sin46th magzud.org

TRUCK OFTHE YEAR RIVIAN R1T

FEBRUARY 2022

PERSON OF THE YEAR AND OUR ANNUAL POWER LIST

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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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ON THE COVER The 2022 Truck of the Year changes what we thought we knew about pickups. Photo: William Walker

COVER STORY

CONTENDERS...52 FINALISTS..........60 WINNER .............68

48 EST. 1949 VOL. 74 NO. 2

Ten trucks representing eight nameplates get to work in pursuit of bragging rights.

MotorTrend (ISSN 0027-2094) February 2022, Vol. 74, No. 2. Published monthly by Motor Trend Group, LLC, 831 South Douglas Street, El Segundo, CA 90245. Copyright© 2021 by Motor Trend Group, LLC; All rights reserved. Periodicals Postage Paid at Los Angeles, CA and at additional mailing offices. Subscriptions: U.S. and U.S. Possessions $18 for 12 issues. Canada $30 per year and international orders $42 per year (including surface mail postage). Payment in advance, U.S. funds only. Postmaster: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 707.4.12.5); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to: MotorTrend, P.O. Box 37200, Boone, IA 50037.

4 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

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FIRST LOOK

14

Digging into the latest and greatest Corvette Z06.

Departments & Features 10 Editor’s Letter Do traditional definitions still fit the modern pickup truck market?

14 Intake This month’s hot metal.

30 Technologue Structural battery components look to revolutionize EV energy storage.

31 Your Say Readers respond to past issues.

32 Power List A reflection on the auto industry’s most influential figures. Alisa Priddle 42 Comparison Midlevel sport sedans from Acura, Cadillac, and Genesis throw down. Miguel Cortina 82 The Big Picture Tesla is more valuable than every other American automaker—combined. But is it really that different?

MTGARAGE Arrival Land Rover Defender Updates Hyundai Sonata • Kia Sorento Mazda CX-30 • Mercedes-Benz E 450 Nissan Sentra • Toyota GR Supra • Toyota Venza

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Scott Evans

Redefinition

Features Editor

Honestly, what is a real “truck” in the year 2022? arely in truck history have we had much reason to question the word’s definition. Indeed, for much of that time, trucks have been tools, simple machines.

Occasionally, though, we’ve been forced to reconsider the breadth of their genotype. This is one of those times, and it’s directly related to the annual arrival of MotorTrend’s Truck of the Year award.

From the first horse-drawn wagon fitted with an engine, the entire truck concept has been relatively anodyne: a sturdy frame and stout suspension propelled by contained and exploited explosions meant to move heavy loads from one point to another, more quickly and for longer durations than any animal could achieve. It wasn’t until the 1950s that vehicles like the Ford Ranchero and Chevrolet El Camino asked us to consider whether a car could … be a truck. The entire notion was something of a technicality, what with nearly all vehicles of all types using body-on-frame construction, but it fundamentally questioned what a truck is, its purpose, how it should look, and for whom it should be largely intended.

The question arose again in the late 1970s with the birth of the minitruck. Vehicles like the Ford Courier and Chevrolet LUV asked us to consider how small a truck could be without losing the utility that made one, how small its engine could be, and what amount of brute capability was necessary to do the job.

In the 1980s, models like the Volkswagen Rabbit pickup, Dodge Rampage, and Jeep Comanche compelled us to consider whether pure body-on-frame construction was a defining characteristic of a truck, an immutable component of its entire purpose for existing.

In the early 2000s, Honda asked the question more directly: Can a truck be credibly derived from a unibody construction designed to underpin a car-based crossover

PHOTOGRAPHY: WILLIAM WALKER

R

10 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

SUV? Is all-wheel drive an acceptable substitute for a transfer case, locking hubs, and low-range gears? Do live axles make a truck a truck?

We face similar questions today, and they’re not only posed about one vehicle or one new class of truck. Offerings like the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz raise many of those past considerations simultaneously. The Ford asks you to evaluate how much truck you really need for your real-world requirements. The Hyundai asks what utility means to you. In other words, how large and how heavy of loads must a vehicle carry to be a truck?

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the new GMC Hummer EV and Rivian R1T pickups force you to consider whether utility is the be-all, end-all of truckiness. Whether metal springs riding on live axles is the best way to haul the load or conquer the relevant terrain. Whether the internal combustion engine is even necessary, much less the best way to do truck things.

Somewhere in the middle of the road, the Nissan Frontier and Ford Ranger force you to consider whether we’ve all gone off course and forgotten how blunt an instrument a truck used to be, and why. Is this really a genre in need of reinvention when the old ways still get the job done the same as ever?

At the heart of the matter: Is a truck defined by its ability to do traditional work? Is a cheap, stripped-out, work-grade trim level an absolute must? Are payload and towing capabilities the most important metrics to judge whether a truck is a true member of its species? Or are vehicles designed primarily for “lifestyle” appeal equally deserving of the “truck” classification?

As the automotive authority, it’s our job to find out; welcome to MotorTrend’s 2022 Truck of the Year competition. It kicks off on page 48. Q

How well does a truck need to perform manual labor to be considered a truck if it’s mostly used for commuting, hauling the family, and recreation?

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THE SWEET SPOT? 2023 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06

merica’s Sports Car is all grown up.

It turned up in 2020 in C8 Stingray form and took home the MotorTrend Car of the Year Calipers, and now comes a major upgrade. Meet the 2023 Z06, which arrives with more power, panache, sound, swagger, downforce, grip, luxury, and customization. It’s utterly free of turbos and electrification, and we’re told it’s the best-performing Corvette ever.

Swifter, more powerful models are on the horizon, but this fully analog one seems poised to remain our favorite. Here’s why.

A

and road engine that has powered a class win at the most recent Rolex 24 at Daytona and somehow conforms to all foreseeable emissions regulations. The resulting LT6 shares nothing but the historic 4.4-inch bore-center dimension with any prior Chevy small-block V-8, and it features a flat-plane crankshaft just like Ferrari, Ford, McLaren, and Lotus have used. Chevy’s is the largest flat-plane V-8 ever, displacing 5.5 liters.

It produces 670 horsepower at 8,400 rpm and 460 lb-ft at 6,300 rpm, making the LT6 also the most powerful naturally

POWERTRAIN In order to go toe to toe with Ferrari and Lamborghini, Chevy developed a racing

Scan this code with your phone’s camera to see our full up-close video walkaround of the 2023 Z06.

14 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

FIRST LOOK

aspirated production V-8 in history. Now that just about every other V-8 flatty employs exhaust-stifling turbochargers, the Z06’s LT6 sounds the best thanks in part to “reverse-megaphone” exhaust tips that reflect the noise back over the engine and into the cockpit. Bellissima.

CHASSIS MODS The standard Z06’s overall ride rate is roughly 35 percent stiffer than the Z51’s, with the track-focused Z07 package stiffening things up a further 8 percent.

Higher spring rates enable lower anti-roll

bar rates. All Z06s get specific Magnetic Selective Ride Control 4.0 damping, and the brakes feature larger rotors all around and six-piston front calipers. Carbon-ceramic brakes come with the Z07 and are optional on the base Z06.

The wheels are staggered 20-inch front and 21-inch rear pieces wearing Michelin Pilot Sport 4S ZP tires on the base car and Michelin Sport Cup 2 R ZP rubber on the Z07. Available carbon-fiber wheels shave 41 pounds of unsprung weight.

Chief engineer Tadge Juechter said the Z06 is easily the most capable Corvette his team has tested on GM’s various development circuits. The quickest C7 Corvettes relied heavily on tires, so after one or two great laps, the times fell off precipitously; the new Z06’s best lap time is only slightly better than the C7 ZR1’s, but its average is way higher. That speaks to the

car’s natural balance, which Juechter said makes the Z06 easy to drive hard.

KILLER DOWNFORCETO-DRAG RATIO All 2023 Z06s get a front splitter, side skirts, and a rear spoiler with a removable wickerbill that generates 365 pounds of rear downforce at 186 mph. Want more downforce? An optional aero package

(standard on the Z07) buys a more pronounced front splitter and dive planes, underbody aero fences that channel air from under the front of the car, plus a rear wing that generates 734 pounds of downforce at 186 mph. That’s more than any previous production Corvette, and it earns the best ratio of downforce to drag GM has measured.

There are unique front and rear fascias and widened fender flares all around, the front end redesign done to funnel air to a third central engine radiator and the brake cooling ducts. Frunk and trunk space remain unchanged despite packaging the new radiator and exhaust.

UPGRADED INTERIOR Inside, there are hand-wrapped leather packages and new color schemes, including Adrenaline Red Dipped, which extends the familiar seat color to the door panels, dash, headliner, and carpet. An extensive carbon package adds the weave to the center console, door panels, top and bottom of the steering wheel rim, and dash. An abbreviated carbon package is available, as is a stealth aluminum trim that darkens all the bright metalwork.

Quilted stitching on the door panels and the coupe’s headliner can be ordered, too.

CUSTOMIZATION “Our customers always want whatever we don’t offer,” Juechter noted, by way of explaining why the Z06 can be had in practically every conceivable

MOTORTREND I 2.22

FIRST RIDE: IT’S SOMETHING SPECIAL configuration: coupe or convertible in 1LZ, 2LZ, or 3LZ trim, and a catalog of color options worthy of Maserati, Ferrari, and Lamborghini. There are 12 exterior colors, six brake caliper colors, multiple stripe options, the aero packages, and myriad exterior accents. The cabin offers seven upholstery colors and six seat belt hues, plus three styles of seats and the aforementioned trim choices. The number of combinations ensures you can spec the Z06 to fit either track or grand touring missions.

THE BOTTOM LINE The Corvette team’s goal for the Z06 was to deliver all the spine-tingling verve of a Ferrari with the creature comforts Corvette buyers expect. On this first inspection, they seem to have nailed it.

16 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

F

errari sounds, Lambo acceleration, and Porsche responsiveness—is this America’s 911 GT3?

Of course, we didn’t just get up close and personal with the Z06 in a design studio—we went for a ride in development cars, one in standard trim and one fitted with the Z07 package. They represented roughly 99 percent of the final state of tune as the car marches toward production in the second quarter of 2022.

The development team was keenly aware of the respect the C8 Stingray has earned in the sports car community and knew it had to deliver a Z06 that inspired Lambo or Ferrari owners to snap one up simply because of how desirable and how great to drive it is, not merely because—ahem—MotorTrend got better numbers from the ’Vette.

We got a sense how this might happen just sitting in the new Z06 at idle, feeling the engine’s vibrations through the seats.

The vibration is intentional, tuned so the car buzzes with excitement. Besides, quelling the

vibes with balance shafts would rob horsepower, and isolating the engine with gooey mounts would dull throttle response.

A throttle blip sends the LT6 from idle to 8,600 rpm and back in a fraction of the time it would take the Stingray’s LT2 to hit 6,600 rpm, evincing this car’s racing bona fides. A taste of fullthrottle acceleration is reminiscent of a Ferrari 458 or Lamborghini Huracán, building with the linear, progressive rush that only a high-strung naturally aspirated engine can deliver.

And that sound! The melody will be familiar to anyone who’s experienced a non-turbo Ferrari V-8, but the Corvette’s lungs are so much deeper, and the Z06 delivers a total sensory experience that simply cannot be duplicated by cylinders shouting through turbine snails or by silent electromagnetic force fields.

The curves of Huron River Drive outside Ann Arbor, Michigan, would barely test the suspension or aero gear at twice our pace, but we can detect the gradual Jekyll to Hyde transition as the car is stepped from Tour through Sport and Track modes. The default Tour ride has

The Z06 has a new radiator and exhaust, but neither cuts into cargo space. It has the same 12.6 cubic feet as any other C8. a remarkable suppleness, and Sport mode damping results in tolerable ride quality, but Track mode feels too harsh for the street.

Programming the steering wheel’s “Z Mode” switch to deliver Tour mode damping with everything else amped up will be the hot setup for heaving roads.

The Z06 certainly feels more special than the already excellent Stingray, and it’s designed to deliver approachable performance that won’t frighten the faithful while also sealing the deal with buyers who know mid-engine supercars. Toward that end, its throttle mapping is more aggressive, and it responds to all control inputs in a quicker, more direct, and more linear fashion. The car is meant to engender a sense of oneness—the feeling we’ve long lauded Porsches for. Watch for a future 911 GT3/Z06 showdown to see how close Chevy came to hitting this lofty goal.

2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 BASE PRICE

$80,000-$87,500 (est)

LAYOUT

Front-engine, RWD, 2-pass, 2-door hatchback or convertible

ENGINE

5.5L/670-hp/460-lb-ft direct-injected, DOHC 32-valve V-8

TRANSMISSION

8-speed twin-clutch auto

CURB WEIGHT WHEELBASE

3,500 lb (est) 107.2 in

LXWXH

184.6-185.9 x 79.7 x 48.6 in

0-60 MPH

2.6 sec (mfr est) Not yet rated Second quarter 2022

EPA FUEL ECON ON SALE

When you hear the Z06’s engine start, you’ll notice it’s very loud then suddenly goes quiet—a result of the vacuum-controlled variable muffler.

SECRETS OF THE MOST POWERFUL NATURALLY ASPIRATED PRODUCTION V-8

N

ot only is the 2023 Z06’s LT6 engine the largest flat-plane-crankshaft V-8 in the world, but it’s also the world’s most powerful naturally aspirated production V-8.

Here’s how it was done.

Airflow Uber Alles Two huge 87mm throttle bodies feed a separate intake plenum for each cylinder bank of the Z06 engine.

Altogether it holds 11 liters of air—twice the cylinder displacement.

Resonance Supercharging In a flatplane-crankshaft V-8, the firing order always swaps from one bank to the other, lacking the syncopation cross-plane engines get from successive firing on a single bank (that’s what makes them burble). Here, valves connecting the intake plenums open in different combinations to vary pressure waves within or between the plenums; sometimes these waves reflect back down a runner while its intake valve is open to help cram in extra air.

This is called resonance supercharging, and it exacts no horsepower penalty on the engine.

Ultralight Rotating Mass A major key to the LT6’s high-revving nature is its oversquare bore and stroke (104.3/80.0mm), which greatly reduces peak piston speed at high rpm. Short-skirt lightweight forged aluminum pistons, forged titanium connecting rods, and an aluminum harmonic balancer all help minimize rotational inertia.

Free-Flowing Center-Exit Exhaust The exhaust exits through equal-length header pipes then flows through a completely new exhaust system. The challenge with a flat-plane-crankshaft exhaust system is that the exhaust signature is like that of two four-cylinder engines. This can sound rather blatty, and the Corvette team discovered the best sound and performance came from locating the mufflers in the corners of the car

and letting the pipes exit in the center, and they incorporate “reverse megaphones” to channel the sound back toward the cabin.

The Corvette team really hopes you like the exhaust sound because it was expensive.

When the pandemic shut things down, spending also stopped. But the computers kept iterating exhaust system designs, resulting in the center-exit solution. Tearing up the rear fascia design to accommodate the centrally mounted reverse-megaphone exhaust tips cost “millions.” Worth it!

Six-Bay Oil Scavenging The trick to making a high-strung and complex engine like the LT6 survive long track sessions is a sophisticated oiling system. Here again, the LT6 borrows heavily from racing, with each piston pair hermetically sealed from every other so the air beneath the pistons simply moves laterally back and forth with minimal pumping losses. A six-bay oil pump that runs the length of the engine scavenges each of these bays plus each cylinder head and takes 14 hp to run. The car calls for 10 quarts of 5W50, and with the large oil cooler in the left rear air intake, track-day oil temps should reliably hover around 250–265 degrees.

MOTORTREND I 2.22

Intake 2022 Honda Civic Sport Touring Hatchback

FIRST TEST

D

amn you, Honda. How dare you make the 2022 Honda Civic hatchback so enjoyable to drive with a manual transmission? We all know the clutch pedal is an endangered species, and the looming electrification of our cars is sure to seal its doom. What do you do in response? You make a stick-shift Civic that’s the best we’ve driven in years.

We realize this is a bit of a frog-andscorpion situation (and yes, you’re the scorpion—sorry, Fiat). Good manual transmissions are in your blood. Some of the finest stick-shifts we’ve driven have been in Honda cars, but it’s not like you don’t know how to screw them up.

Remember the fourth-generation Accord?

Now that was a lousy manual transmission. The kind thing would have been to give us another turkey like that so we

18 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

wouldn’t miss our clutch and gear levers so much when they finally disappear.

So, no, you didn’t have to give us a manual this good. Yet you did. The clutch is progressive, lightly sprung, and easy to modulate, even if we’d like a bit more feedback at the engagement point. You also gave it a good shifter—not your best, as the throws are ever so stiff and notchy, but its positioning and precise throw lengths are nigh on perfect.

We drive fewer and fewer manual cars each year, but we still remember there are some that take a while to master. Not the Civic: Fifteen minutes behind the wheel, and we were zinging through rev-matched downshifts that were as smooth as any twin-clutch automatic’s.

And could you possibly have paired this magnificent little gearbox with a better engine? We know from the previous Civic how well your 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four pairs with a stick, and this drive reminded us that love is indeed better the second time around.

Were you not a company brimming with heartless cruelty, you could have eased the process of saying goodbye. We know plenty of small-displacement turbocharged engines that don’t mix well with manuals, miring their drivers in turbo lag if they close the clutch too early. But no: Your 1.5-liter gem hits its 177-lb-ft torque

peak at 1,700 rpm. The driver can let the clutch in at idle, nail the throttle, and still barely experience any turbo lag—the little engine just gets up and goes. The power falls off at high rpms, but the flexibility throughout most of the rev range was so good, we almost peeked under the hood to make sure you didn’t sneak in a largerdisplacement naturally aspirated mill.

Your Civic even does its best to negate many of the arguments against manual transmissions, particularly being outperformed by modern-day automatics. In our performance testing, the stick-shift Civic Sport Touring hatch zipped to 60 in a respectable 7.7 seconds—identical to a CVT-equipped Civic hatchback we tested in an otherwise identical configuration. (A 2022 Civic Sport Touring sedan we tested with the CVT did the deed in 7.4 seconds.)

Honda’s 1.5-liter turbocharged I-4 pairs beautifully with a manual transmission.

We got that number with the CVT hatch with the transmission in automatic mode; using the paddle shifters slowed its acceleration, adding fuel to the argument that fake shifting is nowhere near as good as the real thing.

Braking was slightly better in the manual car (114 feet versus 117 for the automatic), but the stick wasn’t quite as grippy (0.86 g lateral acceleration and 26.9 seconds at 0.64 g in the figure eight; the automatic car had numbers of 0.89 g and 26.8 seconds at 0.65 g). Both manual and automatic Civics had the same tires, the only noticeable differences being weight— the manual car is slightly lighter—and weight distribution, which stands at 59/41 for the manual and 60/40 for the CVT. Fuel economy between the manual and automatic cars is neck and neck, according to the EPA—both return 37 mpg on the highway, which we achieved with ease in our real-world drives. City (28) and combined (31) figures for the manual car are just 2 mpg below those of the CVT-equipped version.

In other words, the advantages of the automatic are negligible. What wasn’t negligible was how the whole driving experience came together. We already know the 2022 Civic Touring, in either sedan or hatch form, has a strong 1.5-liter turbo engine option, along with good brakes, a competent suspension setup, and communicative steering. The manual elevates the entire package and turns every journey into an utter delight. At least one of our editors opined that the manual car is the best new Honda Civic he’s driven in a decade and a half. After years of trying to get the Civic’s mojo back, Honda, you’ve finally succeeded.

2022 Honda Civic Sport Touring BASE PRICE

$30,415

PRICE AS TESTED

$30,810

VEHICLE LAYOUT

Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door hatchback

ENGINE

1.5L turbo directinjected DOHC 16-valve I-4

POWER (SAE NET)

180 hp @ 6,000 rpm 177 lb-ft @ 1,700 rpm

TORQUE (SAE NET) TRANSMISSION

6-speed manual

CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST)

2,997 lb (59/41%) 107.7 in 179.0 x 70.9 x 55.7 in 7.7 sec 15.7 sec @ 88.9 mph

WHEELBASE LXWXH 0-60 MPH QUARTER MILE

LATERAL ACCELERATION

114 ft 0.86 g (avg)

MT FIGURE EIGHT

26.9 sec @ 0.64 g (avg)

EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON

28/37/31 mpg

ON SALE

Now

BRAKING, 60-0 MPH

We could tell you how much we enjoy the sensible control layout, high-quality materials, good back seat and cargo space, and lasts-for-eons build quality, but why swell your corporate heads any larger?

Sure, you can spout us a line of baloney about creating an affordable, economic car for people who love to drive, but you’ve really reminded us of how bleak the world is going to be when new cars with manual transmissions finally disappear from this great green Earth.

Oh, Honda—must you be so cruel only to be kind? Aaron Gold

In the new Civic, more pedals translates to even more grins.

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 19

MOTORTREND I 2.22

Intake 2022 Honda Civic Si HPT FIRST TEST

Still a true driver’s car despite the numbers.

R

aw performance has never been the Honda Civic Si’s mission or its strength, and this new generation’s numbers go backward. The good news is it’s much better to drive than the already great previous generation.

The 2022 Civic Si is 1.2 inches longer overall than before, but our scales say it weighs 8 pounds less than our long-term 2020 Civic Si sedan. Even better, the weight balance improves slightly from 61 percent front bias to 59 percent. The 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four now makes 200 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque, down 5 hp. Those ponies were sacrificed to a good cause, though, because the new tune brings the torque sooner and holds peak power longer. The previous sogginess at less than 3,000 rpm is gone, and power no longer dies at the top end.

We recorded the best acceleration result feathering the clutch from 3,700 rpm and short-shifting just a bit. The resultant 7.1-second 0–60 run is 0.3 second behind the 2020 Si. The 15.3-second quarter mile at 92.8 mph is 0.2 second behind and 1.1

mph slower. The new Si also needs longer to stop from 60 mph, 110 feet versus 106.

(Both cars wear the same 235/40R18 Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 rubber at all four corners.) What’s more, this time Honda fit the Si with larger rotors than a standard Civic (not the case for the old car), but more swept area doesn’t necessarily translate to greater stopping power.

It’s the same story in our handling tests.

The old car pulled 0.95 g average on the skidpad, but the new one only manages 0.93. Worse, the previous car laid down a 25.7-second lap of our figure-eight test at 0.69 g average, while this version only mustered 26.3 seconds at 0.67 g.

The slower acceleration and longer braking did the new Si no favors in the figure eight, and likely some combination of suspension settings and the change from two-mode dampers to fixed units had some effect. Honda says it received mixed response to the old car’s damping, but we suspect cost played a role in the change to fixed shocks. They are quite good for handling, but so were the two-mode

units, which also rode better in their soft setting.

Another issue is the stability control, which is never fully off and doesn’t give full power until the steering wheel is completely straight.

However, we aren’t upset about the numbers after spending time behind the wheel, because the Si is more fun and rewarding than before. The engine’s tractability and the breadth of its powerband make the car better to wheel in all situations. The Si also feels more stable at high speeds and more confident in corners.

