Evelyn Reynolds

The only real sacrifice the 2024 Audi Q8 and SQ8 require comes by way of the pocketbook. Audi’s range-topping coupelike luxury SUVs are barely different from the Q7 and SQ7 they’re derived from. The third row gets cast aside in favor of a full-time five-seat layout with a more sharply raked rear end, and the result barely moves the needle.Aside from some very small differences in packaging and suspension tuning, these fraternal quadruplets offer largely the same driving experience—a good one, thankfully—making price and aesthetic preference the primary differentiators.Not Too Many ChangesWhereas Audi refreshed the Q7 and SQ7 for the 2025 model year, the Q8 and its hopped-up SQ8 sibling received their own glow-up for 2024. (The 2025 Q8 and SQ8 are forthcoming, and changes are limited to new appearance packages and very minor equipment shuffles.) The 2024 Q8 and SQ8 picked up new headlights and taillights in addition to other small styling tweaks, and certain models gained the ability to choose among several headlamp lighting signatures.Inside, changes are barely noticeable. As with the Q7, the Q8 gets some new upholstery and trim choices. The MMI infotainment has also been updated with third-party app integration, and new paid themes give buyers the chance to spend $13 on a main-screen wallpaper that pairs with different ambient lighting motifs. That’s about it. No need to reinvent the wheel. It’s a straightforward cabin, if a little heavy on piano-black trim and a little light on stowage cubbies.Driving the Q8Given the mild on-paper differences between the Q7 and Q8, it’s no surprise that our on-road experiences with the two are barely different. Our fully loaded Q8 Prestige model carried the same adaptive air springs found on the Q7 Prestige, and we found similar results over some surprisingly engaging Utah back roads. In Comfort mode, the air springs do a commendable job keeping the ride as soft as possible, while switching to Dynamic stiffened everything up and permitted some surprisingly agile antics for what is ostensibly not a performance model.Any small stiffness discrepancies between models likely comes down to differing wheel sizes. The Q7 we drove rode on its optional 21-inch alloys (19s are standard, and 20s are also available), while the Q8’s optional wheels measure 22 inches. We imagine that with the Q8 on 21s, the two ride nearly identically. Honestly, the primary difference we noted between the Q7 and Q8 was rear visibility; there’s a little less daylight coming through the Q8’s coupelike rear end. Even so, we had no issues with rearward sightlines, like we do in other automakers’ SUV “coupes” with more aggressively sloped rear ends. The roof doesn’t eat into rear headroom either; we sat just as comfortably in the Q8’s second row as we did in the Q7’s.The Q8 positions itself as a more premium offering than the Q7. The Q7’s base 45 powertrain, starring a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, isn’t even offered on the Q8. Instead, all Q8s use the 55 powertrain: a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 producing 335 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, which route to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Given their curb-weight delta of approximately zero, both the Q7 55 and the Q8 55 are estimated by their maker to reach 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, a number we expect to beat handily when we get one or both in Michigan for instrumented testing.Driving the SQ8If 335 horsepower isn’t enough, look instead to the SQ8. Picking up two extra cylinders and one more turbocharger, the SQ8’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 produces 500 horsepower and 568 lb-ft. Here again, the factory-stated 60-mph estimate matches that of the SQ7, at 4.0 seconds, a figure that feels a little poky to us. Based on our time blasting through Uinta National Forest in Utah, we figure the real result is somewhere in the mid-three-second range.There is absolutely no shortage of hustle in the SQ8. Even with Comfort mode activated and the engine and transmission set to their most chill, the SQ8 offers ample motivation across the rev range. The four-liter’s exhaust doesn’t have any fancy loud-mode valving, but its delightful note still makes its way into the cabin, even as the thick dual-pane acoustic glass tries its best to keep the outside out. Swapping to the Dynamic drive mode in the SQ8 changes the vehicle’s character in more ways than in the Q8. That’s because the SQ8 is privy to the S Sport package, an upgrade that adds two key components. Active roll stabilization augments the traditional anti-roll-bar setup with an electric motor, changing roll stiffness as conditions dictate to provide flatter handling. A sport rear differential better metes out torque from left to right, aiding lateral grip and boosting confidence when rocketing out of a corner. But even in the SQ8’s most aggressive setting, the air springs and adaptive dampers kept the ride surprisingly comfortable—when we weren’t hurling into corners like we were trying to escape Armageddon.Once again, we noticed a very small ride discrepancy between the SQ8 and the longroof SQ7. And once again, it likely comes down to tires. The SQ7 doesn’t offer wheels larger than 22s (and ours was on 21s), while our SQ8 rode on optional 23s. Our SQ8 also wore summer tires, which are standard on the 23-inch wheels and optional on the 22s. While the SQ7’s all-seasons did still provide plenty of grip, their limits were lower, and they began to howl much earlier than the summer rubber did.Making Sense of the QuartetDespite all the similarities on paper, the Q7 and Q8 prices aren’t that comparable. Ignoring the Q7 45’s smaller engine and lower $61,795 base price, it’s clear that the Q8’s sharper style demands a blood sacrifice. A 2025 Q7 55 Premium starts at $67,095, but a 2024 Q8 55 Premium will ask $74,895. That structure extends to the faster variants too. A base SQ7 will set you back $92,095, while the SQ8 ratchets that up to $97,795.But if you’re fine with paying a little extra to ditch the third row and pick up a slightly more unique silhouette, the equal blending of comfort and performance in the Audi Q8 and SQ8 will not disappoint.SpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Audi Q8 and SQ8Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base: Q8 55 Premium, $74,895; Q8 55 Premium Plus, $78,995; Q8 55 Prestige, $82,995; SQ8 Premium Plus, $97,795; SQ8 Prestige, $104,795
ENGINES
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter V-6, 335 hp, 369 lb-ft; twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve 4.0-liter V-8, 500 hp, 568 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 117.9 inLength: 196.6 inWidth: 78.5 inHeight: 67.2 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 53/52 ft3Cargo Volume, behind F/R: 61/31 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5500–6000 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.6–5.2 sec100 mph: 9.5–11.0 sec1/4-Mile: 12.2–14.0 secTop Speed: 130–155 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 17–19/15–17/21–23 mpgCars are Andrew Krok’s jam, along with boysenberry. After graduating with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, Andrew cut his teeth writing freelance magazine features, and now he has a decade of full-time review experience under his belt. A Chicagoan by birth, he has been a Detroit resident since 2015. Maybe one day he’ll do something about that half-finished engineering degree. More

