Evelyn Reynolds

Earlier this year, Audi announced that it would cease development of all new internal-combustion engines as it transitions to all-electric powertrains by 2033. Yet, in defiant anticipation of that silent goalpost, the brand’s engineers endeavored to equip the redesigned 2022 Audi RS3 with the loudest, most powerful version of the company’s turbocharged inline-five engine. With 401 horsepower available—one pony more than before—the RS3’s boosted five-pot pulls hard to its 7000-rpm redline with fervent glee. To say that it has character is an understatement—delightfully vocal and charismatic, this is an engine that can seem uncannily human across its rev range. Which makes sense, as its odd-cylinder warble is a sound that any human could impersonate. A new active exhaust delivers even more of that aural drama through the tailpipes. Normally we eschew engine-sound augmentation through stereo speakers, but it only adds to the excitement in the RS3. Windows up or down, this Audi will have you searching out tunnels on your daily commute.

Torque is up as well, now peaking at 369 pound-feet versus the outgoing model’s 354. That twist is routed through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission featuring several shift programs, including launch control. Audi estimates the sprint to 60 mph will take 3.8 seconds. But that’s surely a conservative figure, as the last RS3 we tested, a 2017 model, posted a 3.5-second run to 60 mph. Driving the new car, we found its transmission to be eager to drop down a gear with just a touch of the accelerator, but it’s not as prescient under heavy braking into corners, sometimes requiring a tug on the steering wheel-mounted shift paddles to kick it down a ratio.
For even greater control, it’s easy to change the gearbox’s demeanor through the various drive modes, which also alter the engine’s responsiveness, the weight and feel of the steering, and the firmness of the adaptive dampers. We bypassed the Efficiency and Comfort settings, finding Auto to be nicely adept at adjusting the parameters based on our driving habits. Dynamic mode heightens all the car’s senses and holds gears at redline in manual mode. Most intriguing was the customizable RS Performance mode, which for the first time in the RS3 allows the amount of torque sent to the rear wheels to be adjusted. Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system is almost too effective in most cases, wrangling the engine’s might in a deliberate, almost clinical fashion. But the RS3’s all-wheel-drive system is designed to be a frisky complement to its engine’s sonorous antics. The system employs two independent clutch packs that can route 100 percent of the torque sent to the rear axle to either rear wheel, helping the car rotate around corners.There’s even a dedicated RS Torque Rear mode in the car’s Drive Select menu, which is a drift mode in all but name. In practice, however, this setting only lets you wag the RS3’s tail so much. Despite the implied benefits of the rear-torque bias, this remains a predominantly front-wheel-drive-based setup. Similar to how the previous RS3 could be outfitted, the new car rolls on tires that are wider in front than in back, 265/30R-19s to the rear 245/35R-19s. And since only 50 percent of the engine’s torque can be routed rearward, the RS3 can’t break its back end loose with the same impulsivity of, say, a BMW M2. It takes deliberate effort and a heavy right foot to overcome the chassis’s natural inclination towards understeer, and once you cross that limit of adhesion it requires persistence to keep it dancing on that edge.
Making the most of RS Torque Rear on the track also requires diligence, plus a bit of trust on the driver’s part. Our drive included laps on Greece’s Athens Circuit, a tight 1.3-mile track featuring a short straight and 10 corners. Taking the conservative all-wheel-drive line into turns yielded no help from the RS3’s torque-vectoring rear axle. It’s best to be more aggressive on corner entry and ignore your instincts to back off the throttle. Just before the front end begins to plow wide, mat the throttle to shuffle the torque to the rear axle and let the all-wheel-drive system’s programming sort it out. That’s not to say the RS3 isn’t potent when pushed hard. Audi test driver Frank Stippler recently posted a 7:40.8 lap around the Nürburgring, beating the time set by, among other all-wheel-drive rockets, the original Bugatti Veyron. On the open road, the RS3 feels much more in its environment. With its adaptive dampers in their comfort setting, this diminutive sedan evokes the composure and stability of its larger Audi brethren. Up front, the strut suspension features model-specific pivot bearings that add nearly a degree of negative camber compared to the regular A3. A multilink setup sits in back, along with a hollow anti-roll bar and a half-degree of additional negative camber. Overall, the RS3 rides 1.0 inch lower than the A3 and 0.4 inch lower than the S3. Top speed is governed to 155 mph, although opting for the RS Dynamic package ups that to 180 mph.
Look beyond its performance and the RS3 receives the same updates found in the new A3 and S3. The interior features a far more premium look, thanks in large part to the 10.1-inch touchscreen that’s now integrated into the dash. The 12.3-inch configurable digital instrument cluster is flanked by vents that resemble motorcycle grips. An RS design package adds either red or green accents to those vents, plus color-keyed seatbelts and contrast stitching on the seats, though we’re less enamored by the dinky-looking shift toggle on the center console. Also somewhat out of place are the acres of gloss black plastic adorning the car’s front end, which look a bit unfinished and appear at odds with the rest of the tastefully aggressive sheetmetal. Gaping face notwithstanding, the RS3 is a superb evolution of Audi’s original brand-defining formula. If this sounds like a fitting way to celebrate the sonic joy of its odd yet charming powertrain, you’ll have to wait early next year to buy one in the United States. Pricing has yet to be announced, but we expect it to start just under $60,000. Endearingly eccentric and capable as the RS3 may be, it’s hard to predict how long Audi will continue to support this niche segment with a near-bespoke engine. Although we’re down for whatever the future brings, we hope the brand leans on its EV engineers to create soundtracks that are as glorious as the RS3’s.