Honda’s brilliant shifter, second only to that of a Porsche, is now even better with a stiffer mounting bracket and heavier knob that help it slot more satisfyingly into gear. In fact, every control feels sharp and responsive. The steering is light and precise with solid feedback, and the car turns in confidently with only a smidge of understeer if you try to carry too much speed. The limited-slip differential puts power down well, allowing you to get on the throttle early. Stability control frustration was nowhere to be found on the road.

One last bit of advice: This is a momentum car, so braking as little as possible is the way to go. This is especially important because the brakes need more cooling and will fade on a good back road, never mind a racetrack. Scott Evans 2022 Honda Civic Si BASE PRICE

$28,515

PRICE AS TESTED

$28,515

VEHICLE LAYOUT

Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan

ENGINE

1.5L turbo directinjected DOHC 16-valve I-4

POWER (SAE NET)

200 hp @ 6,000 rpm 192 lb-ft @ 1,800 rpm

TORQUE (SAE NET) TRANSMISSION

6-speed manual

CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST)

2,981 lb (59/41%) 107.7 in 184.0 x 70.9 x 55.5 in

WHEELBASE LXWXH 0-60 MPH QUARTER MILE BRAKING, 60-0 MPH LATERAL ACCELERATION

20 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

7.1 sec 15.3 sec @ 92.8 mph 110 ft 0.93 g (avg)

MT FIGURE EIGHT

26.3 sec @ 0.67 g (avg)

EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON

27/37/31 mpg

ON SALE

Now

Take adventure to new depths.

The all-new 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness.

Go further into the wild places with our most capable Forester yet. Standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive is matched with 9.2 inches of ground clearance and advanced dual-function X-MODE. You won’t find that on the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk or Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road.* Discover adventure on a deeper level.

Forester Wilderness. Well-equipped at $32,820.†

Subaru, Forester, Wilderness, and X-MODE are registered trademarks. *Based on competitor information from manufacturer websites as of October 2021. †MSRP excludes destination and delivery charges, tax, title, and registration fees. Retailer sets actual price. Certain equipment may be required in specific states, which can modify your MSRP. See your retailer for details.

MOTORTREND I 2.22

Intake 2022 Mazda MX-30 EV FIRST DRIVE

100-mile range makes this one a tough sell.

W

e like the 2022 Mazda MX-30 EV, and we think you will, too— but it comes with asterisks. One notable caveat is that only 560 examples of the electric car came to the U.S. in 2021, all of which were offered exclusively in the electric Elysium that is California. Not a resident of the Golden State? There’s an MX-30 out there for you yet, just be patient.

Mazda’s first production foray into the blossoming EV space carries a range of just 100 miles, so plug in often. Mazda bills this as a “commuter” car aimed at drivers who only cover 30 miles a day. Still, 100 miles in a car that begins at $34,645 is a tough sell when similarly priced competitors like the Chevy Bolt EUV and Hyundai Kona Electric offer more than double that distance.

The MX-30 doesn’t blow minds with charge speed, either; its 35.5-kWh battery pack charges from 5 to 80 percent in 36 minutes on a Level 3 50-kW fast charger.

For Level 2, bring a book; the same charge

range takes just shy of three hours. Those stats were all right for 2015, not for 2021.

Everything else is chic and cheerful in typical Mazda fashion, particularly the tidy styling and excellent footwork while on the move. The MX-30 takes many of its structural bones from the CX-30, so the general swept-back origami-edged proportions are familiar. More so than any crossover “coupe,” the MX-30 nails the not-a-two-door two-door look with the return of reverse-opening “Freestyle” doors last seen on the bygone RX-8.

For now, the 143-hp/200-lb-ft front motor is all you get for propulsion.

Frustratingly, Mazda sells the MX-30 in its Japanese home market with a mild hybrid 2.0-liter drivetrain, a setup we wish we could sample here in Burgerland.

It really is a shame, as the Mazda MX-30 EV’s aesthetics are wonderful.

The interior continues the apparent Japanese-Scandinavian mashup, interspersing recognizable Mazda structure and presentation with sustainable materials like reclaimed fabric and trim spun from recycled plastic bottles. There’s a healthy amount of cork trim on the floating center console and door grips, too. In our loaded Premium Plus example, niceties like a Bose sound system and heated steering wheel impressed, as did a suite of driver assist systems, including active blind-spot assist and front crosstraffic alert, two firsts for Mazda.

The MX-30 steers, stops, and slaloms with poise uncharacteristic of its designated segment. Combine these characteristics with well-weighted steering, excellent brake feel, and an impeccably damped suspension, and the result is one of the sharpest-handling electric crossovers we’ve driven. But it sure isn’t quick. Its 200 lb-ft is a reasonably healthy figure, but it drops off quickly, and the 143 hp isn’t quite in shape to pick up where the initial surge trails off. Expect to lean heavily on the go pedal in daily traffic— especially on the freeway—potentially draining the battery even more quickly.

The Mazda MX-30 is seriously stylish for something not wearing a luxury badge, but its 2022 aesthetics can’t outrun its tiny range. It might be best to wait for the plug-in hybrid variant. Conner Golden 2022 Mazda MX-30 BASE PRICE

$34,645

LAYOUT

Front-motor, FWD, 5-pass, 2+2-door SUV

MOTOR

143-hp/200-lb-ft permanent-magnet electric

TRANSMISSION

WHEELBASE

1-speed auto 3,800 lb (mfr) 104.5 in

LXWXH

173.0 x 70.7 x 61.8 in

0-60 MPH

8.5 sec (MT est) Not yet rated Now (California only)

CURB WEIGHT

EPA FUEL ECON ON SALE

22 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

MOTORTREND I 2.22

Intake 2022 BMW i4 M50 FIRST DRIVE

The ultimate electric driving machine?

B

MW was long known as the maker of great-driving sedans. Whether that’s always true ain’t the point; the reputation didn’t come out of the blue. The original 2002, the E30 through E90 3 Series, and so on—the “ultimate driving machine” schtick made sense. But what about an electric BMW sedan? The i4, essentially an EV version of BMW’s 4 Series Gran Coupe, aims to carry that reputation into the battery-powered age.

The i4 lineup encompasses two cars.

The single-motor eDrive40 serves up 335 hp, 319 lb-ft, and an estimated range of 300 miles. The M50 reviewed here sports two motors, 536 hp, 586 lb-ft, and 275 miles of range. It’s also the first electric BMW tuned by the vaunted M Division.

The i4’s battery pack holds 84 kWh of energy (82 of which is usable), on par with the largest one available in a Tesla Model 3. The company is picking and choosing the sources for the cobalt in its lithium-ion cells. Cobalt mostly comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and

odds are your digital devices contain cobalt mined by child labor. The i4 M50 supposedly, hopefully, doesn’t contain any such cobalt, and we applaud the effort.

Visually, the i4 M50’s clearest differentiator from the 4 Series Gran Coupe with which it shares a platform is the blacked-out grille surround. Of course, the i4’s kidney grilles aren’t grilles at all, but rather panels hiding various sensors. The EV has a power-bulge hood that resembles the muscular schnoz of the current M3/ M4. Inside is mostly standard BMW, save the massive, curved infotainment screen.

It’s the same size as the one in the much larger iX SUV, and it’s almost too big here.

On the move, the i4 M50 feels planted and sporty. It makes no effort to hide its weight, which is more than two tons, but its heft has the effect of smoothing out the ride compared to, say, an M440i. BMW claims 0–60 mph in 3.9 seconds, but it’s likely quicker. The steering feels overboosted, but it has on-center confidence, especially at high speeds. There isn’t much wind or tire noise, and driving around in Comfort or Eco Pro modes, the i4 M50 mostly feels like a normal BMW, just a very quiet one. It’s a pleasant experience.

Switch to Sport and begin driving like an outlaw, and things get sort of mixed.

This sucker is quick—it earns its M badge in terms of straight-line speed. But bend it into a corner at the limit, and this AWD car, which is RWD most of the time, produces a whiff of understeer as you pop off the brakes and crack the steering wheel. Somewhat counterintuitively, applying throttle quickly will then engage the front motor and yank the car toward the apex. It’s odd, though most buyers won’t notice this limit behavior. Back off a bit, and the i4 M50 is perfectly sporty enough for most people most of the time.

Because of its stellar ride quality, we’d take the i4 M50 over the M440i and, truth be told, even the standard, non-Competition M3. (The M3 Competition, however, simply delivers driving thrills on another plane from this electrified M-tuned machine.) And the i4 M50 has the technology, performance, handling, and luxury goods to go toe to toe with king Tesla, specifically the Model 3 Performance. A proper comparison will be necessary, of course, to determine if BMW has indeed created the ultimate electric driving machine. Jonny Lieberman 2022 BMW i4 M50 BASE PRICE LAYOUT

MOTORS

255-hp/317-lb-ft front and 308-hp/269-lb-ft rear permanent-magnet electric, 536 hp/586 lb-ft (comb)

TRANSMISSION

1-speed auto 4,300 lb (est) 112.4 in

CURB WEIGHT WHEELBASE LXWXH

188.5 x 72.9 x 57.0 in

0-60 MPH

3.9 sec (mfr est) Not yet rated March 2022

EPA FUEL ECON

24 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

$66,895 Front- and rear-motor, AWD, 4-pass, 4-door hatchback

ON SALE

TO START YOUR FREE TRIAL GO TO: MOTORTREND.COM/KHMCCSHOW

MOTORTREND I 2.22

Intake 2022 Ferrari 812 Competizione FIRST DRIVE

After seat time in the 812 Competizione, we can unequivocally declare it’s anything but retrograde.

S

tate-of-the-art exotic cars situate their engines behind the driver and feature all-wheel drive, forced induction, and electrification, right? Sure, mostly. But none of that describes the Ferrari 812 Competizione, yet there’s no doubt it’s a very modern piece of art.

The Competizione elevates the 812 Superfast, a fairly large two-door GT car with a front-mounted V-12 engine, from a theatrical and, yes, superfast piece of sculpture to a maximal expression of what a front-engine, rear-drive Ferrari is capable of, using aerodynamics, software, and more power. It’s a triumphant

26 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

send-off for Ferrari’s V-12, at least in this form; it’s among the last naturally aspirated, non-hybrid V-12s the Italian automaker will ever sell.

Versus the Superfast’s V-12, this engine features revised internals (titanium connecting rods, lighter pistons and crankshaft), revised breathing, another 500 rpm before redline (now 9,500), 819 hp (30 more), and 510 lb-ft of torque (20 fewer). It’s the most powerful unassisted road engine Ferrari has ever sold—and this isn’t even its most powerful iteration.

Repeatedly winding it out until the upshift warning lights flashed left our ears

ringing in the best way possible—even through a racing helmet. The engine revs so quickly, it’s tough to pay attention to anything but those shift lights when accelerating hard from a stop. Ferrari claims the Competizione reaches 62 mph in 2.8 seconds; the heavier and less powerful Superfast nailed that time in our 0–60 testing.

The Competizione’s aero game is strong.

The rear window is replaced by a solid aluminum panel peppered with carbonfiber vortex generators that direct airflow coming over the roof to the full width of the widened rear spoiler. (A rear-facing camera mounted to a shark fin delivers video to a digital rearview mirror.)

A deeper and newly full-width diffuser delivers more rear downforce and necessitated ditching the Superfast’s underbody brake-cooling ducts. As a result, the Competizione adopts the SF90’s brake calipers with built-in air scoops. There are additional vents, winglets, and more all over the body, including an embedded wing forward of the windshield and a trio of vents behind each rear wheel to help air exit the wells.

Racy as this all seems, the Competizione is not set up for actual, um, competizione.

But the name sure sounds cool, and the car is unabashedly aimed toward track use, even if its cabin and ride quality remain

The V-12 goes on showcase in a technical powerhouse of a GT car.

entirely streetable. That said, in the drive experience, immediacy reigns. Breathe on any of the primary controls, and the Ferrari scrambles to translate your movement into action; the V-12 spins up lightning-quick, the brakes react forcefully, and the steering twitches with every degree of lock you put in.

Partly, the Competizione steers with such ferocity because of its available Michelin Cup 2 R tires—the only setup we sampled—and 15 percent firmer front springs and 10 percent stiffer rears.

(Identically sized, less aggressive Pirelli P Zero Corsas are standard, and the anti-roll bars are the same as the 812’s.)

But mostly the Competizione changes direction like a scared cat thanks to its rear-wheel steering, which is quite literally unhinged from the lesser model’s setup.

Here Ferrari lets the rear-wheel actuators operate independently, rather than in phase like the front wheels, a spookysounding trick that unlocks numerous advantages. With each rear wheel free to aim as it pleases (maximum toe change in either direction remains 1.5 degrees, as on the Superfast), each side can alter the toe angle for enhanced stability under hard braking. Ferrari can also turn the outside rear tire ever so slightly to preload the contact patch, essentially forcing the tire to take a set sooner, priming the rear axle to respond more immediately to steering inputs at the front.

By getting the outside rear tire into the load position (deflection) it usually would reach after the front axle responds to a steering input, Ferrari shortens wait time for the rear wheels to “follow” the fronts as you turn into a corner. In lowerspeed bends, the inside rear wheel can turn against the fronts, too, delivering supernatural turn-in—especially given how large the 812 is.

You expect to turn the steering wheel, feel the front tires grip, then wait for the back end to swing around and hope you didn’t overcook things. Instead, all four of the Competizione’s tires leap into corners together while the rear stays uncommonly stable. The computers work out further alterations to each rear wheel’s direction as the corner unfolds and depending on which drive mode or stability control setting you’re in.

The system is so transparent, you won’t know it’s working. You won’t even be working all that hard. Ferrari says the Competizione was tuned to be “easy to drive” fast, an unexpected boast for such a hardcore vehicle. After some two

dozen laps of Fiorano, we agree. For all its feral madness and dizzying capability, the 819-hp, rear-drive, six-figure Competizione is genuinely approachable.

Comfortable, even.

Of course, to drive the Competizione the way it deserves to be, you’ll still need to concentrate. Exploring its cornering limits is one thing. Doing so while trying to keep up with the V-12’s endless zings toward redline using the carbon-fiber shift paddles while processing the epic noise and the rapidly blurring scenery? Those are quite a few other things.

And here’s one more: You might wonder why we bothered to review a Ferrari whose 812-unit production run is sold out, based on a quick drive on a foreign racetrack you might never visit. It’s because the 812 Competizione is too intoxicating to not share, but more important, because it’s a rolling preview of clever advancements that in all likelihood will make their way into other Ferraris someday—including those that are electrified, mid-engine, and all-wheel drive. And won’t those be something? Alexander Stoklosa

2022 Ferrari 812 Competizione BASE PRICE

$601,570

LAYOUT

Front-engine, RWD, 2-pass, 2-door coupe

ENGINE

6.5L/819-hp/510-lb-ft DOHC 48-valve V-12

TRANSMISSION

7-speed twin-clutch auto

CURB WEIGHT WHEELBASE

3,400 lb (est) 107.1 in

LXWXH

184.9 x 77.6 x 50.2 in

0-60 MPH

2.7 sec (MT est) 12/16/14 mpg

EPA FUEL ECON, CITY/HWY/COMB ON SALE

Now

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 27

MOTORTREND I 2.22

Intake 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT FIRST DRIVE

Can an EV channel the Mustang GT spirit?

W

hen Ford unveiled the Mach-E, an all-electric SUV with the Mustang name, Mustang-like styling, and none of the Mustang’s V-8 noises, it opened Pandora’s corral. Some loved the execution—a whopping 70 percent of first-year Mach-E buyers are new to the Ford brand—but traditionalists all but wrote off the EV as a marketing stunt, whinnying about an affront to the pony car’s lineage. Can the new Mach-E GT, the electrified equivalent of the gas Mustang GT, get them on board?

The range-topping GT trades a singlemotor, rear-drive setup and smaller 70-kWh battery for all-wheel drive and a larger 91-kWh pack; the GT also uses the larger rear unit from other AWD Mach-Es as its front motor. Output is a substantial 480 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque, placing it atop the Mach-E hierarchy by 134 ponies and 172 lb-ft; that also beats a gas-powered GT’s 5.0-liter V-8 by 20 hp and 180 lb-ft.

Other GT upgrades include 20-inch wheels with wider, performance-oriented all-season tires; larger brakes; a firmer suspension; and front sport seats. Oh, and a “GT” badge gleaming from the center of the liftgate. The $5,000 Performance Edition upgrade loses 10 miles of range but adds spicier-looking wheels, 34 more lb-ft of torque, Pirelli P Zero summer rubber, Brembo six-piston front calipers, and MagneRide adaptive dampers.

While the Mach-E GT won’t keep up with the quickest Teslas, it’ll pace a 760-hp Mustang Shelby GT500: Ford estimates the regular GT at 3.8 seconds to 60 and the Performance at 3.5. Both are wicked-quick from behind the wheel, but perhaps even more impressive is how characterful and athletic they are when chucked through corners.

The GT engages in a lively back and forth with the driver, its chassis balance allowing for a surprising amount of

tail-out shenanigans. Any slight understeer is quickly dispatched by tapping the instant torque. Ford also baked in a track-oriented mode that seeks consistent performance for longer periods of time by leveraging the battery pack’s liquid cooling (and heating) circuit to maintain ideal temperature.

When you’re not letting your mane hang out, the Mach-E’s basic packaging is excellent, with plenty of room inside and a decently sized cargo area accessed via a power liftgate. The GT is a quiet cruiser, and it rides comfortably, too, though the Performance package’s adaptive dampers do a better job controlling body motions.

Speaking of cruising, Ford’s BlueCruise driver assist feature is available via a $1,900 safety package. On pre-mapped freeways and in the right conditions, BlueCruise allows total hands-free use, provided the driver’s eyes are on the road.

We found the system worked well, though it wasn’t always clear when BlueCruise handed off to the lesser lane keep system.

But this is an EV you really should drive yourself—it’s that enjoyable. At $61,095 to start, the Mach-E GT falls on the lower end of the performance electric SUV spectrum; add the Performance Edition, something Ford expects a majority of customers to do, and you’re still sitting pretty against top-end conventional Mustangs such as the Mach 1 and GT500—only with usable rear seats, more space, and no need to buy gas.

Is the Mach-E GT worthy of its name?

Debatable, but it’s certainly a compelling remastering of the GT legend.

Alexander Stoklosa

2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT BASE PRICE

$61,095–$66,095

LAYOUT

Front- and rear-motor, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV

MOTORS

480-hp/600–634-lb-ft comb, permanent-magnet electric

TRANSMISSION

1-speed auto 5,000 lb (mfr) 117.5 in

CURB WEIGHT WHEELBASE

28 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

LXWXH

186.7 x 74.1 x 63.5 in

0-60 MPH EPA FUEL ECON

3.5-3.8 sec (mfr est) 88–90/75–77/ 82–84 mpg-e

ON SALE

Now

INTAKE I 2.22

REAR VIEW From the MT Archive ...

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With Car of the Year now split into domestic and import categories, the Cadillac Seville Touring Sedan took the honors among its fellow Americans, largely because of its handling, as this was a year before GM endowed the Seville with the marvelously modern Northstar 32-valve V-8.

The Ford F-150 was our 2012 Truck of the Year—no surprise there. Meanwhile, we managed to smoke out our test track with Dodge’s bright-yellow Charger SRT8 Super Bee, which ripped to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, and we got our first taste of Fiat’s mischievous 500 Abarth.

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Technologue Structural battery composite promises “massless” energy storage. ’ve covered various technologies that promise to lower the mass and/or increase the energy density of electric vehicle batteries, so my interest was keenly piqued when I recently learned of research out of Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, on a concept for “massless” energy storage.

Sounds even lighter than lithium air!

The first thing to know about the “structural battery” is that it is not actually weightless. Rather, as the name implies, it can be used to replace various mono-tasking structural panels in use today with structures that can also store energy. They’re part of a new class of multifunctional composites called structural power composites, capable of storing electrical energy in a capacitor or battery.

Airbus aims to launch an all-electric 100-passenger regional aircraft by 2050, but replacing the 60 pounds of jet fuel per passenger with batteries would require almost 37 times as much weight. Such a plane could never get off the ground, but what if it featured a slightly thicker structural battery composite (SBC) fuselage that also functioned as its energy storage? Or what if those 100 seat frames on board were made of SBC? Raw, uncoated carbon-fiber strands are great electrical conductors, and because they typically include tiny voids that can easily accept lithium ions, they function well as a battery’s negative electrode. The carbon fibers do grow slightly during lithiation, however, so that expansion must be factored into any design.

Employing electrophoretic deposition to apply a lithium-iron-phosphate/grapheneoxide coating onto carbon-fiber filaments allows them to serve as a structural cathode.

Voilà! Now all that’s needed is an electrolyte that can also function as a structural resin, and the Swedish gang has identified a polymer electrolyte with a cross-linking monomer that enhances the material’s structural rigidity while still conducting lithium ions.

In the current research state, Chalmers’ structural battery stores about 24 watt-hours per kilogram, but the team expects to hit 75 Wh/kg by 2023—still about a third the density of the best lithium-ion cells. That lower energy density means the SBC materials are less likely to experience thermal runaway, but there remains a concern that they could give off toxic fumes if they catch fire.

The strongest carbon fibers don’t store energy well, so today the SBC version of the material has about one-third the static tensile and compressive strength of an aluminum panel of equivalent thickness. But by next year, the team expects its SBC to reach structural parity with aluminum while equaling the yield strength of steel. Chalmers professor Leif Asp says that although SBC material can be curved and shaped like other composite materials, sharp bends increase the risk of short-circuiting the cell.

I

30 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

Carbon-Fiber-Composite Car

LiFePO4 in DMF

PDDA in H2O

Electrostatic Self-Assembly

EGO + CB in DMF

Distributed Structural Batteries

+ -

Electrophoretic Deposition

Carbon Fiber

A paper published by Chalmers researchers looked at the effects of removing the battery packs and incorporating structural battery composite materials into a Tesla Model S (with an 85-kWh battery) and a BMW i3. By replacing roughly 70 percent of the interior and exterior panels and 60 percent of the body structure with SBC, the mass of these cars drops by 26 and 19 percent, respectively, while the predicted New European Driving Cycle–rated range drops by 36 and 17 percent. But doubling the thickness and mass of these SBC panels brings both cars back to mass parity while boosting range by 20 percent in the Tesla and 70 percent in the BMW (not to mention adding foot room by eliminating the space-hogging battery packs).

Replacing a worn-out structural battery might sound more difficult than unbolting a battery box and swapping out cells, but then modern EV batteries seem to be lasting the life of the car anyway. Nevertheless, structural battery usage might best be restricted to easily replaceable items like seat frames, door panels, and perhaps the hood, roof, and floor panels, rather than integral structures like pillars and crash rails.

How soon might we see structural batteries enter production? Chalmers University’s Asp reckons SBC could arrive in laptops, phones, and toys within two years, with aerial drones following in 10 years and EV traction batteries sometime after that. Additional R&D is required to prove the long-term durability and capability of the SBC, not to mention issues related to scaling for manufacture, managing power and connectivity, and recycling.

Predicting the cost relative to today’s battery and body structure costs is also difficult because of unknowns such as the price of solid-state batteries and other potential future battery chemistries that may lend themselves to structural battery integration.