If you’re on the hunt for a German luxury SUV that seats more than five, the Audi Q7 makes quite the compelling offer. Fellow full-time three-rows such as the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS-class are a fair bit larger and carry price tags some $20,000 higher. The Q7’s footprint and price tag align more closely with the Mercedes GLE-class, which only offers an optional third row of seats. (The BMW X5 no longer offers a third row at all.) Speed freaks will undoubtedly look toward the uppers-gobbling SQ7, which positions itself between the GLE’s two hopped-up AMG powertrains in terms of both power and price. For 2025, Audi has given both the Q7 and SQ7 a mild refresh in hopes of boosting the SUV’s appeal. There’s a bit more tech, and a bit more style, but the underlying points remain the same: The Q7 and SQ7 offer a solid value with the driving dynamics to match.Incremental ChangesSince the Q7 and SQ7 are only refreshed for 2025, the changes aren’t very prominent. The most obvious update can be seen at a distance: A new front fascia offers reshaped headlights and larger air intakes, while a reworked rear end updates the taillights and ditches the old fake tailpipe outlets in favor of honest-to-goodness functional ones. SQ7 buyers get an extra available lighting trick—folks can swap between four different daytime-running-light signatures for a little extra personalization. Otherwise, you get the usual mid-cycle addition of new wheel designs and paint colors.The interior changes are even more minor. There are new upholstery and trim options, and the MMI infotainment software now offers built-in support for popular third-party apps including Spotify and Amazon Music. The infotainment software offers Audi Themes as well, pairing specific ambient-light combinations with unique center-screen wallpaper—we’ll leave it up to you to determine whether $13 (for starters) is an appropriate cost for a single JPEG.Driving the Q7The Q7’s base 45 powertrain utilizes a 261-hp turbocharged four-cylinder, but our time was spent in the peppier 55 variant, which wields a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 making 335 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. It’s factory-estimated at 5.5 seconds to 60 mph, but in our test of a mechanically identical 2020 model, it managed five seconds flat. There’s enough get-up-and-go for the average family, which will come in handy when the vehicle is filled to the brim with kids and sports equipment. The Q7 55 and SQ7 can tow up to 7700 pounds, too, same as the GLE-class, although the Q7 45 is limited to just 4400. The Q7 55’s six-pot doesn’t exactly make dulcet tones, but our car was equipped with optional dual-pane acoustic glass on the first two rows, which did an impressive job of keeping the trio of wind, road, and engine noise at bay. Combined with the Prestige trim’s comfort-oriented air-spring suspension, we journeyed the mountainous back roads of Utah in smooth near-silence—and that’s with the optional 21-inch wheels underfoot; sticking with the base 19s or the Premium Plus trim’s 20s should make for even smoother cruising.Serenity isn’t the only driving feel on offer, though. Swapping modes from Comfort to Dynamic, the Q7 55 does a reasonable impression of a sportier thing. The suspension and steering firm up, body motions are better kept in check, and the eight-speed transmission does a much better job of holding gears and keeping the engine in the powerband. But it never really becomes uncomfortable; even after completing the twistiest bits of our drive route, we left everything in Dynamic and found barely any detriment in ride quality. This is some gourmet air-spring tuning.Sliding into the Q7 feels like saying hello to an old friend. Even after some mild tweaks, the interior is very much a known quantity. The center touchscreen and the climate panel below are easy to learn and use at a glance, while the Virtual Cockpit gauge display remains as versatile and informative as ever. The standard vinyl dash topper doesn’t exactly feel premium, though, and we do not like the relative lack of front-row storage—aside from the door cubbies, there’s a wallet-sized tray ahead of the center armrest, a small depression within, and not much else.The third row might be standard, but it’s tight for adults; your author is six feet tall, and while his hair only lightly grazed the headliner, his knees were nearly up against his chest. Keep those seats for children, animals, or short trips. If you don’t need ’em, they’ll fold down with the press of a button. The second-row bench offers a unique 35/30/35 split, and that lets Audi offer five LATCH points across the rear two rows. That’s a lot of child seats.Driving the SQ7Our fully loaded Prestige-trim Q7 55 pushed the $61,795 base price north of $80,000 with options. But why stop there? For an additional $10,000 or so, you can step up to the SQ7, which brings more cylinders, more power, and a whole lot more fun into the equation.The SQ7 still has an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive, but under the hood lies a much angrier twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8, which produces a solid 500 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque. The sandbaggers in Ingolstadt reckon a 60-mph sprint of four seconds flat, but again looking back to a mechanically identical 2020 model, we recorded a blistering 3.5-second run. Even with the dual-pane acoustic glass, there’s no getting around that V-8’s song, especially at wide-open throttle, and that is plenty fine by us.The roads snaking through Utah’s Uinta National Forest aren’t as tight as those we experienced in the Q7, replacing hairpins with loads of fast sweepers, but no matter the radius of the curve, the SQ7 eats it for lunch and asks for seconds. Its sport-tuned air-spring suspension offers Q7-adjacent cushion in Comfort, but there’s even less body motion in Dynamic. Some of that comes from our test car’s optional S Sport Package, which adds a sportier rear differential and a trick anti-roll-bar setup that uses an electric motor to change roll stiffness on the fly. But the whole kit and caboodle jells together so well that all you’ll focus on is how much speed you’re about to carry into the next hairpin.Even with Pirelli Scorpion all-season tires wrapped around 21-inch alloy wheels (summer tires are available on the optional 22s), there was plenty of grip on offer, and the all-seasons were very good at communicating their stress levels before things got squirrelly. But you might need to turn down the radio to hear them wailing because of how well insulated the cabin is. Summing It UpAudi’s always kind of occupied an interesting spot in the Teutonic triumvirate. Mercedes-Benz usually offers the cushiest, most outright opulent offerings, while BMW has chosen to focus more on all-the-time driver-centric performance. Audi takes a slightly different approach with its Vorsprung durch Technik (“progress through technology”) tagline. And yet, because of its age, the Q7 lacks some of the more advanced tech found in its competitors; there’s no “Hey, Audi” voice assistant lurking in the background, no over-the-air update capability, and its suite of standard driver-assistance features is as generic as any other. No AR, no AI. But if flashiness isn’t your forte and you don’t want to pilot a four-wheeled TikTok app, the 2025 Audi Q7 and SQ7 execute the basics with just as much competence as their fellow compatriots. They’re just a bit more low-key about it. SpecificationsSpecifications
