the pleasant 2.0-liter, 280-horsepower four-cylinder version, but the moderately absurd Quadrifoglio all-wheel-drive model, with the 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 with 505 horsepower, though it feels like more, and an advertised top speed of 176 mph.

Yeah, that’ll show the boss. One upside for him: The time you take driving customers to lunch and back should be substantially reduced.

Is he still not impressed? “It has a carbon-fiber driveshaft,” you tell him.

“Oh,” he replies. “What’s the status of the Johnson account?” he says, desperate to change the subject.

This $93,615 Stelvio Quadrigoflio is a kitten around town, a tiger when you crank the console dial up to “race:” The active suspension hunkers down, the eight-speed automatic transmission takes a different set, and the exhaust note suddenly reflects what the engine actually is: Essentially a V-6 Ferrari, as some of Ferrari’s top engine designers styled it after a Ferrari V-8, minus two cylinders.

(By the way, “Quadrifoglio” is Italian for four-leaf clover, and there’s a clover badge on each front fender of this Alfa, a good-luck tradition for the marque’s race and high-performance vehicles.)

That race mode is just what it says: The ride is brutal and loud and twitchy, and it’s best considered a demonstration mode for your horsepower-hungry friends.

The Stelvio has always been a pretty wonderful SUV, but what most customers wanted was a modern-feeling Alfa Romeo with no “check engine” lights, no electronic glitches, no clunks, no rattles, no slightly-off interior or exterior trim pieces. That was not necessarily the case with the Alfas that migrated to the U.S. in 2016 or so. Since then, quality control has improved considerably in the Cassino, Italy plant where the Stelvio is screwed together.

The Stelvio Quadrifoglio has plenty of (optional) safety features, including lane keep assist, active blind-spot assist, intelligent speed assist and traffic-sign recognition. Cruise control is active with full stop. There’s front and rear park assist sensors. The 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system is a good one, with Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto. Front and rear seats are heated, as is the steering wheel. There are huge aluminum paddle shifters mounted on the steering column.

Specs: 2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio AWD

• Price: $85,675/$93,615 (base/as tested)
• Powertrain: 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6; eight-speed automatic
• Horsepower: 505 @ 6500 rpm
• Torque: 443 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm
• Layout: All-wheel-drive, four door, five-passenger SUV
• Weight: 4313 lbs.
• EPA-rated fuel economy: 17 mpg city, 23 highway, 19 overall
• Competition: Porsche Macan Turbo, BMW X3M, Audi SQ5

And while the basic interior hasn’t changed much, I wasn’t able to find much to complain about, unlike some of our auto journalist colleagues at other publications. Yes, the very firm, racing-style seats are not your typical SUV chairs, but I loved them and their wrap-around adjustable side bolsters. And the carbon-fiber trim and the leather upholstery, as well as the flat-bottomed steering wheel, looked right. I’m largely reduced to nit-picking, such as the on-off and volume control knob that sticks up from the console: Flimsy, and kept getting hit most every time I’d try to stick a bottle of water into the cupholder. Also, the touch screen is on the small side and very horizontal.

That’s the view from the black perforated leather front seats: Things aren’t quite as rosy in the rear. Head room is plentiful, even under the dual-pane sunroof, and leg room is adequate, but just barely, for six-foot passengers. If you try to stick someone in the middle of the rear seat, be aware there’s no foot room atop the driveshaft tunnel, and elbow room is very tight. Yes, this is an SUV, but there’s more rear-seat room in most sedans. The same with the room out back, a modest 18.5 cubic feet, beneath a (hands-free) power hatch. Some sedans have that much trunk space.

The quick-witted handling was absolutely flat – weight balance is 50/50 front and rear, and when the front end does give up in a corner, it does so under duress, but gently. Steering is spot on, with the appropriate amount of feedback. The front disc brakes are Brembos, although they have the Alfa Romeo logo on the calipers. They are sure and strong, but pedal feel is a little touchy.

Outside, the handsome, compact lines are complimented by the five-circle gloss black wheels, holding meaty summer Pirelli P-Zero tires: 225/40R21s up front, and 285/35R21s out back. The tires are quiet and work extremely well, even on damp pavement. The four big exhaust tips don’t hurt the performance image.

Even the engine bay has a symmetrical means-business look, rare in this era of huge, anonymous black plastic covers. Also helpful: The $2200 Montreal Green tri-coat paint, which unfortunately doesn’t snap in photos the way it does in person. It got lots of comments, all but one positive. (“Too green,” the kid said.)

The Stelvio, the Giulia, and the Tonale are all compelling entries in the Alfa stable, with the Stelvio Quadrifoglio at the top of my list. Very expensive, but very impressive.

2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio AWD

Highs: Lovely styling, nicely balanced, happy enough to participate in rush-hour traffic. Killer Ferrari-inspired engine with appropriate wide-open vocals.

Lows: Some mild Italian quirks, rather pricey, not that roomy.

Takeaway: The SUV for those who would rather own a sports car.

***

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Three decades have passed since two of Japan’s finest sports cars, the MK IV Toyota Supra Turbo and Nissan 300ZX, were on top of the world. There were successful iterations of both cars prior, but never did their performance so challenge the likes of Porsche and the Chevrolet Corvette. Now here we are, yet again, with the Toyota Supra and Nissan Z back for sports car fans to relish. Is this just another reboot, or the revival of a long-lost rivalry?

With popular culture positively dripping in nostalgia—Barbie is suddenly toy royalty again, and fashionable teens are inexplicably embracing Birkenstocks and ripped jeans—it’s tempting to look at the latest Supra and Z with the kind of cynicism fitting of another Marvel sequel. You may remember when two proud Japanese companies, investing all of their technological and engineering might into cutting-edge performance, sought to strike fear into the heart of European sports-car makers. These were moonshot cars with, at the time, ambitious technologies like sequential turbocharging and rear-wheel steering. The infinite wisdom of The Animaniacs—Yakko, Wakko, and Dot—apply nicely here now:

Reboot it, renew it
Reshoot it, redo it
And reuse it, retool it
Abuse it, just do it
If you wanna make some easy cash, just recycle and rehash!

However, a lot has changed in thirty years. Neither the new Supra nor the Z you see here reflects Toyota or Nissan at the peak of their powers. For one, underneath the Supra’s curvy exterior lurks a BMW in almost all but name, including its chassis and 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six shared with the current Z4 M40i roadster. Nissan’s handsome Z Performance may resemble the classic 240Z, but in reality it’s a heavily breathed-on update of the outgoing 370Z, itself a dinosaur dating back to 2009. The Z’s twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 should be familiar to Infiniti fans from the Q50/Q60 Red Sport 400. Neither the new Nissan Z (generation RZ34) nor the Supra (A90) breaks barriers from a technological standpoint.

All this is to say that we aren’t dealing with a Michigan/Ohio State, Red Sox/Yankees, Camaro/Mustang battlefront here. It’s almost a rivalry by default, as sports cars in 2023 with two seats, two doors, and three pedals have become downright rare. The only other such cars currently sold in the U.S. are the Mazda Miata and the Porsche 718; at about $30,000, the Miata is quite a bit cheaper but also a lot slower and less powerful, while the least-expensive 718 Cayman starts at $70,000. Smack in the middle are the Z and Supra, both wearing MSRPs in the $50,000 range.

Specs: 2023 Toyota GR Supra 3.0 MT

• Price: $56,745 / $57,945 (base/as-tested)
• Powertrain: 3.0-liter turbocharged I-6; six-speed manual transmission
• Horsepower: 382 hp @ 5800-6500 rpm
• Torque: 368 lb-ft @ 1800-5000 rpm
• Layout: Rear-wheel-drive, two-door, two-passenger coupe
• EPA-rated fuel economy: 19/27/21 mpg (city/hwy/combined)
• Curb weight: 3389 pounds
• 0–60 mph: 4.2 seconds (est.)

Specs: 2023 Nissan Z Performance M/T

• Price: $51,015 / $52,360 (base/as-tested)
• Powertrain: 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-6, six-speed manual transmission
• Horsepower: 400 hp @ 6400 rpm
• Torque: 350 lb-ft @ 1600-5200 rpm
• Layout: Rear-wheel-drive, two-door, two-passenger coupe
• EPA-rated fuel economy: 18/24/20 MPG (city/hwy/combined)
• Curb weight: 3536 pounds
• 0–60 mph: 4.5 seconds (est.)

Which brings us to our two test cars. You won’t have an easy time tracking down either model for MSRP at dealers, especially with a manual, but the window stickers nonetheless say the following:

Coming in at $52,360 we have the Nissan Z Performance, packing 400 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque under the hood. Standard kit includes a mechanical limited-slip differential, 14-inch front brake rotors with four-piston calipers, and 19-inch forged RAYS wheels. That price includes two options added to this Gun Metallic gray over Red Accent example: a floor mat package ($400) and illuminated kick plates ($500).

The Supra demands a bit deeper pockets, with this Stratosphere blue over black tester totaling $59,040. The Bavarian straight-six summons 382 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque, delivered via an active, electronically locking differential. Adaptive dampers are standard, as are Brembo four-piston front brakes and 19-inch forged wheels. Options include the Driver Assistance Package ($1195) which bundles blind spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, and parking sensors. The carbon-fiber mirror caps cost $925.

Driving the Z and Supra back-to-back on back roads near our editorial home base in Ann Arbor, Michigan, revealed cars with two distinct personalities.

The Z is your old friend who got, like, really into Crossfit. If you liked the outgoing 370Z, the new Z is improved with upgrades to the engine, transmission, suspension, and interior. The V-6 still emits that distinctive VQ-series mix of howl and groan, particularly in the upper reaches of the rev range. On the way there it’s all about the boost. You can feel the urgency and shove of the turbos as they spool into action, the engine getting increasingly feverish as the tach needle climbs. At full throttle the Z will chirp its tires in the first three gears, which rarely fails to evince a smile. The six-speed is a friendly gearbox with relatively easy throws and clear spacing between the gates. No complaints.

It’s a bit of a loose cannon, this Z. The suspension is compliant enough to allow for a bit of body roll, as well as noticeable compression and rebound over bumps. This isn’t a bad thing—you know what the car is doing, which helps you feel involved. Everything is relative, which is to say the Z Performance is still fairly stiff, but even over bad pavement and a pockmarked dirt road we didn’t wince every time a tire dropped. If there’s a weakness here it’s the front end, which can feel vague especially on corner entry. Hard to tell if a sharper-responding tire than the stock Bridgestone Potenza S007s would fix that, but either way a bit more grip and bite would not hurt.

In terms of over-the-road speed and composure, the Supra simply outclasses the Z. (It also works out, but with a private trainer and a real-time blood-glucose monitor.) The engine in particular is more refined, delivering silky-smooth torque on demand in whatever gear you like. It arrives with little drama, as in the Z, but rather with a sense of ever-present inevitability that suggests a deep well of reserve muscle. The intake sounds content, sweet even, compared with the nine-o-clock shadow brashness of the twin-turbine VQ. A precisely cut gem, happiest and most responsive at about 5000 rpm. We’d love to tell you what the exhaust sounds like from inside the car, but the wind buffeting above about 40 mph with the windows down is so aggressive we couldn’t bear it long enough to listen.

Suspension is considerably more taut than in the Z. That tautness translates into quicker reflexes, mostly noticeable in quick transitions, like over crests or when the radius of a corner decreases. The car simply pivots and then sticks, wherever you point it, and the nose responds adroitly to steering corrections. It probably helps that the Supra is about 150 pounds lighter, weighing in at 3389 pounds to the Z’s 3536 pounds. Standard adaptive dampers mitigate major potholes better than you’d expect, but the busy ride and gentle head toss over ordinary broken pavement might tire owners living in regions without manicured roads.

The Supra’s brake pedal stays firm and immediate even after half an hour of punishment. All of this speaks to solid, familiar BMW engineering and intelligent Toyota tuning, except for the six-speed manual. What a thing, one of the lovelier gearboxes on the market today and distinct in feel from the shifter in, say, the M4. Shift action is light—more snappy than toy-like—with a pleasant mechanical clack with each gear engagement. Though this is technically a BMW ‘box, Toyota says it comprehensively tweaked it to suit the character it wanted for the Supra. Having driven the automatic version, this manual utterly transforms the car, enlivens it. Why it wasn’t offered from the get-go boggles the mind.

For longtime Z fans, the looks of the latest iteration could well be enough to seal the deal. The design is a home run, melding the silhouette of the original 240Z with the more linear geometry of Nissan’s current language. There’s no question the Z got more attention than the Supra around town. Toyota’s design looks best from the rear three quarter, emphasizing the duckbill rear spoiler and length of the hood, but in general it comes across as more overwrought. A try-hard.

The Supra’s interior is more sober, business-like. You sit nice and low, gazing out over that mile-long nose. The roof feels right overhead, a result of that steep rake above the driver. The double-bubble helps, as do the widely adjustable seats, but taller drivers might not fit comfortably and still be able to see well. Gauges are clear and legible, and the infotainment system is a somewhat dated version of iDrive that nonetheless works quite well.

The Z is airier and gets the nod in this respect, but on longer drives its hard seatbacks and deep, concave seat shape begin to take a toll. The Z also suffers from precious little trunk space compared with the Supra, with a cargo floor that seems five inches too high and not especially deep. And while there is plush leather and a modern-looking center screen, the big, chunky climate control knobs and other switchgear are frequent reminders that the cabin was designed in the mid-2000s. (For old-school types who hate complex interfaces in new cars, this may even be a selling point.)

The people who lusted after Supras and Zs in the ‘90s and 2000s may now be at the place in life that they’d actually be able to afford a new one. Nostalgia undoubtedly fueled the return of these two cars, which means fans of one or the other would need a very good reason to turn traitor. There isn’t one here. The Supra is the better all-rounder, the one more people would be happy to drive and live with every day. The Z stays more true to its roots, for better and for worse, and a quick romp in it is all you need to get the blood flowing and hair standing up. With so few sports cars left, both the Z and the Supra feel like winners for their part in restoring the rivalry, such as it is.

2023 Nissan Z Performance

Price: $51,015 / $52,360 (base/as-tested)

Highs: Gorgeous design. Thrilling engine. Comfortable ride, for what it is. A Nissan through and through.

Lows: Poor cargo capacity, even for a sports car. Stiff seats, and a cheap interior if you look too closely. Turn-in could be sharper.

Summary: A familiar beast, much improved, and at a friendly price.

***

2023 Toyota GR Supra 3.0

Price:$56,745 / $57,945 (base/as-tested)

Highs: Impeccable chassis balance. Sweet-shifting six-speed. Interior that feels modern yet focused on the driving experience above all. Reasonable trunk space for a weekend getaway, or even daily use as a second car.