We are rooting for structural battery composites and similar two-birds/one-stone tech that helps democratize electrification. Q

LiFePO4 in DMF is lithium-ironphosphate in dimethylformamide. PDDA in H2O is poly diallyldimethylammonium chloride in water. EGO and CB in DMF is electrochemically exfoliated graphene oxide in dimethylformamide.

What’s it all mean?

That structural elements could store power in the EVs of the future.

Your Say...

What’s an SUV, Anyway?

Regarding your SUV of the Year issue (December 2021), I’m having issues of my own, starting with, “What’s an SUV?” It was not defined. That, in and of itself, is the issue. Pitting the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo against the Jeep Wrangler is nuts. Secondly, what's the cutoff between an SUV and a crossover? Several contenders, such as the Lexus NX and the Mustang Mach-E, for example, seem to fit the crossover definition. The Bronco, Jeeps, and Land Rover are in a class by themselves and should not be evaluated against any of the others. I do appreciate the task of evaluating so many vehicles, let alone against each other, but your job would be easier and make more sense if you narrowed the field to vehicles fitting within better defined silos.

On another front, the article on the Lucid was terrific. I agree with the comment that seeing one in person is stunning; it’s simply the most beautiful car I’ve ever seen, bar none.

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As we spell out every year: To be eligible for an Of The Year award, a vehicle must be all-new or significantly updated for the next model year, be on sale by January 1 of the following year, start at less than $150,000, and be available in all 50 states. If you’d like to see where the CR-V and others rank, we highly recommend checking out our full rankings at MotorTrend.com/cars.—Ed.

Sticker Shock I read your extensive article (cannot remember one so extensive about a new car) about the new Lucid Air, and the banner that Tesla should be worried. I see numerous Teslas around and was interested in the Lucid—until I saw the base price of $170,500!

I am not destitute and am not in an impoverished area, and I see some huge pickups that command prices I find insane.

But I do not expect to see a car with a base price of $170,500! Teslas start at about $45,000, within the middle class’ grasp. I think for you to have devoted eight pages to the Lucid is the same as describing something made of unicorn horn.

Don Hagen Felton, Delaware

That Lucid was a loaded Air Dream Edition.

More affordable Airs, starting at $77,400, will go on sale next year. For reference, the cheapest Tesla Model S (the Air’s direct competitor) starts at $96,120. Lucid says even cheaper cars will follow.—Ed.

Tom Bromley Elk Grove, California

First, at SUVOTY, entrants compete against our criteria, not each other. Rather than try to regulate vehicle classification ourselves, we’ve opted to let manufacturers decide (hence the Taycan Cross Turismo’s appearance at OTY events). If an automaker wants to submit a lifted hatchback masquerading as a crossover to our testing and criteria, that’s on them; our program is designed to identify vehicles that perform the way consumers expect an SUV to. As for SUV versus crossover, the former term is interchangeable with the latter as far as we’re concerned; after all, unibody and body-on-frame cars are just that: cars.—Ed.

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After reading your analysis of the SUV of the Year, I am perplexed at the choice of some of your contenders and some other SUVs that didn’t make your list. Reliability apparently wasn’t even considered. The Jeep, Volkswagen, and Mitsubishi brands have, in the last few years, appeared at the bottom of most comparison lists. Where are the Toyota and Honda SUVs? Should you be comparing $30,000 vehicles with $100,000 ones? They are in different classes. It’s a head-scratcher to me.

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FEATURE

THE 2022 MOTORTREND POWER LIST WORDS ALISA PRIDDLE

wo crises plagued the automotive sector in 2021: a second year of grappling with a global pandemic, as well as a semiconductor chip shortage that halted production, delayed launches, and hampered inventories. But productive people dig in during tough times. They become more resilient, and they find new and creative ways to get things done.

Virtually every company in the past year announced plans to invest even more aggressively in electric vehicles, while work on autonomous technology continued apace. And we’re not talking about crazy pods no one wants. It was the year of meeting an electric GMC Hummer pickup that can crabwalk, seeing an electric Ford F-150 materialize, and pondering Jeep Wranglers off-roading silently while EV newcomers such as Rivian and Lucid made the world take notice of their debut vehicles. No, auto shows as we knew them have not quite returned, though there were a few scaled-down efforts. We watched most of the year’s big reveals on tiny screens as people continued to work from home.

The year wound down with not enough inventory to meet growing demand for new wheels, but this industry has always been forged by challenges. So we honor 50 people named to our 2022 Power List who played key roles during another trying and transitional period— and sitting at No. 1 is the 16th MotorTrend Person of the Year.

T

32 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

Kristen Tabar

50

Group Vice President, Vehicle Development and Engineering, Toyota Motor North American Research & Development 2021 Rank: Unranked

Tabar directs Toyota’s North American vehicle development strategy, which meant overseeing engineers working from home during the pandemic. She kept them updated and energized during trying times to ensure new product launches were not delayed while also working with plants and suppliers. Tabar actively works to promote diversity and encourage more women to pursue science, tech, engineering, and math.

Lawrence Stroll

49

Executive Chairman, Aston Martin 2021 Rank: 44

Stroll is not just the money behind the turnaround of Aston Martin and its racing program; the Canadian billionaire is deeply involved in the luxury marque’s direction and decision-making. He’s had an impact in Formula 1 this year by rebranding the Racing Point team (of which he took control in 2018) into Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One and signing four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel. He’s backing the construction of a new team factory and wind tunnel to evolve the operation into a front-running organization, all while supporting son and Aston Martin F1 driver Lance in his racing career.

Julie Kurcz

46

Executive Director, Product Quality, Kia Motors America 2021 Rank: Unranked

If you have spent any time in a Kia recently, you were probably struck by its style and quality inside and out.

The Korean brand continues to add market share because its vehicles have thoughtful, well-executed touches and fine attention to detail. Kurcz spent most of her career as a Kia product development exec, showing an ability to keep costs—and thus prices—down while delivering top-notch products.

Deborah Wahl

48

47

Kumar Galhotra

Global Chief Marketing Officer, General Motors 2021 Rank: Unranked

President for the Americas & International Markets Group, Ford 2021 Rank: Unranked

Wahl’s job is to sell the public on electric vehicles coming from GM, and she’s doing a hell of a job. Consider: Since the reborn Hummer news broke in a 2020 Super Bowl ad, is there anyone who doesn’t know GM has launched a new electric GMC Hummer pickup? Meanwhile, award-winning actress Regina King is proving to be a strong ambassador for Cadillac. All this buzz is important: GM is at an inflection point as it transitions to EVs, and Wahl must continue to raise awareness of new nameplates while ensuring continued sales of existing models.

Galhotra quietly and efficiently oversees Ford’s operations around the world. He is not the face in the news when the Blue Oval announces billion-dollar investments, but he is the one connecting internal teams to make it happen. That includes plans for Blue Oval City, a factory park in Tennessee slated to make electric F-Series trucks, including the F-150 Lightning, as well as a joint venture to produce vehicle batteries and establish two more battery plants in Kentucky.

Aicha Evans CEO, Zoox 2021 Rank: Unranked

45

Autonomous car developer Zoox was founded in 2014 and is now owned

by Amazon; it continues to develop a small electric robotaxi that its parent company will deploy. In the meantime, the tech company is also working on selfdriving-car software and is expanding its testing to more major cities. Evans, Intel’s former chief strategy officer, wants to reimagine personal transportation and says the tech involved could someday also apply to package delivery.

44

Allyson Witherspoon

Vice President and U.S. Chief Marketing Officer, Nissan 2021 Rank: Unranked

Nissan has broken through the clutter with an ad campaign featuring actress Brie Larson that resonates with customers while effectively highlighting core vehicles. The Oscar-winning actress, who has a Nissan Leaf as a daily driver, has been a strong brand ambassador. And Witherspoon, with her international experience, has realigned Nissan’s ad agencies, expanded its social media presence, and is proving her ability to market a company that definitely needs help.

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 33

MOTORTREND I 2022 POWER LIST

Michael Leiters

43

Chief Technology Officer, Ferrari 2021 Rank: 26

Ferrari has gone electric. The storied marque put electric motors into the Ferrari SF90 plug-in hybrid hypercar while losing little to none of the visceral excitement and thrills of the firm’s conventionally powered cars. Under Leiters, Ferrari says it will have its first pure electric vehicle on the road by 2025. It will be long, low, and fast—in other words, it will be done the Ferrari way, minus (sadly) the sonorous sound of an exotic internal combustion engine.

Jensen Huang Founder, President, and CEO, Nvidia 2021 Rank: 29

40

Graphics-chip producer Nvidia provides the artificial intelligence behind some of the huge screens wowing customers in new vehicles, including the MBUX Hyperscreen in the Mercedes EQS electric sedan. Bigger picture, Nvidia develops the chipsets and framework that allow for software updates that can improve cars and help automakers generate additional revenue with over-the-air updates, subscription services, and self-driving taxi fares. Nvidia will also provide Level 3 automated driving capability for the Mercedes EQS in 2024.

34 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

Kyle Vogt

42

Austin Russell

41

Co-Founder, President, Chief Technology Officer, Cruise 2021 Rank: 40

Founder and CEO, Luminar Technologies 2021 Rank: Unranked

Cruise, General Motors’ self-driving-car subsidiary, continues to advance with a permit to offer public autonomous taxi rides in San Francisco after years of driverless testing. It is also expanding internationally as the exclusive provider of self-driving taxis and ridehailing services in Dubai, using the six-passenger Cruise Origin, which will be built at a GM plant beginning in 2022.

Cruise also bought autonomous vehicle startup Voyage, which operated in retirement communities.

This 26-year-old billionaire and genius when it comes to lidar technology is making Luminar Technologies a key supplier of the sensors used for shortdistance mapping of surroundings in real time. Luminar, which went public in December 2020, now also has a working lidar that maps out to 250 meters (820 feet), a breakthrough that makes it possible to operate at highway speeds.

With smaller, easier-to-manufacture sensors, Luminar is one to watch in this crucial space.

Jon Ikeda Acura Brand Officer 2021 Ranking: 31

39

Ikeda jolted the industry when he announced Acura will bring back the Integra in 2022. Whether or not the final product lives up to the hype, it’s a typical and applaudable move by Ikeda, who has worked since 2015 to return Acura to its roots as a premium performance marque with A-Spec and Type S models throughout its lineup. Ikeda continues to convince parent company Honda to invest in performance vehicles targeted at North American buyers.

Alan Bethke

38

Senior Vice President of Marketing, Subaru of America 2021 Rank: 28

Under Bethke, Subaru has been unwavering in its brand message as it cultivates loyal buyers who embrace dogs, adventure, families, and outdoor activities. Philanthropic efforts reinforce this: Subaru Park, home of the Philadelphia Union, is the first MLS soccer stadium to achieve zero-landfill status.

Subaru donates to animal shelters and has an annual advertising campaign to help animals find homes. Bethke will craft a new message for the Solterra, Subaru’s first electric SUV, coming in 2022.

Markus Flasch

37

Former CEO, BMW M Division 2021 Rank: 49

Flasch expanded BMW’s M portfolio, augmenting the M3 and M4 with the X3 M and X4 M SUVs, plus the M8 Competition.

He also worked on the upcoming bespoke XM SUV with a hybrid powertrain. Other projects include the next-gen M2 and new M4 CSL. As the year drew to a close, Flasch took on a new role with vehicle development as head of production lines for luxury, upper- and midrange models—a wide swath of BMW’s lineup—as well as Rolls-Royce products.

Takahiro Hachigo Former CEO, Honda 2021 Rank: 43

34

As CEO from 2015 until mid-2021, Hachigo kept Honda on an even keel while cutting costs, streamlining the lineup, and amping up electrification plans for an automaker falling behind. Hachigo, now on the board, oversaw the launch of the 11th-generation Honda Civic and announced the Honda Prologue electric SUV, coming in early 2024.

The latter is part of a collaboration with GM and new openness to outside alliances by a company that previously sought to do everything internally.

Scott Keogh

36

President and CEO, Volkswagen of America 2021 Rank: Unranked

VW is completing an $800 million expansion of its assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to build electric vehicles, starting with the VW ID4 electric SUV. Chattanooga will become VW’s North American hub for electric vehicle assembly, and Keogh is fully behind the EV push. He gained infamy for an ill-received April Fool’s Day joke in 2021 that said the company would change its name to Voltswagen to highlight the EVs on the way.

Ashwani Gupta

33

Chief Operating Officer, Nissan 2021 Rank: Unranked

Gupta leads Nissan’s post–Carlos Ghosn turnaround plan while also overseeing North American operations. He’s already exceeding cost-cutting targets while focusing on core products, improving quality while reducing fleet sales and incentives. Nissan renewed 70 percent of its lineup in 2021, with 10 new or redesigned vehicles for North America, including the debut of the 2023 Z, a symbol of company culture, and the 2022 Ariya electric crossover.

Ralph Gilles

35

Head of Design, Stellantis 2021 Rank: 47

Under Stellantis, Gilles retains design boss duties for the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and Maserati brands as well as any Fiats destined for North America. The Jeeps had us most excited this past year, with the introduction of the three-row Grand Cherokee L and the arrival of the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. The interiors are top notch after Gilles’ teams paid excellent attention to detail.

Lewis Hamilton Formula 1 Driver, Mercedes-AMG Petronas 2021 Rank: 22

32

The seven-time F1 champion is one of the sport’s all-time greats, but his advocacy for numerous social justice causes is at least equally important; Hamilton is the only Black driver since the world championship began in 1950. He has used the time before each race to further the Black Lives Matter movement by kneeling, with relevant messages on his T-shirts, helmets, and even his race car’s livery, and he consistently shines a light on matters of inequality via his social media presence. He also funds initiatives to fight racism and support underrepresented groups and artists.

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 35

MOTORTREND I 2022 POWER LIST

Michael Simcoe

31

Amnon Shashua

30

Vice President of Global Design, General Motors 2021 Rank: Unranked

President and CEO of Mobileye, Senior Vice President of Intel 2021 Rank: Unranked

GM’s new crop of vehicles, especially its EVs, have a flair intended to wow. The removable roof panels and lunar surface references, complete with footprint, etched inside the GMC Hummer EV electric pickup and SUV are great touches. The 2023 Cadillac Lyriq electric midsize crossover has a black crystal grille and animated lighting. The giant curved OLED display that features inside the Cadillac Escalade is also impressive. GM’s design future looks as bright as it has in a long time.

Shashua is the brains behind Mobileye, an Israeli company that is now a subsidiary of Intel and a major supplier of advanced driver assistance systems.

Mobileye develops chips and algorithms for vision-based systems for autonomous vehicles, and it is testing self-driving in countries around the world and branching into robotaxis. Mobileye has extensive data and mapping, it developed a new camera-only sensing system that will bring down cost, and its lidar system on a chip will be ready for 2025.

Giovanni Palazzo CEO and President, Electrify America 2021 Rank: 36

28

EVs are coming faster than expected; with this reality comes an urgent need for more charging stations. Electrify America offers the largest number of public fast-charging stations in the U.S., and it plans to double the number of fast-charging stations by the end of 2025—more than 1,800 stations with 10,000 individual chargers. Some automakers offer free access as part of their sales pitch. The network needs to keep growing and ensure each station is reliable to help the industry and the nation transition to EVs.

36 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

José Muñoz

27

Global Chief Operating Officer, Hyundai Motor Group 2021 Rank: Unranked

Muñoz charts global strategy for Hyundai but is based in California because he is also president of Hyundai North America, pushing to reach 1 million annual U.S. sales by 2025. Retail share under his tenure has grown, the Hyundai Tucson is now built in the U.S., and the company’s Alabama plant added the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup. Muñoz is also pushing electrification via hybrids, a new EV architecture, and Hyundai’s Ioniq subbrand.

Seetarama “Swamy” Kotagiri

29

CEO, Magna International 2021 Rank: Unranked Kotagiri went from president to CEO, running this giant parts supplier with global plants that assembles vehicles for others, including the legendary Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Kotagiri taps his engineering side as he steers Magna to the needs of electric and autonomous vehicles with new products and alliances, a new joint venture with LG Electronics to make EV powertrains, and contracts to make EVs, including the Fisker Ocean SUV.

Eric Bach

26

Senior Vice President of Product and Chief Engineer, Lucid Motors

An alumnus of both VW and Tesla, Bach joined the Lucid team in 2015. He has presided over much of the engineering wizardry that helps deliver Mercedes S-Class comfort and spaciousness in an E-Class-sized package, with 500-plus miles of electric driving range. As such, he deserves considerable credit for earning the massive engineering excellence points that helped the 2022 Lucid Air claim the title of MotorTrend Car of the Year.

Thomas Ingenlath CEO, Polestar 2021 Rank: 30

25

Polestar started with the Polestar 1 plug-in hybrid and added the Polestar 2 electric hatchback. Its first SUV, the Polestar 3, will be built at the Volvo plant in South Carolina in 2022, followed by the smaller Polestar 4 SUV in 2023. The Polestar 5, based on the Precept concept, is a luxury sedan due in 2024. Polestar is also developing its own motor and 800-volt bidirectional battery pack for mass-produced vehicles while also preparing to go public.

Michael Mauer Director of Style, Porsche 2021 Rank: 34

22

Mauer is successfully taking Porsche into new domains. The Porsche Taycan shows we need not fear a soulless EV future, and customers agree. The Taycan outsold the 911 through September, with a global backlog of 10,000 orders in November.

SUVs are Porsche’s best-sellers, the Panamera is a strong grand tourer, the Porsche Mission R electric race car concept hints at a future Cayman, and Mauer has a picture of an electric 911 in his head, showing continued flexibility.

Linda Zhang F-150 Chief Nameplate Engineer, Ford 2021 Rank: Unranked

24

Zhang is the engineer behind the 2022 Ford-150 Lightning. She didn’t just create an electric full-size pickup—she made the Lightning the quickest F-150 in the lineup and the only one with an independent rear suspension, all while ensuring it can still haul and tow. The Lightning’s additional storage in the frunk, its ability to power your home, and a $41,669 starting price are the makings of a hit: Ford has booked almost 200,000 reservations and counting.

Hau Thai-Tang Chief Product Platform and Operations Officer, Ford 2021 Rank: Unranked

21

Thai-Tang has spent his career in product development, with purchasing and other duties sprinkled in, making him a wellrounded exec groomed for the C-suite. He deserves credit for a product lineup at Ford that is the strongest in decades, with the return of the Ford Bronco, the addition of the Bronco Sport, the excellent new Ford Maverick small pickup, and strong EVs with the Mustang Mach-E and upcoming Ford F-150 Lightning.

Li Shufu

23

Chairman, Zhejiang Geely, Volvo Cars, and Lynk & Co. 2020 Rank: 18

Li Shufu’s auto empire includes Volvo— which had a giant IPO in Europe—and stakes in Daimler, Lotus, and Proton.

The Chinese entrepreneur is adding collaborations with tech companies including Foxconn, Faraday Future, Tencent, and search engine Baidu to develop an open-source platform to help build electric cars with smart cockpits and autonomous tech. Shufu has a scattershot approach in his bid to advance the industry, with a focus on the brains behind tomorrow’s cars.

Mary Barra Chairman and CEO, General Motors 2021 Rank: 19

20

Barra is determined to redefine GM as a tech company, betting heavily on EVs, autonomous vehicles, batteries, software, and subscription services while promising to double revenue by 2030. Additional revenue will come from new businesses such as autonomous taxis operated by Cruise and electric commercial vehicles from BrightDrop. The 2022 GMC Hummer EV pickup is an impressive start, with more to come, including a $30,000 Chevrolet Equinox EV. Battery cells will come from four new U.S. plants.

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 37

MOTORTREND I 2022 POWER LIST

Kazunari Kumakura

19

Chief Officer, Purchasing Group, Toyota 2021 Rank: Unranked

Toyota benefited from its decision a decade ago to better monitor its supply chain after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake.

Today, RESCUE—the REinforce Supply Chain Under Emergency management system—has proven invaluable; the database’s early warning system for shortages gave Toyota the foresight to stockpile semiconductor chips and keep plants running longer than the competition.

RESCUE, designed to ensure continuity in the face of crisis so that business is not severely disrupted, is working.

Albert Biermann President and Head of R&D, Hyundai/Kia 2021 Rank: 27

16

Biermann knows how to make vehicles better, be they big or small, ICE or EV, mainstream or performance variants. Since he left BMW M for the Hyundai Group, we have watched new vehicles wearing Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis badges improve with each iteration, even beating BMW at its own game in some instances. The Genesis GV70 is the 2022 MotorTrend SUV of the Year, and the Genesis G70 was the 2019 MotorTrend Car of the Year.

38 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

Bubba Wallace NASCAR Driver 2021 Rank: 2

18

The NASCAR star has a new team and owners and became the first Black driver to win a top-series NASCAR race since 1963. Reaching the podium gives Wallace a literal and figurative elevated platform to continue to serve as a global example and prominent voice for change in a sport and a world that continues to struggle with diversity. He now drives for 23XI Racing, which is co-owned by basketball legend Michael Jordan and driver Denny Hamlin.

Hak-Cheol Shin Vice Chairman and CEO, LG Chem 2021 Rank: 25

15

Shin continues to grow his Korea-based chemical conglomerate. He spun off the lucrative battery business into a subsidiary, with plans for a partial public offering to fund continued research and battery production. Almost everyone wants a joint venture with LG to support the growing portfolio of EVs on the horizon. In a setback, LG had to reimburse GM $1.9 billion after faulty batteries and vehicle fires led to a recall of the Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt EUV.

Tobias Moers CEO and Chief Technology Officer, Aston Martin 2021 Rank: 8

17

Moers is expanding Aston Martin with multiple vehicle families. The DBX family will grow to as many as six SUVs with hybrids and performance variants. The 2024 Valhalla mid-engine plug-in hybrid rides on an important platform that will serve as a stepping stone to a pure electric sports car in 2026. He launched the Formula 1–inspired Valkyrie coupe hypercar, with the roadster to follow this spring.

Aston’s present sports car lineup will get a significant face-lift by 2023.

Elon Musk CEO, Tesla 2021 Rank: 6

14

Tesla is generating record profits, its value hit the trillion-dollar mark, and expansion continues with new gigafactories in Berlin and Texas, where Musk is moving Tesla’s headquarters. The Cybertruck, Semi truck, Roadster, and a $25,000 car still don’t exist, but the promises keep coming, and Hertz and Uber drivers are getting Teslas. The Model S Plaid is as ridiculously fast as its yoke steering wheel is frustrating. Tesla is working on new battery chemistries and publicly beta-testing “full self-driving” software while regulators investigate Autopilot concerns.

Christian Meunier

13

Global CEO of the Jeep Brand, Stellantis 2021 Rank: Unranked

It was a big year for Jeep, with expansions into key and lucrative segments. The Jeep Grand Cherokee added a three-row L version and the traditional two-row model will add a plug-in hybrid in 2022, building on the success of the Jeep Wrangler 4xe.

The long-awaited Jeep Wagoneer full-size SUV and top-end Jeep Grand Wagoneer have arrived, and Jeep’s first pure EV is coming in 2023.

