sin46th magzus.org

INTELLIGENCE. INDEPENDENCE. IRREVERENCE.

No need to write a letter.

We count 11 as well.

PLU S : THE 1020 -HP T ESL A M ODE L S P LA ID PROVES TO B E AS Q UI CK AS A B UGATT I . . . FO RD BR IN GS BACK TH E AF FOR DA BLE SM ALL PI C KUP . . . GM C RE IM AGI NES T H E HUM M E R AS AN EL ECT RIC PICKU P WIT H 100 0 H O RS EP OWER . . . A F TE R 15 YE AR S, TOYOTA FI N AL LY RO L LS OUT A R ED ESI G N ED TU N D RA . . . CUR E 1990 s FEVER WI TH A NISSAN 30 0ZX B EFO R E I T SHO OTS UP IN VA LUE

Downshift to 2nd, flick steering wheel

Gravity goes sideways

Forget previously owned cars

Praise inventor of asphalt

Endorphins throw party

Decide to name firstborn “86”

Master the drive in the all-new GR86.

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TABLE of CONTENTS

V O L . 67, N O . 6

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F E AT U R E

10Best for 2022 In the 40th installment of our annual awards, we once again pick the heroes of the car world.

By the Editors

48 ROAD TEST

2022 Ford Maverick XLT FX4 The Maverick reimagines the small and simple entry-level Ford.

By Mike Sutton

JANUARY 2022

54

62

2021 Tesla Model S Plaid Tesla’s monstrously quick 1020-hp Model S nabs multiple records, but is it truly great?

By Dave VanderWerp

2022 GMC Hummer EV Edition 1 A battery-powered machine aimed squarely at the pickup buyer.

By K.C. Colwell

ROAD TEST

PREVIEW

“FOR MANY FOLKS WITH MODEST FUNDS AND SMALL JOBS TO DO, IT’S ALL THE TRUCK THEY’LL NEED.” —Mike Sutton, “Just Enough Truck” CA R AND D RI VE R

3

TABLE OF CONTENTS JANUARY 2022

COLUMNISTS 8. Sharon Silke Carty A checkered flag of sorts.

20. Ezra Dyer Save the in-car DVD. 22. Elana Scherr Driver assists.

UPFRONT 11. Spare a Chip?

An industry was short on supplies in 2021.

14. The Year the Future Came into Focus Batteries plus.

16. Pay Up, and Up Just how bad are newcar prices?

18. Testing Winners and Losers Performers and those that came up short.

T H E R U N D OW N 66. 2022 Toyota Tundra A V-8 is swapped for a twin-turbo V-6.

70. 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E4X GT Performance Edition Not quite the GT we were expecting.

71. 2022 Hyundai Kona N Line AWD More show than go.

72. 2022 BMW M5 CS Lighter is better.

74. 2022 Volkswagen Taos A small SUV slips into the Golf’s shoes.

76. 2021 Lamborghini Huracán STO Shark attack.

E TC .

4. Backfires We will print no letter before its time.

80. What to Buy 1990–96 Nissan 300ZX.

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The joyful noise of the commentariat, rebutted sporadically by Ed. IN THE FOLD

ROLLOUT

Your October 2021 cover made me laugh. “Pay Less,” “Cheap & Fast.”

Sounds like the first online date I went on.

—Kristopher Contreras Miami, FL

Very clever, C/D, to use song titles for all the new-cars headlines in the October 2021 issue. I especially appreciated your use of “Weird Al” Yankovic’s “Like a Surgeon” for the Hyundai Santa Cruz—most people ignore parodies for the original, but I think that song was much more appropriate there than Madonna’s.

—John Bell Sacramento, CA

THE COUNT I read the entire October 2021 new-cars issue while waiting in line at the county treasurer’s office to pick up personalized plates for my car. Thanks for your efforts, but I could’ve used another 16 pages.

—Bob Dickelman Johnston, IA Well, you could’ve told us what you got on your personalized plates, but here we are—Ed.

Why was the Subaru Solterra missing?

—Hal Shoenfield Cedar Grove, NJ It’s a ’23 model, and at the time we knew zilch. We can now tell you that it’s a

rebadged Toyota bZ4X that looks like a Mach-E—Ed. I nearly choked on my coffee when I read that the $511,250 2021 Ferrari SF90 Stradale qualifies for a $3501 tax credit. I used that info to sway my wife away from the new Nissan Leaf that she was convinced was right for us.

—Steve Horstman Cincinnati, OH Please make an entire issue of “Meanwhile in France.” Be sure to turn the sarcasm up to 11.

—John Blackburn Moreno Valley, CA The Toyota summary did not include notification of

CUSTOMER SERVICE Call 800-289-9464, email cdbCustServ@CDSFulfillment.com, visit www.caranddriver.com/service, or write to Customer Service Dept., Car and Driver, P.O. Box 37870, Boone, IA 50037 for inquiries/requests, changes of mailing or email addresses, subscription orders, payments, etc.

CAR AND DRIVER® (ISSN 0008-6002), VOL. 67, NO. 6, January 2022, is published monthly, 10 times per year, with combined issues in February/March and July/August, by Hearst, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019, U.S.A. Steven R. Swartz, President & Chief Executive Officer; William R. Hearst III, Chairman; Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice Chairman; Debi Chirichella, President, Hearst Magazines Group. Hearst Autos, Inc.: Nick Matarazzo, President & Chief Revenue Officer; Debi Chirichella, Treasurer; Catherine A. Bostron, Secretary. © 2021 by Hearst Autos, Inc. All rights reserved. Trademarks: Car and Driver is a registered trademark of Hearst Autos, Inc. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Canada Post International Publications mail product (Canadian distribution) sales agreement no. 40012499. Editorial and Advertising Offices: 1585 Eisenhower Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. SUBSCRIPTION PRICES United States and possessions: $13.00 for one year; Canada, add $10.00; all other countries, add $24.00. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES Car and Driver will, upon receipt of a complete subscription order, undertake fulfillment of that order so as to provide the first copy for delivery by the U.S. Postal Service or alternate carrier within 4–6 weeks. MAILING LISTS From time to time, we make our subscriber list available to companies who sell goods and services by mail that we believe would interest our readers. If you would rather not receive such offers by postal mail, please send your current mailing label or an exact copy to Mail Preference Service, P.O. Box 37870, Boone, IA 50037. You can also visit preferences.hearstmags.com to manage your preferences and opt out of receiving marketing offers by email. Car and Driver assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. None will be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Permissions: Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission. Back Issues: Back issues are available for purchase in digital format only from your app store of choice. POSTMASTER Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES Send address corrections to Car and Driver, P.O. Box 37870, Boone, IA 50037. Printed in the U.S.A.

SIC YOUR DOGS ON US AT: E DITOR S@ CA RAN DD RI VE R.COM ~ JANUA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIVER

Backfires

Page 39 states that “the mid-engine C8 Corvette was getting stale.” I am not sure which of your brilliant minds wrote that, but please tell them to say hello to E.T. on their way back to whatever planet they are from.

—Steve Connelly Decatur, IL See what happens when the sarcasm gets turned up to 11?—Ed.

MAVERICK EXPRESS A Maverick pickup [“Somethin’ ’bout a Truck,” October 2021]? What’s next? Will Ford bring back a two-door F-150-based Bronco-like SUV and call it a Thunderbird?

Actually, I’d buy one of those.

—S. Getz Seaford, DE

A REAL CAD The 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is just the latest example of General Motors introducing their best effort right before they scrap the program [“The Final Countdown,” October 2021].

—James Lautier Windsor, CT The color of the CT5-V you tested reminds me of the 1981 Cadillac Sedan DeVilles that were special-ordered by U.S. Home. One each went to the top 36 sales consultants for the 1981 calendar year, all expenses paid. Guy Roy

6

Odom, chairman, personally selected the color. The run of 36 was purchased at a $500-per-car premium.

White vinyl top, of course!

The standard engine was the V-8-6-4. What a gem!

Useless crap, I know.

—Mike Bertirotti San Antonio, TX Useless crap is why we’re all here, Bertirotti—Ed. My wife accuses me of wanting every great car that C/D highlights on a monthly basis.

But if I had six figures to spend on a ride, I would buy the Blackwing over any other car I’ve seen this year.

—Les Shumake Olive Branch, MS

aspirated 2.5-liter would have dusted every other car in this lineup by a mile.

—Aaron Schmitz New Port Richey, FL You’re confused, Schmitz.

The turbocharged version of the 3 starts at $31,045 and comes only with all-wheel drive—Ed. The Corolla “a looker”?

Do your staff benefits include a vision plan?

—Tom McCarthy Wilmington, DE

BIG AND SMALL Were you just as shocked as I was when you wrote, “We set off on the first big C/D comparison test of sedans in years” [“Up on the Roof,” October 2021]?

—Ron Caspi Mountain View, CA I was not surprised to see the Mazda 3 come out near the top, but it was doomed from the start since you included the allwheel-drive version. First off, all-wheel drive makes it the heaviest car here.

I have no doubt the frontwheel-drive version would have come in first place.

Not to mention, according to Mazda’s website, the 2.5T FWD in the Preferred package (one step down from Premium) is only $26,365, which is less than all the other cars in this test except the Sentra SR ($26,010).

The 2.5T’s extra horsepower over the naturally

My inner adult appreciates the Civic’s more elegant Accord/Acura styling, but my inner child is disappointed that the most youthful and aggressively styled generation has given way to this. But hey, young people can’t afford cars anyway!

—Brett Stahl Charlotte, NC

FRONT TO BACK I think I finally figured out what inspired BMW’s new grille [“Electric Feel,” October 2021]. When I saw the picture of the iX in the October issue, it hit me. The designer must have been driving behind a school bus and gotten mooned. The grilles on new BMWs look like someone’s backside just out there mooning the world.

—Greg Fisher Phoenix, AZ The BMW iX exterior designers—and the clowns

who gave them the green light—aren’t backing down.

Like a sucker at a Texas Hold ’em tournament, they’re all in with a pair against a nut flush. By continuing to put out some of the ugliest grilles ever seen on an automobile, is BMW bluffing, trying to convince us they’re not ugly? I suppose they think that if they repeat the lie often enough, people will start to believe it’s true.

—Dean Hared Rockville, MD What would have ever given them that idea?—Ed.

STICKING IT TO US Regarding the Bronco manual review [“Back in the Saddle Again,” October 2021]: If damning with faint praise was what you were going for, I’d say you hit the nail on the head.

—John Snyder Newbury Park, CA

HORSEBACK In the comparison of the Mercedes EQS450+ and EQS580 4Matic horsepower figures, it is stated that the EQS450+ has 329 horsepower while the 4Matic has 516 ponies [“Mr. Roboto,” October 2021].

I’m just curious as to what the ratio of horses to ponies is. Is it similar to the ratio of leprechauns to unicorns?

—Kole Ketelboeter Mazomanie, WI Yep, which is also the same as the ratio of Stanley nickels to Schrute bucks—Ed. JAN UA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

S IC YO U R D O GS O N U S AT: E DI TOR S @ CA RA N DD R I V E R.CO M

the demise of the Avalon in 2022. I currently own my second, and it is a comfortable, reliable car.

—Stephen Gibbons Ancaster, ON There’s a ’22 Avalon, but there won’t be a ’23. Get one before they’re gone—Ed.

Editor ’s Let ter

Backfires

DRUMROLL

SUB MODELS Regarding “On-Demand Options” [October 2021]: The future is dumb, and I hate it.

—Tristan Gehman Atmore, AL Are you sure this letter wasn’t about the EV issue?—Ed. Since BMW long ago made the transition from “the Ultimate Driving Machine” to the ultimate money machine, it shouldn’t be long before a credit-card slot becomes standard for functions such as sunroof and windshield wipers (in Torrance, we don’t need wipers much anyway). This way BMW owners can once again experience “spirited” driving.

—Pat Parish Torrance, CA

STICK WITH IT Congratulations to Ezra Dyer on his heartwarming piece “Manual Labor” [October 2021]. I’ve had the privilege to teach at least one of my kids how to drive a manually operated vehicle, and it was for sure as much fun for me as it was for him. I often do the same thing as Dyer, offering to teach anybody who wants to learn this disappearing rite of passage, but so far have had only two acceptances.

—Will House Media, PA

8

A checkered flag of sorts

S

poiler alert: I did it. I got faster.

In late 2020, I decided I’d try to keep up with our Lightning Lap drivers at the next version of our running of the bulls. I was pretty certain that with some training I would get at least a little bit faster, but readers, I got a lot faster.

And I was going to hold off and tell you all about it in our February/March issue, but then life did what it does and moved forward on its own terms. I’m deeply sad to say that the last day of our putting this issue to bed was my last as editor-in-chief. I’m moving on to direct content strategy for all of Hearst’s automotive brands, focusing on videos, podcasts, and other digital stuff.

For some of you, this will be a sigh of relief. I get it. Under my direction, we tried a bunch of new things—some landed well, and others landed flat. For others, including a lot of you who have sent handwritten letters, little tchotchkes, pictures of yourselves with your favorite cars, or postcards from a special place in your town, you might be a little sad. I am. More than a little, honestly. I’ve opened and read every letter that’s come my way, and I have loved that connection.

What I’ll miss most, however, is daily interaction with Car and Driver’s staff, wickedly talented people who regularly impress me and humble me.

They’ve tackled some huge goals set in their path and consistently exceeded expectations. They’ve taken chances, worked hard through a pandemic that upended our world, and managed to have some fun. Working together, we’ll keep Car and Driver growing even when other media brands are shrinking.

As for the speed test, last year at Lightning Lap 14, driving a 2020 Cadillac CT4-V, I set a lap of 4:02.9 on the Grand Course at Virginia International Raceway. David Beard set a 3:06.2. We went back in October for the 15th installment, and I hit 3:15.1 after swapping to a more aggressive tire. You can find the full story of how I got faster online. Like a lot of things in life, it begins with being willing to take a chance.

SHARON SILKE CARTY E D I TO R - I N - C H I E F

JAN UA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

S IC YO U R D O GS O N U S AT: E DI TOR S @ CA RA N DD R I V E R.CO M P HOTO G RA P H BY J E N N Y R IS HE R

I was considering replacing my Mk 7 GTI with the Volkswagen ID.4 AWD [“Your Smiling Face,” October 2021]. But there is no way I’m going to purchase a vehicle that weighs so much more than the GTI and has rear drum brakes. I will look elsewhere for a different EV that has the performance and emergency stopping power of a GTI. —Philip Atkin West Linn, OR

Editor-in-Chief Sharon Silke Carty

Your column on teaching someone to drive a manual brought back a memory of teaching my then-16-year-old daughter 29 years ago. An uphill country road was the location. More than a few stalls and the exclamation “I just can’t do it!” were followed by that moment when she got it—slipped the clutch just right, and that glorious expression on her face is still clear in my mind. One of many wonderful memories as a dad.

—Al Nelson Pentwater, MI I never received any official training on “manual labor.”

My first taste was picking up my new Ford Probe from the dealership back in ’94.

Stalled it once pulling out of the parking lot, started it back up, and never looked back. Sure, there have been times when I’ve “slacked off” and had a car that did the work for me, as is the case now in the name of matrimonial peace and happiness, but I’ll take a DIY version of any car out there.

Captain Clutch, I could use a refresher on heel-andtoeing if you’re available!

—Michael Hanftwurcel Northville, MI Dyer’s niece mastered the manual trans but stumbled with twisting the key.

LOL. One of his best!

—Nick Sargent Lebanon, OH Dyer says he will give manual lessons “to anyone who expresses the slightest interest.” Please sign me up.

—Izzy Dear Monsey, NY

Cars Director Tony Quiroga Executive Editor Ryan White Digital Director Laura Sky Brown BUYER’S GUIDE Deputy Editor Rich Ceppos Staff Editors Drew Dorian, Eric Stafford FEATURES Senior Editors Greg Fink, Elana Scherr Staff Editor Austin Irwin NEWS Senior Editor Joey Capparella Staff Editors Connor Hoffman, Caleb Miller Social Media Editor Michael Aaron • REVIEWS Deputy Editor Joe Lorio Senior Editors Ezra Dyer, Mike Sutton • TESTING Director Dave VanderWerp Deputy Director K.C. Colwell Technical Editor David Beard Road Test Editor Rebecca Hackett Road Warriors Keoni Koch, Jacob Kurowicki, Zackary Lading, Christi VanSyckle • CREATIVE Director Darin Johnson Staff Photographers Michael Simari, Marc Urbano Photo Assistant Charley M. Ladd VIDEO Deputy Editor Carlos Lago • PRODUCTION Director of Editorial Operations Heather Albano Copy Chief Adrienne Girard Associate Managing Editor Jennifer Misaros Editorial Operations Manager Juli Burke Copy Editors Chris Langrill, Kara Snow Online Production Designer Sarah Larson Online Production Assistant Ron Askew Editorial Assistant Carlie Cooper • CONTRIBUTORS European Editor Mike Duff Contributing Editors Clifford Atiyeh, Brett Berk, Sebastian Blanco, Csaba Csere, Malcolm Gladwell, Andrew Lawrence, Bruce McCall, Jens Meiners, P.J. O’Rourke, Jonathon Ramsey, Steve Siler, Pete Sucheski, James Tate, John Voelcker Editorial Office 1585 Eisenhower Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. Editorial Contributions Unsolicited artwork and manuscripts are not accepted, and publisher assumes no responsibility for return or safety of unsolicited artwork, photographs, or manuscripts. Query letters may be addressed to the cars director.

