Cars News

Measured against a Scat Pack, Hellcat, or Demon muscle car, the 2023 Dodge Hornet's 265 horsepower won't register as anything to get excited about. But compare this new compact crossover with its exceedingly sedate competition, and it's clear that Dodge is doing things differently as it launches a long-overdue entry in the most popular segment in the U.S.The class favorites—the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue—all subscribe to a common formula: standard front-wheel-drive and just enough power to keep from getting run over while merging onto a freeway. When it goes on sale in December 2022, Dodge's base model, the Hornet GT, will buck convention with standard all-wheel-drive and enough grunt for a claimed 6.5-second 0-60 time. For speed junkies, there's also a catalog of performance parts that won't void the warranty and a quicker plug-in-hybrid model.A Base Model That's Hardly BasicWe should note that Dodge is saying the Hornet GT's Hurricane4 turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 which pairs with a nine-speed automatic, will make 295 lb-ft of torque and at least 265 horsepower. Don't be surprised if a few more horses show up for production. That level of performance and all-wheel-drive traction won't come free, though. While the RAV4 and CR-V start around $28,000, the cheapest Hornet will cost around $31,500. Dodge justifies that number by also loading its offering with premium standard equipment, including a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assistance, rear parking sensors, and dual-zone climate control.We'll have to drive a Hornet GT before declaring it a value compared to similarly powerful competitors, but the base price comes in about $4,000 below that of the smaller, racier Hyundai Kona N and more than $8,000 under the price of the Mazda CX-50 with the optional 256-hp turbo engine.Plug In to Power UpFor an extra $10,000, Hornet buyers can step up to the R/T model with a plug-in hybrid powertrain promising at least 285 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque. The R/T, which goes on sale in the spring of 2023, drives its front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission using a turbocharged 1.3-liter I-4 with a 44-horsepower starter/generator. A 121-horsepower electric motor turns the rear wheels. The 15.5-kilowatt-hour battery pack allows for more than 30 miles of pure electric driving, while Dodge's PowerShot feature attempts to lure gearheads with gas in their veins into opening their minds to electrification.With the tap of a steering-wheel paddle, PowerShot unleashes an additional 25 horsepower for 15 seconds at a time, trimming the R/T's 0-60 time by a full second, down to a claimed 5.1-second sprint. Dodge is also crowing that the R/T is capable of 0.90 g of lateral grip and is driving home the plug-in's performance positioning with 18-inch wheels, Brembo four-piston front brake calipers, and dual exhaust. A Track Pack, available on both the GT and the R/T, adds 20-inch wheels, two-mode electronically adjustable dampers, and Alcantara seats.The Compact Crossover That Goes Like HellWhile a Hellcat V-8 isn't in the cards, Dodge's fascination with the underworld lives on in the Dodge Hornet GT GLH concept. Those three additional letters stand for "Goes Like Hell" and invoke the 1980s Dodge Omni GLH—a hot hatch modified by none other than Carroll Shelby himself for Dodge. The modern incarnation of the GLH sports a lowering kit that drops the Hornet one inch, an unspecified power increase, a sport dual exhaust, 20-inch wheels, a unique rear valence, and GLH graphics.These parts will be offered as Direct Connection aftermarket parts, and—when installed by an authorized dealer—won't void the car's warranty. It also seems likely that Dodge will eventually offer a similar package direct from the factory.The Italian JobIf photos of this new small SUV trigger déjà vu or the specs sound familiar, that's because the Hornet is a 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale wearing a Dodge mask. These compact crossovers offer the same powertrains, use the same bodies, and come out of the same Italian factory. More of this badge engineering seems inevitable if Stellantis is going to keep Dodge, Alfa, and the dozen other automotive brands under its care well fed with new products.At the price point and performance being advertised, it looks like Dodge is on the winning side of this particular parts-sharing arrangement, but we're left wondering: Is the Hornet a discount luxury crossover, or is the Alfa Romeo Tonale a Dodge in a tailored suit? We'll need more time with both vehicles to answer that.If there's one thing to kvetch about, it's that the blunt front-end styling of the Charger and Durango look out of place transplanted on the softer lines of the Hornet compact crossover. Oh, and we feel cheated that this new SUV looks nothing like the excellent 2006 Dodge Hornet concept.Can the Hornet Make Compact Crossovers Cool?Compact crossovers aren't wildly popular because they elevate your street cred. These small utility vehicles end up in millions of American garages every year because they're relatively affordable, efficient, and readily swallow a couple of car seats and a stroller. For Dodge, that reality is both an opportunity and an obstacle. There are relatively few options for buyers who need an affordable, practical vehicle and want something that's fun to drive. Maybe there's a reason that's the case. Is there a market for a more expensive, less efficient utility vehicle that's designed around performance and aimed at the masses? Only time will tell.