Lows: Maddening wind buffeting with windows open. Won’t win any design awards. BMW bones may dissuade Supra purists.

Summary: Entertaining, capable, and confidence-inspiring in just about any situation. It’s not the Supra some remember, but it’s damn good and we’re happy it’s here.

***

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A few years ago, the Nissan Pathfinder seemed neutered both in purpose and in appearance. It had lost its personality and its off-road capability, both of which were traded in on jellybean looks and milque-toasty performance.

The old Pathfinder was capable of handling soccer practice and carpooling, of course—Nissan just didn’t advertise it. Owners could feel like they had a genuine dual-purpose vehicle: Tame on weekdays, game for some adventure on weekends. But the Pathfinder had become domesticated. It was just another SUV.

Then came an effective, slightly angular redesign for 2022, reminiscent of how Pathfinders used to look but nicely updated. Now, with this legit Rock Creek off-road package, the Pathfinder officially has its chops back. The Rock Creek model has the right rugged look inside and out but also most of the hardware and software that other SUVs do, such as a host of safety equipment, Apple Carplay, Android Auto, and ProPilot, an active driving-assist feature. The Pathfinder Rock Creek doesn’t have a power tailgate, though.

What the Rock Creek package does have is an off-road-tuned suspension, purposeful-looking 18-inch wheels with 265/60 R18 all-terrain tires—Toyos on our test model—an “Around View monitor” with off-road mode, a unique front fascia and grille, a roof rack, and LED fog lights. Inside, there’s orange-stitched Rock Creek badging, second-row captain’s chairs (making for seven-passenger capacity with the third-row bench, but that seventh passenger had best be on Weight Watchers), and durable-feeling leatherette upholstery. The Rock Creek is all-wheel-drive, of course, an upgrade from base Pathfinders, which are front-drive.

The 3.5-liter V-6 also has 295 horsepower, 11 more than that of a regular Pathfinder, and more torque; but to get all of that extra muscle you need to feed it premium gas. The Rock Creek’s six runs fine on regular, but its output is closer to the standard engine’s 284. We suggest using premium if you’re towing—the capacity is a healthy 6000 pounds—and regular gas the rest of the time. Overall EPA-rated fuel economy is 21 mpg, lower than that of other Pathfinder models.

Specs: 2023 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek

• Price: $42,820/$ 44,855 base/as tested
• Powertrain: 3.5-liter V-6, nine-speed automatic transmission
• Horsepower: 295
• Torque: 270 lb-ft
• Layout: Four-wheel-drive, four-door, seven-passenger SUV
• EPA-rated fuel economy: 20 mpg city, 23 highway, 21 overall
• Competition: Toyota Highlander, Kia Telluride, Subaru Ascent

Base price on our Pathfinder Rock Creek was $42,820, with only two options plus $1295 for shipping: Rock Creek floor liners ($345) and two-tone paint ($395), the latter of which looks just right on this trucklet. The list price was $44,855.

On the road, the Pathfinder Rock Creek is a little stiff-legged, but you would expect that with the off-road handling upgrades. The ride is by no means objectionable, but it is distinctively rougher than that of the regular Pathfinder.

The tires, those Toyo Open Country radials, were new to me, and they work well everywhere—on dry pavement, over wet pavement, and in the dirt during mild off-roading. I’m lucky to live next to a state forest with all variety of Jeep-worthy trails, and on paths I would consider to be near-medium in difficulty, the Pathfinder Rock Creek was capable. The Toyos are slightly noisy on pavement, but any effective all-terrain tire makes its presence known on-road. Like the stiffer ride, the noise is just part of the package. The steering is more precise than on most off-road-capable machines.

Inside, the Pathfinder Rock Creek offers a friendly environment, with instruments and controls that are simple to master. The driver’s seat is 10-way power adjustable with power lumbar support. The passenger seat, with four-way manual adjust, isn’t as comfy. Second-row seats are pretty roomy and there’s a removable center console. The third row is best for kids, or adults who really need a ride.

The Pathfinder Rock Creek is a very competent, well-mannered sport-ute, exceptional at nothing but good at everything. At under $45,000, it is a lot for the money, but that price includes a personality once again. If you aren’t looking for personality, the base Pathfinder starts at about $9000 less.

2023 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek

Highs: Solid powertrain, three-row seating, handsome styling.

Lows: Not-great fuel economy, highway ride a little jiggly.

Takeaway: Viceless, good-looking sport-ute with some off-road ability.

***

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To mark 25 years of the Audi TT and commemorate its final year in production, we drove this final 2023 TTS coupe for one last road test. Click here to read about our drive of the original Mk1 TT, and click here for a design deep dive with insight from designer Freeman Thomas. -Ed.

Even at its most recent peak near the turn of the millennium, the market for little sports cars has never been huge, especially for the models that came with premium price tags. For 25 years, Audi’s TT has been a mainstay in the sports car world, and one of the space’s most original-looking. Though not as pure a driver’s car as some of its competitors over the years, the TT instead focused on comfort and livability. Engaging and fun, yes, but practical enough to be viable at least as a second household car for daily use.

With this year marking the end of the road for the TT, we’re here to take a last look at Audi’s little coupe. The 2023 Audi TT comes available in three flavors, all powered by variations on the same theme: a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder mounted up front and directing power to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

Opt for the base, $53,290 TT—available in both coupe and Roadster guise—and you get 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. Go for the $62,995 TTS, the car you see pictured here, and you step up to 288 hp and 280 lb-ft. The roaring turbo-five-cylinder TT RS went out of production after 2022.

Specs: 2023 Audi TTS Coupe

• Price: $62,995 / $65,790 (base/as-tested)
• Powertrain: 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, seven-speed dual-clutch
• Horsepower: 288 hp
• Torque: 288 lb-ft
• Layout: All-wheel-drive, two-door, four-passenger liftback coupe
• EPA-rated fuel economy: 23/31/26 MPG (city/hwy/combined)
• 0–60 mph: 4.4 seconds (est.)
• Competition: Porsche 718 Cayman, BMW 2 Series, Toyota Supra 2.0

The car you see here is coated in Tango Red Metallic, a beautiful, simple crimson with just a hint of sparkle. That’s one of eight hues to choose from. The red pairs nicely with the $2200 Competition Package, which blacks out many of the exterior details, including mirrors and wing, and adds darkened 20-inch wheels. The all-black grille area helps the angry front facia look a bit more muted, too.

All that aggression at the nose dominates the visual experience, which we’d argue distracts from TT’s overall shape. That roofline has endured fundamentally since introduced in 2008, but in recent years the TT has suffered a lot of add-on styling cues that have diluted its purity. However, the new car’s design still largely consists of a few simple arching lines, and in traffic with hordes of SUVs it still looks quite fetching.

That Tango Red continues in the interior. It splashes up the center console, runs up either side of the seats, and even frames the five, large, circular vents punctuating the TT’s abbreviated dashboard. All that plus the red stitching and the generous use of carbon fiber appliqué creates an interior that’s racy and purposeful but still comfortable.

Comfortable, that is, if you’re sitting up front. Yes, the TT coupe still includes a pair of hopelessly useless back seats, which will accommodate only legless passengers who don’t mind getting concussed every time the rear hatch is closed. The best feature of those seats is that they fold flat, creating a deeper-than-expected parcel shelf for a weekend getaway.

Front seats plush yet supportive and adjustable in all the right directions. While the cockpit is snug, there’s plenty of headroom and the deep, microfiber-wrapped steering wheel with its tiny, plastic shift paddles has enough adjustability to get exactly where you want it.

Pressing the engine start/stop button doesn’t produce a lot of fanfare, with the 2.0-liter, turbocharged engine popping rather than roaring. Left to its own devices, the TTS doesn’t really make much in the way of sound until you explicitly toggle over to Dynamic mode, which produces a richer exhaust note. Dynamic mode sets the engine and transmission to their most aggressive ends of the spectrum, the latter holding gears longer and shifting quicker. Suspension damping is also tightened, and the Haldex center differential increases torque bias to the rear axle.

With everything in its sportiest setting, the TTS doesn’t exactly morph into a different beast, but it does feel more willing to be driven hard. Even in Comfort the suspension is quite firm, however, though never punishing to the point where the car is upset by mid-corner bumps.

The steering likewise firms up considerably in Dynamic (arguably too much) but Individual mode lets you dial that back to a more livable weight while maintaining the powertrain and suspension changes. The steering is never especially lively or talkative, but its response is always quick and precise, regardless of the chosen setting.

The engine, though, can sometimes require a little extra coaxing. To get 288 horsepower out of just two liters calls for just shy of 20 psi of turbo boost, which often takes a moment to build. Adding to the delay is a transmission that, even in Dynamic mode, can be a little reluctant to downshift.

The solution here to push the tall shift lever over to the right, dropping the car into manual-shift mode. There’s still no clutch pedal here, so gear changes are controlled via the shift paddles behind the steering wheel. There’s still some automation here, however, as the car will proactively upshift before you get to the redline. No banging against the limiter, but the feature does at least ensure you’ll have the right gear most of the time.

The interior is clean, if a bit sparse, which is largely a consequence of the entire user interface living in the 12.3-inch gauge cluster. No center display whatsoever, which is something unique in the Audi lineup to the TT and the R8. The TT was one of the first cars on the market to really perfect the all-digital instrument cluster, which Audi dubbed Virtual Cockpit. The infotainment comes across as a bit limited and dated now, but it’s intelligible, even if operating it requires a fair bit of navigating through menus to find what you want. You get used to it, and the voice commands are good enough that you can often rely on them while keeping your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are included, both requiring a wired connection.

While lacking the edginess of a Porsche 718 Cayman, chassis balance of a BMW 2 Series, or light weight and balance of something like a Toyota GR86/Subaru BRZ, the TTS has its charms as a sports car. It’s handsome, comfortable, and all-wheel drive gives an extra layer of control in wet or cold weather. Thirty-one mpg on the highway doesn’t hurt either, and I averaged 27.5 mph over a week in the one you see here. Believe me, we were not hypermiling.

Sadly, all sports cars are struggling to make a compelling business case, and the industry-wide pivot to electric power means high-volume/high-margin models are the ones getting early investment. No matter how good-looking or evocative of its predecessor, the TT’s time seems to have passed. What started as a mini-bombshell back in 1998 is, unfortunately, going out with a whimper. A quarter-century is a good long life for any model, let alone a sports car, so the TT leaves us with dignity. We’ll remember it fondly.

2023 Audi TTS Coupe

Price: $61,900 / $65,790 (base/as-tested)

Highs: Still-unique looks. Good, clean fun in an accessible package. Impressive fuel economy. Striking interior, even seven years later.

Lows: Noticeable turbo lag, competitors feel sportier, rear seats are useless.

Takeaway: A striking, lively, yet livable little sports car that delivers fun more than it thrills.

***

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Like proper “outlanders,” we stayed in tiny cabins-on-wheels. We had modern necessities: An elevated queen bed, a kitchenette, a bathroom and shower, and air conditioning, situated on 415 hilly acres two hours from Nashville in Moss, Tennessee. There was a big picture window next to the bed, where you see … nature. In my case, mostly an elm tree.

Since I already live in a log house in the middle of nowhere Florida, seeing nature up close isn’t a novelty. But this whole no TV, no internet, no phone service business? Panic ensued. I checked cell service in every corner of the cabin: Zero. For a night, I was forced to read, including a pamphlet that said what to do if we encounter a bear, snakes or seed ticks, and listen to the little radio, which got four stations, the best one playing country and bluegrass from over the Kentucky state line. Ricky Skaggs and Merle Haggard. The station signed off at midnight, back on at 6 a.m. with The Gospel Hour.

If the goal was for us to decompress, I needed it worse than I knew. The next night we were back in downtown Nashville, in a trendy hotel too cute by half where room keys were wood chips and the “do not disturb” sign was a rock you put in front of your door that had “now” on one side, “not now” on the other. Internet, TV and phone. I missed my boring little cabin.

The occasion was a drive of the 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid. The crossover pumps out 1500 watts of electricity, which was enough to power sparkly campground lights, a fan, and an espresso machine at the camp site. The Outlander PHEV is the best reminder yet that Mitsubishi Motors is not only still alive, but thriving in its little corner of the market, according to a business presentation we got the second day at Mitsubishi’s Franklin, Tennessee, U.S. headquarters.

The Outlander PHEV is the company flagship in a lineup that also includes the Mirage car (for now, since it’s destined for extinction after 2024) and three SUVs: the Outlander Sport, a shortened version of the previous Outlander; the Eclipse Cross, which is almost coupe-like, and the regular Outlander, which shares some parts with the Nissan Rogue but has a small third-row seat, which the Rogue doesn’t. (Mitsubishi Motors is one-third owned by Nissan.)

The Outlander PHEV’s base price is $39,845, about $10,000 more than the regular Outlander, and it tops out at just over $50,000. That probably seems like a lot, but it has everything for that price, and I mean everything. The list includes massaging front seats, a trailer stability assist, and a touch-up paint pen. And even at that price it’s still one of the less expensive seven-passenger hybrid SUVs, although that third-row seat will only work for those shorter than five feet. Second-row seats are roomy enough for a pair of six-footers, though ingress and egress is a little pinched.

On the road, the loaded $50,880 Outlander PHEV we drove was startlingly competent. Ride quality was excellent and the cabin remained very quiet; handling proved nimble and acceleration was quite good. Mitsubishi bills the transmission as a one-speed; in practice it felt a lot like a continuously variable transmission.

The Outlander plug-in uses a twin-motor system, utilizing its 2.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and front electric motor to drive the front wheels, while a stand-alone rear-mounted electric motor drives the rear axle. Together they pump out a combined 248 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. Our 0-to-60 mph time was just under seven seconds—not blistering, but brisk for a vehicle that weighs in at about 4800 pounds wet.

The Japan-built Outlander PHEV is EPA-rated in gasoline-only use at 26 mpg overall, which we were never able to quite achieve. With a full charge—doable in about 10 hours from “empty” with just a 120-volt charger or quicker with 240 volts—you have a 38-mile electric-only range. In Mitsubishi’s thinking, that’s more than enough for the average commute. With DC fast charging, it’s possible to top up the 20-kWh lithium-ion battery to 80 percent from zero in 38 minutes.

Styling-wise, the Outlander PHEV “was crafted under the design language of “I-Fu-Do-Do,” which we were told means “authentic and majestic” in Japanese.” That’s a bit of corporate hyperbole, but aside from a mildly jarring and color-dependent snout, it’s a very pretty SUV and appropriately premium-looking. The available 20-inch wheels (18-inchers are standard) look great and fill up the wheel wells nicely. Our tester was painted White Diamond with a black roof, a $995 option.

