2022

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2022 Subaru WRX worth its long wait makeover

Thirty years after its automotive mentor, the Impreza, was unveiled for the World Rally Championship, the Subaru WRX debuted in its second generation. It’s been a long time coming. The first stand-alone WRX (World Rally eXperimental) arrived in 2014. Eight years later, the sport compact’s full makeover is welcomed and much-needed. It’s available in base, Premium, Limited and GT trims. Key Takeaways Test car: the 2022 Subaru WRX Premium, with a 2.4-liter, 271-horsepower four-cylinder, all-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission. Premium price: an MSRP of just under $34,000. 0-60 mph in 6.0 seconds. 19 mpg city and 26 highway, 22 combined. Performance: Its midrange performance is the car’s strong point, matched by its cornering on winding, fluctuating roads. Value:

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Little Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 SUV is big-time

Mercedes-Benz and its uber-luxury sidekicks AMG and Maybach offer 31 vehicles in 2022 models. Coupes, convertibles, electric vehicles, sedans, sport utility vehicles, roadsters and wagons are all in the mix. Add multiple trims in each segment, and whether via abacus or app, keeping track of the German manufacturer’s extended family of vehicles is a task. Key Takeaways Test car: the GLB 250 4MATIC with AMG treatment, a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 221 horsepower and an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic. $40,600 starting MSRP for the 4MATIC, $2,000 more than the front-wheel-drive version. 0-60 mph in 6.9 seconds. 24 mpg city and 32 highway as stated in the review; EPA rates the 4MATIC at 22 and 30. Seating: an optional third row, adequate

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2022 Volvo XC60 Recharge redefines station wagons

American full-sized station wagons were dispatched from the new car lineup in 1996. Once chariots of choice to transport occupants and massive trundle-style suitcases to train stations, the three-row beauties were discarded in favor of a multi-brand brigade of sport utility vehicles. Thankfully, wagons still abound, with cargo space still relevant. It’s now part of the versatile vehicles’ three-part attraction that also includes sportiness and performance. The updated 2022 Volvo XC60 Recharge adds a fourth attraction. It’s a plug-in hybrid in both the T6 and T8 Inscription (hybrid twin-engine technology) trims. Key Takeaways Test car: the 2022 Volvo XC60 Recharge T8 Inscription, a plug-in hybrid with a 2.0-liter engine and an electric motor producing 455 horsepower combined. $62,500 MSRP and

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#238, Consumer Reports’ Top-10 Most Reliable Cars For 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 42:41 — 58.6MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreAfter nearly 20 years at Consumer Reports, Jon Linkov is an expert among automotive experts. The Deputy Auto Editor, Linkov is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast to discuss one of the publication’s most popular features: its annual most reliable cars list. Join co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia as we discuss with Linkov the “Top 10 Most Reliable Cars For 2022.” “What we do is survey our members, our millions of members, and ask about their experiences with the cars they own or have owned,” said Linkov of the most reliable cars list. “We just don’t look at current vehicles,

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2022 Ford Bronco Raptor: Beauty of an Off-Road Beast

It’s not for everyone, but there’s something appealing about conquering muddy, boulder-laden lake beds, climbing awkwardly formed rock clusters or boldly going where only a few have gone before. It’s why the 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor exists. It’s for those who viewed the 2021 return of the standard Bronco after a 24-year absence as a pedestrian effort. The debuting Raptor is the real deal. It’s huge, a monster off-roader equipped with a 418-horsepower, twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6. It produces 440 pound-feet of torque. Key Takeaways 418 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque from a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6, with a 10-speed automatic transmission. $68,500 base price, one trim, four doors only; $81,000 fully loaded. 15 mpg city, 16 highway. Towing: 4,500 pounds,

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2022 Ford Lightning bolts quickly into fame

Not quite with the quickness of its name, the 2022 Ford Lightning arrived a year after it was announced. There was much fanfare, an avalanche of deposits and now there’s an estimated three-year backlog for delivery. First teased at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show, Ford beat all the others, Tesla to GMC, Chevrolet to Rivian, to the streets to further add to manufacturer’s truck legacy. The industry’s best-seller for decades, hadn’t Ford already offered every conceivable truck necessary to maintain its sales advantage? The Lightning boldly adds to the mix. It’s a luxury-oriented, full-size electric pickup truck with top-level performance and a 300-plus mile range. Key Takeaways Test truck: the top-line Platinum trim, which is offered only with the higher-capacity

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2022 Toyota Tundra improved but glory days long gone

The Toyota Tundra debuted in its third generation this year as among the most varied available pickup trucks but with a diminishing legacy. The Japanese manufacturer assembles the truck in San Antonio, Texas, a hub for ranchers and RVers and their utilitarian vehicles. Despite the substantial niche market, the Tundra is struggling. Nearly 197,000 sold in 2007, the full-size truck’s best year. Just under 82,000 were purchased in 2021. Serious competition from an omnipresent truck foursome remains, and the Tundra’s smaller, thriving pickup, the Tacoma, has thwarted the big truck’s sales. Key Takeaways Powertrains: a 3.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6 with as much as 389 horsepower, or a hybrid with an electric motor and 437 horsepower, both with 10-speed automatic transmissions. 0-60

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2022 Lexus NX 350h: Improved SUV drives well, looks ugly

The 2022 Lexus NX 350h is an automotive dichotomy. Now in its second generation and eight years removed from its debut, the futuristic-looking sport utility vehicle is categorized as a subcompact luxury crossover. The description is contradictory and inaccurate. Luxury in vehicles was once determined by spaciousness, top-end construction, top-line materials and a handsome, confident and powerful presence powering along the highway. The NX 350 is none of that. Key Takeaways Test car: the NX 350h hybrid, a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with hybrid components producing 239 horsepower, with all-wheel drive standard. About $56,000 as priced in the review. 0-60 mph in 7.2 seconds, more than one second faster than the 2021 model. 41 mpg city and 37 mpg highway in the

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2022 Toyota Highlander: maturing SUV remains worthy

The Toyota Highlander turned age 22 in 2022 and it retains its status as a respected midsize sport utility vehicle. Its consistency and versatility have provided long-haul clout. Last year, the Highlander had its best sales year since the three-row family hauler’s debut. Key Takeaways Test car: the top-line Platinum trim, which begins at $47,500; the base L front-wheel-drive choice begins at $35,205. 3.5-liter V6 with 295 horsepower and an eight-speed shiftable automatic transmission. 21 mpg city and 29 mpg highway with front-wheel drive; 20 and 27 mpg with all-wheel drive. Seating for seven and 84.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the second and third rows folded. Safety: the Safety Sense 2.5+ suite is standard, with a pre-collision system

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2022 Genesis G80 defines the best of luxury sedans

The guy standing next to his parked Mercedes-Benz sedan was three spots away from my ride in the far reaches of a Home Depot parking lot. He stared at the 2022 Genesis G80 and said, “Nice lines. What kind of car is it?” The entire Genesis lineup gets plenty of similar reactions. Praised by critics and inundated with awards, the South Korean carmaker debuted as a stand-alone luxury brand from Hyundai in 2016. But it remains unheralded. Key Takeaways Engines: a turbocharged 2.5-liter at 300 horsepower and a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 at 375 horsepower, both with a shiftable eight-speed automatic. $63,700 MSRP and $72,170 with the $6,800 option package, Cavendish Red paint ($575) and a $1,095 destination fee. 0-60 mph

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2022 Ford Maverick reigns in pickup gas mileage rivalry

The 2022 Ford Maverick has proven a success, although many buyers who placed orders for the new offering in the manufacturer’s extensive of lightweight trucks haven’t received their vehicle and likely won’t soon. The Maverick combines affordability and fuel efficiency, and it’s also backlogged with many other cars and trucks and many other products within the supply chain fiasco. With a starting price of $21,490 and a combined fuel economy of 37 miles per gallon, the Ford Maverick tops the list of the country’s most fuel efficient trucks. Best MPG Among Trucks Here’s a “baker’s dozen” list of the lightweight trucks in the United States with the best combined gas mileage averages. Each 2022 model truck listed with its starting

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2022 Hyundai Tucson: new, bold, worthy

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson, the debut of the small sport utility’s fourth generation, is the South Korean manufacturer’s finest effort to compete against the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. It’s a worthy challenger. Unheralded and 13th in small SUV sales in 2021, this year’s Tucson has been redesigned with a sculptor’s bold ideas. It has squared wheel arches, sharp bodywork creases, a radical headlight design and a snarky-looking front grille. Key Takeaways Test car: The reviewed hybrid Limited Hybrid is powered by a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine with 227 total horsepower. About $38,000 fully equipped. 0-60 mph in 7.7 seconds. 37 mpg city and 36 highway for the standard hybrid. Cargo: 38.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 74.8 with

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2022 Toyota Supra matches sports car rivals, costs less

More than two dozen cars debuted in 1979. They varied from long-gone oddities like the Datsun Bluebird and Ford Durango to icons with legions of followers, the Volkswagen Jetta and Toyota Supra. As a compact two-seater, four-seater and wagon, the Jetta is an all-time top seller as a durable, reliable and affordable family car. Key Takeaways Test car: the Supra 3.0, a turbocharged six-cylinder with 382 horsepower and an eight-speed automatic; a manual transmission is not available. $56,390 as driven. 0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds for the 3.0-liter, at 22 mpg city and 30 highway. 2.0-liter alternative: 255 horsepower, 0-60 mph in 4.8 seconds, 25 mpg city and 32 highway. Design: Sports car design attractiveness is subjective, but the Supra

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What car would you buy? Vintage over new always, but . . .

Not too far into the future, 300 million vehicles will be registered in the United States. More than 30 current car manufacturers have lineups currently available; plenty of other carmakers are defunct and either revered or best forgotten but with models still driven. The staggering number of vehicles on the road and hoarded in garages further dilutes an often-asked question: “If money were no object, what car would you buy?” There’s no right answer, but vintage simplicity is far more appealing than impress-the-neighbors bling. A 1954 Kaiser-Darrin, 1967 Mercedes Benz 250 SL Convertible or a 1991 Nissan Figaro? Yes. Any new Tesla, Hummer or tank-sized family SUV? No. A $15,000 Chevy Spark and its 40 miles per gallon has plenty

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2022 Honda Civic: Still reigns as top compact sedan at age 50

Technology overload and extraneous warning lights and sounds. Mood lighting and champagne flutes in mini back-seat refrigerators. Paddle shifters standard in family sedans with continuously variable transmissions? Where will it all end? How about with a 2022 Honda Civic? It’s not a return to automotive simplicity with roll-up windows and cigarette lighters. Rather, it’s an iconic car, now in its 11th generation. It’s 50 years old, with 12 million sold. It cost less than $31,000 for the top-line model, about two-thirds of the average price of a new car in the United States. Key Takeaways Test car: the Civic Touring, the top-line trim, with a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four-cylinder engine making 180 horsepower and a continuously variable transmission. Under $31,000 for

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2022 BMW 240i Review: Drives big as small luxury coupe

Just when every niche in the automotive industry appears filled, another arises. The 2022 BMW 2 Series coupe 240i is a leader in the small luxury car fraternity. It’s a small group, which includes country rivals from Audi and Mercedes-Benz. Following the discontinuation of the convertible offering, the redesigned 2022 BMW 2 Series coupe is available in two trims, 230i and the reviewed M240i xDrive. The base 230i features a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 255 horsepower. Key Takeaways Test car: the M240i xDrive, with a 3-liter, 24-valve, 6-cylinder, 382 horsepower engine matched with an eight-speed transmission. $48,550 base price; the car prices out at $57,295 with options. 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds. Options: Premium Package $2,750, Driver Assist Package $1,450,

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