2025 Audi Q7 and SQ7Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base: Q7 45 Premium, $61,795; Q7 45 Premium Plus, $65,595; Q7 55 Premium, $67,095; Q7 55 Premium Plus, $70,895; Q7 55 Prestige, $79,195; SQ7 Premium Plus, $92,095; SQ7 Prestige, $98,195
ENGINES
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter inline-4, 261 hp, 273 lb-ft; turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter V-6, 335 hp, 369 lb-ft; twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve 4.0-liter V-8, 500 hp, 568 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 117.9–118.0 inLength: 199.6 inWidth: 77.5 inHeight: 68.4–68.5 inPassenger Volume, F/M/R: 57/51/30 ft3Cargo Volume, Behind F/M/R: 68/35/14 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5000–5300 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.5–6.2 sec100 mph: 9.1–12.2 sec1/4-Mile: 12.0–14.6 secTop Speed: 130–155 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 17–22/15–20/21–26 mpgCars are Andrew Krok’s jam, along with boysenberry. After graduating with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, Andrew cut his teeth writing freelance magazine features, and now he has a decade of full-time review experience under his belt. A Chicagoan by birth, he has been a Detroit resident since 2015. Maybe one day he’ll do something about that half-finished engineering degree. More

.css-zcoxvl{font-size:1.1875rem;line-height:1.6;font-family:Charter,Charter-roboto,Charter-local,Georgia,Times,Serif;}@media(min-width: 73.75rem){.css-zcoxvl{width:100%;}}.css-zcoxvl em{font-style:italic;font-family:Charter,Charter-styleitalic-roboto,Charter-styleitalic-local,Georgia,Times,Serif;}.css-zcoxvl strong{font-family:Charter,Charter-weightbold-roboto,Charter-weightbold-local,Georgia,Times,Serif;font-weight:bold;}.css-tzn2l6{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#ffffff;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;word-break:break-word;display:inline-block;font-weight:700;background-color:#1C5f8B;width:auto;font-family:Interstate,Interstate-upcase-roboto,Interstate-upcase-local,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;text-transform:uppercase;border:0.0625rem solid white;font-size:0.70028rem;line-height:1;text-align:center;white-space:normal;border-radius:0.25rem;letter-spacing:0.045rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-tzn2l6{padding:0.6rem 1rem 0.6rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-tzn2l6{font-size:0.75rem;line-height:1;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-tzn2l6{padding:0.75rem 0.9375rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-tzn2l6{padding:0.75rem 0.9375rem;}}.css-tzn2l6:hover{color:#ffffff;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;background-color:#000000;border:0.0625rem solid white;}.css-tzn2l6:focus-visible{outline-color:#000000;}read the full review The 2025 .css-168zq96{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#1C5f8B;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;word-break:break-word;font-weight:bold;}.css-168zq96:hover{color:#000000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Genesis GV80 Coupe is a sportier, sloped-roof version of the GV80 mid-size luxury SUV. The base model comes with the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 from the standard SUV, but the Coupe adds the G90’s e-Supercharger at the top of the lineup. More

Even parked in front of the ritzy Four Seasons Hotel in Minneapolis, the row of 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupes drew attention. Passersby and wealthy patrons alike turned their heads to admire the sporty and elegant fastback design. For a luxury brand with only about a decade under its belt that’s looking to take customers from the likes of BMW, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz, building cachet is a need, not a want. That’s not to say that looks alone are enough—they may bring people to the showroom, but they’re unlikely to create a customer on their own. The GV80 Coupe is a sportier take on the standard GV80 SUV—a strong starting point given that the latter is our top pick in the class. The Coupe’s roofline has a more aggressive slope ending in a large duckbill spoiler. The crest-shaped grille makes its way to the new model, as do the twin-line headlights that have become part of the brand’s signature look. One peek inside confirms that Genesis doesn’t take quality lightly, with special care clearly paid to fitment and to the materials chosen. And as we’ve come to expect from Genesis, the new Coupe is stuffed to the gills with premium materials and amenities.The GV80 Coupe shares many of its dimensions with the regular SUV. The wheelbases match at 116.3 inches. Overall width doesn’t change, but the overall length increases by an inch, now measuring 195.5 inches, while the overall height drops 0.2 inch to 67.3. Despite the sloping roofline, back-seat headroom will be fine for anyone who doesn’t have an NBA contract, as the fastback design sacrifices less than an inch of room. The more aggressive shape did, however, cause Genesis to ditch the optional third row, but the cramped space was never really suitable for adults anyway. Genesis positions the GV80 Coupe as the sporty option, and so it foregoes the regular SUV’s four-cylinder base engine. Instead, the 375-hp twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 that’s optional on the GV80 SUV comes standard on the Coupe. The Coupe’s exclusive step-up powertrain option features the same twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 but with an electrically driven supercharger to help spool up the snails. That’s the version we drove, and it churns out 409 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque. On top of the additional power, the supercharged model returns marginally better fuel economy, earning 18 mpg city and 22 mpg highway estimates from the EPA compared to 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway for the base V-6. The extra oomph is an additional $5800, as the supercharged model starts at $87,100 versus $81,300 for the standard mill.Even with its stout optional engine, the GV80 Coupe is a better luxury utility vehicle than it is