Publisher and Chief Revenue Officer Felix DiFilippo Vice President, Sales Cameron Albergo • NEW YORK East Coast Sales Director Kyle Taylor Group Advertising Director Joe Pennacchio Integrated Sales Director Shannon Rigby Integrated Sales Account Executive Richard Panciocco Assistant Keierra Wiltshire CHICAGO Integrated Sales Director Rick Bisbee • DETROIT Group Advertising Director Samantha Shanahan Executive Sales Director Deb Michael Assistants Toni Starrs, Rene Tuohy • LOS ANGELES Group Advertising Director Anne Rethmeyer Digital Sales Director Lisa LaCasse Senior Director of Sales Lori Mertz Integrated Sales Director Susie Miller Digital Account Executive Molly Jolls HEARST DIRECT MEDIA Vice President Christine Hall Sales Manager Celia Mollica ADMINISTRATION Advertising Services Director Regina Wall PRODUCTION Manager Chris Hertwig CIRCULATION Vice President, Strategy and Business Management Rick Day Published by Hearst 300 W. 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 President & Chief Executive Officer Steven R. Swartz Chairman William R. Hearst III Executive Vice Chairman Frank A. Bennack, Jr. President, Hearst Magazines Group Debi Chirichella

Using Shell V-Power® NiTRO®+ Premium Gasolines and diesel fuels appropriately in Car and Driver test vehicles ensures the consistency and integrity of our instrumented testing procedures and numbers, both in the magazine and online.

CUSTOMER SERVICE Call 800-289-9464, email cdbCustServ@ CDSFulfillment.com, visit www.CarandDriver.com/ service, or write to Customer Service Dept., Car and Driver, P.O. Box 37870, Boone, IA 50037 for inquiries/requests, changes of mailing or email addresses, subscription orders, payments, etc.

PERMISSIONS Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

To order digital back issues, go to your favorite app store.

Car and Driver© is a registered trademark of Hearst Autos, Inc. Copyright 2021, Hearst Autos, Inc. All rights reserved.

HEARST AUTOS, INC. President & Chief Revenue Officer Nick Matarazzo Treasurer Debi Chirichella Secretary Catherine A. Bostron Chief Brand Officer Eddie Alterman Chief Marketing Officer Michelle Panzer Executive Director of Finance Paul Neumaier Executive Assistant Erika Nuñez PUBLISHING CONSULTANTS Gilbert C. Maurer, Mark F. Miller INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS Brazil, China, Greece, Spain

PACZKI DAY Elana Scherr’s column mentioning the Polski Fiat 126p brought back some childhood memories [“A Seller’s Market,” October 2021]. In those days in Poland, there were essentially three cars to choose from: the small Fiat 126p, the big Fiat 125p, and the sporty-looking Polonez, which the ballers got. The 126p was my dad’s first new car, and he was on a list for a few years before he was able to get one. It broke down as he drove it out of the staterun “dealership.” Road-trip memories included watching an adult pack the frunk to the brink with small items (can’t afford to waste space by putting them in bags) and sitting on a pile of items stuffed in the back seat. If

we had seatbelts, it never occurred to me to use them.

—Aleks Zawisza Ottawa, ON

KARMIC REVIEW Kudos to Ed. for the Caddyshack reference in response to Ken Waller’s letter in the October 2021 Backfires. I wonder if the Dalai Lama is still golfing these days.

—Tom Riley Glastonbury, CT In a weak, feeble attempt to get a letter in C/D, I’ll take the whining, crybaby, nitpicking route of many readers.

You referenced Caddyshack, one of the all-time great movies. Sadly, when quoting former groundskeeper, Cinderella boy, and Masters champion Carl Spackler,

you left out the last three words. You should have added “which is nice.”

—Bruce Kent Dandridge, TN Nah—Ed.

HAPPY ENDINGS Why have you never used the word kumquat in a car review?

—Sean Sweaney Nashville, TN We have—Ed. I have a theory: BMW hit the M3 with an ugly stick to entice buyers to purchase the more expensive M5. That is my theory and what it is too.

—Steven Pinkerton Auburn, WA Here is my response and what it is too—Ed.

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S O T H AT H A P P E N E D

By Ryan White

Spare a Chip?

A lot happened in 2021, and some of it was even okay. But the long and the short of it was an industry short on supplies.

In March, an unsuspecting tourist in Hawaii might

have wandered into one of 2021’s more illustrative stories. As reported by Hawaii News Now, a pandemic-related rental-car shortage meant that visitors to Maui interested in a Toyota Camry would be on the hook for more than $700 a day. In Honolulu, vans were going for $500 a day and convertibles for up to $1000. U-Haul, however, held to its standard prices for vans and pickups, and so moving trucks began showing up at the beach, surprising no one more than U-Haul itself.

CA R AND D RI VE R ~ JAN UA RY 2022 ~ I L LUSTRAT I ON S BY D OMIN IC BUGAT TO

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REARVIEW MIRROR

Kaleo Alau, U-Haul Company of Hawaii president, told the TV station KHON2 that during the usual pre-rental interview, customers would admit they weren’t moving anything, saying instead, “Oh, we’re just going to use it to drive around.”

In 2021, Stellantis officially became a company. In an April Fools’ joke, Volkswagen tried to convince people it was changing its name to Voltswagen, a step that was at least mildly believable because “Stellantis” is, in fact, real. Showing us all how naming should be done, Minnesotans christened a snowplow F. Salt Fitzgerald.

The U.S. Postal Service introduced a new mail truck that our own Ezra Dyer described as looking like a “robot Beluga whale built by the East German government.” The roads those trucks will travel get a cautious thumbs-up, as the American Society of Civil Engineers gave American infrastructure a C– grade, the nation’s best showing in 20 years. Speaking of improvement (or not, depending on your preferences), a whole lot of promises were made about future emissions and electrification [see page 14].

The year’s biggest story, the thread running through so much of what happened, can be summed up by anyone who’s ever taken Econ 101. Demand outstripped supply. What happened in Hawaii was one example. Here’s another: In May, a cyberattack crippled the Colonial Pipeline, which supplies 45 percent of the East Coast’s gasoline. Pumps ran dry, and people did insane things like line their trunks with plastic bags full of fuel. The shortage didn’t last long, and CNN reported that Colonial met the hackers’ ransom demands, giving them nearly $5 million.

The auto industry would have gladly paid more than that to solve the year’s stickiest supply-chain slog. There just aren’t enough silicon semiconductors to go around—particularly since pandemic-related corporate panic led carmakers to cancel orders—and the modern vehicle needs more of them than ever.

What began as a sprinkle of bad news in early January—right around the time Mercedes-Benz showed off a new 56-inch semiconductor-rich infotainment display dubbed Hyperscreen— became a flood by late March. By then, Audi, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes, Nissan, Stellantis, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo all had seen North American production delays. By April, Ford estimated as much as a 50 percent cut in production in the second quarter.

Used-car prices jumped 10 percent from March to April, the highest single-month increase since at least 1953. In May, a Cox Automotive survey found that 40 percent of new-car shoppers were willing to pay 12 percent over sticker price. At the time, the average new car cost almost $42,000, a number that has continued to climb.

All the way until June, analysts like Henner Lehne, vice president of global vehicle forecasting for IHS Markit, thought

12

the industry’s issues would work themselves out by the end of the year. But the chip-shortage situation never got much better. As of early November, Lehne says, automakers had announced 9.2 million units lost due to the problem. He notes that various accounting practices make that a bit of a squishy number, but nonetheless, it’s a lot of damn vehicles that can’t move from dealerships to driveways.

So, while Tesla’s valuation hit $1 trillion in late October, and Ford’s share price crested to a 20-year high at $19.72 in early November (after starting the year under $9 per share), much of the good news was based on hope. For Ford, that feeling is pegged to the Bronco, the F-150 Lightning, and the Maverick [see page 48], all of which shared the spotlight in 2021. Not that Ford was alone under the lights. Chevrolet unveiled a new Corvette Z06, and GMC rolled out a Hummer EV that weighs more than 9000 pounds and should sprint to 60 mph in three seconds [see page 62]. Jeep brought back the Grand Wagoneer, designing something like a McMansion on wheels. Great place to take a meeting, that Grand Wagoneer.

There’s a lot to look forward to in 2022, but there’s also a lot that won’t change. Lehne says the supply chain remains stretched to capacity. Demand continues for phones and video-game systems, and contactless payments are more popular than ever, and all of those things require semiconductors, and all it takes is a fire at a factory in Japan or a massive storm in Texas to throw the supply into chaos. “Real relief will only come with more capacity,” he says.

When’s that coming? See you in 2023.

JAN UA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

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NHTSA gets tougher with Tesla: The safety of Tesla’s poorly named Autopilot suite of advanced driver-assistance systems has been debated for years. On August 31, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requested information on every car using Autopilot and every crash the company is aware of involving a car equipped with Autopilot.

C H A R G I N G A H E A D ~ By John Voelcker

SEPTEMBER Luxury goes electric: The Rolls-Royce Spectre, due in 2023, will be the marque’s first EV—and Rolls said it plans to have a fully electric lineup by 2030.

OCTOBER New power plants: Within days of one another, GM, Ford, Stellantis, and Toyota announced plans to spend billions on battery plants in North America that will put them closer to the development and production of the cells they’ll need for all the electric vehicles to come.

Came into Focus The days of Tesla having the EV market largely to itself are over.

While EV sales are still a low-single-digit percentage of the market, the transition to electric vehicles gained momentum in 2021. Most manufacturers made bold claims about electrified futures, and some made big investments to back up the big talk. Here’s a timeline of what stood out through the year.

JANUARY GM hopes to sell only EVs by 2035 (with asterisks): The largest U.S. automaker said it “aspires” to sell only electrics by 2035 for its light-duty lineup. Crucial caveats: Aspirations aren’t commitments, and 300-mile electric trucks may not qualify as light-duty (GM’s goal to fully electrify heavyduty pickups is 2040).

MAY 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning debuts: A day after President Biden took a joyride, Ford lit up its headquarters in electric blue. The all-electric truck’s specs (up to 300 miles of range and 563 horses, power-your-

14

house ability) indicate Ford is serious about converting its bestseller to a successful EV. By fall, Ford would take more than 160,000 reservations.

turn heads at every corner, is going with the tide. Next year we’ll see the concept for an all-electric Dodge muscle car that’ll hit production in 2024.

JULY Plug-in hybrids return: Demand for the RAV4 Prime has wildly exceeded Toyota’s expectations. Stellantis said it’ll offer a plug-in hybrid for every model in the Jeep range by 2025. The Chevrolet Volt is dead; long live the Volt?

AUGUST Battery recall expands to all Chevrolet Bolts: Late in 2020, Chevy told Bolt EV owners that some batteries might have a flaw that could cause a fire. In August, the recall expanded to all 141,000 Bolts made over six model years, turning into a slow-motion catastrophe for GM. A plan for battery replacements includes software that monitors new and old batteries.

What does an electric Challenger sound like? Even Dodge, the home of obscenely powerful V-8 muscle cars that

Car dealers see the writing on the wall: For years, auto dealerships have been a hurdle in getting shoppers to consider electric vehicles. To change that, the National Auto Dealers Association partnered with the app maker Chargeway to educate salespeople on how to explain EV charging.

Tesla reaches $1 trillion valuation: The value of Tesla just keeps soaring. Around the time it reached $1 trillion, it became worth more than the entire rest of the world’s auto industry—added together.

NOVEMBER Rivian goes public: Rivian Automotive scored the biggest initial public offering of the year on November 10, finishing the day with a market cap above $100 billion. That makes it the second-most-valuable American automaker, behind only Tesla.

I LLU STRAT ION BY A LEX IS MARCOU ~ JANUA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

In March 2020, in the early days of the pandemic, the average consumer expenditure on light trucks was $39,844. For cars it was $25,945.

Then the numbers took off.

AVERAGE COST OF CARS AND LIGHT TRUCKS SOURCE: U.S. BUREAU OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

00 $50,0

00 $45,0

The Great Recession.

New-vehicle sales fell by nearly 40 percent.

Chrysler and General Motors ended up in bankruptcy. A lot going on in that dip.

00 $40,0

00 $35,0

00 $30,0

2004

Pay Up, and Up New-vehicle prices are soaring, but how bad is it really?

History says pretty bad indeed.

16

2006

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

You likely know this, because it’s daily news of late, but there’s a chip

shortage, and it’s affecting new-car availability. Limited supply coupled with strong demand has led automakers and their even more opportunistic dealers to jack up new-car prices, sometimes to shocking highs—for example, $10,000 added to the sticker for the popular Ford Bronco Sport. Is it just a few outliers skewing the curve, or is it really as extreme as it seems? For context, we looked at government data on the cost of new cars and trucks over the past few decades, and, well, this is pretty dramatic. Think of the rolling slope of the Great Plains before they hit the Rockies, then bam—the Rockies. How steep are these slopes? Between the start of 2010 and the middle of 2020, there were only two months (October 2010 and September 2013) when the average price of a new truck jumped more than $1000 from the month before. Since October 2020, there have been three. Looking further back, even at the height of the inflation-fueled price increases of the mid-’70s—the era that introduced the phrase “sticker shock”—prices for new cars didn’t climb this quickly.

IN FOGRA PHI C BY N I CO LAS RAPP ~ JA NUA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

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C R U N C H T I M E ~ By K.C. Colwell

Testing Winners and Losers A 20/20 look at 2021’s highs and lows, as seen through the carefully calibrated lens of our testing department.

WINNER: FORD MUSTANG MACH-E

What’s in a Name?

The giant test of EVs detailed in our July/August 2021 issue was a few years in the making, and we named the Ford Mustang the EV of the Year. Sorry, we mean the Mustang Mach-E. Despite appropriating an icon’s name, the Mach-E delivers most of the EV goods with decent range for a not-crazy sum of money.

WINNER: PORSCHE TAYCAN

Long Game

LOSER: CADILLAC

Off to the Great Unknown Cadillac won everything with its new Blackwing sedans, including two 10Best spots [see page 27]. We even petitioned the Hockey Hall of Fame to engrave their names on the Stanley Cup (we haven’t heard back). But Cadillac is still a loser this year because it’s throwing in the towel. Just when its mainstream cousin Chevrolet spent Cadillac money on a new double-overhead-cam V-8 for the Corvette Z06, Caddy says “No more internal-combustion V cars.” Quitting when you’re on top of your game is admirable for an athlete.

This is a squandered opportunity. But anyone who has worked at General Motors will tell you that “squandered opportunity” is the unofficial slogan of the executive suites.

18

Cadillac had better benchmark the Porsche Taycan when making its EVs [see left], because it’s the only electric on the market that doesn’t need a “for an EV” caveat. It’s just plain good. And it has a secret weapon: a multispeed gearbox. The first Tesla Roadster we tested (in 2008) had a two-speed transmission, but you couldn’t shift on the fly, and it never made it to production. The Taycan’s automatic unlocks EV range like no other model (well, the Audi e-tron GT has it, but it’s mostly a rebodied Taycan). In our real-world highway fuel-economy testing, most EVs don’t come close to reaching their EPA range estimates—unlike the government, we do runs at a realistic 75 mph. But the two-speed box lowers the motor speed enough to allow the Taycan to outperform the EPA’s lab results. In the base Taycan with the bigger battery, we got a 280-mile range, 55 miles more than the EPA number.

WINNERS: SUBARU BRZ AND TOYOTA GR86

LOSER: HYUNDAI TUCSON

Keep Waiting No one ever said a family-oriented SUV needs to light up the drag strip, but on the other hand we hadn’t expected the redesigned Tucson with the base 2.5-liter engine to achieve one of the year’s slowest 60-mph times. (We thought for sure it would beat the 8780pound AEV Prospector XL, a modified Ram 2500 with the Cummins diesel and 40-inch tires.) But with an 8.8-second run, the Tucson rolled slower than we could have imagined. That is part of a larger trend we’ve observed with new Hyundai and Kia products that don’t allow brake torquing at launch, effectively eliminating the low-end acceleration benefit of a torque converter’s torque multiplication.

LOSER: TESLA

Hello? Anyone There?

Tesla needs to stop trying to become the Ferrari of EV makers, and that isn’t a comment on performance or build quality. Hey, Tesla: When you loan a car to the media (any media, not just us), let them test it as they see fit and don’t try to control every tiny aspect. Everyone is anxious to learn about how quick you can make a 10-year-old car, but if you only allow independent outlets to test on a prepped surface, you look like you don’t have confidence in your cars. Also, we don’t mind if you don’t loan us cars the way you do other journalists.

We’ll rent or borrow what we need and get the story done. And we’ll get it done to our standards.

IL LUSTRAT IO N S BY T. M . D E TW IL E R

Others Should Just Quit

5.4

The big Bug crushed the Porsche 918 Spyder’s quarter-mile record of 9.7 seconds at 145 mph by turning a 9.4-second pass at—gulp—158 mph. Desperate to qualify for a sub-10-second NHRA license? Rent one of these French missiles and head to a sanctioned event. Ferrari let us test its SF90 Stradale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. We’d prefer to borrow one and test it at our home track, the Chelsea Proving Grounds, but the Brickyard is an okay alternative, we suppose. Anyway, before lapping the 986-hp hybrid on the road course, we ran it through our normal testing gauntlet, and it trumped the 2.1-second 60-mph sprint that the Porsche 918 and 911 Turbo S laid down in 2014 and 2020, respectively, with a 2.0-second time. Stupendo.

The new Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86, which share almost everything, including a 228-hp 2.4-liter flat-four, gained a lot of acceleration from a lawn mower’s worth of added power—just 23 horses.

Times to 60 mph went from the low-six-second range in the previous generation to 5.4 seconds. Plus, they’re just wonderful little coupes.

During a comparison test, we pondered the potential greatness of a small sedan built on this platform. It would be a modern-day Datsun 510 and the only manual-transmission rear-driver in a class flooded with CVTs and front-drivers.

Your move, Toyobaru.

WINNERS: FERRARI SF90 STRADALE AND BUGATTI CHIRON SPORT

seconds

WINNER: TESLA MODEL S PLAID

Mel Brooks Should Get Royalties The road test is on page 54, but here’s a preview: The Model S Plaid is quick. How quick? With a 9.4-second time slip, as quick as the Chiron [see above], but the EV traps slower at 151 mph. It’s worth noting that we test cars—EV or gasser—with a full tank, so there’s a chance the Chiron could burn through enough fuel to unify the quarter-mile title. While internal-combustion cars can get quicker as they burn off fuel, no EV will as its state of charge drops. And we don’t bend testing protocols to suit a car. Now we just need to get our hands on a Rimac.