Specs: 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

• Price: $50,880 (as tested)
• Powertrain: 2.4-liter, DOHC four-cylinder with two integrated electric hybrid motors
• Output: 248 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque (hybrid combined)
• Layout: All-wheel-drive, four-door, seven-passenger crossover SUV
• Weight: 4800 pounds (estimate)
• 0–60 mph: 6.9 seconds
• Competition: Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV, Toyota RAV4 Prime

Inside, it’s all tan and charcoal. Seats are leather with pleated door panels. As part of the $2700 SEL package there was a panoramic sunroof, a Bose sound system, a 10.8-inch heads-up display, and a heated steering wheel, as well as the aforementioned driver and front passenger seat massage function.

Offering more connectivity than any previous Mitsubishi model, the 2023 Outlander PHEV features a 12.3-inch, full-color LCD digital driver display. All come with Apple CarPlay (wireless on SE and above) and Android Auto (wired) integration as standard. A 9-inch center touchscreen is also available, which includes a built-in navigation system, SiriusXM compatibility, wireless smartphone charging, and Mitsubishi Connect services with a 24-month free trial. All instruments and controls are easy to master.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the lengthy, very rugged off-road trail we tackled. Though there’s more than eight inches of ground clearance available here, no one would mistake the Outlander PHEV for a dedicated trailmaster. Still, it has the ability—and the controls, including hill descent—to do more than just handle unimproved dirt roads. It lacks underbody skid plates and aggressive rubber (just Bridgestone all-season tires), but with those minor add-ons the Outlander PHEV would hold its own with some pretty competent off-roaders.

If you’re in the market for a seven-seat plug-in SUV, by all means you should include the Outlander in your test drives. August was Mitsubishi’s best month yet for the Outlander PHEV—a version of which Mitsubishi has been selling since 2018—with about 700 sales nationally among the 327 dealers. That works out to a little more than two per store, which isn’t exactly gangbusters, so expect to find a hungry dealer if you do seek out the Outlander PHEV.

Mitsubishi has a competitive product on its hands, something not always true over the last decade. Can it attract more customers to give it a chance?

2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Price: $50,880 (as tested)

Highs: Useful electric-only range for a PHEV (38 miles). Premium interior and exterior. Nimble handling, smooth ride.

Lows: Mitsubishi is not known as a premium brand, despite the price of this car. Very small third-row seat.

Takeaway: Far better than expected, the Outlander deserves to be on a PHEV shopping list.

***

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It’s been a rocky start for Lucid. One of several U.S.-based automakers chasing Tesla, Lucid currently assembles the Air, a very sleek and formidable electric luxury sedan. In a few months, at the 2023 L.A. auto show, Lucid will reveal the Gravity, an all-electric SUV. The latest Q2 results announced by Lucid in early August showed deliveries of 1404 cars in the quarter, about 600 short of expectations, and revenues that thoroughly disappointed Wall Street. The company’s stock, LCID, once valued at $55, has been spanked down to less than $7 as of this writing.

Well, if starting car companies was easy, everyone would be doing it. The feat is certainly easier if your friend is the Saudi government, which has invested $9 billion in Lucid so far, including a $3 billion bump this year, and which has committed to buying 50,000 cars. For its part, Lucid is sticking to its plan, which almost from the start included a high-performance sub-brand.

Behold, Sapphire, a lapidarian name that will henceforth affix itself to all top-spec Lucid models. In a brief run around suburban Los Angeles, the, er, ludicrous Lucid Air Sapphire proved that the fledgling automaker can build some pretty impressive machinery while continuing to confound with some eyebrow-raising choices. If Lucid ever manages to hack its way into the mainstream, it will not be for lack of trying to stay weird.

The Lucid Air Sapphire sits above—indeed, way above—the Lucid Air Pure, Touring, and Grand Touring already on the market. Those trim levels are priced from around $87,000 to $125,000, with varying degrees of luxury, power, and range. The Sapphire will have a base price of $250,650.

In answer to that gobsmacking figure, which seems to confirm that lofty prices are one of Lucid’s problems (another: the giant luxury sedan segment is not exactly red-hot), the Lucid people are quick to point out that more of the base, rear-drive Air Pures are coming for 2024. Those should help showroom traffic, along with that desperately needed SUV. In the meantime, Sapphire will arrive sometime before Christmas for those who want and can afford the ultimate electric airport limo.

Specs: 2024 Lucid Air Sapphire

Price: $250,650 (base)
Powertrain: three permanent-magnet electric motors
Horsepower: 1234 hp
Torque: 1430 lb-ft
Layout: all-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger sedan
EPA-rated fuel economy: TBC
Range: 427 miles (manufacturer claim)
0–60 mph: 1.9 seconds (manufacturer claim)
Competitors: Tesla Model S Plaid, Porsche Taycan Turbo S

Lucid’s tech and car-development chops have always been bonafide. No doubt, that’s why Aston Martin has committed to purchasing Lucid components for its own electric vehicles. Lucid’s proprietary electric-drive unit is extremely compact, which allowed engineers to graft a second donut-shaped motor onto the rear axle of the Sapphire, for a total of three: one in front, two in the back, producing a combined 1430 pound-feet of torque.

Lucid claims a zero-to-60-mph time of 1.89 seconds for the 5300-pound Sapphire. We can vouch the sprint is fast enough to puddle your brain against the back of your skull. Perhaps more significantly, Lucid claims a 3.61 kW/Hr efficiency for the Sapphire, which puts it near the top of the charts among modern electrics for electron consumption.

Superbike-like acceleration isn’t the only reason to go to three motors, says David Lickfold, Lucid’s senior director of chassis and vehicle dynamics, a veteran of both Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin. Torque vectoring is another: All-wheel-drive cars tend to understeer, one reason Petter Solberg was such an expert at the Scandinavian flick while driving for Subaru’s rally team in the early 2000s.

However, the Sapphire’s rear motors can flick for you—sort of. They alternately over- or under-speed as needed to help turn the big sedan in corners, thus giving the steering a much livelier and more connected feel than an AWD car this heavy has a right to have, all without the extra complexity of rear-wheel steering. We managed to provoke this rotational effect—barely—in a few runs between traffic clumps in L.A.’s twisty Sepulveda Pass. The rear end pushes outward almost subliminally while the front tucks into a tighter turn than should be possible for the speed.

Lickford calls the effect “virtual wheelbase,” meaning the Sapphire can feel like a long-wheelbase pullman or a shorter-wheelbase sports sedan depending on the situation and the driver’s mood. The car’s various personalities are selectable through the driving modes: Swift, Sapphire, and Track, the latter of which has three sub-modes—Dragstrip, Hot Lap, and Endurance. Lickford says the torque-vectoring and traction control tuning was pulled in-house for Sapphire, making for some very long days and nights for the Lucideers.

The prodigious grip is helped by the low center of gravity endemic to all-electric vehicles, plus the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires it comes with standard. The tires are marked “LM1,” meaning they are an exclusive design for Lucid. Lickfold explained that the inner belts are a durable touring compound while the outer shoulders and sidewall are basically made of Pilot Sport Cup2 super gum. Michelin’s performance tires are renowned for their ability to manage heat—a good thing, since nothing short of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant makes heat like the tires of a 5300-pound car when 1234 horsepower and 1430 pound-feet of torque are being used in anger. Ditto the brakes, where in the Sapphire are huge 16.5-inch carbon-composite disks in front clamped by 10-piston calipers, the 15.4-inch carbon rears gripped by four-piston calipers.

Lickford and his team also retuned the suspension with stiffer springs, thicker sway bars, sportier bushings, and a new front knuckle that increases negative camber in front, again for faster steering response. In back, a Sapphire-specific lower control arm increases negative camber there as well. The starchier ride is noticeable, and perhaps not to everyone’s taste.

Besides the revised suspension, the extra motor, and the standard 118 kW/Hr battery pack with its rated 427-mile range, the Sapphire comes with exclusive interior treatments and exterior aero bits. Lucid’s signature glass roof is not available, strangely: A more conventional aluminum roof painted black is the only choice, supposedly to reduce weight and lower the center of gravity.

A couple of other oddities: The only color available, at least initially, is Sapphire Blue. This in a segment where black, white, and grey seem to rule. The Sapphire’s unique 20-inch front and 21-inch rear snowflake-spoked wheels come with a set of aero covers in a handsome drawstring bag. Owners can install the covers themselves for hypermiling, but they’d do well to read the directions if they want to avoid freeway frisbees: The cover fasteners have a specific torque spec.

Aimed at folks who like stealthy performance of the type offered by an Audi RS6 or the like, the Sapphire is unquestionably an impressive technical statement and a glimpse of the vast potential for electrics. However, it’s a Hail Mary from a new company that is still struggling to sell cars and figure out how to be profitable. The latest Saudi investment is thought to give Lucid only another year or so of runway. Let’s hope the Sapphire name, like Lucid itself, will live on for many years.

2024 Lucid Air Sapphire

Highs: Outrageous acceleration, moves to match the power, lots of interior space, far nicer inside than a Tesla.

Lows: A lot of money for an unknown quantity, ride a bit crispy, you can have any color you want as long as it’s blue.

Takeaway: Lucid shows us what it’s got; now it’s got to show us the vehicle it needs—an affordable electric.

***

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There’s a newcomer to the Mustang stable. The Dark Horse now represents the top spec for the model’s new, seventh generation. It’s also the first new name for a Mustang performance trim since the Bullitt in 2001. Of course, that nomenclature was a McQueen nostalgia play tapping into prior glory—a strategy essential to the retro-fueled pony car since 2005, which both the fifth-gen Boss 302 and the recent sixth-gen Mach 1 employed to great effect. The Dark Horse, though similar in concept to these predecessors, is all about looking ahead.

Without explicit heritage to call upon, the Dark Horse will instead draw credibility from racing. Though Mustangs have long been a familiar sight at tracks in the U.S. and occasionally abroad, Ford is stepping up its presence with new GT3 and GT4 variants of the Mustang Dark Horse for international endurance racing. To further drive home the point—that the Mustang is much more than a pony car—a racing-only Dark Horse R will be the focus of a new IMSA-sanctioned Mustang Challenge spec series.

What does that mean for the road-going Dark Horse you can actually buy? As with the outgoing Mach 1, the Dark Horse is both an aspirational step beyond a fully kitted GT as well as an incrementally more performance-oriented, track-capable tool.

Incremental is the key word here—the Dark Horse is not a wholly different beast from the GT, but rather the result of many small tweaks that amplify the traits of an already excellent sports car. And, as with the Mach 1, the Dark Horse doesn’t sacrifice road manners for outright track prowess.

Ford provided a good setting for us to explore the Dark Horse’s personality, with ample laps on the Charlotte Motor Speedway roval (a blend of road course and oval) as well as time on public roads winding through rural North Carolina. Our track sessions included time in manual-transmission cars with and without the Handling Package ($4995). Luck of the draw gave us a base Dark Horse, with $1650 optional Recaro seats, for road duty.

Specs: 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Price: $60,865
Powertrain: 5.0-liter V-8; 6-speed manual or 10-speed automatic
Horsepower: 500
Torque: 418 lb-ft
Layout: Rear-drive, two-door, four-passenger coupe
EPA-rated fuel economy: 14–15 mpg city / 23–24 mpg highway
0–60 mph: sub-4 sec (est.)
Competitors: Toyota GR Supra, BMW M2, Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE (soon to be gone)

We’ve covered the EcoBoost and GT trims in the cavalcade of Mustang coverage over the last couple of weeks, which has underscored the deluge of options and configurations across all three levels. At the top of the heap is the Dark Horse, starting at $60,865 including a $1595 destination fee. Tick all the boxes and you can cross $75K. What do you get for all that?

The performance-focused Dark Horse starts with tweaks to the 5.0-liter Coyote engine to reach an even 500 horsepower, from the GT’s max 486. Backing up the engine are two transmission choices: either the exceptional Tremec TR-3160 (an upgrade from the GT’s Getrag unit) or a version of the ten-speed automatic Ford initially developed with GM. Active exhaust valves come standard, as do the familiar MagneRide dampers. The larger brakes, wheels, and Pirelli P Zero tires that come on the GT’s Performance Pack—along with some of that package’s suspension bits—are fitted as standard to the Dark Horse, but specific damper tuning, spring rates, and sway bars vary based on which Dark Horse trim you pick. In addition to other details we’ll highlight below, the Dark Horse’s Handling pack yields a larger wheel and tire combo, along with even stickier Pirelli Trofeo RS rubber.

Hop inside a Dark Horse and the differences from the GT are subtle. There’s a numbered plaque ahead of the passenger, a unique screen start sequence, darker trim surfaces, and stitching differences. The Dark Horse Appearance Package ($1500) adds attractive Deep Indigo blue leather. Your choice of seats boils down to relaxed or aggressive: the base models are more adjustable and have welcomed lumbar support and optional ventilation. They don’t hold you laterally, though, which is where the Recaros come in. They’re great for track work and were comfortable over a couple-hour journey but could use more adjustment and lumbar support.

The most noticeable change to the Mustang’s interior is the screen-dominated dashboard. The giant flat surface will remain jarring for many, but its configurability provides excellent vehicle information at a glance. In Track mode, the digital tach’s redline is centered for easy visibility, and the second screen can meanwhile display a whole suite of gauges—it’s clear the performance team got to crash the tech party, and we consider that a win, of sorts.

Ford’s decision to put technology at the forefront of this interior highlights a pivotal design decision—to move away from explicit call-outs to the 1960s Mustang. No chrome surrounds, no retro surfaces or shapes. Arguably, the last Mustang interior that didn’t reach back to the first-gen cars was the Fox-body Mustang, which ended production in 1993. The only vintage references in the latest-generation Mustang are the selectable Fox-body gauges, complete with illuminated green instruments like Gen X experienced all through the 1980s and ’90s. Time marches on, and once again, so does the Mustang.

Some things have not changed. Pulling out from the pits onto the banked oval immediately revealed the star of this package: the 500-horsepower Coyote V-8/Tremec TR-3160 combination, which deserves a spot in the Sensory Joy Hall of Fame. All snarl and bass, the Coyote rips to its 7500-rpm redline, rolling into its refrain again and again with each subsequent shift. Each short throw of the blue titanium shift ball requires considerable effort, rewarding you when the lever snaps into position with satisfying authority. Movement between the gates is precise and mechanical-feeling. Like any quality tool, good feedback makes the job easier, but also more enjoyable. The same can’t be said of the GT’s Getrag MT-82, whose linkage is comparatively imprecise.

