Car Reviews

As sporty cars grow increasingly heavy and complex, albeit more capable than ever, it can be easy to forget about the benefits of simplicity. Indeed, today’s well of performance-enhancing technologies—from torque-vectoring differentials to active anti-roll systems and active aerodynamics—is deep and at times convoluted. That makes the 2021 Hyundai i20 N a refreshing break from the norm because it has none of those clever gizmos and doesn’t suffer from their absence.Although Hyundai sells the five-door i20 subcompact hot hatch in various parts of the world, the performance-oriented N version is solely available in Europe, seemingly one of the only global markets left with any appetite for small, simple hatchbacks. It is more compact than the Volkswagen GTI and the Honda Civic, as well as the Ford Fiesta ST that also is now sold only in foreign markets. The i20’s nearest relatives in the United States are the pedestrian Kia Rio hatchback and the Hyundai Accent sedan, although the N model’s closest analog could be considered the two-door Mini Cooper S.

The i20 N is a product of Hyundai’s N performance subbrand, the same division of the company responsible for N versions of the Veloster, Kona, and Elantra. As a junior model, the i20 N forgoes the boosted 2.0-liter four found in those larger vehicles for a smaller turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four good for 201 horsepower. A six-speed manual is the only transmission available. The engine’s 203 pound-feet of torque reaches the front wheels through a limited-slip differential, and the rear axle is a torsion beam. As with its brawnier siblings, the i20 has an aggressive N driving mode, which when engaged illuminates a ring of animated fire around the tachometer in the 10.3-inch digital gauge cluster. In practice this just firms up the steering effort, sharpens the throttle response, and uncorks the active exhaust system.The i20 N’s exterior design is more futuristic than its driving experience. The angular lines of the standard model appear even sharper with squared-off bumpers, larger front air intakes, and—on the car we drove in England—an optional black-painted roof with matching window surrounds. The N model even gets a dinky rear spoiler supposedly inspired by the substantially larger wing worn by Hyundai’s i20 rally racers.
Inside, the i20 N’s cabin is spacious up front, tight in the rear, and feels solid and well finished, although with the same abundance of dark plastics found in its grander counterparts. A sizable 10.3-inch touchscreen sits in the center of the dashboard and offers a data-reporting function in addition to the usual navigation and infotainment features. Like with the Veloster N, there are two prominent N buttons on the steering wheel, one for the three regular drive modes (Eco, Normal and Sport) and the other for switching between the full-tilt N mode and a driver-configurable Custom setting. There is also a red button that engages an automatic rev-matching function for the transmission. Supportive sport seats are standard, and the i20 N’s lack of frills is reinforced by the continued presence of a mechanical parking brake lever in place of an electronic toggle. Despite its various drive modes, the i20 N’s dynamic recipe is simple and delivered without garnish. This is an old-fashioned hot hatch, one that prioritizes performance and charisma over finesse and refinement. The engine’s forced-induction nature is obvious both in its initial weakness at low revs as the turbo spools up and its angry induction roar when boost finally arrives. Once the turbo is spinning the engine pulls enthusiastically and, although our example seemed a little tight as it approached its 6500-rpm redline, the car feels quicker and more exciting than its modest power output suggests. This i20N weighs 2650 pounds, and the sprint to 60 mph should take 6.1 seconds.
More powerful front-wheel-drive cars often struggle to maintain purchase with the ground, but the i20 N is not wanting for traction. There’s almost no sense of torque corruption in the steering when accelerating, even over bumpy surfaces. At lower speeds the suspension feels firm, but quicker progress and greater chassis loads reveal that the dampers can maintain order during hard directional changes on choppy surfaces. Cruising refinement is limited, though, with noticeable tire roar joining the drone of the engine at highway speeds. More important is the i20 N’s endearing playfulness, a familial trait that we came to cherish over 40,000 miles in the larger Veloster N. The handling limits of its chassis are lower than those of many hotter hatches, but this diminutive car always feels willing to give its all. The grip delivered by its 18-inch Pirelli P Zero summer tires is both ample and nicely balanced. We won’t call it as tail happy around corners as the current Fiesta ST, but it does feel exciting at sane speeds on twisty roads. In the i20 N, you don’t need to be traveling fast to have fun. The six-speed manual moves cleanly and accurately through its gates, but without the taut mechanical feel of the best stick shifts. And the rev-matching function works well, even if there’s more satisfaction to be had from disabling it and trying to match its throttle-blipping accuracy yourself. The weighting of the steering wheel is heavy even with the electrically assisted rack in its lightest setting; the more aggressive Sport and Sport-plus modes increase resistance yet actually reduce feel.

Sadly, fun, affordable cars such as the Hyundai i20 N—which starts at the rough equivalent of $28,850 in England before the hefty 20 percent tax—are on borrowed time. Stricter emissions regulations make them continually more expensive to buy and own, and the number of manufacturers still producing them is dwindling; the almost-certain electrification of future generations will probably pollute the genre beyond recognition with increased weight and complexity. But until that happens, the i20 N feels as if it exists in a sweet spot. As the automotive world continues to advance at a breakneck pace, Hyundai’s smallest hot hatch is a welcome reminder that some of the most appealing performance cars are defined by what they lack as much as by what they have.