Every one of us has a dream car. Doesn't matter what it is or why we want it, what matters is the desire. Many of us won't be so lucky as to own our dream car—or even sit in it. Some do, though. Paul Walker had a dream car and was lucky enough to have the means to afford it. For two short years, he was able to live his dream behind the wheel of this 1973 Porsche 911 RS 2.7.Walker needs little introduction, so here's a short one: He was one of the original stars of the Fast and Furious franchise, headlining the first seven wildly successful movies before his untimely death in 2013 at the age of 40.Two years earlier, Walker got himself a present. Those who knew him say it was his dream car. Not just any old Porsche, but a 911 Carrera RS 2.7, the car that made the 911 a legend. Maybe that's why he wanted it. Maybe it was because, as he pointed out to Jay Leno in a The Tonight Show interview a few months before the purchase, it was made the year he was born. Maybe he wanted it because its VIN was 901, matching the internal code for the first-generation 911. Maybe all three.What we know for sure is that the car was purchased on his behalf by his friend and business partner, Roger Rodas, at the Russo and Steele auction in Monterey, California, in August 2011. Curiously, Walker told Leno he'd already bought the car sight unseen after seeing an ad for it on the internet; we can only assume an earlier deal fell through for some reason. We also know, from the car's documentation, it was originally sold to Adolf Hiller (no "T") in 1973. It was sold several times around Europe before being purchased by Dr. Herminio Cuervo in 1980. Cuervo was a U.S. Air Force doctor stationed in Germany who took the car home with him to Florida after his rotation was up. From there, it changed hands several more times in the States before being sold to a doctor in Modesto, California, who had the engine and transmission restored in the '90s before eventually consigning it to auction in 2011, where Walker acquired it.We may not know exactly why Walker wanted a Carrera RS 2.7 or this specific car, but we know why the car is highly sought after by most collectors. In his words, it's from the "golden era of Porsche." The mighty 917 was dominating Le Mans, the crowning achievement of a then-small brand that had been building a name for itself in road racing, particularly with the 906 and 908. The little air-cooled cars from West Germany were beating Ferrari at its own game.Not the 911s, though. Introduced in 1963 as a '64 model, the roadgoing 911 just wasn't finding the same success in racing as its purpose-built brethren. Part of the issue was its rear-mounted engine that gave it unusual snap-oversteer handling characteristics, and that problem was exacerbated by its aerodynamics, which created lift at high speeds instead of downforce.Aerodynamicist Hermann Burst was brought over from the 917 development team to sort it out. Despite its racing success, Porsche was still a tiny company and Burst's budget was tiny. Not only that, he couldn't mess with the 911's shape. With the help of fellow aerodynamicist Tilman Brodbeck and stylist Rolf Wiener, the famous "ducktail" spoiler was born. Paired with a new front air dam, the car not only made downforce, but it also reduced drag, allowing for a higher top speed. To top it all off, the ducktail even improved engine cooling.The Carrera RS 2.7 is more than just a rear spoiler, though. To really make it competitive in FIA Group 4 racing, more had to be done. Porsche engineers fitted wider rear wheels (a first for the 911), necessitating wider bodywork in the rear. To reduce weight, the entire body was made from thinner steel than a standard 911, and the same was done for all the glass. Sound insulation was also removed, and if you ordered a RS 2.7 Sport model, so were the rear seats, the clock in the dashboard, the glove compartment lid, and all of the carpeting.Behind those wider wheels and tires the race engineers fitted stiffer springs and thicker anti-roll bars all around. Crossmembers under the car were also strengthened. In the rear, they even found the budget to upgrade the suspension control arms.The pièce de résistance, of course, was the engine. Bored out to 2.7 liters from the production 2.4, the deeper-lunged flat-six made 210 horsepower. Claimed to weigh just 2,116 pounds in sport trim and 2,370 pound fully dressed, the Carrera RS 2.7 was among the quickest road-legal cars on the planet. Officially, it had a top speed of 152 mph and could hit 60 mph in just 5.8 seconds, the latter number likely conservative.How to Watch the Mecum Auctions Monterey Event Live on MotorTrend+ and MotorTrend TV: August 19-20 / 1-5 p.m. EST Simulcast on Discovery: August 20 / 1-3 p.m. EST Sign up for a free trial to MotorTrend+ today! You feel it the first time you drop the throttle and let the engine sing all the way to its 7,200-rpm redline. The tight cockpit, low seating position, and thin components make the RS 2.7 feel twice as quick as any modern, insulated, and isolated car that does a 5.8-second sprint to 60 mph. This car is made of the bare minimum of parts necessary to be road legal and stay in one piece, and it never lets you forget it.This particular RS 2.7 isn't just a 50-year-old survivor, either. Documentation shows it was sent to esteemed Porsche specialist Jerry Woods Enterprises in the '90s to have its engine and gearbox gone through. You can tell, because it has the best shifter of any early, air-cooled 911. If you've driven a few, you know the gear locations noted on the shift knob are rough approximations. Not this car. The lever is a lot longer than one from a modern Porsche, but the throws and the gear spacing aren't far off.Not wanting to put a rare car with celebrity provenance in any jeopardy, we didn't push the racing suspension or the old-school Avon tires hard. Still, even at moderate speeds, there's a crispness to the steering and a confidence in the body and suspension movements you don't get in other early 911s.If nothing else, you can imagine how that might be appealing to an accomplished driver like Walker, who'd taken up club racing in the real world when he wasn't street racing on the silver screen. Only close friends and family would know how much he drove the car in the two years he owned it, but we hope it was a lot.We do know he had plans for it. Before his and Rodas' death in a recently purchased Porsche Carrera GT, the RS 2.7 was disassembled at their shop, AE Performance, and sent to the current owner's shop to be repainted. Walker wanted the car returned to its original yellow instead of the white respray it was wearing when he purchased it.Once the paint dried, though, everything stopped. Estates had to be settled and lawyers had to determine who owned what. 13 months later, in December 2014, it was determined that Walker owned the car and the current owner was granted permission to buy it from his estate. Not just the parts in the paint shop, but everything removed and stored at AE. After that, the project sat, unfinished.Eventually, the current owner (who wishes to remain anonymous) decided to have it put back together. They knew from past conversations what Walker's plans were for the car and began the reassembly process in 2019. The car received new upholstery, including the tweed seat inserts Walker specified and the new tires. As many original parts as possible were reused, and the owner estimates only a few small parts like the horn had to be replaced.Since final assembly, the owner's put fewer than 100 km on the European speedometer, plus a few more courtesy of MotorTrend. Having been a friend of Walker and Rodas, they consider the car too special to risk driving around much, nor do they want it simply collecting dust down at the garage. It's slated for the Mecum Monterey auction on August 19, where it's expected to bring between $1 million and $1.25 million.Who knows why the future owner will buy it. Maybe they're big fans of Walker. Maybe they've wanted a Carrera RS 2.7 just as badly as he did. That this restored Porsche legend meant an awful lot to someone we in the car hobby remember fondly just adds an extra layer of poignancy.