Specifications

Specifications
2022 Audi RS3Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE (C/D EST)
Base: $59,500
ENGINE
Turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 20-valve inline-5, aluminum block and head, port and direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 151 in3, 2480 cm3Power: 401 hp @ 7000 rpmTorque: 369 lb-ft @ 2250 rpm
TRANSMISSION
7-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 103.6 inLength: 178.8 inWidth: 72.9 inHeight: 55.6 inPassenger Volume: 88 ft3Trunk Volume: 8 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3600 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.4 sec100 mph: 8.6 sec1/4-Mile: 11.8 secTop Speed: 155–180 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 23/19/28 mpg

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When we first saw it, there was little doubt the Wilderness treatment would spread beyond the Subaru Outback. The hardcore-crossover concept has been quietly gaining steam, which only makes sense given that compact SUV sales are off the charts. Crossover lift kits and knobby-tire upgrades are now a thing, and practically everyone says “overlanding” when they mean “car camping.” Subaru owners modding their rides have been at the leading edge of this trend, so it was only natural the parent company would cash in. Enter the 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness, the second example of the outdoorsy new trim level. We’ve now driven them both, so the question is: Who wore it better? As applied to the Forester, the Wilderness formula is very familiar. Compared to its siblings, it sits a half-inch higher atop its four-wheel independent suspension thanks to longer dampers and taller springs, and that amounts to a healthy 9.2 inches of minimum ground clearance and an improved breakover angle of 21 degrees. Since the Forester isn’t nearly as long as an Outback, the jacked-up stance conspires with stubbier front and rear overhangs to produce more favorable approach and departure angles of 23.5 and 25.4 degrees, respectively. It’s also some 2.4 inches narrower, so it’s more compatible with brush-lined trails even before Subaru slathers on the Wilderness-spec layer of protective body cladding. Conversely, the Forester Wilderness is 2.0 inches taller than its Outback counterpart, but we’ll take that because it comes with a more upright driving position that makes it easier to see over the hood and pick your way along a trail. Blind crests are no problem because there’s a front camera, but the button to activate it is nowhere near the display itself.

A drive along forest roads near Bend, Oregon, proved that the Forester execution works equally well on both smooth gravel roads suitable for stage rallies and lonely meandering two-track forest trails that haven’t seen the blade of a road grader in years. Subaru’s Wilderness-specific shock and spring tuning readily soaked up washboard surfaces on high-speed tracks, but they also went about the quiet business of damping out head toss through rocky sections, snaking around fallen limbs, or easing down eroded ledges. None of this was black-diamond rock crawling, but vehicles built for that use case would have punished us with the heavy unsprung mass of solid axle overkill thumping up from below. Independent-suspended crossovers have their place out here if they can muster sufficient clearance and traction, and the Forester Wilderness proved to have enough of each.A good deal of the necessary extra traction comes from a set of Yokohama Geolandar A/T tires, with outline white-letter sidewalls adding spice to an otherwise black background of alloy wheels and cladding. There’s even a matching, full-use spare with its own TPMS sensor in the underfloor well.
Whereas other Foresters have seven simulated gears in their continuously variable automatics (CVT), the Wilderness version has eight, like the Outback. But it differs from even the Outback Wilderness in that it has a wider overall ratio spread across its working range, with an ultra-low 4.07:1 “first gear” that gives the Forester Wilderness a better low-speed crawl ratio when the exclusive Dual-mode X-Mode detects conditions that call for hill-descent control. The 2022 Forester also debuts an improved X-Mode logic that no longer shuts completely off if the driver momentarily exceeds its maximum operational speed of 25 mph. It now goes into a standby mode and will automatically reengage when the car slows to 22 mph. That prevents constant dithering if your speed lingers near 25 mph. The hill-descent control features a related improvement that more quickly resumes the original crawl speed if the driver temporarily adds throttle and then backs out.
The Wilderness will, of course, spend the bulk of its time on pavement, so it’s good there’s nothing overtly off-roady or off-putting about its on-road demeanor (probably not something that could be said if you bolted on random off-road mods you read about in forums). Subaru’s engineering team has delivered a smooth and composed ride that is never harsh. The body doesn’t pitch or bound, and there’s a smidge more reassuring control and less squishiness than with the Outback Wilderness. Frost heaves don’t upset it, and the all-terrain tires were remarkably quiet until we came to a particularly coarse stretch of asphalt that had been chewed by studded tires in previous winters. When pushed, the Wilderness does not feel like it’s standing on tiptoes. It turns into corners smartly, with a modest amount of body lean that builds up gradually and takes a reassuring set. The thing that flummoxes the steering is cruising straight at highway speeds, where the feel is dull and indistinct. That’s small beer compared to the lackluster engine performance, but this won’t surprise any current-generation Forester owners because the Wilderness has the same 2.5-liter flat-four with a middling 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. Why not the 2.4-liter turbo as in the Outback Wilderness? Outback product planners had two homologated engines to pick from, but the fifth-generation Forester has only one, since the turbo 2.0-liter was dropped with the previous model in 2018. For what it’s worth, we didn’t notice a serious lack of beans driving in the forest, and the car felt reasonable enough around town.
That might be because its final drive ratio is a short 4.11:1 instead of the regular Forester’s 3.70:1 gearing. Combined with the CVT’s lower initial gearing, this might shave a couple of tenths off the 8.4-second zero-to-60-mph time we previously measured with a standard Forester, but the more significant benefit of this change is the new 3000-pound tow rating. Our experience also makes us think the aerodynamic penalty of a rooftop tent will be easier to bear, which is relevant because the Forester Wilderness is specifically courting those buyers. It has beefier wide-set roof rails that can accommodate 220 pounds of mass while in motion and 800 pounds when parked—enough for a three-person tent with occupants. The penalty for the shorter gearing is lower fuel economy, particularly on the highway. A regular Forester is EPA rated at 29 mpg combined (26 city/33 highway), but the Wilderness manages just 26 mpg combined (25 city/28 highway). Nevertheless, this still bests the Outback Wilderness and its estimates of 24 mpg combined, 22 city, and 26 highway.
All 2022 Forester models debut the fourth iteration of Subaru’s EyeSight, which features dual cameras with nearly twice the field of view. On our back-road tour, it proved to be surprisingly good at detecting faint centerlines that have been so thoroughly bleached we weren’t immediately conscious of them. You’d think that kind of sensitivity would lead to a raft of unwanted warnings elsewhere, but we didn’t find ourselves hunting for an “off” button when clipping apexes. The system behaved as if it were able to project a forward path to distinguish a true inattentive lane departure from spirited driving, which isn’t that far-fetched when you consider the kind of added logic that would’ve been necessary to support the new lane-centering feature that supplements the adaptive cruise control.The 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness will arrive in December at a price of $33,945. That amounts to $4625 more than the Forester Premium we generally recommend, but it’s also a full $4175 less than the larger and more powerful Outback Wilderness. From where we just sat, the Forester Wilderness is a more right-sized interpretation of the Wilderness concept that does a proper job off the pavement but still comes across as a pleasant daily driver if you’re merely going for the off-road look. Either way, you can now gratuitously toss around the word “overlanding” in conversation. Come to think of it, please don’t.