Those 500 horses—14 more than an active exhaust-equipped GT (torque remains the same at 418 lb-ft) are courtesy of some classic hot-rodding. The Dark Horse gets a balanced crankshaft, hardened camshafts, forged connecting rods from the outgoing GT500, and a revised tune, all of which should aid in durability through extended periods of high-rpm tomfoolery. To further help keep the Dark Horse composed, Ford added coolers for the engine, transmission, and differential. They came in handy—temperatures on track at Charlotte cracked 100 degrees by midday, and none of the Dark Horses broke a sweat.

Opting for the $1595 ten-speed automatic provides slightly shorter gear ratios than in the automatic-equipped GT (the Tremec’s are shorter than the Getrag’s as well). The automatic gets a 3.55:1 Torsen limited-slip differential, while the manual gets a 3.73:1 Torsen. Ford didn’t issue hard numbers on acceleration, but expect a zero-to-60 sprint in under four seconds.

Heel-toe is easy with the well-spaced pedals (or you can let the Dark Horse rev match for you), and we couldn’t help but grin at the Coyote’s sharp barks on downshifts. The same six-piston Brembos up front and four-piston calipers in the rear from the GT’s Performance Package are standard here, and with the help of electronic boost they have no problem peeling nearly 100 mph off the 3949-pound Dark Horse’s speed into a tight hairpin at the end of Charlotte’s back straight. Initial brake bite is not excessively grabby, and the pedal feels consistently firm.

Turn-in isn’t over-eager, even with the Handling Package’s grippy 180-treadwear 305-section front Pirelli Trofeo RS tires and adjustable camber plates borrowed from the outgoing GT500. The Dark Horse instead hews old-school, encouraging trail braking on corner entry to help position the nose, while adjusting throttle facilitates line corrections throughout the corner.

This is a willing, communicative chassis that most drivers will not find hairy or intimidating. Steering weight is a bit firmer than in the GT yet overall still lighter than in BMW M or GM performance cars. That’s a stylistic difference rather than a shortcoming, but we nonetheless wish for a bit more directness and response; changes in front end grip whether on track or street can be a bit muted through the steering wheel. That’s really our only quibble.

If you plan on doing any track time at all, the Handling Package is worth the five grand. It adds an aggressive front splitter and rear spoiler, stiffer springs, retuned MagneRide dampers, a solid 24mm rear sway bar instead of a hollow one, and the aforementioned Pirelli Trofeo RSs (305 section up front and enormous 315s in the rear, shod on wider wheels). You’d be hard-pressed to spend less than that on aftermarket parts to bring the base Dark Horse or a Performance Package GT up to the top Dark Horse’s level, much less finding a formula that’s as dynamically balanced as what Ford’s engineers have developed.

Plenty of Dark Horse owners will never see time on a road course, and these customers should not overlook the base car. It delivers during assertive street driving and enjoyable cruising, wearing the same Pirelli P Zeros that come on Performance Pack GTs, plus Ford’s supple yet superbly-controlled MagneRide dampers with a unique tune. Like any Mustang these days, the Dark Horse can be as docile or devilish as your right foot demands. The car’s consistent balance across this wide performance threshold is what impresses us most.

Ford’s pony car may have prioritized heritage for the last couple of decades, but it’s always been an aspirational choice. In that respect, the Dark Horse is not as much of a pivot as it may appear. Like the Mach 1 before it, this car is hard-wired for the heart more than the head. Big performance, big street presence, and big, impressive name. That those same ingredients have been spun into a fresh recipe should please Mustang fans old and new. And for the most dedicated traditionalists, we have to believe a Shelby version will be added to the menu soon.

2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Highs: Rewarding to drive in any context—winding road, open boulevard, or closed circuit. Thunderous sound and tactile feedback that is becoming increasingly rare.

Lows: Could use a touch more front-end grip. Base seats would be perfect with more lateral support.

Takeaway: A high-performance, high-emotion Mustang for generations both present and future.

***

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So often when we get a new car or truck to test, it’s the latest and greatest, with every option in the book. We aren’t really complaining, but sometimes it makes it hard to credibly judge what the average consumer is likely to buy. Somehow, this 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Crew Cab LT 4WD snuck in through the cracks. Make no mistake, it’s hardly a stripper model—it has plenty of options, nearly $20,000 worth, but the list price, $73,935, is less than some half-ton trucks we’ve tested.

So what’s missing? Running boards, for one thing: You don’t want running boards if you’re doing serious ranch work of off-roading. But the 28-inch floor height does require a heavy jerk on the grab handle, or if you are my wife, her portable kitchen step stool.

That said, there are some luxury options like leather upholstery ($995, plus $620 for front bucket seats), heated driver and front passenger seats ($400), remote start ($525, and oddly includes a rear-window defroster) and a 10-way power driver’s seat.

But most of the options are work-related, such as the gooseneck trailer fifth-wheel package ($545), evidenced by five covered holes in the sprayed-on bed liner; the liner comes as part of the $1165 Z71 package that also included twin-tube, off-road shocks, hill descent control and skid plates.

Standard are safety features that include rear park assist, rear cross traffic alert, plus a trailer-side blind zone assist and provisions for trailer cameras, should you tow a lot, and you probably will if you’re in the market for this pickup, considering its generous 20,000-lb. capacity. There’s “hitch guidance with hitch view,” cheap at $425, and for some reason that also includes a power sliding rear window. Big heated trailering, auto-dimming outside mirrors are $530, and worth it, but beware of smacking restaurant drive-through windows.

The interior of the 2500 HD was redesigned for 2024, but stylists went moderately retro with easily-mastered controls, and a knob for turning on the radio and adjusting the sound, meaning they got it half right since there’s no knob for tuning. Instruments are easy to read. Front seats are supportive and properly contoured, good for all day in the saddle. Rear seats have room for three basketball centers. Fortunately there are grab handles back there if you aren’t seven feet tall.

Specs: 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Crew Cab LT 4WD

Price: $54,000/$ 73,935 base/as tested
Powertrain: 6.6-liter turbocharged diesel V-8, 10-speed automatic
Horsepower: 470
Torque: 975 lb-ft
Layout: Four-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger pickup
EPA-rated fuel economy: Not rated. Our overall fuel economy was 15.7 mpg.
Competitors: Ford Super Duty, Ram 2500, Nissan Titan XD

Outside, the 2500 HD has a purposeful look, with the seemingly truck-standardized Big Grille with fog lights and heavy tow hooks. The hood lists its means-business credentials – the 6.6-liter Duramax diesel engine and the 10-speed Allison transmission, and the Z71 badge on the fender has, for decades, suggested off-road prowess.

On the road, that 470-horsepower Duramax (torque is a stump-pulling 975 ft.-lbs. at just 1600 rpm) works well with the busy 10-speed Allison to keep things moving off the line and beyond, but weighing in at nearly four tons, the 2500 HD accelerates leisurely and loudly from a standing start. (Standard, by the way, is a 6.6-liter gas V-8 with 401 horsepower, which saves you $9499 and 700 pounds.) The diesel engine is quiet at cruise and idle, and fortunately for the McDonald’s employees operating the drive-through speaker, the exhaust exits on the passenger side through a massive, coffee can-sized chromed outlet.

On the highway, the 2500 HD is a surprisingly docile companion. The ride is remarkably good, unless you encounter ruts or a series of bumps, and then the solid rear axle makes itself known with the live-axle shudder. Steering is spot-on, but the turning circle is pretty wide.

The big disc brakes are excellent, making the truck seem much lighter than it is. Tires are the largest available from the factory on the Z71, all-terrain LT275/65R20 Goodyears ($200) that are nearly silent, and happier on the street than in the mud. We did some moderate off-roading – the truck is simply too large and heavy for it to be much fun – and we were wishing for a more aggressive tread. The 10-spoke spoke aluminum wheels are handsome but cost $1100, one place we’d save a little money.

In all, the 2024 Chevrolet 2500 Crew Cab LT 4WD is a very comfortable workhorse, designed for tough duty and likely to last a long time, at a price that’s expensive but certainly on par with the competition. Add a dual rope ladder to help get in and out, and we’re sold.

2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Crew Cab LT 4WD

Highs: Excellent, appropriate powertrain, stiff chassis, very good highway ride.

Lows: Heavy as a boxcar, could use better off-road tires, high step-in.

Takeaway: A legitimate, talented workhorse but with all the creature comforts you really need.

***

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They’re calling this new Mustang the seventh generation. Hmmm! They sure don’t define that word “generation” like they used to. The first-gen Mustang went from 1964 to 1974 and was replaced by the radically smaller, Pinto-based Mustang II. The Mustang II was replaced in 1979 by the fabulous Fox, and the Fox by the curvy, ovular SN95 in 1994. Now those were generational changes.

By comparison, the 2024 Mustang (internal code name: S650) is about a 3.5-magnitude quake on the Richter scale, definitely a lot less than a complete rupture. Meaning it retains a lot of the previous-gen S550 of 2015–23, the body hard points and suspension pretty much the same. America’s favorite (and last remaining) pony car hasn’t gone all-wheel-drive, or adopted hybrid-electric gizmology, or suddenly incorporated tons of composite materials. Even with its dazzling new in-car electronics, it remains as it was before: a handsome if slightly porky nostalgia piece for folks who like to revel in the good old days.

But there is enough new that we can cut Ford a little slack here. Because of the company’s peculiar information embargos, we’ll be covering the V-8-equipped GT in a separate story. For now, we’re sticking just to the base EcoBoost turbo-four versions—starting prices of $32,515 for the hardtop coupe and $40,615 for the convertible—which some lucky journos got to flog for a hot summer second over Southern California mountains last week.

We were part of the pack and can say that though the EcoBoost is half the cylinder count of the V-8, it’s still got plenty of punch, dash, and flair to give gas jockeys a tingle, even without an available manual transmission. And for 2024, Ford proves that it knows its Mustang customers well by equipping certain versions with a new electronic handbrake optimized for drifting. For really dedicated show-offs, there’s a button on the fob that lets you rev the engine while standing outside the car. Cars and coffee will never be the same.

Unfortunately, Ford nixes the manual from the EcoBoost order sheet for 2024, no doubt because the bulk of buyers are rental fleets and people with less obsession for all-out performance. And it costs big money to certify each separate engine-transmission combo. Heck, Ferrari did away with manuals decades ago and the gates of Maranello haven’t burned, so be glad you can still get a stick in the Mustang GT. For now.

Specs: 2024 Ford Mustang EcoBoost

Price: Coupe $32,515 / Convertible: $40,615
Powertrain: 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, 10-speed automatic
Horsepower: 315
Torque: 350 lb-ft
Layout: Rear-drive, two-door, four-passenger coupe or convertible
EPA-rated fuel economy: 21–22 city/29–33 highway
0–60 mph: 5.0-sec (est)
Competitors: Toyota GR86, Subaru BRZ, (the last) Chevrolet Camaro

Except for the fact that your only transmission choice is the 10-speed automatic, the new Mustang EcoBoost tries to be more things to more people, with loads of options and tons of personalization afforded by a highly digitized interior. There are 12 available wheels, 11 exterior colors with several options for hood and side stripes, four colors of Brembo brakes if you opt for the $3475 High Performance package, and a host of add-ons from car covers (two available colors) to a first-aid kit. Don’t sit down with the online configurator unless you have a free evening, because ordering a ’24 Mustang is not something you do during a commercial break.

Ford says it wants to broaden the car’s appeal to pull in new customers, especially younger buyers accustomed to staring at screens all day. So it has built the new Mustang with a lot of screen to stare at, infused with loads of submenus and wooly multicolor graphics to entertain and delight. The old “twin-brow” dash evocative of the 1960s original is gone, replaced by a 12.4-inch flat-screen instrument cluster adjoined seamlessly in one flowing rectangular wave of glass to the 13.2-inch touchscreen that is your portal to Ford’s Sync 4 infotainment system.

All of it is angled at the driver in what Ford claims is a riff on the all-glass cockpit of an F-35 fighter jet, with the operating system intended to mimic the latest video games. “It’s progressive, disruptive, pushing the Mustang into the future,” said Chris Walter, the Mustang’s exterior design director. “We want it to feel like a digital video game or the devices that [younger people] have grown up with.”

Disruptive for sure, especially in what is the market’s most pointedly retro vehicle (now that the Camaro and Challenger are dead). Do Mustang buyers really want to swipe their fingers on a screen to adjust cabin temps or select radio stations, choose their ambient lighting from a zillion possible colors—purple and yellow gauges anyone?—or spin a 3D rendering of their car to amuse their passengers?

Ford is gambling that they will. Or, at least, they won’t mind, especially since some functions can be done with steering-wheel buttons. And the screens usher the Mustang into the modern age, giving the driver access to features they never had before. Like picking from five different gauge displays, one of which is a digital simulation of the classic Fox-body instruments (yes, please!). You can select four different drive modes, ranging from “Slippery” to “Track,” which vary the throttle and stability control settings, and also pull up a screen with extra engine-performance gauges, an acceleration timer, or a track-lap timer.

It goes on and on. One of the few hard buttons on the dash has a small Mustang pony on it. The so-called “My Mustang” button takes you directly to the menu page for most of the drive features. Suffice to say, when they deliver your new Mustang, don’t let the salesperson out of the car until he or she has shown you everything. And fear not; the EcoBoost has the exact same menus and graphics as the GT.

Car writers used to usher in a new Mustang with talk about carburetor barrels and solid lifters; now we talk about 3D graphics engines and the user experience. As Captain Jack Aubrey observes in Master and Commander, “That’s the future; what a fascinating modern age we live in.” At least the screens are easy to read and, on our short drive, weren’t flustered by direct sunlight. Eventually you don’t even think about them, they just become part of this pony’s scenery.

No carburetor stats here, but there are things to talk about under the hood. The 2.3-liter inline-four has some significant changes, including a revised valvetrain that replaces flat-tappet lifters with roller finger-follower lifters to reduce friction for more efficiency. The direct fuel-injection system is now joined by separate port injectors, the two injector systems working together in certain lower-rpm situations to take fuller advantage of turbulence in the manifold for better burning and lower emissions. The turbo actually shrinks to reduce compressor inertia and hasten spool-up and thus throttle response, and an electronic wastegate replaces the old pressure valve to give precise control over boost dumps. Ford has also computerized the exhaust-gas recirculation system and rerouted the intake to bring the airbox closer to the manifold.