How do you wrap your head around the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut? Well, let's begin with some numbers. Like 1,600 and 1,106. These are the peak outputs, in good old American ponies and stump-pulling pound-feet of torque, respectively, generated by the car's 5.1-liter V-8. Then there's 3,130. That's about how many pounds the 2024 Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut weighs.Gulp!Now do the math. Yep. You don't need to be a computational fluid dynamics mastermind to figure out this Swedish-designed and -engineered hypercar is a seriously fast machine. How fast? Company founder Christian von Koenigsegg says his team hasn't completed physical testing, but computer modeling suggests the Jesko Absolut will have a top speed north of 310 mph.Conventional wisdom suggests it's impossible for a tiny automaker from a country best remembered for stolid Volvos and quirky Saabs, to design, engineer, and produce a fully street-legal car capable of beating the Bugatti Chiron at its own, highly specialized game.But Koenigsegg has a long history of defying conventional wisdom.In Case You Don't KnowChristian von Koenigsegg describes himself as an inventor/entrepreneur. He was, he says, the sort of kid who took apart the family VCR to see how it worked, which it sometimes did when he put it back together.He decided he wanted to build his own car when he was just 6 years old, after watching The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix, a stop-motion short film about an inventor who … builds his own car and beats the world's best with it.Von Koenigsegg founded his first company when he was just 19, selling plastic bags and frozen chicken to Estonia in the immediate aftermath of the Soviet Union's collapse. He founded Koenigsegg Automotive in 1994, when he was just 22.It took eight years, but the 2002 delivery of the Koenigsegg CC8S, a hand-built, carbon-fiber-bodied supercar powered by a 655-hp supercharged 4.7-liter engine based on Ford's modular V-8, to a Swiss customer (who still owns it) was the realization of 6-year-old von Koenigsegg's dream.The JeskoThe new Koenigsegg Jesko is the latest expression of that dream. And we were the first automotive media organization in the world to drive it.By Koenigsegg standards, the Jesko will be a volume car. Koenigsegg Automotive has built just 250 cars in total since 2002, but it plans to build 125 Jeskos during the next two to three years. All are sold, despite their almost $3 million price tag. The Jesko is fully homologated for sale in the U.S., and the first of about 40 cars heading our way is scheduled for production in the third quarter of 2023.Two versions will be offered, the Jesko Attack and the Jesko Absolut. The Attack is intended for better racetrack performance, with stiffer suspension and high-downforce aerodynamics including a large rear wing and the deepest and longest front splitter so far fitted to a Koenigsegg.With all the aero bits in their most aggressive settings, the Jesko Attack allegedly develops 1,760 pounds of total downforce at 155 mph, rising to a maximum of almost 3,100 pounds at speeds exceeding 170 mph.The 2024 Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut is all about raw speed. It eschews the Attack's giant V-shaped rear wing, as well as its front splitter and the ducting through the hood. Two large fins, designed to improve high-speed stability, sprout from the engine cover. A reprofiled, 3.4-inch-longer tail and flush coverings on the rear wheels help reduce drag to 0.28 Cd.Downforce is reduced to about 90 pounds at 155 mph, and to a maximum of 330 pounds, which means the Absolut can run softer suspension and a lower ride height than the Attack, improving everyday ride comfort and usability.Max PowerPowering both Jeskos is a 5.1-liter, twin-turbo V-8 designed and engineered in-house by Koenigsegg. An evolution of the engine originally developed for the Agera, it now features a flat-plane crankshaft milled from a solid steel billet. The crank weighs just 28 pounds and allows the V-8 to rev to 8,500 rpm.New lightweight conrods and pistons were developed to mitigate the increased vibration endemic to flat-plane-crank V-8s. The conrods, though made of steel, tip the scales at just 1.2 pounds each, including bolts, which means they weigh the same as a previous design made of titanium but are stronger. The ceramic-coated pistons weigh just 10.2 ounces each.The cylinder heads, which are cast by Formula 1 supplier Grainger & Worrall, have redesigned intake runners shaped to improve tumble and therefore combustion. The two large turbochargers feature a Koenigsegg-designed air-injection system that pumps short bursts of highly pressurized air into the turbos to get the impellers spinning and reduce lag (this extra air is also said to hasten catalyst lightoff during cold starts).A redesigned fuel injection system now has three injectors per cylinder, two traditional port injectors down by the intake valves and a third injector located in the plenum just above the intake trumpet for each cylinder. Koenigsegg says the extra injector helps deliver cooler and cleaner combustion, which is monitored by what the company claims is the world's first production-car individual in-cylinder pressure monitoring system.Put it all together, and the result is an engine that makes 1,600 hp at 7,500 rpm on E85 biofuel, and 1,280 hp on pump gas. Why the difference? E85's higher octane rating allows higher combustion pressures, says von Koenigsegg, who has long experimented with biofuels.Peak torque output is a hefty 1,106 lb-ft at 5,100 rpm, with no less than 738 lb-ft on tap from 2,700 to 6,170.Never mind that boggling headline E85 horsepower number—even on pump gas, the 5.1liter Koenigsegg twin-turbo V-8, which the company says weighs just 417 pounds, boasts a greater power density than the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport's giant 8.0-liter quad-turbo W-16.Trick TransmissionNo less extraordinary than the engine is the rest of the Jesko's drivetrain. All the power and torque is funneled to the rear wheels via Koenigsegg's ingenious, innovative nine-speed Light Speed Transmission (LST). The LST "makes dual-clutch transmissions look antiquated," von Koenigsegg says, and that's no idle boast.Conventional dual-clutch transmissions work by moving gearsets to preselect what their electronic brains predict will be the next required gear. They then simultaneously close the clutch on that gear while opening the clutch on the gear last used. In the LST, no gearsets move. Instead, all gears in the transmission are engaged constantly, and the combination of gears through which drive is sent to the output shaft is determined by opening and closing six individual clutches within the transmission.The compounding effect of the gearing produces nine forward speeds (reverse is controlled via a seventh clutch), and because the gearsets do not have to move into place, the transmission can switch directly from, say, eighth to fourth gear instantaneously simply by opening and closing the relevant clutches. In a conventional dual-clutch transmission, this would require four separate mechanical operations.Koenigsegg says the LST weighs only 198 pounds (roughly two-thirds the weight of a high-capacity dual-clutch gearbox) and is half the size of the seven-speed Cima automated manual used on the company's Agera. The LST transmission's other benefit is the fact no clutch or flywheel is required on the end of the crankshaft. And as we discovered, you can feel this the moment you touch the Jesko's gas pedal.Inside GameThe cockpit is roomy—the 2024 Koenigsegg Jesko's all-new tub means more legroom and headroom than in previous Koenigseggs—and the trademark wraparound windshield offers outstanding forward visibility. The lightweight quartic steering wheel, flattened at the top and bottom of the rim, is fully adjustable for reach and rake. The pedal box is also adjustable, as are the carbon-fiber-shell seats.Although the 9.0-inch touchscreen looks familiar (it's from the same supplier Volvo uses, though the interface and information displayed are all unique to Koenigsegg), there's no instrument panel in the conventional sense of the term. Instead, there's a 5.0-inch screen attached to the steering-wheel boss that shows all the usual drive-relevant data: revs, speed, gear, drive mode, etc.Turn the wheel, and although the screen moves with it, the graphics remain aligned to the car's vertical axis. And because the steering-wheel spokes never interfere with the view, the essential data remains always visible.Driven to ExtremesPress a button, and the Jesko's doors motor shut, twisting and turning on the company's unique dihedral synchro-helix door hinges. Thumb the start button, and the V-8 cracks into life and settles down to a brisk idle.This is the first complete pre-production Jesko Asbolut, visually and mechanically correct, save for some final tuning for the transmission mapping. It's been warmed up by the test driver. Rain threatens. Koenigsegg's runway test track beckons. We switch from Normal to Racetrack mode (this being a Swedish hypercar, there's also a Wet/Snow mode). Let's go.The Jesko pulls away cleanly, the turbochargers' air-injection system taking care of low-speed lag. Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! The traction through the lower gears is immense, helped by the Triplex rear suspension setup, which includes a damper between the top links of the rear control arms to better control squat.The Jesko tracks straight and true as we arrow down the runway. And that engine! It might displace 5.1 liters and have a couple of turbos, but it screams like a naturally aspirated 3.0-liter Ford Cosworth DFV F1 V-8 and feels razor-sharp in its response. From fifth gear through to ninth, the revs build so quickly, you have to click-click-click-click on the upshift paddle pretty much as quickly as you can to stop the engine hitting the rev limiter. There is no flywheel effect. None.The only other modern hypercar engine that feels anywhere near as vivid as this one does past 6,000 rpm is the naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V-12 in the Ferrari Daytona SP3. In fact, Koenigsegg's engine feels even more explosive than Ferrari's V-12, and not just because it makes significantly more power and torque. Rather, it all plays out in a more compressed rev range, the redline being 8,500 rpm whereas the Ferrari will spin to 9,500 rpm.And we're not even getting the full monty: Our Jesko's engine is running on 98 RON from the local gas station rather than E85, which means we're making do with a mere 1,280 hp.Although there is a stubby shifter on the center console, the paddles are really the only way you can keep up with the engine if you choose to shift manually on a full-commando acceleration run. Apart from some shift shock on the third-fourth change—more software work is underway to eliminate it—the shifts were smooth and super-quick.However, pushing through the detent on the center shifter activates the LST's party trick, UPOD (Ultimate Power On Demand) mode. This allows the transmission to skip ratios for ultimate response. Stabbing the gas in seventh gear in UPOD saw the transmission switch instantly to fourth gear and the Jesko lunge for the horizon.Handling ProwessPowertrain aside, the 2024 Koenigsegg Jesko's agility and stability are also mighty impressive. The car feels incredibly light on its feet, the low rotational mass of the hollow carbon-fiber steering wheel complementing the low inertia of a hypercar that weighs about as much as a Honda Civic.Response from the front axle is superb, as is the feedback through the steering. There's noticeable roll on the change of direction, but you can feel exactly what's going on where the front tires meet the tarmac. Active rear-wheel steering, which can turn the wheels up to 3 degrees in either direction, helps the rear end track faithfully. You can go to power surprisingly early without pushing the nose wide or making the rear end feel squirrely.The brakes, giant carbon-ceramic rotors measuring 16.1 inches up front and 15.6 at the rear and clamped by calipers of Koenigsegg's own design, feel utterly indestructible. Nail the brake pedal, and the Jesko simply stops, even from big triple-digit speeds. This is a hypercar you can drive with your fingertips and toes, the Jesko Absolut a deft and delicate device despite its size and its enormous power and speed.What's It Mean?Christian von Koenigsegg has been on a remarkable journey since founding his car company 28 years ago. Despite having no formal training as an automotive engineer or designer, he's become a genuine auteur automaker, more directly hands on in the creation of his cars than Enzo Ferrari or Ferruccio Lamborghini ever were, and more driven to explore left-field technical solutions compared to his modern-day hypercar-as-art contemporary, Horacio Pagani.Driving the 2024 Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut is like drawing back the curtain and getting a glimpse of what's going on inside inventor/entrepreneur Christian von Koenigsegg's head. And it's a truly extraordinary place.2024 Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut Specifications PRICE $2,840,000 LAYOUT Mid-engine, RWD, 2-pass, 2-door coupe ENGINE 5.1L/1,280-hp (1,600-hp on E85)/1,106-lb-ft twin-turbo port-injected DOHC 32-valve V-8 TRANSMISSION 9-speed seven-clutch auto CURB WEIGHT 3,100 lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 106.3 in L x W x H 190.7 x 79.9 x 47.6 in 0-60 MPH 2.5 sec (MT est) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON Not yet rated EPA RANGE (COMB) 228 miles (est, gasoline) ON SALE Now Show All

Volkswagen just filed a patent application for an intriguing pickup-truck version of its upcoming ID Buzz electric van, and we're desperate to learn more. An image filed with the patent (above) depicts a four-door, crew-cab ID Buzz trucklet—essentially a 2024 Volkswagen ID Buzz van with its aft roof section removed and its rear sliding doors replaced with what appear to be conventionally hinged pieces. It immediately brings to mind the classic "Doka" versions of the vintage VW vans—short for doppelkabine.The patent image is unusual in that it's rendered in full color, and not in the typical axonometric, line-drawing style. Given the ID Buzz already is patented, we figure this is enough for VW to secure this kind of design, at least as a spin-off model.It also gives us an idea of what to expect should this truck become a reality. The cargo bed is quite deep and has seemingly thin walls to maximize its utility, while there is what looks to be a black-plastic-lined foot step just ahead of the rear wheel. Seeing as how the roof sports a ribbed section with the same kind of plastic treatment as the bed liner, we figure it's designed for carrying loads; that foot step therefore would come in handy for loading things atop the ID Buzz, too. We can even faintly make out a round Lidar unit similar to the pop-up pieces VW has been previewing on its semi-autonomous setups of the future; it's located on the front right corner of the roof, by the windshield pillar. There likely is a matching unit on the left side.Some of this ID trucklet's styling cues indicate it might be a concept car, however. The forward door cut line is slightly different from that on the production ID Buzz van; the tires are very low-profile and sport an unusual tread pattern; and instead of big glass side mirrors, there appear to be pop-out cameras. There also is a long LED strip running from the nose to the tail along the body line separating the green lower section from the silvery top.You've also probably noticed that this pickup is less "truck" and more, uh, van. The green vehicle shown here has absolutely zero off-road pretense, and doesn't even wear extra body cladding on its bumpers. It is a street-first type of truck, and that's okay—in fact, it's downright different; these days, most trucks sit relatively high off the ground and wear I'm-tougher-than-you styling. This ID Buzz pickup is a van with a buzz cut, and we're here for it (in fact, we even rendered just such a vehicle soon after the ID Buzz debuted!). We'll know more about this intriguing design if or when it appears in the metal; were it to go into production, don't expect an on-sale date before 2024, after the ID Buzz van hits the market here.