19

EZR A DY ER

E

ver since the advent of the iPad, I’ve ques-

tioned the value of factory in-car video entertainment systems. You’re going to pay extra for a pair of screens in your car?

An iPad is now $329, and it isn’t glued to your headrest. But I’ve experienced a change of heart, a glorious enlightenment revealing that the path to seatback entertainment nirvana is not through a tablet. We need to save the DVD players.

My 2020 Chrysler Pacifica has all manner of rear-seat video options, including HDMI ports. But the DVD player is our road-trip default. If you want to watch a movie in a car, the digital versatile disc is the ideal option. It doesn’t require batteries or broadband. You don’t have to pair it with anything. DVDs are cheap and won’t burn through your cellular data plan. Pop one in, wait through the FBI warning, and you’ve got a mobile cinema experience. Hope you brought some popcorn.

Therefore, I was righteously psyched when my 11-yearold climbed into the back of a loaner 2022 Infiniti QX80 and

20

reported that it had DVD players. We had a threehour drive ahead of us, so I went to Walmart and stocked up. Perhaps you’re not a connoisseur of the chain’s huge DVD bins, but they’re filled with random movies at varying prices. The $7.50 bin included a four-disc Batman set (two Michael Keatons, a Val Kilmer, and a George Clooney) that went in the cart.

I also grabbed the Hobbit trilogy and both original Bill & Ted flicks, Excellent Adventure and Bogus Journey. Now we were road-trip ready.

But when we piled into the QX80, I realized the most bogus journey was the one we were about to take, for there were no DVD players. The screen on the headrests flipped forward, away from the seat, leading my kid to infer that there was a DVD slot at the top. But no—flipping the screen revealed only an SD-card slot. An SD slot! Is that progress? Because it seems like downloading a movie and copying it onto an SD card treads mighty close to burning-yourown-DVD levels of inconvenience and illegality.

Like many modern vehicles, the Infiniti has plenty of non-DVD media options, but all of them depend on either a robust internet connection or someone having the foresight to download their chosen media in advance. I tried the streaming gambit, wherein you grab a Roku from your house and plug it into the car’s HDMI port, but the QX80’s Wi-Fi required an AT&T subscription, and I couldn’t get the Roku to recognize my phone as a hotspot.

Nor had I downloaded any movies that I could mirror to the screens. That requires planning. You know what doesn’t require much planning? Stashing a Bill & Ted DVD in your car in case you need it one day.

With DVD players increasingly getting the ax, I apprehensively asked Stellantis whether it kept the Pacifica’s for the 2021 refresh. The answer was yes for most trims. But the Pacifica is the holdout. Stellantis killed off most of its DVD players in 2018. To address the issue of offline entertainment, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer is available with Amazon Fire TV for Auto, which can download movies straight to the car, but the fine print reads: “Vehicle must be in active and usable cellular range. Requires a Wi-Fi data plan and linked Amazon account. Streaming service subscriptions are not included.” I stared at my Batman DVD, and it didn’t say any of that.

The in-car DVD player is a victim of unjustified techno-snobbery—it’s perfectly suited to its mission, but physical media just seems so archaic. To which I say, let’s own the throwback image. Play it up. Give me a QX80 Denon home-theater system, and let’s cue up the lobby scene in The Matrix. Just because a technology has been around for a while doesn’t make it automatically obsolete. You know, like magazines.

ILLUST RAT I ON BY DE RE K BACON ~ JANUA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIVER

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ELANA SCHERR

Driver Assists

“I

A disability doesn’t have to mean a lack of mobility.

Some people use custom equipment and strategies that get them behind the wheel safely.

t’s wicked important,” says Mark Whitehouse,

a retired driving-rehab instructor. “Wicked important.” He’s gotten rather fired up while we’re talking, his mellow Florida-tinged accent turning steadily more Massachusetts over the course of the conversation. “Picture you can’t drive,” he says, “can’t drive to work, to the store, to socialize. You’re stuck. When you drive your car, it feels great, doesn’t it? Feels free.”

Whitehouse believes everyone should have a chance at that feeling, even if vehicles need to be modified or people taught different ways to drive. That’s what driving rehab is: a combination of occupational therapy, doctors’ input, modified vehicles, and specialized training so people who have physical or cognitive disabilities can get behind the wheel.

It’s not a new concept. In the early ’60s, an engineer named Ralph Braun developed a lift system on a Jeep for himself, and other wheelchair users expressed interest. By the ’70s, BraunAbility was modifying Dodge vans for disabled drivers. Today it is one of the world’s largest manu-

22

facturers of accessible-vehicle conversions. “Braun is considered the father of adapted-vehicle mobility technology,” says Danny Langfield, CEO of the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA). “Ralph started it all.”

Modifications have come a long way since Braun’s Jeep. Dodge vans have given way to minivans, which offer expansive floor space and a large door opening.

Companies like BraunAbility and Vantage Mobility International (VMI) stay in contact with OEMs so they can quickly bring accessible versions to market. VMI’s most recent triumph is a conversion of an all-wheel-drive Toyota Sienna hybrid. Customers want all-wheel drive, but SUVs are harder to lower and offer less flexible space, so minivans remain the adapted vehicle of choice.

I think minivans are better than SUVs anyhow, but younger drivers aren’t always stoked on van life. “If you’re 20, coming out of college, you might not want to be in a minivan,” says Joan Cramer, an occupational therapist and driver-rehabilitation specialist at the Next Street, a driving school in Connecticut. For folks who just need a little assistance with steering or pedal extension, almost any car can be modified, but for those who need more room, you’re looking at a minivan. Usually even the college kids admit it can be fun when they drive one.

“I had one client come in all excited about his van,” Cramer says. “He told me, ‘My boys are making it a pad in the back. Gonna have a couch, a TV, and a stereo.’” Ooh, custom customized van, a little historical hat tip to the Dodge vans that started this.

I wondered whether modern driver assists are making adapted driving easier. Everyone I talked with said autonomous driving, if it ever matures, will change the game, but in the meantime, technologies they’re excited about include automatic highbeams and electronic hand brakes. “The newer cars are a double-edged sword,” Langfield says. “On one hand, automatic features like rain-sensing wipers and standard backup cameras are a real boon, but on the other, there’s added complexity and cost.”

The financial aspect can be daunting. While a simple modification like a tri-pin steering device— which allows someone with diminished grip ability to use a steering wheel—might cost around $200, a full vehicle conversion could reach six figures.

Insurance rarely covers such expenses, but manufacturer rebates and government programs can help.

Connecting clients with financial solutions is a goal of the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists, a national organization founded in 1977 whose purpose, shared with NMEDA, is to spread the word that assistance is available, and that a disability doesn’t have to mean the end of driving.

ILLU ST RATI ON BY GI A NNA M EOL A ~ JANUA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

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SCORE YOUR INVITE TO NEXT YEAR’S 10BEST TESTING On September 22, 2021, a group of Track Club Founders joined Car and Driver editors for the annual 10Best testing. Founders were granted unprecedented access to 100 cars, trucks, and SUVs as editors selected the 2022 10Best winners.

JOIN THEM FOR 10BEST 2023 AND SO MUCH MORE. BECOME A TRACK CLUB MEMBER TODAY. N O W P O W E R E D BY

ROADANDTRACK.COM/JOINNOW

IN THE 40TH INSTALLMENT OF OUR 10BEST AWARDS, WE FIND OUR CHAMPS FIT, VIGOROUS, AND FULL OF GOODNESS. Over a two-week period, we pitted last year’s heroes against new or significantly redone cars and trucks that fall under our base-price cutoff of $90,000. That ensures that 10Best winners aren’t just the best of what’s new, but the best of the car world. After scrutinizing, testing, and voting, we present to you the 10Best of 2022.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALEXANDER WELLS / PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN ROE

27

Porsche’s Boxster arRived in 1997 and has captured 23 10Best TROPHIES. The cayman joined the list in 2007 and has remained on it ever since.

f o s d n e g Le TI NCE G W V THE G EXPERIE D N A LY DRIVIN I .

M S A R F E N 8 E 1 N L E 7 NCREDIB AND MA H C S R THE POBLEND AN YI USABILITY EACH DAY-T0-DA UFF D E K I ND M WITH

BY R 28

OS P P E C ICH

A

The very first volkswagen GTI made our inaugural 10Best list in 1983. Since then, the GTI has apPeared 18 more times. it’s now enjoying a 16year streak that started in 2007 with the fifth generation.

29

the numbers

THE SPORTS - CAR IDEAL

T

scenery

and the fixed-top Cayman, both of which we honor here once again.

Their performance heroics have been handed down through four generations. In the 25 years since the Boxster went on sale in the U.S., it and the Cayman—which arrived from planet Porsche too late in the 2006 model year to win that year—have earned our 10Best award 23 times.

For 2022, the 718 Boxster models that get the key to our city are the base four-cylinder roadster, the T, and the S. They’re joined by the Cayman coupe, T, and S as well as

30

the six-cylinder Cayman GTS 4.0.

Unfortunately, the Cayman GT4, 718 Spyder, Boxster GTS 4.0, and 25 Years commemorative edition all sticker above our 10Best price cap.

If you’ve followed these cars’ story arc through the years, you know that the kind of speed they’re famous for goes far beyond drag-strip performance. Of course they’re quick— the least swift version we’ve tested in recent times, a 2020 Cayman T with the standard 300-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter flat-four and sixspeed manual gearbox, scampered to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. The six-cylinder model dips into the mid-threesecond range. Yet the 718s are more than grown-up Hot Wheels cars capable only of short bursts of

speed and acrobatics. Rather, their performance is multidimensional, a result of a shimmering combination of poise, grace, and grit.

We’ve said it before: In this digital age, the 718s feel like analog throwbacks—and we mean that as the highest of compliments. Nobody does electrically assisted power steering better than Porsche; your hands feel exactly what the front tire patches are doing, just like in the days of hydraulic assist. Every 718 we’ve tested corners at 1.01 g’s or better, but the ride is supple enough to invite thousand-mile jaunts. Their manual shifters scythe through the gates without resistance, and their dual-clutch automatics are lightning quick yet also flawlessly behaved around town. Even the base flat-four, thumpy and grumbly at low speeds, sounds sonorous at its 7400-rpm redline; the GTS’s six envelops you in a high-rpm yowl that you’ll never tire of. The brakes resist fade more stubbornly than a kid faced with eating a plateful of broccoli.

Yes, 718s are expensive, but we’ve yet to meet anyone who’s driven one and doesn’t think they’re worth every penny. And, yes, Porsche’s usurious options list is scarily seductive. But every 718 on this list—and, truth be told, those too pricey to earn a spot—makes going fast easy, comfortable, and confidence inspiring.

It doesn’t matter what speed you’re going, though. More than most anything else on four wheels, the 718s will make you feel better about how well you are driving.

Any car that can do that is definitely a hero.

P HOTO G RA P H Y BY M A RC U R BA N O

300-hp turbo 2.0-liter flat-4, 350-hp turbo 2.5-liter flat-4, 394-hp 4.0-liter flat-6; 6-speed manual, 7-speed dual-clutch automatic Base: $61,850–$88,750 C/D Test Results • 60 mph ................................................. 3.4–4.4 sec • 1/4-Mile .............................................. 11.6–13.0 sec • Top Speed (mfr’s claim) .............. 170–182 mph • Braking, 70–0 mph ............................. 142–149 ft • Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ....... 1.01–1.04 g EPA Comb/City/Hwy .... 19–24/17–21/23–27 mpg

OF B OX

VOLK

P HOTO G RA P H Y BY JA M ES L IP M A N

I T G N E G A SW

J OY

Can consistency be a superpower? It seems improbable, like a superhero forgoing a cape or opting not to wear their underpants on the outside. But the Volkswagen Golf GTI’s enduring strength has been that it brings fun to the everyday. That longstanding ability to foster joy is what makes it special.

Well before the new eighth-generation car arrived, the GTI was one of our most awarded 10Besters, often in conjunction with a Jetta or Golf sibling. This marks its 19th appearance since 1983. It has never been difficult to see the allure: a bona fide German performance car with an affordable price—the $30,540 base figure qualifies by the overwrought standards of the current market—plus the practicality of five seats, good fuel economy, and a larger cabin than some compact crossovers.

The hot-hatch genre was born in Europe, and many of them have died there as well, being too harsh and expensive for American tastes. The GTI is not. It’s compliant

clutch gearbox. We’d pick the stick, obviously, but the auto remains one of the best.

Beneath its familiar exterior, the eighth-gen GTI has been substantially reworked, with a revised rear suspension featuring firmer tuning.

The ultra-adjustable adaptive dampers allow for a setup precisely tailored to almost anything, even the crucible of roughedged and awkwardly cambered roads we use for 10Best evaluation.

Don’t worry, though— the GTI has been spared

than its predecessor’s in places, and Volkswagen’s War on Buttons has resulted in shiny, fingerprinthungry surfaces and capacitive controls that

enough to absorb the winter-scarred roads of the Rust Belt, easy to park in big cities, and more than happy to serve as uncomplaining transport on long interstate journeys. Thanks to the eighth gen’s performance-focused technology (standard electronically controlled limited-slip differential and brake-based torque vectoring, available adaptive dampers) and peppy turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, it will also demolish a canyon road like few other front-drivers, proving that 241 horsepower remains enough for genuine excitement.

It’s not about how much you’ve got but about how much you can use.

We love that the barebones GTI still offers a six-speed manual with the more popular option of a seven-speed dual-

to these, but deciding to bury many of the dynamic functions that enthusiastic drivers will likely want to tweak inside a labyrinth of submenus seems like a sadistic example of Germanic logic. Superheroes need some flaws, right?

The GTI remains a daily-drive hero, one that heart and head can equally justify. It’s the car that marks the point where ordinary becomes extraordinary.

the numbers 241-hp turbo 2.0-liter inline-4; 6-speed manual, 7-speed dual-clutch automatic Base: $30,540 C/D Test Results (Autobahn 7-sp auto) • 60 mph ............................. 5.7 sec • 1/4-Mile ..... 14.2 sec @ 102 mph • Top Speed ...................... 128 mph • Braking, 70–0 mph ......... 150 ft • Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad .................. 0.98 g EPA Comb/City/ Hwy .................... 28/24–25/34 mpg

FINER POINTS Pulled directly from staff notebooks, what follows is our commentary on the vehicles that didn’t make 10Best.

ACURA TLX TYPE S Throaty V-6 engine, chassis puts down the power well, lots of grip.

I like the simple gauge cluster. Decently priced too. —Joey Capparella

BMW M3 COMPETITION Driven back to back with the CT4-V Blackwing, the Bimmer doesn’t feel as playful, alive, or, well, good. —Eric Stafford

FORD F-150 LIMITED So, this is what it’s like to have a TV in your car?

Seriously, the F-150’s touchscreen is almost as big as my first flatscreen. —Eric Stafford

FORD MUSTANG MACH 1 If you missed the Shelby GT350, too bad. But if you missed the Bullitt, here you go. —Ezra Dyer

FORD MUSTANG MACH-E Thank you, Ford, for an electric car with an on/ off button. —Elana Scherr ILLUSTRATIONS BY JIM HATCH

y a d y r e Ev

acts of

IN R A C D E D R WA A T TO S K O C M A B E S I TH Y TOR TROPHY. S I H T S E B 10 TH 6 3 S T I T C C O LLE

THE POWER OF FAMILY

T a dull drive or a boring car can lead to ominous despair. The Honda Accord’s traditional shape might not thrill when you look at it in a parking lot, but driving it is a revelation.

32

The Accord can’t claim that it got to the top because of incredible acceleration or sports-car performance.

That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with the numbers: Even in its most stripped-down LX trim, with a turbocharged 1.5liter four and a continuously variable automatic transmission, the Accord runs to 60 mph in a fleet 6.6 seconds; with the optional 252-

hp turbocharged 2.0-liter, its 5.4-second 60-mph time is quick enough to dust a snoozing BMW 3-series. The reason the Accord keeps racking up 10Best trophies—36 of them—is that it’s the perfect tool for the job.

It balances power, fuel economy, and handling in a way that punches out of the family-sedan segment.

Reliable and trustworthy, the Accord has your back. Can a vehicle be empathetic? No, but its builders can, and Honda designed a package that recognizes the needs of the average driver, meets them, and then goes after the desires of the enthusiast.

I N S E T P H OTO G RA P H Y BY M I C HA E L SI M A R I

The defender of familysedan goOdnesS continues to bravely face the unstopPable SUV menace.

Our notes on the Accord are mostly variations on a theme about its composed ride quality and unflustered cornering. We can’t really call this unexpected, since we’ve been delighting in refined and practical Accords for decades. It remains the undercover sports sedan—there’s soul beneath that four-door exterior.

As the Accord has grown larger over the years, so has its cabin. Space in both the front and rear seats is impressive, and the Accord rivals the most popular SUVs for passenger comfort. The trunk is massive (including in the hybrid version) with best-in-class cargo capacity.

Prices start just above $26,000, and a fully loaded Accord Touring 2.0T comes in below $40,000. Protecting your wallet at the dealer isn’t

its only trick. Even the thirstiest 2.0T sips fuel at 34 mpg in our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, so sailing past gas stations can be added to the Accord’s long list of strengths.

Such is the Accord’s basic goodness that it will awaken latent driving enthusiasm. But if the performance doesn’t get you or there’s too much traffic, the easy-to-use infotainment system comes standard with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Accord might look mild mannered, but in the occasional blissful moments tucked between family hauling and freeway crawling, it dons a costume as soon as you want it to transform.

the numbers 192-hp turbo 1.5-liter inline-4, 181-hp AC motor + 143-hp 2.0-liter inline-4 (212 hp combined), 252-hp turbo 2.0-liter inline-4; 10-speed automatic, continuously variable automatic, direct-drive Base: $26,485–$33,625 C/D Test Results • 60 mph ................................................... 5.4–7.1 sec • 1/4-Mile .............................................. 14.0–15.7 sec • Top Speed ........................................... 115–126 mph • Braking, 70–0 mph ............................. 165–189 ft • Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad .... 0.83–0.89 g EPA Comb/City/ Hwy ................................... 26–47/22–48/32–47 mpg

33

h s a l F E TH

BY DAVE ERP VANDERW

ThreE years AGO, the CorvetTe switched to a mid-engine layout. it hasn’t misSed our 10Best list since.