The net effect on paper is an eensy power bump, only from 310 horses to 315. Torque remains the same at 350 pound-feet, but there’s said to be an improvement in emissions, and there’s definitely a slight improvement in fuel economy. However, the net effect in the real world seems to be a livelier throttle response that makes the EcoBoost plenty assertive off a corner or up a freeway onramp. Is the feel you get in your butt the five horsepower, the revised throttle mapping, or better tuning of the 10-speed, which clicks in upshifts with the speed of a dual-clutch? Probably all of the above.

About that $3475 High Performance Package: Besides larger Brembo brakes; 19-inch wheels and 255/40 Pirelli PZero summer tires; a 3.55 Torsen limited-slip rear differential to replace the standard 3.15; a strut-tower brace; steering wheel paddle shifters; stiffer springs and sway bars; and a long list of other stuff, the package gives you the future option of selecting MagneRide electronic suspension. We say “future option” because, as of this writing, the press kit says it’s an option with the Performance Package, but as yet it’s not available to select on the online configurator. Also included is an electronic hand-operated parking brake, which is the enabler for the car’s Drift Brake.

As if YouTube wasn’t already crammed with Mustangs going sideways to disastrous effect, the factory has decided to give the nation’s budding drift-o kings a helping hand. There’s no release button on this hand brake, meaning you can yank and release at will to fishtail the car in whatever way best demonstrates that mother was wrong. In a parking lot demo, it proved fairly easy to pitch the big Stang around cones using just the right combo of brake and throttle, but it does strike us as equipping the car with a dedicated idiot mode. Then again, this is the company that brought you the Line Lock burnout feature for immolating rear tires.

When not drifting or driverless revving or doing other Mustang-y type silliness, the EcoBoost is a pleasant cruiser, potentially returning over 30 mpg on the highway. It’ll stretch out and relax, with decent sound insulation and a quiet mode among its four driver-selectable exhaust volumes, made possible by electronic muffler flaps (and, we suspect, varying levels of sound boosting through the car’s audio system).

The engineers tell us the steering rack has been revised and made 3 percent quicker. Which further helps the big car feel frisky in the hills, with direct steering and excellent composure over writhing pavement. Full disclosure: We only drove a Performance Pack version, with its stickiest possible rubber and firmest available springs. Even so, the ride was quite acceptable, and we dare say the Performance Package is well worth it if you’re not a cost accountant at Hertz or Avis.

Yes, we keep harping on how big and heavy the Mustang is. The lightest EcoBoost hardtop is just shy of 3600 pounds, according to the specs. The heaviest, a convertible GT, is over 4000. True, all of the latter-day muscle machines are in this weight neighborhood, but for roughly comparable prices, a Toyota GR86 is less than 2900 pounds. You know, just sayin’.

People will continue to call the EcoBoost the “base” Mustang and will look down on it, but since day one at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, the Mustang has always depended for its survival on the volume of its less flashy versions. The only difference today is that the “base” Mustang is so much better than any base car really has a right to be, it makes you wonder why the world even needs a GT. Well, we’ll tell you in the next story.

2024 Ford Mustang EcoBoost

Highs: Chassis keeps getting better; base engine has upgrades; up-to-date interior electronics; lots of freedom to customize.

Lows: Still a bit too heavy; all-iPads dash may not please traditionalists; no manual in the EcoBoost.

Takeaway: All the old Mustang attitude but improved, and at a semi-affordable price.

***

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The first Kawasaki to wear the ZX-10 name was an important model on its launch in 1988. As well as being the firm’s new flagship superbike, it arrived in the aftermath of one of the most costly promotional blunders in motorcycling history.

This bike’s predecessor, the GPZ1000RX, was always likely to have a tough time in succeeding the GPZ900R Ninja, Kawasaki’s first liquid-cooled, 16-valve superbike, which had been hugely popular since its introduction in 1984.

The firm’s decision to launch the more powerful but heavier and less agile RX at Austria’s Salzburgring—and to bring the Ninja along for direct comparison—backfired spectacularly. Most riders preferred the older model and lapped faster on it, too. The RX was doomed before even reaching the showroom.

Two years later the ZX-10 was also launched at a racetrack, this time at Jerez rather than the scarily Armco-lined Austrian circuit. This time, Kawasaki didn’t repeat its mistake by bringing along an old favorite. I enjoyed thrashing the ZX around the recently opened Spanish track, even if my strongest memory is of a colleague’s sheepish grin after crashing and wrecking one—thankfully, without injury.

Years later but only a few minutes after pulling away on this well-preserved ZX-10, I’m wondering why Kawasaki didn’t simply launch both models on Spanish roads instead. I’m sitting at an effortless 70-ish mph with the 997cc, four-cylinder engine purring smoothly below. The fairing and tall screen are doing a good job of keeping off the wind; the wide seat and plush suspension are adding to the comfort.

This old ZX-10 is certainly powerful; a short, violent burst of acceleration confirms that. But it feels much more like a sports-tourer than a hardcore super-sports bike like its modern ZX-10R near-namesake.

Kawasaki had certainly made every effort in the development of what it described as the fastest and most powerful superbike the firm had ever built. Almost every component was new, although the rounded styling echoed that of the RX.

Capacity was unchanged but compression ratio was increased, and components including pistons, connecting rods, and crankshaft were smaller and lighter. The DOHC valvetrain was redesigned, and the airbox and valves were larger. The result was a 12-hp increase in maximum power, to 137 hp at 10,000 rpm.

The ZX-10’s most significant feature was Kawasaki’s first twin-spar aluminum frame, which replaced the RX’s steel tubes and aluminum sections. Kawasaki called the design e-box, in reference to its egg-shaped appearance from above, and claimed it was both stiffer and lighter.

New chassis parts also included thicker front forks and larger wheels—17 inches front, 18 inches rear, instead of the RX’s 16 inchers. At 489 pounds dry, the ZX-10 was a useful 35 pounds lighter, and even weighed 13 pounds less than the GPZ900R.

But it was still one pretty hefty motorbike, and more at home on the road than any racetrack—as I confirmed a few months after its launch in 1988, on a weekend trip from London to south Wales, its pillion seat loaded with girlfriend and throw-over panniers. The ZX was fast and exciting, and also impressively comfortable.

This clean black ZX, borrowed from English specialists Classic Superbikes, was faster than it would have been when new. It was fitted with carburetor tops from a later ZZ-R1100, to restore its full 137-hp output rather than the 125 that it would have been sold with, after being restricted under the UK importers’ old voluntary agreement.

The Kawasaki felt tall and roomy, with a stretch to its slightly raised clip-on handlebars. It seemed nothing like a cutting-edge sports bike as I set off, its motor purring smoothly, giving the overall impression of a slightly ponderous roadster.

The ZX quickly brought back mixed memories with its low-rev power delivery. Initial response was smooth from 2000 rpm, but there was then a pronounced pause before the power kicked in at 4000 rpm, which made for erratic progress at low speed.

That hole in the delivery was a pain on the open road too. When I came up behind a car at about 50 mph in top gear and went to overtake, the bike hesitated; it needed at least one down-change. Large-capacity motorcycles should require such assistance, even back in 1988.

But that was pretty much the limit of the criticism directed at the engine. Once into its stride, there was barely a step in the power delivery, and the big liquid-cooled lump’s smoothness made using its revs very tempting, especially as the six-speed gearbox shifted cleanly.

And the ZX-10 sure was rapid, especially in unrestricted form. An American magazine tested a full-power ZX-10 at 168 mph, making it the world’s fastest production bike. I was just as glad of the ZX’s excellent mirrors as I had been in 1988.

I was also appreciative of the Kawasaki’s wind protection. Its screen was taller than the GPZ1000RX’s, and sent most of the breeze over my head, although I’m tall. As I noted after covering several hundred miles on that two-up trip in 1988, this difference was worth more than any dozen extra horsepower.

Handling was good by the standards of the day, benefitting from the sharper chassis geometry and reduced weight. Inevitably the Kawi still felt unwieldy by modern standards, needing plenty of effort through the bars to push it into a turn.

Where the ZX-10 always excelled was in stability, and that remained true. And it went ’round corners pretty well, with plenty of grip from its Michelin tires. I was even quite impressed by its front brake’s power, even though I’d rated the stopper only average when new.

It was easy to understand why the ZX-10 had made such a good job of that weekend touring trip. Along with the wind protection and roomy riding position, the dual seat was supportive, and the pillion had a sturdy grab-rail. There were even luggage hooks below the seat.

That practicality did not prevent the ZX-10 from becoming the second model to be outlasted by its illustrious predecessor the GPZ900R, which remained in the range as a low-cost four when the ZZ-R1100 arrived as Kawasaki’s flagship in 1990.

But the first ZX-10 had made its mark, starting a long line of success not just with its name but with its blend of powerful four-cylinder motor, aluminum beam frame, and considerable sports-touring ability.

1988 Kawasaki ZX-10

Highs: The storming acceleration from 5000 rpm

Lows: Every time you hit the low-rev flat spot

Summary: It’s still quick and comfy, and doesn’t cost much

—

Price: Project, $4000; nice ride, $5800; showing off, $10,300

Engine: Liquid-cooled DOHC four

Capacity: 997 cc

Maximum power: 137 bhp @ 10,000 rpm

Weight: 524 pounds without fluids

Top speed: 165 mph

***

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Via Hagerty UK

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It had only been two hours since I’d touched down in London on an overnight flight. Still foggy, I walked up to the left-side door of the Prodrive P25. “Sir, it’s right-hand drive,” the company engineer politely pointed out.

Typical. Yank shows up in England for the Goodwood Festival of Speed to drive a $563,000, limited-production Subaru restomod and immediately embarrasses himself. Of course, if you’re one of the 25 people lucky enough to have ordered a P25, the modification and engineering experts at Prodrive will make it for you in right- or left-hand drive.

The inspiration for this very special Subie is the legendary 22B STI, the late-’90s super-Impreza built to commemorate 40 years of the brand as well as its third consecutive World Rally Car championship title. At first glance, the P25 looks almost exactly like a 22B, the only glaring difference being the lack of gold BBS wheels. It weighs even less in reality—under 2650 pounds—thanks to Prodrive’s extensive use of carbon fiber composite for the front and rear quarter panels, hood, trunklid, roof, sills, bumpers, and rear wing.

I know a bit about the 22B—that it “officially” made 276 hp from its boosted flat-four, that Subaru only made 400 of them, that it was fitted with a five-speed H-pattern manual transmission. The Prodrive P25 is more expensive, more exclusive, and with more than 400 hp a lot more capable. It’s a long, long, way off from any ordinary Subaru Impreza, the 2.5 RS version of which has always been a dream car of mine.

I sat down in the snug driver’s seat and had a look around, confused. Humbled again—no gear lever!

The Prodrive rep gently reminded me the P25 was fitted with a six-speed sequential racing gearbox, operated by a single paddle shift and an automated manual clutch. In the absence of a traditional shifter (not to mention two handbrakes: one for parking and one for initiating slides) the P25’s clutch pedal had been throwing me for a loop, but I came to learn its two simple applications: It only needs to be depressed to access first gear from neutral, or for returning to neutral when you want to come to a stop. The paddle behind the steering wheel selects the next gear up.

Briefing complete, I lurched forward and pulled out onto the access road of Millbrook Proving Ground, which has a dizzying mix of access roads and test tracks of all sorts. There was a special section reserved just for us. I pulled into the right lane and started into the traffic circle—again making a fool of myself. Ever-gentle, my Prodrive co-driver pointed out that I was going the wrong way. Adjusting accordingly, I successfully navigated the traffic circle at a slow speed before exiting and heading to the test track.

Once there I let loose, stunned by the P25’s ripping performance. Even in the hands of an amateur it instantly makes you feel like a race car driver—the instantaneous throttle response, the shifting of helical-cut gears that happen in a mere 80 milliseconds, the insane grip of the Bridgestone Potenza Sport tires. (You can read a full breakdown of the P25’s specs here, from its launch event at last year’s Festival of Speed.) The P25 accelerates with brutal ease and hugs every corner. By the fourth lap I was becoming addicted to every thrilling sensation, plotting ways to quit my job, make a quick half-mil, get my hands on this car full-time. I was a kid again. And like a kid, I was oblivious to the full scope of the P25’s performance potential.

To show us what the car was truly capable of doing in the proper hands, Subaru and Prodrive arranged for eight-time Rally America champion and two-time ARA champion, David Higgins, to take us for a few hot laps. I’m not even sure Higgins pushed the P25 to its the absolute limit, given this was an engineering prototype of a wildly expensive limited-run car, with a passenger he had literally just met clenching every muscle in his body a mere foot away. Even in that context, what Higgins did behind the wheel went far beyond any existing concept I had about speed on four wheels.

I unconsciously giggled through every tight turn as the rear of the P25 slid sideways, quickly regained traction, and rocketed toward the next turn. My smile grew wider when my head snapped forward as Higgins slammed on the brakes, dipped the nose of the car forward and effortlessly maneuvered through the tight chicane at the end of the longest straight on the course. It was pure, violent, unadulterated bliss. And an experience I won’t soon forget.

Needless to say, my few laps with Higgins had fully shaken me from my jet-lagged stupor. What a glorious tribute Prodrive has delivered in honor of a Subaru I’ve long loved. The whole experience brought me a renewed sense fun, of the joy that driving can provide. Once the adrenaline subsided, I resolved to stay at my job, but maybe spend my few lunch breaks browsing the classifieds for a used 2.5 RS. Even with an STI engine swap in it, a P25 it would never be. But even a wisp of my jet-lagged stint in Prodrive’s crazy creation would be a memory worth returning to.

***

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Memo to Ford: Give the designers of the Bronco Sport a raise. Especially the ones who came up with the 2023 Heritage version, which leans on the 1966 Bronco a lot, and the 1984 Bronco II a little. The vehicle’s cuteness is the only reason you are able to get $46,400 for what amounts to a repackaged Escape, so we tip our hats to the hardworking designers who came up with the look, and the resulting personality, in a world of cookie-cutter ute styling.

End of memo. The Bronco Sport we recently tested was a Heritage Limited 4×4, painted Robin’s Egg Blue—one of seven Heritage colors offered, and one of three Heritage Limited shades—with an Oxford white top. The package also includes a custom roof rack and 17-inch painted aluminum wheels. It had tow hooks up front, a full-sized trailer hitch in back (though towing capacity is only 2200 pounds) and skid plates underneath, giving it the slightly pugnacious look of a more robust four-wheel-drive SUV.

That said, the Bronco Sport is capable off-road (relative to what it is) in our limited experience cow-trailing the vehicle. This front-wheel-drive-based sport-ute has a twin-clutch rear-wheel-drive unit, plus a “Terrain Management System” that includes seven selectable settings for Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery, Sand, Mud/Ruts, and Rock Crawl.