ford bronco Full OverviewProsDune-bashing, mud-splashing, rock-crawling funShockingly good road mannersUnfazed by potholes and frost heaves ConsHalf-ton weight gainCould have had a V-8Slow steering makes for busy handsFrom the driver's seat of the 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor, a pond looks like a puddle, a boulder field looks like a gravel road, and a Mitsubishi Mirage looks like a speed bump. This $70,095 off-road colossus—it's 85.7 inches wide and has 37-inch-tall tires—bounds across the gnarliest terrain and towers over traffic with an air of invincibility that shrinks everything in its path. Objects in the windshield are larger than they appear when you're riding this high, literally and metaphorically.It doesn't take long for this Raptor's immense capability to go to your head. In the same way that the best Porsches make drivers into heroes, the Bronco Raptor turns the person behind the wheel into a villain—reckless, all powerful, above the law. Driving a Bronco Raptor means fighting an incessant urge to straight-line every roundabout. You'll fantasize about blasting by gridlock traffic on the shoulder and turning every open space you pass into an off-road park.Roads? Where We're Going, We Don't Need RoadsTo keep those anti-social and imprisonable impulses at bay, it's important to regularly exercise the baddest Bronco in its natural habitat, which happens to be wherever civilization isn't. Ford has built the Raptor brand around high-speed desert-running antics, and the Bronco abides with big-barrel Fox Racing dampers calming the suspension as it strokes through up to 13 inches of travel in the front and 14 in the rear. Electronically adjustable valving adapts to whatever happens to be pummeling the suspension at any given moment, while internal bypasses cushion the biggest hits.Translation: The harder and faster you drive, the less the Bronco Raptor is fazed by the terrain. In its signature Baja mode, this SUV combines sports-car reflexes with the compliance of a bounce house. The 10-speed automatic cracks off up- and downshifts with perfect timing and the BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires find traction where there is none, all while bombing over terrain that would fold a Honda in half.This Bronco isn't a one-trick pony, though. It will just as eagerly and expertly pick its way through a boulder-strewn ravine with the 360-degree camera system putting your spotter out of a job. It can wade into a waist-deep swamp and negotiate a mud-slicked trail (as long as those washtub fenders fit between the trees). There's a dizzying amount of adjustability in the Raptor's four exhaust modes, three steering settings, four damper calibrations, locking front and rear differentials, front anti-roll-bar disconnect, and the transfer case that offers rear-wheel drive, high-range four-wheel drive, or low-range four-wheel drive. Trying to tune all that via buttons on the steering wheel, atop the dash, and on the center console proves tedious, but Ford has smartly included shortcuts to several useful combinations via the preset GOAT modes (Normal, Off-Road, Rock Crawl, Baja, Sport, Tow/Haul, Slippery) and a customizable MyMode.Those Road Manners Aren't Shabby, EitherThe Bronco Raptor's 0.67 g of lateral grip and 160-foot 60-mph stopping distance are atrocious by any objective measure of on-road performance, but those numbers bury the subjective excellence of how this truck steers, handles, and rides when it returns to the civilized, asphalt world. Thanks to the impossibly wide stance, the body doesn't roll in corners so much as it squats over the outside wheels, creating a surprising sense of stability.The heavy hiking boots pound the pavement and send tremors into the body at city speeds, but just as it does off road, the Raptor becomes supple—even graceful—the faster you go. On the highway, it floats over expansion joints and potholes, making it the perfect vehicle for traversing our pre-apocalyptic infrastructure in comfort and without fear of damaging a tire.At 3.2 turns lock-to-lock, the steering feels slow when you're sliding the Raptor sideways on dirt or hustling down a tight two-lane. Nevertheless, the steering wheel would be at home in a Mazda Miata, both for the way its sculpted rim fits your hands and its exacting precision.How Quick Is the Ford Bronco Raptor?If there's a weak spot in the Raptor's game, it's the engine. The twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 raises output by 103 horsepower and 30 lb-ft of torque compared to the 2.7-liter unit available on lesser Broncos. Yet you wouldn't guess it's packing 418 horsepower from the driver's seat or looking at the numbers. That's because this leviathan weighs 5,778 pounds, or nearly 1,000 more than the V-6-powered Bronco Outer Banks we tested last year. The Raptor hides that weight well in cornering, but it's palpable under acceleration.The Raptor covered 0-60 mph in 6.3 seconds and cleared the quarter mile in 14.9 seconds in MotorTrend testing, both just 0.3 second quicker than the Outer Banks model. That's significantly slower than we originally predicted and worse than what the Raptor's weight-to-power ratio suggests it should be capable of. That also places it two whole seconds behind its chief rival, the 470-hp Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392. Yet no matter what we tried at the track, the Raptor returned consistently sluggish runs.The engine also fails to deliver on this truck's nickname, "Braptor." It never so much as blips, blats, rips, snorts, burbles, chortles, barks, or braps. The adjustable exhaust is performative theater, merely amplifying the engine's thrum at part-throttle and low rpm. At full throttle in any mode, the V-6 sounds too flat, too muffled, and too high-pitched for a truck this rowdy.The SUV That Conquers AllIn a motoring world overrun with Wranglers and 4Runners, the Bronco Raptor still stands out as one of a kind. With its appetite for high-speed hooning, its composure on paved roads, and its ability to tackle any type of terrain, it's as close as you'll come to finding a truck that will drive anywhere and over anything. Try to resist the urge.Looks good! More details?2022 Ford Bronco Raptor Specifications BASE PRICE $70,095 PRICE AS TESTED $78,750 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 3.0L Twin-turbo direct-injected DOHC 24-valve 60-degree V-6 POWER (SAE NET) 418 hp @ 5,750 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 440 lb-ft @ 2,750 rpm TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 5,778 lb (55/45%) WHEELBASE 116.5 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 191.0 x 85.7 x 77.8 in 0-60 MPH 6.3 sec QUARTER MILE 14.9 sec @ 91.0 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 160 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.67 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 15/16/15 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 318 miles ON SALE Now Show All

hyundai palisade Full OverviewHyundai's push into the SUV market is strong today—it's easy to forget the Korean automaker had a lousy SUV lineup just five years ago. Now it has six models covering virtually every segment of the SUV market. And when the Hyundai Palisade hit the streets three years ago, it quickly became a sales hit popular with families who wanted style, value, and room for eight. With the new 2023 Hyundai Palisade, a midcycle update brings some fresh styling elements and more technology, plus additional comfort features. We traveled to the beautiful roads outside Asheville, North Carolina, to sample the updated Palisade and try the refreshed SUV firsthand.So, What's New?Along with a new grille and some exterior details, the 2023 Hyundai Palisade is now 0.6 inch longer than before thanks to an upsized front overhang. The rear overhang is shorter, and the wheelbase remains the same, but overall length is now 196.7 inches. Although the interior dimensions didn't change, designers made these moves to give the Palisade a better stance in profile view—and it paid off.Inside, Hyundai added comfort features across all three rows to please a wide variety of passengers. Taking a page from sister brand Genesis' Ergo motion seats, the Palisade adds a massaging feature to the driver's seat, and the second row now boasts headrests that bend to provide lateral head support. Heated seats are now offered in all three rows, and the first and second row continue to offer ventilated seats.Hyundai's remote smart parking assist is available for the first time in the Palisade, which means drivers may get out of their vehicle and move the SUV forward and backward using the key. A new rear passenger-side airbag and parking collision avoidance assist are also present.Tech SavvyFamilies who missed