34

T E L O R V E H THE C VETTE’S COR NCE A M R O F R E P ARE E U L A V D AN LE. B A I N E D N U

GREATEST AMERICAN HERO

Chevrolet Corvette stingray e love performance.

But we also love saving money. That’s why the Chevrolet Corvette’s appeal, its superpower, what sets it apart from all the other cars, trucks, and SUVs on the market today that didn’t get the votes, is one we hold dear: It’s the best performance bargain. But should you be thinking that the Corvette is more about the deal than the business of going fast, we’ll emphasize that it is flat-out quicker around a challenging track than anything else on this list, even the Porsche Boxster and Cayman. The Corvette delivers a supercar experience at a sports-car base price of $62,195.

And that next-level vibe extends beyond its go-fast abilities and test numbers.

The eighth-generation Corvette has a no-excuses interior in its upper trim levels, with an Italian-level flair to its multitiered and multicolored leather options. Chevrolet also now offers more customization options.

You can even choose your own VIN or take delivery at the National Corvette Museum, adjacent to the assembly plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

The sea change in moving the engine

W

behind the driver comes with some negatives, such as atrocious rear visibility. But the mid-engine hasn’t harmed the Corvette’s practicality; it retains a sizable rear trunk that will swallow a twosome’s golf clubs.

Plop into the driver’s seat and the Corvette’s powers are yours. A narrow driver’s area and the tall wall of buttons bisecting the cabin are focused on the driver. The 490- or 495-hp 6.2-liter V-8 combines with the dual-clutch automatic’s launch-control abilities and the newfound traction from the mid-engine layout to enable blasts to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds. Sharp steering slices and dices corners right up to its heady 1.03-g cornering capability. When you want to erase speed, the brakes do so without the slightest fluster.

Whether you’ve selected the targa or the convertible, the roof comes off should your mood go from lap times to cruise time. It’s not just the top that adapts. Whether you’re using this car for a dull commute or a weekend away, the ride isolation and interior noise levels are almost mid-size-sedan pleasant, with or without the truly excellent optional adaptive dampers.

This year marks the Corvette’s 23rd time on the 10Best list, and this latest iteration—more than anything else on this list and more than any Corvette before it—makes good on the design’s superhero looks.

the numbers 490- or 495-hp 6.2-liter V-8; 8-speed dual-clutch automatic Base: $62,195–$76,040 C/D Test Results (Z51 targa) • 60 mph ................................................................. 2.8 sec • 1/4-Mile .......................................... 11.2 sec @ 122 mph • Top Speed (mfr’s claim) ............................. 184 mph • Braking, 70–0 mph ............................................. 149 ft • Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ....................... 1.03 g EPA Comb/City/Hwy .............................. 19/16/24 mpg

FINER POINTS

GENESIS G70 There’s a lot going for it: a stunning interior that’s a class above, a potent V-6, dialed-in steering, strong brakes, and an enjoyable driving experience. —David Beard

HONDA CIVIC Feels more alive than the Jetta—more eager handling and better control feel. —Drew Dorian

HONDA CIVIC TYPE R LIMITED EDITION The rear wing catches your peripheral vision like a tailgater. It’s like when a cat gets surprised by its twitching tail: “Oh, that’s my own butt!” —Elana Scherr

HYUNDAI SONATA N LINE

PH OTOG RA PH BY M ARC UR BA N O

A lot of power and a lot of fun. But if you want poise and refinement, too, the Accord 2.0T is the sedan for you. —Tony Quiroga

HYUNDAI TUCSON Did someone pull a plug wire out of the 2.5-liter four? This thing is seriously slow. —Tony Quiroga

e v i s o l p x e The RAM 1500 nabs a THIRD 10Best trophy in a row for a lineup of trucks that includes workhorses, one with 702 horses, and everything in betweEn.

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E H T D N A 0 50 THE RACMO1ARE AS GOOD .

N FORD BRTOHEY ARE POPUL AR AS LL A E R A P P A C

BY JOEY .C . COLWELL AND K

New to the List, the BRONCO haS roOts that can be traced to the Ranger pickup. it transcends the basic nature of its origins with smart packaging and a uniquely fun personality.

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SQUARED UP

F

the numbers 300-hp turbo 2.3-liter inline-4, 330-hp twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6; 7-speed manual, 10-speed automatic Base: $30,795–$42,630 C/D Test Results • 60 mph .................................................. 6.3–7.0 sec • 1/4-Mile ............................................. 15.0–15.5 sec • Top Speed .................................................. 106 mph • Braking, 70–0 mph .............................. 197–217 ft • Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ................ 0.71 g EPA Comb/City/Hwy .... 17–21/16–20/18–22 mpg

P HOTO G RA P H Y BY M A RC U R BA N O

argue that much of the Jeep’s appeal lies in its antiquated charm, Ford’s new Bronco proves there is a much better way.

Whereas the Wrangler is stubbornly archaic, the Bronco is charismatically nostalgic. It effectively evokes the spirit of an ancestor—the beachy first-gen Bronco from the 1960s—while tweaking the formula just enough to be a modern SUV that’s pleasant for daily driving. The Wrangler sticks with recirculatingball steering and live axles front and rear; by contrast, the Bronco’s more modern rack-and-pinion steering and independent front suspension make it far more comfortable and refined without sacrificing much rock-crawling capability.

We didn’t choose the Bronco for this award simply because it’s a better Wrangler—it’s much more.

Brimming with personality, it represents a triumph of smart ideas, clever engineering, and good timing.

The Bronco name had been gone from Ford dealerships for about two decades, and now its return has inspired a level of fanaticism seen only in rare moments when a much-anticipated new release actually lives up to the hype.

It helps that the Bronco fits in perfectly with the current off-road craze and that Ford has done a good job catering (read: pandering) to dirt enthusiasts. Demand for the Bronco is through the roof—no pun intended—and due to supply-chain issues, many who have placed an order continue to wait. Would-be owners post excitedly as they follow their vehicle’s production status like they’re tracking a Domino’s pizza delivery. This is the fervor that can result when an automaker listens to what the people want rather than relying on gimmicks and marketing.

Having the right ingredients— body-on-frame construction and a top you can take off—likely would have been enough for the Bronco to succeed. Ford went a step further, elevating the truck’s character with good execution. The steering isn’t just better than a Wrangler’s; it’s accurate and precise. The turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four and twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6 engines have plenty of torque to deal with the Bronco’s prodigious heft (its extra poundage is one of the few specs where it falls short of the Jeep). And the interior is a nice place to spend time, with crisp displays, comfortable seats, plenty of room, and easy-to-use controls.

It’s not often that vehicles this special reside within an accessible price bracket, but the Bronco starts just above $30,000, and even wellequipped models sit below $50,000.

Above all, the entire Bronco experience—driving it, looking at it, and being seen in it—is just plain fun.

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FINER POINTS

HYUNDAI SANTA CRUZ Is the world dying for a cute ute with a bed out back? Good question. —Rich Ceppos

0 0 5 1 M ra

P HOTO G RA P H BY A ND I H E DR I C K

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When it comes to hero worship, we tend to revere sports cars and sports sedans. But circumstances often call for the space and capability of a pickup. For too long, living the truck life meant tolerating a jarring ride, an interior with the charm of a hard hat, and frequent $100 fill-ups.

And then the current Ram 1500 arrived. In 2009, it started this century’s coil-spring revolution— the one that involves pickups—a change that meant an uncomfortable ride is no longer a pickup-truck given. Ram outfitted the cabin with materials good enough for a luxury sedan— refreshing for folks who daily drive pickups.

Equipped with fourwheel drive and the optional turbo-diesel 3.0-liter V-6, the latest Ram gets better EPA fuel economy than the Kia Telluride. Even a 3.6-liter V-6 version with fourwheel drive can match the all-wheel-drive Tel-

luride’s EPA numbers. If you’re willing to put fuel economy aside, go for the 395-hp 5.7-liter V-8 with or without 48-volt hybrid assist. That said, the base 305-hp 3.6-liter is more than enough engine for work and play; when paired with the shorter axle ratio, it carries a tow rating of up to 7690 pounds.

In its most tow-capable configuration, a V-8 Ram is rated for 12,750. Specsheet hawks know those numbers aren’t class leading, but chasing a tow rating would compromise the composure of the Ram 1500. If you’re pulling more, get a three-quarter-ton.

While four-door, six-passenger sedans have gone extinct, the configuration is alive and well in pickups. The Ram’s wide front bench makes sitting three across easier than it’s been since the ’70s. And if you go with the bigger Crew Cab over the still-spacious Quad Cab—both have four doors—the back seat is more like a studio apartment than a 1973 Imperial.

No matter how you option your 1500, you get the same supple ride, smooth and accurate steering, and noise levels that rival luxury cars (as low as 65 decibels at 70 mph). Unfortunately, the 5.0-inch touchscreen that’s standard in the base truck looks like a Game Boy, and you have to upgrade to the 8.4-inch screen to get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

A tablet-like 12.0-inch display is also available.

There is no decree that we have to put a pickup on our 10Best list.

The Ram earns its spot because it excels at all the pickup things, is so refined that you forget you’re hauling manure, offers exceptional value, and, finally, can even be fun to drive. Case in point: the 702-hp supercharged TRX, which will hit 60 mph in 3.7 seconds.

From the base version to the one with a big blower, the Ram clearly deserves our glorification.

JEEP WAGONEER Pretty underwhelming interior at the $82,500 as-tested price. What is this, the same rubberized dash material from the Compass? [Checks Compass.] Yes, yes it is. —Dave VanderWerp

JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON 392 Ridiculous, not entirely safe, stupidly entertaining. Love it. —Mike Sutton I put a heart next to it in my notes. —Elana Scherr

KIA CARNIVAL Kia builds a Telluride minivan, and it’s great. —Tony Quiroga

the numbers 260-hp turbo 3.0-liter diesel V-6, 305-hp 3.6-liter V-6, 395-hp 5.7-liter V-8, 702-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V-8; 8-speed automatic Base: $36,195–$75,275 C/D Test Results • 60 mph ......................... 3.7–8.1 sec • 1/4-Mile .................... 12.2–16.0 sec • Top Speed ................. 107–118 mph • Braking, 70–0 mph ... 177–208 ft • Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad .......... 0.67–0.78 g EPA Comb/City/ Hwy ............ 12–26/10–23/14–33 mpg

KIA SORENTO A capable and refined SUV that unfortunately lives in the shadow of the Telluride. —Tony Quiroga

Perhaps you’ve noticed that the CADIlLAC CT4-V BLACKWING made the list and the BMW M3 didn’t. WelL, that’s because the CadilLac is more fun, handles betTer, and is the superior sports sedan.

The league OF

EXTRaordinARY

SEDANS

TWO OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD FOUR-DOORS FROM CADILLAC.

BY JOE LORIO AND TONY QUIROGA 40

JAN UA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIVER

While the apPeal of the CADIlLAC CT5-V BLACKWING’s 668-hp engine can’t be overstated, the brand’s supersedan won us over with its combination of refinement and best-inclasS handling.

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FINER POINTS

THE L AST SWING

Cadillac CT5-V

LEXUS NX350

upscale. —Drew Dorian

A MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER 2.5 SEL S-AWC Lord, is it slow. It doesn’t go faster with more throttle, just gets louder. —Elana Scherr

NISSAN FRONTIER A small truck that drives big. —Dave VanderWerp

PORSCHE MACAN GTS Head and shoulders above anything else in this class in terms of steering feel, power delivery, brake feel—all the things that make a car good to drive. —Joey Capparella

certainly staggering: a 668-hp 6.2-liter V-8 with 659 pound-feet of torque, just over two tons of curb weight, a standard six-speed manual, the purity of rear-wheel drive.

The odds would have probably improved more after the CT5-V Blackwing vanquished the BMW M5 Competition and the Audi RS7 in a comparison test, racking up perfect scores in the categories of performance, steering feel, brake feel, handling, and ride.

Still, making C/D’s 10Best list is never a given. A car has to prove its mettle at our two-week testing event (which saw 67 contenders this year) and must also effectively knock out one of the previous year’s champs. The big-daddy Caddy, though, was the most talked-about car there, and the superlatives poured in: “Unbelievably quick and composed.” “Takes your breath away.” “Simply epic.”

Perhaps another leading indicator was that the CT5-V Blackwing didn’t

the numbers PORSCHE TAYCAN The most fun you can have in a car powered by batteries. —Joe Lorio

668-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V-8; 6-speed manual, 10-speed automatic Base: $87,090 C/D Test Results • 60 mph ..................................................... 3.5–3.6 sec • 1/4-Mile .................................................. 11.4–11.6 sec • Top Speed (C/D est) ................................ 209 mph • Braking, 70–0 mph ................................ 152–154 ft • Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ........... 1.01–1.02 g EPA Comb/City/Hwy .............. 15–16/13/21–22 mpg

come out of nowhere. The car is built on General Motors’ Alpha architecture, which has given us keen driving machines such as the track monster Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE and the 10Best-winning Cadillac CTS V-Sport. More broadly, the CT5-V Blackwing is the culmination of Cadillac’s two-decade effort to create a world-beating sports sedan.

Well, it’s here. The car has an insane powertrain and a chassis to match. GM’s magnetorheological dampers do their usual brilliant work. Tactile, perfectly weighted steering makes an M3’s feel synthetic. The fabulously firm brake pedal doesn’t need multiple modes, but it has them.

Of course, we love that the Blackwing comes standard with three pedals, which signals its intense driver focus. But if the muscle-building clutch is too much for your commute, there’s always the 10-speed automatic. With the latter, the Blackwing hits 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and punches through the quarter-mile in 11.4 at 128 mph (the manual is 0.1 second and 3 mph behind).

As monumental as the performance is, there’s more to the Blackwing. The goodness of the controls sizzles your synapses even when you’re trundling along in traffic.

Granted, it’s expensive, with an $87,090 base price, which limbos under our $90,000 cap (unlike its comparison-test challengers).

The electric supersedans that are arriving now, and the many more still to come, might surpass this car in test numbers, but it’ll likely be more than a few years until they are as rewarding to drive as this Cadillac.

The CT5-V Blackwing is one for the ages. So, yeah, it’s a 10Best winner.

Always bet on Superman.

JAN UA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

the numbers 472-hp twin-turbo 3.6-liter V-6; 6-speed manual, 10-speed automatic Base: $59,990 C/D Test Results (6-sp man) • 60 mph ......................................................... 4.0 sec • 1/4-Mile .................................. 12.4 sec @ 116 mph • Top Speed (mfr’s claim) ...................... 189 mph • Braking, 70–0 mph ..................................... 153 ft • Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ................. 1.01 g EPA Comb/City/Hwy ..... 18–19/15–16/23–24 mpg

LIT TL E H T SE OF N E F IN DE

c a l l i CAd

E GUY

g n i w k c a l B CT4-V

Perhaps you’re thinking that the 472-hp CT4-V Blackwing is a mere sidekick to the 668-hp CT5-V Blackwing. This notion, while seemingly logical, is quite wrong. Even staffers who prefer the larger Blackwing admit that the smaller one is a spectacular car in its own right. Now, staff opinion is not unanimous on the subject, but by the end of 10Best testing, the true believers stood up to proffer that the CT4-V Blackwing is the better sports sedan of the two.

To make that case, they first pointed to the CT4’s $59,990 base price, a major $27,100 less than the bigger Blackwing. The smaller-is-

better crowd also underscored the CT4’s tidier dimensions and 3851pound curb weight—279 pounds less than the CT5-V Blackwing’s. Less is more, they said, before quoting the psalms according to Colin Chapman in the book of Lotus, chapter 7.

Out on the twisting and often bumpy 10Best loop, the CT4-V Blackwing makes an even more compelling case for itself. Magnetic Ride Control heals broken pavement while keeping the tires in constant and reliable contact with the road.

Through the corners, the CT4 flows more gracefully, turns in more eagerly, and moves with a deftness its big brother can’t quite match.

Confidence born of clear feedback from the steering and chassis builds

P HOTO G RA P H Y BY J O H N RO E

A NEW HOME FOR 10BEST For decades we’d staged our 10Best testing at a Boy Scout camp near Chelsea and Pinckney, Michigan. This year we had to find a new home, but we wanted to remain near the roads that make up the 10Best loop. That led us to North Star Reach, a therapeutic camp for families with children who have chronic or life-threatening illnesses or have just undergone an organ transplant. It’s part of the SeriousFun Children’s Network founded

by Paul Newman. To find out more about the camp and the good work it does, visit NorthStarReach.org. —Becca Hackett

until you’re exploiting nearly all 1.01 g’s of grip. Stomping the firm brake pedal bites off huge chunks of speed without a hint of fade.

The twin-turbo 3.6-liter doesn’t roar or dial up speeds the way the CT5’s 6.2-liter V-8 can, but the V-6 also doesn’t constantly light up the rear tires or have the tractioncontrol system crying for mercy.

Driving a CT5-V Blackwing in the rain is hilarious, but in the same way that watching people slip on ice is kind of funny (you sadist).

There’s a six-speed manual, proof that Cadillac cares deeply about those of us who love cars, and a prescient 10-speed automatic for those who suffer in traffic. With the manual, 60 mph is gone in 4.0 seconds, the quarter passes in 12.4 at 116 mph, and the V-6 gets titanium connecting rods. General Motors promises a 189-mph top speed.

Numbers are important, but what lofts this Cadillac onto the list is the joy it brings with every move.

You could drive it every day and revel in its solidity, refinement, and comfort, but that would be wasting its potential when every primary control is alive and begging you to push harder, to go faster, to soak in the dopamine rush of a perfectly clipped apex or a seamless heel-toe downshift. No, it doesn’t have a great interior; it looks more like a Chevrolet rental than a luxury car should, but at least things work as expected. Function über form, as the Germans like to say.