Luc Donckerwolke: The Designer

10

Chief Creative Officer and Genesis Chief Brand Officer, Hyundai Motor Group 2021 Rank: Unranked After a brief hiatus from the company, Donckerwolke returned to Hyundai with a focus on growing the Genesis brand he had a hand in designing, and on developing Hyundai’s Ioniq electric sub-brand. Our admiration for the Genesis GV70 resulted in it being named the 2022 MotorTrend SUV of the Year, and Donckerwolke established new design languages for Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. He’s now charged with promoting much of his work globally.

Ola Källenius

12

Herbert Diess

11

Chairman and CEO, Daimler 2021 Rank: 21

CEO, Volkswagen Group 2021 Rank: 17

Daimler is investing $46 billion through 2030 to develop electric vehicles and build out Mercedes’ EQ subbrand, starting with the EQS luxury sedan now on sale. Two madein-Alabama electric SUVs, the Mercedes EQS and EQE (as well as Mercedes EQE sedan) are on tap. The commercial truck division was spun off so Daimler could focus on its Mercedes car division. And on February 1, 2022, the company will be renamed Mercedes-Benz Group with four brands to concentrate on.

Volkswagen is still the company making the biggest bet on EVs, with 27 models offered globally by the end of 2022. In the U.S. market, the ID Buzz—the reborn Microbus— and an electric crossover will follow the newly released VW ID4. Diess is so invested, he personally implored customers to switch to EVs. The CEO is adding factories and plans to transform the company’s Wolfsburg, Germany, plant to produce cars more quickly and cheaply to compete with electric automakers such as Tesla.

Akio Toyoda: The Driver

09

President, Toyota 2021 Rank: 24 Toyoda is remaking the company. Toyota is making the large, full-size trucks (Tundra) and SUVs (new Lexus LX600) consumers want while injecting Toyoda’s enthusiasm into more GR (Gazoo Racing) versions of vehicles across the lineup. Toyota is working to catch up on the EV front and is building Woven City in Japan, a smart community to test autonomous driving and artificial intelligence. Overall, Toyoda is directing his team to cover the consumer landscape and bring excitement to the formerly square Toyota brand.

Jim Baumbick: The Strategist

08

Vice President, Enterprise Product Line Management, Ford 2021 Rank: Unranked Baumbick championed the Ford Maverick from the start. The global product strategist saw white space for a compact, affordable, fuel-efficient pickup truck and knew the C2 platform (Escape, Bronco) had the flexibility to pull it off while shaving 20 months from the development timeline.

Cardboard prototypes garnered early customer feedback; it was not to be a 6/10ths version of an F-150, but an SUV alternative: a $21,490 hybrid with a bed that can tow, haul, and return 42 mpg.

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 39

MOTORTREND I 2022 POWER LIST

Al Oppenheiser: The Wizard

07

Mate Rimac: The Upstart

06

Hummer EV Chief Engineer, General Motors 2021 Rank: Unranked

CEO of Rimac Group, Rimac Technologies, and Bugatti Rimac 2021 Rank: 33

Al Oppenheiser applied his Chevy Camaro chops to a 9,000-pound electric pickup truck. He taught it to launch with the kick of a mule and to crabwalk diagonally on- and off-road to get out of tight spots in electric silence. Instead of getting four years, he had to reduce development time from that period by 117 weeks to put the 2022 GMC Hummer EV into production by fall 2021.

The rapid development pace is the new standard at GM.

The 33-year-old Croat is now CEO of three companies devoted to electric vehicles, mostly hypercars. In addition to the 2022 Rimac Nevera, Rimac supplied the battery system and infotainment for the Aston Martin Valkyrie and has big plans for the Bugatti brand, which he bought from Volkswagen. His companies have received the respect and investment dollars of industry stalwarts like Porsche and Hyundai.

Growth plans include a new campus in Zagreb, Croatia, to accommodate 2,500 employees.

Carlos Tavares: The Ringmaster

04

CEO, Stellantis 2021 Rank: 9 Tavares became CEO of Stellantis, the fourth-largest automaker, created by merging FCA with the PSA Group in January 2021. He now juggles 14 brands, and he gave them all some rope to prove they deserve to exist. He has also revved up electrification plans. Tavares must merge two companies and cultures—which inevitably results in duplication, demotions, and executives who choose to leave, including former FCA CEO Mike Manley.

40 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

Peter Rawlinson: The Technologist

03

CEO and Chief Technology Officer, Lucid Motors 2021 Rank: 5 The 2022 Lucid Air electric luxury sedan is an amazing first volley. Innovations developed in-house by Rawlinson’s team helped make the powertrain smaller, lighter, more powerful, and more efficient to achieve a range of up to 520 miles from a 113-kWh battery. The package made the Lucid Air the 2022 MotorTrend Car of the Year. An SUV will follow in 2023, and Lucid sets a high bar that competitors’ EVs will be hard-pressed to match.

Euisun Chung: The Mastermind

05

Chairman, Hyundai Motor Group 2021 Rank: 14 This was the first full year with Chung as chairman of the Hyundai Group, overseeing the all-star team the auto giant pulled together to pump out attractive, fun-to-drive, affordable vehicles for the Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis brands. Chung is also behind a major push toward electrification, including a big play on fuel cell vehicles, as well as autonomous vehicles and robotics after acquiring Boston Dynamics.

RJ Scaringe: The Adventurer

02

Founder and CEO, Rivian 2021 Rank: 15 Rivian launched the 2022 R1T electric pickup, a stellar first try and good enough to be crowned the 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year. The R1T also completed the Trans-America Trail, becoming the first EV to travel coast to coast off-road.

Act 2 is the Rivian R1S SUV. Rivian is also building a fleet of electric delivery vans for Amazon and creating a network of chargers across the country. Scaringe took Rivian public on November 10, 2021, and he plans to add more Rivianbadged trucks, SUVs, and vans.

Jim Farley CEO, Ford 2021 Rank: 3

01

Jim Farley took over as Ford CEO on October 1, 2020, succeeding former Steelcase CEO Jim Hackett. The big difference: Farley is a recognized “car guy,” the highest praise you can receive in the industry. And he relies on solid car people within his leadership team to turn his vision into sheetmetal and software.

When Farley took over, Ford was perceived as having lost its way and fallen behind the competition, with weak leadership, a frustrating lack of transparency, and scant details behind vague promises that it had a plan and the right vehicles to remain competitive.

Now, Ford’s product pipeline has never looked better. People cringed at the notion of an electric SUV badged “Mustang,” but Farley’s subbrand strategy is working, and the Mustang Mach-E is already outselling the conventional car. The Bronco stumbled out of the gate with roof issues, but that has not dimmed the hype and the halo it forms over the Bronco Sport, which is a well-executed hit. The Maverick found some open field in the truck segment and is poised to draw in new buyers who want to replace their vehicle with a livable, compact pickup that looks like a truck, drives like an SUV, and has clever touches and packaging.

The Ford F-150 lineup goes electric with the forthcoming 2022 Lightning, which will be the quickest and potentially best variant in the stable, with an independent rear suspension, a driving range of about 300 miles, the ability to power your house, and a spectacular frunk for gear or tailgating. Replacing the internal combustion engine in what’s been the bestselling truck for 44 years running and making it affordable—the Lightning starts at less than $42,000—will give EVs a giant boost in the marketplace, and has the potential to change a lot of hearts and minds. Ford hopes the Lightning will convert mass volumes of buyers, and every automaker will tell you that once a buyer goes EV, they rarely look back.

Under Farley, commercial vehicles are getting a lot of love and attention, with the addition of the electric e-Transit, development of autonomous delivery vans, and the growing number of services Ford will offer buyers as an additional and lucrative revenue driver.

Settled in the CEO chair, Farley is upending the traditional business model, seeking a longer active relationship with owners by offering over-the-air updates with new features and content, such as BlueCruise hands-free driving, to keep vehicles fresh and customers engaged. Ford is developing ongoing services, mostly digital, it hopes

BEFORE FARLEY, FORD HAD LOST ITS WAY. NOW, THE PRODUCT PIPELINE LOOKS BETTER THAN EVER. customers will want enough to pay for— especially commercial-vehicle buyers.

Farley has ramped up Ford’s electrification investment and timetables. Not only are new EVs coming for both Ford and Lincoln, but the automaker is also adding assembly plants dedicated to making electric vehicles, starting with F-Series trucks. The new CEO overrode Hackett’s plan to continue to source battery cells; now Ford will develop and manufacture its own battery cells at three separate factories in Tennessee and Kentucky, part of a larger plan to make key components in-house. Future business parks that gather suppliers will include a company that recycles lithium-ion batteries.

Ford has also put together a network of existing chargers that its EV buyers can locate from their touchscreens, and it is setting up a training center in Texas to help dealers worried about servicing all these EVs in the future.

Ford forecasts 40 percent of its U.S. sales will be EVs by 2030—about 1.5 million vehicles per year. That is some serious momentum for a company not seen as a major player in electric vehicles just a couple years ago.

And he is believable in his personal buy-in, exhibiting as much passion for the Mach-E and Lightning as the vintage cars he races. A data and tech nerd, as well, he sees the big picture and is excited by the future of mobility.

Farley brings critical clarity to the job. He is direct, refreshing after years of muddled messages that frustrated Wall Street. The CEO has gained maturity in his leadership style, which has been bombastic at times. He has also shown the ability to revise plans as needed to meet market demands and swim in the fast current of change.

Many executives have tried to improve Ford over the years, few with the luxury of sitting back and watching the hits and money roll in. Farley’s moves early in his tenure, on top of his contributions in other roles over the years, have exceeded expectations in a short time.

Ford is in the midst of a stunning recovery and transformation, an incredible shift for a legacy carmaker that has all but stopped making actual cars, as opposed to trucks and SUVs. Farley is the right man for Ford’s top job, and he is the 2022 MotorTrend Person of the Year.

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 41

ACURA TLX TYPE S VS. CADILLAC CT5-V VS. GENESIS G70 3.3T: THE FIGHT TO RULE THE SPORT SEDAN WORLD WORDS MIGUEL CORTINA PHOTOGRAPHY WES ALLISON

42 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

Acura TLX Type S vs. Cadillac CT5-V vs. Genesis G70 3.3T I COMPARISON hen shopping for a sport sedan, there’s pretty much one for every buyer preference. Looking for a European? You have five options.

All-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive? Plenty to choose from. Electric?

You betcha.

The BMW 3 Series first solidified the definition for a car in this segment more than three decades ago, and today the competition has grown in size and ferocity. As the popularity of sport sedans grew, so did these cars’ power and variants, and another strategy used to tempt folks away from BMW and other pricier cars was offering similar driving fun at a value price. That’s how we got here: Acura and Cadillac have established mid-performance subbrands to distinguish their sport sedans from the base models (Type S and V, respectively), and although Genesis hasn’t gone down that path yet, it has an adequate model to compete in the segment at a hot price. The European makers and Cadillac all offer cars of

W

this size with even more power, but this midgrade trio focuses on delivering a sporty and engaging driving experience while offering the luxury and versatility sedans are known for.

This comparison would be even more robust if the Audi S4 and BMW M340i were present, but issues with production and limited press fleets kept us from getting the two Germans. The Mercedes-AMG C 43’s replacement will make its debut soon, and the Alfa Romeo Giulia doesn’t offer a six-cylinder mid-performance trim to compete against our trio.

includes rear-axle torque vectoring.)

Besides being one of the best-looking sedans out there, the TLX Type S is also longer and wider than its competition; although its wheelbase is 3.0 inches shorter than the Cadillac CT5-V’s, the Acura’s proportions are closer to a Porsche Panamera. At $54,645, the Type S takes value to the next level, too.

The 2021 Cadillac CT5-V effectively replaces the old CTS V-Sport, while the V-8-powered CT5-V Blackwing stands in for the CTS-V of yore. Once you get your head around that naming shuffle, look at the numbers: 360 hp and an eye-popping

After years of waiting, the 2021 Acura TLX Type S marks the return of the Type S performance treatment to Honda’s luxury division. A 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 sends 355 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque through a 10-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels thanks to the standard Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system. (That’s Acura’s signature AWD setup, which

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 43

Aside from the badge on the steering wheel, the Type S’ interior is the same as any in other Acura TLX. Still, it feels premium, and the seats are supportive.

Acura TLX 405 lb-ft for the V, not bad for a midgrade performance trim. That’s all thanks to its 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine, which comes mated to a 10-speed automatic.

Unlike the Acura, the Cadillac sends all its power to the rear wheels, though all-wheel drive is available. The CT5-V can be considered a tweener for the segment; the CT5 is larger than the German competition, but its little sibling—the CT4-V—is smaller than the Europeans. Our test car came with a $64,640 price tag, making it the most expensive vehicle in this group thanks to nearly $15,000 worth of options.

When it launched, the Genesis G70 surprised everyone in the industry with its performance, handling, looks, and value—part of the reason we crowned it the 2019 MotorTrend Car of the Year. Three years after its reveal, the G70 is getting a deep midcycle refresh that could easily be confused for a new generation. Behind its

44 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

elegant fresh face, the 2022 Genesis G70 Sport Prestige hides this roundup’s highest horsepower rating: 368. Its 3.3-liter V-6 engine sends those ponies (and up to 376 lb-ft of torque) to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic. If that’s not impressive enough, look at its price—$51,945 as tested, the cheapest in this test.

and we wish it were more predictable. Its steering also seems too digital compared to those of the Genesis and Cadillac; it doesn’t feel like Acura changed a thing in that department over the standard TLX. The G70 feels nervous over midcorner bumps with Sport mode on, but it is more settled in its driver-directed Custom mode. Like its name suggests, the driver can customize the driving experience, When it comes to sport sedans, the driving adjusting the powertrain, steering, and suspension. Body roll is more noticeable experience is the entire point. The car than in the Caddy or Acura, but the Genesis must have a sparkling powertrain, deliver sharp responses, and offer a settled ride to is excited to rip through the corners. Its steering is better weighted than the tiller justify its station. in the TLX Type S, but the transmission On Angeles Crest Highway, one of is slow to respond. The brakes represent Southern California’s best mountain a real weak point, with inconsistent pedal roads, the Type S displays confident handling around tight turns. Its well-tuned feel and less bite than you get in the CT5-V chassis feels settled and flat, and although or TLX Type S. the SH-AWD system helps a ton in rotating the car, it sometimes intervenes too much,

The red diamond quilted-stitching inside the Genesis G70 Sport Prestige adds a different vibe to the cabin, making it feel fresher without losing upscale touches.

Genesis G70 The Cadillac’s interior could use more luxurious features, but the infotainment system is intuitive, and its all-digital instrument cluster is modern and clear.

Cadillac CT5-V On the Crest’s undulating pavement, the Cadillac CT5-V feels as though it’s taking a walk in the park. Based on GM’s Alpha II chassis, the evolution of the already athletic Alpha architecture, the CT5 is right at home through the corners. With its magical adaptive dampers (GM’s excellent MagneRide tech) and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, the Caddy attacks twisty hill climbs and descents with absolute confidence. Its steering and damping notably change from drive mode to drive mode; all of our drivers used the customizable V mode and edited it to our liking, and we noted that doing so approaches Porsche levels of intuitiveness.

We like how much car the TLX offers for your money, but the “more” hurts performance. At 4,179 pounds, it’s the heaviest of the three, with 59 percent of its mass sitting on the front tires. This slows down

straight-line acceleration: It takes the 5.1 seconds to reach 60 mph and 13.7 seconds at 101.8 mph to complete the quarter mile—the slowest of the three. Those aren’t awful numbers, but the Type S also doesn’t feel quick in the real world, especially on Angeles Crest. There’s plenty to like, but as a sport sedan, the Acura simply feels tamer than the Cadillac and Genesis.

Weighing in lightest—300-plus pounds less than the Acura, in fact—the Genesis G70 is unsurprisingly the quickest four-door here. The Cadillac feels more powerful on Angeles Crest because of its 405 lb-ft of torque and its settled chassis, but the Genesis isn’t too far behind. If anything, this great chassis

begs for more power. The 3.3-liter twinturbo V-6 delivers plenty of power for a car this size, though we hope to see even more muscle in the future as the brand continues to grow.

The CT5-V finished second in our acceleration tests, but it feels sharp and visceral overall, and it’s eager to get out of the blocks. The gearbox likes to hold onto gears high into the rev range, and the chassis is always ready to take on the next canyon road. Just be careful with the brakes; at one point, we managed to leave the front pads smoking after an aggressive run across the mountain.

Sure, performance, handling, and ride are vital in sport sedans, but customers pay luxury money for these vehicles, so they expect a luxury experience, as well.

Acura effectively distinguishes the Type S from the regular TLX in terms of FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 45

COMPARISON

performance, so it’s a shame it doesn’t pull off the same feat with the cabin. No matter which type of TLX you sit in, it’ll feel the same. Our test car’s wild Tiger Eye Pearl exterior paint matched well with the elegant beige and black interior, but we’re not huge fans of the center stack design. Unlike Cadillac and Genesis, Acura designers opted for a push-button gear selector, making the center stack a cascade of buttons. The touchpad that controls the infotainment system complicates things a bit more; it works by mirroring the display (i.e., the lower left corner of the pad correlates with the lower left section of the screen) unless you have Apple CarPlay connected. Sit in the rear seat, and legroom and headroom are tight, mostly because of the stadiumstyle rear seating, which is elevated slightly relative to the front row.

The Cadillac and Genesis both offer more foot- and headroom in the rear seats and have cleaner surfaces compared to the Acura. Between the American and the

GENESIS

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Korean, it’s the Genesis that stands out for its premium design. With diamondquilted seats, red contrast stitching, and red seat belts, the G70 Sport Prestige feels like a sporty first-class airplane cabin. Just as surprising: This interior is much the same as before; Genesis didn’t alter the cabin as much as it did the exterior.

The Cadillac’s innards aren’t a bad place to spend your time, but there’s nothing about it that screams luxury. The CT5-V’s infotainment system is easy to use and is compatible with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. But the rest of the interior design doesn’t feel as upscale as the Acura’s or Genesis’. Even though our test CT5-V had the red carbon-fiber trim, its layout is somewhat bleak, as well.

Between the Genesis and Acura, the Korean brings more value to the table. Not only is the G70 a bit cheaper, but it’s also better equipped. Our former Car of the Year winner arrived with heated and ventilated front seats plus a heated steering wheel, head-up display, 15-speaker premium audio system, and side cameras that feed live blind-spot action to the digital instrument cluster when the driver activates either turn signal.

The Acura brings midpack pricing but is well equipped from the start, with a 17-speaker ELS premium audio system, wireless phone charger, front and rear parking sensors, and sport steering

wheel. The wheel and tire package, which adds Pirelli P Zero rubber for only $800, is the sole option available for the Type S. Provided you go easy on the optional dealer-installed accessories, the Acura maintains excellent value for the segment.

The Caddy carries a comparably high price, but our test car came with a few extras you could bypass without sacrificing performance. The $5,290 Premium package adds power front seats with lumbar adjustment and a massage function, illuminated door sills and door handles, navigation, and a Bose premium audio system. The $2,015 Parking package adds a rear camera mirror and automatic parking assist, among other features. Ax those two and the security package, and the CT5-V’s price drops to $56,660—a very competitive value proposition.

The CT5-V easily takes home the gold.

Although its interior needs improvement, its performance, handling, and ride make a huge difference against its competition.

This is very much one of the finest midlevel sport sedans of all time. Cadillac took things seriously with the V, making it a true performer that’s inspiring and fun to drive.

Choosing between second and third place isn’t as clear cut. The Acura and Genesis are quite different, yet they both deliver in terms of performance, luxury, and quality. But the Genesis’ quickness, handling, and value mean it stands above the TLX Type S. The G70 is quicker, it’s more powerful, and it has a nicer cabin, and although the Type S is the most invigorating Acura in some time, it doesn’t feel as rewarding or holistically excellent as the Genesis or Cadillac.

Each car captures the essence of the segment, but the Cadillac goes above and beyond, delivering more than the basics in a thrilling package.

POWERTRAIN/ CHASSIS

1ST PLACE Cadillac CT5-V PROS • Settled suspension • Snappy performance • Quick transmission CONS • Can get pricey with options • Mediocre interior • Brakes susceptible to overheating VERDICT The fact it is one of the best midlevel sport sedans we’ve ever driven easily makes it the winner.

2ND PLACE Genesis G70 3.3T Sport Prestige PROS • Excellent value • Interior and exterior styling • Dynamic chassis CONS • Inconsistent brakes • Noticeable body roll • Slow gearbox VERDICT Quicker than its competitors and loaded with value, the G70 could take advantage of even more power.

3RD PLACE Acura TLX Type S PROS • Dynamic styling • Standard all-wheel drive • Impressive standard equipment CONS • Nose-heavy • Cramped interior • Needs more oomph VERDICT A comfortable executive sedan with plenty to like, but it falls short of the other two in the “sport” department.