a sport utility vehicle. Acceleration from a stop is smooth and effortless, and gearchanges from the eight-speed automatic transmission are nearly imperceptible unless you’re looking for them. All-wheel drive comes standard, and with the artificial engine noises switched off, the V-6 hums along without ever raising its voice. For a luxury vehicle, the powertrain is a success. But motivating a high-performance SUV that wants to contend with the likes of the BMW X5 M60i or the Porsche Cayenne S is a different matter. We’ll have to wait to get the GV80 Coupe to our test track for official figures, but the Genesis G90 sedan (which weighs about the same) delivered a 60-mph time of 5.1 seconds. Hustling our GV80 Coupe through the farmland surrounding Minnesota’s Twin Cities, we were a bit disappointed by the GV80 Coupe’s lack of athleticism. The e-Supercharger model has an exclusive Sport+ mode that holds gears for longer, makes the stability control more forgiving, and adds weight to the steering. But even in Sport+, the car’s chassis dynamics can’t match the enthusiasm of the robust engine. Body roll was instantly noticeable on turn-in, and steering feedback was more muted than we’d hoped for. No matter the drive mode, however, the ride is hushed, with noise from the wind, tires, and outside traffic muted by additional soundproofing materials and a standard active noise-cancelling system. And despite rolling on 22-inch wheels (the base car comes with 20s), the electronically controlled dampers effectively swallowed up all but the very worst of Minnesota’s potholes.The cabin is where the GV80 Coupe really shines. Surfaces are covered with an elegant mixture of leather, wood, metal, carbon fiber, and microsuede. The front seats are comfortable and supportive, with the integrated massage function gently kicking on mid-drive to fix our posture. The high point of the interior is the seamless 27.0-inch OLED touchscreen spanning about two-thirds of the dash. The system responds instantly to touch inputs, but there’s also a rotary dial conveniently located on the center console as an alternative. While it hadn’t been activated in our sample model, the new system supports wireless versions of both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which will be included in a free over-the-air-update. Related StoriesAs a rolling sculpture that turns heads and invites potential customers to the brand, the GV80 Coupe hits the mark. The exterior looks premium without coming off as gauche. Invite a Cayenne or X5 driver to sit inside, and they’re likely to be impressed. As a high-performance luxury SUV, though, the GV80 Coupe is more of a mixed bag. While it maintains the impressive quality and compelling luxury of the standard SUV, the Coupe struggles to elevate itself to the level of truly sporty.SpecificationsSpecifications
2025 Genesis GV80 CoupeVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
PRICE
Base: 3.5T AWD, $81,300; 3.5T e-SC AWD, $87,100
ENGINES
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.5-liter V-6, 375 hp, 391 lb-ft; supercharged, twin-turbocharged, and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.5-liter V-6, 409 hp, 405 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 116.3 inLength: 195.5 inWidth: 77.8 inHeight: 67.3 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 59/49 ft3Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 62/30 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5000–5200 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 5.1–5.3 sec100 mph: 13.1–13.8 sec1/4-Mile: 13.6–13.9 secTop Speed: 150 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY 
Combined/City/Highway: 19–20/16–18/22 mpgJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

Vans typically don’t get a second look. They’re boxy and utilitarian instead of sleek and curvaceous, prioritizing practicality over preposterous horsepower outputs. But vans are undeniably critical to our modern online-shopping-obsessed society and are a prime segment for electrification. Ram is the latest to jump on the bandwagon with the 2024 ProMaster EV, facing off against the Ford E-Transit, Mercedes-Benz eSprinter, BrightDrop Zevo, and Rivian Commercial Van. The Ram doesn’t look as futuristic as some of its rivals and carries a lofty price tag, but it features useful technology and an upfitter-friendly setup.Initially the ProMaster EV will be sold in Delivery configuration, sporting a roll-up rear door and a sliding pocket door on the passenger’s side. In early 2025, Ram will add a Cargo configuration in two lengths. We sampled a 2024 ProMaster EV Delivery on the streets around Stellantis’s Auburn Hills, Michigan, headquarters, driving it back to back with a gas-motivated ProMaster 1500.Like its gas counterpart, the ProMaster EV is front-wheel drive. It’s powered by a 268-hp electric motor—that’s eight ponies shy of the gas van’s output, but the ProMaster EV boasts 302 pound-feet of torque, a 52-lb-ft improvement versus the V-6. The van’s output is on par with the electric competition.The ProMaster EV won’t pin you to your seat, but accelerator pedal response is sharp, and the unladen example we drove accelerated briskly to normal suburban speeds without the lag that can come if you mash the throttle in the gas ProMaster. The EV does, however, emit a nagging beep when the pedal travels beyond 80 percent to alert the driver of what Ram calls “assertive driving.” The helm is light on effort, making the Ram easy to drive, but the steering is more vague than in the eSprinter. The ProMaster rides decently for a van, but without anything in the cargo area it did hop around over bigger bumps. The EV also feels noticeably heavier than the gas version.That added weight comes from a 97.0-kWh battery slotted neatly into the frame. Ram says the ProMaster EV Delivery can travel up to 162 miles in urban driving with half a payload, which puts it in the same ballpark as other electric vans. On a DC fast-charger, the ProMaster EV will go from 20 to 80 percent in under 55 minutes with a peak rate of up to 150 kilowatts. A Level 2 charger at 11 kilowatts takes the battery from 20 percent to full in under eight hours. The ProMaster EV will have adjustable regenerative braking when it reaches customers but wasn’t equipped with the feature when we drove it. A creep function, which can be activated simultaneously with one-pedal driving, will also be available. The regeneration level is controlled through the screen, but we would prefer a physical button or paddles.Despite the sizable battery, Ram packaged it unobtrusively to maintain a flat floor and up to 524 cubic feet of cargo volume. The Delivery model has a 2030-pound payload, less than half the maximum for the internal-combustion ProMaster and roughly 1000 pounds behind the E-Transit and eSprinter. (The Cargo model has a 3020 payload rating.) Towing is not recommended. While the Ford and Mercedes use rear-wheel drive, the Ram’s front-wheel-drive setup expands the ProMaster’s practicality. With the important powertrain bits situated in the front, it’s easier for upfitters to install