Buying this car says you understand and know the difference between what has a good reputation and what’s actually good. It’s a vote for hardware over marketing. Cadillac put the driver’s needs and wants over everything else, and the result is a sports sedan that will delight and impress for years to come, at least in part because nothing like it is likely to come along again.

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t s n i a g a o tw rld o w the TH E X I F O T P M U ORTS CAR. A E T A T O Y SP TO E D L N B A A D U R R A O SUB OF THEIR AFF FL AWS Y

BY EZRA D

ER

THE WONDER TWINS

SUBARU BRZ & TOYOTA GR86 E

horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The new engine transforms the car’s personality while keeping it true to its roots. It’s rev happy— peak horsepower arrives at a fizzy 7000 rpm—but now there’s plenty of midrange gumption, too, vastly improving the everyday driving experience. That newfound muscle is deployed though optional Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer rubber that JAN UARY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DR IV ER

P HOTO G RA P H Y BY JA M ES L IP M A N

AfFordable and pure, the SUBARU BRZ and TOYOTA GR86 deliver on the promise of the rear-drive sports car.

increases cornering limits. This is still a power-sliding machine, but you no longer feel like you’re always driving on a wet skidpad.

They also fixed a few things we didn’t know needed fixing. Torsional rigidity is up 50 percent, lending a feeling of absolute solidity that’s uncommon in a car this small and affordable. That improvement is even more impressive given that mass remains uncommonly low, at around 2800 pounds. On the road, these changes harmonize into a singular sports-car experience—the flat-four singing its 7300-rpm song as you slot the six-speed manual into

the next gear and point the wonderfully balanced rear-drive chassis into a corner, the standard Torsen limited-slip differential making the most of it. The relatively narrow A-pillars allow for wonderful forward sightlines, letting you place the inside front tire exactly where you want it. That even applies at night; the optional headlights follow the path of the steering, illuminating apexes as the sun goes down.

So, what’s the flaw now? Well, the cupholders are inconvenient. See, they’re behind you and under a padded cover that serves as the armrest, so you can have an armrest or a place to put your coffee but not both at the same time. This design makes room for a mechanical handbrake that sits next to the shifter and prompts rallycar fantasies every time you look at it.

Therefore, these particular inconvenient cupholders are extremely awesome, and we appreciate them.

Subaru and Toyota’s precocious offspring is unlike any other car

at any price, which makes it all the more amazing that you can buy into this experience for about $30,000, give or take a few grand depending on trim and whether you (gasp!) spring for the automatic transmission. Somehow, Subaru and Toyota grew the BRZ and GR86 into a formidable sports car without abandoning the essential qualities that made it so endearing in the first place.

The hero’s journey is supposed to be more complicated, but this dynamic duo skipped the second act and went straight from exposition to a 10Best-worthy resolution.

the numbers 228-hp 2.4-liter flat-4; 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic Base: $28,725–$28,955 C/D Test Results (BRZ 6-sp man) • 60 mph ......................................................... 5.4 sec • 1/4-Mile .................................. 13.9 sec @ 101 mph • Top Speed (C/D est) .............................. 140 mph • Braking, 70–0 mph ...................................... 152 ft • Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ............... 0.99 g EPA Comb/City/Hwy ... 22–25/20–21/27–30 mpg

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n a i d r a u G row d r i th

of the

Y D A E R S ’ K IA T H I N G FOR-ANYIS NOW TELLURIEDNECHMARK TH E B T S C L AS S .

OF I ER Y D A R Z E BY ThreE years ago, KIA came out with the spectacular TElLURIDE, and it was so far ahead, it’s stilL on top.

FINER POINTS

TOYOTA SIENNA A dull powertrain that works well and gets you driving responsibly, which isn’t easy to get the C/D staff to do. —Tony Quiroga

E D I R U L L E IK A T

P HOTO G RA P H BY A ND I H E DR I C K

IC T TR A H W E-RO E R H T

A superhero needs a behind-the-scenes fixer, someone as low-key as they are invaluable. Think Pepper Potts, Alfred, and whoever keeps Aquaman’s trident sharpened.

That’s the Kia Telluride.

It can’t tow a 787 or win the Baja 1000 or pull a wheelie, and yet it’s probably the vehicle we most frequently recommend, simply because its thorough excellence enlivens the proletarian chores of daily driving.

On paper, the Telluride is an average three-row crossover: 291-hp V-6, eight-speed automatic, pricing that starts around $34,000 and stops around $50,000. Front-wheel drive is standard. You wouldn’t think this thing has the juice, in a world of 400-hp Explorers and V-8 Grand Cherokees. But then you climb inside, and it’s like somehow your Kia fob unlocked a Range Rover. That doesn’t only apply to the features list, which can include heated and ventilated secondrow seats, an Alcantara

K

headliner, and a head-up display. The execution is what elevates the Telluride above its peers.

The solidity, the design, the way the steering wheel feels in your hands—all belong to a higher price echelon.

Kia has long offered loads of equipment at a strong value, but the Telluride marks the moment when it mastered the intangibles—the way small details cohere to distinguish great cars.

Just one example: If you live in a frigid clime, the Telluride offers an auxiliary cabin heater that uses electricity to get the HVAC blasting hot air before the engine is up to temperature.

Clever device, Alfred.

The drive is rewarding too. The naturally aspirated large-displacement V-6 delivers easy torque and a satisfying husky burr as revs climb. The steering offers a little more feedback and precision than you’d expect from a machine that has no outward sporting pretenses. If you want to tow (up to 5000

pounds), the tow package includes self-leveling rear dampers, eliminating the sag common to light-duty crossovers. If you want to do a little light off-roading—yes, the Telluride can—there’s an optional alloy front skid plate, another anomaly in the class.

In a world of raked roofs and clichéd floating D-pillars, the Telluride is upright and boxy, a crisp shape adorned with subtle flourishes.

The trim around the windows rises into the B-pillar and then stops, LEDs ring the headlights, and the new badge on the grille looks like a passing skateboarder slapped it there as an act of minor vandalism.

This 10Best list is filled with extroverted machines capable of amazing feats. We don’t have to include a crossover. But for the third year in a row, this one broke through, the impeccably tailored accomplice that enables great adventures.

the numbers 291-hp 3.8-liter V-6, 8-speed automatic Base: $34,015–$36,015 C/D Test Results (AWD) • 60 mph ............................. 6.9 sec • 1/4-Mile ...... 15.3 sec @ 93 mph • Top Speed ...................... 132 mph • Braking, 70–0 mph ......... 177 ft • Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ................. 0.82 g EPA Comb/City/ Hwy ........ 21–23/19–20/24–26 mpg

An efficient family hauler that helps out the family budget makes all kinds of sense. —Rich Ceppos

TOYOTA VENZA Put into malaise-era context, if the RAV4 is a Chevy Malibu, the Venza is a Monte Carlo. —Joe Lorio

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R No longer feels like a junior Audi, just a nice VW. —Mike Sutton

VOLKSWAGEN ID.4 Anyone who writes it off for being slow isn’t paying enough attention to its ride quality, solidity, and interior solitude.

—Dave VanderWerp

VOLKSWAGEN TAOS A refined offering, but please bring back the base Golf. —David Beard

Just Enough Truck The Maverick’s reimagination of the simple and small entry-level Ford inspired us to visit the birthplace of the original affordable Ford.

By Mike Sutton Photography by Marc Urbano

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espite ever-increasing advancements in pickup-truck refinement, the good ones are still defined by offering an appropriate amount of capability for the money.

Relatively inexpensive fleet-oriented full-size trucks still exist at the low end of every pickup manufacturer’s lineup.

However, the once-simple compact pickups that could fit most suburban garages and wallets have ballooned in size and equipment, pushing their prices toward $40,000. Buyers seeking an affordable small truck for Home Depot runs or towing a couple of Jet Skis had limited options until Ford introduced the Escape-based Maverick.

Think of the Maverick as a compact SUV with a 4.5-foot cargo box. Slotting below Ford’s mid-size Ranger, it starts at just $21,490 for the base XL model. It comes only as a crew cab and eschews the body-on-frame construction of most pickups for a unibody architecture, specifically a beefier version of Ford’s C2 platform, which underpinned the

no-longer-available Focus, among others. The larger Honda Ridgeline employs a similar layout, earning it some scorn from traditionalists, but a unibody setup keeps curb weight in check and can provide better driving characteristics. It’s no coincidence that the Hyundai Santa Cruz, the Maverick’s equally fresh competitor, has a similar makeup.

If you’re six feet tall, you can look right over the Maverick’s 68.7-inch-high roofline. Still, the driver sits high behind the wheel. The 121.1-inch wheelbase is 14.4 inches longer than the Escape’s, yet the Maverick is about an inch narrower than the body-on-frame Ranger and nearly a foot shorter, making it easier to maneuver. Imposing doesn’t describe the Maverick, but it can haul a substantial 1500 pounds in its bed and tow 2000 pounds. The towing limit increases to 4000 pounds for allwheel-drive versions fitted with the 4K Towing package (our tester didn’t have it). Unlike the Santa Cruz and RidgeJAN UARY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DR IVER

Dialogue For years, Ford evidently thought that every pickup buyer should get an F-150. Finally, some product planner had the temerity to suggest that not everyone needs or wants something as big or expensive as an F-series. The Maverick is no threat to Ford’s standard-bearer; instead, it will put people who would have never bought a Ford pickup into one. —Joe Lorio Two years ago, Ford sent us a redesigned Escape with a buzzy three-cylinder, a lame interior, more ennui than we could handle, and a $30,485 price so far from reality you’d think the marketing department was on shrooms. Now the same folks have spun gold from that Escape’s straw. Even if you upgrade to the 250-hp engine, the Maverick still comes in under $25K. Ford hasn’t done a 180 like this since the ’86 Taurus. I’d buy one. —Tony Quiroga

Ford’s Piquette Avenue Plant in Detroit opened in 1904 and built the first 12,000 Model Ts. Mavericks are assembled in Hermosillo, Mexico.

line, the Maverick’s cargo box lacks an underfloor storage bin, but it features notches to partition the bed space plus provisions to create a second-tier load floor above the wheel wells for hauling four-by-eight-foot sheets of plywood with the tailgate dropped.

Our midrange XLT test truck weighed just 3800 pounds, a featherweight by pickup standards. Front-wheel drive is standard, and base versions are motivated by a hybrid powertrain featuring a 2.5-liter inline-four and two electric motors, an arrangement good for 191 horsepower and an impressive 37-mpg EPA combined estimate. All-

wheel drive costs $2220 extra and is available only with the 250-hp 2.0-liter turbo four (a $1085 upcharge), which pairs with a conventional eight-speed automatic. Our all-wheel-drive example returned 29 mpg in our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, matching its EPA estimate. And its 21-mpg average is better than mid-size trucks tend to fare in our hands.

Ford’s boosted 2.0-liter delivers smooth and responsive grunt for passing maneuvers, and the unobtrusive eight-speed gearbox helped our truck run to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. This setup is a good match for the Maverick,

Plus: Strong turbo-four engine, attractive pricing and EPA numbers, solid tow and payload ratings. Minus: Missing some modern amenities, noisy on the highway, imprecise steering.

Equals: A handy pint-size pickup with everyday charm.

51

Although it’s based on the Escape, the Maverick has a unique interior that looks and feels right. A smallish touchscreen and an ignition that requires turning a key are the most obvious concessions to cost.

although we would welcome some form of manual control instead of the L setting on the rotary shift dial, which simply holds gears at higher revs. At 71 decibels, full-throttle noise levels in the cabin are relatively hushed. However, that’s only one decibel louder than we recorded when cruising at 70 mph, with prominent wind rush around the mirrors and A-pillars. Sound insulation is modest; flip down the rear seatbacks and there’s just a bare-metal bulkhead.

While front-drive versions use a torsion-beam rear suspension, all-wheel-drive models get an independent trailing-arm setup that delivers a taut yet comfortable and composed ride. The unsettledness over rough roads that’s common in conventional pickups with live rear axles and leaf springs is not an issue here. There’s noticeable body roll in corners, and the thwacks from pavement seams can reverberate inside. But the Maverick feels solid, and its brakes have a reassuring bite. Crank the steering wheel off-center and this truck obediently changes direction, albeit with little feel from its helm.

Our test truck posted 0.82 g of skidpad grip and stopped from 70 mph in 172 feet—decent results considering the 17-inch Falken Wildpeak A/T AT3W all-terrain tires, part of the $800 FX4 Off-Road package.

This Maverick’s test-track performance would have been tops in our last comparison test of mid-size trucks.

Its numbers are virtually identical to those of the only Santa Cruz we’ve tested, an all-wheel-drive model with a 281-hp 2.5-liter turbo four. Although that Hyundai costs several grand more across its range, it also boasts greater payload and towing maximums—1748 and 5000 pounds, respectively.

The interior is straightforward and spacious up front, though light on fripperies. In a push-button-start world, twisting a physical ignition key (on all but the top trim) is a throwback. The Maverick’s 8.0-inch touchscreen is smaller and has lower resolution than Ford’s more advanced units, but it does have Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity.

Our truck didn’t leave us wanting for much, though,

52

even at its reasonable $30,235 as-tested price. Storage solutions are plentiful, and the Co-Pilot360 package brings a host of driver aids. Except for the basic-looking steering wheel, the Maverick’s hard interior plastics have tasteful contrasting colors and textures. We dig the XLT’s natty tweedy upholstery and supportive front seats. Adults will find the reasonably sized back seat snug yet accommodating enough—and downright palatial if they’ve ever done time in the transverse jump seats of an old extended-cab compact truck. You’ll need to spend about $35K on the top Lariat trim to unlock all the niceties, such as faux-leather seating and adaptive cruise control.

The Maverick offers versatility, ease of use, a manageable size, and affordable pricing that will certainly appeal to entry-level shoppers. For many folks with modest funds and small jobs to do, it’s all the truck they’ll need. And for those of us who fondly remember the mini-truck craze of the 1980s and ’90s, the Maverick feels like the beginning of something big.

JAN UA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

2022 FORD MAVERICK XLT FX4 Price $30,235

The optional turbo 2.0-liter pulverizes the front-driver’s tires, so be sure to spec all-wheel drive.

As Tested ..........................

Base .................................................................. $27,880 Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup Options: 17-inch wheels, $795; Ford Co-Pilot360, $540; spray-in bed liner, $495; Alto Blue paint, $390; floor liners, $135 Infotainment: 8.0-inch touchscreen; Android Auto and Apple CarPlay; 1 USB, 1 USB-C, and Bluetooth inputs; 6 speakers

Steering rack-and-pinion with variable electric power assist Ratio ....................................................................... 16.2:1 Turns Lock-to-Lock ............................................ 2.8 Turning Circle Curb-to-Curb ................. 40.0 ft

Suspension

turbocharged and intercooled inline-4, aluminum block and head Bore x Stroke ........ 3.44 x 3.27 in, 87.5 x 83.1 mm Displacement ................................ 122 in3, 1999 cm3 Compression Ratio ............................................. 9.3:1 Fuel Delivery: direct injection Turbocharger: BorgWarner Valve Gear: double overhead cams, 4 valves per cylinder, variable intake- and exhaust-valve timing Redline/Fuel Cutoff ................... 6500/6500 rpm Power ........................................... 250 hp @ 5500 rpm Torque ...................................... 277 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm

F: 12.8 x 1.1-in vented disc, 1-piston sliding caliper R: 11.9 x 0.4-in disc, 1-piston sliding caliper Stability Control: traction off Wheels: cast aluminum, 7.0 x 17 in Tires: Falken Wildpeak A/T3W 235/65R-17 104H M+S 3PMSF

7 8

32 mph (6500) 45 mph (6500) 49 mph (6500) 77 mph (6500) 103 mph (6500) 110 mph (4800) 110 mph (3575) 110 mph (2950)

Cargo-Box Dimensions

Chassis

Length ................................................................... 54.4 in Width, Min/Max .................................... 42.6/53.3 in Height .................................................................... 20.3 in

unit construction Body Material: aluminum and steel stampings

Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad .......... 0.82 g Understeer: minimal

Braking 70–0 mph .............................................. 172 ft Fade: none

Weight Curb ...................................................... 3800 lb Per Horsepower ................................. 15.2 lb Distribution, F/R ....................... 58.8/41.2% Towing Capacity .............................. 2000 lb

Fuel Capacity ............................................. 16.5 gal Octane .......................................................... 91

COMPETITORS

B

28 32

0 80

NG ,L

C/D Fuel Economy

G, IN T LD 0-F , G H O 30 A D P AD ID RO SK

BASE, $ x 1000*

Would you have noticed if we’d slipped a ‘78 Chevy El Camino into this chart?

Observed ............................................. 21 mpg 75-mph Hwy Driving ...................... 29 mpg Range .................................................... 470 mi

0.

84

EPA Fuel Economy

0

MA

0 60

XT OW I

0

Comb/City/Hwy ................... 25/22/29 mpg 0.7 6

CURB WEIGHT, LB

40

0 20

0.7 2

0

1/4-MILE ACCELERATION, SEC

4300

4000

Interior Sound Level 70

3700

71

70

18

185

6.2

6.4

4600

21

39

180

5.8

23 26

170

0

IO N,

TESTED BY DAV I D B E A RD IN C HE L SEA, M I

175

T P H RA -M LE 60 CCE A EC S

Chevrolet Colorado Crew Cab 4x4 308-hp 3.6-L V-6, 8-sp auto Ford Maverick XLT AWD 250-hp 2.0-L I-4, 8-sp auto Honda Ridgeline Sport AWD 280-hp 3.5-L V-6, 9-sp auto Hyundai Santa Cruz 2.5T AWD 281-hp 2.5-L I-4, 8-sp auto *Includes performanceenhancing options.

