Reviews

We’ve never been all too enthusiastic about all-wheel drive for all-wheel drive’s sake. In our opinion, most vehicles are simply better off just driving two wheels, especially the rears—at least, that was the case before the proliferation of EVs. Since then, we’ve found ourselves more impressed by the EV models with dual motors driving both axles. Why? Because they are often a lot more powerful and far quicker than their two-wheel-drive counterparts. One such example is this 2023 Ariya e-4ORCE, which is Nissan’s funny new nomenclature for its all-wheel-drive electric powertrain.When we tested the front-wheel-drive Ariya, we were disappointed by its acceleration performance. The regular Ariya’s single electric motor drives the front wheels and makes 238 horsepower, but at 7.5 seconds to 60 mph, that model lacks the satisfying zip we enjoy in other EVs. That changes with the addition of the all-wheel-drive model, which adds a second electric motor that drives the rear wheels and increases the total horsepower to 335 ponies in base Engage guise and to 389 horsepower in the Engage+, Evolve+, and Platinum+ trims.NissanWith two motors on board, the Ariya is far fleeter. We estimate that the higher-powered 389-hp models will hit 60 mph in just 5.0 seconds. That’s not Ford Mustang Mach-E GT levels of performance, but it’s a big improvement and one that makes stop-light launches and highway passing maneuvers more satisfying. Front-Wheel Drive Ariya DetailsAdding more power doesn’t, however, improve the Ariya’s handling, as the all-wheel-drive model is just as bland as the front-wheel-drive one. Quiet comfort best describes the Ariya’s demeanor, which means that for Nissan devotees coming out of a Murano and looking to go electric, the transition will be seamless.There is a Sport driving mode, but other than conjuring up an artificial whirring sound and minutely sharpening throttle response, it does little to enhance the EV crossover’s road manners. The Ariya’s all-wheel-drive system will sometimes apply braking to the inside wheels during cornering to combat understeer, but it’s more useful for staying in better control on low-friction surfaces than for hunting apexes. Unseasonably heavy rainfall in Northern California’s Sonoma County provided plenty of wet corners on which to test the system, and it does work reassuringly well at maintaining stability.Some dual-motor all-wheel-drive electrics—such as early versions of the Tesla Model Y—offer more driving range than their two-wheel-drive analogs due to careful calibration to only use a single motor during the EPA’s test cycles. But not here. Nissan offers the same two battery packs in the e-4ORCE as it does in the standard model, and the range for both is slightly lower with all-wheel drive. More all-wheel-drive electric SUVsThe entry-level Engage trim gets a 63.0-kWh battery with an estimated driving range of just 205 miles per charge. The three more expensive trims—Engage+, Evolve+, and Platinum+—all come with a larger 87.0-kWh battery pack. The driving range estimate for the Engage+ and Evolve+ trims is far more competitive at 272 miles, while the Platinum+ carries an estimate of 267. The Ariya’s inspired interior design is its main advantage over rival EV crossovers. Patterned panels on the doors and bulkhead beneath the dash are backlit with ambient lighting and look quite elegant, while thoughtful touches such as a built-in smartphone charging-cord organizer are designed to reduce clutter. The cabin is spacious in both the front and the rear seats, and a modern-looking dashboard features a pair of curved 12.3-inch digital displays. A wood-trim piece that runs across the dash is also backlit and houses the SUV’s climate controls, which operate with just a light tap, but the controls for other functions located on the center console require a harder push. NissanAll models are well equipped, but the loaded Platinum+ we sampled at $62,770 pushes the boundary into the luxury category, both in terms of price and features. That price tag gets you niceties such as heated and ventilated rear seats, a 10-speaker Bose stereo, genuine leather upholstery, a self-parking feature, and navigation-enhanced adaptive cruise control. The addition of the rear motor has little impact on cargo room—overall luggage space is identical to the FWD model, but the underfloor storage bin has been sacrificed.As with all-wheel-drive variants of internal-combustion vehicles, all-wheel-drive EVs come with benefits as well as compromises, so one thing that hasn’t changed in this transition from gas to electric is carefully considering your own needs. The minor sacrifice in range and the major improvement in acceleration that the Ariya e-4ORCE offers over the standard model seems like a decent tradeoff to us.Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Nissan Ariya e-4ORCEVehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Engage, $48,525; Engage+, $52,525; Evolve+, $55,525; Platinum+, $61,525
POWERTRAIN
Front Motor: current-excited synchronous ACRear Motor: current-excited synchronous AC Combined Power: 335 or 389 hpCombined Torque: 413 or 442 lb-ftBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 63.0 or 87.0 kWhOnboard Charger: 7.2 kWPeak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 130 kWTransmissions, F/R: direct-drive
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 109.3 inLength: 182.9 inWidth: 74.8 inHeight: 65.4–65.7 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 53–55/44–46 ft3Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 60/23 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 4750–5650 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 5.0–5.9 sec1/4-Mile: 13.7–14.5 secTop Speed: 103 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 90–95/93–101/86–89 MPGeRange: 205–272 miManaging Editor, Buyer’s GuideDrew Dorian is a lifelong car enthusiast who has also held a wide variety of consumer-focused positions throughout his career, ranging from financial counselor to auto salesperson. He has dreamed of becoming a Car and Driver editor since he was 11 years old—a dream that was realized when he joined the staff in April 2016. He’s a born-and-raised Michigander and learned to drive on a 1988 Pontiac Grand Am. His automotive interests run the gamut from convertibles and camper vans to sports cars and luxury SUVs.       More

From the September 1984 issue of Car and Driver.When extravagant luxury and ostenta­tious opulence are your stock in trade, downsizing presents a difficult problem. The only reason to downsize is to improve efficiency, a goal diametrically opposed to the more profligate appetites. The luxury-­versus-efficiency crunch has come to a head at Cadillac with the unveiling of its 1985 de Ville and Fleetwood models, its version of General Motors’ new front­-drive C-body cruisers. GM probably could have delayed the front-drive treatment for its big sedan for another year or two—the market has temporarily relaxed its hue and cry for higher fuel efficiency—but the gov­ernment’s CAFE requirements have made further procrastination too costly.Not only is a more modern sedan necessary, but it presents Cadillac with the op­portunity to broaden its market beyond its traditional clientele, which is both increas­ing in age and decreasing in number. A more functionally efficient car, Cadillac hopes, will attract some of the luxury buy­ers who currently turn to overseas manu­facturers for their transportation. Of course, the challenge is to attract these new buyers without turning off the old ones. Striking such a balance is never an easy task, but General Motors has given Cadil­lac an excellent foundation on which to build. The new C-car, a design shared with the Buick Electra and the Oldsmobile Ninety Eight, is a thoroughly modern, space-efficient large sedan, equipped with front-wheel drive, a unitized body-and-frame con­struction, and a fully independent suspen­sion. Cadillac’s Fleetwood is two and a half feet shorter, four inches narrower, and about 600 pounds lighter than its rear­-drive predecessor, yet it has virtually iden­tical interior space. Fuel economy jumps from 16 to 19 mpg city, and accelera­tion