Specifications

Specifications
2022 Subaru Forester WildernessVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base: $33,945
ENGINE
DOHC 16-valve flat-4, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 152 in3, 2498 cm3Power: 182 hp @ 5800 rpmTorque: 176 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
TRANSMISSION
continuously variable automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 104.9 inLength: 182.7 inWidth: 72.2 inHeight: 68.9 inPassenger Volume: 108 ft3Cargo Volume: 27 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3650 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 8.4 sec1/4-Mile: 16.5 secTop Speed: 115 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 26/25/28 mpg

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For those who enjoy driving but are compelled by the need to combine performance with a modicum of practicality, sports sedans have long been the perfect choice. Despite the seismic shift towards SUVs in recent years, it’s great to see that some automakers—primarily from Germany—are keeping the faith. The latest example is the new 2022 Audi A3, along with its S3 sporting cousin. The A3 is Audi’s smallest four-door sedan, although this latest version has grown slightly. It’s 1.2 inches longer, 0.8 inch wider, and half an inch taller than its predecessor. Lest you think that it’s a tiny car, the new A3 is the same width and barely an inch shorter than an E90-generation BMW 3-series. Interior volume is also similar, but trunk space is about 10 percent less.

The new model is wrapped in sheetmetal that doesn’t depart much from the outgoing model. The profile is sleek, and the front face is dominated by a large grille. But it’s a subdued look with minimal sculpting, and it is perhaps the least eye-catching of any vehicle in Audi’s lineup. The S3 version is similarly low key, with a coarser grille texture, larger and wider wheels, and a subtle rear spoiler. Improvements in mirror design, underbody cladding, and other details have reduced the drag coefficients by about 10 percent across the board.Inside, however, the 2022 model goes in a new direction with an angular motif that’s carried through the dash, the vents, the armrests, and even the door handles. Not only does it look fresh and attractive, but the new design integrates the 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen instead of having it sprout from the dash like a mini drive-in movie screen.
The driving position is excellent, with the steering wheel’s upper half nicely framing the optional 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit Plus reconfigurable instrument cluster. (The standard screen is a couple inches smaller and offers fewer configuration options.) Headroom and legroom are fine, despite the standard panoramic sunroof. Even the back seat is pretty good, with adequate headroom, legroom, and foot room for someone who’s five feet, 11 inches tall. The rear seatbacks fold in 40/20/40 increments, maximizing the utility of the 11-cubic-foot trunk.Heated power front seats are standard, as is leather upholstery with contrasting stitching, which is now available in gray, brown, or beige. During a two-hour drive, these seats were very comfortable and provided decent lateral support, with slightly larger side bolsters in the S3.
Updated PowertrainsThe powertrains will be familiar to previous A3 and S3 owners, but there are some important improvements. All use versions of the VW Group’s ubiquitous 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo engine. Unlike in the previous A3, the front-drive car no longer gets a less powerful engine than the Quattro.The new A3 engine uses a modified Miller cycle that improves part-throttle fuel economy and is coupled to a 48-volt hybrid system to provide further efficiency. Output is 201 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, which is roughly in between the previous A3’s two engines. Coupled again to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the new A3’s EPA combined fuel economy improves by two mpg to 32 mpg with front-wheel drive and by a massive 6 mpg to 31 mpg for the Quattro. It’s nice to see that, despite the push towards EVs, Audi hasn’t given up on internal-combustion-engine development.
While Audi claims that the front-drive A3 maintains the same 6.6-second 60-mph time as before, the loss of nearly 20 horsepower and 40 pound-feet of torque doesn’t help the all-wheel-drive A3 Quattro, which needs a claimed 6.3 seconds to hit 60—but we predict they’ll be quicker once we get our hands on one to test. If the 24 percent improvement in fuel economy doesn’t console you about this deficit, the solution is to step up to the more powerful S3. The S3’s engine sees power increase from 288 to 306 horsepower and torque boosted from 280 to 295 pound-feet. At the same time, EPA combined fuel economy improves by 2 mpg to 27, and the factory-stated 60-mph sprint time drops by a tenth to 4.5 seconds. In our last test of an S3, it was a couple of tenths quicker than the factory claim, so we might expect a slightly better figure in our testing.
Sporting SuspensionsThe suspension is largely similar to the previous generation with struts in front and a multilink setup in the rear. The biggest change is that the optional, adjustable suspension offered on the S3 switches from magnetorheological technology to more conventional hydraulic dampers. A version of this system with different calibration is also optional on the A3 for the first time.We drove the A3 and S3 through Colorado’s mountain roads, and both take to hard driving with enthusiasm. The A3 Quattro was reasonably strong, offering its 201 ponies willingly and revving strongly to its 6250-rpm redline. The standard paddle shifters work beautifully, and while we’re not fans of the lame-looking stubby gear selector, it does serve nicely to toggle between the transmission’s standard drive, sport, and manual positions.
The chassis has good body control and nice cornering balance, despite undoubtedly having a front-based weight distribution. Only when pushing really hard in tight corners did front grip seem to fade earlier than the rear. The brakes are strong and inspire confidence, though the steering, while accurate, is not infused with great feel. Switching from Comfort to Dynamic mode adds a bit of weight to the steering but not necessarily more feel.The S3 feels immediately tauter than the A3. The ride is firmer, the brake pedal harder, and the engine much stronger. When using full throttle to pass cars on two-lane roads, the S3 feels like it uses all of its 306 horsepower as it shifts crisply a little above its 6500-rpm redline. The engine sound satisfying at full throttle as well, without any artificial soundtrack being pumped in through the sound system.
The S3’s steering in Comfort mode is heavier than in the A3’s Dynamic mode, and it also has a strong sense of self-centering, which feels a bit artificial. In Dynamic mode, the effort increases substantially, to the point where it overpowers any steering feel. The suspension, on the other hand, works very nicely in Dynamic mode, giving the car a taut feel that encourages exploiting the S3’s greater grip.The dual-clutch seven-speed transmission works well in both cars. Exploring low-rpm operation in the upper gears, the S3 displays substantial turbo lag. That’s easily overcome by driving in one of the Sport modes or hitting the kickdown switch, after which the combination of a big downshift and the engine coming onto boost delivers an exciting rush of acceleration.