2021 Acura TLX SH-AWD Type S

2021 Cadillac CT5-V

2022 Genesis G70 3.3T Front-engine, RWD

DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT

Front-engine, AWD

Front-engine, RWD

ENGINE TYPE

Turbo direct-injected DOHC 24-valve 60-degree V-6, alum block/heads

Twin-turbo directTwin-turbo directinjected DOHC 24-valve injected DOHC 24-valve 60-degree V-6, alum 60-degree V-6, alum block/heads block/heads

DISPLACEMENT

2,997cc/182.9 cu in 9.8:1 355 hp @ 5,500 rpm 354 lb-ft @ 1,400 rpm 6,200 rpm 11.8 lb/hp 10-speed automatic 3.59:1/1.87:1

2,990cc/182.5 cu in 9.8:1 360 hp @ 5,400 rpm 405 lb-ft @ 2,350 rpm 6,200 rpm 11.2 lb/hp 10-speed automatic 2.85:1/1.82:1

3,342 cc/203.9 cu in 10.0:1 368 hp @ 6,000 rpm 376 lb-ft @ 1,300 rpm 6,250 rpm 10.5 lb/hp 8-speed automatic 3.54:1/1.97:1

SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR

Control arms, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar

Struts, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar

Struts, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, shocks, anti-roll bar

STEERING RATIO

12.1-12.6:1 2.2 14.3-in vented disc; 13.0-in disc 9.0 x 20-in cast aluminum

15.8:1 2.3 13.6-in vented disc; 12.4-in vented disc

13.3:1 2.3 13.8-in vented disc; 13.4-in vented disc

10.0 x 19-in; 11.0 x 19-in cast aluminum

8.0 x 19-in; 8.5 x 19-in cast aluminum

255/35R20 97Y Pirelli P Zero

245/40R19 94Y Michelin Pilot Sport 4S ZP

225/40R19 93Y; 255/35R19 96Y Michelin Pilot Sport 4

116.0 in 62.8/63.9 in 193.8 x 74.1 x 57.2 in 39.0 ft 4,037 lb (53/47%) 5 39.0/36.6 in 42.4/37.9 in 56.7/55.7 in 11.9 cu ft

111.6 in 62.8/63.1 in 184.4 x 72.8 x 55.1 in 36.3 ft 3,875 lb (52/48%) 5 39.9 (est)/36.9 in 42.6/34.8 in 56.3/54.6 in 10.5 cu ft

1.7 sec 2.6 3.7 4.9 6.2 7.8 9.6 11.9 15.9 2.4 13.3 sec @ 106.0 mph 103 ft 0.96 g (avg) 24.9 sec @ 0.76 g (avg) 1,400 rpm

1.8 sec 2.6 3.5 4.6 5.9 7.4 9.3 11.4 15.8 2.2 13.1 sec @ 107.4 mph 108 ft 0.93 g (avg) 25.1 sec @ 0.74 g (avg) 1,400 rpm

$53,345 $54,645

$48,990 $64,640

$43,145 $51,945

AIRBAGS

7: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain, driver knee

8: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain, front knee

BASIC WARRANTY

4 years/50,000 miles

4 years/50,000 miles

8: Dual front, front side, front center, f/r curtain, driver knee 5 years/60,000 miles

POWERTRAIN WARRANTY

6 years/70,000 miles

4 years/50,000 miles

10 years/100,000 miles

ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE

4 years/50,000 miles 15.9 gal

4 years/unlimited miles 17.4 gal

5 years/60,000 miles 15.8 gal

EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON

19/24/21 mpg

18/27/21 mpg

18/27/21 mpg

RECOMMENDED FUEL

Unleaded premium Now

Unleaded premium Now

Unleaded premium Now

COMPRESSION RATIO POWER (SAE NET) TORQUE (SAE NET) REDLINE WEIGHT TO POWER TRANSMISSION AXLE/FINAL DRIVE RATIO

TURNS LOCK TO LOCK BRAKES, F; R WHEELS, F; R TIRES

DIMENSIONS

113.0 in 64.0/64.6 in LXWXH 194.6 x 75.2 x 56.4 in TURNING CIRCLE 40.2 ft CURB WEIGHT (DIST F/R) 4,179 lb (59/41%) SEATING CAPACITY 5 HEADROOM, F/R 37.2/36.3 in LEGROOM, F/R 42.5/34.9 in SHOULDER ROOM, F/R 58.2/55.0 in CARGO VOLUME 13.5 cu ft WHEELBASE

TRACK, F/R

TEST DATA ACCELERATION TO MPH

1.8 sec 2.6 3.8 0-50 0-60 5.1 0-70 6.7 0-80 8.4 0-90 10.6 0-100 13.2 0-100-0 17.4 PASSING, 45-65 MPH 2.7 QUARTER MILE 13.7 sec @ 101.8 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 112 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.97 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 25.0 sec @ 0.75 g (avg) TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 1,400 rpm 0-30

0-40

CONSUMER INFO BASE PRICE PRICE AS TESTED

FUEL CAPACITY

ON SALE

JUDGES/TESTERS

SCOTT EVANS Features Editor

ERIK JOHNSON Digital Director

ERICK AYAPANA Associate Road Test Editor

AARON GOLD Senior Editor

ALEX KIERSTEIN Senior Editor

MIGUEL CORTINA Mexico Editor

CONNER GOLDEN Senior Editor

ALAN LAU Road Test Analyst

48 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

CHRISTIAN SEABAUGH Features Editor CHRIS WALTON Road Test Editor

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY MOTORTREND STAFF

COVER STORY

CONTENDERS

FORD F-150 • FORD MAVERICK FORD RANGER TREMOR • GMC HUMMER EV PICKUP HONDA RIDGELINE • HYUNDAI SANTA CRUZ NISSAN FRONTIER • RIVIAN R1T PHOTOGRAPH: WILLIAM WALKER

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 49

BEHIND THE SCENES AT MOTORTREND’S 2022 TRUCK OF THE YEAR

Wherein we venture to the desert to find the best truck—and the best food. orse mats weigh 100 pounds. Speed limits at Honda Proving Center of California are brutally enforced.

And the best Indian food in the Mojave Desert is found in a karaoke bar. Such are the lessons you learn while determining MotorTrend’s 2022 Truck of the Year winner.

Pickups have a job to do—several jobs, actually—and that’s what makes TOTY so challenging. One person’s family hauler is another’s towing and hauling workhorse.

Trucks must be all things to all people, and we have two weeks to separate the can-dos from the can’t-dos.

So we descend upon Honda’s facility, tucked away in a secret corner of the Mojave Desert. Honda stops its testing and hides all but the most cleverly camouflaged cars as MotorTrend and our contenders (10 trucks representing eight nameplates) take over. Ten trucks: It seems like a small number until you realize how many sides of each vehicle’s personality we must investigate to choose a winner.

H

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We start with our mise en place: Disconnect the trailers we’ve hauled up to the Mojave, stow the quarter-ton of junk food that fuels the photo team, and unload the horse mats we use for payload testing.

These diabolical rubber annoyances make weight measurement easy but are awkward to move, with scratchy undersides that make our hands feel like we’ve juggled cacti. We will come to both despise them and use them as references in various settings, e.g., “If Gold keeps eating like that, he’ll put on half a horse mat.”

Our time at HPC might look like barely controlled chaos, but it is in fact a carefully choreographed exposition of chaos: Seven editors serving as judges, three members of the test team, and multiple photographers, all doing different jobs with the same trucks in the same place at the same time.

The photographers’ task is made more challenging by the desert’s dusty environs.

The test team has relocated its entire operation from our Los Angeles headquarters and will run its standard battery of measurements, with and without trailers and horse-mat payloads, in half the time usually allotted. The judges, meanwhile,

rotate through the various test scenarios we’ve set up at HPC. The Honda Proving Center is designed to simulate all sorts of driving situations, from the meager traction of ice and snow (replicated surprisingly well by fine sand) to a carbon copy of L.A.’s 110 freeway.

There are gravel roads, dirt roads, bumpy roads, smooth roads, and a winding road full of whoops and whirls. There’s a high-speed oval and high-speed off-road tracks, and if no feature in this vehicular playground replicates the exact experience desired, there’s a giant asphalt lake where we can speed, swerve, and spin as needed.

All goes smoothly but for grumbles about early-morning charging runs and people stealing the Hummer to play with its CrabWalk function. On day three we run out of Coca-Cola, causing a near revolt among the photographers until they are mollified with a giant bag of candy. This causes a similar uproar among the judges when they realize someone has stolen all the Skittles.

But there are far more bright moments.

The shooters need dramatic pictures, and we are only too happy to ham it up on the dirt track. Photographer William Walker fuels the fire by loudly proclaiming that anyone who fails to spray him with enough dirt has a small roostertail. Inspired by the jets buzzing us from a nearby military installation, we discover the trick that a

Photographer Renz Dimaandal demonstrates his new methodology for measuring pickup trunks— here, the one-Renz Honda Ridgeline.

Honda’s desert Proving Center provides a variety of onand off-road tracks, enabling us to replicate and evaluate, in a controlled setting, nearly any scenario a pickup truck might encounter in the real world.

low-flying photo drone is an expedient way to clean a dusty pickup.

We also discover that Tehachapi—where we return to our hotel each night and heretofore regarded as a rival to Cleveland for sheer touristic appeal—is a culinary hotbed. Amid the expected temples of the deep-fat fryer, we find several fine eateries, including the well-disguised Indian place and a brilliant Thai joint appropriately called ThaiHachapi. Drivin’ and eatin’ are good in the desert.

Unfortunately, when time comes to deliberate on the finalists, we stumble upon Tehachapi’s one culinary failure, a steak and beer place that is out of all steaks and most beers, a shortcoming it makes up for by overcooking our burgers with commendable zeal. Some of us wonder if we’ve been served our own horse mats.

Unlike the mastication of our dinner, settling on finalists is easy. All the contenders are good trucks, but it’s the last three of our six criteria—efficiency, value, safety, performance of intended function, engineering excellence, and advancement in design—where TOTY will be won.

Before our food can cool to room temperature, four trucks make the cut.

The next day, judges cycle through the finalists on an extended test route. This is the OTY equivalent of Miss America interviews, a chance for each truck to tell us one on one why it deserves the Golden Calipers. The seven judges crawl through cabins, peer under hoods, and hop into (pickup) beds together. We play with the Hummer’s CrabWalk feature one more time. And then we deliberate.

Consensus often emerges quickly in OTY judging, but not now: We know which two trucks won’t go the distance, but

hashing out the top spot turns convivial banter into heated debate. When everyone has exhausted their say—some rather loudly—the time comes to vote. Often this is a mere formality; this time we genuinely have no idea which truck will win.

Features editor Scott Evans tallies the votes and announces the results. Third place is unanimous, but first and second are as close as close can be: The winner claims the title of 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the year by one single vote.

So we have our 2022 Truck of the Year. has the facilities to do anything we need, It hasn’t been easy, but it has been at least HPC including examining the 9,000-pound GMC 20 horse mats’ worth of fun. Aaron Gold Hummer EV’s underbelly on a lift.

The steep hills around Tehachapi, California, provide the perfect environment to put tow ratings to the test.

Contenders 2021 Ford F-150

PROS Plenty of power from carryover powertrain • Excellent off-road capability • Nicer cabin and tech CONS Difficult to distinguish from prior truck • Gets quite pricey with options • Feels like a stopgap

N

o, no—relax. There is no V-8 under the hood of the 2021 F-150 Raptor. At least, not yet—Ford says the eight-cylinder Raptor R supertruck is rumbling its way toward the horizon break and should arrive sometime next year.

For now, the standard Raptor is the top-of-the-line off-road baddie from the F-150 family.

SPECS

Base Price/As Tested Power (SAE net)

The Raptor was also the only F-150 Ford sent even though we invited the entire lineup—including the PowerBoost hybrid—as the refreshed trucks weren't available in time for last year’s competition.

Most of it is badass business as usual with the familiar 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 making its return for the third-gen truck, meaning

you get the same stout 450 hp and same custard-thick 510 lb-ft routed through the same 10-speed automatic. Our test truck’s optional 37-inch tires only slowed this powertrain slightly: The Raptor cracked off 0–60 in 5.6 seconds, up from the previous model’s 5.2 seconds, but that was a lighter SuperCab variant.

It’s nowhere near as powerful as the Ram TRX, but it sure is a damn sight more thrifty than the gallon-glugging Ram, with an EPA-rated 14/16 mpg city/highway compared to the TRX’s 10/14 split.

For 2022 the base F-150 Raptor starts out nearly $8,000 cheaper than the TRX, but adding the Raptor 37 Performance package

2021 Ford F-150 Raptor 37 $79,490/$82,080 450 hp @ 5,850 rpm

Torque (SAE net)

510 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm

Accel, 0-60 mph

5.6 sec

Accel, 0-60 mph (loaded)*

6.6 sec

Accel, 0-60 mph (towing)**

10.6 sec

Quarter Mile

14.3 sec @ 94.0 mph

Quarter Mile (loaded)*

15.2 sec @ 89.3 mph

Quarter Mile (towing)**

18.1 sec @ 77.0 mph

Braking, 60-0 mph

145 ft

Braking, 60-0 mph (loaded)*

146 ft

Double Lane Change Results

3.6 sec @ 49.8 mph

Frustration Test***

5.8 sec @ 390.7 ft

VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door truck ENGINE, TRANSMISSION 3.5L twin-turbo port- and direct-injected 24-valve 60-degree V-6, 10-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 5,969 lb (56/44%) WHEELBASE 145.4 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 232.6 x 86.6 x 80.7 in EPA City/Hwy/Comb 15/16/15 mpg * 1,000-pound payload | ** 5,000-pound trailer | *** 35-55 mph, 4% grade acceleration with 5,000-pound trailer

52 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

Contenders I TOTY

The 37-inch tires are more than just a one-up. The engineering needed to protect the Raptor’s ability to do truck things while expanding its ability to do Raptor things is impressive.

Ford’s uprated 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine is an impressive bit of engineering, but it struggles to shine in the shadow of the Ram TRX’s supercharged V-8. makes it $5,800 pricier than that Ram to start, and that doesn’t strike us as a great value.

Ford is perhaps frustrated with us drawing so many comparisons to the badder, madder Ram, but it needs to be said. “The Raptor 37 is built to be Ford’s stopgap answer to the Ram TRX until the Raptor R is ready, and

the Raptor 37 just doesn’t feel quite as pure or organic as a TRX does,” features editor Christian Seabaugh said. “The V-6 doesn’t provide the same sort of visceral thrill the Hellcatted Ram does.”

Oh, well. We’ll try to be patient.

Until then, if the prior Raptor satiated your Baja-bashing needs just fine, you’ll find the wrapperfresh third gen to be quite the beastie, regardless of TRX. “It feels more unstoppable than ever off-road,” features editor Scott Evans said. “Nothing slows it down, nothing challenges it, except maybe a narrow trail.

The frame twister we have here is no concern to it. It barges through everything as easily as it drives down a paved road.”

It handles great, too, even with those 37-inch clodhoppers. “For something of this size and weight on these tires, it drives phenomenally well around a corner,” Evans continued. “Through the emergency lane change test, it needed zero stability control intervention. Around the handling course, it’s only limited by its grip.”

It’s nicer, too, combining all of its ability and face-punch aesthetics with the interior and infotainment duds presented by

the 2021 F-150 family, meaning the Raptor has the gimmicky folding shifter and optional 12.0inch infotainment screen.

Is the 14th-generation F-150 Truck of the Year material?

We’re not sure yet, as this highly optioned and very niche Raptor is the only F-150 we had available for evaluation. Maybe the worldshifting Lightning, house-powering hybrid PowerBoost, or V-8 Raptor R will make a stronger case next year, but until then, the good but not great Raptor just wasn’t enough to claim the calipers. Conner Golden

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 53

TOTY

Contenders

2021 Ford Ranger Tremor

PROS The best Ford Ranger you can buy • Loves the dirt • Top-notch powertrain CONS Tinny doors and structure • Ancient interior • Few if any clever features

T

he new 2021 Tremor was an earth-shaking addition to the Ford Ranger lineup, instantly establishing itself as the best-driving, best-riding, and best-wheeling version of the aging midsize pickup.

Credit goes almost entirely to the upgraded suspension and rolling stock. Its off-road tires’

SPECS

Base Price/As Tested Power (SAE net)

taller sidewalls are first into the refinement breach, taking the initial edges off impacts that set teeth clacking in regular Rangers, and the Tremor’s Fox dampers—the rears have remote reservoirs—and revised rear springs take care of the rest. Mostly. It’s still a firmly suspended truck, but with much improved ride refinement and

body control over bumps, lumps, and yumps.

Power comes from the same 2.3-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder and 10-speed automatic found in every U.S.-spec Ranger. Output stands at a beefy 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, and our Truck of the Year judges sang its praises. “Torque is king in a

2021 Ford Ranger Tremor $41,650/$44,480 270 hp @ 5,500 rpm

Torque (SAE net)

310 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm

Accel, 0-60 mph

6.8 sec

Accel, 0-60 mph (loaded)*

7.6 sec

Accel, 0-60 mph (towing)**

14.2 sec

Quarter Mile

15.3 sec @ 89.5 mph

Quarter Mile (loaded)*

15.9 sec @ 86.4 mph

Quarter Mile (towing)**

19.9 sec @ 69.7 mph

Braking, 60-0 mph

161 ft

Braking, 60-0 mph (loaded)*

146 ft

Double Lane Change Result

4.1 sec @ 43.0 mph

Frustration Test***

11.5 sec @ 793.9 ft

VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door truck ENGINE, TRANSMISSION 2.3L turbo direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4, 10-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,621 lb (57/43%) WHEELBASE 126.8 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 210.8 x 73.3 x 71.5 in EPA City/Hwy/Comb 19/19/19 mpg

* 1,000-pound payload | ** 5,000-pound trailer | *** 35-55 mph, 5% grade acceleration with 5,000-pound trailer

54 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

The Ranger is an old truck, yet the Tremor package still works wonders, not only on its offroad capability but also on its on-road behavior.

THE TRUCK AND TRAILER TRACKED TRUE—BUT THINGS GOT HINKY WHEN DECELERATING. truck, and this 2.3T beats any base gas V-6 around,” senior editor Alex Kierstein said. Features editor Christian Seabaugh agreed: “Love this powertrain and its low-end torque and wide powerband.”

With the engine leading the charge and the tires and suspension delivering sure-footed grip, the Tremor made easy work of

the off-road course at Honda’s proving ground. “It absolutely rips off-road,” features editor Scott Evans said. “It’s super fun to tear around in, especially in Sand mode where the stability control chills out.” Of course, given the Tremor is an off-road-oriented trim, we’d be more surprised if it weren’t good at getting dirty.

This Ranger also acquitted itself decently in our towing test, with the turbo-four maintaining or even adding speed easily while pulling 5,000 pounds of trailer and UTV. (All Rangers are rated for a 7,500-pound towing max.) Even with the softer off-road tires, the truck and trailer tracked true—but things got hinky when decelerating due to the built-in trailer brake controller. Besides a lack of feedback from the knob as to its settings or whether it was even activated, the controller would take a beat or more to release the trailer’s binders once you lifted from the truck’s brake pedal or came to a stop. This resulted in a shudder or a shove from the rear no matter how the controller was set. No other truck exhibited similar behavior with this trailer.

Although the Tremor package improves the Ranger, the rest of

the truck is the same one on sale globally since 2011, which was updated lightly for North American duty for 2019. The Ranger’s old bones, tech, and interior drag the Tremor down; closing the doors sounds like banging a couple of empty beer cans together.

With a new Ranger imminent and the bleeding edge of what pickups can and will be on display at this year’s Truck of the Year, well, “tremor” best describes this Ford’s overall impact. And that’s simply not enough to score our Golden Calipers.

Erik Johnson

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 55

TOTY

Contenders

2021 Honda Ridgeline

PROS Standard V-6 engine • New, truckier looks • Innovative storage features CONS No 4x4 capability • Towing limited to 5,000 pounds • Outdated infotainment system

T

he 2021 Honda Ridgeline came back for 2021 with mostly small updates that made the unibody truck more distinctive without losing its metropolitan vibe. Before its refresh, the pickup was easily confused for the Pilot SUV, but a new front end and a couple of other changes toughen up its appearance. Now

SPECS

Base Price/As Tested Power (SAE net)

you can easily distinguish the Ridgeline from its platform-mate.

The appearance updates come in the form of a squarer grille, reshaped headlights, and chrome trim above the grille that give the truck a more upright face. Unfortunately, Honda left the interior mostly untouched.

Although every Ridgeline now

gets an 8.0-inch touchscreen, the infotainment system itself— with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto—is the same one we’ve seen in other Hondas since 2015; its low-res graphics and the time it takes to respond are a throwback to yesteryear. “Despite the refresh, the Ridgeline feels old,” digital director Erik Johnson

said. “Outdated infotainment, goofy digital clock-style speedo graphics, deeply familiar switchgear—there’s no wow here.”

However, as part of the refresh, Honda replaced the six-speed automatic transmission with a nine-speed gearbox. While we were pleased with its response, shifts, and gearing, we also felt

2021 Honda Ridgeline AWD $40,695/$44,440 280 hp @ 6,000 rpm

Torque (SAE net)

262 lb-ft @ 4,700 rpm

Accel, 0-60 mph

6.4 sec

Accel, 0-60 mph (loaded)*

7.5 sec

Accel, 0-60 mph (towing)**

9.9 sec

Quarter Mile

14.9 sec @ 92.9 mph

Quarter Mile (loaded)*

15.8 sec @ 88.1 mph

Quarter Mile (towing)**

17.5 sec @ 77.1 mph

Braking, 60-0 mph

129 ft

Braking, 60-0 mph (loaded)*

133 ft

Double Lane Change Result

3.2 sec @ 53.3 mph

Frustration Test***

6.4 sec @ 429.2 ft

VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door truck ENGINE, TRANSMISSION 3.5L direct-injected SOHC 24-valve 60-degree V-6, 9-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,515 lb (57/43%) WHEELBASE 125.2 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 210.2 x 78.6 x 70.8 in EPA City/Hwy/Comb 18/24/21 mpg

* 1,000-pound payload | ** 3,000-pound trailer | *** 35-55 mph, 4% grade acceleration with 3,000-pound trailer

56 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

The Ridgeline is the original packaging wonder of the pickup truck world, finding clever ways to use space few have tried to mimic.

Although the more traditionally trucklike styling is welcome, the lack of additional meaningful updates holds the Ridgeline back in this competition. like it often hunted for the highest gear to save fuel. But the new transmission also allowed engineers to update the Ridgeline’s drive modes, making it better when going through the sand and feeling sportier when running in Sport mode.

Just like before, the 3.5-liter V-6 engine makes 280 hp and

262 lb-ft of torque, but we’re not complaining. The Ridgeline continues to feel powerful and agile, whether it rides laden or unladen. When towing 2,800 pounds—just more than 50 percent of its capacity—the Honda felt capable and strong.

When driven on its home turf at the Honda Proving Center, it showed good body-roll control on the winding road’s corners, and it tackled broken pavement and undulations like a champ.

“There is compliance and good grip, and it stays relatively planted,” senior editor Alex Kierstein said.

Even though all these changes made the Ridgeline a better truck, they were not enough to earn our highest honor. We appreciate the thoughtful details like the in-bed storage, the dual-action tailgate, and the 60/40-split lift-up rear seats, but the Ridgeline fell short when compared against our OTY criteria. Its new face is refreshing, but we can’t call it an advancement in design, and although it has great engineering work behind it, it’s not enough to outshine this year’s stiff competition. Senior editor Aaron Gold

summed it up: “Save for a new face and the nine-speed transmission, there’s nothing in the 2021 Ridgeline that we didn’t see in the 2017 Ridgeline.”

Miguel Cortina

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 57

TOTY

Contenders

2022 Nissan Frontier

PROS Handsome styling • Reasonably good at most truck chores • Marginally better than before CONS Dated ride/handling, power, 4WD hardware, safety technology • Heavy steering • Uncomfortable back seat

W

e waited nearly two decades for a new Nissan Frontier, so perhaps we let our expectations for the all-new 2022 model creep a bit too high. The styling did nothing to dampen our hopes; the new Frontier’s looks captivated us. We found it handsome and chunky, aside from the accessory

SPECS

Base Price/As Tested Power (SAE net)

“sport bar” we thought ruined the pickup’s proportions. (Still, we’ll keep it in mind should we ever feel the need to employ the Frontier for an overland expedition.)

But once we drove the Frontier, delight quickly turned to disappointment. We knew the new model was built around a modified version of the old truck’s

frame—no big sin there—but we didn’t expect the whole creation to feel so dated. The almost complete lack of innovation was a real letdown. Features editor Christian Seabaugh summed up our thoughts: “It’s like reanimating a corpse: new heart, new lungs, but the bones are old and brittle.

This was the perfect time for

Nissan to raise the bar. Instead, it did … this.”

Although most of our editors acknowledged the Frontier as solid, capable, and most likely reliable, our notes contained a lot of minor complaints. Among them: noisy engine, jiggly ride, dated switchgear, tilt-only steering column, few active

2022 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X $38,415/$46,965 310 hp @ 6,400 rpm

Torque (SAE net)

281 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm

Accel, 0-60 mph

7.9 sec

Accel, 0-60 mph (loaded)*

8.6 sec

Accel, 0-60 mph (towing)**

14.0 sec

Quarter Mile

16.0 sec @ 87.9 mph

Quarter Mile (loaded)*

16.5 sec @ 84.5 mph

Quarter Mile (towing)**

19.7 sec @ 69.2 mph

Braking, 60-0 mph

133 ft

Braking, 60-0 mph (loaded)*

134 ft

Double Lane Change Result

3.7 sec @ 46.2 mph

Frustration Test***

12.0 sec @ 814.4 ft

VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door truck ENGINE, TRANSMISSION 3.8L direct-injected DOHC 24-valve 60-degree V-6, 9-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,966 lb (55/45%) WHEELBASE 139.8 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 224.1 x 74.7 x 72.9 in EPA City/Hwy/Comb 17/22/19 mpg

*1,000-pound payload | ** 5,000-pound trailer | *** 35-55 mph, 6% grade acceleration with 5,000-pound trailer

58 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

With or without the factory accessories, the Nissan Frontier certainly looks the business. Unfortunately, looks only get you so far.

Fundamentally, the Nissan Frontier is a truck built the old way, and it drives like it. Look deep enough under the skin, and the age only becomes more apparent. safety features, indecisive transmission, silly ergonomics—“Why are the diff lock and stability control switches down by my left knee?”—low-rent trim for a top-of-the-line model, and an uncomfortably upright rear seat back. And nearly every editor posed an identical question: “Why is the steering so heavy?”

Nissan made no bones about targeting the old Toyota Tacoma (akin to setting the difficulty level to “beginner”). Mission accomplished, to be sure, but it seems like the company was so focused on Toyota it ignored the rest of the midsize pickup field. More than one judge wondered aloud if anyone at Nissan had driven or even sat in a Chevy Colorado or a GMC Canyon.

We all agreed the new Nissan Frontier is a solid truck that is good at doing basic truck things, but there is nothing new or groundbreaking about how it does them. Even the 310-hp engine, a mostly new 3.8 liter V-6 introduced in the 2020 Frontier, is virtually obsolete compared to the turbocharged, electrified, and all-electric powerplants found in other TOTY contenders.

With only a lockable rear diff to augment its simple low-range transfer case, the Frontier Pro-4X model we tested struggled to put power to the ground on the sandy off-road course. “It feels more like a 15-year-old truck resculpted to resemble a 2021 truck than a modern vehicle built with modern parts,” senior editor Alex Kierstein said.

Indeed, judges needed little time during our deliberations to dismiss the Frontier as a serious contender for this year’s Truck of the Year title. We agreed the 2022 Nissan Frontier might have been a contender in 2015, but not now. As features editor Scott Evans said: “The new Frontier is a rough-and-tumble little truck, and for half the price I might be interested. As it sits, it’s a lot of money for not much improvement over the 17-year-old model it replaces.” Aaron Gold

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 59

Finalists 2022 Ford Maverick

PROS Stellar standard hybrid powertrain • Affordable but doesn’t punish you for it • Textbook example of how to do “cheap” interiors CONS No AWD available on the hybrid • Optional 2.0-liter engine isn’t as good as the hybrid • Exterior styling a bit plain

I

t’s been a long time since Americans have been able to buy a new compact pickup truck, but as the 2022 Ford Maverick proves, it’s not the size of your truck that matters, but rather how you use it.

At first glance, the Maverick probably wouldn’t have the makings of a Truck of the Year finalist. Instead of, ahem,

“traditional” body-on-frame construction, a big V-8 engine, and four-wheel drive, the Maverick is a unibody crossover-based pickup.

It’s built on the platform Ford uses for the Escape and Bronco Sport, and it’s powered by a standard 191-hp hybrid and e-CVT drivetrain that motivates the front wheels.

An optional drivetrain upgrade

exists: a 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 making 250 hp, mated to an eightspeed auto, and available in both front- and all-wheel drive. All the above are specs we expect from a new Escape, not a pickup. Yet the Maverick works so, so well.

“I love this truck,” digital director Erik Johnson said. “Love.

It. So many clever features

2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid XLT

2022 Ford Maverick FX4 Lariat

Power (SAE net)

$23,775/$24,945 162 hp @ 5,600 rpm (gas), 126 hp (elec); 191 hp (comb)

$27,785/$37,480 250 hp @ 5,500 rpm

Torque (SAE net)

155 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm (gas), 173 lb-ft (elec)

277 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm

Accel, 0-60 mph

7.6 sec

7.0 sec

Accel, 0-60 mph (loaded)*

8.2 sec

7.5 sec

Accel, 0-60 mph (towing)**

10.2 sec

11.4 sec

Quarter Mile

15.9 sec @ 89.7 mph

15.4 sec @ 88.9 mph

Quarter Mile (loaded)*

16.4 sec @ 87.5 mph

15.8 sec @ 86.9 mph

Quarter Mile (towing)

17.8 sec @ 80.7 mph**

18.3 sec @ 73.9 mph†

Braking, 60-0 mph

119 ft

137 ft

Braking, 60-0 mph (loaded)* 123 ft

137 ft

SPECS

Base Price/As Tested

Double Lane Change Result

3.3 sec @ 51.8 mph

3.4 sec @ 52.1 mph

Frustration Test

6.8 sec @ 457.2 ft***

5.7 sec @ 385.8 ft††

and well-thought-out surprise elements.” Despite its relatively modest underpinnings, the Maverick is shockingly capable.

With a stubby 4.5-foot bed, it can haul as much as 1,500 pounds, and it features integrated slots to allow owners to DIY their own bed configurations. It’s rated to tow 2,000 pounds in hybrid form and

HYBRID XLT; FX4 LARIAT VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door truck; front-engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door truck ENGINE, TRANSMISSION 2.5L port-injected Atkinson-cycle DOHC 16-valve I-4 plus permanent-magnet electric motors, cont variable auto; 2.0L turbo direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4, 8-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3,694 lb (59/41%); 3,905 lb (58/42%) WHEELBASE 121.1 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 199.7 x 72.4 x 68.7 in EPA City/Hwy/Comb 42/33/37 mpg; 22/29/25 mpg * 500-pound payload | ** 1,500-pound trailer | † 3,000-pound trailer *** 35-55 mph, 4% grade acceleration with 1,500-pound trailer †† 35-55 mph, 4% grade acceleration with 3,000-pound trailer

The Ford Maverick proves you don’t need a ladder frame to do truck stuff, nor do you need one for proper truck design proportions.

Not just a hybrid but one that dominates its segment and several others, the Maverick will win over people who never wanted a truck before, opening new markets for Ford.

DESPITE ITS RELATIVELY MODEST UNDERPINNINGS, THE MAVERICK IS SHOCKINGLY CAPABLE. up to 4,000 pounds with the turbo engine. The hybrid is a plucky thing, confidently dragging a 1,500pound trailer up and down steep grades during our trailer test. The turbo Maverick equipped with the 4K Tow package had a more difficult time dealing with our 3,000pound test trailer, getting shunted around a bit by the weight.

Hybrid XLT

Lariat

Unloaded or lightly loaded, both Mavericks are a treat to drive.

Despite crossover underpinnings, both feel suitably truckish, but they don’t punish occupants with rough rides or vague steering.

Surprisingly, the base hybrid was our favorite of the two powertrains.

“I can’t express how much I like this little truck,” Mexico editor Miguel Cortina said. “The hybrid engine is torquey and does an excellent job of both recouping energy and delivering power.” Features editor Scott Evans added, “You don’t expect a lot at a $20,000 price point ($24,945 as tested), and this truck massively overdelivers.”

Although we generally liked the fully loaded $37,480 all-wheeldrive 2.0-liter Maverick Lariat, we don’t think it’s worth upgrading to unless you need all-wheel drive or the 4,000-pound tow rating. The hybrid feels nearly as quick, is more efficient and affordable, and is the all-around better drive.

No matter which powertrain you choose, the Maverick sports what might be the nicest “cheap” interior we’ve seen in years. The two trucks, especially the midlevel Hybrid XLT, punch far above their weight with an interesting mix of colors and textures. More than just

being well-styled, the cabins are functional, too. The roomy cockpit is spacious enough for adults and features tons of storage. We love the deep bin under the rear bench, modular FITS slots throughout (allowing you to 3-D print your own accessories), and clever armrest cutouts that allow you to fit longer items sideways.

Ultimately, the spunky Maverick wants you to believe it really is a truck. We’re sold, but will it convince buyers?

Christian Seabaugh

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 61

Replacing the Hummer’s traditional seven-slot grille with an equally unmistakable lighting signature is a brilliant design decision.

TOTY

Finalists

2022 GMC Hummer EV

PROS Staggering power • Thoroughly entertaining • Four-wheel-steering agility CONS Some rough edges • Limited towing and payload capacities • Absurd heft and size

F

ew production vehicles have ever had this much presence, this much drama. It’s difficult to walk away from a drive in the 2022 GMC Hummer EV pickup without smiling and shaking your head wistfully—or maybe it’s your whole body shaking after a rollercoaster ride to 60 mph or beyond in Watts to Freedom (WTF) mode.

SPECS

Base Price/As Tested

The luster wears off a bit as the first impressions dull in your mind, but from beginning to end the new GMC Hummer is unforgettable.

The whimsy starts with the lunar rover theme, which is both metacommentary (GMC’s accelerated development of this monstrous EV is quite fairly a moonshot) and a source of design inspiration. The

new Hummer lays it on thick, with clear roof panels and a central bar that are removable for an open-air view skyward, while clearance lights give the mil-spec hood a cool and eerie glow at night. Then there's the amazingly entertaining CrabWalk mode and the latest version of the spooky-good Super Cruise driver assistance system. It's sometimes

hard to believe this is a production truck rather than a mad science experiment some rogue engineers cooked up in their spare time.

But unlike those engineers, buyers of these huge EV pickups— specifically, the loaded Edition 1 model, which is the sole Hummer offering for the 2022 model year— will have to live with them. They may

2022 GMC Hummer EV Edition 1

Power (SAE net)

$110,295/$112,595 1,000 hp

Torque (SAE net)

1,200 lb-ft

Accel, 0-60 mph

3.0 sec

Accel, 0-60 mph (loaded)*

5.7 sec

Accel, 0-60 mph (towing)**

7.1 sec

Quarter Mile

11.7 sec @ 105.4 mph

Quarter Mile (loaded)*

13.9 sec @ 105.4 mph

Quarter Mile (towing)**

15.2 sec @ 98.5 mph

Braking, 60-0 mph

137 ft

Braking, 60-0 mph (loaded)* 140 ft

Double Lane Change Result

3.5 sec @ 49.4 mph

Frustration Test***

3.1 sec @ 208.1 ft

VEHICLE LAYOUT 1 front and 2 rear motors, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door truck MOTORS, TRANSMISSION Permanent-magnet electric, 1-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 8,976 lb (50/50%) WHEELBASE 135.6 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 216.8 x 86.7 x 76.2-82.0 in EPA City/Hwy/Comb 61/52/56 mpg-e (mfr est) * 1,500-pound payload | ** 5,000-pound trailer | *** 35-55 mph, 5% grade acceleration with 5,000-pound trailer

62 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

The Hummer EV’s Watts to Freedom mode works while towing, and it will accelerate more quickly than many trucks will unladen. But we still don’t recommend it. never tire of the attention the truck gets from anybody within eyeshot, but they may tire of the copious wind noise, cheap interior materials in plain sight, and exaggerated body motions. At least the fourwheel steering provides exceptional benefits in terms of turning radius and agility; it’s a feature our judges universally praised.

Anyone who wants to use the Hummer like a truck might be befuddled by the 1,300-pound max payload rating and 7,500pound max towing capacity. It seems incongruous that a truck of this size, mass, and price has merely midsize-pickup capabilities. The gargantuan weight—8,976 pounds on our scales—puts it in the highest echelon of heavy-duty poundage. Speaking of towing, the Hummer needs a towing mode that stiffens the suspension to control body motions, which led to some sketchy moments.

Despite its mass, the Hummer is silly, stupid quick. Its thrust never gets old, but the Hummer is so rapid and so large, it’s easy to lose track of how much road you have left when it’s time to slow down.

The grip of its tires and the bite of its brakes don’t match its ability to warp forward. We can’t help but think about how quickly WTF mode could propel this 4.5-ton brick into a bad situation. Then again, it’s guaranteed to put a goofy smile on anyone’s face—anyone who’s not in the path of a charging, latebraking Hummer, that is.

Because of its entertainment value, its presence, and how successfully it translates the

brand’s historical brashness into the 21st century as we hurtle toward a more electrified national fleet, the Hummer couldn’t help but make it into our finalist round.

All judges agreed the Hummer is a remarkable achievement for GM, especially given the development timeframe. But the value (or lack thereof) it represented and its lack of capability kept the GMC Hummer from snagging the coveted award. It’s a great experience, but it’s just not a great truck, at least not yet. Alex Kierstein

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 63

TOTY

Finalists

2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz

PROS Fun to drive in turbo form • Looks great • Neat tonneau cover CONS Can’t speak to the base engine’s performance or refinement • Less capable than the Ford Maverick • More expensive and less efficient than the Maverick

M

Maverick’s charm,” Mexico editor Miguel Cortina said.

Ignoring the Ford, it’s worth considering what the new Santa Cruz is. Hyundai’s first pickup in this market (it has sold a light-duty pickup in South Korea since the late 1970s), the Santa Cruz is a new compact pickup based on the Tucson crossover. The standard

SPECS

2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz HTRAC 2.5T (Limited)

otorTrend’s Truck of the Year competition isn’t a comparison test, but when it came to the new Hyundai Santa Cruz, judges found it difficult to avoid comparisons with the Ford Maverick, the other new compact pickup that dropped this year.

“The Santa Cruz drives pretty well, but it doesn’t have the

Base Price/As Tested Power (SAE net)

drivetrain is a 191-hp 2.5-liter I-4 paired with an eight-speed automatic and either front- or all-wheel drive. A 281-hp turbocharged version of the four-cylinder is available on upper-tier models. It’s paired with an eight-speed dualclutch automatic and all-wheel drive, though front-wheel drive will be available later in 2022.

Base prices start at $25,215, but turbo models begin at $36,905.

Our loaded turbocharged test truck, which included an aftermarket trailer hitch and trailer brake controller because neither is available from the factory on turbo models, stickered for $41,990.

We requested a naturally aspirated Santa Cruz to go along

$40,945/$41,990 281 hp @ 5,800 rpm

Torque (SAE net)

311 lb-ft @ 1,700 rpm

Accel, 0-60 mph

6.2 sec

Accel, 0-60 mph (loaded)*

6.8 sec

Accel, 0-60 mph (towing)**

9.8 sec

Quarter Mile

14.7 sec @ 97.4 mph

Quarter Mile (loaded)*

15.2 sec @ 94.3 mph

Quarter Mile (towing)**

17.6 sec @ 80.0 mph

Braking, 60-0 mph

122 ft

Braking, 60-0 mph (loaded)* 123 ft

Double Lane Change Result

3.1 sec @ 56.3 mph

Frustration Test***

5.5 sec @ 367.7 ft

VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door truck ENGINE, TRANSMISSION 2.5L turbo port- and direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4, 8-speed twin-clutch auto CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,187 lb (56/44%) WHEELBASE 118.3 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 195.7 x 75.0 x 66.7 in EPA City/Hwy/Comb 19/27/22 mpg * 500-pound payload | ** 3,000-pound trailer | *** 35-55 mph, 4% grade acceleration with 3,000-pound trailer 64 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

Hyundai incorporated tons of clever features from other trucks, and even threw in one of its own with a factoryinstalled tonneau cover.

With features catering to lifestyle buyers, the Santa Cruz clearly isn’t targeting the work truck market, but price and inefficiency are a drag on the sales pitch. with our turbocharged model, but Hyundai wouldn’t provide one. It also confirmed it will not order any for its press or marketing fleets.

“That’s not a vote of confidence,” features editor Scott Evans said.

Like the Maverick, the Santa Cruz is designed for those who want a pickup’s utility but don’t need all the capability. That’s

just as well, because as a pickup it’s middling. Turbo AWD models are capable of towing up to 5,000 pounds and hauling up to 1,600, though a Hyundai spokesperson told us the truck can only carry 600 pounds in its 4-foot composite bed. The bed features a nifty roll-up tonneau cover and an underfloor trunk, but judges found the latter too small to handle much more than jumper cables and some basic tools, and the tonneau cover impeded access to the cargo area.

We didn’t have any major issues towing a trailer with our Santa Cruz other than some minor trailer sway, but its off-road performance gave us pause. On the semi-steep, sandy hill climb on the off-road course, the transmission stalled more than once as it slipped its clutches and tried to put power down.

However, when not working hard, the Santa Cruz was pretty fun to drive. “Carlike” is a descriptor written often in judges’ notes. It’s refined, comfortable, and torquey, and it rides well on all but high-frequency impacts.

Judges appreciated its exterior styling, but most were annoyed by the touch controls, which might

work well on a crossover but less so on a “lifestyle” truck that could get dirty. The stylish cabin is cramped and without much storage, and the back seat is tight, too.

Ultimately, the Santa Cruz is a premium lifestyle vehicle for those who haul little more than bikes or potted plants in the bed. But there is a better option on the market for doing real truck stuff. As senior editor Alex Kierstein put it, “Were the Maverick not here, it might be a different story.”

Christian Seabaugh

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 65

TOTY FINALISTS SPECS

2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid XLT

2022 Ford Maverick FX4 Lariat

2022 GMC Hummer EV Edition 1

2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz HTRAC 2.5T (Limited)

Front-engine, FWD

Front-engine, AWD

1 front- and 2 rear-motor, AWD

Front-engine, AWD

ENGINE/MOTOR TYPE

Port-injected Atkinson-cycle DOHC 16-valve I-4, plus permanent-magnet electric

Turbo direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4, alum block/head

Permanent-magnet electric

Turbo port- and direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4, alum block/head

DISPLACEMENT

2,485cc/151.6 cu in 13.0:1 162 hp @ 5,600 rpm (gas), 126 hp (elec); 191 hp (comb)

1,992cc/121.6 cu in 9.3:1 250 hp @ 5,500 rpm

– – 1,000 hp

2,497cc/152.4 cu in 10.5:1 281 hp @ 5,800 rpm

155 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm (gas), 173 lb-ft (elec) None indicated 19.3 lb/hp Cont variable auto

277 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm

1,200 lb-ft

311 lb-ft @ 1,700 rpm

6,500 rpm 15.6 lb/hp 8-speed automatic

– 9.0 lb/hp 1-speed automatic

6,500 rpm 14.9 lb/hp 8-speed twin-clutch auto

AXLE/FINAL DRIVE/ LOW RATIO

2.91:1/–/–

3.81:1/2.36:1/–

10.49:1 front/13.26:1 rear

4.85:1 (gears 1, 2, 5, 6, R), 3.32:1 (gears 3, 4, 7, 8)/2.11:1/–

SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR

Struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar; torsion beam, coil springs

Struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar

Control arms, air springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar; control arms, air springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar

Struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar

STEERING RATIO

16.2:1 2.7 12.8-in vented disc; 11.9-in disc

16.2:1 2.8 12.8-in vented disc; 11.9-in disc

DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT

COMPRESSION RATIO POWER (SAE NET)

TORQUE (SAE NET)

REDLINE WEIGHT TO POWER TRANSMISSION

7.0 x 17-in cast aluminum 225/65R17 102H Continental ProContact TX (M+S)

18.1:1 (front) 3.5 14.0-in vented disc; 14.0-in vented disc 7.0 x 17-in cast aluminum 9.0 x 18-in cast aluminum 235/65R17 104H Falken Wildpeak 305/70R18 126/123R Goodyear A/T AT3 W (M+S) Wrangler Territory MT (M+S)

7.5 x 20-in cast aluminum 245/50R20 102V Michelin Primacy LTX (M+S)

121.1 in 63.4/62.8 in 199.7 x 72.4 x 68.7 in 8.3 in

121.1 in 63.4/62.8 in 199.7 x 72.4 x 68.7 in 8.6 in

135.6 in 73.3/73.3 in 216.8 x 86.7 x 76.2-82.0 in 10.1-15.9 in

118.3 in 64.7/64.9 in 195.7 x 75.0 x 66.7 in 8.6 in

20.6/21.9 deg 40.0 ft 3,694 lb (59/41%) 5 40.3/39.6 in 42.8/36.9 in 57.3/55.6 in 54.4 x 53.3 x 20.3 in 33.3 cu ft 42.6 in 30.1 in 1,500 lb (mfr) 2,000 lb

21.6/21.2 deg 40.0 ft 3,905 lb (58/42%) 5 38.0/39.5 in 42.8/36.9 in 57.3/55.6 in 54.4 x 53.3 x 20.3 in 33.3 cu ft 42.6 in 30.1 in 1,500 lb (mfr) 4,000 lb

41.5-49.7/31.6-38.4 deg 37.1 ft 8,976 lb (50/50%) 5 42.5/38.6 in 45.6/38.9 in 63.9/64.0 in 60.1 x 61.0 x 21.7 in 36.6 cu ft 50.1 in 37.1 in 1,300 lb (mfr) 7,500 lb

17.5/23.2 deg 39.6 ft 4,187 lb (56/44%) 5 40.7/40.1 in 41.4/36.5 in 57.6/56.1 in 48.4 x 53.9 x 19.2 in 27.0 cu ft 42.7 in 31.6 in 1,609 lb (mfr) 5,000 lb

2.9 sec 4.2 5.7 7.6 9.8 12.5 16.0 – 3.7 15.9 sec @ 89.7 mph 119 ft 3.3 sec @ 51.8 mph

2.3 sec 3.5 5.2 7.0 9.4 12.4 15.8 – 3.8 15.4 sec @ 88.9 mph 137 ft 3.4 sec @ 52.1 mph

1.3 sec 1.8 2.3 3.0 3.9 5.1 6.5 8.1 1.4 11.7 sec @ 105.4 mph 137 ft 3.5 sec @ 49.4 mph

2.4 sec 3.5 4.8 6.2 7.9 10.0 12.5 – 2.9 14.7 sec @ 97.4 mph 122 ft 3.1 sec @ 56.3 mph

6.8 sec @ 457.2 ft* Not applicable

5.7 sec @ 385.8 ft** 1,700 rpm

3.1 sec @ 208.1 ft***

5.5 sec @ 367.7 ft** 1,500 rpm

$23,775 $24,945 7: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain, driver knee 3 years/36,000 miles

$27,785 $37,480 7: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain, driver knee 3 years/36,000 miles

$110,295 $112,595 4: Dual front, front side

5 years/60,000 miles

3 years/36,000 miles, 8 years/100,000 miles (battery)

10 years/100,000 miles

EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON

5 years/60,000 miles, 8 years /100,000 miles (battery/hybrid system) 5 years/60,000 miles 13.8 gal + 1.1 kWh Li-Ion 42/33/37 mpg

5 years/60,000 miles 16.5 gal 22/29/25 mpg

3 years/36,000 miles 205 kWh (200 kWh usable) 51/43/47 mpg-e (mfr est)