having a Wi-Fi hotspot in the Hyundai Palisade will be happy, as Hyundai partnered with Verizon to allow drivers to now connect up to five devices at once. A three-month trial is included, but owners thereafter will need to pay $20 per month to use this feature. In-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspots are nothing new, but the 2023 Hyundai Palisade is the first of the company's models to offer the technology.A new digital key allows Apple and Samsung users to lock, unlock, and start the Palisade with their phones. Working with NFC technology, simply place your phone on the door handle to unlock the Palisade. To start the car, you must place the phone on the wireless charger (where there's another NFC sensor).The task is easy, and there are five digital keys in total that can be shared with friends via text message. Owners can change the settings of each of those keys to only lock and unlock the Palisade, and owners can remove key access easily. Best of all, the NFC sensors work even when your phone is dead, and the tech works with the Apple Watch, as well.People familiar with the old Bluelink app know there were a few limitations of what you could do in the Palisade. The 2023 model expands the list of features; it now turns the heated and ventilated seats on and off and sets the temperature when the owner starts the Palisade remotely. Owners will also be able to see and receive notifications about doors and windows left open, as well as fuel levels.The hardware updates also allow two driver profiles in the Bluelink app and the digital key, so if you share a car with your significant other, the radio presets, seat and mirror positions, and temperature will automatically change depending on who opens and starts the car.On the RoadNew for 2023 is the XRT trim, which adds rugged styling and darker treatments outside, but there are no hardware enhancements such as all-terrain tires or better approach and departure angles. We spent half a day driving the XRT on city roads near Asheville and on trails around the Biltmore Estate, and we were generally pleased with the way the SUV handled.There are no mechanical changes to the 2023 model; every Palisade continues to be powered by Hyundai's 291-hp, 262-lb-ft 3.8-liter V-6 engine mated to an eight-speed automatic. The XRT we drove was equipped with all-wheel drive, which was useful during the off-road section. On muddy parts of the trail, the Palisade demonstrated good traction and linear power delivery, making it easy to conquer obstacles. Although the trail was mostly a dirt road with a few ruts and puddles, it was a good representation of what families will encounter when heading on a camping trip.On the road, the ride was generally comfortable and quiet, with the steering tuned on the lighter side and the engine delivering enough punch to go over Asheville's hilly downtown streets without protest. In the past, we've complained about the Palisade's stiffer ride compared to the Kia Telluride, but because of our limited time behind the wheel for now, we'll wait to render our full judgment once we can get a 2023 model in our hands for testing.Should I Buy a Palisade?The 2023 Hyundai Palisade is available in five different trim levels—SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy. Prices start at $36,245 for the SE and rise to $50,195 for the Calligraphy. The all-wheel-drive option adds $1,900.The midcycle update for the 2023 Hyundai Palisade might look mild on the outside, but it's significant when you look at all the new technology that's come aboard. With remote parking, a digital key for Apple and Samsung, and more features for the Bluelink app, the Palisade feels updated and modern. And Hyundai managed to add all those features while keeping prices competitive.Looks good! More details?2023 Hyundai Palisade Specifications BASE PRICE $36,245-$52,695 LAYOUT Front-engine, FWD/AWD, 8-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 3.8L/291-hp/262-lb-ft DOHC 24-valve V-6 TRANSMISSION 8-speed auto CURB WEIGHT 4,500 lb (MT est) WHEELBASE 114.2 in L x W x H 196.7 x 77.8 x 68.9 in 0-60 MPH 7.0 sec (MT est) EPA FUEL ECON 19/25-27/21-22 mpg EPA RANGE (COMB) 395-414 miles ON SALE Currently Show All

WHAT IT IS: Lincoln's first electric vehicle, an Aviator-sized SUV.WHY IT MATTERS: Lincoln promises three new EVs by 2025, a fourth in 2026, and full electrification of its portfolio by 2030. Many automakers are letting their luxury brands lead the EV charge, but Lincoln is behind the volume Ford brand.PLATFORM AND POWERTRAIN: The Lincoln Star concept offers hints of what's to come when Lincoln creates high-tech, connected luxury vehicles on Ford's new rear-wheel-/all-wheel-drive EV architecture. Given today's Lincoln lineup in the U.S. consists of four crossovers (China has an additional electric Lincoln Zephyr Reflection sedan), we expect four electric SUVs to replace them, followed by derivatives.First up should be the Lincoln Aviator EV, last up an electric Navigator from the next-gen full-size large truck/SUV EV platform. There's nothing concrete yet on the powertrain, but dual motors are a must for AWD. And although the Lincolns will ride on a different platform than the Mustang Mach-E, there could be sharing of its 75.7- and 98.8-kWh battery packs. Expect one-pedal driving, the latest Sync infotainment, a streamlined body with LED lighting, an illuminated matrix grille below the frunk lid, and lattice lightwork across the back.Anticipating advanced driver assist technologies, the concept has an interior ready for an autonomous future, with front seats that swivel to interact with rear passengers. The production model won't go that far. We expect Lincoln will add B-pillars for production models, and the A- and D-pillars will be made of metal, not glass like the concept's. The split rear gate can open to create an extra bench for tailgating, a feature that might survive into production.ESTIMATED PRICE: $70,000EXPECTED ON-SALE DATE: Q4 2024 or Q1 2025

Out of the 8.9 million barrels of gasoline consumed daily in the U.S. on average, only 1.8 million gallons, or approximately 20 percent, actually propel an internal combustion vehicle forward. The other 80 percent is wasted on heat and parasitic auxiliary components that draw away energy. As the world begins its shift to EV proliferation, the good news is electric vehicles are far more energy efficient on the road.A new set of graphics from Yale Climate Connections makes visualizing the efficiency gains of an EV over an ICE vehicle straightforward. Using data from fueleconomy.gov and the U.S. Energy Information Administration, these graphics break down the energy waste in your typical gas-powered car.The vast majority of energy wasted in an ICE vehicle is through the heat the engine produces, which you can literally feel radiating from under the hood. About 5 percent is lost through parasitic engine components including the cooling system, which draws on the engine's own energy to help cool it down, about 4 percent is lost through the mechanical friction of the drivetrain and transmission components, and another 2 percent could be lost to auxiliary electrics like heated and powered seats, lights, and infotainment systems. In total, approximately 75 to 84 percent of the original gasoline's energy is lost.Compare that to only 31-35 percent energy loss in the average electric vehicle (average EV battery size is about 63 kWh), before factoring in potential recuperation from energy regeneration. Its losses can be broken down into approximately 10 percent of the source energy from the grid lost in the charging process, 18 percent lost to the drivetrain motor components, up to 4 percent lost to auxiliary components, and another 3 percent lost solely from powertrain cooling and other vehicle systems.Comparing the two, "the rough math pencils out to the energy equivalent of around 2 million barrels of gasoline per day, which is a substantial savings over the 8.9 million barrels currently used," according to Yale Climate Connections. But what about the power plants used to "refuel" those electric cars? Are they any more efficient than gas-powered cars? Well, yes. Much more efficient, in most cases."Even if the grid were entirely fueled by coal, 31% less energy would be needed to charge EVs than to fuel gasoline cars. If EVs were charged by natural gas, the total energy demand for highway transportation would fall by nearly half. Add in hydropower or other renewables, and the result gets even better, saving up to three-fourths of the energy currently used by gasoline-powered vehicles," according to Yale Climate Connections. Right now, all of that energy is getting lost mostly to heat. What a waste. For more facts and figures, read the full Yale Climate Connections report here.