Driven more calmly, the A3 and the S3 are reasonably refined. While their four-cylinder engines are smooth and quiet, they don’t quite purr with the silkiness of six- and eight-cylinder powerplants. The ride is also good, though the occasional harsh bump does come crashing through the suspension. Even in Comfort mode, these cars remind that they are machines with a sporting orientation.A3 and S3 PricingBoth cars are on sale now, with prices starting at $34,945 for the A3 ($2000 more for the A3 Quattro) and $45,945 for the S3. As usual, all models offer Audi’s Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige packages. Our well-equipped test cars stickered at $44,400 for the A3 Quattro and $57,440 for the S3.For those who like the driving enjoyment in small packages, these new Audis are great choices. They offer a combination of performance, comfort, and efficiency that simply can’t be matched by larger vehicles.

Specifications

Specifications
2022 Audi A3/S3Vehicle Type: front-engine, front- or all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base: A3, $34,945; S3, $45,945
ENGINES
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter inline-4, 201 hp, 221 lb-ft; turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter inline-4, 306 hp, 295 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION
7-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 103.5–103.6 inLength: 176.9–177.3 inWidth: 71.5 inHeight: 55.7–56.2 inPassenger Volume: 88 ft3Trunk Volume: 8–11 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3350–3550 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 4.3–6.2 sec100 mph: 11.8–15.0 sec1/4-Mile: 13.0–14.7 secTop Speed: 130–155 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 27–32/23–29/32–38 mpg

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Not content with just one dedicated off-road F-150 model, Ford has introduced the F-150 Tremor, which bundles a host of Raptor-inspired design cues with some unique trail-ready tech. With a $51,200 starting price, the Tremor is accessible to a broader range of buyers, and it doesn’t require as many compromises as the more performance-focused Raptor. But is it as capable off-road as the Raptor? Yes and no. The Raptor’s high-powered, high-flying antics aren’t something the Tremor can mimic, but rock crawling, hill climbing, and mud flinging are well within the new truck’s wheelhouse. To prove it, Ford set us loose with a 2021 F-150 Tremor at Holly Oaks ORV Park, located about 60 miles north of our Ann Arbor headquarters. The park’s 106 acres includes several steep hills, rocky terrain, and rutted two-track trails.

The Tremor is available with some novel features intended to make navigating off-road obstacles much easier, and most of them work quite well. Trail Control, for instance, works as a sort of low-speed cruise control, allowing for even power delivery while heading up an incline or through a rutted pass, for example. Trail Turn Assist provides more maneuverability in tight cornering scenarios by braking an inside wheel, giving the truck a tighter turn radius.
The Tremor’s available Trail One-Pedal Drive feature could use more time in the oven, however. Like an electric vehicle, the system alleviates the use of the brake pedal, allowing the driver to simply push down on the gas to go forward and let off to stop. Unlike an EV, though, which uses drag from the electric motor to slow the vehicle, the Tremor’s system uses the truck’s friction brakes. The system is difficult to modulate without practice, and abruptly taking your foot off the accelerator pedal at low speeds can actually lock the brakes. In our experience at Holly Oaks, using the feature on a steep downhill slope caused some unwanted skidding. Luckily, the truck also has a more traditional hill-descent control system. A unique styling kit helps the F-150 Tremor look the part too. While it borrows some themes from the Raptor—the vented hood, powder-coated running boards, and a silver bumper bash plate, for example—it also sports orange trim across the exterior and interior to match the Ranger and Expedition Timberline models. The F-150 Tremor is offered only in the SuperCrew body style with the 5.5-foot bed, but there are three trim levels—base, Mid, and High—with various luxury and convenience items. All are powered by a 400-hp twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 and come with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Four-wheel drive is standard, as expected, and all models come with a locking rear differential and 33-inch General Grabber A/T off-road tires on 18-inch aluminum wheels. A front-axle Torsen limited-slip diff is optional. Going with the Mid trim—a $6065 jump in price over the base version—adds niceties such as heated front seats, the aforementioned trail-driving assist features, a Bang & Olufsen stereo, and an 8.0-inch instrument cluster display that provides at-a-glance info that’s helpful when navigating off-road. The top-end model comes with a more premium cabin that boasts a heated steering wheel, leather upholstery, heated rear seats, a 12-inch digital instrument cluster, a power-adjustable steering column, and adjustable pedals; it rings in at $64,645. That’s a mere $1195 away from the base price of the Raptor. The Tremor’s ride height, however, makes it easier to use for towing and hauling, so buyers needing that pickup practicality might not balk at the near-Raptor price tag.