5 years/unlimited miles 17.7 gal 19/27/22 mpg

RECOMMENDED FUEL

Unleaded regular

Unleaded regular

Unleaded regular

ON SALE

Now

Now

240-volt electricity, 480-volt electricity Now

TURNS LOCK TO LOCK BRAKES, F; R WHEELS TIRES

14.2:1 2.6 12.8-in vented disc; 12.8-in disc

DIMENSIONS WHEELBASE TRACK, F/R

LXWXH GROUND CLEARANCE APPROACH/DEPART ANGLE TURNING CIRCLE CURB WEIGHT (DIST F/R) SEATING CAPACITY HEADROOM, F/R LEGROOM, F/R SHOULDER ROOM, F/R PICKUP BOX L X W X H CARGO BOX VOLUME WIDTH BET WHEELHOUSES CARGO LIFT-OVER HEIGHT PAYLOAD CAPACITY TOWING CAPACITY TEST DATA ACCELERATION TO MPH 0-30 0-40 0-50 0-60 0-70 0-80 0-90 0-100 PASSING, 45-65 MPH QUARTER MILE BRAKING, 60-0 MPH DOUBLE LANE CHANGE RESULTS FRUSTRATION TEST TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH

6,300 rpm (front), 7,950 rpm (rear)

CONSUMER INFO BASE PRICE PRICE AS TESTED AIRBAGS BASIC WARRANTY POWERTRAIN WARRANTY

ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE FUEL CAPACITY

66 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

3 years/36,000 miles

$40,945 $41,990 6: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain 5 years/60,000 miles

Now

* 35-55 mph, 4% grade acceleration with 1,500-pound trailer ** 35-55 mph, 4% grade acceleration with 3,000-pound trailer *** 35-55 mph, 5% grade acceleration with 5,000-pound trailer

2022 SCHEDULE LUCAS OIL NHRA WINTERNATIONALS PRESENTED BY PROTECTTHEHARVEST.COM - POMONA, CA ............................ FEBRUARY 17-20 NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS - PHOENIX, AZ........................................................................................................FEBRUARY 25-27 AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA GATORNATIONALS - GAINESVILLE, FL ........................................................................... MARCH 10-13 NHRA 4-WIDE NATIONALS - LAS VEGAS, NV.................................................................................................................. APRIL 1-3 MOPAR EXPRESS LANE NHRA SPRINGNATIONALS PRESENTED BY PENNZOIL - HOUSTON, TX .................................. APRIL 22-24 NGK NTK NHRA FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS - CHARLOTTE, NC ..................................................................................APRIL 29-MAY 1 VIRGINIA NHRA NATIONALS - RICHMOND, VA .............................................................................................................. MAY 13-15 NHRA NEW ENGLAND NATIONALS - EPPING, NH ........................................................................................................... JUNE 3-5 NHRA THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS - BRISTOL, TN ................................................................................................... JUNE 17-19 SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT NHRA NATIONALS - NORWALK, OH .............................................................................. JUNE 23-26 DODGE//SRT MILE-HIGH NHRA NATIONALS PRESENTED BY PENNZOIL - DENVER, CO .................................................JULY 15-17 NHRA SONOMA NATIONALS - SONOMA, CA...................................................................................................................JULY 22-24 FLAV-R-PAC NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS - SEATTLE, WA ........................................................................................JULY 29-31 MENARDS NHRA NATIONALS PRESENTED BY PETARMOR - TOPEKA, KS ................................................................ AUGUST 12-14 LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS - BRAINERD, MN ..................................................................................................... AUGUST 18-21 DODGE//SRT NHRA U.S. NATIONALS - INDIANAPOLIS, IN. .................................................................... AUGUST 31-SEPTEMBER 5 MOPAR EXPRESS LANE NHRA NATIONALS PRESENTED BY PENNZOIL - READING, PA .....................................SEPTEMBER 15-18 NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS - CHARLOTTE, NC ...............................................................................................SEPTEMBER 23-25 NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS - MADISON, IL .......................................................................................SEPTEMBER 30-OCTOBER 2 TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS - DALLAS, TX .........................................................................................................OCTOBER 13-16 DODGE//SRT NHRA NATIONALS PRESENTED BY PENNZOIL - LAS VEGAS, NV .......................................................OCTOBER 27-30 AUTO CLUB NHRA FINALS - POMONA, CA ........................................................................................................ NOVEMBER 10-13

TICKETS AT NHRA.COM/TICKETS

NHRA FAN PURCHASING POWER NHRA fans are: • 2 times more likely to purchase a pickup truck in the next 12 months* • 2.2 times more likely to have repaired/replaced their vehicle brakes in the past 12 months* • 2.8 times more likely to have replaced their vehicle muffler/exhaust in the past 12 months* *vs. the US population Source: Scarborough USA+ - Release 1 2020

Can’t make it to the race?

Go to NHRA.TV and catch all the action.

2022 RIVIAN R1T WORDS SCOTT EVANS PHOTOGRAPHY RENZ DIMAANDAL

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 69

TRUCK OF THE YEAR WINNER he most remarkable pickup truck we’ve ever driven.” That’s how we’ve previously described the Rivian R1T, and now it can claim even higher praise as the 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year.

Ever since Tesla redefined what an electric car could be with the Car of the Year–winning 2013 Model S, we’ve waited, wondering about the inevitable application of the EV formula to America’s best-selling vehicle class four decades running: the pickup truck.

Initially that was a question of time, but as of late, it’s been a question of who. In the past few years, credible challengers have arisen, enough of them with sufficient financial backing and technical expertise that we realized we would soon have an answer to both questions.

The Rivian R1T would win praise if it were merely a credible pickup truck that is also an electric vehicle, but it’s far more.

Not content to simply mount an electric motor or two under the hood or box of a traditional pickup, Rivian used the opportunity to re-examine what a modern pickup truck could be.

Long gone are the days when pickups were simply tools. Today they are, and for the better part of this century have been, family cars, luxury vehicles, off-roaders, lifestyle vehicles, and performance cars of all stripes. Each of these new use cases challenged us to reconsider the definition of “pickup truck,” but mostly in ways that broadened our understanding, not ones that fundamentally challenged it.

By rethinking how a pickup truck can be built, how it can be propelled, how it

T

can drive, how its spaces might be used, how we could interact with it, and how to expand its target demographic, Rivian has forced both the industry and the market to reassess expectations. The R1T, however, is not just an intellectual exercise; it is at its core a good truck by traditional definitions, too. Being both is what makes it our 2022 Truck of the Year.

Proper proportions play a key role in balancing the R1T’s innovative design with traditional sensibilities. Take away the de rigueur EV light bars front and rear, and the R1T looks like a pickup truck, not a science fiction movie prop. With its horizontal lights and particularly its “stadium” headlights, it’s immediately identifiable as both an EV and as a Rivian.

Rather than scream in your face, though, Rivian’s designers chose simple elements— those lights—to telegraph everything you need to know about the truck. The result also demonstrates enormous grilles aren’t a necessary element of good truck design.

Inside, Rivian delicately balances the modern, minimalist EV aesthetic with the quality of materials its price demands and the functional requirements of a “true” pickup truck. Although we disagree on principle with the abdication of nearly all essential functions to a touchscreen interface, we recognize it’s a popular trend.

Rivian executed it well.

Entirely integrating the trailer brake controller into the screens and steering wheel buttons is a particularly clever bit of new thinking that doesn’t impede functionality. Likewise for packaging a

portable Bluetooth speaker and lantern without sacrificing essential interior cargo space and for providing access to the innovative gear tunnel via the cab.

Above it all is a thoroughly modern and measured use of color and texture on the dash, doors, and seats, which reveals refreshing attention to detail. Sitting inside an R1T feels like being in a $70,000 vehicle regardless of what powers it, who builds it, or what body style it is.

The “skateboard” layout that locates the batteries and electric motors in the frame between the wheels was pioneered two decades ago, but the R1T is the first truck to seriously explore the possibilities such construction offers.

Effectively body-on-frame like traditional pickups, Rivian could’ve taken the easy way out and bolted a traditional cab and box on top. Instead, the company engineered a unitized cab and pickup box that opens up new design opportunities.

Doing so allowed Rivian to incorporate clever storage solutions like the transverse gear tunnel and the integrated tonneau cover while giving up a relatively small amount of bed space. More than that, designers were able to incorporate

Yes, that’s real wood on the dashboard, showing neither electric vehicles nor trucks need be devoid of industry-leading style.

70 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

both features while maintaining classic pickup proportions and still providing a convenient seat or step on either side of the truck with those small access doors.

Similarly, Rivian went further in exploring the technical possibilities offered by its electric drivetrain. Many companies have talked about individual motors for each wheel and the traction and stability advantages they could provide. But Rivian is the first production vehicle to bring the concept to market, and it knocked it out of the park.

Direct, granular control over each wheel allows the R1T to exploit every bit of friction available regardless of surface.

On a winding road, instantaneous torque vectoring makes it handle better than any other pickup on the market and more like a high-performance luxury SUV. Off-road, it digs through sand, sloshes through mud, and climbs over rocks like a

Jeep Gladiator Rubicon, but with better ground clearance, breakover angle, and departure angle.

A fully independent suspension with air springs, active dampers, and novel cross-linked hydraulic anti-roll bars facilitates much of that capability. The fact it can vary all aspects of wheel travel in real time allows the R1T to go from handling like a Range Rover Sport SVR to crawling like a Jeep with the push of a digital button.

What’s truly remarkable, though, is that although Rivian clearly designed the

A flat floor opens up new possibilities for interior storage, as well as those clever add-ons. A combo Bluetooth speaker and lantern is handy at the campsite.

The ability to charge faster than most other EVs at 190 kW is good, but the promised update allowing 300-kW charging is cutting-edge.

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 71

TRUCK OF THE YEAR WINNER

R1T for play, at no point did its engineers skimp on the truck’s ability to work: 1,760 pounds of payload falls between the best midsize truck and entry-level full-size truck, just like the R1T’s dimensions. Its 11,000-pound towing capacity is on par with full-size trucks, and its stability,

EV range is massively affected by aerodynamics, which makes Rivian’s ability to hide wind-cheating elements impressive. The spoiler at the rear of the roof is the only obvious one unless you peek underneath the truck.

acceleration, and braking while towing up to 9,000 pounds (the most we asked of it) are unimpeachable.

None of this would matter if it didn’t have the range to get the job done. Rivian’s 135-kWh battery (133 usable) provides 314 miles of range, more than enough for most road trips and off-road adventures.

Its ability to charge at 190 kW now, the promised over-the-air upgrade to 300-kW charging, and Rivian’s ongoing efforts to install chargers at trailheads, campsites, and parks mean range is no real concern.

Simply by virtue of being fully electric, the R1T is the most energy-efficient pickup on the market. Electric motors are just better 72 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

at translating electrical energy into work than the best combustion engines are in turning chemical energy (gasoline, diesel, natural gas) into the same. With the R1T’s 74/66/70 mpg-e EPA rating, there isn’t a gas, diesel, or hybrid truck that comes anywhere close.

Other electric vehicles are even more efficient, but it’s important to consider what they are capable of. There isn’t another EV on the market today that can tow or haul anywhere close to what the R1T can, nor does any other power as many motors or use those motors in the way this truck does. Doing more work requires more energy, and in this context, the R1T’s range and efficiency impress across the board.

Rivian’s genius is in finding new places to put things, from opening up the gear tunnel space to moving the full-size spare under the bed, where it’s protected and won’t interfere with the battery, motors, or suspension packaging.

Building any new EV from the ground up is a monumental challenge, and building an EV pickup is even more so because of the broader range of intended functions.

A sedan must get you to your destination mostly on paved roads in reasonable weather. A truck must do that while also allowing you to haul heavy, bulky loads; pull large, heavy trailers; and go far off the paved road. What’s more, it must do all those things while offering the same range as an electric sedan. Given that, the R1T is indeed a remarkable achievement.

Although Rivian deliberately designed the R1T to appeal to a wealthier, activelifestyle audience rather than the bluecollar crowd, the truck isn’t limited by this decision. As evidence: It can haul hay bales and pull horse trailers, and it can conquer Moab’s famous Hell’s Revenge trail. As a truck, it nails its intended function.

Likewise, as a $74,075 luxury vehicle, the quality of materials and construction are commensurate with the price, as is the design applied to them. The technology, from entertainment to active safety features and over-the-air software updates, is equal to that offered in similarly expensive sedans and SUVs. The driving experience is better than any truck made today and as good as many sporty luxury SUVs. It’s equally effective as the lifestyle vehicle Rivian markets it as. With the standard gear tunnel and power tonneau cover, it’s ready for any camping trip, but buyers can upfit it further from the factory with a pull-out camp kitchen and bed-top tent. A built-in air compressor and the removable speaker/lantern make setting up your campsite all that much easier. And once you hose off the Rivian, it’s ready to be valet-parked downtown, at

the golf club, or at your favorite high-end restaurant.

No matter how you compare it, the R1T’s value stands up. Put it against the only other electric truck, the GMC Hummer, and the Rivian hauls and tows more, has a nicer interior, has more storage space, drives better, rides and handles better, is only slightly slower in a straight line, and costs tens of thousands of dollars less.

Stand it next to legacy pickup trucks at the same price point, and it’s no less competitive. We’ll belabor the point one more time: The quality of design, engineering, materials, and technology on offer are as good as or better than any other high-buck pickup truck you can buy today, not to mention the driving experience and the breadth of capability.

2022 Rivian R1T Launch Edition; R1T Launch Edition (w/off-road upgrade) POWERTRAIN/CHASSIS DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT MOTOR TYPE POWER (SAE NET) TORQUE (SAE NET) WEIGHT TO POWER TRANSMISSION AXLE RATIO SUSPENSION, FRONT, REAR STEERING RATIO TURNS LOCK TO LOCK

2 front and 2 rear motors, AWD Permanent-magnet electric 835 hp 908 lb-ft 8.6 lb/hp 1-speed automatic 12.6:1 Control arms, air springs, adj shocks, multilink, air springs, adj shocks 15.2:1 2.9

BRAKES, F, R

13.5-in vented disc, 12.9-in vented disc

WHEELS

8.5 x 21-in cast aluminum; 8.5 x 20-in forged aluminum

TIRES

275/55R21 116H Pirelli Scorpion Verde Elect RIV (M+S); 275/65R20 116H Pirelli Scorpion All-Terrain Plus Elect RIV (M+S)

DIMENSIONS

135.9 in 68.1/68.1 in LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 217.1 x 81.8 x 72.5-79.0 in GROUND CLEARANCE 7.9-14.4 in APPRCH/DEPART ANGLE 34.0/29.3 deg (max) TURNING CIRCLE 44.9 ft CURB WEIGHT (DIST F/R) 7,143 lb (51/49%); 7,184 lb (51/49%) SEATING CAPACITY 5 HEADROOM, F/R 41.4/38.1 in LEGROOM, F/R 41.4/36.6 in WHEELBASE

TRACK, F/R

SHOULDER ROOM, F/R

60.6/59.0 in

54.0 x 55.1 x 18.3 in 29.2 cu ft; 14.3 cu ft (underbed); 11.0 cu ft (frunk) WIDTH BET WHEELHOUSES 50.2 in PICKUP BOX L X W X H

CARGO BOX VOLUME

CARGO LIFT-OVER HEIGHT 31.2 in PAYLOAD CAPACITY

1,760 lb

TOWING CAPACITY

11,000 lb

With real-time driver monitoring, Driver+ takes advanced semi-automated driving a step further than some direct competitors.

The R1T’s list of active and passive safety equipment, grouped under Driver+ nomenclature, is impressive. Even more noteworthy, every bit of it is standard.

Many trucks don’t offer this amount of equipment at any price, and no others offer it all as standard.

With everything from the basics like forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking up to Autopilot-like highway driving assistance, the R1T will attempt to back you up at any speed, even while towing. The clear presentation of what the truck’s computer “sees” in front, behind, and to the sides reassures the driver it’s paying attention and prepared to assist. Rivian’s decision to include a driver-facing camera to ensure responsible usage of these aids and future full autonomy is likewise commendable.

TEST DATA ACCELERATION TO MPH

1.2; 1.3/1.8; 1.8.sec 2.3; 2.4/3.1; 3.2 0-70/0-80 4.0; 4.1/5.2; 5.3 0-90/0-100 6.5; 6.6/8.1; 8.2 0-60 (LOADED)* 4.1; not tested 0-60 (TOWING)** 7.5; 7.7 PASSING, 45-65 MPH 1.5; 1.6 11.6 sec @ 110.8 mph; QUARTER MILE 11.7 sec @ 111.2 mph QUARTER MILE (LOADED) 12.5 sec @ 110.2 mph; not tested QUARTER MILE (TOWING) 15.8 sec @ 93.1 mph; 16.0 sec @ 92.2 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 126; 135 ft 60-0 MPH (LOADED)* 125 ft; not tested 3.4 sec @ 51.2 mph; DOUBLE LANE CHANGE RESULT 3.3 sec @ 51.7 mph FRUSTRATION TEST*** 3.5 sec @ 222.2 ft; not tested TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 8,000; 7,750 rpm 0-30/0-40

0-50/0-60

CONSUMER INFO

$74,075/$74,075; $79,375 8: Dual front, f/r side, f/r curtain BASIC WARRANTY 5 years/60,000 miles POWERTRAIN WARRANTY 8 years/175,000 miles ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 8 years/175,000 miles BATTERY CAPACITY 133 kWh EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON 74/66/70 mpg-e 240-volt elec, 480-volt elec RECOMMENDED FUEL ON SALE Now BASE PRICE/AS TESTED

AIRBAGS

The long-standing philosophy to frame truck design in the context of commercial work has restricted the freedom to radically redesign the look and layout of such a vehicle. No prior attempt, be it a Chevrolet El Camino or a Honda Ridgeline, has seen the kind of commercial success of traditional pickup design, nor have the innovations introduced by those and similar vehicles seen widespread adoption by the standard-bearers.

Although its price point won’t support the former, the R1T is uniquely positioned to accomplish the latter in ways that will apply to every walk of truck.

Major truck makers were not prepared to mess with profit, reliability, and tradition to embrace these kinds of ideas on established gas- and diesel-powered, body-on-frame pickups. Easy to build, subject to fewer and less stringent regulations, and serving as massive profit centers, traditional pickups offered sufficient motivation to give the customer

more profit-padding features but not to invest into any kind of costly rethink of how a truck is designed and built.

With so many automakers transitioning to skateboard-type EV platforms, though, the opportunity presents itself. Constraints on designers and engineers are suddenly different, granting freedom to try new things.

Some won’t, at least not at first. As we’ve already seen from GMC and Ford, they’ll incorporate a frunk (front trunk) where the engine used to be and convert the rear suspension to independent, but otherwise it’s still the same body-onframe contraption. Others, though, will take inspiration from the R1T, and so, too, may the initial holdouts. The skateboard is a blank canvas, and Rivian has demonstrated how to seize the opportunity it provides without offending historic truck-buyer sensibilities.

The Rivian R1T shows the world a new way to build a pickup and new ways to think about truck design, engineering, and use case. And it gives up almost nothing in capability in the process. It shows us pickups can be for people who never wanted one. It shows us they can be more than leather-lined tools, that commercial applications are not the exclusive starting point in envisioning a new truck. Most important, it shows us they can be electric—and they can be better for it. Q

An idea need not be revolutionary to be good. An extra flashlight tucked away is always handy.

*1,500-pound payload | ** 7,500-pound trailer | *** 35-55 mph, 6% grade acceleration with 7,500-pound trailer

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Updates on our long-term fleet

MT PHOTOGRAPHY MT STAFF

ARRIVAL: 2021 Land Rover Defender P400 110 SE EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ 17/22/19 mpg “Our new Land Rover Defender, last year’s SUV of the Year, is already in high demand.” Christian Seabaugh Base Price $64,050 As Tested $74,960 t’s just a fact of life: Some vehicles are in higher demand than others. That holds true in the broader market and also in our longterm fleet. I literally couldn’t give away my previous longtermer, the Mazda CX-30 (verdict forthcoming), to a fellow staffer in need of wheels. That won’t be the case with my newest one. Within days of its arrival, colleagues flooded me with requests to borrow it for road trips to Alaska, camping expeditions to national parks, and to “just put miles on it.” Welcome to the MotorTrend garage, 2021 Land Rover Defender P400 110 SE. It’s going to be a busy year for you.

This new Defender 110—our 2021 SUV of the Year—should

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be well outfitted for 12 months of commuting, road tripping, off-roading, exploring, and, well, “miles.” We requested a lightly optioned Defender 110 P300 base model, which features a 296-hp 2.0-liter twin-turbo I-4 and 19-inch steel wheels, but Land Rover reps politely told us we’d have to spec a slightly ritzier six-cylinder model instead.

Twist our arms.

We kept with the spirit of the base model we requested for our Defender P400 110 SE build. Its fairly extensive list of standard features includes air suspension, 20-inch wheels, rain-sensing wipers, two-zone climate control, a digital instrument cluster, and a 10.0-inch infotainment system featuring Land Rover’s latest

76 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

Pivi Pro operating system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility). Power comes courtesy of a 3.0-liter electrically supercharged and turbocharged I-6 producing 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque.

It’s paired with an eight-speed automatic and four-wheel drive. The base price for our Defender 110 is $64,050.

Although it’s quite easy to go nuts on the Defender’s option sheet, we focused our attention on features that would improve its off-road capability. We started with the Off-Road package ($1,550), which adds

auto-locking differentials, brake-based torque vectoring, all-terrain tires, and a 120-volt power outlet in the cargo area. Next we added the Advanced Off-Road

VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, 4WD, 6-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 3.0L turbo direct-injected DOHC 24-valve I-6, plus permanentmagnet elec motor POWER (SAE NET) 395 hp @ 5,500 rpm (gas), 10 hp (elec); 395 hp (comb) TORQUE (SAE NET) 406 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm (gas), 55 lb-ft (elec) TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 5,483 lb (51/49%) 0-60 MPH 6.2 sec QUARTER MILE 14.8 sec @ 92.0 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 121 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.72 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 29.6 sec @ 0.57 g (avg) HEIGHT 77.4”

119.0” 187.3”

78.6”

UPDATE HYUNDAI SONATA

NISSAN SENTRA UPDATE

KIA SELTOS

UPDATE KIA SORENTO

RAM 1500 TRX

RAM 2500 HD

ARRIVAL LAND ROVER DEFENDER

UPDATE MAZDA CX-30

UPDATE MERCEDES-BENZ E 450

TOYOTA GR SUPRA UPDATE

TOYOTA MIRAI

TOYOTA VENZA UPDATE

MERCEDES-BENZ GLE 450

VOLVO XC40

2020 Hyundai Sonata Service Life 6 mo/8,039 miles Average Fuel Econ 25.5 mpg “We spent time with the Sonata’s Kia cousin to see how the powertrain- and platformsharing sedans compare.” Kelly Lin

The Land Rover Defender's interior is a masterful blend of functionality and style.

Capability package ($750), which includes Land Rover’s latest off-road software, Terrain Response 2 and All Terrain Progress Control.

Then we turned our attention to the exterior. We opted for Tasman Blue paint with a black-contrast roof ($710 and $1,000, respectively), the Explorer package ($4,900), which includes a snorkel, an expedition-ready roof rack, a side-mounted gear carrier, fender flares, mud flaps, and a black-contrast hood graphic. We rounded out our Defender by opting for a beefy front skidplate ($1,000) and the front jump seat ($1,000), giving our two-row Land Rover room for six in a pinch. Total out-thedoor price is $74,960 for our

Slovakian-built overlander.