Specifications

Specifications
2021 Hyundai i20 NVehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
PRICE
Base: $28,850 (U.K.)
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 98 in3, 1598 cm3Power: 201 hp @ 6000 rpmTorque: 203 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 101.6 inLength: 160.4 inWidth: 68.9 inHeight: 56.7 inCurb Weight (C/D est): 2650 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 6.1 sec100 mph: 14.3 sec1/4-Mile: 14.4 secTop Speed: 143 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 28/25/34 mpg

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“Oh, that’s the Macan,” the woman said. “I like those.” Just as we were feeling smug about our ride, it became obvious she was talking about another Macan, parked a few spots over. Ah, well, it is the bestselling Porsche after all, and one can’t be too annoyed to see someone else in the same dress at a party. Besides, it’s a good dress, both fashionable and practical, as a sporty SUV should be. And the one she was admiring? So last season. The trend for the 2022 Porsche Macan involves new details in and out, and more power under the hood. Porsche has tidied the Macan’s exterior with perked-up front and rear fascias, new mirrors, bright new color options, and a seemingly endless selection of wheels, with the standard for the base model now a 19-inch split-five-spoke design. Our test car wore 20-inch Macan S rollers with a dark finish, a $2320 option. That’s going to happen a lot in the coming paragraphs, as the base Macan that we drove was optioned so enthusiastically as to top out at $85,340, almost $30K over its reasonable starting price of $56,250. That’s enough to leapfrog the middle S trim, secure a top 434-hp GTS model, and have enough left over to spring for new-for-2022 $700 Papaya Metallic paint. But hey, love the one you’re with, right?

There is plenty to love about the starter Macan, and we’re not alone in thinking so. Most Macans you’ll see on the road will be this four-cylinder model. Porsche says the proportion of customers choosing the base model over the more powerful S and GTS (and previous Turbo) has been about 60 percent, and the automaker expects that trend to continue. While the performance models offer more power, plus a few cosmetic changes not available on the base version, you’ll get the same wide-hipped, athletic stance no matter which Macan you pick—and if our parking-lot admirer was any indication, all of them are head turners. It impresses on the road too. Backed by a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and standard all-wheel drive, the entry-level turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder makes 261 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, increases of 13 horses and 22 lb-ft over the 2021 model. Porsche made a lot of engine changes to free up those ponies. The new mill is fed air by a larger turbo and a redesigned intake designed to diminish turbo lag. It also has a higher-pressure fuel-injection setup, a new timing chain, and different pistons and rings. Reduced internal engine friction may not be your usual topic of conversation with the other parents in the school parking lot, but now it could be. Leave the bragging about acceleration times to the folks with the V-6 models, though. Even with its baker’s dozen of extra horses, the four-cylinder Macan should reach 60 mph in a relatively tame 5.5 seconds, and that’s with the optional performance boost of launch control from the $1220 Sport Chrono package. That was about the only option our test car didn’t have, so we avoided late-night street races in favor of sunrise in the hills above Malibu, California. It may not be a straight-line rocket, but the Macan is delightful when lines on the map get squiggly.
On the two-page options list for our example, one item we would spring for is the adaptive air springs, a $2750 add-on that includes Porsche’s PASM adaptive dampers. Various suspension and drive modes are expected in many vehicles these days, yet often they don’t seem to do much other than satisfy a desire to click buttons. But the Macan’s settings result in noticeable changes to its character on the road. The standard damper setting is soft enough to allow some wallowing around turns and absorb every bump like ciabatta soaking up olive oil. Click over to Sport Plus, and the Macan straightens up like a slouching schoolboy whacked with a nun’s ruler. Now it’s paying close attention, and all the sponginess is gone. Rough spots of pavement make their way through the steering wheel with soft thumps, enough to communicate a sense of the road but nothing that would turn your cream to butter on the way home from the grocery store. A lot of cars claim to deliver both comfort and handling. The Macan makes good on that promise, and it comes to a stop with the same smooth confidence with which it turns. The base model features conventional cast-iron rotors clamped by four-piston calipers in front and single-piston floaters at the rear, but the S model’s upgraded tungsten-carbide-coated brakes are an option for those who are fond of white calipers and minimal brake dust.
Inside the cabin, away from dust of any kind, the Macan employs Porsche’s minimalist interior decor with mixed results. What works in the smaller cockpit of a 911 feels sparse in the larger space of an SUV. Even with $3880 worth of extra red and black leather on the doors and dash, the interior feels underdone, with an odd jumble of touch-sensitive controls on the console and a slimmed-down but somewhat old-fashioned shifter jutting up by the cupholder. The gauges and infotainment screen were similarly split in design focus. The gauge cluster, with its sweeping physical needles, was refreshing, but the 10.9-inch center touchscreen was so small that Apple CarPlay may show up larger on your iPhone. And Android Auto? Still not supported. Storage compartments, usually the shining glory of an SUV, are as scaled down as the center display. The Macan’s back seats provide ample legroom, but the gently sloping roofline limits headroom. This also necessitates a deeper reach to help small children in and out of the back, but the seats themselves—heated on our car, via the $2240 Premium package—are comfortable and feature a fold-down armrest, cupholders, and USB ports. While the tallest adults might not want to spend much time back there, most family-oriented buyers should be adequately pleased. As expected from a compact crossover, the Macan’s 17-cubic-foot cargo area isn’t move-a-couch large, but who wants to move a couch? Groceries, coolers, suitcases, pool floaties—the Macan can easily carry any combination of them, and it offers several handy tie-downs and an underfloor storage compartment.
While many SUVs are seemingly designed more for comfort and utility than driver entertainment, the Porsche Macan is still all about the view out the windshield, whether that’s on an early-morning run up a winding road or a nimble dance through the moving chicanes of a strip-mall parking lot. Even in its most rudimentary form, Porsche’s compact crossover is an enthusiastic partner through all the unexpected twists of a day on the go. Let buyers of other more capacious SUVs lumber through town in their big seats, staring at their expansive infotainment screens, sucking down to-go drinks from cupholders large enough to house a koi pond. We’re going to weave through them until the scenery is open road. The base Macan proves that you don’t need to have the most horsepower to have a great drive.