Handling

70-mph Cruising

6

Wheelbase ........................................................... 121.1 in Length .................................................................. 199.7 in Width ...................................................................... 72.6 in Height .................................................................... 68.7 in Front Track ........................................................ 63.4 in Rear Track .......................................................... 62.8 in Passenger Volume, F/R ........................... 55/47 ft3 Approach Angle .................................................. 21.6 0 Break-Over Angle ............................................... 18.1 0 Departure Angle ................................................ 21.2 0 Ground Clearance ............................................ 8.6 in

Results in graph omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.

Rolling Start, 5–60 mph ................. 6.7 sec Top Gear, 30–50 mph ..................... 3.2 sec Top Gear, 50–70 mph ..................... 4.2 sec Top Speed (gov ltd) ...................... 110 mph

Full Throttle

5

Dimensions

18

SEC

Idle

4

0

Wheels and Tires

MAX SPEED IN GEAR (rpm)

4.69 ......... 4.9 ...............

3.31 .......... 6.9 ...............

3.01 .......... 7.6 ................

1.92 .......... 11.9 ...............

1.45 .......... 15.9 ..............

1.00 .......... 22.9 .............

0.75 ......... 30.7 .............

0.62 ......... 37.2 ..............

2.0 30

dBA

3

......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .........

MPH PER 1000 RPM

5.9 60

E F PA MP UEL CO G EC MB ON INE OM D Y,

1 2

RATIO

14.5

Brakes

Transmission: 8-speed automatic Final-Drive Ratio .............................................. 3.63:1 All-Wheel-Drive System: full time with automatic rear-axle engagement

16.4

100 1/4-MILE

F: ind, strut located by a control arm, coil springs, anti-roll bar R: ind; 1 trailing arm, 2 lateral links, and a toe-control link per side; coil springs; anti-roll bar

Drivetrain

GEAR

Acceleration

MPH

Engine

TEST RESULTS

70–0-MPH BRAKING, FT

53

2.1 SECONDS TO 60 4.3 SECONDS TO 100 9.3 SECONDS TO 150

TIME

BY DAVE VANDERWE RP

PH OTOGR APHY BY MAR C URBAN O

54

JAN UARY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DR IVER

TOP SPEED: 200 MPH* *SO THEY SAY.

9.4-SECOND 1/4-MILE AT 151 MPH

MACHINE TESLA’S MONSTROUSLY QUICK 1020-HP MODEL S PLAID NABS RECORDS AND DELIVERS ON MOST OF THE COMPANY’S HYPERBOLE, BUT THAT’S NOT THE WHOLE STORY.

55

together to enable rotational speeds of up to 20,000 rpm, about 25 percent faster than before. Because of the dissimilar coefficients of thermal expansion between carbon and copper, Tesla says the motor’s copper wire must be wound at extremely high tension, resulting in a very efficient electromagnetic field. Furthermore, the Plaid addresses the EV shortcoming (particularly in those that employ a direct-drive transmission, like Teslas) that power falls off dramatically with speed. Tesla claims that the Plaid continues to make 1000 of its 1020 horsepower all the way to its 200-mph top speed. Despite the extra motor, the Plaid weighed in at 4828 pounds, 175 pounds lighter than the last Model S Performance we tested.

To unlock maximum acceleration, select Drag Strip mode, which heats the battery to the optimum temperature, then mash and hold the brake and accelerator pedals for about 10 seconds to signal the air springs to lower the front end. The front tires tuck into the fenders in what Tesla calls a cheetah stance (without the waiting, we found it to be just 0.1 second slower to 60 mph and through the quarter-mile). The initial launch hit isn’t the gut punch you might expect, as the power must be ramped in judiciously to maintain traction. The shocking bit is after the Plaid’s 2.1-second flash to 60 mph, when it’s accelerating so quickly that your surroundings start to mimic the silly plaid animation on the dash screen. The VBox test equipment recorded 4.3 seconds to 100 mph and a 9.4-second quarter-mile, a tie with the Bugatti Chiron Sport for the quickest quarter we’ve ever measured [see “Down with the Quickness,” page 58].

If you’ve been following Tesla, you know that performance

“BASICALLY, OUR PRODUCT PLAN IS STOLEN FROM SPACEBALLS,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk said with a smirk when unveiling the 1020-hp Model S Plaid, referring to the 1987 film parody of Star Wars. In that movie, the fastest faster-than-light speed is called ludicrous speed.

When the ship Spaceball I reaches that speed, it appears plaid, leading a character to remark in wideeyed awe, “They’ve gone to plaid.” Both Ludicrous and Plaid have been names for modes in the swiftest Model S variants.

Teslas have always been quick, and the company, led by its nerd-in-chief, seems almost equally proficient at pushing inside-joke boundaries and making serious, industry-shifting moves. The Plaid is the result of both, and it absolutely delivers on taking Tesla’s performance to new ridiculous heights. It’s the first Tesla powered by three electric motors, two at the rear and a third at the front axle, all of them now permanent-magnet synchronous AC machines. New in the Plaid are carbon-fiber-sleeved rotors (just like it sounds, that’s the spinning part of the motor). The carbon-fiber shell holds each rotor

56

JAN UA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIVER

Dialogue

The latest Model S’s instrument panel is simpler than before and shifts the 17.0inch touchscreen orientation from vertical to horizontal. The audio system features 22 speakers and 960 watts of power.

tapers off quickly after more than one or two acceleration runs on a full charge.

I expected a launch-control No longer. The Plaid’s radiator is twice start in this power-crazed Tesla as large as before, and our test car ran to blow my synapses (it did). I eight consecutive consistent passes, the didn’t expect what it was like last one at an 80 percent state of charge. the rest of the time. A stab of the accelThe Plaid is certainly the least ostenerator at 20 mph or 100 mph—it didn’t tatious car that can run nines in the matter—caused it to blast off with such quarter-mile. It doesn’t draw envious instant, cartoon-like, reality-bending looks or adulation on the road. All its ferocity that my neck muscles strained new tricks are hidden beneath familiar, mightily to keep my head level. Whoa! decade-old sheetmetal. But for a large I wish I could give every EV hater a ride four-door that seats five, rides comin this thing. Its ability to blow minds fortably, and starts at $131,440 to mix might also change a few. —Rich Ceppos it up with multimillion-dollar exotics is an amazing accomplishment. The Plaid actually blows the quickest exotics away The yoke might be fine when in our passing tests, where it shot from you’re cruising down a straight 30 to 50 mph in 0.9 second and from highway, but a wheel works 50 to 70 mph in 1.0 flat. Those are the in that scenario too. Try quickest times our test gear has ever witparking or turning around in the Plaid nessed, more than twice as quick as the and you gain a new appreciation for a Chiron and about a 30 percent improvesteering wheel’s rim. Compared with ment over last year’s Model S Perforthe yoke, the new digital gear selector mance and the Porsche Taycan Turbo S. works fairly well. Although there are But it wouldn’t be Tesla if it didn’t times when the system doesn’t underoverpromise, and the Plaid can’t get stand that you want drive and not anywhere near the company’s 200-mph reverse, a quick corrective swipe on the claims. Our test car topped out at a govleft side of the display gets you moving erned 162 mph, no faster than last year’s in the right direction. —Drew Dorian Model S Performance. Tesla is perpetually a few software releases—and new regimen isn’t nearly as severe as what a vehicles and assembly plants—away from delivering on its claims, and it of course swears that an update will racetrack demands, a warning message reporting the brakes’ demise popped up unlock the true Plaid speed. on the dash. Between the flappability But, trust us, you don’t want to do 200 mph in this at high speeds and the iffy brakes, our car. Even 162 mph was terrifying, wandering and nerhelmets are way off to former FIA GT vous to the point that we were concerned about our racing driver Andreas Simonsen, who ability to shepherd it between lane lines. The steering piloted the Plaid to what must have been doesn’t firm up enough with speed, making the task more difficult. At similar velocities, a Taycan is resolutely a harrowing 7:35 Nürburgring lap. stable. Another reason to fear a 200-mph speed is brakes The Plaid’s huge improvement in corthat got soft during our testing. Although our braking nering grip likely played a part in that ’Ring time. On the skidpad, the Tesla delivered a Corvette-beating 1.08 g’s, up from 0.92 g. The Plaid-spec Michelin Pilot 4S tires are 30 millimeters wider than before with perhaps some Cup 2 magic sprinkled in.

Now it’s time for your regular reminder that there’s more to the driving experience than numbers, a drum we beat regularly when we explain why a clear objective champ didn’t win a comparison test. The Plaid is a zombie at the limit, with nothing coming up through the two girthy grips at the end of the steering yoke. Getting that staggering skidpad number took far more runs than is typical because of the car’s

57

Plus Insanely responsive and swift powertrain, plenty refined for everyday use, impressive range.

Minus High-speed wandering, poorly integrated steering yoke, no at-the-limit feel.

Equals There’s more to greatness than quickness. unpredictability. Turning right, it would walk itself into oversteer, which would then result in a heavy-handed smackdown from the stability control. Tesla touts that the Plaid’s dual rear motors enable torque vectoring, but there’s none to be had near the limit because of the undefeatable safety net. A Model 3 Performance with the variable (and defeatable) Track-mode settings is far more satisfying and fun.

There’s also that steering yoke, something that doesn’t have to be a terrible idea but becomes one when a manufacturer neglects to pair it with a quicker steering ratio. At speed it works fine, and we quickly acclimated to the touch-sensitive turn signals and other ancillary controls. Plus, the unobstructed view forward is an improvement. But the Plaid and its 2.3 lock-to-lock turns violate the first rule of yokes, which is that you never want to have to turn one past about 180 degrees. This quickly created bad habits, such as reaching across to grab the wrong side of the yoke when initiating a turn that would have otherwise required hand-overhand confusion.

The yoke garners most of the attention inside, overshadowing a much-needed comprehensive overhaul of the Model S’s interior that uses far richer materials. There’s a 17.0-inch center screen

that’s now horizontal, a 22-speaker stereo system, and thicker acoustic glass that makes the interior significantly quieter than before.

Tesla loyalists will notice that the MercedesBenz-sourced shift and turn-signal stalks and window switches are gone. Shifting into gear is done with a swipe of the touchscreen. That strikes us as a questionable idea, since an infotainment-screen meltdown is not a rare event, for Tesla or any other automaker. At least Tesla has built in a workaround to shift via the center console when that happens.

Despite the added performance equipment, our test car delivered an impressive 280 miles of range in our 75-mph highway test.

That’s 80 percent of its 348-mile EPA range, a higher proportion than we’ve seen in our other Tesla tests. Some credit should go to the Plaid’s heat pump, which Tesla claims uses 50 percent less energy to warm the cabin. The Plaid went farther than every other EV we’ve tested except the more efficiency-minded Model S Long Range Plus.

Which, considering the Plaid’s speed and sticky tires, is monumentally impressive. The car also delivered on Tesla’s promise of substantially faster recharging ability, nabbing the highest average charge rate we’ve measured [see “Top-Up Time”].

“We have to show that an electric car is the best car, hands down,” Musk said regarding the Plaid’s importance. He cites acceptance of electric vehicles as critical to the future of sustainable transportation. While the Plaid is amazing in many ways, it’s not the best.

Among other things, are there flaws more fatal than no power oversteer in a 1020-hp sledgehammer?

For $137,440, you get part of a steering wheel.

The Plaid offers three interior colors; this one is black.

275

Another way the Plaid is the quickest EV is in its DC fast-charging speeds. Just two years ago, the Model S couldn’t accept the peak 250 kilowatts from the company’s fastest Superchargers. Now, with a reworked battery pack that uses the same Panasonic 18650 cells, our test from a 10 to 90 percent state of charge shows that the Plaid hangs out at the peak for almost five minutes, then continues to replenish itself at a higher rate than before.

Its total time was 38 minutes—some nine minutes, or 19 percent, quicker than the 2021 Model S Long Range Plus we tested—with the highest average charging rate (125 kilowatts) we’ve seen yet.

225

58

CHARGING POWER (kW)

Top-Up Time

2021 TESLA MODEL S PLAID 175 2021 TESLA MODEL S LONG RANGE PLUS

125 75 25 0 10

30 50 70 BATTERY STATE OF CHARGE (%)

90

JAN UA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

TEST RESULTS

Acceleration 10.8

As Tested ......................

Base ................................................................. $131,440

1/4-MILE

151

130

6.9

6.0 5.1 100 3.7

4.3

3.1

Motors 3 permanent-magnet synchronous AC Combined Power ........................................... 1020 hp Combined Torque ..................................... 1050 lb-ft

2.5 60

2.1

1.7

Battery Pack

1.3

liquid-cooled lithium-ion Cell Count/Construction ........ 7920/cylindrical Capacity .......................................................... 99.3 kWh Cell Manufacturer: Panasonic

30 0

0.9

11

SEC

Transmissions, F/R: direct-drives Final-Drive Ratio ............................................... 7.56:1 All-Wheel-Drive System: full time

Results in graph omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.

Rolling Start, 5–60 mph ................. 2.3 sec Top Gear, 30–50 mph ..................... 0.9 sec Top Gear, 50–70 mph ...................... 1.0 sec Top Speed (gov ltd) ...................... 162 mph

GEAR

Handling

F: ind; 1 control arm, 1 diagonal link, and 1 lateral link per side; air springs; anti-roll bar R: ind; 1 control arm, 1 lateral link, and a toe-control link per side; air springs; anti-roll bar

Brakes

BASE, $ x 1000*

RA E, NG MI 2.0

1.5

3 1.0 0 1.1

*Includes performanceenhancing options.

50–70-MPH ACCELERATION, SEC

2.5

1.0

89 0.

BMW M5 CS 627-hp 4.4-L V-8; 8-sp auto Porsche Taycan Turbo S 750 hp, 2 AC motors; direct-drive/2-sp auto Tesla Model S Performance 775 hp (C/D est), 2 AC motors; direct-drives Tesla Model S Plaid 1020 hp, 3 AC motors; direct-drives

A EP

Electrics may not yet have all the feels that make us love cars, but they sure have the performance.

PH FT -M G, –0 IN 70 RAK B

Wheelbase ......................................................... 116.5 in Length .................................................................. 197.7 in Width ...................................................................... 78.2 in Height .................................................................... 56.3 in Front Track ........................................................ 66.5 in Rear Track .......................................................... 66.5 in Ground Clearance ............................................ 5.0 in Passenger Volume, F/R ........................... 57/43 ft3 Cargo Volume ..................................................... 28 ft3

COMPETITORS

60-MPH ACCELERATION, SEC

Dimensions

Idle ......................................................... 29 dBA Full Throttle ....................................... 72 dBA 70-mph Cruising .............................. 67 dBA

130

Wheels: forged aluminum F: 9.5 x 21 in R: 10.5 x 21 in Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S F: 265/35R-21 (101Y) T1 R: 295/30R-21 (102Y) T1

Interior Sound Level

Curb ...................................................... 4828 lb Per Horsepower .................................. 4.7 lb Distribution, F/R ........................ 48.1/51.9% Towing Capacity ..................................... 0 lb

95

Wheels and Tires

Weight

9.0

F: 15.0 x 1.3-in vented disc, 4-piston fixed caliper R: 14.4 x 1.1-in vented disc, 1-piston sliding caliper Stability Control: traction off, launch control

Comb/City/Hwy .............. 101/102/99 MPGe Range .................................................... 348 mi

35 0

Suspension

EPA Fuel Economy

30 0

rack-and-pinion with variable ratio and variable electric power assist Turns Lock-to-Lock ............................................ 2.3 Turning Circle Curb-to-Curb ................. 40.3 ft

70–0 mph ............................................. 150 ft 100–0 mph .......................................... 284 ft Fade: slight

25 0

Steering

Braking

16 5

aluminum and steel spaceframe Body Material: aluminum stampings

Observed ........................................... 71 MPGe 75-mph Hwy Driving .................... 91 MPGe Range .................................................... 280 mi

16 0

Chassis

C/D Fuel Economy

Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ....... 1.08 g Understeer: moderate

15 5

......... 7.56 .......... 10.7 .............. 162 mph (15,140)

15 0

MAX SPEED IN GEAR (rpm)

LE 1/4 RA -M TIO ILE SE N, C

1

MPH PER 1000 RPM

AC CE

Drivetrain

RATIO

Tesla claims that the Plaid is the quickest production car ever. Is it true? Yes and no. In our test, the Plaid couldn’t match Tesla’s boast of 2.0 seconds to 60 mph, which the company achieved on a sticky (and cheaty) prepared drag strip, but the 2.1-second shot we recorded ties that of the Porsche 918 Spyder and 911 Turbo S and is but a tenth behind our all-time champ, the Ferrari SF90 Stradale. However, in the quarter-mile, the Plaid, with its 9.4-second time, beats those two and ties the 1479-hp Bugatti Chiron Sport for the quickest we’ve recorded. The Bugatti achieves a higher speed (158 mph) in the quarter thanks in part to its superior power-to-weight ratio.

9.4

8.0

MPH

Vehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback Options: 21-inch wheels and tires, $4500; Midnight Silver Metallic paint, $1500 Infotainment: 17.0-inch touchscreen; 8.0-inch rear-seat touchscreen; streaming radio (12 months included); 5 USB-C (3 for power only) and Bluetooth inputs; 22 speakers

Down with the Quickness

160

R 3 OA PA 00- DH D, FT OL G SK DIN ID G, -

2021 TESLA MODEL S PLAID Price $137,440

CURB WEIGHT, LB

TESTED BY DAV E VA ND E R WE RP IN C HE L SEA , MI

59

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[ the Oppenheiser projec t ]

General Motors gives the world an electric Hummer with the power to convert pickup-truck buyers. by k.C. Colwell

HUMMER CHIEF ENGINEER AL OPPENHEISER SEES a lot of trucks on his commute from the northern suburbs of Detroit. To sway their owners to his new electric vehicle, Oppenheiser recognized that the GMC Hummer EV had to knock their socks off. Convincing folks who drive V-8powered pickups that an electric can be fun and exciting would require a standout design and lights-out performance. Fortunately, Oppenheiser knows a thing or two about that. He’s also the engineer behind the 650-hp Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. We briefly drove a prototype of his latest creation: a 9000-plus-pound, 1000-hp, threemotor, removable-roof pickup. Even without confirmation from our test gear, we’re pretty sure he nailed the performance part. We weren’t allowed to sample the Watts to Freedom (WTF) launch-control mode—a name that deserves the eye roll you just gave it—from behind the wheel, but we did from the passenger’s seat.