WHAT IT IS: Honda plans to launch two electric sports cars in the medium term. The first is dubbed a "specialty model," and based on the teaser image Honda shared, it looks like it will have the proportions of a smaller, more affordable sports car. The return of the S2000 doesn't sound like a crazy idea, especially when everyone is resurrecting old model names. This will be the company's first electric sports car, but not its only one. The second model will serve as a halo, and based on its proportions, it looks like an Acura NSX with a wilder form. Honda hasn't said if both cars will carry the Honda brand name, but given the NSX falls under Acura for the North American market, it won't surprise us to see such a strategy continue.WHY IT MATTERS: As everyone goes electric, Honda has been one of the most conservative automakers to make the change. This move puts Honda on the radar, as the Japanese company aims to sell more than 500,000 electric vehicles in North America later this year. With the Acura NSX leaving production after the 2022 model year, this electric halo car could mark its return. And who won't be excited by an S2000-inspired electric car?PLATFORM AND POWERTRAIN: It's too early to know the details, but these two cars will be based on Honda's own electric vehicle platform, dubbed e:Architecture. Yes, Honda is working with General Motors to launch two SUVs—the Prologue and an unnamed Acura crossover—but the two sports models will be developed completely by Honda. We estimate each car will have at least 300 miles of range and a scintillating driving experience.ESTIMATED PRICE: The "specialty model" should start at less than $50,000, but the halo model will most likely cost more than $150,000.EXPECTED ON-SALE DATE: 2026 for the small model and 2027 for the halo car.

The myth of the Cadillac coffin is one that has haunted pop culture for decades, even popularized in the song Willie the Wimp by blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughn in the mid-1980s. The idea of being buried in a luxury car might seem like a one-off tribute to the ancient Egyptian pharaohs (who were routinely interred with all of their worldly possessions), but the twist in Willie's tale is that it's based on a true story.Willie "Wimp" Stokes Jr., Chicago gangster and over-the-top gambler, was indeed laid six feet under in a bizarre coffin-sized replica of his pimp-mobile (pictured above), which combined the wheels, grille, and trunk from his personal ride with a windshield, dash, and license plate. Willie's corpse was propped up inside this creation to look as though he was driving himself through the gates of Hades.Dig a little deeper and even more exhumed urban legends acquire an unexpected factuality. It seems like car lovers have been bending the rules to be buried in their favorite rides for decades. One of the earliest recorded instances speaks of heiress Sandra Ilene West, a Texan who departed for the afterlife inside her 1964 Ferrari California. Aurora Schuck, another Cadillac fan (although without Willie's links to organized crime) and her 1976 Eldorado convertible were craned into a 24-by-12-foot plot dug specifically to accommodate the Caddy in 1989, followed by George Swanson taking his '84 Corvette to the afterlife six years later, and Lonnie Holloway in his 1976 Pontiac Catalina in 2009.Whither the extreme automotive enthusiast who desires to make a mausoleum of their favorite hunk of metal in the year 2022? As a Boomer-led tide of death pushes cemeteries to the brink of real estate availability, environmental legislation tightens regarding what you can legally put into ground, and social media lies in wait to pounce on anyone who elects to extend their flamboyance into the afterlife, we wanted to know if it was still possible to be buried in your car?Make Room!The answer to that question, it seems, varies significantly depending on where you plan to rest eternally. There's actually no single overarching framework that governs how cemeteries are managed, or how human remains must be disposed of, which means each jurisdiction is on its own to create (or not) a set of regulations regarding burials.The first daunting step in the quest for a car coffin is to secure a cemetery plot of adequate size. Ms. Schuck had the luxury of scooping up roughly 16 plots to combine into one Caddy-sized pit (taking into account the need to build a full concrete foundation and then surround the vehicle with even more cement). Even Swansons' more modestly-sized Corvette required four plots in total (with a layer of concrete poured on top to prevent settling). It can be a struggle in some urban areas to find standard-size side-by-side plots so that spouses can dream together forever, let alone carve out a car-sized slice of terrain, so it definitely helps if you plan on being eternally linked to a Miata rather than an Escalade.Then there's the question of access. The kind of heavy equipment required to dig a sizable hole in the ground needs a fair amount of space to operate, not to mention a pathway to the plot(s) in question, and that's before you take into account the logistics of fitting a car-capable crane onto ground that may or may not be hard enough to accommodate its weight.Of course, you could always opt for home burial, which alleviates many of the above problems (in all but Indiana, Washington D.C., Washington State, and California, where it's not legal). There are roughly 10 states that require you to get a funeral director to move the body to its intended burial spot, but almost everywhere else it's the Wild West when it comes to its transportation and burial/cremation (as long as you take care of it within the 24-48-hour window that precludes the need for embalming, and don't try to cross state lines).Don't Confuse Your Backyard For A DumpEven if burying someone on your own land is nearly 50-state legal, you still have to consider the environmental implications of stuffing a vehicle filled with toxic fluids and forever-plastics under the ground. It turns out the federal government is a bit touchy about what you can dump a shovel of dirt on, regardless of who owns the land.The flip-side of this is that cemeteries themselves aren't exempt from environmental concerns associated with even a traditional burial. Chemicals like formaldehyde (used in embalming), and arsenic (formerly used in embalming) have been leaking into groundwater from graveyards for decades, not to mention the myriad coffin paints, finishes, and metals that are part of a traditional funeral. Even cremation takes its toll on the environment at large.The bottom line? Each state has its own regulations that either modify or complement federal guidelines about waste management, and you'll have to take those into account when deciding how best to manage your auto-tomb's afterlife emissions, regardless of whether you're twisting the arm of a local cemetery manager or simply burying your loved one's motorcade in the backyard. In Pennsylvania, George Swanson's family had the entire drivetrain drained prior to interment, but in more permissive Indiana, Aurora Schuck's Cadillac was actually driven into the grave just before the burial began.Maybe Don't Do It?A final word of advice, should you choose to pilot your precious muscle machine or low-rider on the ferry across the river Styx: try to keep it on the down-low and avoid turning the burial into a show.What are we saying—there's absolutely no way to avoid word getting out about an automotive-adjacent event like this one. Be prepared for the onslaught of social media stars trying to score points as they alternately laud and lament your choice to go all-in on an automotive afterlife, not to mention the endless parade of purists who will roast your decision to deprive the world of one more example of whatever make and model coffin you select.A vehicular funeral isn't for the attention-averse, and while you might be slumbering peacefully on the rich, Corinthian leather of your casket, your loved ones will have to deal with the digital looky-loos and snide commenters haunting their Insta profiles and email inboxes.

This used to be a much easier decision. Between the compact Hyundai Tucson and the company's midsize Santa Fe SUVs, the latter was an obvious pick when interior space was important to you. Now, the new-for-2022 Hyundai Tucson boasts handsome, angular styling and top-of-its-segment interior space. That doesn't leave out the midsize Hyundai Santa Fe, whose pricing is so reasonable with its base engine that compact SUV buyers might want to consider it, too. We've driven both; read on for pros and cons on the two Hyundais.

alfa-romeo stelvio Full OverviewProsPunchy engineStrong, beautiful designFun to drive ConsSmall infotainment screenToned-down cabinTight interiorEverything sounds better in Italian, and the badge applied to the 2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce is no exception. "Veloce" means "quick" in English, but can you imagine a vehicle called, say, the Ford Quick or the Chevy Fast? Yeah, no. Yet in Italian, the same word sounds sexy. But best of all, the Stelvio Veloce is indeed fast, sporty, and spirited.The Veloce trim came on board for the 2022 model year, replacing the Ti Sport trim. It's the highest available model with the standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, which happens to be the most powerful base engine in the luxury compact SUV segment.Veloce but Not Molto VeloceWith 280 hp and 306 lb-ft of torque, there's no doubt the Stelvio has guts. Step on the throttle, and the response is immediate, and full torque is on tap from just 2,000 rpm. That's among the ingredients that make the Stelvio one of the sportiest SUVs, as is the eight-speed automatic transmission that likes to hold gears when Dynamic mode is active. Even the default Natural mode is a delight, though; the transmission is relatively snappy, and the perfectly linear steering delivers a wealth of feedback. In all modes, it's possible the Stelvio might ride a little too stiffly for some, but excellent damping takes the edges off the harshest impacts, and we enjoy having a better feel for the road.Unfortunately, there's a bit of un-veloce here: Despite that muscular turbo-four, at 5.9 seconds, the Stelvio Veloce is a little bit slower than some other compact luxury SUVs to 60 mph. The time is good overall, but in our testing it trails slightly behind the 2022 Porsche Macan (5.6 seconds), 2021 Audi Q5 (5.7 seconds), and even the last Stelvio we tested—a 2018 Ti Sport (5.4 seconds). But it's ahead of the 2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T (6.0 seconds), 2021 Acura RDXand 2022 BMW X3 xDrive 30i (6.4 seconds each).But the numbers aren't the full story. Combine its responsive powertrain with its capable, composed, and confidence-inspiring chassis, and the Stelvio Veloce is, in fact, perfectly veloce. Wherever you're driving it, the Stelvio behaves more like a lifted hot hatchback, feeling quick off the line and allowing drivers to attack back roads with a zeal that makes miles disappear faster than they might in a number of more appliance-like competitors. "I like that the steering is friction free and that the rim is thin," road test editor Chris Walton said. "This allows you to steer with your fingertips and not your palms."Overall, the experience behind that wheel is engaging, and the Stevlio's personality and captivating experience are what distinguish it from the rest of the segment—and make it the target of discerning drivers who need an SUV.Gorgeous Exterior, Subpar InteriorDespite being four years old, the 2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce remains one of the best-looking SUVs in the segment. Like its Giulia sedan stablemate, the Stelvio has aged well and continues to look sharp even when newer models have entered the market. Unfortunately, that's not the case inside. Although there isn't anything wrong with the cabin, its plain layout lacks the attention to detail and sophistication of other SUVs in the segment.The 8.8-inch touchscreen is quite small for today's standards, and although we like its functionality and placement in the center console, the infotainment system feels antiquated and lacks updated graphics. There is no wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and it's a bit hard to explore or find what you need given the limited menu buttons.The rest of the cabin lacks the plushness we've seen in other SUVs, as well. There's nothing that will grab the attention of anyone getting into a Stelvio for the first time. The ergonomics are perfectly fine, with everything within reach of the driver, and there are hard buttons for the A/C and a volume knob, but designers missed an opportunity to make the interior more elegant and premium. In addition, interior space is a bit tight for those in the rear seats, with a big drivetrain hump that will make middle-seat passengers uncomfortable.If Alfa was aiming for a simplistic, driver-focused cabin that wouldn't draw attention from the sensational driving experience, then we suppose the layout, design, and technology make sense. But when compared against other compact luxury SUVs, the Stelvio stands out for lacking content important to buyers these days. Ventilated seats, for example, aren't an option on the Veloce, and some safety technologies standard in other SUVs (like lane keep assist) are part of a $1,495 package here. Given the excellence permeating the segment from the likes of, say, Genesis, Alfa would do well to up its game.Although lane keep assist is an option, the Veloce adds several driver assist features that were previously optional. Adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, automatic high-beams, and front and rear parking sensors are now standard. Navigation, wireless charging, and heated front and rear seats are also included on all trims.Should You Buy a 2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce?If you're looking for a sporty experience, an attractive design, and a cabin that delivers the basics, then the answer is assolutamente sì. But if you'd rather drive an SUV that focuses on comfort and interior amenities, there are better options.The 2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce we tested checked out at $60,665, on the expensive side of the ledger. Compare that with the $64,670 of our long-term 2022 Genesis GV70 Sport Prestige with the optional 3.5-liter turbo V-6 engine, and the Stelvio suddenly feels short on value. The GV70 does a better job delivering a plush cabin with lots of attention to detail and premium materials, and it still feels sporty without sacrificing ride comfort.And yet, for a model that's only received light updates since it came out in 2018, the Stelvio is aging gracefully. It falls short in many objective areas, but every opportunity to drive it is another opportunity for fun, and that's high on our list of priorities. If it's high on yours, too, you'll likely think the Stelvio is simply spettacolare.Looks good! More details?2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio (Veloce) Q4 Specifications BASE PRICE $53,895 PRICE AS TESTED $60,665 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 2.0L Turbo direct-injected SOHC 16-valve I-4 POWER (SAE NET) 280 hp @ 5,200 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 306 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,023 lb (50/50%) WHEELBASE 110.9 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 184.6 x 74.9 x 66.0 in 0-60 MPH 5.9 sec QUARTER MILE 14.5 sec @ 94.6 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 123 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.83 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 27.1 sec @ 0.63 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 22/28/24 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 406 miles ON SALE Now Show All