Rock crawl? Really? Indeed, you won’t want to tackle the Rubicon Trail in a Bronco Sport. Its big brother, the full-sized Bronco, is fit for that sort of work—but you can do some soft-roading with confidence, thanks in part to the 235/75-R17 Falken tires, which have aggressive treading but are nonetheless quiet on the highway.

The Heritage models boast increased ride height as well as uniquely tuned front struts with hydraulic rebound stops designed to provide a quiet, less jarring off-road experience. In addition, 46-millimeter-diameter monotube rear shocks, anti-roll bars, and uniquely-tuned springs help with overall off-road performance.

The Bronco Sport we drove comes standard with Ford’s uprated powertrain, the base engine being a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder with 181 horsepower. The 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder we drove provides a healthy 250 horsepower, the engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission that downshifted readily and upshifted right on cue.

EPA-rated fuel mileage is 21 mpg city, 26 highway and 23 overall, and that was very close to our real-world results. The Bronco Sport also has a five-star safety rating, the highest score possible. Curb weight is 3707 pounds—a smidge heavier than the comparable Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road and about as much lighter than the Honda CR-V Sport.

Wheelbase is 105.1 inches, much longer than the 94-inch wheelbase on the 1984-and-beyond Bronco II. Width is 74.3 inches, again much wider than the Bronco II, which is one reason why the Bronco II felt as though it would flip over on every very tight turn and the Bronco Sport doesn’t. It is still substantially smaller than the full-sized 2023 Bronco, which has a 116-inch wheelbase and a width of 76 inches. Overall length of the Bronco is 189 inches, and 173 for the Bronco Sport.

Specs: 2023 Ford Bronco Sport Heritage Limited 4×4

• Price: $44,655/$46,400 (base/as tested)
• Powertrain: 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder; eight-speed automatic transmission
• Horsepower: 250
• Torque: 277 lb-ft
• Layout: All-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger SUV
• EPA-rated fuel economy: 21/26/23 mpg (EPA rated city/hwy/combined)
• 0–60 mph: 7 seconds (estimate)
• Competitors: Nissan Rogue, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Chevrolet Equinox

Despite its width, rear seat room is just adequate for two adults, pinched for three. There’s a roomy 32.4 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, managed on our Bronco Sport by a $150 cargo system, which is mostly a flip-down shelf for groceries. That was the only option on our vehicle—everything else came with the Heritage Limited package.

Up front, the seats are reasonably comfortable and upholstered in tan perforated leather. Instruments are quickly familiar: extra points for the 10-speaker sound system operated by two knobs instead of digital controls. The instrument panel and dashboard are thoughtfully designed and intuitive to use. There’s a small screen, mostly for the navigation system.

Build quality on this Bronco Sport was better than on the early 2021 models we’ve driven. Panel fitment was consistent, and the interior trim better applied.

Outside, the Heritage package has “BRONCO” spelled out in red letters up front, with “BRONCO SPORT’ out back in white. There’s side badging that looks like it would fit in nicely in 1966. The nose of the Bronco Sport is just a smaller version of the Bronco front; sides are squared off much like the Bronco II. There are more stylish wheels available, but the white-painted wheels just look right with the baby blue body paint.

On the road, the Bronco Sport has ample pickup with this calm 2.0-liter engine. There’s minimal wind noise, and very little road noise. The ride is surprisingly good even on rough pavement, as is cornering capability that won’t necessarily send you looking for winding roads, but it handles them well when you encounter one.

Base price on a Bronco Sport is around $30,000. Our loaded Bronco Sport Heritage Limited 4×4 had a base price of $44,655: Add in $150 for the cargo management system and a whopping $1595 for rail shipping from the Hermosillo, Mexico plant, and the total was the aforementioned $46,400. (The big Bronco is also offered as a Heritage Limited, starting at a sobering $66,895.)

The Bronco Sport Heritage Limited 4×4 was a good companion for a week, working equally well in town and on the highway, on dry pavement and wet. As far as off-roadable cute-utes go, we found it both cute and usable. It’s riding at the front of the pack.

2023 Ford Bronco Sport Heritage Limited 4×4

Highs: Suitable mix of retro and modern styling. Decent power. Agile off-road and on. Solid and easy-to-operate controls.

Lows: Pricey at over $46,000. Rear seat room compromised. Tires and wheels a bit smallish for the Bronco Sport’s intended attitude.

Takeaway: A friendly, personality-rich departure from the sea of little look-alike sport-utes.

***

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A yellow Lotus. I should know a thing or two about this, given I’ve owned one for the last couple of years.

Nothing could be further from the truth, it turns out. The color and badge are familiar but this car is unlike any Lotus in history. Perhaps any car, full stop.

Lotus calls it the Eletre, a “Hyper SUV” that represents the first step on an ambitious sprint into an all-electric future for the British brand—a reset triggered by a gigantic investment from Chinese automotive powerhouse Geely.

We can expect a sedan and a more compact SUV to come riding on the Eletre’s new Electric Premium Architecture (EPA), followed by a two-seater sports car—all by 2026. By the end of 2030, Lotus aims to be selling 150,000 cars a year worldwide.

That’s a hundredfold increase on its recent best volume.

Achieving those numbers obviously requires a totally different approach to the one that has kept Colin Chapman’s company (barely) afloat for the last 75 years.

For one, no longer does Lotus see itself as an anachronistic example of British cottage industry. The new mantra is “born British, raised globally.” The company has its design HQ in the U.K., a technical center in Germany, plus further R&D and a mega-factory in China. The sheds at Hethel have been revitalized to create a modern facility that builds the Emira and Evija; England will remain the home of the company’s two-seaters.

Second, the Eletre is a massive—figuratively and physically—departure for the brand. It’s Lotus’ Porsche Cayenne moment but even more dramatic: the biggest, most complex, and heavyweight model ever to come from a company whose founding principles were “simplify and add lightness.”

“There’s no denying it’s the heaviest Lotus ever made,” admits PR manager Richard Yarrow. “But it is still a true Lotus.”

How so? According to the official blurb, “It takes the heart and soul of the latest Lotus sports car —the Emira—and the revolutionary aerodynamics of the all-electric Evija hypercar, and reinterprets them as a hyper-SUV. It delivers class-leading ride and handling, steering and aero performance—areas of automotive design and engineering where Lotus has both pioneered and dominated throughout its 75-year history.”

These are bold claims and, over the course of two days driving in EV-friendly Norway, I have the chance to test them all.

Lined up in the parking lot of the Oslo airport are around a dozen Eletres, mostly Solar Yellow, with a couple in Galloway Green and Kaimu Grey. Despite sitting in isolation, they look huge. At 5.1 meters (201 inches) long, 2.2m (86 inches) wide, and 1.6 m (63 inches) tall, one of these things could eat an Emira and still have plenty of room for seconds.

In silhouette there’s nothing too radical going on design-wise, but look closer and the Eletre reveals its network of channels and ducts that help it cheat the air. Lotus calls this “porosity.”By carefully managing airflow under, over, and through the bodywork, the Eletre achieves a drag coefficient of 0.26. Further tricks include a lower grille with flaps that only open when cooling demands, adding ten miles to the range; aero rims; and tiny rearview cameras in lieu of door mirrors (more on this later). Even the wheels (available in 20- to 23-inch sizes) have been designed to reduce lift and drag. A three-position rear spoiler deploys at speed to provide downforce alongside the fixed rear diffuser.

All this results in an almost total lack of wind noise when underway. The fitment of double-glazing in the windows and an electronic anti-noise system combine to make the Eletre eerily silent—the quietest car I’ve ever driven. I imagine it would take a Rolls-Royce Spectre to better it.

Lotus engineers considered, and even experimented with assorted fake noises, but ultimately decided against any artificial enhancement.

Given the almost total absence of sound from the drivetrain, tires, or airflow there’s a danger that any misfits in the cabin construction could make themselves heard, but no, this is definitely the best screwed-together Lotus I’ve ever driven.

It’s also the most plush, by a considerable margin. Neatly stitched leather, Alcantara, and recycled materials are deployed to great effect in a cabin that, for the most part, strikes the right balance between tech and tactility. The dashboard essentially comprises three zones. Ahead of the driver is a narrow strip displaying key information (along with a head-up display) and a “blade of light” that changes color to alert the driver to factors such as battery state of charge. The display and blade are mimicked on the passenger side where the co-pilot has access to infotainment controls. In the center is a 15.1-inch OLED high-definition touchscreen.

That display is the nerve center of Eletre, where Lotus’ in-house Hyper OS software is used to control all onboard systems from navigation to audio, climate control, and the intricacies of car setup. Speed is of the essence so—IT nerd alert—Lotus employs two Qualcomm 8155 Snapdragon processors to run it. Unreal Engine technology is used to render real-time 3D animations on screen.

It does indeed work fast, although not without a few bugs that Lotus promises will be fixed with over-the-air (OTA) updates before customer cars are delivered. If you dislike touchscreens, there are beautifully machined switches to control cabin temperature, while a “virtual personal assistant” responds to natural speech requests. The system, wisely, will recognize whether the driver or a passenger is speaking and respond accordingly (only raising a window or adjusting the climate control for the occupant who made the request, for example).

In fact, one might argue that the best seats belong to the passengers. (A sentence never uttered about any prior Lotus.) The rear legroom and headroom are exceptional, and customers who opt for a four-seat setup give each rear-seat occupant their own touchscreen, wireless charging pad, and cupholder, along with a more supportive seatback.

Specs: 2024 Lotus Eletre S / R

• Price: $134,000 / $153,000 (est., based on U.K. prices)
• Powertrain: 112-kW lithium-ion battery; twin permanently magnet electric motors (one per axle)
• Horsepower: 603 / 905 hp
• Torque: 524 / 726 lb-ft
• Layout: All-wheel-drive, four-door, four/five-passenger SUV
• EPA-rated fuel economy: TBC
• Range: 373 / 304 miles (WLTP)
• 0–62 mph: 4.5 / 2.95 seconds
• Competitors: BMW iX, Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, Audi Q8 e-tron

Back up front, the seats perform a neat trick in addition to being fully adjustable every which way. Switch to Sport mode and the side bolsters inflate, providing a gentle hug to hold you in place. In this mid-range £104,500 ($134,000, although U.S. prices will be confirmed nearer to the 2024 on-sale date) Eletre S, it also makes all 603 horsepower available. Not that there’s much chance to use it. Norway’s country roads are perfectly-paved and picturesque, but they have very low speed limits, which are rigidly enforced and fines can extend to $1000 or more.

Such velocity-aversion might be one of the reasons why EVs have been embraced so heartily in Norway. Last year, 80 percent of new cars sold here were electric. As they trickle along at 40 mph they’re likely at their most efficient.

Lotus claims that its 112-kWh battery packs should give a range of up to 373 miles under Europe’s WLTP system, but in the real world, 300 seems more likely.

There doesn’t appear to be a huge gulf between Tour and Range modes, though driving in Sport will see you headed to a charger sooner. On that topic, the Eletre uses an 800-volt architecture and can charge at up to 350 kW, allowing a top-up from 10-80 percent in 20 minutes in ideal conditions.

Juggling between drive modes also adjusts the Eletre’s attitude, raising or lowering the ride height to aid with aerodynamics or to add extra ground clearance in the Off Road setting. The degree of regenerative braking can be selected and there’s the option to combine the different performance, ride, and regen settings in a custom program.

At Norway’s leisurely pace, Touring seems to work just fine, offering up exemplary ride comfort, tight body control, and still plenty of performance for overtaking. The S model, for the record, takes 4.6 seconds to reach 62 mph. There are EVs that do the same sprint more dramatically, but it is the Eletre’s ability to go from 50 mph to 75 mph in under two seconds that is impressive to the point of alarming. (Especially when there’s the prospect of a massive price for being caught over the limit.)

The Eletre isn’t one of those cars that shrinks around you. It always feels its size, and judging width in particular isn’t that easy with the rear-facing cameras. You have to look at the displays in the doors, which are just that bit lower than where the mirrors would be, and despite the crisp images, the action takes getting used to. This won’t trouble U.S. buyers, who will have conventional mirrors instead.

The route we take isn’t especially twisty, but the unusual squircle-shaped steering wheel turns in fast and with accuracy, requiring only 2.5 rotations lock-to-lock. It’s an electro-mechanical system, which Lotus has rigid-mounted for optimum feel, and it only saps power on demand. The turning circle is unexpectedly tight for such a big car, even without the optional rear-wheel steering installed.

There will be buyers who care less for this sort of involvement and prefer to let the car do the work, which is where the Eletre’s suite of deployable LIDAR detectors, radar sensors, and cameras comes in. In theory, the Eletre is capable of Level 4 autonomous driving, but, as so few countries allow it, the car will launch with a Level 2-plus system. Essentially that means a Highway Assist feature that will keep the Eletre in-lane and at a safe distance from the car ahead at speeds from 20 to 90 mph.

Lotus does imagine a time when the car could fully take control, leaving driver and passengers to enjoy big-screen entertainment, so the car has been future-proofed with an optional 2150-watt Dolby Atmos surround sound audio, powered by 23 Kef speakers (the standard systems has 1380 watts and 15 speakers). The definition and totally immersive quality of music is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. Listening to remastered classics gives the feeling of being at the heart of a live show, while new music engineered for Atmos sends beat drops spiraling around the cabin.

Another way to take your breath away would be to opt for the £120,000 ($153,000) Eletre R. With 905 horsepower available, together with an additional Track driving mode, it performs in very un-SUV-like fashion.

Lotus has wisely hired an airfield to allow the R’s combination of brutal acceleration and baffling agility to be experienced, albeit briefly. First there’s a high-speed slalom course, where the Eletre R nimbly sweeps between cones, with barely there body roll, even on an effective hairpin. There’s tire squeal and a smidge of understeer on this tight turn, but you’d never know you’re managing the inertia of over 5500 pounds of mass.

Next is a launch in Track mode from 0 to 100 mph. It’s as simple as putting one’s left foot on the brake and right foot fully to the floor on the accelerator and then releasing the left. The Eletre is catapulted forward, forcing me back into the seat as it passes 62 mph in 2.9 seconds and simply doesn’t let up.

The only time I’ve ever felt this kind of acceleration before was during a reverse-bungee where I was fired up into the sky over London. That’s an experience I never want to repeat and I’m not convinced that Eletre R owners would want to hard-launch their cars more than once either.

It is, however, a remarkable demonstration of engineering. And that is what Lotus has always been about.

2024 Lotus Eletre

Highs: Insanely swift, surprisingly agile, awesome audio, feels high-quality throughout.