a diverse variety of custom bodies on the rear section of the chassis. While the Delivery model’s roll-up door—made from anodized aluminum to minimize weight—and pocket door noisily clanged over the potholed roads, their quick, smooth sliding action should reduce fatigue for drivers making frequent stops.Inside there is plenty of black plastic, but the cabin doesn’t feel sparse thanks to an array of physical buttons that provides satisfying feedback and can handle most functions without requiring the infotainment screen. While the 10.1-inch touchscreen display looks sharp and can run wireless phone mirroring, we found the unit laggy. These were early-build vehicles, however, so perhaps there’s still time for improvements.The seating position is upright, but the seats themselves are fairly comfortable, although our brief experience behind the wheel can’t compare to a day’s work delivering packages. Forward visibility is excellent, and the cabin is spacious with plenty of headroom when standing. A heated steering wheel and heated windshield are available. The optional digital rearview mirror is a must, and its wide field of view and crisp display make it easier to pilot the van in tight spaces. It’s made even more crucial because the pillar in the side windows can hamper the view of the sideview mirrors depending on the seating position.Ram is catering to fleet customers—who it says make up 65 percent of the full-size van segment’s customer base—by installing Ram Telematics, which gives fleet owners location and driving data to help minimize fuel costs, enhance route efficiency, and encourage safer driving. The Uconnect app provides last-mile navigation with walking directions from the vehicle to the final destination. Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant is also included.More on the ProMasterThe ProMaster also has a host of safety features, including standard drowsiness detection and forward collision warning. Optional extras include blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. The screen can display charging station locations and a dynamic trip energy prediction tool to reduce the risk of getting stranded.At $79,990 to start for the Delivery model, the ProMaster EV is expensive, and its payload capacity is bettered by competitors while it has a drabber cabin than the Mercedes. But the range, charging, and powertrain are all competent for the segment, and the practical Delivery body and the ease of conversion afforded by the FWD packaging might sway certain fleet owners. The ProMaster EV won’t turn heads, but it gets the job done.Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

IntroductionThe Ford Maverick pickup may be small, but it’s made a big splash. The compact hauler can be quick or efficient; it instantly won over consumers and us alike, earning back-to-back 10Best awards. Initially the Maverick was nearly impossible to come by. Demand was high, and supply was low. And just as many would-be adopters, we eagerly waited for our truck to arrive after placing our order. Then in early March, our Atlas Blue Metallic Maverick was born in Hermosillo, Mexico. After a train ride north, our mini-truck arrived at headquarters for a 40,000-mile test.The process of ordering our Maverick caused a few scuffles around the office water cooler. The all-wheel-drive model’s 5.9 second rip to 60 mph, courtesy of a 2.0-liter turbo four, was appealing, as was its 4000-pound towing capacity. Still, others advocated for the front-wheel-drive hybrid version—Ford has added an AWD hybrid model for 2025—which sips fuel but can only tug 2000 pounds. When the dust settled, we agreed to go with the powertrain that has proven more popular: the 191-hp hybrid.When the Maverick launched, the hybrid was the base powertrain. Perhaps in response to its popularity, Ford did a switcheroo. Now, the turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four is the base engine, and the hybrid is a $1500 upcharge. The Maverick also has gone up a few thousand dollars in price. Although every Maverick features an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connections, the base XL is otherwise, well, really base. Moving up a rung to the $28,015 XLT (plus the extra $1500) opens the door to more options to coddle us over 40,000 miles. Specifically, the XLT Luxury package ($2275) adds heated seats and mirrors, an eight-way power driver seat, remote start, a trailer hitch with a four-pin connector, a drop-in bedliner, LED cargo-box lighting, a full-size spare, and a 110-volt inverter with cab and bed outlets. We also tacked on Ford’s Co-Pilot360 ($650) for its blind-spot detection and lane-keeping assist, then added a tri-fold soft tonneau cover ($590) to keep our gear dry. All in, our Maverick came to $33,030.Our initial impressions picked up right where we left off. We love this little truck. The steering has just the right amount of effort, and though the ride is on the stiffer side of the spectrum and high-frequency bumps rattle the Maverick’s cage, it’s generally agreeable in most use cases. While the bed isn’t huge, it’s great for weekend projects that involve moving dirt or playing in it; a motocross bike, gear, and fuel can fit great with the tailgate down. And the fuel economy merits mention: Over the first few thousand miles we’ve averaged an impressive 34 mpg. After some miles to let the Maverick’s mechanical bits become friends, we headed for the test track. With what we assumed was a fully charged battery (there’s no gauge), the Maverick reached 60 mph in 7.4 seconds and did the quarter-mile in 15.7 seconds at 90 mph, 0.3 and 0.2 second better than our test of a 2022 model. At the skidpad, it held on at 0.78 g and stopped from 70 mph in 181 feet. That’s 0.03 g less grip and a lengthy 23-foot-longer stop than our previously tested truck, which has us wondering what type of special sauce that earlier Maverick XLT hybrid was sipping.Even with all the greatness the Maverick delivers, we managed to sniff out a few dislikes. When new, the off-gassing of the recycled plastic interior bits smells a bit like a burro pasture on a hot summer afternoon. Plus, those plastics scratch too easy. The stinkiness goes away, but we’ve yet to find a cure for the scratches. Passenger space in the rear is tight, and installing rear-facing child seats forces front-seat riders to slide their chairs far forward. The tri-fold soft bed cover lacks attachment points to crossmembers, so at highway speeds it balloons up in the rearview. And we’ve noticed an occasional shudder from the powertrain during low-speed braking events, so we’ll have the dealer check into that in the weeks to come.An interesting aspect of Maverick life is the 3-D printing of interior accessories that utilize the Ford Integrated Tether System. Over the course of the next few months, we look forward to diving into the world of dimensional printing. Do you have a favorite printer? Maybe you’ve printed some Maverick knickknacks. What are the must-haves? Comment below with your favorites. In the meantime, we’ll keep piling the miles and the smiles. Months in Fleet: 1 month Current Mileage: 3772 milesAverage Fuel Economy: 34 mpg Fuel Tank Size: 13.8 gal Observed Fuel Range: 460 miles Service: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0Damage and Destruction: $0 SpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Ford Maverick XLT HybridVehicle Type: front-engine, front-motor, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $29,515/$33,030 Options: XLT Luxury package (remote start, trailer hitch with 4-pin connector, drop-in bedliner, LED box lighting, heated seats and mirrors, full-size spare, 8-way power driver seat, 110-volt inverter with cab and bed outlets), $2275; Ford Co-Pilot360 package (blind-spot detection with cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping system), $650; soft tri-fold tonneau bed cover, $590
POWERTRAIN
DOHC 16-valve 2.5-liter inline-4, 162 hp, 155 lb-ft + AC motors, 105 and 126 hp, 48 and 173 lb-ft (combined output: 191 hp; 1.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack)Transmission: continuously variable automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/torsion beamBrakes, F/R: 12.8-in vented disc/11.9-in disc Tires: Continental ProContact Tx225/65R-17 102H M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 121.1 inLength: 199.7 inWidth: 72.6 inHeight: 68.7 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 55/47 ft3Curb Weight: 3726 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 7.4 sec1/4-Mile: 15.7 sec @ 90 mph100 mph: 20.4 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 7.3 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.7 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.9 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 110 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 181 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.78 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 34 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 37/42/33 mpgDavid Beard studies and reviews automotive related things and pushes fossil-fuel and electric-powered stuff to their limits. His passion for the Ford Pinto began at his conception, which took place in a Pinto. More

From the April 1980 issue of Car and Driver.Assuming that imitation really is the sincer­est form of flattery, Chevrolet must be practically purple from praise: Datsun’s gone and T-topped the 280ZX. We told you Japan had sights on its very own Corvette when the Z­-car was first X’d; the new roof treatment suggests our theory was probably correct.The initial anguish over yet another sports car that traded fat anti-roll bars for power win­dows has pretty well subsided in this car’s case. The reason is that Datsun hasn’t fooled around with the transition. The Z-to-ZX mar­ket shift was such a shrewdly executed meta­morphosis that neither the car’s basic styling nor its powertrain needed fiddling with. Lux­ury was the target. Datsun single mindedly plumped up its two-seater as comfortably as it knew how by lavishing new luxo equipment on a proven package. Costs were allowed to float upward in the process, so the ZX came out smooth-riding, quiet, and well engineered for four-speaker stereo, cruise control, and all the other trappings of the automotive good life. As the Corvette punched through the 10-grand barrier, the ZX followed suit after a short, discreet inter­val. The key difference is that Chevy boosted prices in response to demand, while Datsun was conscientious enough to factor value into the equation.For 1980, Datsun has taken the opportuni­ty to push the ZX higher. In addition to the T-top (sales brochures call it a “skyroof”), other new goodies are available. For a mere $70 (after you’ve plunked down $635 for air conditioning), you can opt for a set-it-and-­forget-it automatic temperature-control sys­tem to knock the chill off alfresco cruising. For $300, leather upholstery will caress your backside. And last year’s popular Grand Lux­ury pack is back, bursting at the seams with $1704 worth of sumptuous power assists to help raise the windows, steer the front wheels, and amplify whatever blasts out of the radio speakers. If you’ve jumped to the conclusion that the ZX’s well-endowed toy list is an ambitious attempt to mask flaws underneath, you’re wrong. The ZX acts as if it had a corner on all the world’s torque as it scurries from rest to 60 mph in less than ten seconds. The quarter-mile flies by in seventeen seconds flat, and the brakes work significantly better than they did in 240–280Z days. The power steering is sensitive, neither too light nor too heavy. Feed it a winding road, and the ZX will carve itself a quick line with confidence, and conscientiously issue early warnings if you tread close to the limit.If we had to rank the ZX’s character traits in order of intensity, the list would read something like this. First, and foremost, the ZX is an amusement park on wheels, packed with reminder chimes, electronic displays to carry out pre-flight countdowns, and joy­sticks to run the speakers—all intended to keep two participants perpetually at the brink of entertainment overload. Second, the ZX is the sports car for the guy that’s just traded in his two-year-old Eldo and needs to go out and feel his oats one last time before the old ticker chimes midnight. The third voice that cries out from the ZX’s soul is softer than the other two, and one you’ll probably be surprised to hear about. Unless it comes from the factory so equipped, the ZX goes through life pleading for an automatic transmission. Never mind that the five-speed delivers two more miles per gallon, there are a couple of reasons why the automatic works better. The five-speed ZX we tested had a severe case of motor­boatism, or nose-up/tail-down motion every time the throttle was tickled. Second, there’s a hitch in the electronic fuel injection that makes drivability ragged when you’d prefer gentle up- and downshifts around town. This is one of those cars you just can’t drive slowly and smoothly all at once. The best solution is to eliminate clutch-throttle-shifter action en­tirely, and let the automatic swish you about under full servo control. Related StoryWhich will give any ZX owner more of a chance to appreciate the fine accouterments like the new skyroof anyway. Datsun has bet­tered Chevy designs here, at least from a se­curity standpoint. While a sharp blow to the front corner of a Corvette’s roof will snap its hatch-release handle over-center and offer ready access to thieves, the ZX has a safety catch to keep the main handle from being opened so casually. The hatches are gener­ous in size and well integrated with the car’s lines. The sealing system was leak- and draft-­free in our test car, and the creak-and-groan gremlins that come built in with aftermarket T-tops never raised their ugly voices. Datsun has generously provided air deflectors that hinge out of the sun visors, but we found tur­bulence in the open cockpit to be low enough that these weren’t really necessary. So the T-top is one more successful move out of the classic sports-car mold toward a more laid-back life as a comfy cruiser. As an Asian Corvette, the ZX has already sur­passed the original.SpecificationsSpecifications
1980 Datsun 280-ZX SkyroofVehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door hatchback
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $9899/$13,208
ENGINESOHC 12-valve inline-6, iron block and aluminum head, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 168 in3, 2750 cm3Power: 132 hp @ 5200 rpm 
TRANSMISSION5-speed manual 
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 91.3 inLength: 174.0 inCurb Weight: 2970 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 9.4 sec1/4-Mile: 17.0 sec @ 83 mphTop Speed: 117 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 206 ft
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (EST.)Combined: 21 mpg 
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED More

From the April 1980 issue of Car and Driver.Each year since 1976 has seen a worthwhile improvement in the overall quality of Volvo cars. For ten years be­fore that they were to be prized mainly for their nuisance value, so notoriously troublesome and unreliable were they. This didn’t stop Volvophiles from singing their praises to the skies, but the uniquely durable affection of Volvo owners during the years 1967-1976 is a tribute more to Volvo advertising and public relations than to Volvo automo­tive products. Well, not entirely. Volvo products from 1957 to 1966 were abso­lutely above reproach—perhaps the best cars imported in the United States during that decade—and there’s little doubt that Volvo lore handed down from those good old days sustained a lot of 144 and 164 owners when their trusty Swedish steeds refused to start three mornings out of seven.If Volvo was the enthusiast’s darling in the late Fifties and early Sixties, it al­most became the official car of the loons and dimbulbs of academe and the con­sumer movement in the late Sixties and early Seventies. Now, with Volvo send­ing us cars like the landmark GT (for­merly called 242GT) and our test car, the very slick GL, the pendulum has swung back toward automotive righ­teousness again. In fact, there’s a lot to light the enthusiast’s fire in these latest offerings from the solid burghers of Goteborg. These are four-cylinder cars, powered by Volvo’s infinitely lovable B-21 F engine—2.1 liters, 107 horsepower at 5250 rpm, and 114 pounds-feet of torque—an oversquare, overhead-cam, fuel-injected four that just seems to beg for abuse. Horsepower has been raised from 101 in the last couple of years, and those extra six do seem to make them­selves felt as a useful addition. The B-21—introduced in 1975—differs from its four-cylinder antecedents in that it features a belt-driven overhead cam­shaft, but the noise and the verve are unchanged.The engine’s polished manners are due in no small part to Volvo’s Lambda-­sond emissions system. Lambda-sond, as you may know, is the self-monitoring pollutant controller pioneered by Volvo in 1977 that incorporates a three-way catalyst, an oxygen sensor, electronic fuel injection, and an on-board comput­er. Because the system demands precise fuel distribution, a stoichiometric fuel­-air ratio, and an optimized timing curve, it not only does a better than average job of cleaning up exhaust nasties, but smooths over the rough spots in driva­bility as well. More Volvo Reviews From the ArchiveI’ve been listening to four-cylinder Volvo engines since I drove a PV444 (the 1941 Ford look-alike) in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in 1958, and this new one sounds just like that one—feisty. However, if feistiness is what you seek, you should opt for the GT. Introduced two years ago, the GT has done much to restore Volvo’s credibility among the good guys, selling like hotcakes and pleasing owners and dealers alike. The GL is another breed of Swede. The Vol­vo legend is firmly based on four-cylin­der engines, and as their six-cylinder cars became more and more pricey, and people began to worry more and more about fuel economy, Volvo product planners saw an opportunity: why not build a four-door sedan with all the lux­ury of the primo six-cylinder cars, but power it with the straightforward practicality and economy of the B-21F four-cylinder? So they did. The resulting car is a paragon of North European auto­motive virtue, a car that everybody in a decision-making capacity in Detroit should drive for a year. Tighter, lighter, better appointed, and cheaper than a Seville, the GL—equipped as ours was, with a four-speed manual transmission and electric overdrive—delivers 18 mpg in town and 28 on the highway, says the EPA. In our experience this estimate is actually very low. But better still, the Volvo is a genuinely amusing car to drive. It’s alert, responsive, and stable. The handling, braking, and roadholding that go with all this luxury are first-class, and though the ride is European, it would not offend a Pontiac owner. This is a wonderful car for the long­-distance traveler. It’s long-legged, and economical enough for most people, and it’s always a pleasure to open the door and hop in. It’s loaded with useful space, both in the cabin and in the lug­gage compartment, and the seats are as good as anything this side of a Porsche 928. Ours were upholstered in some kind of petrochemical-derived cloth that clung to wool clothing like Velcro and made it impossible to slide across the seat for entry or exit. The accepted drill was to get in as far as possible before dropping into the seat, then hoist your­self up and repeat the process until you’d kedged your backside into the dead-center position. Once ensconced in those seats, however, your body will thank you for all the trouble you went to. The front seats are adjustable for height, rake, and fore-and-aft position­ing, and there’s a cam-type lumbar adjustment. The driver’s seat-height ad­justment (front and rear) is accom­plished with a pair of levers under the seat. The passenger’s seat offers the same range of adjustment, but is bolted in place, thus requiring the use of hand tools. Finally, the driver’s seat is electrically heated. The system is automatically, thermostatically controlled, and there’s something truly friendly about the warm feeling that begins to wrap the buttocks and kidneys when you first set out on a frigid morning. At the other end of the climate-control scale we’d like to applaud the Volvo sunroof, with its optional wind deflector. The translucent plastic deflector makes it possible to cruise at very high speeds with the roof open, even in the rain, and its ben­efits to smokers are great indeed.Because of the seats, all of the control relationships are very nice in the Volvo. The driver’s seat being chair-height, and its adjustments being as compre­hensive as they are, one can make abso­lutely certain that all the controls are right within one’s grasp. Visibility is good, inside and out, and this too helps the drivability. The GL instrument pan­el is bulkhead-to-bulkhead information, and that’s the way we like them. The ta­chometer is centered before the driver, with warning lights for parking brake, high beams, bulb and brake-system failure, and a service