Specifications

Specifications
2021 Ford F-150 TremorVehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base: $51,200
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 213 in3, 3497 cm3Power: 400 hp @ 6000 rpmTorque: 500 lb-ft @ 3100 rpm
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 145.6 inLength: 231.7 inWidth: 79.9 inHeight: 79.3 inPassenger Volume: 136 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5600 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 5.5 sec1/4-Mile: 14.1 secTop Speed: 110 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 18/16/20 mpg

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Our initial reactions to the 2022 BMW Alpina B8 were like the overawed exclamations of a street urchin meeting a member of high society. In a Dickens novel, the next scene either would involve being adopted by the Alpina or picking its pockets. Work fast, Artful Dodger, this car may look weighed down by wealth, but it’s got quick moves. You’d have to be seriously jaded to not be just a little impressed by Alpina’s take on the BMW 8-series Gran Coupe. Alpina, longtime collaborators with BMW, has taken the stiff, muscular, fighter of a four-door and helped it relax. That’s what Alpina is known for: tweaking BMW’s best with a little sparkle here, a touch of torque there, and most notably in the B8, a more comfortable ride.
Alpina’s changes to the exterior of the B8 are subtle. It gets larger air intakes up front, a black diffuser in the rear, and a saucy little decklid spoiler joined by an Alpina badge on the trunk. The wheels and tires are specific to Alpina, a 20-spoke design in a standard 21-inch size wrapped in custom Pirelli rubber tuned specifically for the Alpina. For those more worried about inclement weather than grip, 20-inch wheels with all-season tires are also available. Peeking out from the thin-spoked wheels are four-piston Brembo brake calipers in bright cobalt blue that clamp 15.6-inch rotors in the front and 15.7 inches in the rear.

The B8 uses the same engine as the BMW M850i, a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8, albeit with Alpina’s own tune. With 612 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, the Alpina is just 5-horsepower short of the M8 Competition, but 37 pound-feet ahead in torque. That’s in keeping with the tuner’s mission, which is not necessarily to outdo BMW’s versions in all-out performance but to make that performance feel more effortless. Alpina says zero to 60 mph takes 3.3 seconds and that the B8 can cruise at a top speed of 201 mph. In our hands, the lighter M8 Competition Gran Coupe has reached 60 mph in 2.7 seconds, so consider Alpina’s estimates conservative. Backing the V-8 is an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission, again with Alpina’s tune for a focus on smooth performance. Changing drive modes adjusts shift points and response; leaving everything in Comfort mode will make you forget the car shifts at all. We were unable to test the top-speed claim while running errands, the Nürburgring sadly not on the way to our local Target, but the car’s stoplight scoot is plenty to get ahead of other traffic in order to nab the best parking spot. (Make it a big one; this is a large automobile.) Even in the Sport settings, there is a slight delay to all that power coming in that might fool an impatient driver into thinking this is not a quick car. Stay in it, pal. Just wait. When you get home, you’ll find all your toaster strudel on the far side of the trunk from where you placed them.
A reoccurring complaint with many performance sedans, and particularly the M8 Competitions, has been ride quality. Gone, it seems, are the days when a big luxury car would float over the roads, cushioning the driver and passengers. The B8 looks back to those days. It’s still a willing partner on a winding road, however, with all-wheel drive, a limited-slip differential, rear-axle steering, and active anti-roll bars that keep it upright and pointed in the right direction. But the best use of the B8 is as it’s intended, to bring elegance to mundane commutes and comfort to long trips. It is a luxurious place to spend time. Why would you want it over quickly?Perhaps if you were a back-seat passenger, you’d be less excited about an extended stay in the B8. Although the ride is just as smooth, the rear seats are smaller, and the bottoms are deeply dished with an extreme rake that looks suave when you open the door, but sitting in them feels a bit like falling through the seat of a worn-out rattan patio chair. Getting out might require assistance. Up front is the best place to be, roomy for both driver and passenger, with plenty of soft, aromatic leather to stroke—especially on the comically thick steering wheel—and lots of private tea-room glamour, like the ridiculous yet compelling cut-crystal shifter knob and faceted infotainment dial. One wants to clink a champagne flute against it.
Don’t get blinded by the glitter, though. The interior is attractive, but you can get leather and glasslike accessories in a Genesis for a third of the B8’s $140,895 starting price. The B8 is almost $8005 more than the M8 Competition Gran Coupe, and some of our same quibbles with other 8-series cars extend to the Alpina as well. The big one being, in a car that starts at $140,000, BMW charges extra for the upgraded stereo system and driving-assistance package. For a customer already shopping the M8 but loathe to suffer a bone-rattling ride in pursuit of the ideal fast four-door, the B8 presents the perfect solution. Alpina doesn’t make thousands of B8s, nor does it want to. It’s looking for just the right buyer, someone who already loves the 8-series Gran Coupe’s style but wants more power, comfort, and crystal. Is that you, guvnah?

Specifications

Specifications
2022 BMW Alpina B8 Gran CoupeVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base: $140,895
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 268 in3, 4395 cm3Power: 612 hp @ 6500 rpmTorque: 590 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 119.0 inLength: 200.4 inWidth: 76.1 inHeight: 56.0 inPassenger Volume: 97 ft3Trunk Volume: 16 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 4800 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.1 sec100 mph: 6.9 sec1/4-Mile: 11.2 secTop Speed: 201 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 19/17/24 mpg

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From the November 2021 issue of Car and Driver.A mere look at the i4 M50 doesn’t hint at its significance. There’s little to distinguish it from the like-sized 4-series Gran Coupe four-door it’s based on. But this is BMW’s first EV to wear the storied M badge, even if it’s an M50 moniker and not a full-blown M.It earns the M badge, too, as its power and range are a massive leap beyond BMW’s previous i-subbrand offerings. The i4 uses the same 255-hp front and 308-hp rear motors as the iX, but with a higher peak output of 536 horsepower and 586 pound-feet of torque, thanks to a battery that is smaller in capacity but stronger in output. That’s more power than the current M3 and M4 Competition models. Smacking the go pedal brings hard and instant thrust, causing the front end to rise up dramatically as the i4 hurtles ahead. Holding down both pedals when stopped activates launch control, during which it pulses the motors, giving the impression that the car is champing at the bit. Acceleration to 60 mph is expected to be in the three-second range, or as quick as an M3/M4.
The i4 M50’s $66,895 starting price makes it a bit of a bargain in the BMW lineup—that’s less than you’ll pay for even the base M3. There’s also a $56,385 335-hp eDrive40 model with the same 80.7-kWh battery capacity.Adding audio to the experience is a whirring soundtrack whose tone rises and falls with motor speed and gets louder and softer depending on the rate of acceleration or deceleration. Select Sport mode and the sound is overbearing. Switching it off left us marveling at the i4’s silence. There’s no whine from the motors or high-voltage electronics that are usually present in EVs. This is one of the subjectively quietest EVs we’ve ever driven.
The i4 is nearly 1000 pounds heavier than an all-wheel-drive M3, yet the additional mass isn’t obvious when you’re driving. Weight distribution leans rearward, and the center of gravity is 1.5 inches lower than in the 3-series. Like the 3-series, the i4’s steering is light on feedback. Mostly you notice massive grip from the 20-inch Pirelli P Zero PZ4 Elect tires. As in the iX, a curved panel housing two screens dominates the i4’s interior, a setup that will soon proliferate through the BMW lineup.At the rate it sucked energy on a blast from Munich to the Bavarian Alps, the i4 won’t travel much farther than 200 miles. Then again, a Tesla Model 3 Performance, its most obvious competitor, doesn’t do much better.

Specifications

Specifications
2022 BMW i4 M50Vehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
PRICE
Base: $66,895
POWERTRAIN
Motors: 2 synchronous AC, 255 and 308 hp, 269 and 295 lb-ftCombined Power: 536 hpCombined Torque: 586 lb-ftBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 80.7 kWhOnboard Charger: 11.0 kWTransmissions: direct-drive
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 112.8 inLength: 188.3 inWidth: 72.9 inHeight: 57.0 inCurb Weight (C/D est): 5050 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.6 sec100 mph: 9.1 sec1/4-Mile: 12.1 secTop Speed: 140 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 85 MPGeRange: 225 mi

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The Toyota Tundra is old. How old? It’s so old, when it was introduced, the Dead Sea was just getting sick. It’s so old, if you park one outside an antiques store, people will try to buy it. It’s so old, it was introduced in 2007. Which is, uh, 14 years ago. The fact that Toyota still sells more than 100,000 Tundras a year is a testament to the effort it expended on that mid-2000s redesign—a 381-hp V-8 was killer then and still relevant now. But it’s (long past) time for an update, and so the 2022 Tundra gets a thorough overhaul that sets Toyota up for another long production run. Maybe not 14 years this time, though.Gone is the V-8, leaving the ancient Sequoia as the only remaining V-8-powered Toyota in the U.S. All Tundras are now powered by a twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. (Toyota, though, incorrectly refers to it as a 3.5-liter.) Hybrid models, dubbed “i-Force MAX,” sandwich a 48-hp electric motor between the engine and transmission, with a small nickel-metal hydride battery mounted beneath the rear seat. The standard configuration makes 389 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. The muscled-up hybrid churns out 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque. Only the entry-level SR trim makes less power than the outgoing truck, with its V-6 tuned for 348 horsepower and 405 pound-feet.

The other major hardware change concerns the rear suspension, which is now a coil-spring design. Optional air springs enable automatic load leveling but can also be manually controlled, to either lower the rear end to ease loading or raise it for off-roading. Which, given the fixed front ride height, means that the Tundra can Carolina Squat itself.Trim levels mirror the previous-gen truck, starting with the basic SR and the volume-model SR5 and climbing through fancier Limited, Platinum, and 1794 variants. The TRD Pro is now hybrid-only, but the hybrid-adverse can build an SR5 that nearly replicates the TRD Pro’s hardware. The new TRD Off-Road package includes TRD wheels and suspension (though not the Pro’s Fox internal-bypass front dampers and remote-reservoir rears), along with a locking rear differential—the first time an electronic locker has been offered on a Tundra. If you want to go in the opposite direction, there’s also a TRD Sport package that lowers the ride height.
Maximum payload is now 1940 pounds, and that almost-ton of stuff rides in a rugged new aluminum-reinforced composite bed—the “make the whole plane out of the black box” approach to bedliner. Nonetheless, Toyota still offers both a bed mat and a spray-in bedliner as accessories. Why? Because a certain group of people demand so. We won’t say who, but they’d be the ones who make a bunch of money selling you a bedliner for your bed. (They’ll also install a three-inch lift kit, among a portfolio of other accessories.) Those beds are available in 5.5-foot, 6.5-foot, and 8.0-foot lengths, and Tundra buyers can now pair the crew cab with a 6.5-foot bed.