is also improved. By any objective measure, the new car is a sensible and con­temporary luxury package. Therein lies the problem. General Mo­tors’ premier division doesn’t deal in sensi­ble, practical luxury. A Cadillac exemplifies excess, coddling, substance, and strength. Concerns of ride and space are addressed with inertia and sheer size. A smaller, more efficient car is at odds with this carefully maintained image.To minimize the shock of downsizing, the Cadillac stylists have folded the Fleet­wood’s exterior sheetmetal into familiar patterns. The wedge shape that is part of the generic C-car design has been camou­flaged with lines that are crisp and upright. Sharp vertical edges mark all four corners, and long horizontal lines at each end visu­ally enhance the new car’s width. A formal­ly upright rear window and a traditional look for the grille and the taillights com­plete the family resemblance. These styling cues do add bulk to the 195-inch-long, 3500-pound Fleetwood, but the new car is much less visually imposing than the 226-inch, two-ton-plus luxo-cruiser it replaces. We think its styling is successful enough to attract Cadillac’s traditional buyer, though we doubt that it will do much to broaden the market. The interior posed less of a problem to the Cadillac designers bent on preserving the traditional image because the down­sized cabin is every bit as spacious as the one it replaces. The dash is a split-level af­fair adorned with chrome beading, panels of simulated leather, a minimal allotment of instruments, and extensive labeling. The door panels are fitted with casket-han­dle door pulls framed by panels of velour, fake wood, and more chrome beading. Lifelong Cadillac owners will feel perfectly at home, though potential converts may walk away shaking their heads.Aaron Kiley|Car and DriverFrom a purely functional standpoint, the two groups are treated equally. There’s as much interior space as anyone could want, with nearly limitless headroom and leg­room front and rear; both benches will comfortably seat three. Unfortunately, the seats are as flat as a park bench, and several testers complained that they provided in­sufficient upper-back support. The Fleetwood’s powertrain, however, was liked by all. Although Oldsmobile and Buick have a port-injected, 90-degree V-6 as the top engine choice for their C-cars, Cadillac offers the world’s only transverse-­mounted front-drive V-8, with an alumi­num block to boot. Another Cadillac exclu­sive is a viscous torque-converter clutch, which locks up earlier, yet more smoothly, than a conventional design does. These measures endow the front-drive Fleetwood with as much powertrain refine­ment as any of its predecessors. The 4.1-liter, fuel-injected V-8 idles quietly and smoothly, low-speed acceleration is strong, and throttle response is quick and progressive. The four-speed transaxle deserves much of the credit for this poise as it deftly shuffles through its duties in response to the driver’s demands. The sheer silence of the powertrain is impressive under most circumstances, broken only by a surpris­ingly strong mechanical hum from the en­gine when it’s giving its all. Factoring in the 22-mpg C/D observed fuel economy, we find no fault with this powertrain from any potential buyer’s point of view.Aaron Kiley|Car and DriverDespite the up-to-date levels of motiva­tion, driving the new Fleetwood is not what we would call a satisfying experience. Cad­illac’s handling engineers, like the stylists, apparently felt the need to make the small­er car remind its driver of its larger ante­cedents. Consequently, the more sophisti­cated chassis drives much like the land yachts of yesteryear. Every move is soft, languorous, and extended.Turning the steering wheel produces no immediate response; turn it some more, and eventually the multifarious bushings compress, the soft tires develop some cornering force, the body heels over, and the car actually begins to change direction. In addition, the Fleetwood seems to have little resistance to sharp rocking motions in the pitch plane; a hard press of the throttle sends the nose skyward, and anything but the mildest brake applications drops the front bumper smartly toward the ground. We can assure you that these exaggerat­ed motions are not caused by the Fleet­wood’s strong grip on the road. Its stop­ping distance from 70 mph is a lengthy 232 feet, and it manages only 0.64 g on the skidpad—the lowest figure we’ve ever recorded for a modern car. This repre­sents a significant loss of adhesion; the last rear-drive Sedan de Ville we tested achieved 0.67 g on the skidpad. To make matters worse, the new Fleetwood so overworked its left-front tire during our roadholding test that the rubber peeled right off the rim, a failure we’d never be­fore experienced during testing on any car. (According to Cadillac’s engineering department, if the tire is inflated to at least 10 psi, such a failure can only occur as a result of a component defect. Our Fleet­wood’s tires were set to the recommended 30 psi immediately before the test.) Some of the blame for the low adhesion doubt­less belongs to the Uniroyal Tiger Paw Plus all-season tires mounted on our test Fleetwood, but it’s clear that Cadil­lac’s suspension engineers have heavily biased the chassis calibration toward ride comfort and noise isolation.One reason for such a one-sided ap­proach may be the new car’s unitized body­-and-frame construction, the first in a “large” Cadillac. Although the front sus­pension, the engine, and the transaxle ride on a rubber-isolated powertrain cradle, the new Fleetwood must do without the rub­ber-isolated perimeter frame that previ­ously formed the first line of defense against bumps and small road irregular­ities. To compensate for this lack of isola­tion, the Cadillac engineers softened every aspect of the suspension, and the result is a very cushy car. Large bumps are enveloped and smothered, small ones are filtered out at ground level, and the car is extremely quiet. Still, the new Fleetwood doesn’t have the nearly total isolation of its prede­cessor, and it seems significantly less precise in response to control inputs.Could it be that Cadillac is trying too hard to turn its efficient new sedan into an old-school luxocruiser? To make the Fleet­wood fit this role, Cadillac has pushed its styling and handling to extremes inappropriate to the size and design of the new C-bodies. The result is a package with even less balance than the old car enjoyed. Tra­ditional customers may well take a liking to the new model, though we suspect that, given a ch0ice, many would prefer a brand­-new old-style Cadillac. The real problem is with the new guard, who we doubt will show much interest in this downsized pro­tector of classic American automotive luxu­ry. The Fleetwood may offer what they want in size and fuel appetite, but it still ex­udes ostentatious extravagance rather than quiet competence. The mantle has been passed; the ultimate nondriver’s car is still a Cadillac.We can understand Cadillac’s desire to protect its customer base, but we wish the division had found a way to do so without excluding the younger, more enthusiastic types. A sporty, European-style option package like Buick’s T Type could do wonders for this Cadillac’s appeal. Better yet, GM’s prestige division could take advantage of its well-established de Ville and Fleetwood nameplates and orient one of them toward the traditional market, while letting the other forage for new customers. (Since there is a $4000 difference between the Cadillac C-cars and their lesser brethren, there should be ample room for at least some experimentation of this type.) As things stand now, the new Cadillac does little more than help the General’s CAFE average, while maintaining the division’s lucrative take in a steadily diminishing market.CounterpointCadillac’s new front-drive Fleetwood is not the stuff of car enthusiasts’ dreams. Fears and doubts, not dreams, were the motivating forces behind the development of the Cadillac division’s new cruiser. It has been cunningly and lovingly crafted to appeal to people who already own Cadillacs—people who have expressed grave doubts about the wisdom of smaller, more efficient Cadil­lacs, people who’ve always liked exces­sive, inefficient Cadillacs just fine. It is a better and more contemporary Cadillac in every way, but it is all softness and in­decision, in sharp contrast to the firm, decisive German cars that have done so much to undermine Cadillac’s tradi­tional status as America’s Number One status car. It is a Cadillac beater, not a Mercedes beater. I found the seat so soft, so wanting in support, that I could not honestly report whether it handled well or not. I found the brake and accelerator pedals hung so high that my foot repeatedly slipped off at crucial mo­ments, to the discomfort of my passen­gers. Make no mistake, this is a pretty good car, but it is aimed at America’s af­fluent senior citizens, not you and me. —David E. Davis, Jr.I shake my head at Cadillac’s self-satis­fied refusal to embrace the progressive­ness of today’s Detroit. At a time when Lincoln’s Continental Mark VII LSC and Buick’s Electra T Type show that American comfort need not exclude fine road manners and good performance, the new Fleetwood is a remind­er of a past when underachievers were the norm. The Electra T Type, which springs from the same C-car shell, is vital and precise, turning in much better performance and behavior and infinite­ly better feel than the Cadillac. As a re­sult, the Electra is a far better car for good drivers and a much safer car for all drivers. Why, even the old Fleetwood drove better than the new one. Cadillac, spare us the output of your fuddy­-duddies and give us the promise of your best boffins. Until then, if you will ex­cuse me, I feel a little ill. —Larry GriffinLet’s not confuse the issue here. The Cadillac division was not trying to out­do Mercedes with this new front-drive model, nor was it attempting to woo die-hard Audi nuts or corral all the under-35 overachievers. That’s fine by me. There’s nothing wrong with Cadil­lac’s traditional formula for coddling passengers. So the notion of making it more efficient was okay in this quarter. The basic styling package is brilliant, one of the neatest shrink jobs in De­troit’s history. The new Fleetwood manages to look like a “real” Caddy but is tightened up enough to appear more “with it” and socially acceptable. It’s also quiet and rides like whipped cream, so I predict a big hit. Caddy loy­alists won’t care much that the han­dling’s klutzy or that the tires try to peel off the rims at a walk or that the front seat is all wrong or that the drivability is below par. They probably won’t even notice that the new car is almost as thirsty as the old or that it doesn’t drive nearly as well. But I do. And that makes the new Fleetwood the year’s biggest dis­appointment. —Rich CepposArrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
1984 Cadillac FleetwoodVehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 6-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $20,402/$22,948Options: Delco-Bose sound system, $895; leather interior trim, $550; six-way power passenger’s seat, $225; cruise control, $185; tilt-telescope steering wheel, $184; rear-window defogger and heated mirror, $165; power trunk pull-down, $80; twilight sentinel, $79; intermittent wipers, $60; other options, $123.
ENGINEpushrod V-8, aluminum block and headsDisplacement: 249 in3, 4087 cm3Power: 125 hp @ 4200 rpmTorque: 190 lb-ft @ 2200 rpm 
TRANSMISSION4-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/strutsBrakes, F/R: 10.3-in vented disc/8.9-in drumTires: Uniroyal Tiger Paw Plus M+S205/75R-14
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 110.8 inLength: 195.0 inWidth: 71.7 inHeight: 55.0 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 57/53 ft3Trunk Volume: 15 ft3Curb Weight: 3477 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 11.7 sec1/4-Mile: 18.2 sec @ 74 mph100 mph: 51.2 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 5.6 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 8.1 secTop Speed: 105 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 232 ftRoadholding, 282-ft Skidpad: 0.64 g 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 22 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMYCombined/City/Highway: 23/19/31 mpg 
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDContributing EditorCsaba Csere joined Car and Driver in 1980 and never really left. After serving as Technical Editor and Director, he was Editor-in-Chief from 1993 until his retirement from active duty in 2008. He continues to dabble in automotive journalism and LeMons racing, as well as ministering to his 1965 Jaguar E-type, 2017 Porsche 911, and trio of motorcycles—when not skiing or hiking near his home in Colorado.  More

Hyundai’s hopped-up N lineup is one of the most interesting corners of the affordable-car universe. Every vehicle under this banner carries all manner of user adjustability, from damping stiffness to tailpipe volume. These settings let owners settle into a groove that better aligns with their personal tastes, and it helps sets N apart from less configurable competitors. The Ioniq 5 N will be the first performance EV in this parade, and after spending some time sliding across a frozen lake or two, we’re happy to report that the future of N is about as bright as can be.At its winter proving grounds in Arjeplog, Sweden, Hyundai admitted it’s not quite ready to divulge full specs. All we know right now is that the Ioniq 5 N’s dual electric motors combine for a net output of 600-ish horsepower. This is no mere facsimile of the 576-hp Kia EV6 GT, despite the pair sharing the E-GMP platform. There are fewer underlying components in common than you may think—many of its underpinnings were tweaked just for the N division.Related StoriesAesthetically, the Ioniq 5 N retains the dedication to theater we see on the Kona and Elantra N models. Outside, there’s a massive rear diffuser, large wheels with a clever design, bigger brakes, fatter fenders and tires, and a more aggressive front bumper. Inside, the 5 N’s steering wheel picks up four extra buttons for shuffling through its drive modes and enabling various features. The biggest change, though, is the inclusion of a fixed center console; whereas the standard version may seek to boost interior volume, the N variant would rather give you a place to brace your body as the lateral g’s ramp up.Atop a slick, mostly frozen lake amid unseasonably mild weather, with Pirelli Sottozero winter tires sans studs, slipping sideways is all but guaranteed. Hyundai had us attempt to hold a drift in the sharpest N driving mode without any electronic interference, and like any other vehicle, the Ioniq 5 N prototype demanded intense amounts of throttle and steering input to prevent a pirouette. Switching to its dedicated drift mode adjusts torque distribution at each wheel to better hold a drift after initiating it with a fat stab of the go pedal or an abrupt lift under full brake regeneration. The steering also reduces its damping to allow for more granular control without a full arm workout. It’s still on the driver to avoid spinning, but the machinations taking place in the drivetrain inspire enough confidence to hang the tail out more and for longer.But perhaps you don’t want to use drift mode. There are still ways to customize the Ioniq 5 N’s demeanor to suit your specific driving style. Four different modes (Eco, Normal, Sport, and N) adjust the steering weight, damping, and throttle sensitivity, but tons of automakers let you do that. The 5 N goes above and beyond by letting the driver alter torque distribution on a spectrum between nearly full front or rear bias. Throw everything toward the bow, and the 5 N acts just like a front-wheel-drive car would on the ice—terminal understeer with bouts of liftoff oversteer. Throw it all sternward, and you can do your best impression of a Mustang leaving Cars and Coffee.These heroics come from two separate types of differentials. The Ioniq 5 N’s rear end utilizes an electronic limited-slip differential to shuffle torque left and right, while the front end’s open diff pairs with brake-based torque vectoring. The latter was chosen to reduce both front-end weight and cost, but it’s still quite capable. Even when the setup’s working hard, there’s little to no ABS-style brake chatter coming from the inside wheel. The result is smooth operation and impressive body control over surfaces that would send ordinary commuters scrambling for a work-from-home day. The ability to move the Ioniq 5 N’s power every which way brings big benefits to more traditional winter-driving scenarios as well. Mixed-traction surfaces can be tricky for starting and stopping, but the differentials did a commendable job keeping the 5 N tracking straight during launches and under hard ABS engagement. We even scaled a 20 percent grade with the passenger-side wheels on pure ice, and the Ioniq just shoved its way up without drama.Not every bit of software is dedicated to making you Keiichi Tsuchiya, though. Some parts swing right back toward theater. Press the lower-right button on the steering wheel, and the Ioniq 5 N will add simulated gearshifts, interrupting torque delivery with a pull of either shift paddle to better mimic an internal-combustion car. The reasoning here is that it may help drivers used to conventional cars ease into EV operation by giving them cues that breed a sense of familiarity. Turning on this feature also places a tachometer on the gauge display, even though it doesn’t correlate to e-motor speed; it’s just a neat little flourish with a fake redline near the Elantra N’s real one. Performance isn’t the point here, since the feature doesn’t do squat in that department. Instead, it gives drivers another way to tweak the 5 N to their specific tastes. Even the sound synthesizer plays a part in easing the transition. We found it a nice complement to the Ioniq’s drift mode, as the sound rising and falling provides a good aural cue to what the tires are doing. Three different sounds will be on offer, but only one was available during our excursion, and it brought a little bit of a high-strung four-cylinder vibe to the 5 N. Do you like it? Great, then use it. Don’t like it? Also great, you never need to turn it on. But having the choice is nice.The Ioniq 5 N is a watershed moment for Hyundai’s fledgling N performance division. We’ve already borne witness to some supremely sublime N cars, and the division’s internal-combustion efforts won’t stop until the world forces Hyundai’s hand. But the 5 N represents the beginning of the subbrand’s push upward, toward higher performance envelopes while still maintaining a value proposition that jibes with the Korean automaker’s long-held ethos. Anybody can make an electric car accelerate with alacrity, that’s not difficult. But Hyundai is hoping the Ioniq 5 N’s software—and the power of choice it brings—will help this N stand out from the crowd.Car and driverCar and driver Lettermark logoSenior EditorCars are Andrew Krok’s jam, along with boysenberry. After graduating with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, Andrew cut his teeth writing freelance magazine features, and now he has a decade of full-time review experience under his belt. A Chicagoan by birth, he has been a Detroit resident since 2015. Maybe one day he’ll do something about that half-finished engineering degree. More

You start the Volkswagen Jetta Sport with a key. Remember those? Ignition keys are to cars what snail mail is to email: so last century. That key says a lot about what to expect from this version of VW’s compact sedan too. It’s a simple, basic, and straightforward automobile. Nothing fancy here. But given that this Jetta also comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, a Sport badge stuck to its B-pillars, and a surprisingly low MSRP, we felt compelled to find out if it’s a budget-priced GLI—a sports sedan we have more than a little affection for. The Sport fits into the Jetta lineup one up from the base S, a modest $900 upcharge to a very reasonable $22,650 starting price, some $10,030 less than a GLI. In the Sport’s case, basic doesn’t mean totally bereft, though. The Sport comes with a decent amount of equipment. Its standard 17-inch alloy wheels and the LED headlights and taillights on all Jettas keep it from looking like a penny-pincher from the outside. Andi Hedrick|Car and DriverHIGHS: Velvety engine note, composed handling, spacious rear seat.There’s no mistaking that the Sport’s roomy interior is outfitted to a price, however. It’s well assembled and there are a few niceties on hand, such as the 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster, a pair of front USB ports, and attractive cloth seats. But hard plastic abounds, the standard HVAC system is manually controlled, the front seats lack bun warmers, and the tiny 6.5-inch infotainment screen is a look back in time. Because it’s not VW’s latest touchscreen system, though, it does at least feature both a simple user interface and volume and tuning knobs. Our test car had but one option, the $955 Driver Assistance package, which adds adaptive cruise, rain-sensing wipers, several driver-assist features, and a satisfyingly thick-rimmed, flat-bottomed, leather-covered steering wheel. VW Jetta Compared and Tested!That steering wheel is almost as nice as the one in the GLI, and it is the sportiest thing about the Sport. No worries, though. This is a friendly, pleasantly refined car. It starts, literally and figuratively, with the Sport’s engine, a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder that develops 158 horsepower at 5500 rpm. It keys to life with a quiet hum that barely rises above a whisper, is smooth across the full sweep of the tach, and makes the Sport feel more expensive than it is. It’s no surprise our six-speed manual car’s straight-line sprints—60 mph in 7.0 seconds and a quarter-mile in 15.5 seconds at 92 mph—are no match for the 228-hp GLI six-speed’s—60 mph in 6.1 seconds and the quarter in 14.6 seconds at 100 mph. Still, not a bad showing for the Sport, as it matches the performance of the last Jetta automatic we tested, with a 1-mph higher trap speed in the quarter-mile.Unfortunately, the Sport’s performance falls to its knees relative to the feisty GLI in normal urban driving. Though the specs say the Sport makes its full 184 pound-feet of torque at 1750 rpm, our right foot said otherwise. In city traffic it’s easy to catch the engine napping off-boost; let the revs drop below 2000 rpm and it’s as if gerbils have replaced the horses under the hood. Flooring the accelerator has minimal effect. That shortfall of ready torque showed up graphically in our top-gear acceleration test where the Sport took an interminable 28.7 seconds to go from 30 to 50 mph; the GLI did it in 12.3 seconds. The Sport does a lot better at higher engine and road speeds, posting a 13.6-second 50-to-70-mph time to the GLI’s 8.4 seconds. It’s fun to keep the engine in its perky zone thanks to the easy-shifting six-speed manual. Clutch action is light too, so this is a pleasantly involving car to pilot, even at lower speeds. The Sport proves adept at the rest of the driving experience, if not intoxicating. A supple ride and confident steering imbue it with a surprisingly refined persona that complements the engine’s quiet ways. Volkswagen even made some minor efforts to make it more engaging to drive than the base S model by lowering its suspension 15 millimeters and fitting it with a larger front anti-roll bar. While it’s not a car that begs you to flog it down a two-lane, when leaned on, it stays composed. And though it can’t match the sharper responses of the GLI, the Sport’s 0.87-g skidpad grip is 0.01-g better, while its 176-foot stop from 70 mph is only two feet longer. The limiting factor here is that both cars are shod with all-season tires; a sports sedan like the GLI deserves stickier rubber. Andi Hedrick|Car and DriverOut on the open road, the 1.5T proves itself impressively miserly at consuming fuel, with the Jetta averaging 44 mpg in our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test. That’s 2-mpg better than both its EPA highway figure and the last Jetta automatic we tested and opens up the possibility for 580 miles of highway range.LOWS: Interior’s plethora of plastic, antediluvian touchscreen, it’s not a cut-price GLI.No, the Jetta Sport can’t quite muster the moves or the performance necessary to be considered a discounted GLI. But with a roomy rear seat, a velvety engine, and respectable road manners, it’s far more than a budget-priced people carrier. Ignition key aside, of course. Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Volkswagen Jetta SportVehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $22,650/$23,605 Options: Driver Assistance package (adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping system, blind-spot warning, rain-sensing wipers, leather-wrapped steering wheel), $955
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 91 in3, 1498 cm3Power: 158 hp @ 5500 rpmTorque: 184 lb-ft @ 1750 rpm
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/torsion beamBrakes, F/R: 11.3-in vented disc/10.7-in discTires: Nexen N FERA AU7205/55R-17 91H M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 105.7 inLength: 186.5 inWidth: 70.8 inHeight: 57.7 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 51/43 ft3Trunk Volume: 14 ft3Curb Weight: 2937 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 7.0 sec1/4-Mile: 15.5 sec @ 92 mph100 mph: 18.6 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.4 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 8.0 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 28.7 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 13.6 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 128 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 176 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.87 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 26 mpg75-mph Highway Driving: 44 mpg75-mph Highway Range: 580 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 34/29/42 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDDirector, Buyer’s GuideRich Ceppos has evaluated automobiles and automotive technology during a career that has encompassed 10 years at General Motors, two stints at Car and Driver totaling 19 years, and thousands of miles logged in racing cars. He was in music school when he realized what he really wanted to do in life and, somehow, it’s worked out. In between his two C/D postings he served as executive editor of Automobile Magazine; was an executive vice president at Campbell Marketing & Communications; worked in GM’s product-development area; and became publisher of Autoweek. He has raced continuously since college, held SCCA and IMSA pro racing licenses, and has competed in the 24 Hours of Daytona. He currently ministers to a 1999 Miata and a 1965 Corvette convertible and appreciates that none of his younger colleagues have yet uttered “Okay, Boomer” when he tells one of his stories about the crazy old days at C/D. More

From the June 1985 issue of Car and Driver.We want the truth: Did “car lust” fade from your life when you and your sweetie settled down? No more slab-and-steer, no more whoop-and-loop, no more red-lights-in-the-mirrored-night? If you haven’t broken out itching from car lust again, just wait. And be thankful that Volks­wagen doctored its new Jetta GLI for the inevitable time when your unfulfilled car lust bounces off the rev limiter again.Those of us at the magazine who didn’t have the opportunity to write about VW’s outrageously swell GTI (C/D, March 1985), one of the most civilized and practical rat racers ever built, are delighted to see the Jetta GLI following so quickly on its tail. Yes, the GLI sedan is based on the same pseudo­-econobox GTI that the car world is so ex­citedly babbling about. The GTI can run 114 mph, stop from 70 mph in 182 feet, corner at 0.83 g, and never put a wheel wrong. Can its sedan counterpart possibly live up to the hatchback’s reputation? Although the stubby three-door GTI is built in the U.S.A. and the wedgy GLI four-door in Germany (more on this later), each is shot through with merry disrespect for the law of physics. Actually, neither thinks much of any law. We’ve been perpetrating in three GLIs—one black, one metallic dark gray, and one slathered in an insane red with a hint of orange, a shade both loved and despised by all the world’s po­licemen. They don’t understand that, as the song about girls goes, GLIs just want to have fun. As an out-and-out rapscallion, the quiet-­riot GLI ridicules ostensibly more sporting machinery. It runs low to the ground, with much the same urgency as the GTI, but with even more practicality and a consider­able measure of luxury perks. Beneath the semiconservative lines of the Jetta, the GLI offers lusty upgrades in trim, engine, and running gear. Tell your sweetie about the practicality: The new Jetta has 12 per­cent more interior volume than the old, a 28-percent bigger trunk, and a 37-percent­ larger gas tank. (But take our advice about this practicality talk: If your sweetie isn’t the understanding sort, keep the GLI’s 11-percent increase in horsepower under your hat until you’ve got it safely under your foot.) The improvements in capacity aside, VW now feels that the old Jetta’s street-­smart virtues are more appropriate than the “little Oldsmobile” treatment that be­fell VW’s American offerings a few years ago. VW’s Wolfsburg gang, by its own ad­mission, has now seen the real enemy, and it is Japan. Suddenly we have a car that bolts out of the gate with a base price of $9995, and one that runs surprisingly close in speed and quality not only to the Honda Accord and the Mazda 626 but also to the Audi 4000S and the BMW 318i. And since the interior room in this year’s GLI beats both the BMW 325e and the Mercedes 190E, there is some truth to VW’s proclamation that “the GLI carries five adults and their lug­gage at autobahn speeds in the style of oth­er German sedans costing two to three times as much.” Despite such claims, Volkswagen of America, after a few rounds of internal squabbling, requested that the European GLI’s aggressive appearance be toned down. Gone are its deep air dam, trunk spoiler, and black-out nose logo. Still, be­neath the black trim and tidy red-accented bumpers and side moldings is a wedgy body, sporting aerodynamic halogen headlights and a high trunk line. The combination provides a very respectable 0.36 drag coefficient—a plump advan­tage over, say, the 0.41 figure of the sleek­er-looking Audi 4000s. More Archive VW TestsSweetening the pot are such options as air conditioning, a sliding steel sunroof, cruise control, heated power mirrors, and a “Heidelberg IV electronically tuned AM/FM auto-reverse stereo cassette with console-mounted push-button cassette holders.” The slightly less snazzy unit in the red GLI we sampled in Michigan pro­vided pleasant listening and surprisingly little need to twiddle the volume up and down as road speed fluctuated between se­renely sedate and seriously seditious. The system’s only real drawback was small rear speakers that failed to take advantage of the cavernous trunk’s bass-producing po­tential. A separate package includes power windows, central locking, heated power mirrors, a courtesy-delay interior light, and Wolfsburg-edition sport seats picked up from the Quantum. These seats are less bolstered for lateral support than the GTI’s sport seats, but they feature longer thigh support and, for the driver, combined rake-and-height adjustment. Black leatherette covers the bolsters for reduced wear, while center inserts in striped char­coal-gray velour pick up the neutral tones of the door panels’ pleasantly coarse gray fabric. Lumbar and bolster adjustments wouldn’t be a bad idea, though we didn’t notice any real shortcomings in comfort. Roominess abounds front and rear for a car this size, and the back seat is rated for three full-size people, with three-point har­nesses for the outboard passengers. When nobody is filling the middle space, a fold­-down armrest with an integral tray reveals a passage to the carpeted trunk that can be used for toting skis. Up front, leather covers the dandy four-spoke sport wheel, the shift boot, and the fat knob atop the graciously smooth five­-speed shifter. The GLI’s heating-and-air­-conditioning system is easily adjustable and quite consistent, running rings around the GTI’s ducting, which tend to scorch the driver’s right leg when the temperature is set high. Easy-reading analog gauges nestle behind the Jetta’s wheel, though they’re limited to basic information. The surrounding area houses a few switches alongside blanks for a half-dozen other rockers, though a couple would have been plenty. Better planning by the binnacle boffins would have provided space for more gauges; perhaps they felt the oil­-temp display provided by the multifunc­tion trip computer’s small LCD readout in the instrument pod was sufficient. The computer’s time, speed, distance, econo­my, oil-temp, and air-temp functions are activated by tapping a button on the end of the windshield-wiper lever. The turn-sig­nal arm incorporates the controls for the excellent optional cruise control. Nice though it is, the cruise control of­fers the less appealing way to keep in touch with the benefits of computerization be­neath the hood. Your right foot would grin if it could, having the most direct link to the under-hood electronic equipment: Bosch KE Jetronic fuel injection, digital electron­ic ignition, and a detonation sensor. These components keep the transversely mounted single-overhead-cam engine oper­ating at high efficiency. At any given instant, the front wheels are getting as much from VW’s 1.8-liter, 100-hp four as it’s been told to give, which is more than enough for most tasks. Thanks to better fuel atomization from new air-shrouded injectors, a compression ratio bumped from 8.5 to 10.0:1, and intake valves increased from 38 to 40 mm in diameter, the 1985 GLI makes 10 horsepower more than the ’84. The GLI scam­pers to 60 in 10.9 seconds, 0.8 second slower than the GTI, which is 150 pounds lighter, and the GLI’s top speed is 6 mph lower, at a still respectable 108 mph. The power also comes more quietly, thanks to hydraulic valve lifters, and cruis­ing is easier on the ears because a 3.67:1 fi­nal-drive ratio replaces a 3.94:1 cog, reduc­ing the revs churning through the close-­ratio gearbox. (The transmission ratios are unchanged from last year and are shared with the GTI.) Though the new GLI has longer legs and proves fussless at lesser speeds, the engine still booms at any pace over 80 mph, where it keeps studious time to the beat of a distant droner. The GLI’s gait is so willing, though, that you have the feeling it’s beating along to a Sousa march. However quick the tune, this is one VW that will rarely have trouble keeping step. We said earlier that we’d report more about the GLI’s German heritage (both de­sign and manufacture). Well, the Germans like a touch of oversteer, and that’s no old wives’ tale. American engineers, on the other hand, typically prefer handling that will keep old wives out of trouble. So the stubby GTI delivers high limits with great stability. The 13.7-inch-longer GLI is dif­ferent. Oh, it’s very good, its excellent 0.81-g cornering limit only 0.02 g behind the GTI’s, and its overall balance is quite nice, but it lacks the GTI’s determination to keep things utterly in hand. The German engineers have given the GLI a handling balance that suits their driving tastes, and the result is that a bit of lift-throttle over­steer occasionally sneaks into the picture. Don’t go away in a huff. The GLI may not be as great to drive as the GTI, but it’s still one of the best-behaving sedans on the market. Its fine rack-and-pinion power steering is linear but quick (3.3 turn lock­-to-lock for a 34.4-foot turning circle). Its front-suspension struts have been redesigned for 16 percent more travel, for a track increase of 1.6 inches, and for inte­gration of the brake-caliper brackets with the wheel-bearing housings for reduced unsprung weight. The rear track has been increased by a stout 2.5 inches (hence the bulging-booty look), rear-suspension trav­el has grown six percent, shock and spring rates have been recalibrated, symmetri­cally shaped bushings keep the tracking true, and a V- section torsion-beam axle with integral trailing arms minimizes rear camber and toe change under cornering load. The GLI is kept on an even keel by an 18 mm anti-roll bar in the front and a 20 mm anti-roll bar in the rear. All four wheels house 9.4-inch disc brakes, and the fronts are ventilated. The brakes are great, hauling the GLI down from 70 to 0 mph in 183 feet, only one foot longer than the stopping distance of the GTI, which enjoys the dry-pavement advantage of Goodyear Eagle GTs. The 6.0-by-14-inch alloy wheels of sporting Jettas are fitted with 185/60HR-14 Michelin MX Vs or Conti­nental Super Contacts, and either alterna­tive is a good all-around choice, especially if you live in a climate known for regular bouts of bad weather. The Jetta GLI goes down the road as if homing on a distant beacon, and several of us feel it’s a better sports sedan than the Audi 4000 and the Mercedes 190E. It will feed your car lust and give fits to roughly 100 percent of its competition.CounterpointFirst, I didn’t like the Jetta because it looked like a Golf with a dumpster grafted onto the back, which is to say, slightly misshapen. Next, I didn’t like the Jetta because it had four doors, which is to say excessively grown up. Finally, I didn’t like the Jetta because it was heavier than the Golf, which is to say inevitably slower. Then I drove the GLI. Oops, more prejudices for the pile. This is a sweetie. Now, given a choice between a GTI and a GLI, I’d take the one with the dumpster and doors and avoirdupois. Both get around fine, but you can instantly tell, from the sheen of the dashboard plastic and the tweed of the cloth and the sit of the seat, that the Jetta is German. It’s more correct. You feel cool capability, same as in those expensive Germans you’d mortgage your future for. And more: a delightful liberation. You can drive the whee out of a GLI, knowing that the insurance company will barely flinch if it has to write you out a check for a new one.I’ll tell you how much I like this car. When I walk up to it, I no longer notice the heftiness of its butt end. —Patrick BedardVolkswagen has gotten its act together again. The new Golf/Jetta line is off to a successful start, one that will likely accelerate as word of the GTI and the new Jetta GLI spreads through the marketplace.One reason for this success is the emphasis Volkswagen is placing on its German roots. The GLI features clean, understated styling, interior comfort and no-nonsense appointments, and rock-solid constructions. These virtues are backed up by refined road manners, competent flat-out behavior, and a smooth powertrain. And the GLI’s uprated engine and suspension make it one of the most capable small sedans on the market.In fact, I think the GLI is good enough to assume the title of entry-level premium German sedan. At about ten grand, the GLI is a hell of a good deal, one that could tide over many BMW, Audi, and Mercedes aspirants until their ships come in. —Csaba CsereI’ve heard altogether too much carping from you readers about how we put German cars up on pedestals, so what I have to say here gives me an extra measure of pleasure. If you go for the idea of a GTI with a trunk, I applaud your good taste. The GLI is a helluva fine sedan, a real driver’s car. Unfortunately, though, it’s second best.When it comes to racy VW’s, America has finally outengineered Germany. Garden-variety Golfs and Jettas are good pieces to start with. They also drive so much alike that, from the driver’s seat, you can’t tell them apart. When you pump them both full of vitamins, however, everything changes. The GLI is excellent—no doubt about that. But the GTI is one step beyond. The American engineers took the same basic sedan—minus trunk, of course—and made it drive even crisper, sharper, and tauter. In the pint-size-performer class, the GTI is the absolute boss. To me, it’s magic.So raise your glasses and join me in a toast to our boys on the front lines. In today’s engineering wars, every little victory counts. —Rich CepposArrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
1985 Volkswagen Jetta GLIVehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $10,315/$12,695Options: air conditioning, $725; power-assist group (windows, locks, mirrors), $595; Am/FM-stereo radio/cassette, $575; sunroof, $335; metallic paint, $150.
ENGINESOHC inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 109 in3, 1781 cm3Power: 100 hp @ 5500 rpmTorque: 105 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm 
TRANSMISSION5-speed manual
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/trailing armsBrakes, F/R: 9.4-in vented disc/9.4-in discTires: Continental Super Contact CH41185/60HR-14
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 97.3 inLength: 171.7 inWidth: 66.1 inHeight: 55.7 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 46/40 ft3Trunk Volume: 17 ft3Curb Weight: 2460 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS30 mph: 3.1 sec60 mph: 10.9 sec1/4-Mile: 17.5 sec @ 77 mphTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 11.3 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 12.6 secTop Speed: 108 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 183 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.81 g 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 25 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMYCity/Highway: 26/32 mpg 
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED More

While the passenger version of the Volkswagen ID.Buzz has garnered most of the attention so far, VW’s stylish electric Microbus revival is also offered as a panel van in Europe. The ID.Buzz Cargo features the same cute design with more than a few practical touches thrown in for the commercial buyers this model is targeting. It hasn’t been earmarked for the U.S. yet, but we had the chance to drive one in Germany.The main exterior difference between the cargo version and the passenger one is that it doesn’t have side windows, but the slab-sided retro shape and its many interesting details remain unmistakably Microbus-inspired. While commercial fleets and small businesses are likely slapping on their own liveries, the ID.Buzz Cargo is still offered in a few fun exterior colors, including the blue-and-white paint scheme pictured here. Eighteen-inch steel wheels with hubcaps are standard, and flashier-looking 19- and 20-inch wheel options are available.As you’d expect for a work vehicle, the cargo van’s interior is far more spartan than that of the standard Buzz. The utilitarian front passenger compartment features lots of hard black plastic and durable-looking cloth upholstery. The raised seating position and large front windows make for great visibility, and the small digital gauge display is clear and simple. Annoyingly, the cargo version has the same convoluted infotainment system and touch-sensitive sliders that are propagating across VW’s lineup.More on the ID.BuzzMechanically, the cargo version is identical to the passenger van, as both use VW’s MEB platform also found under the ID.4. The ID.Buzz Cargo is currently offered in one wheelbase length and in a single powertrain configuration with a rear-mounted 201-hp electric motor and a 77.0-kWh battery pack. (The U.S. will be getting a long-wheelbase, three-row passenger van with a more powerful optional dual-motor setup and a larger battery, but VW said it isn’t planning a LWB version of the cargo van.) It ain’t quick, with a claimed 62-mph time of 10.2 seconds. That said, our rear-drive ID.4 tester beat its German estimates by nearly a second, so the Buzz Cargo might see the mid-nines. Either way, the electric motor is torquey enough to make the Buzz feel responsive around town.Size-wise, the ID.Buzz fits in between the short- and long-wheelbase versions of the Ford Transit Connect that was recently discontinued for the U.S. market. The Buzz is highly maneuverable, with a tight turning radius, and it drives just like a typical compact crossover. Body motions are well controlled, the steering is accurate, and the ride quality is good. We drove the Buzz without anything in the back, and it avoids the bouncy feel that many other unladen vans have, likely due to the heavy battery pack mounted underneath the floor.The ID.Buzz Cargo can fit 138 cubic feet of stuff in the cargo area, and VW brags that the space is optimized to accommodate a European-standard pallet either longitudinally or transversely. There’s also a clever pass-through space under the front passenger seat that can fit longer copper pipes commonly used for plumbing, as well as an underfloor compartment meant to hold wires and cables. Its payload capacity of 1429 pounds is somewhat low for a van this size, and that’s due to the weight of the battery pack—the claimed curb weight is a hefty 5185 pounds. VW also claims a towing capacity of 2204 pounds.VolkswagenOf course, as we found in our test of electric pickups, towing and hauling with an EV will drastically cut into range. Unladen, the ID.Buzz Cargo has an estimated driving range of up to 264 miles, but that’s on the optimistic WLTP scale. That’s fine for urban use in smaller European cities, but it likely wouldn’t cut it in the U.S.A spokesperson for VW Commercial Vehicles told C/D that the company has not ruled out bringing the cargo version of the ID.Buzz to the U.S. but said it would have to produce the van in the U.S. to avoid the chicken tax. Given that many compact cargo vans recently exited the U.S. market, the business case depends on your perspective: This is either a sign that there’s not much of a market left for this type of vehicle, or it’s an opening for VW to fill with a cute and fun alternative. We think the ID.Buzz Cargo is charming enough that it could find an audience. Anyone ready to open a flower shop with a matching flower-power electric van?Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
Volkswagen ID.Buzz CargoVehicle Type: rear-motor, rear-wheel-drive, 2- or 3-passenger, 3-door van
PRICE
Base: $50,614 (Germany, converted from euros)
POWERTRAIN
Motor: permanent-magnet AC, 201 hp, 229 lb-ftBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 77.0 kWhOnboard Charger: 11 kWPeak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 170 kWTransmission: direct-drive
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 117.7 inLength: 185.5 inWidth: 78.1 inHeight: 75.9-76.8 inCargo Volume: 138 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5200
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 9.5 sec1/4-Mile: 17.0 secTop Speed: 101 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 85/88/80 MPGeRange: 223 miSenior EditorDespite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.   More

From the April 2023 issue of Car and Driver. Much like Formula 1 racing itself, the Vantage F1 Edition is a hilly telemetry chart of thrills and disappointments. One minute you’re captivated by the vocal range of the Mercedes-sourced twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8, growling and spitting through slower traffic; the next you’re rudely brought back to earth by the unavoidable rasp of the front splitter as it skims another layer of carbon fiber off its bottom on even the mildest driveway incline. HIGHS: Looks tough but pretty, howls like a wolf pack, firmed-up ride.The F1 Edition celebrates Aston Martin’s 2021 return to F1 racing and gets the visual tweaks expected of a motorsports tribute, with flashy stickers and a limited color palette based on the race car’s greens, whites, and grays. Aston ups the racy looks with spiky dive planes, a conveniently table-height rear wing, and the large front splitter, all riding on 21-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero PZ4 rubber. Our test car was mercifully sticker-deleted, and the Vantage wears the rest of the aero well, making an already distinctive design even more of a head-turner. You can’t take home an Aston open-wheel racer, but the F1-badged Vantage could be yours for $171,586 (or $189,386 as tested).Marc Urbano|Car and DriverChanges under the skin include a bump in power from 503 horses to 528, a reinforced structure up front, retuned dampers, and an increased rear spring rate, plus a reprogrammed electronically controlled rear differential. All of this makes for a firmer overall mattress, but you’d have to be a true princess to notice the pea of extra power and handling. The F1 is louder at full throttle and feels more planted than the tail-happy standard Vantage, yet the test numbers are so close, they’re functionally the same. The F1 Edition hits 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, clears the quarter-mile in 11.7 seconds, and promises the same 195-mph top speed. Leather inserts and contrast stitching add flash to the cozy interior. If Aston would include such niceties as Apple CarPlay and a nose lift, the F1 could better woo Porsche 911 shoppers seeking a less common ride. It looks and sounds great, but weak tech leaves the F1 Edition a lap behind.LOWS: Scraping the front splitter, outdated infotainment, lacks daily-driver convenience.Marc Urbano|Car and DriverArrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Aston Martin Vantage F1 EditionVehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $171,586/$189,386 Options: carbon-ceramic brakes, $11,100; premium audio, $2200; Alcantara headliner, $1900; red brake calipers, $1200; body-color rear-diffuser inserts, $900; underhood cross brace, $500
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 243 in3, 3982 cm3Power: 528 hp @ 6000 rpmTorque: 505 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 16.1-in vented, cross-drilled carbon-ceramic disc/14.2-in vented, cross-drilled carbon-ceramic discTires: Pirelli P Zero PZ4F: 255/35ZR-21 (98Y) A6AR: 295/30ZR-21 (102Y) A6A
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 106.5 inLength: 176.8 inWidth: 76.5 inHeight: 50.2 inPassenger Volume, F: 47 ft3Cargo Volume: 10 ft3Curb Weight: 3813 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 3.5 sec100 mph: 7.9 sec1/4-Mile: 11.7 sec @ 121 mph130 mph: 13.8 sec150 mph: 20.8 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 4.1 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.6 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 3.0 secTop Speed (mfr’s claim): 195 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 150 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 294 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 1.00 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 17 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 20/18/24 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDSenior Editor, Features
Like a sleeper agent activated late in the game, Elana Scherr didn’t know her calling at a young age. Like many girls, she planned to be a vet-astronaut-artist, and came closest to that last one by attending UCLA art school. She painted images of cars, but did not own one. Elana reluctantly got a driver’s license at age 21 and discovered that she not only loved cars and wanted to drive them, but that other people loved cars and wanted to read about them, which meant somebody had to write about them. Since receiving activation codes, Elana has written for numerous car magazines and websites, covering classics, car culture, technology, motorsports, and new-car reviews.    More

The Subaru Crosstrek looks like it knows no boundaries. Chunky black hexagons spill out of the center of its grille, and matte plastic clads all the sharp body lines on the tiny SUV. Inside, the five-seater easily becomes a two-seater, with the rear seatbacks flipping down to welcome most of the popular adventure props. All your canoes and tents that don’t fit in the back can go up top. If it could speak, the Crosstrek would say, “Go forth boldly, fear no bears or rock chips!” Its confidence is charming, if ambitious. For 2024, the Crosstrek hasn’t gone for radical changes so much as small but needed improvements. For the first time, it offers wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The newest version of EyeSight’s driver-assist safety suite has a wider field of view, to sooner warn of bicyclists or cross traffic. The respectable fuel economy (an EPA-rated 26-27 mpg city/33-34 highway/29 combined) remains, and the $26,290 starting point is unchanged. The Premium version we drove, with a power sunroof, blind-spot detection, and the All-Weather package still came in under $30,000, which is a lot of good vibes for the money. SubaruSubaru has been perfecting its car-dressed-up-as-a-rugged-SUV ever since it first put two-tone paint on the Impreza in 1996. The 2024 Crosstrek drapes new sheetmetal over a stiffened chassis, adds some padding to its seats, and quiets down the cabin so you can better hear the REI podcast on your way to work. The manual transmission has been dropped, but there are otherwise no major powertrain changes, as the Crosstrek’s base and Premium trims come with the same 2.0-liter flat-four as before, while the Sport and Limited get a 2.5-liter version with an extra 30 horsepower. Our first drive sat us behind the wheel of a Crosstrek Premium in Offshore Blue Metallic—picture the navy-tinted gray of a lake under an overcast sky—and sent us on a day-long meander through California’s Joshua Tree National Park and out onto some nearby backcountry OHV trails. On the road, the Crosstrek rolls into the corners and takes a second to power out of them. The 2.0-liter has never been a performance star, and with no change in horsepower and a slight bump in weight, it’s unlikely the new Crosstrek will improve much on the 9.2-second 60-mph time we recorded with a 2018 model. The new Crosstrek will, however, get there with much less cacophony than before. We’ve previously lamented the drone of the Crosstrek’s CVT and the howl of the overworked boxer engine. The improvement for 2024 is noticeable. The faux shifts of the CVT are softer, both physically and aurally, and while the engine still uses all of its 152 horses and 145 pound-feet of torque to reach freeway speed, it’s now possible to have a conversation inside while this is happening. Joshua Tree is notoriously windy—we once saw a raven suspended midair, wings a-flapping with no forward motion—but none of the desert maelstrom made its way into the cabin. And the broken, gravelly pavement was more apparent through the windshield than through the seats. The softer ride comes from several changes. First, the seats themselves. Subaru added more bolstering and support to both the seat bottom and back, and the resulting chairs are plump and pleasant. Underneath the Crosstrek’s new seats, you’ll find the Subaru Global Platform. The new chassis uses more structural adhesive and additional weld points to increase crash safety and ride quality. Making the car’s structure stiffer means the suspension can be softened to better absorb bumps. The result is a mixed bag for the Subie. The Crosstrek rides wonderfully on pavement and cushions vibration on dirt, but it’s easy to reach full compression with an enthusiastic approach to even a small rise or pothole, resulting in the uninspiring thud and scrape of a tire at the top of a wheel well.SubaruThat’s not to say it’s asphalt-only, though. The Crosstrek offers 8.7 inches of ground clearance, more than competitors such as the Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3. All-wheel drive comes standard, and the 50/50 split that used to be the car’s baseline power delivery between front and rear has been electronically “loosened” to make for smoother turns and faster reactions to a loss of traction. X-Mode is an easy tap on the center touchscreen and includes hill-descent control and hill-start hold. At slow speeds, the Crosstrek is happy to climb sandy hills and straddle small ravines. The Crosstrek gets the electronically assisted steering rack from the WRX, bigger brakes, and an electronic brake booster, so steering and brake feel are better on any surface. Subaru’s interiors are rarely stunners, tending toward muted fabrics and black plastic. The Crosstrek is serviceable, with the occasional fun design Easter egg, like the mountain peaks at the bottom of the cupholders or the stylized river running across the cargo floor. The tall gear selector takes up most of the center console, leaving room for an optional inductive phone charging pad in front and a wallet-and-keys-sized storage compartment behind. Door pockets are generous, as befits a car that promises room for 35 cups worth of thermal water bottles. The rear seats offer good legroom, although the sloped roof cuts into head space. The rear hatch opens wide, making it easy to load the cargo hold. The rubber-floored space provides 20 cubic feet with the rear seats up, 55 with them lowered. It’s also a nice height to sit on while eating a sandwich and watching rock climbers brave dizzying perches. Even if you’re not into tailgating, your dog will appreciate the short leap up. Having a Crosstrek in your driveway is like keeping a fishing pole in the living room or a mountain bike in your kitchen. You may not be about to run out the door and into the outback, but it tells people that you like to. The 2024 Crosstrek 2.0-liter is still a slow and mostly road-bound commuter, but it’s a friendly, and now quieter, way to get to work, and one that could easily take you out of the city on weekends. Keep a pair of hiking boots in the trunk if you need to go deeper into the woods. Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Subaru Crosstrek 2.0-literVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base: $26,290; Premium, $27,440
ENGINE
DOHC 16-valve flat-4, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 122 in3, 1995 cm3Power: 152 hp @ 6000 rpmTorque: 145 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
continuously variable automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 105.1 inLength: 176.4 inWidth: 70.9 inHeight: 63.6 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 55–56/44 ft3Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 55/20 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3400 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 9.3 sec1/4-Mile: 17.4 secTop Speed: 120 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 29/27/34 mpgSenior Editor, Features
Like a sleeper agent activated late in the game, Elana Scherr didn’t know her calling at a young age. Like many girls, she planned to be a vet-astronaut-artist, and came closest to that last one by attending UCLA art school. She painted images of cars, but did not own one. Elana reluctantly got a driver’s license at age 21 and discovered that she not only loved cars and wanted to drive them, but that other people loved cars and wanted to read about them, which meant somebody had to write about them. Since receiving activation codes, Elana has written for numerous car magazines and websites, covering classics, car culture, technology, motorsports, and new-car reviews.    More