Lows: Could be prettier. Despite masking its mass well, it’s the heaviest Lotus ever.

Takeaway: An entirely new chapter for Lotus, the Eletre is an extremely competent all-rounder EV with class-leading gizmos.

***

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Smug? No, that’s not the right word. Maybe “superior.” Yes, that better describes the relatively brief press presentation by Mercedes executives for the Mercedes-AMG S 63 E Performance. “We’ve done something rather remarkable here,” was the message. “You have a 13-page small-print briefing in front of you, now let’s go drive the car.”

And we did, on the Pacific Coast Highway and twisty canyon roads around Malibu, California, where a 210-inch, probably 5500-pound (a guess; the U.S.-spec weight wasn’t in the press briefing) luxury car might not be the obvious choice. But the big car’s agility was, well, rather remarkable. So was the price: An estimated $240,000, as tested.

Straight-line performance also impresses. The handcrafted, twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8, combined with plug-in hybrid technology straight from, we were told, Sir Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 car, generates a total of 791 horsepower, making this S 63 E Performance the most powerful S-Class ever. The manufacturer’s estimated 0-to-60-mph time of 3.2 seconds seems conservative, especially given the rocket-ship start when you apply the very simple-to-operate launch control. We expect AMG S-Class owners to use the launch control about as often as Range Rover owners tackle the Rubicon Trail, but it’s there to impress nonetheless.

“The focus of the powertrain,” says that press briefing, “is less on electric range and more on best-in-class performance.” Appropriately understated, in good S-Class tradition. Still, the maybe 20-miles-per-charge of electric range could handle a lot of customers’ daily commutes. You can select four levels of power recuperation, one of which kicks in when you take your foot off the accelerator pedal. The EPA fuel-economy ratings have not been set, but the gasoline engine is thirsty for, of course, premium fuel.

There’s a lot going on under the hood of the AMG S-Class, which, incidentally, does not carry the typical Mercedes star hood ornament but a small engineered-in-Affalterbach button. (It is possible to retrofit the star, if a customer so desires. We sort of like the button.) The electric motor, with a peak output of 188 hp, is mounted at the rear axle, where it’s integrated with a two-speed transmission that can bypass the Biturbo’s nine-speed 4Matic transmission to provide power to the front wheels. Combined system torque is a stump-pulling—again, probably not the right term—1055 lb-ft. Mercedes calls it a “new record in the class,” though that class consists of not all that many members.

The modest-sized 400-volt battery still has 1200 cells, all drenched in gallons of coolant to maintain an optimal temperature of 113 degrees. You don’t really need a wall-mounted charger, but we can’t see someone plugging a six-figure hybrid into a 110-volt socket. 

Inside, the AMG S-Class is exceptionally handsome. Instruments and controls are reasonably intuitive and easy to master. There’s a slight exhaust burble from the V-8 just to let you know it’s there; otherwise the sound deadening is as you would expect, aside from some slight noise from the 20-inch wheels on coarse pavement. Rear-seat room is abundant should you prefer that Jeeves drive you about, but if that’s the case, why buy the AMG version? Trunk space, by the way, is 10.8 cubic feet, so neighbors won’t be asking to borrow the AMG S-Class on moving day.

There are seven driving modes, all pretty much self-explanatory: Electric, Comfort, Battery Hold, Sport, Sport+, Slippery, and Individual. We preferred Sport; the ride is almost as good as in Comfort but the driveline gets a little more boost from the electric motor. Downshifts arrive sooner, suspension damping and the (spot-on) steering are a little more on the aggressive side. Again, we figure the average owner will be venturing onto the racetrack in aforementioned Rubicon Trail intervals, so Sport+ and Individual are there if you want them.

Specs: 2024 Mercedes-AMG S 63 E Performance

• Price: $240,000 (as tested, estimate)
• Powertrain: 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V-8 with an integrated electric hybrid motor
• Output: 603 hp and 664 lb-ft (engine only), 791 hp and 1055 lb-ft (hybrid combined)
• Layout: All-wheel-drive, four-door, four-passenger sedan
• Weight: 5500 pounds (estimate)
• 0–60 mph: 3.2 seconds (estimate)
• Competition: Porsche Panamera, Lucid Air, Tesla Model S Plaid

Handling is flat, with minimal body roll, thanks to the all-things-to-all-people suspension and the active roll stabilization. That suspension is seldom surprised by potholes. When it is, corrections are near-immediate. The standard rear-axle steering works up to a modest angle of 2.5 degrees and at speeds slower than 63 mph. Without a non-rear-steer model with which to compare our tester, we found it difficult to tell how much the rear axle was really doing, though the car was easy to park.

There’s little point in listing electronic safety features: Just imagine most every one you’ve heard about, and a few more. Helpfully, lane-keeping assist works up to the (governed) top speed of 155 mph, so no excuse for straying from your lane. (We’re joking, of course—unless you have your own private compound with a very long driveway, and, if you’re reading this, you just might.)

Bottom line: The AMG S-Class is a tour de force, with no real shortcomings and a lot of exceptional engineering. Would you expect any less?

2024 Mercedes-AMG S 63 E Performance

Price: $240,000 (as tested, estimate)

Highs: Monster power. Great handling for its size. Lovely inside and out.

Lows: Monster price. Not-great trunk space. Thirsty for a hybrid.

Takeaway: Even for an AMG, unusually stellar in almost every area.

***

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Twenty-five years ago Ford Motor Company split its light-duty and heavy-duty F-Series pickups into two separate platforms and the Super Duty was born. (The name was first used for a Ford pickup engine in 1958.) Since then, the Super Duty has minted money for FoMoCo, exploding in popularity not only among individual customers but particularly in fleets. Ford points to the Super Duty’s massive presence in construction, forestry, utilities, mining, and other industries where heavy-duty pickups and chassis cabs are as common as hard hats.

Neither GM nor Ram come close to Ford’s penetration of these markets. In economic terms, Ford Super Duty makes its own weather, generating more revenue, Ford boasts, than many Fortune 500 companies.

Ford calls the revamped 2023 Super Duty “all-new,” but it’s better described as a refreshed body with a ton of new software stuffed inside it, including a 5G modem. Okay, that’s an oversimplification, because the Super Duty also offers new versions of its existing gasoline and diesel engines, wider availability of off-road hardware, and more convenient bed access thanks to new bumper steps and a kick-down, two-step ladder just ahead of the rear wheels.

The light touch is understandable. Since its last major redesign—for the 2017 model year, when the Super Duty received a stouter frame and the aluminum body panels pioneered by the F-150—Ford’s big, handsome brute has been an extraordinarily capable machine. Blue Oval engineers and product planners obsessively track real-world usage of their cash cow, though, so they found plenty of opportunities to tweak.

On the software side, the Super Duty has new towing tricks, and Ford is making it easier for third-party upfitters—the folks who transform a raw chassis cab into specific work vehicles—to integrate their equipment with the truck’s software suite. And Pro Power Onboard, a new $985 option, provides 2.0 kilowatts of power inside the truck and in the cargo bed.

The exterior styling changes to the Super Duty are so subtle, Ford publicists created a series of short videos with a 2022 Lariat model morphing into a 2023 Lariat, demonstrating that most changes are to grilles, headlamps and taillamps, door handles, and tailgate badging and trim. From the front, the trademark “C-clamp” LED headlamps are more pronounced (LED headlamps are newly available on all trims), and the front view is a more uniformly horizontal stack of five sections: the air dam, topped by the bumper, two wide chrome rectangles, and the leading edge of the new hood stamping, which spills down a bit farther than before. Tidy.

From the side, note the aforementioned kick-down step to access the bed; the cleaner door handle recesses; and the more elongated “F250” badging in the front fender vents. From the rear, the tailgate’s S U P E R D U T Y lettering and blue oval badge are slightly lower.

Heavy-duty trucks are all about towing and payload, of course, and Ford is eager to point out that the Super Duty now can carry as much as 8000 pounds and tow up to 40,000 pounds, at the extreme ends of the mind-boggling specifications chart. During a media event at Ford’s bucolic proving grounds in Romeo, Michigan, some 40 miles north of Detroit, company operatives set up a series of exercises in a parking lot to demonstrate features, all of which rely on cameras, that ease the towing burden.

First off, I tested Pro Trailer Hitch Assist: remove foot from accelerator and hands from the steering wheel, press a button on the instrument panel, and watch the display screen as the truck automatically backs itself up toward trailer, perfectly positioning hitch ball under trailer coupler. Magic!

Next up was an improved version of Pro Trailer Backup Assist: hands off the wheel, twist a knob to reverse the truck and guide trailer, shown on the truck’s display screen, slowly but surely rearward. And finally, Ford had erected a raised platform to replicate a loading dock and demonstrate its new tailgate camera. Flip down the tailgate (power operated on the top three trim levels) and a camera and sensors in the top of it face backward, allowing you to back right up to a loading dock…or to align hitches on 5^th-wheel and gooseneck trailers. It works as advertised; no spotter needed.

As with the outgoing 2022 lineup, the Super Duty cabin can be a work truck, as seen in the XL, which starts at $45,865, and the XLT, at $52,000. The popular mid-trim Lariat model, starting at $63,305, is the sweet spot for many buyers and is the point where the high-tech 12-inch center display screen becomes standard. The upper half of the lineup, abundantly represented by the test vehicles Ford had on hand at Romeo, is comprised of the King Ranch (starting at $77,870), Platinum ($78,760), and Limited ($97,990), all of which offer ascending degrees of leather-lined luxury. The Limited’s quilted leather interior suggests Mercedes-Benz S-class cabins.

That display screen is the all-important driver command center not just for the usual telematics but also for towing applications and customizable settings for upfitters, via the new Ford Pro Upfit Integration System, which digitally connects the truck to aftermarket equipment. For example, a Super Duty with a snowplow on the front and a salt spreader on the rear can be set up so that each piece of equipment is easily programmed by the driver with a few touches of the display screen to, say, stop spreading salt when the vehicle comes to a halt. Upfitters no longer have to reverse-engineer the Ford electrical system; it’s simple plug-and-play.

Specs: 2023 Ford Super Duty

• Price range: $45,865 (XL) to $97,990 (Limited), including destination
• Powertrains: 6.8- and 7.3-liter gas, 6.7-liter regular and high-output turbodiesel, 10-speed automatic transmission
• Output range: 405 to 500 hp, 445 to 1200 lb-ft
• Layout: Two- or four-door body-on-frame pickup truck
• Maximum towing: 40,000 lbs
• Payload:  8000 lbs
• Rivals: Chevrolet Silverado HD, GMC Sierra HD, Ram 2500

The new 6.8-liter gasoline V-8, with 405 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque, is a short-stroke version of the existing 7.8-liter V-8 and a value play for lower trims. The 7.8-liter bumps output to 430 hp/485 lb-ft and is a worthwhile $1705 upgrade for most personal-use buyers. The 6.7-liter PowerStroke diesel, at 475 hp and 1050 lb-ft of torque, is a longtime favorite of the towing crowd and costs $9995. New this year is a high-output version making 500 hp and 1200 lb-ft of torque, made possible by an upgraded fuel system and a stainless steel exhaust manifold to better handle higher operating temperatures. The high-output PowerStroke costs a cool $12,495.

When I wheeled an F-250 Platinum with the new diesel (cued by red “6.7L” fender script) onto the country roads outside the proving grounds, I was immediately struck by the quietness and refinement of the powertrain. The Super Duty cabin is super quiet. The real revelation comes at about 50 mph: hit the go pedal and the acceleration to 80 mph is stunning, the 10-speed automatic transmission ripping smoothly up the gears. For a few seconds, you might think you’re driving a sports car, not a 7000-lb truck riding high above the tarmac. Later, I drove an F-250 Lariat with the bigger gasoline engine and, with no payload or trailer, it also sailed down a two-lane with ease.

Back inside the proving ground, I climbed behind the wheel of a F-350 Crew Cab King Ranch equipped with the high-output PowerStroke. A 36-foot enclosed fifth-wheel trailer loaded with enough ballast to reach 30,000 lbs was attached to the bed. With surprisingly little effort, the long rig ascended steep hills, although there was no forgetting that there was 15 tons of trailer tagging behind. On cue, the cooling fans kicked in. During the downhill portions, the engine braking was effective, reassuringly scrubbing speed.

Finally, it was time to check out the Super Duty’s off-road chops. A new, relatively modest off-road package is available for the entry-level XL trim on F-250 and F-350, offering 33-inch tires, skid plates, and an electronic locking rear differential, but I went straight for a King Ranch with the Tremor off-road package. As before, Tremor includes a front-end lift, a Dana front axle, 35-inch Goodyears, and selectable drive modes. This year, Tremor boasts Trail Turn Assist and newly tuned dampers, and the front and rear camera views, which used to extinguish over 25 mph during off-roading, now stay on at higher speeds. Shades of F-150 Raptor, anyone?

With a few careful applications of throttle and a spotter directing me, the big truck crawled up a steep hill strewn with boulders, each rock coming into view on the center screen as we lurched upward. Then I bounded merrily along rutted trails, up sandy hills, through tight, boggy corners. The Tremor’d truck simply shrugged, as if to say, “is that all you’ve got?” Later, in a muddy field, I pirouetted around a pole thanks to the Trail Turn Assist feature. Dial the steering wheel to the left, the left rear wheel brakes, and you’re pivoting around that braking tire. Fun!

As noted, Ford practically has a cultural anthropology perspective on the Super Duty and its use in the real world, particularly in the trades. What works for the miner, the farmer, the forest service worker, the utility line worker, and the commercial fleet manager, Ford figures, also works for the weekend recreational user who tows a boat or camper trailer, just with additional creature comforts on top.

2023 Ford F-Series Super Duty

Highs: A model and specification for every possible purpose; a remarkable balance between everyday usability and towing and off-road capabilities; beautifully integrated powertrains; an unfailing sense that you are part of the American cultural landscape when you’re behind the wheel.

Lows: Huge, heavy, expensive; diesel fuel isn’t cheap.

Takeaway: If you need, or simply want, the capability of a heavy-duty truck, Ford has perfected the formula.

***

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Imagine an alternate reality where, by adding a digit to its most iconic model number, Porsche actually created a superior product. In this version of the multiverse a lighter, more agile, and even more rapid variant of the 911 was called the 912.

Well, that’s exactly what Hungarian filmmaker-turned-resto-modder Miklós Kázmér has done with the KAM Manufaktur 912c.

Kázmér grew up in the Budapest tuner scene where, before the Iron Curtain fell, engineers would improvise with whatever parts they could lay their hands on to make sorry Soviet-era cars go faster. Tractor turbo for a Trabant, anyone?

For Kázmér, however, it was access to the VW Beetles that flooded in after communism’s collapse that inspired him. Fettling the flat-four engine became an obsession that remains just as strong today, and has led to the creation of a motor with the highest specific output of any air-cooled street engine, installed in a carbon fiber-bodied Porsche 912.

Switzerland’s JPS Aircooled is responsible for the transformation of the original 60-horsepower 1.6-liter 616 motor into a two-liter powerhouse delivering 190 hp. That’s 95 hp per liter. The engine case, heads, and con rods are all uprated, there’s electronic fuel injection and individual throttle bodies from DBW, plus a Life Racing ECU, and KAMM’s own stainless steel exhaust and carbon cooling ducting. Mounted to it is a 901 five-speed transmission which dispatches drive through an aluminum Porsche racing clutch and a ZF limited-slip differential.

Adding to the united nations of suppliers are the U.K.’s TracTive Suspension, which supplies semi-active front and rear coilovers; AP Racing, which provides the vented discs brakes and hydraulic handbrake; and California’s Tilton Engineering, which built the pedal box. Heritage Fuchs three-piece steel-look alloy wheels come from Germany, and Yokohama tires are flown in from Japan.

Back in Hungary, KAMM manufactures the carbon fiber body parts that are fitted to a fully restored and reinforced chassis. As standard, the front fenders, hood, doors, engine cover, and bumpers are made from the lightweight material, keeping the roof and rear panels in steel, but a full-fiber body is an option should the 750-kg (1653-pound) wet weight (without fuel) somehow be considered a bit chubby.

Exposed carbon is everywhere inside. Dash, doors, even the foot brace for the passenger and floor mats are made from the miracle material. Black leather trims the classic fixed-back bucket seats, and there’s more hide for the straps that open the doors and are required to pull down the Lexan polycarbonate windows. There’s a raw beauty in it all, but luxurious it certainly isn’t. Although air conditioning is installed, there’s no in-car-entertainment—simply a magnet to hold your phone and a socket in the glovebox for a USB cable.

You’d never hear it anyway. From the moment the boxer engine fires up it totally dominates, the slightly rattly idle resonating through the shell like it’s a giant amplifier. As the engine speed rises so does the volume, and as this is an engine that thrives on revs, there’s little choice but to embrace the thrash metal racket.

When it’s screaming its loudest above 5000 rpm is when the engine does its best work. In the narrow power band that peaks at 7200 rpm there’s a real urgency to the acceleration, but drop out of the mosh pit of power and the 912c feels sluggish, despite its minimal mass.

That’s even truer in its standard running mode, which maps the throttle to 70 percent. Pulling a switch marked “Drive Me Crazy” not only releases full power but adds to the din with overrun pops and bangs.

Kázmér has geared the car to exploit the engine’s character. The dog-leg first is really only needed to pull away, and then all you’d ever need on a backroad is the fore-aft plane of second and third. Given that second gear can take you to 70 mph, maybe that would suffice on its own. Fourth and fifth are taller still, and a partially successful attempt to reduce the aural assault at cruising speed. In fairness, the car is still in development and the next phase is to incorporate a valved exhaust so that the deafening can be deadened.

As part of its progress, this prototype example has already had changes made to soften its ride and make its steering less fierce. Kázmér originally set up the car super stiff and with a speedy 1.7 turns lock-to-lock, but now the TracTive coilovers have more give, while the steering now takes 2.4 turns to go from full left to full right.

I didn’t drive it before the changes, but for road use the balance seems spot on. I leave it with the dampers set to position three out of five and have nothing to complain about regarding ride quality, although over some especially nasty bumps on my test route it skips briefly into the air, a factor perhaps owing to the 912’s lack of weight as much is its suspension stiffness.

It does feel extraordinarily light at all times. The unassisted steering is a particular delight, painting a perfect picture of the road surface and grip levels. The brakes are stupendous, with a rock-hard pedal that needs a firm foot but rewards with a fabulous feel and prodigious stopping power.

KAMM’s own carbon fiber gear shifter is tall and repositioned further back from its original spot, and it’s the only control I have the occasional issue with. There’s no spring to center it like in most manual transmissions, which can make the fourth-to-third downshift a little tricky. Slowing into roundabouts from dual-carriageway speed, I sometimes grab fifth instead of third and have to look down to seek out the correct gear.

I don’t use the hydraulic handbrake to its drift-inducing potential, but do find that a throttle lift in the midst of one of those roundabouts loosens the rear end, while a little corrective lock and some throttle quickly sorts the slide. The grip-to-oversteer transition is intuitive and entertaining, and it certainly never feels like getting away from me without provocation in the way that early 911s can.

Overall, there’s a beautiful balance to the way the 912c drives. A little less of a lump in the trunk and its harsh diet mean the car has a lightness and confidence-inspiring handling that might well out-perform a 911 on the right road or track.

It’s a little extreme at the moment, but KAMM is working with its first three customers, in Florida, California and the Czech Republic, to perfect the specification.

There will be those out there who question a $355,000 912, but in a universe where a Singer-fettled 911 costs millions, this alternate reality might just make some sense.

***

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Winston Churchill is said to have observed that America could always be trusted to do the right thing, but only after exhausting all the alternatives. The same can now be said of Acura, which, after 20 years blundering around in identity crisis, flushing all sorts of almost entirely forgettable vehicles onto a wholly unimpressed U.S. market, has decided to try a new angle: remembering who the hell they are.

The 2024 Acura Integra Type S is everything a compact sport sedan should be—indeed, what it used to be before the triumph of the computers and the relentless pursuit of global volume through watery mainstreaming. It squirts, it zooms. It is supremely functional and not especially flashy. The Integra Type S and its fraternal twin, the Honda Civic Type R, are two of the best gas-powered compacts we’ve seen in years, and the best expressions of Honda-ness in a generation.

That is, assuming you can work a stick shift, because—and this is not a misprint—the Integra Type S only comes with a six-speed manual transmission. What a joy that shifter is, too; stubby, short-throw, precise, and fluid. It recalls the late, lamented S2000 roadster and a host of hot Integras of the now-distant past, when Honda and Acura once offered the best gear-changers in the industry.

Acura is Honda’s luxury subsidiary, launched in 1986. Right out of the gate came the Legend and Integra, two exquisite charmers that were so fine that they forged an empire. That wasn’t good enough for the suits, however, and Acura entered the 2000s nakedly trying to claw up the social ladder with ever more expensive (and ever duller) vehicles. Sure, the MDX luxury crossover sold pretty well, but Acura product planners ultimately renamed the Integra and in the night murdered its replacement, the RSX. The next two decades were a parade of both mediocrity and broad irrelevance.

“We needed to refocus ourselves back to ‘precision crafted performance,’” acknowledged American Honda vice president and Acura brand chief Jon Ikeda at the Integra Type S media drive. “After 30-odd years you get to know who you are as a person. We are a performance brand, and we said, ‘Hey, we need to bring Integra back.’ Integra is our [Porsche] 911.”

The division has thrust itself back into what it does best: building entertaining cars with modest proportions. For Honda is, at heart, a small-car company—always has been, probably always will be. It doesn’t matter if you rolled out of bed tired, if you missed your morning coffee, or if you’re coming down with that head cold going around; the 320-hp Integra Type S will grab you by the scruff and pull you in. There is no brainless autopilot; you will steer and brake and shift, you will have fun, you will smile. You will wail the return (finally, dammit!) of the Integra.

Specs: 2024 Acura Integra Type S

• Price: $51,995 (including destination)
• Powertrain: 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder; six-speed manual
• Output: 320 hp @ 6500 rpm, 310 lb-ft @ 2600–4000 rpm
• Layout: Four-door, five-passenger, liftback sedan
• Weight: 3219 pounds
• EPA fuel economy: 21 mpg city / 28 mpg highway / 24 mpg combined
• 0 to 60 mph: TBA
• Rivals: Honda Civic Type R, VW Golf R, Audi S3, BMW M235i, Mercedes-Benz CLA35, Cadillac CT4-V

We say “compact” and “small” as if the new Integra is little, but it’s actually within a few inches of the original Acura Legend, which says more about the size of cars today than the size of cars in 1986. By today’s standards the Integra is on the small side, yet it’s roomy enough thanks to Honda’s customarily brilliant interior packaging that provides good head- and legroom for all. And it’s a liftback with split-folding rear seats, meaning you can easily pack in a lot of stuff when the need arises.

The Type S takes its place at the top of the built-in-Ohio Integra food chain. The base 1.5-liter 200-hp Integra, introduced last year, kicks off at $32,495. The meaner-looking and tech’d-up (but no more powerful) Integra A-Spec starts at $34,495, and with the optional Advanced Package it’s the only way to get a manual in any Integra, totaling $37,495. The Honda Civic Type R, starting at $43,990, is the cheapest way to get the big 2.0-liter, though with five fewer horsepower. The Integra Type S, at nearly $52,000, is positioned as a more luxurious offering with richer trim.

You can spot the Type S right away from the front because of the vented aluminum hood and wider front fenders that Honda has gone to the trouble of specially stamping in steel (the rears have plastic appliqués). From the side, it’s the special 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels, which are larger in diameter and width than the A-Spec’s 18-inchers yet 6.5 percent lighter. They wear proper, state-of-the-art Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires, replacing all four of which will set you back about $1500, but worry about that later. In the meantime you have about the best grip a wet/dry street tire has to offer.

In the rear, the main Type S giveaway is the triple tailpipes—actually three separate silencers controlled by a solenoid to sound fairly subdued, or to blat and crackle even more belligerently than the Civic Type R system, which has one more silencer up front. A dynamic mode selector next to the Integra’s shifter gives you some control of the exhaust noise as well as the suspension damping stiffness and steering effort. Set on maximum Sport+, the Type S gets very blatty—and very choppy—indeed.

Besides that, there are wider grille openings and some aero enhancements, not all of which are plainly visible. An underbody tray creates a nearly flat floor, while blades hidden behind the cheek grilles smooth airflow at speed down the side.

***

Mother Nature took a big, wet dump on Acura’s plan of showcasing its newest model on a winding ribbon of California rollercoaster known as Highway 33. The road through the Topatopa Mountains above Ojai, California would make a Yugo on four space-savers look good. But winter rains played havoc up there and the highway has been closed for months. Instead, we cut west across the Santa Barbara coastal suburbia and through the Santa Ynez Mountains on a much less challenging (and less private) route.

No matter, the Type S was luminescent, with fast and naturally weighted steering, firm and reassuring brakes from the Brembo-branded front calipers, and a suspension providing both decent travel and excellent body control. It assaults a corner with the same prompt helm responses as an E46-generation BMW 3 Series but with much better tires and sound isolation, the steering wheel transmitting just enough feedback to be certain of the grip situation up front. Which is important because the 320 horses and 310 pound-feet of torque generated by the turbo 2.0-liter reach the road only through the front wheels. Those driven wheels can sniff around a tiny bit out of a lumpy corner, despite the suspension geometry almost eliminating torque-steer, but they generally take you exactly where pointed.

Not since the return of the Civic Type R to U.S. shores for 2017 have we shaken our heads at a Honda product and wondered, “How’d they do that?” But the Integra has us shaking our heads. For one thing, the all-steel body structure is exceptionally stiff, especially when compared to some of the Korean pretenders, yet there is nothing overtly fancy about the way the Integra’s steel structure was spot-welded together. No underhood shock-tower braces, no fancy thin-wall alloy castings at the hard points, no especially exotic materials. Yet somehow the car’s curb weight sits at about 3200 pounds, which is pretty light in this day and age.

Stiff cars make for quicker steering response, as you don’t have to wait for the steel to bend before the tires can do their thing. Unibody structures with gaping holes in the back for a hatchback tend to sacrifice some rigidity for utility, because you can’t hide a cross-car beam or X-brace under a parcel shelf as you can in a sedan to tie the rear suspension mounts together. Yet the Integra shakes not at all over bumps, even while wearing 30-series tires on 19-inch rims. Nor does it flex when you dive for a corner.

Another gobsmacking feature is the VTEC-equipped K20C1 four-cylinder. It’s the rare turbo engine with a shorter stroke (85.9 mm) than its bore (86.0 mm, granted not much). Meaning it’s a turbo engine that will rev if you want to—though its flat torque curve means the 310 pound-feet arrive at 2600 rpm and hangs in to 4000. It’s gloriously smooth and tractable around town in Comfort mode, but turns into an animal when the boost builds, which takes a half a second but hey, this little thing makes 160 horses per liter. Expect it to drink premium fuel at a rate of around 25 mpg.

If you’re into dashboards comprised of so many interlocking iPads, the Integra comes across as remarkably old-school. Not that there aren’t screens, including a central nine-inch touchscreen with standard CarPlay/Android Auto and a volume knob, but the cockpit is a touch retro. A mix of metal- and leather-like textures surround a binnacle with an old-timey round tach and speedo. The Type S gets exclusive, power-adjustable sport thrones with perforated leather and contrast stitching, not to mention heated elements that are not offered on the Civic Type R. Acura is offering three interior colors, the red/black contrasting scheme being the raciest for this get-down-to-business workspace.

No, it’s not cheap, and cynics will raise eyebrows at a gussied-up Honda Civic hatchback costing north of 50 grand. Two things, though: A good car is worth whatever you have to pay for it, and a look around at what else you can buy for the money isn’t awe-inspiring. The sporty Audi S3, Mercedes AMG CLA35, and BMW M235i are all in this neighborhood, and none of those sedans offers a manual transmission, though the less-posh VW Golf R does. Most of Acura’s traditional competitors are too obsessed with crossovers, or EVs, to build an exciting compact sedan with an internal combustion engine. Indeed, the Type S’s toughest competition is in-house with the Civic Type R, which offers only a slightly less premium experience but at considerable savings.

Both of hot hatches seem like the Nikon F6es of our era, the 2004 version being perhaps the last, best 35-mm film camera ever made before the onslaught of digital photography. With many of Acura’s young, hip, and city-dwelling target demographic having bled away to Tesla Model 3s, and with more and ever-better EVs piling into the space, the Integra Type S arrives just in time. Such an intense, satisfying mechanical experience—irreplaceable to those still craving a certain kind of driving pleasure—is becoming rarer by the minute.

2024 Acura Integra Type S

Highs: Manual only, brilliant packaging and old-school Integra performance, a car you will never be bored in.

Lows: Not cheap, a Civic Type-R is about $7000 less and offers a lot of the same joy, arrives just as EVs are taking over.

Takeaway: At the dawn of a new age, Acura finally resurrects its old icon to save its reputation, and it doesn’t disappoint.