reminder for the Lambda-sond system in the same square. To the left of the tach is the speedometer—reading only to Miss Claybrook’s 85 miles per hour, about 15 percent short of the car’s potential—­along with the odometer and trip mile­age in tenths. To the right are the wa­ter-temperature and fuel gauges, plus warning lights for oil pressure and gen­erator, and an indicator light for the electric overdrive. The center section of the dash features air outlets, a clock, a rheostat for the instrument lights, rocker switches for rear-window defog and four-way flashers, and a control panel for the heater/air conditioner. Below all this, our car had an AM/FM radio and cassette player. Smack in the middle is an ashtray, a little drawer masked by the black vinyl that covers the panel and console, and this is the only part that doesn’t seem very well designed. It was invariably smudged and ash-strewn and detracted from the otherwise tidy effi­ciency of the dash. Between the graphic layout of the instrument panel and its illumination, Volvo does as good a job of conveying facts about the condition and operation of the car as anybody in the business. All GLs are fitted with electric windows, and the buttons for these have been moved from the center of the dash to the armrest. All the controls feel good—perhaps because all the components they’re at­tached to work so well. The steering is positive, with lots of feel. The four­-wheel disc brakes can be applied with micrometer accuracy in spite of a gener­ous power assist, and the clutch is smooth as silk. The owner’s manual does not recommend using the clutch for the shift (switch?) from fourth to fourth-overdrive, maintaining that it’s only necessary for the shift back down to fourth, but we used it both ways, up and down. Somehow the overdrive en­gagement is smoother when the clutch is used, feeling like the upshift in a very old automatic transmission when it isn’t. The switch for the electric over­drive unit is on the shift knob, and works on fourth gear only at speeds above 45. It’d be nice to have it avail­able on third gear as well, but our Swed­ish friends don’t see it that way. All four ratios in the gearbox are well chosen and nicely matched. The final-drive ra­tio is 3.91 on overdrive cars, dropping to 3.13 when overdrive is engaged. Vol­vos ordered with the optional Borg­Warner three-speed automatic trans­mission have a final-drive ratio of 3.73. Something of profound importance has taken place at Volvo in the past three years. They’ve gotten their act to­gether, and the cars they build improve all the time. Several of us felt that this was the best Volvo we’d ever driven, lively and agile with truly impressive attention to quality in every detail. Volvo is no longer a builder of cars for fringe markets; the GL and its sporty relative, the GT, are very much cars for the times, and very nicely slotted against the highly profitable (and growing) market for cars costing from 10,000 to 15,000 dollars. They’ve begun to look a little long in the tooth, maybe a little too big now that everything else is get­ting smaller, but there can be no argu­ment about the way they work. With an improvement in fuel economy our test GL would have been perfect.CounterpointsExcuse me for stepping right off into deep minutiae here, but I am positively enraptured by Volvo clutches, not just this one but all that I’ve sampled in the last few years. In the whole car kingdom, no others work half so well.The takeup in a Volvo clutch is so silky and so gradual. And the effort drops off in such a marvelously linear fashion as you let out the pedal. If you ever have to teach someone how to drive a stick shift. this is the car to do it in. They’ll find it easier than tangoing on Arthur Murray’s footprints. What about the rest of the car? Well, it’s a Volvo, to the eye and to the trouser seat pretty much like last year’s version and the one of the year before that. A known commodity in an otherwise rather tumultuous car market. I like it well enough. But I’m just flat smitten by the clutch. —Patrick Bedard Another year, another Volvo. Same soap­cake styling. Roomy interior: check. Front seats that all cars ought to have. The same old Volvo, tried and true. So how come I like it so much? Glad you asked. I guess it’s because this is the first Vol­vo I’ve driven in some time that isn’t trying to be something other than a family sedan. The 242GT didn’t quite make it as an ersatz BMW. And the chopped-top Swedish Toonderbird, the 262C, was so ugly that only a mother could love it—not to mention rough-edged in finish and in nature.The GL, however, has no such lofty intentions. Yet under its non-descript—­make that homely—sheetmetal beats the heart of a pretty refined automobile. All those years of development must have meant something after all, because the GL impressed me with its long-distance prowess, back-road agility, performance, comfort, construction, and luxury. It may be just another Volvo, but it’s also an aw­fully nice car. —Rich Ceppos There is nice work, and then there is nice work. This is nice work. And there is something else that’s nice: anybody with a reasonable bank account can get this work. Any Volvo dealer can set you up with a rewarding position. At the wheel of one of these gems. The back seating is beginning to look a little less spacious than it did before the advent of multitudes of midsized front­-wheel-drive cars, but the odds are big that the Volvo is still much more comfortable. And in the front, the seating is the stuff of historic significance. Volvo has stirred in some Ameri-plush, run-your-fingers­-through-it upholstery, and such luscious covering has never been laid over better seats. I’m keeping my eye out for a wrecked Volvo so’s I can get a pair of them for my living room. A living room is what Volvo has magi­cally wanded up here: most of the com­forts of home in a conveyance more com­fortable with its roads than most car buy­ers could believe. If Detroit could turn out just one car that approached this one’s overall excellence … what’s the use of speculating? —Larry GriffinSpecificationsSpecifications
1980 Volvo GLVehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $11,385/$11,911Options: AM/FM/stereo radio, $400; Lambda-sond emissions-control system, #126
ENGINESOHC inline-4, iron block and aluminum heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 130 in3, 2130 cm3Power: 107 hp @ 5250 rpmTorque: 114 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm 
TRANSMISSION4-speed manual
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/rigid axle, trailing linksBrakes, F/R: 10.3-in disc/11.0-in discTires: Michelin ZX185/70SR-14
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 104.0 inLength: 192.5 inWidth: 67.3 inHeight: 56.3 inCurb Weight: 3070 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 12.9 sec1/4-Mile: 18.5 sec @ 72 mph90 mph: 40.5 secTop Speed: 97 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 206 ft
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (EST)Combined: 18 mpg 
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED More