On a new Saturday early morning, the sun shone dazzling about Supercar Saturdays Florida, a month-to-month occasion for unique auto enthusiasts at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Seashore, Florida.
These folks go ga-ga for the most more than-the-prime luxury sports automobiles that your funds can invest in — assuming you have $250,000 to melt away and $5,000 for an annual tuneup. Don’t neglect to put apart $2,000 for a established of tires.
The only things shinier than the South Florida winter sky ended up the sweet-colored paint careers — blazing shades of yellow, environmentally friendly and purple — on the spear-sharp street rockets arrayed in neat rows in one particular part of a huge parking large amount crammed with unique car nameplates.
We’re chatting Lamborghini, newborn, the Italian marca which is turn into South Florida’s supercar sweetheart. Consider flash and cash, and you get the picture.
The U.S. is Lamborghini’s biggest marketplace in the environment, and Florida now comes in second to California for the quantity of the cars sold each year. And a lot of of these superior-powered cars in the region are owned by Miami-Dade and Broward county drivers.
Guaranteed, you could get a Ferrari, one more regional fave. But Enzo Ferrari’s offspring can arrive off as staid next to a lime inexperienced Aventador with scissor doorways. Ferrari house owners, comparatively traditionalist, feel to prefer theirs in black, crimson or white, while the manufacturer has expanded its shade palette.
But on that Saturday early morning previously this month there have been much more colours of Lamborghinis than appear in a Crayola box, all of them introduced to Gulfstream to be revealed off by their proud entrepreneurs.
A film star automobile
As he stood surveying the rainbow about him, Hollywood entrepreneur Jose Gonzalez said he’s seeing much more Lamborghinis on the streets and streets of Miami and Fort Lauderdale in the previous decade or so. And Gonzalez, a Lamborghini operator himself — the 1980 Countach, a vintage model featured in The Wolf of Wall Avenue whose doorways open up upward — stated the most effective rationalization for the sheer quantities and variety of exotics and exotically priced on perspective is straightforward.
“I think in South Florida there is far more money movement than in some other places,” he mentioned.
There is also an keen willingness by some to divert some of it to proudly owning some of the most high priced cars and trucks on the earth. A Lamborghini Aventador S has a prime velocity of 217 mph. This is not the sort of car you invest in due to the fact you care what other men and women think. This is the form of car you obtain due to the fact you want to zoom in advance.
So hyper-pushed has regional Lambo love develop into that the manufacturer, which has marked its 60th anniversary by introducing an SUV and a hybrid 217-mph model, has expanded its retail achieve with a redesign of just one of its busiest South Florida dealerships. The Davie dealership is a person of three in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach front counties.
The numbers aren’t massive — these are not Toyotas, after all — but presented the eye-popping $507,353 rate of a 2022 Lamborghini Aventador, the regional market has been rather profitable for Lamborghini. With 516 income final calendar year, Florida trailed only California’s 680 product sales. The organization had its greatest income to date, with 2,721 Lamborghinis shipped to the U.S. on your own in 2022.
Broward supplier upgrades
At the January showroom ribbon-chopping in Davie for Lamborghini Broward, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann mingled with friends and fellow loyalists of the coveted brand.
The Lamborghini Broward dealership feels a lot more like a swanky lounge than a area the place persons acquire cars. The showroom floor appears so clean up that you could virtually take in off of it, and just about every Lamborghini design seems as if it arrived proper off a manufacturing unit line in heaven. Men and women do not shop right here for a vehicle they shop for a way of living.
It is an distinctive club with an very substantial bar to entry. Larry Zinn is executive general supervisor of Warren Henry Auto Group, the North Miami Beach enterprise that operates the Lamborghini Broward dealership, and son of founder Warren Henry Zinn. Most of Zinn’s Lamborghini consumers are locals, he said. As soon as in the homeowners club, many come back again to check out most recent types or to dangle out for a cup of espresso and look at notes about their luxurious rides.
At Gulfstream Park, what may well appear to be wretched surplus to some is just a little bit of extra sparkle to Lamborghini house owners. Like, you know, crushed diamonds in the paint job.
It was not possible to wander earlier Cathy Durante and Debbie Scott’s Lamborghinis with no staring.
Scott achieved Durante though searching for Lamborghinis at Status Imports Miami in 2020. “She was wanting for a black a single and I explained, ‘No, get the yellow,” Scott stated, as folks moved in to choose pics of her car.
Durante’s canary yellow 2019 Hurácan, which she drove to the present, has a stated major velocity of 212 mph, whilst she employs it as her every day car or truck and respects the pace limit.
Diamond complete
Up coming to it was Scott’s dandelion yellow 2014 Aventador Anniversario edition. As just one of 100 cars and trucks like it worldwide, which is the a person with diamond crumbs in the paint — she swears it to be real — which make the auto seem like it is sparkling when you get shut.
Lamborghini ownership can be functional, way too, Scott reported. She also drives a URUS, the new Lamborghini SUV, which she remaining at dwelling. She enjoys that she can travel all over in a Lamborghini with space for her groceries and much more than the standard two seats in many models of the car or truck.
And that SUV, starting selling price $225,501, is meant to be the attainable Lamborghini, a entice for those people not very prepared to drop 50 {49e09b23eae7466ccc7574c19ebb3019301c9a11d2999feff81a3526451546a5} a million bucks on a new Aventador.
Also in retail store, for the populist attraction: the company’s first hybrid model of its Aventador model. The initial in what the enterprise hopes will be an intensive line of hybrid alternate options. Winkelmann stated the enterprise will ultimately thoroughly hybridize the lineup and lessen emissions from Lamborghinis — especially beloved for the engine and exhaust roar — by 50{49e09b23eae7466ccc7574c19ebb3019301c9a11d2999feff81a3526451546a5} starting in 2025. For Lamborghini, there is a sheen of social responsibility following burning 13 miles to the gallon for 60 several years.
“It’s very vital to be sustainable for a organization like ours,” he claimed. “This is the promise we are supplying to our customers, not only that we are cutting down emissions, but that new cars will be a lot more accomplishing than the ones prior to.”
Generational change
The manufacturer, established by Ferruccio Lamborghini 60 years back, has normally experienced to consider more difficult to compete with its Italian arch-rival. Compared with Ferrari, it experimented with but in no way managed to compete on the experienced race circuit. Normally a little bit additional outrageous, Lamborghini has positioned alone as a car suit for a superhero like Batman, like the 2007 Murcielago Bruce Wayne drove in 2008’s “The Dark Knight.”
There has been a generational shift in South Florida from Ferraris to Lamborghinis. The 1980s television present Miami Vice created the metropolis renowned to a huge viewers and its two most important people regularly drove Ferraris. Lamborghinis ended up barely revealed in a several episodes of the show’s 113-episode run.
Just about 30 several years later on, “Bad Boys For Lifestyle,” a 2020 movie sequel set in Miami starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, featured a 2012 Lamborghini Aventador throughout a flashy nightclub scene and a 2019 URUS for the duration of a scene on South Beach front.
For some, possessing a Lamborghini was a aspiration they chased for decades. And it is no longer just for boys.
Like Durante and Scott, Fort Lauderdale native Juliette Wendelin loves her Lamborghini. The Fort Lauderdale native remembers driving a 3rd-technology hand-me-down 1987 Ford Crown Victoria in her youth. Her automobile regularly leaked oil and she dreamed about a single day possessing a “supercar.” Now in her late 30s, with a productive vocation as a real estate trader, the Florida Atlantic University graduate’s first Lamborghini was a grigio hati 2020 Hurácan EVO, a platinum-colored sports motor vehicle with a major speed of 212 mph.
For Wendelin, it is a specific thrill using to a motor vehicle exhibit surrounded by other Lamborghini drivers, even if you have to adhere to the 65-mph speed limit.
She fondly remembers driving south on I-75 to a Supercar Saturdays celebration in Pembroke Pines when numerous other Lamborghinis drove subsequent to her.
“It’s driving in a caravan of other Lamborghinis like the Aventador, URUS or Hurácan,” she mentioned. “There was a group of 12 cars and trucks and all these colors had been traveling by and it was such a great working day. Which is what it is for Lamborghini owners. You are in that group, and you see the youngsters driving by getting videos of you and they’re dreaming the very same factors you are. It’s just enjoyment.”
Take it to the monitor
People who want to explore the boundaries of their Lamborghini have to choose it to the keep track of. Homestead Speedway, for instance, offers entrepreneurs that opportunity to travel their cars at top rated speeds on the track.
Given that the pandemic emerged in March 2020, JC Carr has discovered the soaring selection of these fantastic vehicles on the South Florida roads, and he’s reaped the profit. A scholar at University of Alabama, he runs a company named WhipsMiami, a car or truck brokerage that specializes in luxurious vehicles. Carr, 20, finds vehicles out of point out and has them transported to Miami. As the member of a 200-person Lamborghini groupchat, he’s discovered “a significant explosion” of Lamborghini owners since the commencing of the pandemic. He bought 27 URUS cars in 2022 alone, for illustration.
If you can’t afford to buy just one, but lust immediately after a Lamborghini, you can constantly lease for the working day many thanks to corporations like Diamond Unique Rentals.
But for Wendelin, who awaits the arrival of her third Lamborghini and is a member of a world-wide group of like-minded motor vehicle enthusiasts, possessing one particular is priceless.

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It is tough to spot the 2023 Jeep Compass into a neat silo with other compact SUVs. It has similar interior space to people we refer to as midcompact SUVs. It now will come common with an motor that blows the doors off most in that section and is comparable to the engine upgrades supplied by a choose couple of in the compact SUV phase previously mentioned. Its base price tag is identical to the compacts as nicely but, with selections, can drastically exceed them. Ditto the Ford Bronco Sport, which is likely the Compass’ closest competitor presented its dimensions and off-highway impression (and off-road functionality for some trim concentrations).
Verify out the entire story right here:
Video Transcript
JAMES RISWICK: I’m driving the 2023 Jeep Compass. Now, very last year the Compass gained a welcome interior overhaul with far better supplies, far more fascinating style and design, and a 10.1-inch Uconnect touchscreen on all of the trim amounts. This 12 months it will get a a great deal-necessary powertrain improve. Now right before, the only engine offered was a 2.4-liter, in a natural way aspirated inline four recognized as the Tigershark. It was an properly named engine for the reason that it was improved suited for marine use as an anchor.
Perfectly, now it truly is been tossed to sea alongside with the equally unloved 9-speed automated and the availability of a front-wheel-generate Jeep Compass. Ugh. “Bpp.”
Now just about every one Compass arrives with the same powertrain, a 2-liter turbocharged inline four excellent for 200 horsepower and 221 pound-ft of torque. Tends to make a enormous change, not just in phrases of energy– it truly is to 60 time has dropped by 1.5 seconds, and you definitely really feel it around town and in the mountains like this, the electric power improve– but it’s also a whole lot extra refined, which can also be attributed to the considerably better eight-velocity automated. Now, it has misplaced a cog to be absolutely sure. Even so, the refinement improvement– it can be a smarter transmission. Believe me, it is greater for it. And again, regular all-wheel travel. Jeep phone calls it 4-wheel push, but, you know, whatever.
All informed, new interior, a great deal greater powertrain with a lot more energy than most compact SUVs provide equals a considerably far more compelling alternative. The dilemma is it really is high-priced. This Significant Altitude model, it is really properly geared up, but it can be about $43,000. A Trailhawk product I was driving previously expenses about $47,000. Which is a lot additional than leading of the line Honda CR-V or the off-highway-oriented Toyota RAV4 TRD Pro or Experience or the Subaru Forester Wilderness.
Now, I will say that this undoubtedly has a powertrain gain in excess of the Toyota and the Subaru, but all those are noticeably larger, additional useful, and simple vehicles. The back again seat in this is substantially more compact in terms of legroom, headroom, and width. The cargo room is seriously a drop from individuals compact SUVs to the position that this is genuinely far more like a mid compact model, as we contact them, say, like a Honda HR-V. I sat back again to back again in the again seats of this Compass and an H-RV. They’re extremely identical. If anything at all, this is a tiny tighter.
So even though this is absolutely additional powerful for 2023, is it more competitive? I really don’t believe so.
Although modifying cars and trucks is usually thought of an costly hobby, it does not have to be. No matter if you are just having into the world of modding autos or hunting for a low cost weekend project, these a few cars and trucks are affordable and effortless to modify.
1. 2011 – 2014 VW GTI
A MK6 VW GTI from 2011 to 2014 | VW Team
The VW GTI has extensive been a favourite in the fanatic neighborhood. Specifically, the 2011-2014 product presents a wonderful price for all those setting up out. These times it’s a really low-cost auto to invest in and modify, averaging between $10,000 and $12,000 for a respectable case in point. And with a wide modding group, it’s easy to uncover create alternatives for any taste.
The MK6 GTI is both low cost and uncomplicated to modify, with the well known EA888 turbocharged engine as a foundation. That turbocharged powerplant has number of upkeep concerns and can cope with large power if modified appropriately. Even a basic tune and a couple of bolt-ons can press it to very well around 300 horsepower.
The 2011 – 2014 GTI can be slammed on air suspension or crafted as an autocross car with great coilovers. Those on the lookout for a day-to-day-driven construct can locate high-quality coilovers for around $1,200. For that dollars, you can the two sharpen the ride and lower the stance.
Even greater, the GTI local community is vast and diverse. If you can believe it, anyone has most likely previously finished it. With so numerous methods, getting assistance to finish your suitable build will not be hard.
There are a few downsides to the GTI. It is both affordable and uncomplicated to modify, but handbook versions will have to have a clutch improve to handle any big ability updates. In addition, they are infamous for water pump and rear key seal issues, each of which can be costly. The wise move would be to transform the clutch and rear primary seal in one particular go to save on labor prices.
2. Scion FR-S/Toyota GT86/Subaru BRZ
Scion FR-S | Toyota
Identical to the GTI, the Toyota GT86 and Subaru BRZ community has branched out into almost each construct conceivable. From drift builds to stanced show automobiles and anything in in between, building a Toyobaru to your preferences will not be a tall get.
In contrast to the GTI, this two-door coupe is rear-wheel push, earning it a terrific preference for a rookie drift develop. And compared with the Miata, the GT86/BRZ has enough inside and trunk house to be a respectable every day driver.
To start with-gen styles go for about $15,000, even though a second-gen will expense about $20,000. That may possibly not be as affordable as the other autos, but it is wildly straightforward to modify for significantly less cash.
3. 1999-2005 BMW 3 Series
E46 BMW 3 Sequence Sedan | BMW
Also recognized as the E46, the 1999-2005 BMW 3 Collection gives rear-wheel travel dynamics and a lavish cabin. Related to the GT86 and Subaru BRZ sports autos, the E46 3 Collection is inexpensive and is really simple to modify in just about any direction.
It’s yet another great decision for drift builds, and its autocross and keep track of day opportunity is high thanks to a balanced starting up platform. Although the substantial-effectiveness E46 M3 can be had for all around $20,000 these times, non-M autos go for considerably less than $10,000 on CarGurus.
The age of this car may well be a convert off for some, and the challenging motor and differential of the M3 make it tricky for novices to maintain up with. Sticking with the 330Ci or 325i makes this system far more rookie welcoming. In addition, the sheer volume E46 3 Series types out there suggests obtaining substitute elements is effortless and rather low cost.
Low cost and effortless to modify, these cars are great for spending plan builds
Low-cost to invest in and straightforward to modify, any of these three vehicles are excellent for rookie car builds or a minimal-cost project. All are enjoyment platforms to start off with arrive with huge modding communities, so finding the suitable elements for your build is just a brief google search away.
The massive disruptions of the last few years may be starting to fade in the rearview mirror, but the ripple effects are still with us. Broken supply chains left automakers struggling to produce a third, a fifth, a tenth as many new cars as before, and both new and used car prices spiked as a result. In turn, drivers started keeping their existing cars on the road longer than ever; in 2022, the average age of a car on American roads leapt to 12.2 years, an all-time record.
Increasingly, one place they turn to for help to maintain their aging cars is CarParts.com. With a name straight out of the original dot-com era, CarParts.com has been around for 28 years, but only in the last four has re-emerged as a real force amid the larger e-commerce boom. We all know being a Web 1.0 pioneer with a great domain doesn’t guarantee anything—see Pets.com. By 2019, after years of stale management, CarParts.com was limping along with just $2 million in cash against $20 million in debt. It had no real vision or path to compete with the AutoZones and O’Reilly’s of the world, let alone home delivery titans like Amazon.
That’s the mess current CEO David Meniane stepped into in 2019. A serial entrepreneur with an MBT from the University of Southern California and an appearance on CNBC’s Shark Tank under his belt, he was drawn by the challenge to shake up a moribund business. He joined as a dual COO/CFO along with a friend from college named Lev Peker who signed on as CEO. They immediately focused on four things—the customer experience, logistics, talent, and the data necessary to better forecast what parts they should be selling. And crucially, how much they should be stocking in warehouses as pandemic-related issues began roiling supply chains in early 2020.
David Meniane
Together, they engineered a frankly stunning turnaround, taking CarParts.com to a market cap of over $800 million in late 2021 before the broader market downturn set in last year. Even with those headwinds, CarParts.com has seen 11 straight quarters of growth (as of Q3 2022). Still, it’s a challenging time to run a business like this. Inflation and computerization, the right to repair wars, the looming electric vehicle switch—the parts game is changing faster than most companies can adapt.
But Meniane’s not concerned. He’s right that auto parts is still a massively under-optimized industry, entrenched in decades of convention. He’s got big ideas to own more of the process, connecting customers with vetted shops to install their purchases, handling more of the logistics, getting as vertically integrated as possible. Right now, the business of selling you a new headlight looks pretty much the same to consumers as it did a decade ago, maybe just a little quicker. Meniane thinks things will be a lot more different in another ten years. Ultimately, his goal is to reach the same awareness as an Amazon. You think of car parts, he wants you to think of CarParts.com.
The Interview
The Drive: We’re talking at a really interesting time. The phrase inflection point, I think, gets thrown around a little too much, but there is really no other way to describe this moment where you’ve got electrification underway with new cars. You’ve got used cars on the road being older than ever. You’ve got this boom in ecommerce. You’ve got the supply chain crunch. You’ve got this inflationary environment. Just from a basic level, it’s been a crazy four years since you started at CarParts.com. How is the business structured now versus when you started? What changes have you seen and brought into the fore?
David Meniane: You know, I’ll tell you, everything you’ve said, I see opportunity, opportunity, opportunity, right? Number of cars on the road going up, average age of a car going up, online penetration, direct to consumer model—opportunity. Now, inflation is definitely something to consider, but for me, it’s an opportunity to double down on the fundamentals and still kind of deliver that value to the customer at competitive prices. We’ve made a lot of changes over the last four years. But also, our business is pretty robust and has a long history. We started 25 years ago, and we started offline, delivering headlights to body shops in California. And over time, we transformed into this ecommerce platform. And really, four years ago, the big pivot was to leverage that ecommerce platform, and start tacking on supply chain and data.
And so over the last four years, the majority of the investments that we’ve made—sure, we’re investing in customer experience and with the front end, the user journey. But the majority of the investments that we made were in the supply chain, expanding our warehouse, adding inventory, building up data science and data analytics. Over the last four years, we’ve opened four buildings, we’ve invested literally hundreds of millions of dollars in our supply chain, millions of dollars in data science capabilities, and that’s the big piece.
And, you know, I think if you look at some of the other direct to consumer retailers, the supply chain, the data, the customer experience, these are the three pillars of their success. So we took that and applied it to our business model.
TD: Data is in some ways controllable, you know, you can get a lot of smart people in a room and put together all the modeling you need to predict how the market’s gonna move. You can invest a lot into expanding how much control you have. But ultimately, if you’re not making the parts themselves, you’re still beholden to the supply chain. You’ve run up against the bump stop of how much of the process you can own right now. How do you manage these relationships with factories to keep the parts coming in, and build that inventory?
DM: What’s really interesting about our business, and what makes it very unique, is long tail aspect of the assortment. We carry anywhere from 80 to 90,000 individual SKUs in our warehouses. The data science investments that we’ve made really align with those inventory investments in that we have to figure out how much to carry of each SKU in what building.
And so when the pandemic hit in 2020, we made a big commitment, and we knew that inventory was gonna be the main driver to our success. We made huge commitments to overbuy inventory almost immediately. We were one of the first ones in the business to go to our suppliers and tell them that we wanted to buy more. We expanded our footprint and extended the levels of safety stock.
What the supply chain disruption created was variability in that supply, where one day you have inventory, the other day, you don’t. And you don’t really know when it’s going to arrive. And the one thing that you can do as a distribution company or supply chain company like us is overbuy and overstock. So for the last two years, we bought so much more inventory that we could kinda withstand the ebbs and flows in the supply chain. Now, it’s not perfect. There’s port disruption, there’s COVID, you’ve got a lot of things going on. But if you look at some of our competitors, when they were announcing results that were good, our results were exceptional. We had 11 consecutive quarters of double digit growth, and a lot of that was driven by just being proactive and making additional investments just to carry more inventory.
TD: What kind of risks do you open yourself up to by overbuying as a default practice so you can maintain those margins?
DM: You take on less risk than in a perishable business, you know, like in grocery or seasonal items, where if you overbuy, then you’re gonna be stuck with it. For us, the good thing is that our inventory is gonna last for 10 to 15 years.
A lot of times, our sweet spot is when a car’s going to be between eight and 15 years old, so we’re going to carry extra inventory. But if we don’t sell it today, we’ll sell it tomorrow or the day after. A lot of what we do is replacement items, so lights, mirrors, bumper covers, brakes, suspension, pumps, sensors. People need those parts today, and they’re going to need those parts tomorrow.
We don’t do a lot of discretionary items, where you’re going after that discretionary income, when someone buys a brand new car and wants to buy accessories. That’s not our bread and butter. It’s mostly replacement parts. But I think we do it better than anyone else because of the direct supply chain. You get the best product on the market, but it’s 50{49e09b23eae7466ccc7574c19ebb3019301c9a11d2999feff81a3526451546a5} cheaper because it’s direct to consumer. We got a good business going.
“OEM parts, they do certain things great. Aftermarket parts, you know, there are a lot of things that we have going for us. It’s a $300 billion industry. I think there is a need for both.”
David Meniane, CarParts.com CEO
TD: So it’s need-based, not want-based.
DM: And that’s the terminology we use internally, yes.
TD: I’m always curious about how businesses actually function, like, on a day-to-day, real operational level. Walk me through the process of identifying a part that you don’t currently carry and saying, “Okay, we really wanna stock this.” How does that part then end up for sale on the site?
DM: You bring up a good point, because I think what makes our business so good is that it’s always SKU by SKU. And you see a lot of companies out there, the bigger they grow, the more averages they use, and the more formulas they use. We have a very different approach. We built merchandising, inventory forecasting, and data science capabilities, but we also have a lot of people at our headquarters. And the reason we have more people than a traditional retailer is we look at it line by line.
We get different demand signals from different sources. Sometimes, it comes from the manufacturer saying, “Hey, I’m expanding into this category,” or, “I have these new part applications.” Sometimes, we look at what’s on the market, and we look at where we have gaps. We carry multiple brands, so we carry national premium brands, and we also carry our own brands. We’re always looking at gaps in the assortment.
Then the last thing is that we’ve developed some good capabilities, internal models, that look at vehicles in operation, specific part names, specific categories, and then we look for gaps. For example, you’ll look at a 2008 Ford F-150 XLT and identify that these are all the part names we need to carry. So, what are we selling, what are we not selling right now for that truck?
One good example, if you look at industry data, is foreign nameplates. Historically we’re very strong in, you know, GM, Chrysler, and Ford. But the fastest growing segment out there is Korean nameplates. It’s Hyundai, it’s Kia. We’re making a lot more investments in Korean name plates because it’s not the biggest segment, but it’s the fastest growing segment. 7.7{49e09b23eae7466ccc7574c19ebb3019301c9a11d2999feff81a3526451546a5}. You also have the rise of EVs, right?
TD: It’s interesting—on the new car sales side, we see the numbers going up for Kia and Hyundai. We see the direct impact that product changes on their end have made in the popularity of those cars and those brands here in America. We don’t often think about how there’s a rising tide affecting ancillary industries, like car parts, like the aftermarket. But, of course, there would be more parts that you would want to stock for those cars because more people are driving them now.
And the electric vehicle business is the question of the day. The common line that EVs are less complicated with fewer moving parts and that’s a problem for the aftermarket—it’s an overstatement, but there is some truth there. How do you see EV parts supply both tracking and being different from the current ICE supply?
DM: It’s still very early for EVs. It’s 2 or 3{49e09b23eae7466ccc7574c19ebb3019301c9a11d2999feff81a3526451546a5} of the cars on the road today. And a lot of times, we have a lot more cars [we’re] trying to catch up with because the sweet spot for us is, like I said, 8 to 15 years, right? For a car to get into that zone for us, it takes time. Having said that, the majority of what we sell, about 90{49e09b23eae7466ccc7574c19ebb3019301c9a11d2999feff81a3526451546a5}, is agnostic to the powertrain. Whether it’s a combustion engine or an EV, we’ll sell the parts. They all still need brakes, suspension, bumpers, lights, mirrors, et cetera. Some parts are gonna be different, and some parts are gonna be the same.
The other thing too is as we expand our assortment, there’s opportunities for us to work with different factories that make different investments. You talk about the ripple effect on the demand side, which is the parts, but on the supply side, all the manufacturers, especially overseas, are seeing it. EVs are pushing forward, and so we need to start making investments in toolings and developing parts for EVs.
If in 10 years, you don’t carry parts for Tesla, you’re gonna be behind, right? Obviously. So, we’re working with our manufacturer tooling, and we’re working with our manufacturers to just get ahead of it. The good news is we have plenty of time.
“The majority of what we sell, about 90{49e09b23eae7466ccc7574c19ebb3019301c9a11d2999feff81a3526451546a5}, is agnostic to the powertrain. Whether it’s a combustion engine or an EV, we’ll sell the parts.”
David Meniane, CarParts.com CEO
And, you’re in the business so you know that there’s also… the infrastructure for the country has to catch up on EVs. Pricing has to come down. At some point, the government subsidies, they’re gonna go away. But really, it’s the infrastructure that has to catch up. If you wanna go from LA to Vegas in an EV, sometimes it’s not that simple.
TD: It brings up another question, and that is about your relationship with OEMs. Because especially as they’re dealing with their own supply constraints as they are trying to bolster their own part departments and keep those businesses going, you’re both supporting their products and also competing with them. How is it between you and OEMs? Do you talk to them? Do you meet with them? Is it more of like a don’t ask, don’t tell situation?
DM: We talk to them, but I think there is also a line between OEM and aftermarket. Our OEM cousins, I like to call them. When I think about right to repair and some of these other things, I just wanna be on the side of the consumer, and I wanna empower the consumer to decide. Do they want OEM parts? Or do they want aftermarket? They can choose.
The odd thing too is that the calculation is also very economic-driven, in that after a certain time, if your car’s 15 years old, 16 years old, sometimes 20 years old, it doesn’t make economic sense to buy an OEM part. Maybe you can’t find an aftermarket replacement, so, you know, there is a need for an OEM part, specifically around insurance-driven business. I drive a six-year-old pickup truck. In a couple of years, I’ve had to replace a couple of parts. It’s not gonna make sense for me to buy an OEM part now. If I can buy an exact same part aftermarket for half the price or 60{49e09b23eae7466ccc7574c19ebb3019301c9a11d2999feff81a3526451546a5} of the price, I have to look at the residual value of my car and how much I can get for it when I sell it, and I gotta look at the part.
OEM parts, they do certain things great. Aftermarket parts, you know, there are a lot of things that we have going for us. It’s a $300 billion industry. I think there is a need for both.
TD: It’s funny you use that example, because I have a 20-year-old BMW. And when I first got it five years ago, I thought, “I really just wanna get OEM parts for it. I wanna keep it as OEM-stock as possible.” And then after the first $1,000 bill, it’s like, “Well, I guess I can choose something cheaper.” That’s a realization a lot of people have, I think.
DM: It depends on the job. It depends on your level of sophistication. If you’re DIY and you’re brand loyal, there are a couple of things where you’re gonna buy a branded part. And some things that maybe are less important to you or you’re comfortable with aftermarket. Sometimes, when the consumer is getting pinched, the difference between an aftermarket and OEM part is the difference between having done the repair and not doing it at all.
You know, we can sell you a headlight for $80 or $90. If you go to the dealer for an OEM part and have them install it, it might cost you 350 or $400 for the exact same headlight. What I want is the consumer to be able to decide. If I have the $350 and I want to go to the dealer, right, no problem. Our OEM cousins will take care of it. If they’re looking for maybe a more cost-effective solution, direct to consumer, hey, we can deliver the same part in two days for 90 bucks. Great.
“When I think about right to repair and some of these other things, I just want to be on the side of the consumer, and I want to empower the consumer to decide. Do they want OEM parts? Or do they want aftermarket? They can choose.”
David Meniane, CarParts.com CEO
TD: Right to repair is a huge topic of interest for the automotive community in general. Casual owners may not quite have a full grasp on what this fight could mean long term for the cars of the future. Are you involved in any way, or is there an official company stance, on the right to repair legislation being debated in multiple states?
DM: Yes. We have an official stance, and we are actually investing financially in it. We’re members of the Car Coalition that directly funds efforts to empower the consumers to give them that choice. We want the consumer to be able to choose between OEM and aftermarket, we want the consumer to own their data, and we want the consumers to be educated so that they can make their own decision.
TD: Semi-related, one specific area I wanted to cover is related to subscription features. Car manufacturers are now announcing plans to put options like heated seats behind a paywall, where you have to pay a monthly fee to keep using that feature. Say someone at CarParts.com identifies a white space for you in products that are designed to circumvent that subscription paywall. A company or factory says, “Hey, we can build a product that allows you to plug it into your car to get around that.” Is that something you would consider selling? Is that too adversarial? Is that poking the bear? This must have been talked about at some point already for you guys.
DM: Hey, Kyle, I would call my lawyer and ask him what I can or cannot do.
DM: I’ve learned a long time ago and when I say a long time, four years ago, that some questions I have to be careful with. The answer is I don’t know. I would call my lawyer.
TD: Got it. Got it. Back to the supply chain—Owning as much of it as possible is a key part of long-term success. This is obviously moving in the direction of a whole vertical integration model. The ultimate conclusion of that is owning your own factory and making parts. That’s not where you’re at now. But last year, you came out with a “Get It Installed” program, connecting customers to shops so someone can actually schedule an installation appointment at the point of purchase with you. How far does it go? How many more pieces of this entire chain can you grab for yourself?
DM: Listen, I think it’s about putting the consumer first, and empowering the consumer to make choices. So, the Get It Installed initiative is really to empower the customer to either get the tools and information and the parts that they need to fix their car, if they feel comfortable doing it. I have a lot of people that work with us that can do the repairs themselves. For me, I’m not as handy as I want to be. For certain jobs, I need help. It’s about giving the choice to the customer to say, “Hey, I feel comfortable doing this job, I’m going do it myself. If I can’t, it’s oh, here’s a mechanic that I can trust that will do the job for me.”
Most people are looking for a solution where someone you can trust will give you a couple of options. Hey, actually, this is not a big deal. You could do it yourself with a 15-minute video on YouTube. Or actually, it is a big deal and if you don’t fix it today, your car is gonna get worse, and I have a solution where you could buy the parts and the service.
The one thing on the vertical integration that is not really public but I think is really interesting is on the payment side. Because sometimes, our consumers and our customers are a little pinched on cash. You know, if they can’t afford a $1,000 repair at the mechanic, is there a way for us to do the parts and the service and allow them to stretch that payment over 12 months? You’ve seen a lot of direct to consumer retailers, especially for larger purchases, usually above $500, where they allow a customer to pay in four or pay in 12 installments.
The payment side for the consumer, allowing them to do a more expensive repair where you can bundle in the parts and service and pay over 12 months—I think that becomes really interesting.
TD: So, in that model, would you be fronting the cost, paying the shop, and then the consumer pays you back over over time?
DM: There are partnerships you could do where someone else takes on the economic risk. Because we’re a public company, there are only so many things we can do. We could act as kind of the front man for the customer, where we’d supply the parts, we’d connect them to the shop, we’d collect the payment, and someone else takes home the economic risk. There are companies out there that just focus on that.
“Sometimes, our consumers and our customers are a little pinched on cash… If they can’t afford a $1,000 repair at the mechanic, is there a way for us to do the parts and the service and allow them to stretch that payment over 12 months?”
David Meniane, CarParts.com CEO
TD: And what about logistics being another piece of the puzzle? Everyone struggles with the last mile problem. You’ve pointed to a 16-minute timeline from click to delivery as an ultimate goal. Doesn’t getting it that tight require owning the logistics?
DM: It’s a long-term vision. You start with a couple of days, and then you start checking that timeline. Especially in key markets, as we think about opening more distribution centers. If you’re in the Vegas market or in the Dallas market, we have to have a big footprint there, so there are ways for us in the long term to do that.
But in the meantime, we have partnerships with national carriers, FedEx included, where especially if you’re close to a distribution center, you can get the part the next day, or you could ship it directly to the shop. Obviously, the Get It Installed initiative is new to us. It’s just the beginning. But I think that as we keep moving forward, there are going to be opportunities to tighten up the whole experience and make the logistics better and better. It’s been done in other industries. It’s been done in tires really well. I think there’s an opportunity for us to do the same thing with other parts.
TD: With the talk of distribution centers, two-day shipping, owning the whole cycle… it’s hard to avoid comparisons to a certain company called Amazon. I have to assume they’re an inspiration, but also they’re competition. How do you see the task of taking a customer who’s years into buying everything in one place and getting them to consider a different, more specialized, but hopefully equally convenient source?
DM: Interestingly enough, Amazon is a distribution channel for us. If you’re on Amazon and you start buying auto parts, chances are you’re going to be buying one from us. Amazon powers the front end and the consumer experience, but in the background, we have fitment data, we have supply chain, we have logistics, and that’s kind of what we focus on. Amazon has done a good job at being a store for everything. For us, we’re really trying to focus ourselves on being that destination just for auto parts. Also, fitment is extremely important in auto parts. That’s the secret sauce. We have 100 people here that only work on fitment data, and all the data is proprietary thanks to our relationships with the manufacturers.
The way our supply chain is set up, it allows us to store anything as small as a door handle or as big as a hood. Amazon’s really good at automated warehouses where everything fits in a nice square box. For car parts, the supply chain looks quite different. And the other thing I’ll say is CarParts.com is a pretty awesome name. The goal is to build CarParts.com as the direct destination for anything car parts. If you think car parts, you’re going to go to CarParts.com.
TD: I will say the URL is strong. The domain authority is strong. Although when I searched it earlier, there’s this other site, carpart.com, that pops up too.
TD: You guys gotta take them down somehow, I think. I don’t know.
DM: I know. Well, listen, we have a hundred million visitors a year in CarParts.com. I don’t think they’re anywhere close to that, but point taken.
“Amazon has done a good job at being a store for everything. For us, we’re really trying to focus ourselves on being that destination just for auto parts. Also, fitment is extremely important in auto parts. That’s the secret sauce. We have 100 people here that only work on fitment data.”
David Meniane, CarParts.com CEO
TD: As you try to keep growing and identify these new areas where you’re not playing currently, what is the process? This expands to your existing business too. What is the process for making sure these parts actually do what they say, and quality control in general? Since you’re not actually manufacturing anything yourself, how do you ensure that the part actually fits the thing the manufacturer says it’s going to or, you know, isn’t going to explode.
DM: You know, we’ve just rolled out our new core values for CarParts.com—after 25 years, we’ve decided to roll out core values [laughs]. The first one is safety first. And it aims at the safety of our people, but also the safety of our customers by really investing and focusing on quality control.
We have a team in Taiwan, we have a team in Shanghai. It’s factory visits, it’s factory inspections, it’s quality control, it’s independent testing. We have to do all of that. I think for a company like us that’s been through a big transformation, you could always do more. But what I can say is that our commitment is safety first. It’s literally number one.
TD: I like the nuts and bolts. I like the nitty gritty. So you have a team of people who go to the factory to check on things—do they then install the part in a test car and make sure it works the way the manufacturer claims? How does that actually happen?
DM: The teams that go to the factory, it’s mostly about manufacturing standards and tooling. For the quality control, we usually have an independent company do it. We also have a ton of automotive experts on the team, and most of them sit here [at HQ]. The way we built the teams is that everyone on the team has a different area of expertise, so we have experts for lights and mirrors, we have experts for body parts, we have experts for catalytic converters. We have a guy that only does brakes, rotors, and calipers. There’s a lot of expertise that we built. We’re a dot com company on the outside, but we’re really an automotive company. We’re run by car people. I’m pretty much the only guy that’s not a car guy, but most of the team are obsessive.
TD: On the idea of safety and quality, there was something else I wanted to bring up, and that’s the new lifetime replacement guarantee you rolled out last year. It reminds me of the famous L.L.Bean “return” policy where you could return anything at any time, even years later when the product is all worn out, and they’d just give you a new one. They don’t do that anymore. How does a lifetime guarantee translate into a sustainable business, so you’re not just giving people free parts after they buy the first one for the rest of their lives? But also, so you’re not attaching too many strings and annoying consumers with those?
DM: If you’re referring to fraud or abuse, there are always edge cases. We have mechanisms in place to control fraud. Ultimately, it’s more about messaging to our customers that we stand behind our products. We stand behind our company. We’ve been around for 25 years, and we expect to be around for 100 years. If you’re not happy with the quality of your product or you changed your mind, call us. Our return rate is actually extremely low compared to the rest of the industry. And I think it’s because we spend so much time and effort on fitment and on quality.
Ultimately, the goal is to have the customer come to us and then come back and come back and come back. The majority of our customers have more than one car. The majority of our customers are, you know, kind of DIY and so they can do the work themselves. So, to the extent one of our customers has three or four cars, and they’ll do some body work, they’ll do replacement work, they’ll do brakes. Ultimately, every customer is an opportunity to sell 10 different parts over 10 years or 20 parts over 20 years. A lot of times, if there’s one or two parts they’re not happy with or something happens, we stand behind it. It’s a long term play, and it’s been working really well.
TD: For the customer, in your experience, is there a switch that’s flipped at a certain moment that takes them from passive vehicle owner to, “My headlight’s stopped working, so I’m gonna buy a replacement on CarParts.com and fix it,” versus taking it into my shop and letting them deal with it?
TD: How do you guys gauge consumer intent and, and figure out when that person’s gonna actually go for a purchase?
DM: I think that’s the biggest opportunity. I think what we’re finding is that reaching the consumer in the age of social media and everyone on their phone, it’s becoming harder and harder. And that we have to be top of mind, and we need different points and times of interaction. A lot of times, they’ll do a Google search, and we come up. They’re not gonna do a purchase yet. Then, they go to YouTube, we come up. Then, they go to social, then they go to TikTok, and we’re there. The strategy is that we have to be everywhere, so that every time there is the beginning of a purchasing intent for auto parts, we’re there.
And we may not capture that customer on the first interaction, or the second interaction, or maybe the fourth. I think we have to take a long-term focus and just be there. It takes time.
TD: So you guys are on TikTok?
DM: We’re on TikTok, yes. We have to be.
TD: Same thing on our end. You know, as much as we would like to just like to write beautiful articles and have people read them and collect ad revenue the same we always did, you gotta go—
DM: You have to do something, right?
TD: You have to do something.
DM: You’re on YouTube and you’ll have long-form content. You’ll have the blog, you’ll have email newsletters. You just gotta be everywhere. Content is becoming really important for becoming a destination for auto repair. Like, having the parts is great, but maybe we could provide information, even if that information doesn’t get monetized. I just want to be top of mind for auto parts in general. Whether we make money or not. I think that’s the ultimate goal.
“We’re on TikTok, yes. We have to be.”
David Meniane, CarParts.com CEO
TD: On that note, obviously every stock has suffered recently, so whatever declines anyone has seen, there are broad, macroeconomic trends coming to bear right now. But even prior to this, it was pretty striking to a lot of us in the auto industry how a SPAC-backed EV startup could be valued higher than GM or Ford in terms of pure market cap.
TD: Just based off the fact that oh, EVs are the future, so let’s invest in that, right? That’s a simplification, but really that’s the base logic there. So in an industry like yours that is very entrenched in the old way of doing things, ripe for disruption but also not a very sexy business, how do you stand out? How do you catch the market’s attention as a good investment when people are content to just dump money into speculative EV stocks? This EV will be out in five years. Give us a hundred million. Oh okay, great. Sure.
DM: That will only get you so far. But ultimately, if you don’t have a robust business model, it doesn’t matter how much you raise, that money’s going to run out. If you have negative unit economics and you’re just spending money left and right, that money runs out. And it runs out really quickly. You’ve seen it in a lot of these SPACs.
The main focus for us is how we can be “sexy” to the customer? How do we offer a destination and the parts and the tools and the information that they need? With positive unit economics, delivering a great experience, having that customer come back, that’s a sustainable business. Listen, I’ve seen our stock at 88 cents and I’ve seen it at $24. I know our company is gonna get much more valuable over time if we put in the work. The main focus is parts, it’s supply chain, it’s technology, it’s the customer. Create a great business.
Today, we have a great business. It’s 11 consecutive quarters of growth, positive unit economics. We’re profitable as a company. We’re growing, and we have a very clean balance sheet. So, I’m excited about the next few years because I think we’re in a good spot. The stock price will go up and down, but, again, literally, when I joined we were 97 cents. A couple of years later, $24. That doesn’t change anything for me. We just have to keep executing and deliver value to the customer.
TD: And the lack of friction in the experience, I think, is key. I swear this isn’t a plug, but I bought a part on CarParts.com last fall, GM’s famous multifunction control stalk for my old truck, for those who know what I’m talking about. Then I was on the site yesterday preparing for this. And the cookie was still there, even though I don’t have a user account. The site remembered that I had typed in 1988 Chevrolet K5 Blazer as my model months ago and was ready to search for those parts again. It’s not rocket science, but with most other parts sites, I feel like they don’t invest in recapturing customers like that. It was seamless in a way that surprised me.
DM: We have a lot of work to do on that, but I think, yeah, it’s a start. And thank you for your business, by the way. I appreciate it. Every customer counts. Every part sold counts.
TD: Maybe it’s a stupid question, but is there any sense in exploring a brick and mortar version of CarParts.com?
DM: A lot of the direct to consumer retailers have done that. You know, things like YETI and Warby Parker. Or business is really year-make-model specific, fit specific. Never say never. I think for the next couple of years, our roadmap is pretty full in terms of expanding our supply chain footprint. But yeah, I’m saying never say never.
Some of the retail that’s working these days is the experiential retail. It’s not so much about buying a part, it’s about brand building and creating an experience and a destination. So from a marketing standpoint, you could make the argument there is a role to brick and mortar somewhere at some point.
TD: Perhaps also an install center, right? Instead of maybe-
TD: – instead of contracting that, you actually operate your own shops that install CarParts.com parts.
DM: Yeah. As long as we can get our name out there, it’s a potential opportunity for us to consider.
TD: Listen, I’m going to come knocking for credit for that idea in three years if it turns into something.
DM: Okay. [Laughs] I’ll remember it. I have a good memory, so I’ll remember it.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
K-PAX Racing will return to Fanatec GT Planet Challenge Europe Run by AWS competitors this period, contesting the entire Endurance Cup marketing campaign with Lamborghini.
Based in Sonoma, California, the American outfit final ran a comprehensive European agenda in 2020 when it tackled the Stamina Cup with Bentley. Switching to Lamborghini machinery the adhering to year, it has because earned again-to-back Fanatec GT Earth Problem The united states Powered by AWS titles and built a a person-off overall look at the 2022 CrowdStrike 24 Several hours of Spa. Now the crew has disclosed plans to return to the European phase with a Professional automobile driven by a trio of Lamborghini Squadra Corsa drivers.
There is sizeable top-line GT3 knowledge courtesy of Marco Mapelli and Franck Perera. Competing for FFF Racing, Mapelli created record in 2019 when he and teammate Andrea Caldarelli gained all 3 Fanatec GT titles in the similar period, while Perera has been a sequence typical given that 2012. Mitchell is the youngest of the trio and will tackle his first campaign in a Professional car or truck, although the Scotsman is by no usually means inexperienced. Indeed, Mitchell has earned two course wins at the CrowdStrike 24 Several hours of Spa and an Clever Funds British GT title with Barwell Motorsport.
“SRO has a good product and the greatest GT3 racing in the entire world,” commented workforce principal Darren Law. “We have experimented with racing in Europe several occasions already, at the CrowdStrike 24 Several hours of Spa, as perfectly as a whole time of the Stamina Cup in 2020. We have been successful that yr but truly feel we have unfinished organization.
“It is rather a problem for a US staff to shift its functions and products to Europe,” he continued. “We have leased a workshop in Italy, and we will use element of our US group customers and a partial crew from Europe. All the gear is in containers on its way and the two our automobiles are at Lamborghini Squadra Corse now obtaining up to date to the new EVO2 spec. Fingers crossed every little thing will make it in time for the very first take a look at at Paul Ricard but if not, we have support from Lamborghini if essential.
“We have to thank [team owner] Jim Haughey for making it possible for all of us to have this possibility. With out his enthusiasm and devotion to the sport none of this would be achievable. We also have to thank Giorgio Sanna [Lamborghini’s Head of Motorsport] for offering us such a strong driver line up. We have worked with both Marco and Franck beforehand, and raced against Sandy, so it will be fantastic to have him signing up for our program this yr. We are wanting forward to the problem and can’t wait to get the season commenced.”
K-PAX Racing will be part of its rivals on-observe at the formal Fanatec GT Entire world Challenge Europe Run by AWS take a look at times at Circuit Paul Ricard on 7-8 March. The Stamina Cup marketing campaign launches at Monza on 21-23 April, adopted by trips to Circuit Paul Ricard (2–4 June), the CrowdStrike 24 Hrs of Spa (29 June–2 July), the Nürburgring (28–30 July) and Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya (29 September–1 October).
If you’re shopping for a new 2023 car, truck, or SUV, you’ve landed at the right place. Here at Car and Driver, we’ve got the information you’ll need to help you find exactly what you’re looking for. We have the scoop on virtually every one of the 432 models available on the market—and those coming soon. We put hundreds of vehicles through our intensive instrumented testing regimen every year to catalog every data point, from how much cargo they can hold to how quickly they accelerate. Then we crown the 10Best Cars and the 10Best Trucks and SUVs—20 brilliant vehicles that best fulfill their mission, deliver great value, and are engaging to drive.
Beyond the special vehicles that earn our 10Best award, though, there are many more that are excellent at what they do. These are vehicles that we’d happily recommend to our family and friends—and you. That’s what Editors’ Choice is all about. Think of this list as the automotive honor roll: a place where the cars, trucks, and SUVs with the best grades are acknowledged for their excellence. Based on our objective testing and subjective driving impressions, we rank every vehicle within its segment—its grade point average, if you will. The vehicles on this list are the few from each segment that earn top marks comprising approximately the top quarter of the vehicle market. Scroll down to shop them, and click through to read more about the ones you’re interested in.
Trucks, SUVs, and Vans
Subcompact SUV
Hyundai Kona
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Funky exterior styling, high-value feature list, turbo engine wakes this car up.
LOWS: Less cargo space than in other small SUVs, underpowered with the base engine, steering could be more feelsome.
VERDICT: Hyundai’s junior SUV is also one of its most satisfying—as long as you don’t have plans to haul bulky cargo.
Subcompact SUV
Kia Niro
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Perky optional plug-in-hybrid powertrain, futuristic appearance, well-equipped from EX trim and up.
LOWS: Base powertrain is pretty poky, buzzy engine sounds under heavy throttle, not as fuel efficient in our testing as last year’s model.
VERDICT: It isn’t perfect, but the Niro offers stylish looks, a practical cabin, and an attainable starting price that should help more buyers park a hybrid at home.
Subcompact SUV
Kia Soul
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Stands out in traffic, spacious interior, strong value proposition.
LOWS: Could be more fuel efficient, all-wheel drive is unavailable, poky four-cylinder powertrain.
VERDICT: Style, substance, and a funkadelic hamster-powered image make the Kia Soul a serious threat in the small-SUV class.
Subcompact SUV
Mazda CX-30
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Fun-to-drive nature, premium cabin finishings, desirable driver assistance and tech features are standard fare.
LOWS: Base engine is rather lethargic, not much more practical than a normal hatchback, some drivers may not appreciate the firm ride.
VERDICT: The CX-30 is tailor made for those who enjoy driving, which wins it our favor, but other SUVs offer more space for people and cargo.
Subcompact SUV
Volkswagen Taos
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Big space in the subcompact segment, plenty of cargo room, impressive fuel economy.
LOWS: Modest performance, plastic paradise interior, isn’t as spirited as the Golf hatchback it replaces.
VERDICT: With an attractively low base price, the Volkswagen Taos offers big fuel mileage along with big space for such a small SUV.
Subcompact Luxury SUV
BMW X1
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Solid offering of standard equipment, roomier than ever, quiet and controlled ride.
LOWS: No hardcore M version, steering lacks meaningful feedback, cumbersome climate controls.
VERDICT: There’s nothing radical about the new version of BMW’s smallest SUV, but it offers a lot for a smallish price.
Subcompact Luxury SUV
Volvo XC40
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Youthful design, practical cabin, generous standard tech features. LOWS: Not as luxurious as larger Volvos, all-wheel drive only available with more powerful engine, infotainment icons are too small. VERDICT: The XC40 SUV delivers much of the same experience as other Volvos but adds its own unique flavor.
Compact SUV
Honda CR-V
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Fresh new look, low-stress road manners, efficient optional hybrid.
LOWS: Not as exciting as some rivals, all-wheel drive not standard, base turbo engine provides only modest acceleration.
VERDICT: The redesigned CR-V is made to maintain its place on the bestseller list, with a smooth ride, practical cabin, and fuel-efficient powertrains.
Compact SUV
Hyundai Tucson
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Future-forward styling, top models’ near-luxury cabins, hybrid powertrains are worth the upcharge.
LOWS: Base four-cylinder is poky, push-button shifter takes getting used to, hybrid-SUV competitors deliver even better mpg.
VERDICT: The Tucson’s broad lineup provides compact SUV buyers with an abundance of choices, including some that elevate it with surprisingly luxurious touches.
Compact SUV
Kia Sportage
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Responsive optional hybrid powertrain, forgiving ride, spacious cabin with plenty of tech.
LOWS: Poky base four-cylinder engine, boring driving dynamics, exterior styling isn’t for everyone.
VERDICT: The new Sportage proves it has what it takes to compete with segment stalwarts and does so with flair.
LOWS: Base interior accouterments are too basic, the rear seat isn’t very spacious, doesn’t haul as much cargo as some rivals.
VERDICT: The Macan is one of our favorite SUVs mainly because it adheres to Porsche’s sporting ethos while providing extra space for passengers and gear.
LOWS: Disappointing infotainment interface, puny interior storage bins, the ride can be stiff on the largest available wheels.
VERDICT: Volvo’s unique take on luxury is in full effect in the upscale and handsomely appointed XC60 SUV.
Compact Performance SUV
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Rewards spirited driving, looks and sounds the part, prolific powertrain.
LOWS: Spaciousness is not its forte, lackluster interior materials.
VERDICT: The Stelvio QF mates the Giulia QF sedan’s nimbleness and power with all-wheel-drive traction and wagon-like practicality and begets an SUV that makes your heart pound.
Compact Performance SUV
Porsche Macan GTS
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Endless fun on a twisty road, room for kids and cargo, powerful twin-turbo V-6.
LOWS: Tall riders won’t care for the rear seat, lofty starting price, some rivals offer more cargo space.
VERDICT: Almost magically, Porsche makes the Macan GTS a credible family SUV with the soul of a sports car.
Mid-Size SUV
Ford Bronco
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Thoroughly livable ride, vast configurability, multiple advantages over the Jeep Wrangler.
LOWS: Interior skews more farmhand than fancy, exhaust note doesn’t live up to the excitement of driving one, epic wind noise on the highway.
VERDICT: The Ford Bronco can scratch almost anyone’s itch for a cool-looking SUV with mega off-road capability without sacrificing good paved-road behavior in the process.
Mid-Size SUV
Ford Bronco Raptor
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Rock-crawling, desert-flying capability, 4500-pound tow rating, the 418 bucking broncos under the hood.
LOWS: Fuel mileage is not its forte, ultra-wide stance fills up road lanes and parking spots, begs for the F-150 Raptor’s hairier turbo V-6.
VERDICT: An off-road predator with surprising versatility.
Mid-Size SUV
Honda Passport
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Plenty of space for cargo and passengers, scrappy V-6, base model gets a lot of standard features.
LOWS: Unremarkable driving experience, conservative styling outside and in, lacks a full-on off-road model.
VERDICT: The Passport is a well-rounded family SUV with lots of standard safety tech and a spice-free personality.
Mid-Size SUV
Honda Pilot
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Refined powertrain, actually capable Trailsport model, just as family-friendly as the last version.
LOWS: City fuel economy could be better, entry-level infotainment display is dinky, Honda’s Odyssey minivan remains the more practical choice.
VERDICT: Improvements and a styling refresh make the Pilot a more rugged and more desirable option at the top of Honda’s lineup.
Mid-Size SUV
Hyundai Palisade
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Intuitive control layout, generous standard equipment, value-oriented pricing.
LOWS: Narrow door cubbies, exterior styling isn’t for everyone, large mirrors create wind noise at highway speeds.
VERDICT: If you’re in the market for a comfortable family SUV with a luxury bent, the 2023 Palisade should be on your short list.
LOWS: Base engine is a slouch, some rivals achieve better fuel economy, rear seating could offer more headroom.
VERDICT: The Hyundai Santa Fe is a good value boasting popular features as well as myriad powertrain options—just steer clear of the base engine.
Mid-Size SUV
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Modern design with a rugged vibe, plethora of models, luxury-car trimmings on high-end versions.
LOWS: All-wheel drive costs extra; top models are priced in luxury-brand territory; we’ll miss you, Hemi V-8.
VERDICT: With legit off-roading chops and a refined on-road nature, the Grand Cherokee is equally at home on the trail, on the turnpike, or on its way to the kids’ soccer game.
Mid-Size SUV
Jeep Grand Cherokee L
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Top-spec interiors are downright luxurious, three rows of seats are standard, legitimate off-road ability.
LOWS: Higher pricing than competitors, V-6 engine is rough-edged, V-8’s fuel economy isn’t pretty.
VERDICT: If a big, family-friendly, off-road-capable SUV with luxe accommodations is on your wish list, you might want to put a bow on a Grand Cherokee L.
Mid-Size SUV
Kia Sorento
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: A smaller but more fuel-efficient Telluride with more powertrain options, spacious second-row, pleasant ride.
LOWS: Third row is for kids only, front-wheel-drive models are prone to torque steer, limited towing capacity.
VERDICT: The Sorento offers a lot for a little. It also features a comfortable and spacious interior, as well as a variety of powertrain options.
Mid-Size SUV
Kia Telluride
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Stylish and comfortable family transport, long list of standard features, top models offer near-luxury experience.
LOWS: Sedate on-road demeanor, could be more fuel efficient, occasionally overzealous driver-assistance features.
VERDICT: Well-priced, nicely equipped, and unquestionably refined, the Telluride is the complete package.
Mid-Size SUV
Mazda CX-9
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Engaging road manners, nicely-trimmed cabin, stylish and upscale looks.
LOWS: Larger rivals offer more rear-seat space, snug cargo area with third-row in place, a few more horsepower wouldn’t hurt.
VERDICT: It won’t trick you into thinking it’s a Miata, but the CX-9 embodies the spirit of Mazda’s lovable sports car in a three-row family SUV.
Mid-Size Luxury SUV
BMW X5
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Broad range of powerful powertrains, deluxe interior finishes, intuitive infotainment software.
LOWS: The optional third row is cramped, turbo V-8 is a pricey option, more luxe than sporty.
VERDICT: The X5 offers impressive performance and a whiff of driving fun to go along with its luxury look and premium feel.
LOWS: Snug passenger space in optional third row, twin-turbo V-6 adds a lot of coin to the bottom line, no hybrid or plug-in hybrid option.
VERDICT: When passers-by ask if the GV80 SUV is a Bentley, you know you’re driving something special.
Mid-Size Luxury SUV
Porsche Cayenne
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Strong powertrains, sports-sedan driving traits, impressive 7700 pounds of max trailering.
LOWS: Easily optioned into six-figure territory, rides too stiffly on the largest tires, optional PSCB brakes are touchy.
VERDICT: If you consider an SUV a necessary evil, know that the fun-to-drive Cayenne is a bona fide superhero that’s ready to save the day.
Mid-Size Luxury SUV
Volvo XC90
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Super-Swede styling, a masterpiece of an interior, XC90 Recharge is a quick accelerator.
LOWS: No-adult third row, expensive second-row captain’s-chair option, at these prices pure electric SUVs start to look competitive.
VERDICT: While every Volvo XC90 delivers on the luxurious end of the business, only its plug-in powertrain will wow SUV shoppers who have a need for speed.
Large SUV
Chevrolet Suburban
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Colossal cargo space, compelling 420-hp V-8 and turbodiesel engines, room enough for a town hall meeting.
LOWS: Interior finishes don’t match luxury price at higher trim levels, thirsty V-8s, options quickly hike price.
VERDICT: Confident road manners, acres of space inside, and solid tow capability add up to a likable giant, but all that capability comes at a painful cost at the pump.
Large SUV
Chevrolet Tahoe
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Adult-sized third row, quiet interior, feels agile for its size.
LOWS: Exterior styling isn’t for everyone, a few oddly placed cabin controls, high-end models can cost as much as luxury SUVs.
VERDICT: The Tahoe delivers exactly what buyers want in an XXL SUV: a generously sized cabin, an impressive suite of features, and a broad range of trims to suit a variety of budgets.
Large SUV
GMC Yukon / Yukon XL
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Plenty of space throughout the three rows of seats, several good engine choices, comfortable ride.
LOWS: More expensive than Chevrolet analogue, most models guzzle gas, might not fit in your garage.
VERDICT: Outside of a minivan, there are few vehicles on the road today that offer as much space for passengers and cargo as a Yukon.
Large Luxury SUV
BMW X7
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Quiet as a library inside, ride is velvety smooth, desirable powertrain options.
LOWS: Third row isn’t very roomy, power-folding rear seats are slow, mediocre cargo space.
VERDICT: The X7 is the biggest BMW, but it’s still satisfying to drive and serene to ride in.
Large Luxury SUV
Cadillac Escalade / Escalade ESV
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Luxe interior, high-tech features abound, the debut of the hot-rod V-series variant.
LOWS: Rivals wilder off-road versions, V-6 is sole engine, smallish bed.
VERDICT: Honda has made the Ridgeline a stellar performer for everyday on-road use at the sacrifice of some traditional rough-and-tough pickup capability.
Full-Size Pickup Truck
Ford F-150
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Nicely tailored cabin, wide range of available trims, optional hybrid model offers better fuel economy.
LOWS: Flinty ride quality over imperfect pavement, most desirable equipment limited to top models, nonhybrid powertrains guzzle gas.
VERDICT: From the work-spec XL to the posh Limited trim, there’s an F-150 for every style and budget.
Full-Size Pickup Truck
Ford F-150 Raptor
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Gnarly performance, unbeatable off-road capability, why can’t every pickup ride this smoothly?
LOWS: Lousy V-6 exhaust note, expensive gas bill, there’s a limit to how big a truck can be—and this is it.
VERDICT: The F-150 Raptor is one seriously intense truck, but it’s surprisingly amenable to everyday use as long as you don’t expect it to fit into normal-size parking spots.
Full-Size Pickup Truck
Ram 1500
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Lavish interior, handles and rides well, handsome styling.
LOWS: Can get needlessly expensive, rivals can tow more, no regular-cab option.
VERDICT: The Ram 1500 impresses as a half-ton pickup not based on sheer capability alone, but also by how comfortable and impressive it is off the job site.
Full-Size Pickup Truck
Ram 1500 TRX
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: The quickest gas-powered pickup sold today, an unsinkable off-roader, Bud Light on the outside and Champagne Krug on the inside.
LOWS: Refuels from a trough, larger than most parking spaces, why no rear-drive mode?
VERDICT: The 702-hp TRX is a gift from both the horsepower and off-road gods.
Heavy Duty Pickup Truck
Ram HD
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Big-time towing capacity, high-end models offer posh digs, Power Wagon and Rebel models offer off-road capability.
LOWS: Diesel powertrain uses an ancient six-speed auto, highest-output diesel not offered on all models, sometimes a big truck is too much truck.
VERDICT: The Ram 2500 and 3500 are effective tools with pleasant interiors that their hard-working drivers are sure to appreciate.
City Van
Mercedes-Benz Metris
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Outpaces rivals with more than twice the towing capacity, a higher payload, and one extra seat.
LOWS: More expensive than rivals, thirstier than its peers, less warranty coverage than competitors.
VERDICT: The Metris is the class leader of a vanishing class.
Minivan
Chrysler Pacifica
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Stows ‘n Goes hard, available AWD and PHEV options, the only relevant Chrysler.
LOWS: PHEV is FWD-only, AWD sinks fuel economy, PHEV’s uppermost trim is eye-wateringly expensive.
VERDICT: The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica’s interior versatility, as well as its variety of powertrain and drivetrain options, helps this minivan stand out in this fiercely competitive segment.
Minivan
Honda Odyssey
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Reconfigurable seating, desirable driver-assists are standard, quick acceleration among minivans.
LOWS: Heavy second-row seats are a pain to remove, stiff ride on optional large-diameter wheels, dated infotainment system.
VERDICT: With a flexible interior, a generous roster of standard features, and surprisingly eager performance and handling, the Odyssey is well-rounded and compellingly competent.
Minivan
Kia Carnival
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Smooth-running V-6 engine, supple ride, attractive inside and out.
LOWS: Front-wheel drive only, not as much room for cargo as other vans, optional second-row reclining chairs can’t be removed.
VERDICT: The Carnival hauls like a van, looks like an SUV, and rides like a luxury car, and this blend of traits make it an excellent choice.
Full-Size Vans
Ford Transit
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Handy driver-assistance features, quieter inside than rivals, helpful fleet-management apps for businesses.
LOWS: GM’s archaic commercial vans are cheaper, warranty coverage is basic, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter offers a higher max payload capacity.
VERDICT: The Transit combines value, features, and versatility in a van that’s ready to be put to work—or set up as a camper for overlanding adventures.
Electric SUV
Ford Mustang Mach E
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Tesla-rivaling acceleration, stylish on the inside and out, competitive range.
LOWS: A Mustang coupe is more exciting on a twisty road, the muscliest model is priced way higher than desirable lower-end Mach-Es, some models have a stiff ride.
VERDICT: The Mustang Mach-E excels at being an electric SUV, but it isn’t as exciting as America’s first pony car.
Electric SUV
Hyundai Ioniq 5
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Undeniably distinctive design, rapid fast-charging capability, entertaining to drive and rides really well.
LOWS: Not a lot of space in the frunk, surprisingly wide turning circle, no wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
VERDICT: With look-at-me styling, quick charging, and fun driving traits, the Ioniq 5 excites us for Hyundai’s electric future.
LOWS: Limited front-trunk space, infotainment system is more retro than futuristic.
VERDICT: Affordable, lively, and easy to live with, the EV6 electric SUV does most everything right.
Electric SUV
Volkswagen ID.4
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Practical and cargo-friendly cabin, decent driving range with the larger battery pack, quiet when cruising.
LOWS: Infotainment system isn’t as intuitive as we’d like, unexciting driving dynamics, base model doesn’t offer as much range as more expensive trims.
VERDICT: The ID.4 is an electric car for the people, but it provides drivers little to get enthused about.
Luxury Electric SUV
BMW iX
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Gut-punch EV power, cossetting ride quality, futuristic and fashionable interior.
LOWS: Styling won’t appeal to everyone, rear-seat riders sit low, high-performance M60 model is downright expensive.
VERDICT: If the iX is the harbinger of BMW’s electric future, tomorrow is looking bright.
LOWS: Not as quick as rival EVs, infotainment menus are confusing, ride can be harsh over potholes.
VERDICT: Cadillac’s first stab at an electric SUV forgoes performance in favor of luxury and comfort.
Luxury Electric SUV
Genesis GV60
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Off-beat design, athletic driving demeanor, punchy electric powertrain.
LOWS: Some rivals offer more range, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto don’t work wirelessly, Hyundai and Kia models offer similar performance for less money.
VERDICT: Genesis’s first stab at a luxury EV SUV has pierced right through to the heart of that growing market.
Electric Pickup Truck
Ford F-150 Lightning
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Electric motors pack a wallop, practical cabin and frunk storage area, looks just like your neighbor’s gas F-150.
LOWS: Longer-range battery is an expensive upgrade, lousy range when towing, this year’s gigantic price hikes.
VERDICT: The F-150 Lightning is for buyers who want a full-size EV pickup truck that looks just like its gas-powered stablemates—and who don’t need to tow heavy trailers long distances.
Electric Pickup Truck
Rivian R1T
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: An EV pickup that can go anywhere, explosively quick Quad-Motor model, multiple clever design features.
LOWS: Costly starting price, no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, off-road tires sap on-road range.
VERDICT: The R1T is the electric pickup truck of the moment, and its engineering is as impressive as its performance.
Coupes, Convertibles, Hatchbacks, Sedans, and Wagons
Subcompact Car
Kia Rio
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Confident driving manners, standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, among the most affordable new cars.
LOWS: Too small to seat rear passengers comfortably, lacks performance, not much cargo capacity.
VERDICT: Packed with popular standard tech features and parsimonious with your gas money, the Rio is a good car at a great price.
LOWS: Lackadaisical acceleration, smaller back seat than competitors, base model’s spartan cabin.
VERDICT: The updated Versa remains a cheap, well-appointed subcompact sedan packing a surprising number of driver-assistance features.
Compact
Honda Civic
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Exterior styling with some flair, spacious interior, budget-friendly pricing.
LOWS: Could stand a few more horsepower, why no stick on the sedan?
VERDICT: The current-production Civic carries on the tradition of fuel efficiency and joyful road manners and elevates it with handsome exterior and interior design.
Compact
Mazda 3
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Top models feel premium inside, handsome interior design, nimble handling.
LOWS: Hatchback model suffers poor rear visibility, punchy turbo engine is an expensive add-on, six-speed manual not offered with all-wheel drive.
VERDICT: Mazda’s compact sedan and hatchback look sharp, feel upscale, and are lovely to drive, traits that make the 3 special in the world of small cars.
Compact
Toyota Prius
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Hot new styling, beefed-up performance, same great fuel efficiency.
LOWS: New lower roofline results in slightly less headroom, rearward visibility, cargo room.
VERDICT: The Prius has finally become the best version of itself, with a sexy shape that finally matches its sexy fuel economy.
Sport Compact Car
Honda Civic Type R
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Has more grip than most people have nerves, hits 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, a hot hatch that’s easy to live with.
LOWS: Big performance lasts only as long as its tiny fuel tank, excessive road noise, interior only comes in two-tone red and black.
VERDICT: To car enthusiasts it’s swoon-worthy, but the motoring masses will also appreciate the Civic Type R’s charms and built-in practicality.
Sport Compact Car
Honda Civic Si
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Crisp-shifting manual, impressive front-drive grip, a more-affordable GTI alternative with more standard equipment.
LOWS: 50 horses short of greatness, lacks heated seats or adaptive dampers, entertaining exhaust sound is MIA.
VERDICT: The Civic Si is a scrappy compact sports sedan that most people can afford—but it’s begging for a bump in horsepower.
LOWS: Polarizing nose design, interior reveals its econo-car roots, sunroof exclusive to automatic-equipped cars.
VERDICT: What’s not to love about the boisterous Hyundai Elantra N’s impressive athleticism, snorting exhaust, four-door convenience, and affordable price?
VERDICT: The supreme driving delights of a Golf GTI come wrapped in a compact package of practicality and value.
Sport Compact Car
Volkswagen Golf R
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Recommended daily dose of horsepower and torque, exquisite handling behavior, any excuse to drive one is the right one.
LOWS: Starting price puts it close to hotter competition, the wrong direction in infotainment design, a larger rear bias for Drift mode wouldn’t hurt.
VERDICT: The Golf R takes everything we love about the GTI and adds more horsepower with all-wheel drive but at the expense of what made the Golf so tempting: affordability.
Sport Compact Car
Volkswagen Jetta GLI
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: An engine with a kick, confident handling, civilized ride.
LOWS: All-season tires, the manual shifter has too long a throw, seats could use more lateral support.
VERDICT: The Jetta GLI would be a better GTI alternative with the right tires, but its span of nice-to-have standard features is impressive.
LOWS: Rear seating is short on headroom, interior design lacks character, mediocre braking.
VERDICT: Enthusiasts will enjoy how effortless it is to drive the A5 Sportback quickly, but those requiring more rear-seat space should consider the mechanically similar A4 sedan.
Entry-Luxury Car
BMW 3-Series
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: A trio of powerful, refined powertrains, balanced ride and handling, spacious cabin.
LOWS: Steering feel is lacking, some optional features are standard on rivals, we yearn for a six-speed manual gearbox.
VERDICT: The 3-series is a chameleon with multiple personalities, able to dance down a curvy road gracefully, tip-toe through town, or blaze down an Interstate as if it were an autobahn.
Entry-Luxury Car
BMW 4-Series Gran Coupe
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Balanced ride and handling, plenty of standard features, sweet engines range from frisky to ferocious.
LOWS: Could use a bit more interior flair, snug rear-seat headroom, distant steering feel.
VERDICT: The 4-series Gran Coupe is a 3-series sedan in designer duds.
Entry-Luxury Car
Genesis G70
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Beautifully finished cabin, sporty handling and performance, even the 365-hp version represents a great value.
LOWS: Tight back seat, base four-cylinder feels lazy, having to explain what a Genesis is.
VERDICT: The G70’s affordable pricing doesn’t sacrifice how much fun it is to drive or compromise its spiffiness inside or out.
LOWS: Automatic transmission is the only choice, cabin lacks rich material quality, brand’s not known for reliability.
VERDICT: The Giulia Quadrifoglio has obvious flaws, but its blistering performance, adroit handling, and drop-dead-gorgeous styling keep it near the top of our sports-sedan wish list.
Sports Sedan
BMW M3
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Silky-smooth straight-six horsepower, available six-speed manual, base model is a surprisingly comfy commuter.
LOWS: Overwhelming number of drive-mode settings, no manual-transmission option for Competition model, a little too much kidney grille.
VERDICT: The M3 is a thrilling, top-tier driver’s car that’s roomy, handsomely appointed, and track-attack ready.
Sports Coupe
BMW M4
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Blazing acceleration, daily-commutable, long-live the manual transmission.
LOWS: We want more steering feedback, dizzyingly complicated drive-mode settings, digital tach is hard to read at-a-glance.
VERDICT: The M4 is a soul-satisfying high-power thrill ride no matter how it’s ordered, but it’s still a few details short of the perfect M car.
Sports Sedan
Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Wired-to-your-brain steering, near-faultless chassis, comfortable enough for everyday use.
LOWS: Slower than the BMW M3, interior is still very General Motors, it won’t be around much longer.
VERDICT: The CT4-V Blackwing delivers track-worthy driving manners without sacrificing the comfort required for daily commutes to work.
Sports Coupe
Mercedes-AMG C63
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Burbling V-8 exhaust note, bonkers acceleration, sharp handling.
LOWS: Uncomfortable ride over the lumps and bumps, best driver-assistance tech costs extra, unimpressive basic warranty.
VERDICT: The C63 is one of the best V-8–powered sports coupes in the world but, sadly, taking its final victory lap.
Premium Sports Sedan
Audi RS7
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Through-the-worm-hole acceleration, eye-catching design inside and out, rear-wheel steering helps it hustle.
LOWS: More luxury than hardcore, no hoon-happy drift mode, weighs almost 5000 pounds.
VERDICT: The Audi RS7 has the looks of a comic-book villain with the performance and polish of a high-horsepower superhero.
LOWS: Performance is felt more than heard, styling is too stealthy, the steering lacks the feel and feedback that M cars once featured.
VERDICT: The M5’s mind-boggling power, artillery-grade acceleration, glued-to-the-road handling, and posh accommodations make it one of the most formidable luxury sports sedans sold today.
Premium Sports Sedan
Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Fiery V-8 power, razor-sharp handling, Comfort mode dials down the ride stiffness to near-luxury-car levels.
LOWS: Manual transmission locks you out of driver-assistance features, some rivals offer more flash, a few cheap plastic bits inside.
VERDICT: Although it has a few minor flaws, the CT5-V Blackwing remains our favorite V-8–powered sports sedan thanks to its balanced handling and explosive acceleration.
LOWS: You’ve got to pay to play, they aren’t making any more of these after 2023.
VERDICT: The AMG E63 S is a dual-nature machine, offering both ballistic performance and luxury accommodations.
Mid-Size Luxury Car
Audi A6
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Effortless power from the optional turbocharged V-6, tech-heavy features list, nicely trimmed interior.