From the outside, the Tundra’s redesign is conservative—huge grille notwithstanding—with a definite Silverado resemblance in the cab, particularly the upward kick of the sheetmetal at the bottom of the rear side windows. But inside, it’s a huge departure from its predecessor. An 8.0-inch center touchscreen is standard, but every truck at the launch event had the optional 14.0-inch infotainment screen. The navigation system is the most obvious upgrade, running a cloud-based system that will automatically store maps offline if you’re heading into an area with spotty connectivity. There’s also a “Hey Toyota” virtual assistant that can understand natural questions and commands. One thing that’s missing from both systems is a tuner knob for the stereo. If you frequently listen to SiriusXM or terrestrial radio, that could be a major aggravation—the hard buttons on the steering wheel scroll through presets, but not from channel to channel. Up above the rearview mirror is the switch to roll down the rear glass, which is nice for talking to hitchhikers riding in the bed.
We didn’t tow with the Tundra, but its 12,000-pound max tow rating is competitive with the other half-ton trucks. It also has a clever backup assist function. Drive around for a bit with your trailer and the truck learns how it behaves, then enables a mode where the truck steers the trailer straight back on whatever heading you put it on. That seems more useful than relearning how to reverse a trailer, which is essentially what Ford’s backup assist requires.With no center differential on any trim, the Tundra’s default on-pavement mode is rear-wheel drive. So, take a rear-drive truck with an open diff, 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque, and you have a recipe for massive burnouts. The hybrid will lay rubber into third gear—its rear diff is upsized, to handle all that torque—and the standard truck will smoke the tires, too. These things are going to be a handful in the rain. Fortunately, the coil-spring rear end helps imbue the 2022 Tundra with a feeling of precision that was missing in the 2021 model. The whole truck feels more taut and better in control of its mass, both sprung and unsprung.
When it’s time to back off the throttle, the hybrid downplays its electrified nature. Although it’s recapturing energy on deceleration, there’s no display to show that, nor any Prius-style energy deployment graphic. All it has is a gauge showing how much muscle the electric motor is contributing, conspicuously paired with a similar one displaying turbo boost. Where’d that energy come from? Your Tundra won it in a game of poker, or hunted it with a bow and arrow, because that’s what tough trucks do.The fact that Toyota came up with “i-Force MAX” as a euphemism for “hybrid” is a clue that efficiency might not be the main objective here. We still don’t have EPA numbers for the hybrid, but the truck’s own reckoning from its trip computer put the mileage similar to the nonhybrid, which is to say high teens in mixed driving. We’d guess the i-Force MAX picks up 1 or 2 mpg in the city but doubt it betters the 22-mpg highway for the nonhybrid 4×4. The hybrid will go into EV mode at highway speeds, but with only 48 horsepower motivating a 6000-pound truck, it doesn’t take much throttle to awaken the V-6.
Both powertrains are hushed, piping in some synthesized engine noises to provide a little drama when you dig deep on the throttle. So, whether in Eco mode or Sport+, there’s a prominent growl when you floor the accelerator. It’s not bad. And with the windows down, every now and then you catch the sound of the turbos spooling up. Toyota still hasn’t released pricing, but given its approach to the rest of the redesign, we think it’ll land about where you’d expect—ruthlessly benchmarked against the other half-ton full-size trucks. Toyota admits that it doesn’t expect to outsell the domestic trucks, because if the 2007 Tundra couldn’t, what would? Thus, three strategic concessions: air springs only on the rear axle rather than all four corners, no generator function with the hybrid, no full-time four-wheel-drive system that can be used on pavement. Because would any of those things convince longtime Ford buyers to jump to Toyota? Conversely, will their absence drive a loyal Tundra driver to another brand? Probably not. If the 2007 Tundra was ahead of its time, this one is of the moment—however long that should last.

Specifications

Specifications
2022 Toyota TundraVehicle Type: front-engine or front-engine and front-motor, rear- or rear/four-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE (C/D EST)
Base: $37,000
POWERTRAINS
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.4-liter V-6, 348 or 389 hp, 405 or 479 lb-ft; twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.4-liter V-6, 389 hp, 479 lb-ft + AC motor, 48 hp, 184 lb-ft (combined output: 437 hp, 583 lb-ft; nickel-metal hydride battery pack)Transmission: 10-speed
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 145.7–164.6 inLength: 233.6–252.5 inWidth: 80.2–81.6 inHeight: 78.0 inPassenger Volume: 106–122 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5300–6400 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 6.2 sec1/4-Mile: 14.9 secTop Speed: 100 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 19–22/17–20/22–24 mpg

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Look past the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E’s tenuous connection to the brand’s traditional pony cars and you’ll find a very compelling electric vehicle—one good enough that it earned Car and Driver’s first ever EV of the Year award. But the Mustang badge that it wears conjures images of powerful, speed-addled thrills. The Mach-E simply struggles to deliver those in its lower states of tune, which top out at a mere 346 horsepower. For the Blue Oval’s electric SUV to approach the level of excitement expected from Ford’s galloping pony, you’ll need to step up to this Mach-E, the new performance-oriented GT model with its herd of additional horses.

An abundance of power has been a defining trait of Ford’s best Mustang models over the years. While the Mach-E GT’s all-wheel-drive layout means that tire-smoking burnouts are off the table, its combined pony count does climb to a stout 480 horsepower, thanks to a more powerful motor on its front axle (its rear unit is shared with lesser models). That’s more than enough grunt to startle unsuspecting passengers and draw the attention of roadside tax collectors. Aided by 600 pound-feet of torque, it’s also enough to get the GT to 60 mph in a claimed 3.8 seconds, which is more than a second quicker than we’ve recorded for a non-GT version and as rapid as the last 526-hp Mustang Shelby GT350R we tested. Opting for the GT Performance Edition—a $5000 package atop the $61,000 base GT—adds an extra 34 pound-feet of twist and drops the factory-stated zero-to-60 figure to 3.5 seconds. For reference, a 470-hp 2020 Tesla Model Y Dual Motor Performance, which starts at $62,400, needed 3.6 seconds to reach 60 mph in our testing.
Providing the electrons to the GT’s motors is the larger 88.0-kWh Extended Range battery, which is optional on non-GT models. For the 2022 model year, recalibrated energy management programming will increase the pack’s usable capacity by 3 percent, boosting its storage to 91.0 kWh. (Likewise, 2022 Mach-Es with the standard battery will sport 70.0 kWh of capacity, up from the current 68.0.) Ford says these gains will not alter the car’s quoted range, which is estimated at a respectable 270 miles for the regular GT and 260 for the GT Performance Edition. In addition to their increased outputs, both GT models sit 0.4 inch lower on a sportier suspension setup and feature wider 20-inch wheels with 245/45R-20 tires—all-seasons on the regular GT and Pirelli P Zero PZ4 Elect summer rubber for the Performance Edition, the latter being a first for any Mach-E. Performance models also bring a unique wheel design, larger front brake rotors, and adaptive magnetorheological dampers. You’ll be able to spot Mach-E GTs by their red-painted brake calipers (the fronts being four-piston Brembo units), plus GT badges on their rear liftgates, revised front and rear bumpers, and dark-finished grilles with illuminated pony emblems. Also included are front sport seats with larger bolsters. Performance models feature even more embracing Ford Performance units with grippy inserts.
Mat the accelerator and the GT delivers the instant, neck-snapping thrust that the Mach-E’s Mustang-inspired design promises, quickly erasing short straights on California’s Pacific Coast Highway north of San Francisco. It’s difficult to notice the Performance Edition’s extra torque over the standard GT’s, but its stickier tires and upgraded dampers reveal more of the Mach-E’s handling potential. Carry too much speed into a sharp corner and the girth of this relatively tall, heavy crossover is evident, but its overall balance is pleasantly neutral and provides impressive agility and body control. Although you can activate a one-pedal drive setting with maximum brake regeneration via a tap of the 15.5-inch center touchscreen, the more aggressive Unbridled drive mode (there also are tamer Whisper and Engaged settings) brings a decent amount of standard regen while also sharpening the drivetrain’s responses and upping the steering effort. Ride quality is taut but never harsh in this mode and downright comfy by default, even over the few broken sections of pavement we could find. The regular GT with its passive dampers manages most bumps with a similar smoothness, although we did notice some uncouth hobbyhorse motions over large frequency undulations, such as those you might encounter between pavement seams on the highway. As you’d expect, it’s far easier to overdrive the GT when it’s fitted with all-seasons, as those tires can quickly lose purchase when you abruptly unleash 600 pound-feet of torque accelerating out of a tight bend. Unique to GT models is a new Unbridled Extend mode, which is designed to provide sustained performance over longer runs by optimizing the battery’s thermal management and setting all of its chassis systems to full attack. In this mode, the brakes become more responsive and devoid of regen, the steering gets more linear, and the volume of the love-it-or-don’t powertrain synthesizer that plays through the stereo speakers increases slightly (it can be turned off if you prefer near silence). The front-to-rear power split also becomes rear biased, going from 50/50 to 40/60, and the thresholds for traction and stability control intervention are relaxed. More important, those driver aids can now be fully deactivated via a button next to the headlight controls—a feature that Mach-Es have previously lacked. It will be added to all models for the 2022 model year.

Aided by the GT’s precise steering, stable platform, and deep well of torque, Unbridled Extend made the Performance Edition a hoot to fling around a maze of cones set up in an abandoned parking lot. Ford prevented us from turning off the car’s safety nets and sliding around the course’s hairpins with abandon, but we still had enough fun that we didn’t mind the lack of fire and brimstone under the hood, at least for a moment. If anything, pushing the GT’s limits revealed that the Mach-E’s chassis could handle even more rubber underneath it, although larger tires surely would sap some of its range. There are caveats, though: Unbridled Extend prioritizes consistency over outright power, meaning straight-line thrust is less than in the normal Unbridled setting. And it has very strict activation requirements related to heat and current flowing in and out of the battery, so you’ll need to engage it on startup or after the car has sat and cooled off for a bit. We also learned that the Performance Edition’s seats, while otherwise nicely supportive, could work better still at holding the pilot in place during high-g maneuvers. Given the GT’s greater power and poise versus lesser Mach-Es, its upcharge—nearly $10K more than a Premium all-wheel-drive model with similar equipment and the same range—seems reasonable. Compared to the slightly more expensive Tesla Model Y Performance, it’s better built and far more engaging to operate. As a Mustang, the Mach-E is still earning its place among that nameplate’s storied history. But the GT does prove that, with enough horsepower and handling hardware, even a quiet, accommodating crossover can excite a pony car enthusiast’s grey matter.

Specifications

Specifications
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GTVehicle Type: front- and mid-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
$61,000; GT Performance Edition, $66,000
POWERTRAIN
Front Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous ACRear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous ACCombined Power: 480 hpCombined Torque: 600 or 634 lb-ftBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 88.0 kWhOnboard Charger: 10.5 kWTransmissions: direct-drive
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 117.5 inLength: 186.7 inWidth: 74.1 inHeight: 63.5 inPassenger Volume: 101 ft3Cargo Volume: 34 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5000 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.5–3.8 sec100 mph: 12.0–12.2 sec1/4-Mile: 12.3–12.5 secTop Speed: 124 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 87–90/92–96/81–84 MPGeRange: 260–270 mi

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