Specifications

Specifications
2022 Porsche MacanVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base: $56,250
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 121 in3, 1984 cm3Power: 261 hp @ 6500 rpmTorque: 295 lb-ft @ 1800 rpm
TRANSMISSION
7-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 110.5 inLength: 186.1 inWidth: 75.7 inHeight: 63.8 inPassenger Volume: 96 ft3Cargo Volume: 17 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 4150 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 5.5 sec1/4-Mile: 14.2 secTop Speed: 144 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 25/23/28 mpg

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It seems as if every other week brings a new Porsche—because it very nearly does, at least in 2021. Fresh off introductions of the Taycan Sport Turismo, the 911 GT3, and the Cayenne Turbo GT, the German brand is keeping the pressure on with the release of 2022 Macan, which is noteworthy not just for its new refinements, but for the shake-up at the top of its model range: The previous Turbo model is dead, replaced by a highly compelling, fortified Macan GTS. Providing the heat in the GTS is the same engine that powered last year’s Turbo model, a twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V-6 rated for 434 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque, which amount to increases of 59 horses and 22 lb-ft over the previous GTS. All Macans also come standard with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, which combine to push the GTS into the “genuinely fun” category of athleticism and should help it mimic the Turbo’s 3.5-second sprint to 60 mph.

Being a Porsche, however, the Macan is not all about going quickly in a straight line, and that’s especially true for models wearing the GTS badge. When we drove the previous iteration of the Macan GTS, we noted that its “responsive and accurate steering seems to have been plucked right from a 718 GTS.” While that’s generally still the case—the helm remains nicely weighted and highly direct—the Macan does feel a bit shorter on feedback than we remember, as its contact patches load and unload in corners. This quibble aside, the GTS remains an impressively responsive and engaging performer, crossover or otherwise. Opting for the $12,010 GTS Sport package also brings launch control provided by the Sport Chrono package, an electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential, 18-way adaptive sport seats, and blacked-out exterior details. But even the regular 2022 Macan has plenty to brag about, including retuned adaptive dampers and air springs, the latter of which situate the GTS 0.4 inch lower than lesser versions. While Porsche’s enhanced tungsten-carbide-coated brake rotors are standard on GTS models sold in the U.S., the Europe-market car we sampled in Los Angeles was equipped with the surprisingly smooth carbon-ceramic brake option that Porsche cut from the Macan’s U.S. options list for 2021 because so few people splurged for them.
But the GTS’s standard stoppers are plenty strong and match the hustle this crossover shows in corners. Far from feeling like a top-heavy SUV tuned to understeer at the first hint of lateral loads, the GTS drives like a high-riding hot hatchback. Its adaptive dampers and air springs are now 10 percent firmer in front and 15 percent firmer at the rear, helping to imbue it with impressively neutral handling.
Speaking of stiffer suspension settings, it’s fair to wonder whether the Macan GTS goes too far in this area, compromising comfort in the pursuit of chassis performance that buyers will likely never exploit. Thankfully, it doesn’t. As we learned in transitioning from the relatively smooth asphalt of Angeles Crest Highway onto the rougher, chunkier pavement of Angeles Forest Highway and Big Tujunga Canyon Road, the GTS’s drive modes have a meaningful impact on its character. There’s a noticeable difference between its Sport and Sport Plus settings, with the latter significantly enhancing the responses of the drivetrain yet allowing a bit too many road imperfections to be transmitted into the cabin. On rougher surfaces, the dampers’ softer Sport mode is definitely the way to go.

When we drove a prototype of the 2022 Porsche Macan GTS, we noted that its exterior and interior updates were rather mild. That’s still true for the production version, but the handful of revisions that have been made are effective in keeping the Macan’s look fresh. Inside, the digital instrument panel and the touch-sensitive center-console controls are now on par with Porsche’s contemporary lineup. And GTS models get additional welcome interior upgrades, including the GT sport steering wheel from the latest 911 plus Alcantara-trimmed sport seats. Three GTS Sport package–specific exterior colors (Python Green, Gentian Blue Metallic, and Papaya Metallic) ensure you’ll turn heads. As with the rest of the 2022 Macan range, the GTS benefits from technology and infotainment updates, such as a 10.9-inch touchscreen and standard wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity, as well as upgrades to its Bose and Burmester audio systems. Unsurprisingly, the GTS updates result in a healthy price increase—the $81,250 base ask is $7800 more than last year’s version—but the 2022 model is still several thousand dollars cheaper than the outgoing Turbo.
Compare the behind-the-wheel vibe of the 2022 Macan GTS with that of its key competitors, the BMW X3 M and the Mercedes-AMG GLC63, and you realize it’s not really competing with them at all—the BMW and the AMG are competing with each other, while the Porsche is in a different class of driver involvement and handling precision. Factor in the updated model’s additional power and that none of its enhancements compromise its core mission as a practical compact crossover, and the new GTS is the best Macan yet.

Specifications

Specifications
2022 Porsche Macan GTSVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base: $81,250
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 177 in3, 2894 cm3Power: 434 hp @ 6600 rpmTorque: 405 lb-ft @ 1900 rpm
TRANSMISSION
7-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 110.5 inLength: 186.1 inWidth: 75.9 inHeight: 62.8 inPassenger Volume: 96 ft3Cargo Volume: 17 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 4450 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.5 sec100 mph: 9.6 sec1/4-Mile: 12.2 secTop Speed: 169 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 19/17/21 mpg

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It’s not lost on Ford that the F-150 Raptor needs to up its game to keep pace with its new crosstown rival, the highly impressive and far more powerful Ram 1500 TRX. As we learned from a 2020 Raptor SuperCrew’s comparison-test defeat against that big 702-hp Ram, it’s time for the Blue Oval’s beast to get serious. But before it can bulk up the engine room with an upcoming V-8-powered Raptor R variant, the standard truck needs to make better use of the 450 horses it has. Think of the updated 2021 F-150 Raptor as the first strike of Ford’s counterattack.For high-performance off-road trucks that are designed to bomb across open terrain, the suspension’s ability to absorb the terrain is as crucial, if not more important, than raw horsepower. The Raptor ditches the rear leaf springs in this generation and replaces them with coils. While the leaf spring works for the heavy workloads that most pickups endure—including all other F-150s, except the Lightning—that old-school setup can’t maintain good wheel control in brutal high-speed desert conditions. The race trucks that inspired the Raptor abandoned the setup in favor of huge coilover shocks decades ago. Just as important, all of Ram’s current pickups have shown that rear coils also can improve ride comfort and drivability without sacrificing much in the way of cargo capacity.

For the new Raptor, Ford Performance’s engineers reinforced the latest F-150’s frame and fitted the live axle coil springs. Locating the axle are four trailing links and a Panhard rod. Up front, the independent control-arm front suspension has been modified without reducing ground clearance. It benefits from new geometry and a handful of beefed-up components including uprights, lower ball joints, and wheel bearings. To better control the wheel motions, Ford fits Fox’s latest Live Valve adaptive dampers that have 3.1-inch-diameter bodies and internal-bypass chambers. Suspension travel is increased to 14.0 inches in front and 15.0 inches at the rear—roughly an inch more at both ends than the outgoing model and, according to Ford, more than the TRX. That wheel travel is measured on the standard 35-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires. Buyers can upgrade to 37-inch KO2s, which Ford says is the tallest rubber ever fitted to a half-ton production pickup. But what the larger-tired Raptor loses in wheel travel (about one inch), it gains in ground clearance (13.1 inches versus 12.0) and improved approach, departure, and breakover angles. And, like the 35s, trucks with the larger 37s get a full-size spare slung under the cargo bed.
Our drive time came primarily at California’s Dumont Dunes off-road vehicle area, a 7620-acre playground set in the Mojave Desert just west of Las Vegas. But one of the Raptor’s greatest improvements was evident before we even left our hotel’s parking lot: a more prominent and characterful engine note, courtesy of a new active exhaust system. Comprised of an intricately twisted set of equal-length pipes and electronic valves, the system has four settings (Quiet, Normal, Sport, and Baja) that can be toggled independently of the Raptor’s numerous drive modes. Quiet mode is perfect for an early morning departure, while Baja is great for uncorking a loud, menacing growl that pleasantly rises in pitch as you stand on the accelerator. It lacks the intoxicating V-8 roar that seems so fitting in an off-road truck—and which the supercharged TRX does so, so well—but it does lend the Raptor the aggressive voice that it’s needed since the second generation debuted with a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6. That V-6 essentially carries over for 2021, as does the Raptor’s 10-speed automatic and variable four-wheel-drive system with a locking rear differential and an optional Torsen limited-slip front diff. Output remains a respectable 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque, but the engine and transmission have been retuned for a more effective power delivery. In addition to quicker, better coordinated shifts from the 10-speed, peak torque now arrives 500 rpm sooner, at 3000 revs, and full power hits at 5850 rpm versus the previous 5000, which makes it more rewarding to wind out the Raptor’s tachometer. Ford says that it also quickened the action of the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, but they’re still not as responsive as we’d like, and there are too many ratios to juggle anyway. We found it best to let the truck do its thing in Sport mode on the street, which keeps the powertrain on alert yet calm enough to cruise. Switch to Baja for cutting loose off road and all the systems go in to attack mode, including a lenient stability-control system that gently steps in only when the truck starts to get way out of shape.
There’s still no mistaking the Raptor’s turbocharged engine for a big naturally aspirated V-8 as it needs to be on boost to provide meaningful thrust. But its gearbox never stumbled during our day of abuse in the dunes, and the new suspension makes it easier to maintain speed over rough ground. Its front and rear anti-roll bars are softer than before while its springs are a bit stiffer, with the rears being progressive triple-rate units that Ford says help keep the suspension from sagging under heavy loads. The rear-coil setup alone saves a claimed 40 pounds. Our drive didn’t include any challenging paved roads, but snaking through desert washes at close to 100 mph revealed a solid feel to the chassis and improved overall stability. The quick-reacting Fox dampers soak up the impacts as we skipped across the tops of undulating whoop-de-doos at highway speeds, and the rear axle is now more resistant to hopping and shaking when accelerating on loose terrain. Touchdowns from big jumps are smoother than ever. As for the difference between the two tire sizes, the lighter 35-inchers spin up quicker and enhance the truck’s overall sense of agility, but the 37s bring a more substantial and unstoppable feel that we came to prefer. Plus, they better fill out the Raptor’s wheel wells. Unsurprisingly, the 37s also trim 2 mpg from the truck’s EPA highway rating, knocking it down to a wallet-emptying 16 mpg.
Along with some minor exterior tweaks, you can spot the new Raptor by its more pronounced headlight signature and larger marker lights. Big-tired models even can be had with bedside graphics that advertise the size of their footwear. As with all 2021 F-150s, the interior has been freshened with a handsome redesign, nicer materials, and updated infotainment, including 12.0-inch displays for the instrument cluster and center touchscreen. Since most Raptors sell as well-equipped crew-cab models, Ford has killed off the smaller SuperCab version and upped the standard content as well as the base price to $65,840, a $7705 increase over the 2020 SuperCrew model. Several large option groups serve as trim levels, but if you want the biggest tires, you’ll need to swing for the top Raptor 37 Performance package, which is bundled with a ton of other upgrades as a $13,650 upcharge—pushing the price some $7370 above the 2021 Ram TRX’s entry point.So, where does all this put the new Raptor compared to its archrival? The TRX is the standard of this wild segment not just because of its immense power that makes it quicker than some sports cars, but also for its tanklike solidity and awesome composure on just about any surface. The Raptor has noticeably closed the gap, with this next step in its evolution bringing more excitement, refinement, and better at-the-limit control when pounding through the desert. Now it just needs the 700-hp V-8 of the R model.

Specifications

Specifications
2021 Ford F-150 RaptorVehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base: $65,840
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 213 in3, 3496 cm3Power: 450 hp @ 5850 rpmTorque: 510 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 145.4 inLength: 232.6 inWidth: 86.6 inHeight: 79.8–80.7 inPassenger Volume: 136 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 6200 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 5.3 sec1/4-Mile: 14.0 secTop Speed: 105 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 15–16/14–15/16–18 mpg

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The Pininfarina Battista hums. Not in a “crystals have energy” sort of way, but in a much more real sense—the carbon-fiber bodywork literally vibrates. Why does this electric car tremble? Pininfarina injected the vibes into the Battista with what it calls an E-Heart, which uses two speakers to send audible pulses through the car. Flickering LEDs in the Pininfarina logo at the tail accompany the quivers. “The sound creates a direct connection with what the car is doing,” suggests chief product and engineering officer Paolo Dellacha—even, apparently, when it’s doing nothing more than sitting idle, looking gorgeous.Design house Pininfarina knows something about beauty, having styled 64 Ferraris in its 91-year history. The Battista is its first ground-up automobile, a production version of a concept that debuted in 2018. Named for the company’s founder, Battista “Pinin” Farina, the Battista, with its lavish curves and 1874 horsepower, was brought to life thanks to the investment of Pininfarina’s owners, the Indian conglomerate Mahindra.

Pininfarina

Building a vehicle from nothing is a big challenge even for a major car company, so Pininfarina wisely teamed with Rimac on the powertrain and carbon-fiber structure. Automobili Pininfarina CEO Per Svantesson insists the underpinnings aren’t exactly the same as what Rimac uses and that the Battista enjoys unique tuning and offers a different driving experience.The mechanical motivation is beastly: A T-shaped battery pack, responsible for a third of the vehicle’s claimed 4400-pound curb weight, contains 6960 lithium-ion cells for a total gross capacity of 120 kWh. (Neither Pininfarina nor Rimac has quoted how much of that capacity will be usable, but we estimate around 110 kWh.) The juice flows to four electric motors, one at each wheel. The brand estimates its range on the European cycle will come in at 310 miles—using the EPA methodology will likely yield a U.S. range of roughly 230 miles—though Battista customers are likely more compelled by the performance. Pininfarina tells us that a run to 60 mph run takes a mere 1.8 seconds and 186 mph comes up in less than 12 seconds. Peak acceleration results in 1.4 g’s forcing you into the seatback. Top speed is electronically limited to 217 mph. Speaking of speed, the company claims it’s possible to go from 20 to 80 percent charge in 25 minutes using a 180-kW DC connection; surprisingly, that’s barely half the rate that the latest Electrify America fast-chargers provide.

Pininfarina

Dihedral doors lift to reveal a cabin outfitted with three screens surrounding the driver: Two tablet-style touchscreens flank a central cellphone-like display for speed. The car annoyingly requires the driver to enter a menu on the left touchscreen to manipulate seating and steering-wheel positions. Once they’re set, the view over the low sloping hood provides excellent visibility, while the high rear haunches and the active rear spoiler force a reliance on the mirrors and the view out the rear window. Five driving modes are set using a milled and anodized aluminum rotary dial that feels like it might have been plucked from the Millennium Falcon cockpit; the sensation it offers is oh-so-reassuringly weighty, precise, and clicky.

Cruising Palm Desert’s suburban streets in the mildest Calma mode feels more Fiat 500e than supercar. Mash the throttle and you’re still a stylish eco-warrior on four wheels, especially if you care to stop for gawkers and point out that the Battista’s supple leather surfaces are tanned with olive leaves and that its carpets come from reclaimed fishing nets. If virtue signaling isn’t your thing, there are sprightlier drive modes that can make the wedgy beast go as wickedly fast as it looks. Pininfarina kept our public-road experience in check by making sure we followed a pace car. As such, the Battista’s otherworldly performance was constrained to mere mortal levels, despite the best efforts of the leadfooted chassis and vehicle-dynamics guru Georgios Syropoulos, who set the pace in a Tesla Model 3. Syropoulos’s résumé includes chassis development on several hot-rod Teslas, including the Model 3, the Model S P85D, and a would-be M3-slaying Tesla “supersport” model that never came to fruition. He also spent years at Lotus as an engineering consultant for the Evora GT4 race program, which might explain his ability to cut a smooth arc through Highway 74’s cambered corners. Even at this elevated pace, the Battista seems unconcerned with corners, thanks in part to its wide track, obviously low center of gravity, and staggered Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R rubber. Adaptive KW dampers automatically adjust their stiffness. In its most aggressive setting, the Battista still manages to feel smooth and controllable, with steering and feel that lean closer toward GT than caffeinated supercar.

Pininfarina

It isn’t until hot laps at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway that the Battista’s true self becomes revealed. Unhampered by having to follow anyone, the Pininfarina is able to show itself. In the fiercest Furiosa mode, even two-thirds of the accelerator’s travel pins your spine to your seat in a wash of acceleration as the gummy Michelins fight desperately to adhere to the tarmac. The instantaneous response of the right pedal is addictive, as is the instant thrust it delivers. There’s no moment of anticipation as turbos spool up, no pause for a transmission kick-down, just raw, punishing thrust that throws the Battista so far down the track, you’ll be thinking about braking sooner rather than later out of self-preservation. The carbon-ceramic brakes do a fine job of scrubbing speed, though the pedal travel in our tester was a tad long, and hard pedal applications sent a vibration through the car. In Furiosa mode, the stability-control system is disabled, and Pininfarina is still working out the final tuning of the torque-vectoring system, but the chassis is balanced and planted if slightly biased toward understeer. Dellacha says that unlike in the Rimac Nevera, which the Battista is closely related to, the tuning is focused more on balanced handling and lateral dynamics, not tire-melting tail-out theater. That explains the lack of a drift mode. Final tuning remains to be dialed in before the Battista meets its first customers later this year, with U.S. deliveries starting in the first quarter of 2022 at a price just north of $2 million. While an EV will never have the soul and drama of a Ferrari V-12, the thrumming bodywork and ridiculous acceleration make it clear that Pininfarina intends to find a way to infuse its electric cars with life.

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The cynics among us thought the Subaru BRZ and its near identical Toyota twin, the GT 86, were doomed. Compact, lightweight, and modestly powered rear-drivers launched in 2013 with a focus on agile handling and easy chuckability. They left us smitten, even if they seemed increasingly out of step as the years passed while the world tripped out on mega-horsepower and 23-inch wheel and tire combos. Mercifully, the world isn’t as SUV-minded as we’d feared, and both cars eked out an existence. Seems the first generation of the Scion/Toyota/Subaru coupes led to 125,000 salesmen closing deals on them, which is an exhausting thought, but that number cleared the way for another generation. Those 125,000 buyers weren’t just any customers; the youngest ones buy Toyotas and Subarus. At barely 30 years old, these folks are right in the demographic erogenous zone that makes carmakers happy. Once in the fold, those folks might stick around for another 50 years.

So, the allure of youth is why the Toyota-bodied, Subaru-powered twins are reborn. The conjoined companies—Toyota recently upped its stake in Subaru to 20 percent while Subaru acquired 0.3 percent of Toyota—went for a second generation. And having just driven the Subaru variant, the 2022 BRZ, to and around Connecticut’s Lime Rock Park road circuit and its new autocross track, we say hallelujah. This twin has returned to scratch an itch that enthusiasts never tire of scratching, and it’s better than ever.The key to the new BRZ’s success is that it fixes a lot of the complaints we had with the original without affecting the purity of the original. It’s still extraordinarily svelte by modern standards despite additional content and safety equipment. Weighing in at a claimed 2815 pounds in its lightest form, it’s just 17 pounds heavier than the outgoing model. A new aluminum roof with a double-bubble form for extra headroom helps as did the engineering team’s heroic effort at resisting the congenital industry temptation to make everything bigger in the second go-around.
In fact, the BRZ is better in all the ways you’d want it to be. The body structure is stronger and more rigid for better handling and safety—a whopping 50 percent jump in torsional stiffness. Outside, it’s beefier looking and more handsome, if still a bit generic and familiar in the taillights and headlights.Looks and rigidity are important, but the biggest difference is under the aluminum hood. The old 2.0-liter flat-four is replaced by an enlarged 2.4-liter flat-four similar to the three-row Ascent’s engine without the turbocharger. Quicker than before, the naturally aspirated engine’s 228 horsepower is now available across the board. Previously, the manual made 205 and the automatic was rated at 200. But it’s the 184 lb-ft of torque at 3700 rpm that gives the car a midrange surge that the old car’s 156 lb-ft at 6400 rpm couldn’t provide. The new engine should drop 60-mph times below 6.0 seconds for the standard six-speed manual. Expect 7.0 seconds flat for the optional six-speed automatic. Acceleration is acceptably brisk, and the power delivery is without the hiccups of the 2.0-liter, but leaving the Ascent’s turbocharger in place sounds like even more fun. Let’s make that standard limited-slip Torsen differential work for its money!
The engine is pleasant overall with a bit of flat-four idiosyncratic sound to make it unique. It gets slightly raucous at the upper reaches of its rev band. While it may not be the fastest car in your town, the BRZ’s low mass and handling give it the ability to hustle through the corners with ease. Shut off the traction control and stability control, and like its predecessor, tail-out antics are easy to call up.Ride quality on the road, though firm, is entirely livable for something that handles so well. Steering is eager, with response so instant off center it initially struck us as nervous, but on the track it proved well-weighted and usefully accurate. Whether you select the 17-inch or 18-inch wheels, summer tires are available. Entry level models get the 215/45R-17 Michelin Primacy HP rubber, while the Limited model is equipped with 215/40R-18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires. Both offer decent ride quality—the certain reward for forgoing monster wheels and keeping unsprung weight low.
Subaru tells us that 85 percent of first-gen BRZs were sold with manual transmissions; those numbers were reversed for Toyota’s version. BRZ sales are expected to maintain those percentages, but should the market want more automatics, that can be arranged. The manual not only makes for a quicker and livelier drive with ratios that seemed suited for track work, it also boasts one of the industry’s best shift actions, approaching, if not eclipsing, the Miata’s gearbox. Interior design and the fit and finish have been notched up to 2022 standards. Limited Edition models feature seating finished in microfiber inserts with a red stripe running down their center line, mirroring the red-stitching theme found throughout the cabin. An 8.0-inch infotainment screen and configurable digital instrument cluster bring the BRZ broadly up to technological date. Oh, and there is a back seat. It’s a real place to sit, and it lends some additional practicality along with 6 cubic feet of trunk room (13 cubes if you fold them down), but you wouldn’t necessarily want to cross multiple time zones back there if you’re more than 6 years old.
The BRZ starts at $28,955 with the Limited model opening at $31,455. Those prices should continue to bring in the younger customers as this new Subaru is that rarest of things: a serious sports machine and a serious value proposition. Opting for the six-speed automatic will add $1600 to the sticker of the Premium and $1800 to the Limited trim—which is differentiated by its 18-inch wheels with matte-gray finish, the aforementioned stickier rubber, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist. As with automatic Limited models, it also comes with Subaru’s EyeSight driver-assist technology. Because this function will bring the cars to a full stop, the risk of stalling out when brought unexpectedly to a halt means the manual cars don’t get those bits. Fine by us. We’re here to drive.Let’s hear it for Subaru (and Toyota). With advancements in autonomy and the never-ending SUV-ification of the fleet, an affordable rear-drive sports coupe is a rare thing. We will celebrate its affordable and fun performance for as long as they’ll sell it.

Specifications

Specifications
2022 Subaru BRZVehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base: Premium, $28,955; Limited, $31,455
ENGINE
DOHC 16-valve flat-4, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 146 in3, 2387 cm3Power: 228 hp @ 7000 rpmTorque: 184 lb-ft @ 3700 rpm
TRANSMISSIONS
6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 101.4 inLength: 167.9 inWidth: 69.9 inHeight: 51.6 inPassenger Volume: 78 ft3Trunk Volume: 6 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 2800–2850 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph:5.8–7.0¬sec1/4-Mile: 14.3–15.3 secTop Speed: 140 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 22–25/20–22/27–30 mpg

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We like to think of ourselves as agents of our own destinies, but behavioral science says that we simple humans can be steered toward certain decisions simply by disguising the idea that there’s a decision to be made at all. To arrive at a preferable outcome, sometimes all you need is a gentle prod in the right direction, an unnoticed prompt that often manifests in the form of a default choice. It’s called nudge theory, and auto enrollment in retirement plans is a classic example. People tend to save more money when they have to opt out of a plan rather than opt in. Now, would you like to stick with the 3.0-liter diesel in this 2021 Chevrolet Suburban or do something else? Right. Keep the diesel. Good choice.[editoriallinks id=’834a8a72-794d-4302-86d4-0052525f2383′ align=’left’][/editoriallinks]Ah, if only General Motors auto-enrolled Suburban buyers with the diesel. Were the Duramax inline-six the default option across the line, most Suburbans would likely be diesel-powered. And that would be right and proper, because the 3.0-liter six is perfectly adapted to Suburban duty. Its 460 pound-feet of torque arrive at only 1500 rpm, imbuing the 6272-pound behemoth with an air of nonchalant muscularity in real-world driving. Even in the rare foot-to-the-floor sprint, the diesel Suburban doesn’t feel slow, recording an 8.4-second run to 60 mph. The Duramax’s relative paucity of horsepower—277 horsepower at 3750 rpm—shows up in the tepid quarter-mile stats, with our High Country model crossing the line in 16.5 seconds at 85 mph. But that kind of performance is more than fine for a Suburban, where the horses you’re towing are more important than the ones under the hood. Maybe you want a baritone V-8 and scorching acceleration in a Tahoe RST or a GMC Yukon Denali or a Cadillac Escalade, but the Suburban is inclined toward milder pursuits. The High Country with a 420-hp 6.2-liter V-8 will go from zero to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, but we bet few ever will. A Suburban has too many beverages in too many cupholders for those kinds of shenanigans. [image id=’0cc2fd02-66e0-4c56-a267-43f9345e27e7′ mediaId=’92beded2-92d9-4837-85e4-9f7d3dc7e6c2′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image][pullquote align=’center’]HIGHS: Smooth and quiet, huge torque, outstanding efficiency.[/pullquote]Plus, the Suburban joins its full-size-SUV GM kin in its aversion to lateral acceleration. Like the Tahoe, Yukon, and Escalade, the Suburban’s stability control system is programmed to intervene at an absurdly low threshold. Forget tossing this thing into a choice on-ramp. You might get slapped down for going too hot into the left-hander at the Taco Bell drive-through. Thus, as with the other full-size GM SUVs, we had to run our skidpad test in low-range four-wheel drive, as that’s the only way to defeat the stability control system. But the diesel models, unlike their gas-powered counterparts, run into a 35-mph speed limiter in low range, which means that the diesel Suburban can only manage a top-speed-limited 0.53 g of lateral acceleration. We humbly suggest that if your vehicle can only pull 0.53 g, then perhaps 277 horsepower is sufficient.[image id=’873ef8ff-fadb-4d3b-9528-1ef55abe2182′ mediaId=’15b280c1-2fad-4c6c-b8b3-28a7fa97dfe1′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’6×4′][/image]It certainly feels that way when the Duramax-powered Suburban is in its element—which is to say, highway driving. With that luxurious 134-inch wheelbase and four-wheel independent suspension, the Suburban glides imperiously down interstates, whether perched on its base steel springs or the optional air suspension with magnetic ride control. At 70 mph, a hushed 67 decibels find their way to the cabin—the same noise level as the Lexus ES350 that we described as cryptlike. Most of that seems to be wind and tire noise, the straight-six emitting no more than a distant thrum from somewhere beyond the firewall, happily firing the gargantuan Chevy down the road while the tachometer needle hangs out down near idle. [pullquote align=’center’]LOWS: Diesel option costs extra in most trims, not as quick as the V-8s, a measly 0.53 g on the skidpad.[/pullquote][image id=’de340583-b173-4525-a672-fd689521770c’ mediaId=’c4271a8c-2f7c-4a7e-8503-220f49ef49fe’ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]We didn’t get a chance to run our 75-mph fuel-economy test on this Suburban, but when we ran its shorter Tahoe sibling, we got 27 mpg. Both Tahoe and Suburban get the same EPA numbers, which bear out the 3.0-liter’s righteous frugality. Among four-wheel-drive Suburbans, the diesel gets better city mileage than the gas engines manage on the highway. And those 4WD EPA numbers—20 mpg city, 26 mpg highway—might undersell the diesel’s efficiency, depending on what kind of driving you do. On a 45-mile backroads jaunt, the Suburban’s trip computer showed 32.3 mpg. We don’t always trust a car’s assertion of its own wonderfulness, but in this case, we wouldn’t be surprised if the computer was honest. After 300 miles of mixed driving, the fuel gauge was still above half a tank. When you do finally have to fuel up, the Suburban offers a capless filler, a treat for a diesel. Too bad diesel pump handles still tend to be coated with the unctuous slime of petrochemical prehistory, but at least you won’t have to handle them too often. Next to the filler neck is the blue cap for the diesel-exhaust fluid, which you will need to add occasionally to keep emissions in check. [image id=’cd4a4158-bca7-4a8e-8a88-379f05de0d4b’ mediaId=’c5eaa5a8-f470-40a1-b230-486e5800c4f3′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]The diesel can also tow as much as 8000 pounds (in the same ballpark as the gas models), with a standard exhaust brake adding some big-rig trailer-towing confidence. There’s really no obvious downside to the compression-ignition Suburban—no uncouth clatter, no dearth of power, no huge price penalty. In fact, in High Country trim, like our test vehicle, the Duramax engine is actually $1450 cheaper than the standard 6.2-liter V-8. In the rest of the trims—LS, LT, RST, and Premier—it adds $1045 to the price. Even on the High Country, where it comes with a discount, the Duramax isn’t the default choice. But it ought to be, across the board. If GM wants its customers to see the Suburban in the best possible light—thrifty, torquey, quiet, and smooth—all it needs to do is give them a little nudge.[vehicle type=’specpanel’ vehicle-body-style=” vehicle-make=” vehicle-model=” vehicle-model-category=” vehicle-submodel=” vehicle-year=”][/vehicle]

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Land Rover isn’t commonly associated with the faster and more exciting forms of motorsports. The British SUV maker was formerly known for its patronage of the Camel Trophy and later G4 Challenge, but both of these competitions prioritized slow, cerebral performance above never-lift thrills. When it comes to off-roading, Land Rover’s guiding motto has always been “as slow as possible, as fast as necessary.”The new Bowler Defender Challenge reverses those principles in spectacular style. It’s a rally version of the new Defender 90 that has been designed to attack terrain at speed and soak up the sort of punishment that would break regular SUVs in short order. Up to a dozen identically prepared Challenge cars are going to be competing in a six-round championship series in Britain next year, with hopes of bringing something similar to the United States.

Bowler has been modifying Land Rovers for off-road competition since 1985. Its best-known products are probably the Wildcat and Nemesis, V-8-powered monsters on a spaceframe chassis with styling cues from the last-generation Defender and Range Rover Sport. The company also made a rallying version of the old Defender, and the original Defender Challenge used identical spec cars and ran in the United Kingdom from 2014 to 2016. This was popular, but not enough to prevent Bowler from going bankrupt in 2019; the company subsequently was bought by Jaguar Land Rover and placed in the Special Operations Division.The new Bowler Challenge car is based on the Defender 90 P300 and uses an unmodified version of that car’s 296-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and eight-speed automatic gearbox—an unusual transmission choice for a rally car. That makes it considerably more potent than the Challenge version of the old Defender, which used a 2.2-liter turbo-diesel with just 170 horsepower. A drive on an impromptu rally stage created in one of the rougher parts of JLR’s Fen End test track in England proved the new Bowler is more than fast enough to be thrilling.

Land Rover

Although the driveshafts, differentials, and brake components are all standard parts, substantial changes have been made. The most obvious of these is the addition of an FIA-spec roll cage that has been integrated to the car’s structure with welded joints to the floorpan and suspension turrets. The springs are both stiffer and an inch taller than those of the standard Defender 90, and the Challenge gets remote-reservoir Fox Racing dampers—similar to those that enable the Ford Raptor to do its anti-gravity landings.Other changes include surgery to the regular Defender’s doors: The 2.8 inches that overlap the sills have been removed to reduce the risk of damage from impacts. (Snazzy perforated sill protectors replace them.) At the front is a much simpler fiberglass bumper in place of the standard car’s complex molding, and the Bowler’s radiator is cooled through a mesh-covered aperture rather than the plastic radiator grille. The 90’s low-mounted auxiliary heat exchangers have also been removed due to the risk of damage. Rally cars crash, so repairs need to be as simple and inexpensive as possible.

Land Rover

Beyond the need to climb up, getting in is much easier than with most competition cars. Even the sizeable roll cage doesn’t fill that much of the 90’s cabin. The driving position is slightly offset, as the added structure requires the bucket seats to be further inboard of the seating position in the regular three-abreast Defender. A microfiber-wrapped motorsports steering wheel replaces the regular car’s airbag unit. But as proof of how deeply integrated modern electronic systems are, the two touch-sensitive control panels from the original wheel have been retained and moved to the dashboard. They’re the only way to access certain functions. Bowler has also created a new wheel-mounted shifter for the gearbox, a single paddle that’s pushed forward to downshift and back to shift up.The Bowler version is as easy to drive as the regular Defender. Knobby BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2 tires give impressive off-the-line acceleration on dirt, and although almost all of the production vehicle’s traction and stability control has been coded out of its ECU, the all-wheel-drive system finds plentiful traction. The engine is effective but doesn’t feel bred for motorsports, as the preponderance of low-down torque means there’s little point in running it up to the redline. (Bowler reckons many novice competitors will just leave the transmission in its selectable Sport mode rather than shift gears themselves.) Subjective acceleration felt pretty much the same at 4000 rpm as it did at 5500 rpm.

Despite its combination of a relatively short wheelbase and a high center of gravity, the Bowlerized Defender didn’t feel nervous when asked to change direction, although it does need to be wrestled into tighter corners to keep the front end from washing out. The standard brakes didn’t complain at the modest thermal loadings possible on a loose surface, but their lack of a front-to-back bias adjustability denied the ability common to more serious rally cars to tweak corner-entry attitude through a rearward brake setting. The Landie also lacks that other rallying favorite: a hydraulic hand brake. Once it’s turned into a corner, the Bowler Defender gets its power down cleanly, but the open differentials at each end mean there isn’t any spectacular power-on oversteer.

Land Rover

It’s not that sort of car. Instead, it’s designed to take savage terrain in stride. The firmed-up springs lack the pillowy compliance of a Ford Ranger (or the high-flying Bronco), but the Bowler Defender uses its substantial suspension travel and unflappable dampers to absorb and defuse huge vertical loads without complaint, even when these follow in a rapid succession that would bamboozle lesser shock absorbers. The result is a car that truly feels as happy in the air as it does on the ground, and one that can carry huge speed down bumpy or rutted tracks.While obviously closer to the regular Defender than it is to a cutting-edge rally car, the Bowler Defender still feels like a special experience. It also isn’t ludicrously expensive for what it is, $115,000 at current exchange rates, being close to the cost of the Defender D90 V8 and including entry to six rounds of the Bowler Challenge rally championship next year. The truck itself is street legal and should be capable of many more years of competition beyond that. Bowler says discussion over the launch of a similar U.S. series is underway. We very much hope it goes ahead.

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