LOWS: Driver involvement sacrificed for comfort, bland styling, bin and cubby space is limited.
VERDICT: Neither breathtaking to drive nor to look at, the A6 nonetheless delivers on its promise of luxury—and offers a high-tech user experience as a bonus.
LOWS: Base four-cylinder underwhelms, fussy infotainment touchpad, leather’s not standard at these prices?
VERDICT: The Mercedes-Benz E-class prioritizes soul-soothing tranquility over heart-pounding thrills, which is just as it should be.
Full-Size Luxury Car
Genesis G90
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Heavenly ride quality, hushed cabin, generous standard luxury features.
LOWS: Fuel-economy ratings are lower than other V-6 rivals, handling could be more entertaining, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto aren’t wireless.
VERDICT: The redesigned G90 has stepped up its luxury game while still managing to undercut key rivals on price.
Full-Size Luxury Car
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: The pinnacle of modern automotive luxury, a wealth of horsepower from both powertrains, lavish mechanicals such as active air suspension and rear-wheel steering.
LOWS: Semi-autonomous driving tech is no match for a chauffeur, a subtle design across a 17-foot canvas, 5000 pounds of car.
VERDICT: It may be lonely at the top for the S500 and more powerful S580 sedans, but you won’t feel anything but well-looked-after when you travel in an S-class cruise ship.
Station Wagon
Subaru Outback
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: More ground clearance than a regular wagon, plenty of space for cargo, nicely equipped with standard tech features.
LOWS: Poky with base four-cylinder, boring to drive, engine drones during acceleration thanks to CVT.
VERDICT: Its rugged looks make it attractive to those with outdoorsy lifestyles, but the Outback’s practicality and ride comfort make it a good choice for families too.
Luxury Station Wagon
Audi A6 Allroad
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Massive cargo area behind rear seats, posh styling, more off-road capability than the smaller A4 Allroad.
LOWS: Touchscreen dashboard isn’t always intuitive, automatic transmission sometimes stumbles, starting price is on the high side.
VERDICT: The A6 Allroad is the perfect luxury car for those who need utility but want to avoid an SUV.
LOWS: Not cheap, guzzles gas, the upmarket charge for any color besides gray.
VERDICT: The RS6 Avant does it all, combining supercar performance with station wagon usability.
Luxury Station Wagon
Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Gut-punch performance, asphalt-ripping handling, it’s a wagon with a Drift mode.
LOWS: One of the last purebred firebreathers, no complimentary maintenance.
VERDICT: This is likely the last AMG wagon ever to run on petrol alone–and its big, bad, burly twin-turbo V-8 thunder will be dearly missed.
Luxury Station Wagon
Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Deluxe interior environs, cavernous cargo bay, high-tech features abound.
LOWS: Ride quality isn’t as refined as expected, rugged styling hampers overall elegance, interior storage cubbies are too small.
VERDICT: All the practicality and driving verve of a car with a thin veneer of SUV styling.
Luxury Station Wagon
Volvo V60 / V60 Cross Country
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Attractive exterior design, upscale interior digs, Polestar Engineered model combines speed with hybrid efficiency.
LOWS: New infotainment system isn’t as user-friendly as the old, Polestar model rides stiffly.
VERDICT: For SUV avoiders, the V60 and V60 Cross Country wagons offer similar space and flexibility with more driving verve.
Luxury Station Wagon
Volvo V90 Cross Country
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Tasteful exterior styling, high-end interior appointments, more cargo friendly than a sedan.
LOWS: Pseudo-SUV ride height gives it a truckish feel, infotainment icons are too small, not as quick as rival station wagons.
VERDICT: If you’re ok with its not-quite-an-SUV status, the V90 Cross Country offers a premium, cargo-friendly package with polished curb appeal.
Electric Car
BMW i4
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: M50 is quicker than an M3 with a better ride-handling balance, practical hatchback body style.
LOWS: Somber steering, eDrive35 and M50 models lack range, can we tone down the artificial soundtrack, please?
VERDICT: Inside the i4’s traditional BMW body lives an impressive EV powertrain and one of the brand’s better chassis, which gives us hope that the all-electric future will be exciting.
Luxury Electric Car
Lucid Air
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: World’s longest electric driving range, spacious and modern cabin, blistering acceleration.
LOWS: Tire noise permeates cabin, fussy infotainment interface, interior materials aren’t up to the high asking price.
VERDICT: Swift, stylish, and state-of-the-art, the Air is a formidable electric luxury sedan, a vehicle made all the more impressive because it’s Lucid’s first-ever product.
Luxury Electric Car
Porsche Taycan
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Endless acceleration, drives like a Porsche, quick recharging capability.
LOWS: Doesn’t offer the most range, can be difficult to get in and out of, fast-charger port only on one side.
VERDICT: The Taycan takes everything to love about driving Porsches and puts it into an incredibly stylish electric sedan.
Luxury Electric Car
Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Thrilling acceleration; more rear passenger space than Taycan sedan; wagon lovers, here’s your EV.
LOWS: Middling EPA range numbers, more expensive than the already-expensive Taycan sedan.
VERDICT: It’s hard to say no to a wagonized version of one of our favorite hot-rod EVs—an electric sports car disguised as a wagon.
Muscle Car
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Horsepower that’s always hot and ready, big racetrack energy, incredible performance value.
LOWS: Lack of outward visibility, plastic interior is less than fantastic, beefed-up 1LE suspension is too hardcore—even for us.
VERDICT: Preparing for a track day with the Camaro ZL1 is as easy as filling its gas tank and booting the right pedal.
Muscle Car
Ford Mustang
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: An entire lineup of fun, better visibility than Camaro, expansive suite of available performance packages.
LOWS: Hard plastic interior isn’t up to the asking price, Mach 1 costs almost as much as a Corvette.
VERDICT: Like cake, there are many ways to bake a perfect Ford Mustang, but ordering one without the V-8 is like forgetting the flour.
Affordable Sports Car
Mazda MX-5 Miata
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: A chassis that loves to zig, telepathic steering, two great open-top designs.
LOWS: Taller drivers will be scrunched, noisy cabin on the highway, who hid the glove box?
VERDICT: The MX-5 Miata offers an old-school sports-car driving experience that’ll have you joyfully rowing gears and happy that sunblock was invented.
Affordable Sports Car
Subaru BRZ
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Small and light, peppy and responsive flat-four engine, an absolute hoot to drive.
VERDICT: Built by enthusiasts for enthusiasts at a budget price point—a tempting combo for folks who appreciate a fun drive but don’t have Corvette money.
Affordable Sports Car
Toyota GR86
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: How steering should feel, big fun on serpentine roads, affordable sports-car entertainment.
LOWS: Road and wind noise pummel the ears, engine sounds like it’s got a stomachache, you call that a rear seat?
VERDICT: Long live the manual transmission, especially when it’s packaged within something as fun as the Toyota GR86.
Sports Car
Chevrolet Corvette
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Exotic sports-car performance, easy to live with on a daily basis, high-end trim offers a premium experience.
LOWS: No manual transmission offered, lacks high-tech driver-assists, not everyone loves the squared-off steering wheel.
VERDICT: Chevrolet’s supercar-killer puts exotic-level performance within reach for the average Joe and Joanne.
Sports Car
Porsche 718 Boxster
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Grips like hell, handles like heaven, steers like the Almighty designed the steering rack.
LOWS: Four-cylinders’ gravelly soundtrack, stingy with cargo space, base interior’s dreary materials.
VERDICT: The 718 Boxster is a thoroughbred sports car that can both savage serpentine roads and comfortably devour Interstates while making you feel like a hero driver every mile of the way. That’s why it’s one of our favorite cars of all time.
Sports Car
Porsche 718 Cayman
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Endless thrills behind the wheel, both the manual and the automatic are great, broad range of models and performance levels.
LOWS: Could use more interior storage cubbies, the base engine lacks the dulcet tones of the optional flat-six, options carry brow-raising prices.
VERDICT: There are few cars on the road today that can satisfy drivers quite like the Porsche 718 Cayman.
Sports Car
Toyota GR Supra
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Well-put-together cabin, spunky driving dynamics, mega turbocharged inline-six.
LOWS: Hard to see out of, lots of borrowed BMW interior bits, just try to get in and out of it gracefully.
VERDICT: The GR Supra pleases and surprises with equally large doses of performance, refinement, and attitude that combine to make it one great sports car.
LOWS: Stiff ride in most aggressive driving mode, guzzles gasoline like a truck, perhaps not as flashy as a European exotic.
VERDICT: With fiery performance and a relatively accessible price tag, the new Corvette Z06 makes an incendiary entrance into the elite league of supercars.
Premium Sports Car
McLaren Artura
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Snappy hybrid powertrain, sharp on the track but comfortable on the road, provides some electric-only driving range.
LOWS: Lacks auditory drama of other sports cars, styling might be too restrained for some, limited top speed in EV mode.
VERDICT: McLaren’s latest hybrid blends sports-car performance with daily drivability and decent fuel economy.
Premium Sports Car
Porsche 911
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: A performance car for all seasons, the benchmark for steering feel, powerful turbocharged flat-six engines.
LOWS: Limited interior cubby storage, automatic shifter takes getting used to, pricing that starts at high and goes up from there.
VERDICT: The 911 is thrilling to drive, easy to live with, and well worth aspiring to—and Porsche knows exactly what that’s worth.
Premium Sports Car
Porsche 911 GT3 / GT3 RS
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Spectacular handling, telepathic steering, a flat-six sent from heaven.
LOWS: Prices that run from expensive to if-we-ever-hit-the-lottery.
VERDICT: The 911 GT3 models are Porsche’s gift to car enthusiasts, special and rare automobiles that make driving—slowly or quickly, on the road or on the racetrack—a soul-stirring experience.
Premium Sports Car
Porsche 911 Turbo / Turbo S
Review, Pricing, and Specs
HIGHS: Closer than most to the speed of light, rocket-like launch control, endless lateral grip.
LOWS: Deep pockets required, begging for a manual transmission, sometimes rides too stiff.
VERDICT: Having the income to withstand a 911 Turbo into your budget is one thing, but having the discipline to keep your driver’s license after buying one is another.
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Previous Winners
2022 Editors’ Choice: The Best New Cars, Trucks, SUVs, and Minivans
2021 Editors’ Choice: The Best New Cars, Trucks, SUVs, and Minivans
2020 Editors’ Choice: The Best New Cars, Trucks, SUVs, and Minivans
2019 Editors’ Choice: The Best New Sedans, Hatchbacks, Coupes, and Convertibles
2019 Editors’ Choice: The Best New Trucks, SUVs, and Minivans