Just before our WTF moment, we watched as another Hummer EV roasted its tires. GMC says this Edition 1 pickup will reach 60 mph in three seconds. Activating WTF vibrates the driver’s seat, a warning of what’s to come. The Hummer can take its time preparing itself—upwards of 18 seconds. The air springs slam the body to the ground, and the battery and electronics find their optimum temperatures. The Goodyear Wrangler tires are R rated, meaning they’re good for up to 106 mph, a speed the Hummer should hit long before it crosses the line in a quarter-mile pass.

Launch control is just one of many parlor tricks. Another, which is bordering on becoming YouTube famous, is Crabwalk. Made possible by a system capable of turning the rear wheels 10 degrees, the crustacean dance is a side benefit to something even better. Pro-

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lated in the usual body-on-frame manner. Half-shafts are massive ball-spline units, necessary when an independent suspension with more than nine inches of travel is paired with three motors with the combined twist of 1200 pound-feet of torque. With two motors acting on the rear axle, no differential is necessary, but programming can virtually lock the axle so the motors turn each side at the same speed. Up front is a locking differential for the third motor.

Inside there are only a few touches—window switchgear, seat adjusters—that are shared with other GM products. The center stack has buttons unique to the Hummer. GMC would love it if we said the truck drove smaller, but much like with the original and very wide H1, completely masking the size is impossible. Our on-road drive was limited, but we found that the truck went down the road with the purpose and confidence born of its mass and power. Not many corrections are required to keep it in a highway lane, and not much feedback comes through the steering wheel when you have to turn. We weren’t expecting much in terms of communication from the 305/70R-18 mud-terrain Goodyears. The ride, however, is downright sublime.

Adaptive dampers and air springs bridle the mass with authoritative control.

Oppenheiser fitted his creation with standard Super Cruise, General Motors’ hands-free highway tech. The Hummer gets the latest version, which works on more than 200,000 miles of roads and will make automatic lane changes to allow you to passively pass traffic.

Lesser models not optioned to 3M-24 spec—for three motors, 24-module Ultium battery—will have the highest tow rating, though Oppenheiser confirms that all versions will be able to tow most weekend-warrior needs. Think wakeboard boat or race-car trailer.

GMC’s Edition 1 trucks carry a price of $112,595 and an estimated 350-mile EPA range. If you haven’t already reserved one, you’re too late for the first year of production. The good news is that in 2022, an 830-hp lowerspec version will be available. Wait a little longer, until 2023, and there will be even lower-spec pickups and an SUV. Our initial impressions are on the “wow” side of the spectrum, and we think the buyers this machine is seeking will agree.

JAN UA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

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vided you keep speeds below 15 mph, Crabwalk will turn the rear wheels in phase with the front wheels. Go faster than 15 mph and it’ll gently return the rear wheels to straight ahead. Normally when you see a GMC crabbing down the road, it’s been crashed, and Crabwalk is definitely more of a gimmick than actually useful.

In a virtual simulation that GMC cooked up to demonstrate potential usefulness, a Hummer found itself blocked in a parking space by cars next to it and a Jersey barrier angled behind it. Crabwalk to the The new Hummer rescue, but considering there are shares very few 18 views from numerous cameras, interior parts with including two on the underbelly, we other GM products.

A big 13.4-inch think most competent drivers will center touchscreen be able to put a Hummer anywhere is the nerve center it’ll fit. If not, going over the hurof the cabin. dles could certainly be an option.

Extract mode increases ground clearance to 15.9 inches, giving the 35-inch-tired Hummer the ability to climb over 18-inch vertical obstacles.

As you’d expect of something weighing 9000 pounds, this pickup is big. It isn’t longer than a one-ton truck, but it is wider. And the flat A-pillar-to-A-pillar instrument panel makes it feel massive. Rear steer, however, helps it seem much smaller. Without the system, the sport-utility truck’s 37-foot turning circle would grow by more than seven feet (about the width of the pickup). And rear steer behaves differently in different modes. In Terrain mode, for example, the rear wheels get to their steering limit quicker, making the Hummer maneuver more like a forklift. The flexibility is critical given that GMC intends for people to go off-road in these vehicles. When you’re facing a two-track that was bushwhacked by a 12.9-inch-narrower Jeep Wrangler, every bit of maneuverability counts. Also, parking lots.

Five skid plates protect the underbody from trail damage. The giant 200.0-kWh battery is a stressed member of the chassis, which is a sort of hybrid of body-on-frame and unibody—there is a frame and a body, but they aren’t iso-

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THE RUNDOWN An expert look at the newest and most important vehicles this month.

It occurs to us that racing seats are nothing but child seats for adults, page 76.

2 02 2 T OYO TA T U N D R A ~ BY E Z R A DY E R

Big Truck, Big Wait The first entirely new Tundra in 15 years ditches the V-8 for a twin-turbo V-6.

The outgoing Toyota Tundra is old. How old is it,

Ezra? It’s so old, when it arrived, the Dead Sea was just getting sick. It’s so old, if you park one outside an antiques store, people will try to buy it. It’s so old, it was introduced for the 2007 model year. Which was, uh, almost 15 years ago. The fact that Toyota still sells more than 100,000 Tundras a year is a testament to

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the effort it expended on that mid-2000s After 15 years, Toyota redoes the redesign—a 381-hp V-8 was killer then and Tundra, and the is still relevant now. But the 2022 Tundra grille is bigger than ever. is getting a thorough overhaul that sets up Toyota for another long production run.

Hello, 2037.

The V-8 is gone, replaced by a twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 (which Toyota calls a 3.5-liter) paired with a 10-speed automatic. Hybrid models, dubbed i-Force Max, sandwich a 48-hp electric motor between the engine and transmission, with a battery bogarting what would otherwise be storage space under the rear seat. The primary configuration makes 389 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, with the hybrid churning out 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet.

Only the entry-level SR trim makes less power than the outgoing 5.7liter V-8, with its V-6 tuned for 348 horsepower and 405 pound-feet.

The other major hardware change concerns the rear suspension, which is now a coil-spring design. Optional air springs enable automatic load leveling but can also be manually controlled to either JAN UA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

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the numbers

lower the rear end for easy access or raise it for off-roading. Given the fixed front ride height, that means the Tundra can Carolina Squat itself.

Max payload is 1940 pounds. That almost-ton of stuff rides in a rugged new aluminum-reinforced composite bed—the “make the whole plane out of the black box” approach to a bed liner. For the first time, Tundra buyers can pair the CrewMax cab with a 6.5-foot bed. An 8.0-foot bed remains available with the slightly smaller Double Cab. From the outside, the Tundra’s redesign is conservative—huge grille notwithstanding—with a definite Silverado resemblance to the cab.

Inside, it’s a huge departure from its predecessor. An 8.0-inch center infotainment touchscreen is standard, with most trim levels offering an upgrade to 14.0 inches. Toyota has ditched the stereo-tuner knob.

On the bright side, the Tundra retains its 4Runner-esque ability to roll down the rear glass, which is nice for chatting with hitchhikers riding in the bed.

We didn’t tow with the Tundra, but its 12,000-pound max tow rating is competitive with its half-ton rivals. It also has a clever backup-assist function. Drive around for a bit with your trailer and the truck learns how it behaves, then enables a mode where the truck can steer the trailer straight back in whatever direction you’re moving.

With no center differential on any trim, the Tundra’s default mode on pavement is rear-wheel drive. The hybrid will lay rubber into third gear—its rear differential is beefed up to handle all of that torque—and the standard truck will smoke the tires too. Fortunately, the coil-spring rear end helps imbue the 2022 Tundra with a sense of precision. The whole truck feels taut and more in control of its mass, both sprung and unsprung.

Nonhybrid four-by-fours earn an EPA combined rating of 19 mpg. And while the hybrid isn’t yet rated, the tale of its trip computer leads us to expect similar mileage. The hybrid will go into EV mode at highway speeds, but with only 48 horsepower motivating the 6000-pound truck, it doesn’t take much of a request for acceleration to awaken the V-6.

Trim levels mirror the last Tundra, starting with the basic SR and topping out with the Platinum and 1794 variants. The TRD Pro is now hybrid only, but the hybrid averse can build an Coils replace leaf springs in the rear suspension. You can upgrade to rear air springs that can be manually adjusted should you want to pop a Carolina Squat.

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Vehicle Type: front-engine or front-engine and front-motor, rear- or rear/four-wheeldrive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup Base ............................................... $37,645 Powertrains: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.4-liter V-6, 348 or 389 hp, 405 or 479 lb-ft; twinturbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.4-liter V-6, 389 hp, 479 lb-ft + AC motor, 48 hp, 184 lb-ft (combined output: 437 hp, 583 lb-ft; nickel-metal hydride battery pack) Transmission: 10-speed automatic Dimensions • Wheelbase .................................... 145.7–164.6 in • L/W/H ............. 233.6–252.5/80.2–81.6/78.0 in • Curb Weight ................................ 5300–6400 lb Performance (C/D est) • 60 mph ....................................................... 6.2 sec • 1/4-Mile .................................................... 14.9 sec • Top Speed ............................................... 105 mph EPA Fuel Economy (C/D est) • Comb/City/Hwy ...... 19–22/17–20/22–24 mpg

SR5 that nearly replicates the TRD Pro’s hardware. The new TRD Off-Road package includes TRD wheels and suspension (though not the Pro’s Fox dampers) along with a locking rear diff—the first time a Tundra has offered an electronic locker.

Pricing starts at $37,645 and from there is ruthlessly benchmarked against the other half-ton full-size trucks. Toyota admits that it doesn’t expect to outsell the domestic pickups. Thus, three strategic concessions: air springs only on the rear axle, no generator function with the hybrid, no full-time four-wheel-drive system that can be used on pavement. Because would any of those things convince Ford buyers to jump to Toyota? Conversely, will their absence drive a loyal Tundra driver to another brand?

Probably not. If the 2007 Tundra was ahead of its time, this one is of the moment—however long that should last.

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202 1 FORD MUSTANG MACH - E4X GT PERFORMANCE EDITION ~ BY K .C. COLWELL

the numbers

Half-Full Fridge Highs: Lovely interior, practical packaging, scoots to 60 in a hurry.

Lows: More money for less range, not quite the overall performance expected of a GT.

In the mid-’80s, William “the Refrig-

erator” Perry played defense for the Super Bowl–winning Chicago Bears. He was also a uniquely effective fullback. He wasn’t the quickest but was quick enough over a short distance, and his substantial mass—318 pounds, according to his 1986 Topps rookie card—would carry him through any defense in his way. Not that Ford’s Mustang Mach-E4X GT needs more names, but Fridge seems more appropriate than Mustang.

The 480-hp GT comes with two motors—meaning it’s all-wheel drive—and the larger 88.0-kWh battery. Spec the Performance Edition for an extra $5000 to get 20-inch summer tires, a body kit, magnetorheological dampers, and a powertrain upgrade from 600 pound-feet of torque to 634.

Like Mr. Fridge Perry, this 5001-pounder charges off the line, getting to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds (Ford claims 3.5). But its gait turns to a trot around 80 mph, which

takes 6.2 seconds to reach. You need 12.7 seconds to cover a quarter-mile.

The non-GT 346-hp Mach-E4X is only 0.9 second behind at the quarter (and going 2 mph faster), effectively making the GT Performance’s starting price of $66,000 a $9600 premium, a tough sell.

We were also underwhelmed by this car’s 0.92 g on the skidpad and 158-foot stop from 70 mph. Yet those test results don’t tell the whole story. With the GT, Ford clearly targeted the Tesla Model Y Performance, and the Tesla owns this Mustang in a drag race. The Ford has advantages, though. Maybe not in acceleration, stopping, or lateral acceleration, but the Mach-E GT feels substantial, and its cabin is more isolated from the road imperfections that shimmy through the Y. And the GT’s downright attractive interior is well designed with premium materials. Parents of young ones will love that a rear-facing car seat doesn’t encroach on front-seat space. Plus, its body panels line up.

Vehicle Type: front- and mid-motor, allwheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon Base/As Tested ...... $66,000/$70,040 Motors: 2 permanent-magnet synchronous AC Combined Power .............................. 480 hp Combined Torque ........................ 634 lb-ft Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 88.0 kWh Transmissions, F/R: direct-drives Dimensions • Wheelbase ....................................... 117.5 in • L/W/H ............................ 186.7/74.1/63.5 in • Curb Weight ................................... 5001 lb

test RESULTS 60 mph ................................................. 3.7 sec 100 mph ............................................. 12.4 sec 1/4-Mile ........................ 12.7 sec @ 101 mph Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.

Rolling Start, 5–60 mph ............. 3.8 sec Top Speed (gov ltd) ..................... 120 mph Braking, 70–0 mph ........................... 158 ft Braking, 100–0 mph ......................... 310 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ..... 0.92 g C/D Fuel Economy • Observed ..................................... 65 MPGe • 75-mph Hwy Driving ................ 74 MPGe • Hwy Range ...................................... 220 mi EPA Fuel Economy • Comb/City/Hwy ........... 82/88/75 MPGe • Range ................................................ 260 mi

What doesn’t line up is range across the Mach-E lineup. This GT’s 220 miles at 75 mph is 30 less than the version that won our EV of the Year (the EPA reckons 260 miles with the Performance option).

Our tester also had Blue Cruise handsfree driving tech, a $1900 upcharge that works as advertised. But Mustangs should be for driving, not for riding.

In the first nine months of 2021, Ford sold 18,855 Mach-Es. In the same period, Tesla moved about 132,000 Model Ys.

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PH OTOG RA PH BY M I CHA E L S I MARI ~ JANUA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

2 02 2 H Y U N DA I KO N A N L I N E AW D ~ BY C O N N O R H O F F M A N

Show Business Highs: Looks like the 286-hp Kona N, available all-wheel drive, more practical than a Veloster.

Lows: Same engine as the Kona Limited, all show with no additional go.

Hyundai is in the midst of a massive

expansion of its N performance brand. A quick primer on N: It stands for Namyang, the company’s proving grounds in South Korea (and also, sort of, for Nürburgring).

The N cars show up two ways: Full-on N models such as the Veloster N are developed for hot-lapping racetracks, while the less extreme N Line versions are more focused on street performance. Hyundai’s first crossover involving an N of either kind is the Kona N Line. (A more powerful Kona N with 286 horses is coming soon.) And after living with and testing this vehicle, we think that if Hyundai wants the letter N to gain credibility, the brand ought to put a bit more N into the Kona N Line.

Unlike the N Line versions of the Sonata and Elantra, the Kona iteration doesn’t get any additional power. The Kona N Line has the same turbocharged 1.6-liter inlinefour that customers can spec in the Kona Limited. It’s a punchy little

engine with 195 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, but it’s not much of a pulse raiser. Equipped with optional all-wheel drive, the Kona N Line scurried to 60 mph in a not particularly impressive 7.3 seconds. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission comes standard, with shifts that lack the urgency we’ve come to expect of dual-clutch automatics.

Without extra power, the Kona N Line is essentially an appearance package that offers three vents above the grille (also found on the upcoming Kona N), body-colored cladding, 18-inch wheels, and dual exhaust tips. The interior features red stitching throughout, metal pedals, and the N logo on the steering wheel, gear selector, and seatbacks. It’s a taste of the N life. Yet while this crossover looks like the real-deal Kona N, all show and no go won’t win over enthusiasts who value substance and performance over aesthetics.

The marketing department seems to have led the way here.

Hyundai did inform us that the reason the Kona N Line shares its engine with the Limited is to avoid powertrain complexity, but that’s not much of an explanation considering that other N Lines get power bumps. More horses than the Kona Limited would be a nice start.

Why the Kona N Line exists may come down to Hyundai’s recent killing of all Veloster models but the full-grade N. The discontinuation of the regular versions of that funky hatchback created a gap in the lineup. This is pretty much where the Kona N Line fits in.

CA R AND D RI VE R ~ JAN UA RY 2022 ~ PH OTOG RA PHY BY MI C HA E L SI MAR I

Even dressed up without any additional thrust, the Kona remains a lively carlike crossover that we enjoy driving. The front-drive N Line starts at $26,925, while the all-wheel-drive models go for $1500 more. Those prices approach Volkswagen GTI money and are more than what Honda charged for the last-generation Civic Si. Both of those vehicles are far quicker and more fun to drive, but they’re cars and thus may not appeal to crossover shoppers. We’d suggest waiting for the real-deal Kona N, as its power will likely back up its looks.

the numbers Vehicle Type: front-engine, allwheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon Base/As Tested ... $28,425/$31,080 Engine: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection Displacement ........ 98 in3, 1598 cm3 Power ................. 195 hp @ 6000 rpm Torque ............. 195 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic Dimensions • Wheelbase ........................... 102.4 in • L/W/H ................. 166.0/70.9/61.4 in • Curb Weight ......................... 3287 lb

test RESULTS 60 mph ....................................... 7.3 sec 1/4-Mile ............... 15.7 sec @ 90 mph 100 mph ................................... 19.7 sec Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.4 sec.

Rolling Start, 5–60 mph .... 7.6 sec Top Speed (C/D est) .......... 130 mph Braking, 70–0 mph .................. 174 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ....................... 0.87 g EPA Fuel Economy • Comb/City/Hwy .... 29/27/32 mpg

THE RUNDOWN

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the numbers Vehicle Type: front-engine, all/rear-wheeldrive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan Base/As Tested ........... $143,995/$148,995 Engine: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection Displacement ........................ 268 in3, 4395 cm3 Power .................................... 627 hp @ 6000 rpm Torque ................................ 553 lb-ft @ 1800 rpm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Dimensions • Wheelbase ................................................. 117.4 in • L/W/H ..................................... 196.4/74.9/57.8 in • Curb Weight ............................................ 4096 lb

test RESULTS

2 02 2 B M W M 5 C S ~ BY T O N Y Q U I R O G A

Take a Load Off Highs: Less mass and more fun than any recent M5, still as refined as the standard M5. Lows: The manual Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing exists.

Most car companies are content with an

ounce here and a gram there when they pull weight out of their cars. So when BMW announced that the new M5 CS would be 230 pounds lighter than the 4243-pound M5 Competition, we were skeptical. As bariatric physicians and our tech department are fond of saying, the scales don’t lie. At the weigh-in, the CS registered 4096 pounds, or 147 pounds less than the Competition. Not quite the result promised, but still a big move in the right direction.

To drop those pounds, a carbon-fiber hood joins the standard M5’s carbon-fiber roof, but the main weight loss comes from removing sound-deadening material and swapping the luxury-grade thrones for the lightweight racing-style front seats from the M3. BMW didn’t pull out all the stuffing, though, as the CS remains placid, measuring a low 66 decibels at 70 mph, matching a 2018 M5 we tested on the same surface.

To make the most of the lighter M5, BMW wrung 10 extra horsepower out of the Competition’s twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8. With 627 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque churning through a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, the M5 CS posts a 2.6-second time to 60 mph and a quarter-mile speed of 130 mph in 10.6 seconds. The trans pops off shifts and shows its commitment in its most race-car-like mode as it

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60 mph ........................................................... 2.6 sec 100 mph ......................................................... 6.2 sec 1/4-Mile ................................. 10.6 sec @ 130 mph 150 mph ....................................................... 15.5 sec Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.

Rolling Start, 5–60 mph ........................ 3.8 sec Top Speed (mfr’s claim) ...................... 190 mph Braking, 70–0 mph ..................................... 150 ft Braking, 100–0 mph ................................... 294 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ................ 1.02 g C/D Fuel Economy • Observed ................................................... 18 mpg EPA Fuel Economy • Comb/City/Hwy ........................... 17/15/21 mpg

slots itself into the right gear under braking to give you what you need for the corner.

Pirelli P Zero Corsa PZC4s are a no-cost option. Likely thanks to the Corsas, steering feedback is clearer and there’s simply more of it. While the weight loss is excellent, it doesn’t result in a completely different driving experience. We’d guess that fitting these aggressive tires to an M5 Competition and removing marzipan from your diet would likely have a similar effect. But you would miss out on the CS’s revised dampers. Unlike in every M car we can recall, selecting the most aggressive damper setting, Sport Plus, doesn’t turn the suspension to granite, and the ride quality remains appropriate for a sports sedan.

On the skidpad, the CS delivered an easy and controllable 1.02 g, 0.05 more than the Competition. Combine the extra grip, the secure body control, and the enlivened steering, and you get a canyon-ripping sports sedan that will shrink most sports cars in its rearview mirror.

Perhaps you’re wondering what CS stands for. Maybe it’s Challenge Special or Calorie Suppression. What we know is that when BMW pulls weight out of a car and adds those letters, it will include a Customer Surcharge. At least your $143,995 covers all the Competition hardware and the M Driver’s package that bumps up the top speed and comes with some driving lessons. That price is barely more than what you’ll pay for a comparably equipped Competition, and the CS’s tires and tuning make for a quicker, livelier, and more dialed-in M5.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JESSICA LYNN WALKER ~ JANUARY 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER

Important Legal Notice from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida

If you are a current or former owner or lessee of certain Volkswagen or Audi vehicles, you could get cash and other ďĞŶĞĮƚƐ ĨƌŽŵ Ă ĐůĂƐƐ ĂĐƟŽŶ ƐĞƩůĞŵĞŶƚ Si desea recibir esta notificación en español, llámenos o visite nuestra página web.

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A settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit alleging that consumers sustained economic losses because they purchased or leased vehicles from Volkswagen AG, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., VW Credit, Inc., Audi AG, or Audi of America, LLC (collectively “Volkswagen”) containing allegedly defective airbags manufactured by Takata Corporation and its affiliates (“Takata”). The Settlement includes certain vehicles made by Volkswagen (the “Subject Vehicles”). Volkswagen denies any and all allegations of wrongdoing and the Court has not decided who is right.

If you have already received a separate recall notice for your Volkswagen or Audi vehicle and have not yet had your Takata airbag repaired, you should do so as soon as possible. When recalled Takata airbags deploy, they may, in very rare cases and under certain circumstances, spray metal debris toward vehicle occupants and may cause serious injury.

However, some Volkswagen and Audi vehicles may be recalled for repair at a later date.

Please see www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/takata-recall-spotlight#for-consumers-overview for further details about whether your vehicle is recalled and, if so, what you should do.

Am I included in the proposed Settlement? The Settlement includes the following persons and entities: x Owners or lessees, as of November 10, 2021, of a Subject Vehicle that was distributed for sale or lease in the United States or any of its territories or possessions, and

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x Former owners or lessees of a Subject Vehicle that was distributed for sale or lease in the United States or any of its territories or possessions, who, between February 9, 2016 and November 10, 2021, sold or returned, pursuant to a lease, a Subject Vehicle.

A full list of the Subject Vehicles can be found at www.AutoAirbagSettlement.com. The Settlement does not involve claims of personal injury.

What does the Settlement provide? Volkswagen has agreed to a Settlement with a value of approximately $42 million, including a 20% credit for the Enhanced Rental Car/Loaner Program. The Settlement Funds will be used to pay for Settlement benefits and cover the costs of the Settlement over an approximately four-year period.

The Settlement offers several benefits for Class Members, including (1) payments for certain out-of-pocket expenses incurred related to a Takata airbag recall of a Subject Vehicle, (2) a Rental Car/Loaner Program while certain Subject Vehicles are awaiting repair, (3) an Outreach Program to maximize completion of the recall remedy, (4) additional cash payments to Class Members from residual settlement funds, if any remain, and (5) a Customer Support Program to help with repairs associated with replacement airbag inflators. The Settlement Website explains each of these benefits in detail.

How can I get a Payment? You must file a claim to receive a payment during the first four years of the Settlement. If you still own or lease a Subject Vehicle, you must also bring it to an authorized dealership for the recall remedy, as directed by a recall notice, if you have not already done so. Visit the website and file a claim online or download one and file by mail.

The deadline to file a claim will be at least one year from the date the Settlement is finalized.

All deadlines will be posted on the website when they are known.

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What are my other options? If you do not want to be legally bound by the Settlement, you must exclude yourself by February 14, 2022. If you do not exclude yourself, you will release any claims you may have against Volkswagen and the Released Parties, in exchange for certain settlement benefits. The potential available benefits are more fully described in the Settlement, available at the Settlement Website. You may object to the Settlement by February 14, 2022. You cannot both exclude yourself from, and object to, the Settlement.

The Long Form Notice for the Settlement available on the website listed below explains how to exclude yourself or object. The Court will hold a fairness hearing on March 7, 2022 to consider whether to finally approve the Settlement and a request for attorneys’ fees of up to 30% of the total Settlement Amount. You may appear at the fairness hearing, either by yourself or through an attorney hired by you, but you don’t have to. For more information, including the relief, eligibility and release of claims, in English or Spanish, call or visit the website below.

1-888-735-5596

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2 02 2 VO L K S WAG E N TAO S ~ BY M I K E S U T T O N

Quitting Golf Highs: Cavernous interior for a small SUV, impressive fuel economy, attractive base price. Lows: Modest performance, some cheap-looking interior plastics.

the numbers Vehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheeldrive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon Base/As Tested ....... $24,190/$32,685 Engine: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injection Displacement ................... 91 in3, 1498 cm3 Power ........................... 158 hp @ 5500 rpm Torque ........................ 184 lb-ft @ 1750 rpm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Dimensions • Wheelbase ...................................... 105.9 in • L/W/H .......................... 175.8/72.5/64.4 in • Curb Weight ................................... 3244 lb

test RESULTS Look to the inexorable demand for

SUVs as the thinking behind Volkswagen’s decision to kill off the regular Golf in the U.S. Unfortunate as that may be, there is a makegood, as the automaker has essentially replaced that base hatchback with the new Taos, which VW slots below the Tiguan as the brand’s new entry point.

One of the larger players in its segment, the Taos has a huge back seat for a small SUV. Behind it, the easily accessible cargo hold can swallow up to 28 cubic feet of stuff.

At 72.5 inches, the Taos is actually a hair wider than the Tiguan and feels similarly spacious, although there’s no third row available. Material quality is generally pleasing, save for the hard, shiny dashtop panel. The Taos also sticks with Volkswagen’s older touchscreen infotainment rather than adopting the far more frustrating newer version from the latest GTI and ID.4.

Powering the Taos is a 1.5-liter version of VW’s EA211 turbocharged inline-four, which purrs willingly to its 6400-rpm redline and produces

74

THE RUNDOWN

158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel-drive models, such as the one we’ve tested here, employ a conventional eightspeed automatic transmission and can run to 60 mph in an adequateif-not-spirited 7.4 seconds. Our car averaged 30 mpg during its time with us and posted an economical 40 mpg in our 75-mph highway test.

All-wheel-drive models feature a slightly sportier setup with a sevenspeed dual-clutch automatic. We’ve also driven that version (but haven’t yet strapped the test gear to it), which weighs a claimed 255 pounds more. It earns a 28-mpg combined estimate from the EPA, coming in behind the front-driver’s 31 mpg.

Another difference between the two drivelines is the rear suspension. The front-drive Taos has a simple torsion beam at the rear, while the all-wheel-drive model upgrades to a multilink setup. We prefer the latter for the greater composure it provides, though we have yet to see whether that translates to more skidpad grip than the 0.83 g from the front-drive version. The

60 mph ................................................. 7.4 sec 1/4-Mile ......................... 15.8 sec @ 87 mph 100 mph ............................................. 21.5 sec Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.

Rolling Start, 5–60 mph .............. 8.4 sec Top Speed (C/D est) .................... 130 mph Braking, 70–0 mph ............................ 176 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ...... 0.83 g C/D Fuel Economy • Observed ........................................ 30 mpg • 75-mph Hwy Driving .................. 40 mpg • Hwy Range ...................................... 520 mi EPA Fuel Economy • Comb/City/Hwy ............... 31/28/36 mpg

ride is comfortable, and interior noise levels—68 decibels at a 70-mph cruise, 73 decibels at full throttle—are quiet for a vehicle that starts at $24,190. But don’t expect Golf levels of agility from the Taos, with its extra girth and higher center of gravity.

Coincidentally, the Taos base price is about the same as the outgoing Golf TSI’s. Budget a substantial $32,685 for a front-drive SEL, plus another $1450 to $2045 if you want all-wheel drive. Go crazy with the options and you’ll think that maybe you should just get a Tiguan.

Or stick with the less pricey versions of the Taos, which, while not exactly a funto-drive Golf substitute, is a solid little anchor for VW’s lineup.

PH OTO GRA PH Y BY M A RC URBA NO ~ JA NUA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIVER

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the numbers

2 02 1 L A M B O R G H I N I H U R A C Á N S T O ~ BY T O N Y Q U I R O G A

Shark Attack Highs: Revving past 8500 rpm, real-feel steering, makes 631 horsepower easy to handle. Lows: Painful seats, wearing earplugs to protect your hearing, can’t see out the back.

Vehicle Type: mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe Base/As Tested ......... $333,633/$453,396 Engine: DOHC 40-valve V-10, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injection Displacement ......................... 318 in3, 5204 cm3 Power ..................................... 631 hp @ 8000 rpm Torque ................................ 417 lb-ft @ 6500 rpm Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic Dimensions • Wheelbase ................................................. 103.1 in • L/W/H ..................................... 179.0/76.6/48.0 in • Curb Weight .............................................. 3351 lb

The remoras are back. Drive a car like a Lamborghini Huracán STO on

the freeway and a school of hangers-on forms around it. Booting the 631-hp 5.2-liter V-10 shakes them only temporarily. Emboldened by the knowledge that Officer Bob Speed is far more likely to pay attention to a Lamborghini than a Dodge Charger, they quickly race back into position.

We can’t blame the remoras. Lamborghinis are a rare, captivating species, and it’s fun to get close to one, especially track specials like the STO—that stands for Super Turismo Omologato, a nod to the car the brand runs in GT3 racing. A step above the Huracán Performante in the quest for ever-shrinking lap times, the 3351-pound STO features unique carbon-fiber bodywork all over and a new aerodynamic package that includes an adjustable carbon-fiber wing large enough to make a Countach owner blush. The wing and aero bits contribute to the car’s 926 pounds of downforce at 174 mph. Peer into the interior rearview mirror, and instead of seeing the highway patrol that’s attached itself to your bumper, you’ll get a good view of the engine cover, which features a massive scoop and cooling vents. As if the fish analogy needed more help, Lamborghini fits a shark fin to the back.

To permanently lose traffic, head to any twisting canyon road, where there isn’t much that can keep up with a well-driven STO. Front-end grip inspires confidence, and the steering reads you the road like it’s story time. Efforts build and release, and this wild-child car that looks like it’ll dig its teeth into you proves easy to push deeper and deeper into corners. On a very dusty skidpad, we recorded 1.14 g’s of cling with the optional Bridgestone Potenza Race rubber. These new street-legal track tires relinquish grip predictThe paint color ably and remain grippy as laps accumulate. A less Blu Laufey costs over $30,000. extreme Potenza Sport will also be offered.

Single-piece seats Compared with the discontinued all-wheel-drive are desperately Huracán Performante, which in a blink could go uncomfortable after a long drive. from “This is the best car I’ve ever driven” to “Please

76

THE RUNDOWN

test RESULTS 60 mph ........................................................... 2.6 sec 100 mph ......................................................... 5.6 sec 130 mph ......................................................... 9.4 sec 1/4-Mile ................................. 10.5 sec @ 136 mph 150 mph ....................................................... 13.5 sec 170 mph ....................................................... 19.9 sec Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.

Rolling Start, 5–60 mph ........................ 3.0 sec Top Speed (mfr’s claim) ...................... 193 mph Braking, 70–0 mph ...................................... 154 ft Braking, 100–0 mph ................................... 278 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ................. 1.14 g EPA Fuel Economy • Comb/City/Hwy .......................... 15/13/18 mpg

don’t hit the tire wall,” the rear-wheel-drive STO’s handling and carbon-ceramic brakes remain consistent lap after lap. Brake-pedal feel is dialed in with just the right bite.

Exhaust tweaks mean the V-10 gets the right bark, too, although power remains unchanged. Revs come ferociously, and the dual-clutch automatic clips off instant shifts.

A lack of sound deadening draws the engine closer; add the roar of tires and the combo becomes a deafening din. Then there’s the pain of the single-piece racing seats that will have your lower back ready for a driver change after 90 minutes. Living with a shark does have a few downsides.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSICA LYNN WALKER ~ JANUARY 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER

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WHAT TO BUY: 1990–96 NISSAN 300ZX The imminent arrival of the new Nissan Z and the resurgence of seemingly all things ’90s have sparked new interest in the 1990–96 Z32-generation Nissan 300ZX. A bold return to form after the more-show-than-go Z31, the Z32 heralded the onslaught of 1990s Japanese sports-car dominance. The Turbo, with its 300-hp twin-turbo V-6, is the 5.0-seconds-to-60-mph star.

It won multiple comparison tests and every 10Best it was eligible for. Turbo prices are climbing fast, while the lower-priced naturally aspirated 300ZX hasn’t appreciated as much. If you’re in the market for a Z32 300ZX, a solid knowledge of these cars’ quirks and issues is crucial. —James Tate ENGINE

RECENT SALES

The Z32 was introduced with a 222-hp 3.0-liter V-6 in late 1989. A 300-hp twin-turbo 300ZX Turbo followed soon after, and a rare factory-backed Steve Millen–tuned SMZ 300ZX with 365 horsepower was sold through Nissan dealers. If you’re considering a car from the 1990 model year, get the engine number and check the build date, as very early examples were known to have valve defects. Sundry mods are common. As always, the more service records, the better—even if only to know what’s overdue.

1990 300ZX Turbo (September 2021) $57,000 8000 miles

VALUE

1993 300ZX (October 2021) $11,750 107,000 miles

PROBLEM AREAS

Nissan recommended the Z32-era VG30DE engines get a new timing belt about every 60,000 miles or six years.

Turbo seals often begin leaking between 60,000 and 80,000 miles. Clutches can last as long as 70K miles, but 30,000 to 50,000 is more common. To avoid maintenance costs, owners occasionally disable the Super HICAS rear-wheel steering found on the Turbo, particularly the hydraulic system in the 1990–93 models (later models used an electric rack). Check whether the HICAS is disabled and what kind of shape it’s in. Then invest in a good mechanic and get your Z32 on a maintenance schedule.

1990 300ZX Turbo (November 2021) $26,250 62,000 miles From Bring a Trailer.

1994 NISSAN 300ZX

Where a few years ago just about any Z32 could be had for a song, there has now been a definite bifurcation in pricing. Non-turbo 300ZXs can still be found for well under $10,000 but will climb toward $20,000 depending on mileage.

High-mileage Turbos start in the mid to high teens. The best Turbos live from $40,000 to just under $60,000, but decent ones can be found in the mid-$20,000s. If you’re willing to tolerate right-hand drive, Japan-market cars can often be had for less—but that’s a different rabbit hole.

1990 NISSAN 300ZX 222-HP 3.0-LITER V-6, 3341 LB

Test Results • 60 mph .............................................. 6.7 sec • 1/4-Mile ....................... 15.0 sec @ 93 mph • 100 mph .......................................... 18.6 sec • Top Speed ...................................... 143 mph • Braking, 70–0 mph ............................ 171 ft • Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ..... 0.86 g From C/D, August 1989. Acceleration times adhere to our old rollout rule of 3 mph.

80

“A moonshot performance car from the start, the ZX remains a sweetheart to set up house with. It can do things for you that less clever partners cannot.”

— L A R RY G R I F F I N , C / D, S E P T E M B E R 1 9 93 PH OTO GRA PH BY JOH N RO E ~ JA NUA RY 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIVER