Car Reviews

As soon as the current Supra was introduced for the 2020 model year, the calls flooded Toyota’s PR desk: Where’s the manual-transmission version? For many enthusiasts, something just didn’t sit right about such a legendary nameplate at the top of the brand’s Gazoo Racing–developed lineup being available only with an automatic. Fortunately, Toyota heeded the call to save the manuals, introducing a stick-shift Supra for 2023, and it’s as good as we’d hoped. Available as a no-cost option on the 3.0 and 3.0 Premium models, the new six-speed stick mates solely to the Supra’s lovely 382-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six. The base turbo 2.0-liter four remains automatic only. Pricing kicks off at $53,595. There also will be a 500-unit run of A91-MT special editions, which for $59,440 add model-exclusive paint options and trim, plus a cabin dressed in fetching tan leather upholstery. Given the Supra’s gestation alongside the still-automatic-only BMW Z4 roadster, Toyota had to get creative in packaging the manual setup. Slip inside the snug cabin and you might notice that the infotainment controller wheel has moved to the far right of the center console, making room for a shift lever situated within easy reach yet precariously close to the dash’s center stack. Get too aggressive upshifting into third gear and you’ll rap your knuckles on the climate controls. Similarly, your elbow might knock into anything sticking out of the center armrest’s cupholders. Real estate is also at a premium in the driver’s footwell, with little room to spare between the closely spaced pedals. But it all works to bring greater precision and enjoyment to an already exciting sports car.Manual-equipped cars get a shorter final-drive ratio—3.46:1 versus the eight-speed auto’s 3.15:1—which together with the long, linear travel of the clutch pedal makes setting off easy. The weighting of the left pedal helps with metering its takeup yet is light enough not to induce leg cramps. Automatic rev matching is on by default, and the feature worked well on our laps around the twisty Utah Motorsports Campus. It can be deactivated when configuring the Individual mode. And you’ll want to turn it off, because the placement of the pedals is ideal for effortless heel-and-toe downshifts, no matter your driving style. More on Toyota SupraThe action of the shifter, with its small-diameter shift ball and narrow gates, is equally precise. Gears engage with satisfying resistance, like greased ball joint popping into socket. Most important, though, is the greater integration all of this brings to the Supra’s driving experience—timing shifts, managing wheelspin, and better manipulating the car’s balance. As good as the car’s ZF-sourced automatic is, shifting your own gears will always be more fun. Rip through the ratios and you’re more aware of both the turbo six’s surge of low-end torque (368 pound-feet at 1800 rpm) and the strong pull to its 7000-rpm redline. Coordinate a perfect 3-2 downshift while the car is squirming under hard braking and the smiles simply come more easily. To aid the transition, Toyota has retuned the manual car’s traction-control system and tweaked the stability control on all 3.0 models to rein in the Supra’s tendency to rotate when the driver abruptly lifts off the accelerator in corners. A new Hairpin+ function relaxes the standard electronically controlled limited-slip differential in ultratight bends. Six-cylinder versions also receive updates to their electrically assisted steering and revised adaptive dampers aimed at improving ride comfort and body control. We’ll need more seat time to weigh in on how impactful these changes are, but they don’t make the Supra any less entertaining to master. As for the transmission itself, Toyota optimized an existing ZF six-speed unit for the Supra by removing some sound-deadening elements and fitting a larger, reinforced clutch assembly. Weight savings versus the automatic are a claimed 22 pounds, with the manual car weighing a quoted 3389 pounds. But the mechanics of DIY shifting will almost certainly add a few tenths of a second to the automatic version’s 3.8-second 60-mph time. Likewise, the manual’s fuel economy will undoubtedly trail the autobox’s figure. But after finally experiencing the latest Supra as the sports-car gods intended, we wouldn’t have ours any other way. SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Toyota GR Supra 3.0 Manual Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door hatchback
PRICE
Base: $53,595
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve inline-6, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 183 in3, 2998 cm3Power: 382 hp @ 6500 rpmTorque: 368 lb-ft @ 1800 rpm
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 97.2 inLength: 172.5 inWidth: 73.0 inHeight: 50.9 inPassenger Volume: 51 ft3Cargo Volume: 10 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3400 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 4.0 sec100 mph: 9.4 sec1/4-Mile: 12.5 secTop Speed: 160 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 23/20/28 mpgA car-lover’s community for ultimate access & unrivaled experiences. JOIN NOWThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Superficially, the Volkswagen ID.Buzz fits into the current roster of U.S.-market minivans. It will, after all, have power sliding doors, three rows of seats, and plenty of cupholders. But this isn’t really a direct salvo at the likes of the Toyota Sienna and the Chrysler Pacifica. For one thing, it’s electric. And it’s rear-wheel drive. And it looks cool. As in, people in Copenhagen were breaking their necks to stare at it during our drive of a Europe-spec Buzz. It’s a learned reflex to think of minivans as anti-stylish, but this one is unabashedly fresh, a concept car made real in two-tone candy white and lime yellow. Climbing into the ID.Buzz makes you want to quit your job and become a surf instructor in Hermosa Beach, or go backpacking across Peru, or raise alpacas so you can knit organic-wool drug rugs for everyone in your commune. This is new territory: minivan as status symbol and halo car for an entire brand.Given Volkswagen’s success in squeezing Beetle nostalgia for a couple of extra decades’ worth of sales, it’s amazing it took this long to apply the same formula to the Bug’s incense-scented cousin, the Bus (or, as VW affectionately calls it in Germany, the Bulli). But resurrecting the Bus with anything like the original snub-nosed proportions was never really feasible with VW’s internal-combustion platforms—much easier to rebadge a Dodge Grand Caravan as a Routan than to engineer some sort of front-drive cab-over-engine people hauler. But on VW’s MEB platform for EVs, the ID.Buzz can faithfully hew to the template of its beloved, painfully slow progenitor: rear motor, rear-wheel-drive. The vents in the D-pillar may be fake, but at least they correspond to the actual location of the motor.

Volkswagen

Mechanically, the ID.Buzz is a doppelgänger for the ID.4 SUV, with a single motor making 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque, and a 77.0-kWh battery delivering 263 miles of range, according to the WLTP methodology, which would put it around 220 miles in the U.S. on the EPA’s cycles. (For reference, the EPA rates the rear-drive ID.4 Pro’s range at 275 miles.) VW claims the Buzz will mosey to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 10.2 seconds, which makes it the 1967 Bus of contemporary electric cars. An all-wheel-drive U.S. version ought to be considerably quicker, given that we clocked the 295-hp all-wheel-drive ID.4 at 5.4 seconds to 60 mph. VW claims that the two-row ID.Buzz weighs 5448 pounds, while we recorded 4698 pounds from a comparable ID.4.

There aren’t too many surprises on the spec sheet, except the rear brakes, which are drums. We suppose Volkswagen figured that since the motor can generate around 0.3 g of deceleration purely through regeneration, the rear axle doesn’t exactly need six-piston Brembos. That’s probably right, particularly because the launch model’s wheel design mostly obscures the brakes anyway. But throw some skinny five-spokes on this thing and the rear end will look goofy, even if the brakes work perfectly fine—the ID.4 recorded a decent 166-foot stop from 70 mph, drums and all.

Volkswagen

In keeping with the flower-child image of its long-ago predecessors, the ID.Buzz is delivered carbon-neutral (meaning VW pays for offsets corresponding to the carbon footprint of its production), and some of the interior materials are recycled. Between the front seats is the Buzz Box center console, which features an ice scraper and a bottle opener up top and is removable, in case you’re the kind of person who likes to tote around your center console like a handbag. The infotainment controls are contemporary VW items, meaning lots of capacitive touch sliders and not many buttons. An automated parking system can remember how to park in certain spots, and you can either manually activate it (after teaching it the moves) or have it automatically offer its assistance when the GPS says it’s in position. A cool LED light bar across the bottom of the windshield will flash red if you need to hit the brakes or signal upcoming turns from the navigation system.

Volkswagen

It’s hard to draw too many conclusions about what we’ll see stateside, since the ID.Buzz we drove in Copenhagen is so different from the U.S.-market version. This was the short-wheelbase two-row model that we’ll never see, outfitted with features we’ll never get, such as the power-deployable tow hitch that swings out from under the rear bumper. Our version will be 10.6 inches longer, with three rows of seats and presumably more of a focus on passengers. The Europe model comes across as a cargo van with rudimentary rear seating (think Mercedes-Benz Metris), and in fact there’s a cargo version rated for 1429 pounds of payload. We imagine that besides the stretch, the Buzz will undergo some people-moving optimization before its U.S. debut, which won’t be until 2024. In the Europe-spec ID.Buzz, the second row is a bench seat with no armrests. There are no rear HVAC controls, because there’s no rear HVAC to control. The rear seats fold but aren’t removable, so the vans at the launch were fitted with an optional raised platform for the cargo area that creates a flat load floor but also renders a sizable amount of interior volume useless, since you can’t access more than a couple of feet under that false floor without a croupier’s stick. (VW evidently didn’t entertain another path to a flat floor while retaining maximum cargo space: removable second-row seats.)

Volkswagen

We can assume Volkswagen will fix up the rear-seat accommodations with captain’s chairs and HVAC, but certain other compromises seem baked into the design. For instance, we initially assumed that the Buzz uses the ID.4’s goofy driver’s-side power window switches, in which two physical switches toggle functions to operate either front or rear windows. But it turns out the ID.Buzz only has two switches because only two windows open (the front ones). That flush glass in the rear doors looks excellent and contributes to the slippery-for-a-van 0.29 coefficient of drag, but it can’t roll down. Will VW redesign the rear doors with inset roll-down windows or send us a van with rear windows that simply don’t open? Maybe they can pop out and slide back while retaining the flush design, but some reengineering would have to happen. It’s also hard to see how the ID.Buzz will accommodate a third row that folds into the floor, another minivan given in our market. With its rear-mounted motor and barely any overhang behind those big wheels (21 inches on the car we drove), where would the third row go? You have to admire Volkswagen’s commitment to the concept-car aesthetic, but the lack of compromise on the ID.Buzz’s looks imposes necessary drawbacks as function follows form.

Volkswagen

That includes the view forward too. With its huge front quarter-windows, the ID.Buzz offers a panoramic view ahead. But the high seating position and upright windshield turn its roof into a giant baseball hat pulled low over your eyes. In Denmark, where traffic lights are often mounted on six-foot posts, it was a while before we encountered a hanging overhead light and noticed we couldn’t see it without craning forward in the seat and looking up. If you flipped down the sun visor, you wouldn’t be able to see U.S. traffic lights that are closer than the next county.Will any of this hamstring ID.Buzz sales? Likely not, and VW is arguably making a canny bet that our market wants not another minivan benchmarked to the strengths of the existing crop but a machine that goes in a completely different direction. If you think of the ID.Buzz as more like an SUV than a minivan—a lifestyle statement rather than a ruthlessly optimized tool for family transportation—then it comes into focus. We’ve already got four minivans devoted to utmost practicality. It’s okay to have one that’s just living the dream. More

Mazda’s push upscale enters a new phase with the freshly launched European-market CX-60, a model that is closely related to the CX-70 we will be able to buy here. And early indicators are promising.Sitting on Mazda’s new Skyactiv scalable architecture, the CX-60 is the first in a series of longitudinally engined SUVs intended to move the brand positioning closer to premium rivals. The CX-70 will be wider and, we’re told, styled with American tastes is mind—meaning it should possess more visual presence than the somewhat timid-looking CX-60, which is roughly the size of a BMW X3.However, we have nothing but praise for the quality and style of the CX-60’s cabin, which Mazda says contemporary Japanese design has inspired. Our sample car, in the plushest Takumi specification, featured wood door trim, a dashboard faced with woven fabric, and shiny metal accents that seemed inspired by the fenders of a ’50s Cadillac. Digital instruments and a 12.3-inch central display screen are standard, but the CX-60 keeps conventional HVAC controls, and the CX-70 likely will too. Strangely, although the large display supports touch input when running Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, it doesn’t for Mazda’s native navigation system, which still needs to be commanded through the click-wheel controller.

Being a Mazda, there is plenty of powertrain innovation. The base powerplant, which has yet to arrive in Europe but should be in the U.S. CX-70 at launch, will be a naturally aspirated 3.0-liter inline-six that uses variable compression and foregoes the turbocharging that has become all but standard in this part of the market. In Europe, the CX-60 will also be offered with a new 3.3-liter e-Skyactiv D diesel-six—for which Mazda is targeting an impressive thermal efficiency of more than 40 percent—but this is highly unlikely to make it to the States. Power and torque ratings have not been revealed.The car we drove was fitted with the least exciting new powerplant, although the most innovative one. This is a plug-in hybrid, Mazda’s first, and we anticipate it will be offered in the CX-70 as well. It uses the 188-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder from the CX-5 in conjunction with a 173-hp electric motor that sits between the engine and a new eight-speed gearbox.
The transmission uses an electronically controlled clutch pack rather than a torque converter to aid low-speed efficiency, and the same gearbox is set to be offered with the six-cylinder engines. Total system output for the PHEV is 323 horsepower, with a 17.8-kWh battery pack able to deliver up to 39 miles of EV range under Europe’s generally optimistic WLTP testing protocol. While an impressive figure, that’s still short of the Euro-cycle EV range results for the Toyota RAV4 PHEV or the Volvo XC60 Recharge T8 Extended Range PHEV. The Mazda’s battery can be fully recharged from 240-volt Level 2 equipment in a claimed two hours, 20 minutes or, alternatively, topped off courtesy of the engine burning extra gasoline.Under electric power, the CX-60 PHEV is smooth and refined. The motor drives through the gearbox, so there is the unusual (for an EV) sensation of gears shifting, and there is enough urge to keep ahead of urban traffic. But the transition to combustion power is less elegant, even using the blended Hybrid mode, with a noticeable pause as the four-cylinder fires up. As in the CX-5, the 2.5-liter is not a charismatic companion, growing loud and sounding increasingly coarse when worked hard. Although the redline is 6500 rpm, the engine already feels tight and reluctant at 5500 rpm. Once everything is pulling, acceleration is strong—an estimated low- to mid-five-second 60-mph time should make this the brand’s quickest car since the RX-7. But it seems likely the six-cylinder gasoline engine will be much more of an experiential highlight.
Fortunately, the chassis is more satisfying than the engine, combining compliance and athleticism in the finest Mazda tradition. The CX-60 resists understeer well for a vehicle of its size and shape, although there is little sense of the rear torque bias Mazda claims for the PHEV’s all-wheel-drive system. Ride quality is on the firm side but stayed acceptable even when riding on the (largest available) 20-inch wheels, with body control staying tight during hard cornering. While the CX-70 will be a different car—as will the related CX-90—our first impression of Mazda’s new architecture is positive. And although the company’s first plug-in-hybrid system is less impressive, we are still very much looking forward to experiencing the new straight-six engine.

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20,000-Mile UpdateOur long-term Kia Sorento SX has proven to be a comfortable road-trip vehicle, and staffers lately have been routinely signing it out to travel to faraway places. Photo assistant Charley M. Ladd added more than 2500 miles driving the Sorento from our Ann Arbor, Michigan, home base to Pikes Peak in Colorado for the mountain’s annual hill-climb and back in late June. Immediately after that, road test editor Rebecca Hackett put nearly 500 more miles on the Kia when she took it to Thompsonville, Michigan, for the Fourth of July weekend. Factor in the Sorento’s sizable cargo hold with its third-row bench folded, generous passenger space for those in the second-row captain’s chairs, and quiet interior (just 68 decibels enter the cabin at 70 mph, a figure equal to that of the last Acura RDX we tested), and it’s little surprise staffers are regularly enlisting this Sapphire Blue SUV for road-trip duty.Sorento ServiceThat said, Hackett wrote that the dual-clutch automatic transmission’s off-the-line shudders were “really cramping [her] style,” although neither she nor Ladd noted any issues with the gearbox at highway speeds. By the time the Sorento finally caught a break from cross-country and interstate cruising, with its odometer already past the 16,000-mile mark, it also had a brake pedal that was pulsating under pressure. Our local Kia service center updated the gearbox’s programming free of charge. With the brakes, the culprit was scored rotors. Resurfacing the discs set us back $353. It also reduced the thermal capacity of the Sorento’s rotors, increasing the likelihood of future scoring. Add in the $268 it cost us to have the Sorento’s oil and filter changed, tires rotated, and cabin air filter replaced, and we were out a total of $621. More Road-TrippingWith its scheduled maintenance complete and its brake and transmission troubles addressed, the Sorento hit the road once again. Technical editor Dan Edmunds drove it from Michigan to his home near Los Angeles. “The low-speed drivability issues didn’t rear their head,” he said at the conclusion of the 2467-mile trip. Nor did the left pedal pulsate when Edmunds applied the brakes.We figure this bodes well for the remaining 20,000 miles of our Sorento SX’s 40,000-mile stay. That said, if there remain any weaknesses in the Sorento’s tweaked transmission programming or its resurfaced rotors, a few weeks of driving in traffic-heavy Southern California ought to uncover them. Months in Fleet: 6 months Current Mileage: 20,934 milesAverage Fuel Economy: 24 mpgFuel Tank Size: 17.7 gal Observed Fuel Range: 420 milesService: $402 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $353Damage and Destruction: $0SpecificationsSpecifications
2022 Kia Sorento SX AWDVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 6-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $41,165/$41,935 Options: Sapphire Blue paint, $445; carpeted floor mats, $210; carpeted cargo mat, $115
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port and direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 152 in3, 2497 cm3Power: 281 hp @ 5800 rpmTorque: 311 lb-ft @ 1700 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed dual-clutch automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 12.8-in vented disc/11.6-in vented discTires: Continental CrossContact LX Sport255/45R-20 105V M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 110.8 inLength: 189.0 inWidth: 74.8 inHeight: 66.7 inPassenger Volume: 144 ft3Cargo Volume: 7 ft3Curb Weight: 4135 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS: NEW
60 mph: 6.0 sec1/4-Mile: 14.6 sec @ 97 mph100 mph: 15.4 sec130 mph: 33.6 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.4 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.6 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.2 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.2 secTop Speed (C/D est): 135 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 165 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.84 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 24 mpg75-mph Highway Driving: 25 mpg75-mph Highway Range: 440Unscheduled Oil Additions: 0 qt
WARRANTY
5 years/60,000 miles bumper to bumper10 years/100,000 miles powertrain5 years/100,000 miles corrosion protection5 years/60,000 miles roadside assistance
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED10,000-Mile UpdateApproximately 3200 miles into its stay, our 2022 Kia Sorento SX showed its first signs of potential trouble. Halfway through a 360-mile trip to Wisconsin, “the Sorento started bucking and coughing on Interstate 94 and had trouble maintaining speed,” Buyer’s Guide deputy editor Rich Ceppos wrote in the Kia’s logbook. After limping the Sorento to a truck stop, Ceppos shut off the vehicle and then, a few seconds later, restarted it. All returned to normal, and he was able to complete the remainder of his journey to the Badger State without any additional troubles. It seems this was an isolated incident, too, as the issue has yet to return.Since then, however, another powertrain-related gremlin has cropped up. The Sorento SX employs an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and we suspect the gearbox’s oil-cooled clutch sometimes send shudders through the SUV’s cabin at low speeds. Although we noticed this trait early into the Sorento’s stay with us, we found it to be an irregular occurrence. We think the culprit may be the clutch pack that operates gears one, three, five, and seven, as these vibrations are most noticeable when the vehicle pulls away from a stop. In fact, the issue was so infrequent that we forgot to mention it to the service advisor when we brought the Sorento in for its 8000-mile checkup, a $134 service that included an oil and filter change and a tire rotation. In the nearly 2000 miles since it last went in for maintenance, though, the Kia’s shudders have become more commonplace. It’s something we plan to have investigated at our next service appointment.More Sorento TestsPowertrain problems aside, our Sorento has received plentiful praise for its exterior and interior designs. Senior editor Joey Capparella deemed the exterior “fresh and well proportioned.” The all-wheel-drive Sorento SX’s 8.2 inches of ground clearance nets our long-term vehicle a genuine SUV stance—as opposed to the slightly more wagon-like posture of lower front-wheel-drive models, which offer just 6.9 inches of ground clearance. That slightly taller ride height complements the trim’s smooth flanks, black-painted 20-inch wheels, and full-LED headlights and fog lights. The look is cleaner than the fussy X-Line decor Kia fits to most other all-wheel-drive variants of the Sorento.Similar adjectives have been used to describe the SUV’s interior, with associate editor Caleb Miller characterizing the Sorento’s environs as “clean and modern.” Others commended the Kia’s high-quality materials, which contribute to a cabin that looks and feels far nicer than our Sorento’s $41,935 price would suggest. However, we’re wondering how well the SUV’s light-gray interior will hold up over the course of its 40,000-mile stay with us.For now, the Kia’s cabin remains in impressive shape, with no noticeable markings on the seats or door panels from bleeding blue jeans or grubby hands. That said, we’re only one quarter into our long-term test of the Sorento SX, and we expect the likes of summertime road trips and family jaunts to the Midwest’s many lakes to further test the fortitude of this Kia—including that of its powertrain and its interior.Months in Fleet: 4 months Current Mileage: 10,000 milesAverage Fuel Economy: 24 mpg Fuel Tank Size: 17.7 gal Observed Fuel Range: 420 milesService: $134 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0Damage and Destruction: $0IntroductionNearly five years ago, we waved goodbye to our last long-term Kia Sorento. Now, we’re welcoming a new 2022 Sorento for an extended stay.At the conclusion of our 2016 Sorento SX’s 40,000-mile test, we said, “If Kia can inject some personality and more functionality into the next generation of [this] SUV, it’s likely more folks will have the Sorento on their radar.” Our brief time so far with our long-term 2022 Sorento—as well as previous stints driving other variants of the redesigned, fourth-generation model—indicates the latest iteration of Kia’s mid-size SUV is a far sharper machine than its predecessor.Admittedly, we gave our Sorento the best possible chance for success by choosing the most powerful engine option. We bypassed the standard 191-hp naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder, as well as the hybrid and plug-in-hybrid powertrains, and instead picked the 281-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four. More on the SorentoThe 2.5-liter turbo is exclusive to the EX, SX, and SX Prestige trims and can be had with front- or all-wheel drive. Choosing the latter adds a Snow setting to the available drive modes and raises the ground clearance from 6.9 to 8.2 inches. All-wheel-drive EX and SX Prestige models also come with an X-Line styling package that adds off-road-inspired exterior decor. Alas, the X-Line kit eliminates Sapphire Blue from the SUV’s color palette.We wanted the optional blue hue, so we settled on the all-wheel-drive SX, which starts at $41,165. The special paint ($445), floor mats ($210), and a cargo mat ($115) brought the as-tested price to $41,935.While the SX does without certain SX Prestige niceties such as a surround-view monitor, a digital instrument cluster, a heated steering wheel, heated second-row seats, and ventilated front seats, the $2900 cheaper trim still comes with its fair share of luxuries. A panoramic sunroof brightens the interior, where one finds a wireless phone charger, dual-zone automatic climate control, a proximity key with push-button start, and a 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation. Gray faux leather covers all three rows of seats, including the heated and power-operated seats up front and the middle row’s captain’s chairs. An analog speedometer and tachometer frame a small but easy-to-read 4.2-inch info display.Along with a set of black-painted 20-inch wheels, the SX’s exterior features LED projection headlights and LED taillights. These headlights earn the highest “Good” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), whereas base LED multi-reflector headlights in lesser Sorento trims get the IIHS’s worst rating of “Poor”. The upgraded headlights of the SX accompany additional safety and convenience items including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, lane centering, blind-spot monitoring, and rear parking sensors. Even with its abundance of features, our 2022 Sorento SX’s 4135-pound curb weight undercut our old 2016 Sorento SX’s mass by 243 pounds. Kia’s decision to replace the outgoing model’s 3.3-liter V-6 with a smaller turbo four-cylinder likely plays a key role in this weight reduction. Despite being down nine horses to its six-cylinder forebear, our 2022 Sorento accelerated to 60 mph in just 6.0 seconds, a second quicker than our previous Sorento long-termer. Credit the new model’s aforementioned diet as well as its turbocharged engine’s 311 pound-feet of torque, which peaks at 1700 rpm, and the quick shifts of its eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The 2016 Sorento made do with 252 pound-feet—a sum that peaked at 5300 revs—and a comparatively lazy torque-converter automatic with only six forward speeds.The 2022 Sorento’s 165-foot stop from 70 mph and 0.84 g of lateral grip improved upon the prior Sorento’s performance by nine feet and 0.04 g, too. More importantly, these figures compare favorably to other SUVs in the segment. In fact, our Sorento’s braking distance was eight feet shorter than that of the nearly $20,000 pricier and 112-pounds-lighter Mercedes-AMG GLB35.Judged by its style and initial performance results, our 2022 Sorento seems poised to bring the sharpness we yearned for from our long-term 2016 Sorento. Whether Kia has managed to notably improve upon that vehicle’s functionality is a different story. As before, the two-person third row offers marginal space for adult-sized passengers, and the cargo area’s volume shrinks considerably when the rearmost row is in use.Back in 2016, though, the Sorento was the biggest three-row SUV Kia offered in the United States. The addition of the larger three-row Telluride to the model line affords the Sorento the leeway to sacrifice some functionality in order to preserve and improve upon other traits consumers in the mid-size SUV segment seek. We have 40,000 miles to find out if the 2022 Kia Sorento successfully executes this exchange.Months in Fleet: 2 months Current Mileage: 4109 milesAverage Fuel Economy: 23 mpgFuel Tank Size: 17.7 gal Fuel Range: 400 milesService: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0SpecificationsSpecifications
2022 Kia Sorento SX AWDVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 6-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $41,165/$41,935 Options: Sapphire Blue paint, $445; carpeted floor mats, $210; carpeted cargo mat, $115
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port and direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 152 in3, 2497 cm3Power: 281 hp @ 5800 rpmTorque: 311 lb-ft @ 1700 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed dual-clutch automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 12.8-in vented disc/11.6-in vented discTires: Continental CrossContact LX Sport255/45R-20 105V M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 110.8 inLength: 189.0 inWidth: 74.8 inHeight: 66.7 inPassenger Volume: 144 ft3Cargo Volume: 7 ft3Curb Weight: 4135 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS: NEW
60 mph: 6.0 sec1/4-Mile: 14.6 sec @ 97 mph100 mph: 15.4 sec130 mph: 33.6 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.4 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.6 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.2 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.2 secTop Speed (C/D est): 135 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 165 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.84 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 24 mpg75-mph Highway Driving: 25 mpg75-mph Highway Range: 440Unscheduled Oil Additions: 0 qt
WARRANTY
5 years/60,000 miles bumper to bumper10 years/100,000 miles powertrain5 years/100,000 miles corrosion protection5 years/60,000 miles roadside assistance
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDA car-lover’s community for ultimate access & unrivaled experiences. JOIN NOWThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

To show restraint is a hell of a thing, especially for us. Whether it’s a major horsepower number, over-and-above levels of grip, or the pampering of innumerable creature comforts, there’s always a hunger for more. Not this time. When we spec’d our long-term (and 10Best-winning) 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI, we flipped the script. For the next 40,000 miles, we’ll see what life is like with the bottom-rung $30,540 GTI S model. We’re pretty good at reading lips, because we know you just mouthed “Wait, $30K for a base GTI?!” Yes, that’s right. These are the times we live in, when someone pays $3.6 million for a one-off Porsche 911 based on the Cars movie character Sally Carrera. Going with the entry-level S trim means there will be no panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, or seat warmers for rear occupants. That’s a decision we feel at peace with. It also means the 15-position electronically controlled dampers won’t find their way to each corner. And that’s okay, that’s about 12 positions too many anyway. What matters most is the 241-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four under the hood and the six-speed manual gearbox, the latter even more so because the fundamental hot hatch should focus on the basics.The biggest omission is the lack of summer tires, which cannot be added as a stand-alone option. The stickier rubber is reserved for the top-dog Autobahn trim, which carries a $39,425 price tag. At the test track, however, observations extracted from cutting up a twisty two-lane were confirmed: This eighth-generation GTI makes a ton of mechanical grip. Around the skidpad, the Pirelli P Zero All Season rubber hangs on with 0.93 g of lateral stick and isn’t terribly far off the 0.98 g we averaged with a GTI Autobahn on summer tires in our last comparison test. In the braking department, stops from 70 mph require 169 feet, and those from 100 mph, 342 feet—19 and 38 feet longer, respectively, than with the grippier rubber. We foresee in our GTI’s future a new set of wheels wrapped in summer rubber to help keep this VW on a tighter leash. The all-season rubber proved to be more problematic when trying to get the most out of a standing start. There’s plenty of wheelspin to manage, provided the GTI’s stability system doesn’t attempt to micromanage it first. Despite the system indicating it’s been turned off and removed from the equation, it still lingers in the background, overeager to extinguish a tire fire both off the line and during an aggressive one-two upshift. With a hint of clutch slip, our GTI reached 60 mph in 5.8 seconds and elapsed the quarter-mile in 14.3 seconds at 101 mph. That’s just 0.3 second off a dual-clutch-automatic-equipped GTI SE rolling on the same rubber. We’ll gladly give up a few tenths to row our own gears.Opting for the base Golf GTI means life with the smaller 8.3-inch touchscreen, which is free of built-in navigation. And that’s no big deal, as many of us prefer the guidance apps provided by Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Fans of SiriusXM will be disappointed to learn of its absence, but again, smartphones for the win. Wired connections to these multimedia interfaces are becoming a thing of the past, but the GTI S still requires a cord. All of these issues could be solved by moving up a trim level into the SE, with its 10.0-inch display, but the smaller screen’s volume and tuning knobs have already won us over versus the fussy haptic controls of the larger screen. Perhaps the GTI’s supportive seats with Clark plaid inlays and its fantastic driving demeanor will allow us to forgive the shortcomings of its interior materials. But those cheap-looking plastic trim pieces stare back at us every single day. We’ve got another 35,000 miles to decide whether we can live with that scowl. Months in Fleet: 2 months Current Mileage: 4515 milesAverage Fuel Economy: 27 mpg Fuel-Tank Size: 13.2 gal Observed Fuel Range: 350 miles Service: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0Damage and Destruction: $0SpecificationsSpecifications
2022 Volkswagen Golf GTIVehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $30,540/$30,935Options: Moonstone Gray paint, $395
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 121 in3, 1984 cm3Power: 241 hp @ 6500 rpmTorque: 273 lb-ft @ 1750 rpm
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 13.4-in vented disc/12.2-in vented discTires: Pirelli P Zero All Season225/40R-18 92H M+S Extra Load AO
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 103.6 inLength: 168.8 inWidth: 70.4 inHeight: 57.6 inPassenger Volume: 92 ft3Cargo Volume: 20 ft3Curb Weight: 3112 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS: NEW
60 mph: 5.8 sec100 mph: 13.9 sec1/4-Mile: 14.3 sec @ 101 mph120 mph: 20.2 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.4 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.2 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 10.0 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 7.1 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 127 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 169 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 342 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.93 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 27 mpgUnscheduled Oil Additions: 0 qt
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 28/24/34 mpg
WARRANTY
4 years/50,000 miles bumper to bumper4 years/50,000 miles powertrain7 years/100,000 miles corrosion protection3 years/36,000 miles roadside assistance2 years/20,000 miles scheduled maintenance
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDA car-lover’s community for ultimate access & unrivaled experiences. JOIN NOWThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Specifications
2022 Acura MDX Type S SH-AWDVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $67,895/$73,745Options: Advance package (head-up display, surround-view camera, wood trim, 25-speaker ELS audio, heated steering wheel and rear seats, massaging front seats, hands-free liftgate), $5350; Tiger Eye Pearl paint, $500
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 183 in3, 2997 cm3Power: 355 hp @ 5500 rpmTorque: 354 lb-ft @ 1400 rpm
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 14.3-in vented disc/13.0-in discTires: Continental CrossContact RX ContiSeal275/40R21 107H M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 113.8 inLength: 198.4 inWidth: 78.7 inHeight: 67.1 inPassenger Volume: 139 ft3Cargo Volume: 18 ft3Curb Weight: 4774 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.4 sec100 mph: 13.8 sec1/4-Mile: 14.0 sec @ 101 mphResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 5.8 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.3 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.2 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 111 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 184 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 370 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.87 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 18 mpg75-mph Highway Driving: 23 mpg75-mph Highway Range: 420 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 19/17/21 mpg
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2022 Dodge Durango SRT 392Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 6-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $70,555/$85,930Options: Premium Interior group (suede headliner, forged carbon-fiber interior accents, premium instrument cluster), $2495; Technology group (adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, lane departure warning), $2395; Black package (Gray Metallic badges, Satin Black tail lamp badge, Lights Out wheels, Eclipse Black exhaust tips), $1845; Demonic Red and Black leather seats, $1595; Brembo front brake rotors, $1295; MOPAR dual stripes, $1195; Trailer Tow group (trailer brake controller, hitch, aluminum compact spare tire, 7/4-pin wiring harness), $1195; 19-speaker harman/kardon sound system, $1085; summer tires, $595; Cargo Plus group (cargo compartment cover, black roof rails, integrated roof crossbars), $595; second row console, $595; Destroyer Gray paint, $395; Red seat belts, $95
ENGINE
pushrod 16-valve V-8, iron block and aluminum heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 391 in3, 6410 cm3Power: 475 hp @ 6000 rpmTorque: 470 lb-ft @ 4300 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 15.0-in vented disc/13.8-in vented discTires: Pirelli P Zero Run Flat295/45ZR-20 (110Y)
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 119.8 inLength: 200.8 inWidth: 76.4 inHeight: 72.1 inPassenger Volume: 141 ft3Cargo Volume: 17 ft3Curb Weight: 5477 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 4.3 sec100 mph: 11.6 sec1/4-Mile: 13.0 sec @ 105 mph130 mph: 23.2 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 5.3 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.7 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 3.2 secTop Speed (mfr’s claim): 160 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 174 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 331 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.88 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 15 mpg75-mph Highway Driving: 17 mpg75-mph Highway Range: 410 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 15/13/19 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED More

From the December 2001 issue of Car and Driver.In the past 25 years, America has had only two Olympic gold-medal decathletes, Bruce Jenner and Dan O’Brien. Most people consider the winner of the Olympic decathlon to be the world’s best athlete, because it involves competing in 10 widely differing events, from pole vaulting to running to jumping. When Jenner won in ’76, America fell in love with him, and he appeared in commercials, made appearances in bad sitcoms, and smiled at us from Wheaties boxes. M3 Compared and Buying AdviceIn a similar way, BMW’s M3—the motorsports version of the 3-series—has been universally coveted since 1994 when the second-generation M3 appeared with a smooth, broad-shouldered 240-hp in-line six. Like a decathlete, the M3 did it all: It could carry four adults and their luggage in comfort, and in the process the car could whip through turns with an agility and crispness usually reserved for hard-core sports cars. Until recently, the M3 was undefeated in our comparison tests—the five-year-old M3 did place second (C/D, September 1999) to the brand-new Audi S4 Quattro. The M3 earned a spot on our annual 10Best list five years in a row—1995 through ’99. In 1997, it defeated eight cars, including the Acura NSX-T and Ferrari F355, to win our best-handling-car shootout.Still, we were frustrated to know that BMW sold a better, more powerful M3 elsewhere in the world. BMW said this supreme M3, with 77 more horsepower, was too pricey for the U.S. market.Perhaps BMW had a point, since the M3 sold here accounted for more than half of all M3s produced from 1995 through 1999. In one particularly good year, 1998, four of five M3s sold were the 240-hp U.S. version priced at roughly $40,000. The more powerful M3 cost about $55,000 in Germany. For the new M3, based on the current 3-series two-door, BMW decided on two things: (1) Americans were probably willing to spend a little more for the other engine, and (2) making all M3s with the same engine would probably lower the cost enough to make everyone happy. We recently drove the new car in Jerez, Spain, and even got a chance to turn some laps at the Jerez circuit.View PhotosGorgeous red-leather seats have adjustable torso bolsters to keep drivers in place.BWWThe engine is an absolute gem. This ferocious, screaming motor hurtles the M3 down the road with an urgency that now rivals the world’s best sports cars from Porsche and Chevrolet. BMW estimates the M3 will hit 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds and will eat up a quarter-mile in 13.5 seconds—on a par with the 911 Carrera and Corvette—and we think those numbers are accurate.Which M3 is Right For You?More than the engine distinguishes the M3 from the 3-series cars. For one, the M3 rides on its own unique suspension. The basic design and layout are shared with the 323 and 330, but nearly every component—including the hubs and spindles—was changed, modified, or strengthened for crisper handling and more driver feedback. The front track was increased 1.5 inches and the rear by 1.8 inches to accommodate big 225/45ZR-18 front tires and 255/40ZR-18 rears. In addition, a 0.1-inch-thick aluminum stiffening plate is bolted to the bottom of the front frame rails, and the steering rack uses a turning ratio that is seven percent quicker than the base car’s.The new M3 retains its knife-edged turn-in and flat cornering attitude, but it has picked up a couple of bad habits. The first is a ride that’s more punishing than the last model’s, which managed to feel both firm and compliant. It isn’t uncomfortable, but we sense that the new car bounds around more than the previous model. Second, the new car keeps the rear end so well planted that only the front tires slide in the turns. Yep, it understeers—badly. Considering how much we loved the old car’s neutral handling—you could call up under- or oversteer at will—the realization of this trait almost brought tears to our eyes, but the fact remains that without some major driver heroics, the M3’s rear end stays emphatically put. Our test car was a European model with 19-inch tires that will not be available stateside, so perhaps the U.S. model with 18-inch tires will feel different. Understeer is a safe, if unexciting handling trait, and the new car masks its speed as well as the old.On the road, where comers are taken at significantly slower speeds than on a race­track, the story is markedly different. The M3 feels heroic once again. From the driver’s seat, you’d never know you were piloting a passenger car; the feel i pure sports car, with an agility and crispness that belies its practical abilities.BMW says the new car will cost about $46,000, roughly $5000 more than the last M3 sold here, the 1999 model. (A Ferrari Fl-style manual gearbox with automatic shifting i due in 2002.) Considering the amount of extra suds in the engine bay, we think that price is a bargain. And unlike Bruce Jenner, who won the gold at only one Olympic competition, we bet the new M3 will continue the old car’s winning ways. A Closer Look at BMW’s Torquey 333-hp EngineThere are only two naturally aspirated engines for sale in the land that can top the 103-horsepower-per-liter performance of BMWs new six: an amazing 120-horsepower-per-liter-four-cylinder Honda found in the S2000 roadster and the phenomenal 110-horse­power-per-liter V-8 of the Ferrari 360 Modena. Like the Honda and Ferrari, the BMW powerplant which has 333 horsepower, does not arrive with any earth­ shattering new technology. Rather, the engines achieve their superb outputs through a careful, methodical approach of lightening the engine internals and improving the breathing.To lighten the valvetrain, BMW used hollow camshafts (with VANOS infinitely vari­able timing systems on the intake and exhaust cams) and finger followers to operate the valves. BMW says finger followers offer two main advantages over conventional valve tappets: Friction is 30 percent lower with the followers, and valvetrain mass is 30 percent less.Car and DriverWith the engine internals capable of spinning at 8000 rpm, BMW next ensured that the engine could breathe at that speed. On the intake side, six individual tubes house electronically controlled butterfly valves. BMW says the individual throttle valves, which are positioned much closer to the intake ports than in a conventional single throttle body, improve throttle response. On the exhaust gorgeous equal-length header tubes expel the spent air.Despite the M3’s new aluminum hood and its center bulge, the engine still had to be mounted at a 30-degree list to fit. Tilting the engine required modifying the oil pan to clear the front crossmember. This created oil-scavenging problems, especially during long comers, which BMW solved by using one large sump at the rear of the engine and a smaller sump up front. There are two oil pumps, one to pump oil from the front sump to the rear and another to pump oil from the rear sump through the engine. One unique feature of the M3’s engine is the driver-selected, dual-mode throttle-­response switch, which changes the way the intake butterfly valve responds to the gas pedal. When the engine’s not in the sport mode, the butterflies open slowly at first to ensure smooth driving; in sport mode, the valves open much more quickly, lessening response time.Although BMW was third to Honda and Ferrari in this horsepower-per-liter con­test, the Simmer engine does boast more torque per liter (81 pound-feet per liter vs. 77 for the Honda and Ferrari). The result is an engine that’s remarkably strong every­where in the rev range and pulls like mad right up to its 8000-rpm redline. —Larry WebsterSpecifications

SPECIFICATIONS2001 BMW M3 Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 2-door sedanESTIMATED BASE PRICE$46,000ENGINE TYPEDOHC 24-valve inline-6, aluminum block and head, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 198 in3, 3246 cm3 Power: 333 hp @ 7900 rpm Torque: 262 lb-ft @ 4900 rpm TRANSMISSION6-speed manual DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 107.5 in Length: 176.9 in Width: 70.1 in Height: 54.0 in Curb weight: 3450 lb MANUFACTURER’S PERFORMANCE RATINGSZero to 60 mph: 4.8 secStanding ¼-mile: 13.5 secTop speed (governor limited): 155 mphPROJECTED FUEL ECONOMYEuropean urban cycle: 13 mpgEuropean extra-urban cycle: 28 mpgEuropean combined cycle: 20 mpgThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Love it or hate it, BMW’s controversial styling is here to stay. The grilles keep getting bigger, the headlights keep getting weirder, and yet the brand’s sales remain strong. This time around, it’s the big X7 SUV’s turn for facial surgery. The 2023 model has an updated look meant to bring it in line with the new-generation 7-series sedan, and it’s polarizing. There’s more to the new X7 than revised front- and rear-end designs, however, as the model also sees upgraded engines, a spruced-up interior, and several new standard and optional features.While the previous X7 looked pretty much like a stretched and inflated X5, the new front end makes a more distinct statement with its eyebrow-like daytime running lights above the squared-off headlights mounted lower on the fascia. BMW admits it’s not the first automaker to adopt this inverted-headlight look. We can’t help but notice that earlier vehicles that tried it, such as the Jeep Cherokee and the Nissan Juke, either quickly abandoned it or have been dropped altogether. Nonetheless, we won’t be surprised if the X5 and X6 eventually adopt this face too. Sigh.
The X7’s tail is more pleasing to the eye, as the added chrome bar and revised taillights make for a crisp appearance. There are also new wheel designs, including a massive 23-inch option for the first time. Those big rollers are best avoided, though, as the X7 we drove with the 23s rode harshly over big bumps. The 21- and 22-inchers ride better and still fill out the wheel wells just fine. Once again, the X7 offers a choice of six-cylinder or V-8 power. BMW says the vast majority of buyers choose the xDrive40i model with a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six, and that’s the engine that has received the more significant upgrades. It gains 40 horsepower and 52 lb-feet of torque for new totals of 375 hp and 383 lb-feet—now surpassing the Mercedes-Benz GLS450 in both regards. On top of that, a 48-volt hybrid system adds torque that juices the total up to 398 pound-feet. The twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 also gets the 48-volt system, but its output is unchanged at 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet. Don’t be fooled by the V-8’s new M60i model designation replacing the previous M50i. BMW says this change in nomenclature was merely meant to align gas-engine trim levels with electric models, including the new iX M60.

The powertrain upgrades don’t do much to change the engines’ character. Like before, the V-8 is fun, with a snorty exhaust note and a delightful shove of torque. It’s hard to deny the draw of 523 burbling horsepower in a big vehicle like this. And yet, the inline-six is so smooth and pleasant that it’s an equally appealing choice. Although less raucous than the V-8, the six, with its quiet demeanor, is well suited to a luxurious people hauler. Plus, the xDrive40i is hardly lacking for power, and its EPA combined fuel-economy rating is a respectable 22 mpg, 4 mpg better than the M60i’s.
Accurate steering, good sightlines, and a composed chassis help the X7 drive smaller than it is. Although there’s plenty of body roll in the standard air suspension’s loosey-goosey Comfort mode, the X7 corners well in the firmer Sport mode, with a surprisingly high grip threshold and strong brakes. Even so, the X7 is most enjoyable when you settle into the plush seats and just cruise. The interior features rich materials and plenty of new standard features, including more adjustments for front seats, a panoramic sunroof, and four-zone climate control (five zones are an option, with the fifth setting for those in the rearmost row). The new curved display screen that’s propagating across the BMW lineup incorporates a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 14.9-inch center touchscreen. The latter can also be controlled by the iDrive knob on the center console, and BMW’s latest operating system remains relatively easy to use given its complexity.
As is becoming de rigueur among full-size luxury SUVs, the X7’s list of driver-assistance features has grown to include a hands-free driving function for freeways. Unlike Cadillac’s Super Cruise or Lincoln’s ActiveGlide, however, the X7’s system works only at lower speeds, such as in a traffic-jam scenario. With so many cameras and sensors onboard, BMW also throws in functions such as a trailer backup assist and a park-assist system that can “remember” certain maneuvers and autonomously guide you into or out of a tight garage.The X7 already had a lot going for itself as one of the more luxurious and best-driving entries in the full-size-SUV class. For 2023, the numerous upgrades, namely improved powertrains and an appealing array of technology, only reinforce its position at the top of the segment. And although the X7 was never a great beauty—nor is any giant barge like this, for that matter—the funky new front end is really the only catch.

Specifications

Specifications
2023 BMW X7Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 6- or 7-passenger, 4-door wagon
BASE PRICE
xDrive40i, $78,845; M60i, $104,095
ENGINES
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter inline-6, 375 hp, 398 lb-ft; twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve 4.4-liter V-8, 523 hp, 553 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 122.2 inLength: 203.6 inWidth: 78.7 inHeight: 72.2 inPassenger Volume: 142 ft3Cargo Volume: 12 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5420–5900 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 4.3–5.6 sec100 mph: 10.5–14.0 sec1/4-Mile: 12.7–14.0 secTop Speed: 130–155 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 18–22/16–21/21–25 mpg

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