Pricey, but in retrospect maybe we should have spent even more and added heated seats (which ought to be standard on a vehicle at this price point), the onboard air compressor, a roof ladder, and a rooftop tent. Perhaps we’ll have to raid Land Rover’s extensive Defender accessories catalog in the near future.

In the meantime, the Defender has quickly racked up miles in the MT fleet. It has already spent time exploring both the Eastern Sierras and Death Valley, gone camping in California’s Mojave and Arizona’s Sonoran deserts, and played rescue rig at SUV of the Year. Stay tuned. It’s going to be a busy year.

Unresolved problems None Maintenance cost $0 (oil change, inspection, tire rotation) Normal wear $0 Base price $34,475 As tested $34,630 EPA City/Hwy/Comb fuel econ 27/37/30 mpg t’s amazing how two midsize sedans with the same powertrain, built on the same platform, can feel so different. But such is the case with the Hyundai Sonata Limited, our yearlong test car, and a 2021 Kia K5 EX I had for two weeks. Just a day into the swap, a clear winner emerged.

Open the doors, and you’ll notice many similarities between the two cars, including the same sleek and responsive 10.3-inch touchscreen. Our K5 test car was $2,275 cheaper than our Sonata, and the price difference was evident in the features list. It was missing our Sonata’s fully digital instrument cluster and leather upholstery. The EX also didn’t offer a 360-degree camera system (a flaw the 2022 model remedies).

A traditional gear stalk takes the place of the Sonata’s tidy and convenient push-button shifter.

Overall, our Sonata’s interior looks sleeker and more streamlined.

Both cars have eye-catching exterior designs, but the K5 gives off athletic vibes. That doesn’t mean it’s better to drive, though.

Unfortunately, the K5 can’t match the Sonata’s light and nimble feel on the road. Both vehicles share a 180-hp 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that provides sufficient power, with the K5 perhaps a little more eager from a stop, but it’s in the twists and turns where you find the biggest

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differences. The K5’s dull steering brings to mind the handling of large sedans of yesteryear.

The Kia’s tires are more prone to slipping, with the Sonata providing better grip around turns.

Neither vehicle has a butterysmooth ride, but the Sonata feels slightly more plush (both cars sit on 18-inch wheels). Although the K5 has its merits, driving it made me appreciate how well-rounded the Sonata is.

Back to routine long-term evaluations, we took the Sonata to the dealership for its first service visit at 6,000 miles. We appreciate that Hyundai offers free maintenance for three years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first) for routine services such as oil changes and tire rotations. That’s more generous than programs from Toyota and Kia. The staff at my local Hyundai dealership was friendly, and upon noticing the top piece of the rearview mirror was coming loose, it was fixed free of charge. We paid a satisfying $0 for the entire service.

FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 77

MT GARAGE

2020 Nissan Sentra

2020 Mazda CX-30

Service Life 12 mo/9,273 miles Average Fuel Econ 28.5 mpg

Service Life 12 mo/16,040 miles Average Fuel Econ 26.1 mpg

“Going top of the line in Nissan's Sentra range will still net you outstanding value.” Claire Crowley

“As we near the end with the CX-30, it’s time to start unloading the notebook.”

Christian Seabaugh

Unresolved problems None Maintenance cost $49.95 (oil change, inspection, tire rotation) Normal wear $0 Base price $21,195 As tested $24,800 EPA City/Hwy/Comb fuel econ 29/39/33 mpg

Unresolved problems None Maintenance cost $143.18 (oil change, inspection, tire rotation) Normal wear $0 Base price $30,700 As tested $31,625 EPA City/Hwy/Comb fuel econ 27/37/30 mpg

n our last update, we’d just received our Sentra back from the dealership after its visit for routine maintenance and repair of a faulty door lock actuator. While our Rosewood Metallic Sentra SV was in the shop, Nissan lent us an Electric Blue Metallic Sentra SR, the lineup’s top trim and one step up the ladder from our long-termer. Let’s look at how the two compare.

In addition to being one trim higher, our SR loaner was also a model year newer than our SV. Nissan made no updates to the drivetrain for 2021, though, and that played out in our driving experience. The SR displayed the same uneager, uninspired, yet comfortable driving character as our SR. There’s nothing exciting about the Sentra experience, and there isn’t meant to be.

Like our long-termer, our loaner came with Nissan’s SR Premium package, which treats buyers to a few more goodies than are included in the SV Premium package. The Intelligent Around View Monitor made parking, even of the back-in and parallel varieties, a snap. Press the camera button next to the touchscreen to cycle through front, rear, bird’s-eye, and—praise be—passenger-side front wheel views.

One thing in the SR model we didn’t savor was the Prima-Tex seating. This upgrade is part of the Premium package; the lavish, truly luxurious quilted leather in the 2020 SV Premium package is not available in the SR trim. The faux leather material feels rubbery, sticky, and artificial. In our loaner, it was accented with cute, sporty orange stitching. There might be some halopolishing value in buying vegan seating, but we found it no match for the smooth, creamy cow skin in our long-term Sentra.

Our SR loaner came dressed in youthful blue paint and included a black roof, a $250 option. The two-tone paint lends the Sentra a sporty look, but the black roof blends in with the accent strip between the roof and the rear quarter panel, spoiling the floating roof effect. When the body and roof colors match, the accent strip combines with the pointed daylight opening and the raked rear window to give the Sentra a sleek focal point we like to compare to Cleopatra’s eyeliner.

The 2021 SR we drove has a base price of $22,675, or $25,910 as tested. In regards to that other financial consideration, gas mileage, the SR comes in slightly weaker at 28/37/32 mpg city/highway/combined to the SV’s 29/39/33 mpg. Regardless, and not surprisingly, Nissan’s top Sentra trim still rings in at an incredible value.

t’s amazing how quick a year goes by. As we get ready to return our once-shiny CX-30 to Mazda so it can go on to its second life as a pre-owned car, we thought we’d go through a quick list of our favorite and least favorite aspects of the Mazda subcompact SUV. Expect a verdict with more thorough conclusions soon.

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78 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

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What We Like About the Mazda CX-30 Mazda has left its long-standing “Zoom Zoom” tagline in the dust, but that ethos lives in the way the CX-30 handles. Its steering is quick, well-balanced, and nicely weighted. Sporty, even. On the right road, it’s enjoyable, but it can be a chore on highways.

It also looks good, both inside and out. It surely isn’t easy to design a subcompact SUV, as so many of them end up betraying their econocar roots. Not the CX-30, though. Its handsome exterior sheetmetal is bested only by its interior, which is among the tops in the segment from a non-luxury brand.

We’ve also been spoiled by the exceptional dealership experience, which rivaled some luxury automakers in its attentiveness and quality. Our one service visit so far was quick, efficient, and painless.

We also enjoyed the well-appointed showroom and waiting area.

What We Don’t Like About the Mazda CX-30 Although a firm ride generally pays dividends in cornering performance, in the CX-30 it seriously hurts its on-road comfort. This Mazda is stiffly sprung, making it uncomfortable over big bumps and skittish on rough surfaces.

The CX-30’s brakes aren’t any better. They have a mushy, imprecise feel to their action. This makes it hard to be smooth while decelerating or coming to a stop, generally resulting in a fair amount of passenger head toss.

Unfortunately, the CX-30’s powertrain doesn’t shine, either. The standard 186-hp, 186-lb-ft 2.5-liter naturally aspirated I-4 lacks the low-end grunt most of its turbocharged rivals have. The Mazda’s dated six-speed automatic doesn’t help things, either, as it’s geared for efficiency and is slow to act, making passing maneuvers a frustrating test of your planning skills.

Mazda does fortunately offer a more powerful (and more expensive) 2.5-liter turbocharged I-4 making 226 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque for the 2021 model year, and although we like this engine

UPDATES

better, it’s still saddled with the same six-speed automatic as our car.

We were also surprised by how small it feels inside. We knew the CX-30 wasn’t big, but we didn’t expect it to feel quite so claustrophobic. The stylish sheetmetal results in a high window line, making it difficult for most occupants to see out of.

We say “most,” because the driver’s seat is thankfully height adjustable. Those in the passenger seats aren’t as lucky, though. Shorter front passengers have struggled to see clearly over the dashboard, and those in back have reported feeling like they’re trapped in a bunker.

We’re thankful our CX-30’s infotainment system offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, but we still find it fussy and overcomplicated to use, especially while driving. The issues generally stem from functions buried in menus, with a twist-knob controller being the only way to navigate through the system. That means an adjustment that takes a simple twist of a dial or tap of a button in most other cars is a multistep affair in the CX-30. You might think you could get used to any system over time, but we never did with this one.

Let’s say you want to change your FM radio tuning to a station that isn’t in your favorites. First you must press down on the controller, twist it two clicks to your right, press down again, and then manually twist it through radio stations before pressing down to select the right one.

Now pretend you’d like to switch from FM to SiriusXM satellite radio. First you need to twist the knob to select “Change Source” and then press down. Then you scroll through to Sirius and press down again. To change the Sirius station, you need to press down a third time, scroll down three clicks, tap down again, scroll through the station list, and finally click down again to select.

It’s a frustrating, overly complex process that generally results in taking the driver’s eyes off the road for too long.

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2021 Mercedes-Benz E 450

2020 Toyota GR Supra

Service Life 2 mo/1,510 miles Average Fuel Econ 20.9 mpg

Service Life 13 mo/10,430 miles Average Fuel Econ 25.2 mpg

“At the test track, our E 450 shows nearly V-8 power from a mild hybrid I-6, but there’s a hiccup.” Zach Gale

“Our Supra had been collecting dust for lack of being driven, so I grabbed the keys for a road trip.” Aaron Gold

Unresolved problems None Maintenance cost $0 Normal wear $0 Base price $63,050 As tested $72,770 EPA City/Hwy/Comb fuel econ 23/30/26 mpg

Unresolved problems None Maintenance cost $0 (oil change, inspection, tire rotation) Normal wear $0 Base price $54,945 As tested $56,565 EPA City/Hwy/Comb fuel econ 24/31/26 mpg

ur 2021 E 450’s engineering excellence begins with what it doesn’t do. There’s no barking, crackling, or wake-the-neighborhood roaring upon startup; leave that to the AMG models. Instead, you’re left with a hushed and refined cabin, appropriate for a good luxury sedan. And just like that, this six-cylinder mild hybrid impresses before you’ve even left the driveway. With 362 hp and all-wheel drive, however, our one-year luxury sedan test car has another unexpected side.

On the test track, the E 450 turned in remarkably consistent performance, with acceleration identical to our E 450 Car of the Year test vehicle through 60 mph (4.6 seconds) and only one tenth of a second quicker at 70 mph. That time also makes the E 450 quicker in our testing than everything else in its class except a 2021 BMW 540i xDrive, an AWD rival that ties the Benz to 60. On the street, the E 450’s powertrain is always ready to serve. There’s no need to jam the throttle at every stoplight; instead, appreciate the engine’s quietness and know passing safely won’t ever be an issue. That’s luxury.

Things aren’t as rosy when you mash the brakes. The best panic-braking performance (stopping from 60 mph) our E 450 could manage was 135 feet. Not only is that 8 feet beyond our Car of the Year E 450 test car, but it also underperforms against the Genesis G80 3.5T (124 feet), 540i (110 feet), Audi A6 3.0T (109 feet), and a few other competitors. Although the E 450’s stopping distance is a letdown, associate road test editor Erick Ayapana commented that the brake pedal felt fine, and he complimented the car’s body control.

A similar story emerged in our figure-eight testing, which evaluates acceleration, braking, handling, and the transitions in between. The time of 26.3 seconds at 0.68 g (average) just about matches everything else in the class except the better-performing A6 3.0T, but there's more to it than that. “The E 450 started out fun and engaging, but as the tires fell off, it just became nearly undrivable,” road test editor Chris Walton said.

“Initially the balance was very nice on the skidpad with a very mild oversteer facilitated by the all-wheel-drive system’s ability to distribute power to various corners.”

We drive cars harder on a closed course than most do on the street, but we’ve experienced this sensation in the real world, too. If you hustle the car too quickly, too hard, the tires won’t always grip as much as you’d like. Better to take it easy with this E-Class.

’ve been feeling a little bad for our Supra: It seems everyone who drives it bags on it for a few ergonomic bugaboos. But after five days and 1,358 miles in the car, I can say all those nits do truly deserve picking—but I can also say the Supra is a wonderful car and a great choice for long-distance travel.

My route was L.A. to Phoenix and Tucson. For a guy traveling alone, I packed heavy—a suitcase, a backpack, two bags of filmcamera gear (including a Mamiya RB67, which practically requires its own car), and a tripod. Everything fit with room to spare, and had my wife accompanied me, there still would have been plenty of space. I am neither the youngest nor the thinnest of MT staffers, and I was relieved to find ingress and egress were easy for a sports car.

Such cars aren’t always a good choice for long freeway trips, but the Supra turned out to be a gem: supportive seats, a smooth ride, and reasonable noise levels. One of my initial complaints: The opening between the passenger and luggage compartments lets in road noise. However, a trunk full of gear provided plenty of sound insulation. I was also concerned the responsive steering that makes the Supra a joy on the track would make for a fatiguing highway drive, but it tracked straight and true. I drove about seven hours per stint with only short stops for food and fuel, and I felt no fatigue.

Speaking of fuel, my fellow staffers have been gassing up the car every 160 miles or so, and I expected to make several stops to refill the 13.7-gallon tank. Those folks must have some pretty heavy feet, because the Supra happily topped 350 miles on a tank. I wasn’t driving with a light foot, either. The speed limit through the California desert is 70 mph, rising to 75 across the Arizona border.

To relieve the boredom of Interstate 10, I diverted to a two-laner for the last 100 miles to Phoenix. Route 60 is long and straight, but even so, passing slower-moving cars always makes me a little nervous. Not in the Supra: Foot to the floor, our taxicab-colored bullet leapt from 70 to more than 100 mph, and I was around those dawdling vehicles in seconds. And despite repeated sampling of the Supra’s passing power, I still saw fuel economy in the low 30s.

There aren’t many curvy roads in Arizona, but I did spend some time with Sport mode engaged so I could enjoy the exhaust’s burbling and popping. Besides, the Supra attracts lots of stares and smiles, and you gotta give folks a show! But I’m old and crotchety, and I valued the ability to cruise (more) quietly.

I came away with unexpected respect for the Supra. I already knew it was great on the track and in the curves, and now I know it’s a great car to live with as a capable grand tourer, which not all sports cars are. What a fantastic machine! I hope to return to Arizona soon, and I might just ask if I can snag the keys again.

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80 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

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2021 Kia Sorento

2021 Toyota Venza

Service Life 2 mo/1,510 miles Average Fuel Econ 21.4 mpg

Service Life 8 mo/12,590 miles Average Fuel Econ 34.2 mpg

“Better than Honda Sensing? Our Sorento’s Highway Driving Assist delivers on its name.” Alex Leanse

“After more than 10,000 miles, our Venza visits the dealership for a second time.” Miguel Cortina

Unresolved problems None Maintenance cost $0 Normal wear $0 Base price $40,965 As tested $42,190 EPA City/Hwy/Comb fuel econ 21/28/24 mpg

Unresolved problems None Maintenance cost $0 (2-inspection, tire rotation, 1-oil change) Normal wear $0 Base price $37,175 As tested $39,735 EPA City/Hwy/Comb fuel econ 40/37/39 mpg

eemingly within moments of joining our long-term fleet, our golden Kia Sorento SX started covering highways all over the state of the same color. It shuttled staffers to industry events and welcomed family visiting for the first time in far too long. The Sorento’s suite of driver aids, dubbed Highway Driving Assist (HDA), has been a valuable companion as increasingly traffic-clogged roads beckon.

Standard on every Sorento SX, HDA combines adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist to, well, assist with highway driving.

Buttons on the steering wheel activate HDA, which then takes a moment to find lane lines and determine if there’s a vehicle ahead. A green icon illuminates on the dashboard when it has.

When there’s a vehicle to follow, HDA adapts to match its speed. As in our 2020 Hyundai Sonata, the Sorento’s HDA smartly accelerates during lane changes. Unlike that sedan, this SUV swiftly closes gaps ahead—then again, it has 101 more horsepower. If the driver overrides HDA to make a pass, the Sorento coasts back down to the set speed without braking.

That’s much better than the brake-check assist system in our Mazda CX-30. For the most part, HDA’s operation is appreciably smooth. However, it can’t best our line of sight if traffic far ahead slows abruptly—we remain ready to brake to avoid panic stops.

When inching through congestion, HDA keeps a tight gap to the leading vehicle. Like competing systems, it requires a tap on the accelerator or steering wheel button to resume after a few seconds of stoppage. We’re still learning the transmission’s ways and have found it can stutter when taking off or at crawling speeds. Past those, HDA modulates single digits effectively.

At any speed, HDA centers the Sorento with impressive accuracy and provides a good amount of steering assistance. It adds steering angle in a gradual, natural way as it takes curves. But Kia doesn’t make autonomous cars yet—HDA chimes a warning if it doesn’t feel a bit of weight from your hands working against it on the wheel. Still, HDA has earned our confidence as a leading driver assist offering among mainstream brands.

But just as quickly as it arrived, the Sorento was gone. A certain mustachioed editor managed to mangle the black plastic trim on the driver’s door lower edge. Minor as the damage was, it took a month to repair. Given the simple fasteners that hold the trim in place, we assume supply issues caused the holdup— apparently microchips aren’t the only parts hard to come by these days.

ur Toyota Venza has been rolling nonstop. From crosscountry road trips to interstate drives to visit family, the Venza continues to be a popular crossover with our staff. At the time of this writing, our hybrid SUV has logged close to 12,600 miles, and we’ve already visited the dealer twice for its scheduled maintenance, which happens every 5,000 miles.

Each service took about an hour and a half from arrival to departure. As usual, it included an oil and filter change and a multipoint inspection, and service número dos also included a tire rotation.

Our Venza passed both inspections, though the cabin air filter will probably need to be replaced at our next visit.

Toyota covers normal factory-scheduled services for the first two years or 25,000 miles (whichever comes first) for all its new vehicles, so we didn’t have to pay anything on the first visit. But the second appointment cost us $63.94, as apparently press-fleet vehicles don’t get to enjoy full benefits. This issue isn’t relevant to the average consumer, of course. Servicing aside, we’re pretty satisfied with the way the Venza has treated us thus far. Fuel economy is one of its strongest points—and with gas prices through the roof, we’ve been lucky to visit gas stations with minimal frequency; we also enjoy not spending a fortune at the pump, as the Venza only holds 11 gallons.

Recently we had a chance to drive the Toyota RAV4 XSE Hybrid, which sits under the Venza in Toyota’s SUV lineup. Although the compact RAV4 has more cargo space than the midsize Venza, we prefer driving the Venza; its design is more luxurious, it delivers a quieter and more refined ride, and its materials are higher quality.

Both SUVs are virtually the same price ($39,728 for the RAV4 we tested, $39,735 for our Venza XLE).

We’re fans of the RAV4 Hybrid—it holds the top spot in our compact hybrid SUV rankings—but after spending a few days driving it around town, we’d gladly sacrifice the RAV4’s space advantage in exchange for the Venza’s nicer looks and better tech.

The Venza’s technology offerings aren’t as impressive as in some other SUVs (the Hyundai Santa Fe’s 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, for example), but we appreciate the 12.3-inch infotainment screen every time we change radio stations or connect to Apple CarPlay.

We still have a few more months with our Venza and look forward to keeping it rolling.

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FEBRUARY 2022 MOTORTREND.COM 81

Angus MacKenzie

The Big Picture Is Tesla really any different from other automakers?

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ne of the many puzzling things about Tesla’s trilliondollar market capitalization—and there are indeed many puzzling things about it—is the notion Tesla is worth more money than other automakers because it’s a tech company and not a car company. Yeah, right.

Last time I looked, Tesla made cars. Electric cars. Electric cars that offer class-leading range and performance, but electric cars nonetheless.

Tesla ain’t Apple. Or Alphabet. Or even Meta.

As I’ve pointed out before, Tesla’s real genius—Elon Musk’s masterstroke—was to create an ecosystem that made its electric cars viable alternatives to vehicles with internal combustion engines. The fact Tesla’s first mainstream product, the Model S, looked great, was exhilarating to drive, and had a roomy interior was icing on the cake.

I was a member of the judging team that voted the Model S the 2013 MotorTrend Car of the Year, the first vehicle without a gas tank and an exhaust pipe ever to win the coveted award. From the get-go, it was clear to us all the Model S was a standout, a benchmark.

But it didn’t take us to Mars. It did car stuff.

If Tesla is a tech company, then most other automakers are tech companies, too. Like Tesla, they don’t just manufacture or assemble hardware limited to cars, trucks, and SUVs; they also create or commission the software that makes those vehicles work. Nearly 20 percent of the engineers now working at Jaguar Land Rover are software engineers, for example. GM has hired 3,000 software engineers in the past year alone. Toyota is upping the share of software specialists among its new engineering hires from 20 percent to 50 percent.

Of course, the number of software engineers an automaker employs has nothing to do with whether it makes a great vehicle: Volkswagen, for example, struggles to make its software operation deliver. The point is mainstream automakers are now just as invested in Silicon Valley skill sets (the tech company stuff ) as Silicon Valley’s most renowned automaker. They must be invested, or they won’t be in business much longer. Consumers want seamless connectivity, over-the-air updates, and real-time 82 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2022

driver assistance systems in their cars, trucks, and SUVs, regardless of the badge on the hood.

But what about Tesla’s brash tech company ethos, the whole Silicon Valley “move fast and break things” schtick?

Certainly, Tesla has made progress in terms of motor and battery-pack efficiency. In 2013 the most potent Model S available had 416 hp and an 85-kWh battery pack that gave a 265-mile range. Today the Model S Plaid boasts 1,020 hp and a 100-kWh battery pack that delivers a 348-mile range.

But a mild exterior refresh and recent interior upgrade notwithstanding, there’s no escaping the fact the Model S is now a 10-year-old car with no known replacement on the horizon. The Model X, now 7 years old, still has its heavy, complex, and troublesome “falcon-wing” rear doors. The Cybertruck and Roadster programs are years behind schedule.

There’s little evidence trillion-dollar Tesla can pump out new, high-quality vehicles with the speed and consistency of companies said to be worth much less. Companies like, for example, Hyundai or Mercedes-Benz.

And then there’s Tesla’s much-hyped Full Self-Driving (FSD) system. By the standards of autonomous driving technologies under development by other automakers and by specialists like Waymo, FSD isn’t game-changing. The principal difference between FSD and other autonomous systems is that Tesla seems prepared to allow other road users to be crash-test dummies as it irons out the bugs.

The FSD development process reveals where Tesla is perhaps most like a tech company. It’s made its fortune building the automotive equivalent of “minimum viable products.” But as the auto industry knows through bitter experience when it comes to safety, building minimum viable products is ultimately an unsustainable business model. The Chevy Corvair and Ford Pinto are just two examples.

Tesla is a car company. The difference between it and the rest of the auto industry is fundamentally one of style rather than substance.

A trillion dollars’ worth of style, apparently. Q

Tesla may represent many things to many people, but ultimately, it’s a car company.