The Volkswagen Golf GTI is all-new for 2022. So new, in fact, that many dealers still don’t have them in stock. For the dealers that do have these hot hatches in stock, they’ve put them out with hot new markups. Once again, dealers have gone and made the once relatively affordable vehicle unaffordable, putting this hatch at a price level comparable to its spicy brother, the Golf R.
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Screenshot: Volkswagen
The 2022 GTI comes with three rim levels with pricing ranging from $29,545 to $37,995, that’s according to VW. As for dealers’ plans, of the nearly 400 new 2022 GTI’s I found for sale across the country, over130 have pricing over $43,000. That’s at least $5,000 to over $13,000 over standard pricing.
Screenshot: AutoFair Volkswagen
AutoFair VW of Nashua in Merrimack, NH has a ‘22 GTI in stock for $43,899. What’s wild is that this is the price after a $3,000 price drop.
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Screenshot: Vista Volkswagen
Or how about Vista VW in Pompeo Beach, FL who’s asking nearly $47,000 for their GTI (remember the SE starts at $34,295).
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Screenshot: Northhampton Volkswagen
Then there’s Northhampton VW in Northhampton, MA. They have what looks to be the highest-priced GTI in the country right now. There is a blue ‘22 GTI SE in stock that they claim has an MSRP of $47,339 with a suspiciously absent window sticker link. Except that MSRP is impossible to achieve on a GTI SE. With every option box ticked, even accessories, a GTI won’t crack $42,000. But the dealer is asking $47,787 for it, a price ironically called the “Love It Price.”
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If we look at pricing for the more powerful sibling, the 2022 Golf R, it starts at $43,645 and can top out at $45,440 if you opt for the seven-speed DSG transmission. So, you can pay the same money for a less powerful car?
Unfortunately, if you’re shopping for a GTI, it looks as if a $3,000 to $5,000 markup on top of MSRP isn’t really uncommon, and might remain common for a while. Buyers looking to purchase a GTI may have no choice but to pay these prices, and I’m sure once the Golf R starts hitting dealers, they’ll go for Audi money.
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When I saw the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS450+ in person, I laughed out loud, the same way I’d laugh at an ugly-cute goofy pug with a silly face and a perpetually stuck-out tongue. What on earth is this? Why do you look like that, huh? Aw, such a cutie!
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The EQS450+ was my first experience with a Mercedes-Benz, and it was certainly a confounding one. I had a great time. I was also confused. I loved it but had no desire to ever own it or be seen driving it on a daily basis. It’s the kind of vehicle that requires you to see the reflection of beauty through a not-so-beautiful veneer — and honestly, I love that for the EQS.
Full Disclosure: Mercedes provided the EQS450+ to A Girls Guide to Cars during our three-day test drive of multiple vehicles. I got a chance to take it for a short spin. All opinions are my own.
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
What Is It?
The all-new EQS is Mercedes’ first effort at using a platform exclusively designed for electric models, and it’s also the first fully-electric vehicle from the brand’s EQ line to make it over here to North America.
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I drove the Pinnacle trim of the Mercedes-Benz EQS450+ during my test drive. The standard model includes the following features:
$102,310 starting price
329 horsepower and 419 lb-ft of torque
One motor, rear-wheel drive
Adaptive air suspension and rear-wheel steering
107.8 kWh usable battery capacity
350 miles EPA-estimated range
0.20 drag coefficient
70 percent charge in 35 minutes with a DC fast charger
11 hours and 15 minute charge for Level 2 charger
The model I drove also added:
The 56-inch curved Hyperscreen ($7,230)
Augmented reality head-up display ($2,000)
Exclusive Trim ($1,575) that added things like massaging seats, four-zone climate control, and an in-dash climate menu
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There’s also a much more powerful EQS580 trim if you want its 516 horsepower and 611 lb-ft of torque. Its $120,000 starting price is also much higher.
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
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Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
Okay, Let’s Talk About Those Looks
The Mercedes-AMG EQS 450+ is kind of cute in an ugly way, like how you look at a porpoise and think, “That is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” That largely comes down to two descriptors I can only think to describe as Long and Round.
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You’ll probably hear some reviewers talk about sleek lines or futuristic curves that cut through the air with excellent aerodynamic efficiency. Not me. This car is goofy-looking as hell from the outside, and I absolutely adore it for that reason. It’s not sexy. It’s not pretty. It’s not really classy. It’s a shapely blob, for which I am sure there is a market.
But that shapely blobbiness is great for anyone who spends their time inside this car. The 126.4-inch wheelbase makes for a spacious interior where rear-seat passengers will luxuriate in plenty of arm and legroom. It’s also comfortable for a shorter driver like myself, which can be a difficult feat for a larger sedan.
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It’s ultra luxurious, reminiscent of the standard S-Class sedan in the sense that you can climb behind the wheel and feel right at home — as long as your home features headrest pillows, ambient lighting, massaging leather seats, and a near-executive rear seat.
The strangest part, though, was climbing in and being surrounded by screens. I’ll talk more about the tech below, but the Wall Of Screen was a serious contrast to what was otherwise a warm and comfortable interior. The addition of mega-screens makes the EQS feel cold and utilitarian inside. That’s fine if that’s the vibe you’re going for — a lot of automakers think ‘electric’ must equal ‘spartan and modern’ — but it just didn’t work for me. That’s an aesthetic you have to commit to all the way through the interior of the car, and that’s not what happened here.
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Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
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How Does The Mercedes-Benz EQS450+ Drive?
I can’t give you many comparisons here. This was my first time driving a Mercedes, so I can’t compare the EQS to a combustion-engined S-Class. I also can’t compare it to its Tesla or Lucid competitors in the EV world. I can only give you my vacuum impressions. You may do with them what you will.
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That being said, the drive in the Mercedes-Benz EQS450+ was delicious. There’s an exceptional blend of power and lightness that makes for a really unique experience behind the wheel. If you’re cruising on the highway or through a subdivision, you’ll feel like you’re floating on a magic carpet. The Benz absorbs all the bumps, and its near-silent cabin creates a feeling of isolation. It’s just you, hovering around through the world.
But if you’re taking a sharp turn or accelerating, the EQS450+ really highlights where EVs shine. All that torque goes immediately to the wheels, so all your throttle inputs will be instantaneous. It’s a really satisfying feeling that reminds me of the days when I used to go for long-distance runs, where I’d hit mile five and find this groove where I felt powerful, like every step I took was propelling me through the world both physically and metaphorically. I felt grounded.
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The transition between floating and settling down into the pavement isn’t jarring, either. You can feel the Benz hunker down and make the most of that minimal drag coefficient as you press the throttle. It’s an incredible experience.
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
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Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
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An SUV Masquerading As A Sedan
Because of its length and weight, the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ feels a lot more like an SUV than it does a sedan. It’s not cumbersome to drive or park, but you can never shake the sense that you’re driving an absolutely massive piece of machinery. It reminded me of a more tech-heavy version of my 1996 Suburban than it does a traditional sedan — but that’s probably not a terrible thing for a market that wants Really Big Vehicles.
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The electric motor provides instant torque, and you’ll get 10-degree rear-axle steering, so this car doesn’t handle like an SUV in certain ways. You can swing into a tight space at the grocery store no problem. You can jump from start instantly. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had a formidable yacht around me, an absolute beast of the sea. It was heavy, though not impossible to maneuver. It was large but not impossible to drive. It’s all those Large Parts of an SUV without the higher hip height. It makes for a bit of a strange driving experience.
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Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
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I Don’t Know What To Do With All This Tech
My husband used to be a sales associate at a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Montreal, and he’s spent the entire duration of our marriage telling me that no automaker is as luxuriously high-tech as Mercedes. I have never discounted this observation. I’ve just also never felt the need to drive an extremely tech-heavy car. I still have a hard time dealing with a tiny infotainment screen.
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So I think it’s probably a little bit of an understatement to say that the EQS’s offerings are a bit overwhelming. After I laughed out loud at the exterior, I also laughed out loud at the absolutely massive Hyperscreen. I wanted to ask it if it was compensating for something. I wanted to ask why such a cute fella needs such a big screen.
Functionally, the Hyperscreen is great. A single piece of curved glass, it’s a gorgeous feat of technological innovation that works with rapid speed due to an eight-core processor and 24 gigabytes of RAM. You tap on anything, and there’s not going to be lag. You’re immediately transported to the place you chose to go in the infotainment system.
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The graphics are also gorgeous, but again, it’s a little bit Much. There’s a screen for the driver, one of the passenger, and a tall screen in the center, and in those latter two, you can access everything from radio controls to vehicle settings to satellite maps to photo galleries to video games. I did poke around the Tetris game and found it took a while to load but was otherwise fun. I still can’t imagine myself using an infotainment screen instead of my phone for gaming, though.
Even worse, you still get a lot of glare, despite the fact that Mercedes tried its best to avoid that. There’s not really anything you’re going to be able to do about the reflection of the sun when it’s especially bright.
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You can also navigate with conversational commands after saying, “Hey Mercedes.” As in, you can say something like, “Hey Mercedes, I want coffee,” and your car will find you the nearest coffee spots. I used to hate voice commands because it was next to impossible to actually get what you were asking for, but this modern iteration that you see on luxury cars has really changed the game. I don’t have to think up the robotic command I’d need to change the radio station. I can just say it.
The digital dashboard was also one hell of a feature. You can cycle through tons of different displays, most of which are just mind boggling. You can literally have your navigation map displayed on your dashboard — and I don’t mean you get a little box that has navigation. The whole screen turns into a map. I’m sure some folks will enjoy it, but it was massively overwhelming for me.
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As was the augmented reality navigation, which feels a little bit more video game-y than anything else. Maybe I’m just too old to appreciate these things.
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
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The Verdict
It’s difficult to offer a verdict for a car that I can’t compare to the other vehicles in its class, I can say that the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS450+ is a delightful vehicle that transforms much of what makes Mercedes special into a flagship luxury sedan — but it does feel like the German automaker couldn’t decide what it wanted to do. It tried to combine modern austerity with Benz’s traditional elegance, and it works… but it’s probably not going to work for everyone. It didn’t work for me, but it could very well work for you. And you know what? I respect a delightfully polarizing car.
BMW said Friday that it would stop making internal combustion engines at its Munich plant by 2024, in another step towards going even more in the direction of electric. This is not an end to new internal combustion engine production for BMW, but it feels like the beginning of the end.
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From Reuters:
The ICE engines currently made in Munich will be produced in BMW’s factories in Austria and the UK in future, production chief Milan Nedeljkovic said, though cars using the engines will still be assembled at the Munich plant.
Still, by 2023 at least half the vehicles produced in Munich would be electrified - either battery electric or plug-in hybrid, the company said.
BMW has set itself a target for at least 50% of new global car sales to be electric by 2030, and CEO Oliver Zipse said at a conference last week the company would be ready with an all-electric offering if any market banned ICEs by then.
BMW’s next big EV offering — in America, at least — is the iX, which is intended to be Tesla Model X competitor and which is really quite good and, at $83,200, is significantly cheaper than the $99,990 Model X. There is also the i4, which seems like a Model 3 competitor, or possibly a Model Y competitor if you want to be generous, and starts at $56,395. The i4 will also be the first all-electric BMW M car.
Europe, meanwhile, still gets the i3, which is no longer offered in the U.S., probably because it is a small electric car that was also very expensive, a particularly bad combination for the American market, even if the i3 was fine for what it was. Of the two all-electric BMWs that are coming to the U.S., the iX seems like it has the best shot, a car for people who live in the Northeast offended by Tesla and Elon Musk’s new-money vibe. I can’t wait, in a couple years, to see a bunch of them in Maine.
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In December of 2020 the average price of a new car in this country topped $40,000 for the first time ever. Nearly a year later, we can wave goodbye to the $45,000 mark.
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September’s $45,031 average makes for the sixth-consecutive month of rising average new car prices, each one setting a new record high, according to Kelley Blue Book. In August it was $43,418. Blame SUVs and full-size pickups comprising ever-larger slices of the overall sales pie, compared to back in the summer when smaller crossovers and passenger cars were stronger. Luxury brands shifted more vehicles last month, too.
Still, the overall number of cars sold in September was down 7.3 percent compared to where it’d been in August. That leaves September as one of the worst-performing months in terms of sales volume of the last 10 years.
So, in short, fewer new cars left the lots but more of them were on the pricier side. KBB’s average prices don’t factor incentives, but those have roundly diminished across the board, too:
Incentive spending fell in September to another record low, dropping to 5.2% of [average transaction price] last month, a decrease from 5.6% in August 2021 and well below the 10.0% of ATP recorded in September 2020. Porsche, Land Rover, Genesis, Subaru and Toyota had among the lowest incentive spend last month, all 3% of ATP or lower. On the other hand, Alfa Romeo, Buick, Fiat and Infiniti each had incentive levels above 10% of ATP.
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Even among those four brands more desperate for sales, average transaction prices still rose — by 2.6 percent in Fiat’s case and 3.5 percent for Buick, for example. In fact, Acura, Ford, Mini, Subaru and Volkswagen were the only makes surveyed that tended to sell cars for less money in September than they had in August. Subaru appeared to have a particularly difficult September thanks to the chip shortage, even though Crosstreks reportedly spent fewer days on lots than any other nameplate.
And if we hone in on the luxury badges, well, things are truly getting out of hand:
Luxury sales accounted for 16.6% of total market sales, up from 15.1% in September 2020. Luxury share in September was among the highest in the past decade, and luxury buyers paid an average of $60,845 for a new vehicle last month. Further, many luxury brands, notably Acura, Cadillac, Genesis and Mercedes-Benz, achieved year-over-year ATP gains in excess of 20%. Cadillac, for example, saw ATPs jump up more than 32% last month, reaching $81,939.
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Year-over-year average transaction price gains in excess of 20 percent! For an idea of what that looks like in raw prices, the average new Mercedes-Benz cost $59,899 in September 2020. Last month, it cost $75,369. That’s what a 25.8-percent rise represents.
Fair enough, you might think, if those who can pay more choose to — but of course this phenomenon isn’t limited to fancy new cars. Wholesale prices of used cars are also setting records after it seemed they might taper off late in the summer. It’s no surprise that nearly half of new car buyers KBB surveyed in August said they’ll probably delay their shopping for several months to a full year. Anyone brave enough to bet that things will be better by then?
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Cars like the Toyota 86 rarely happen once, and they sure as hell don’t happen twice. The fact it’s lived to another generation is the single most surprising thing about its successor, the GR 86. And I can prove it’s real — as I type this I’m wearing the same dumb grin I had when I drove it. Actually, my face may be permanently stuck this way.
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That’s beside the point. The GR 86 is unsurprising because it’s the same rear-wheel drive sports coupe you know, love and begged for a decade ago, with the same happy-go-lucky spirit and democratic philosophy on oversteer. Except now, it’s more eager to wake up and more prepared to keep up. And wasn’t that all the original 86 was ever missing, anyway?
Full disclosure: Toyota corralled myself and a bunch of other sweaty journalists at Monticello Motor Club in New York for a day of track driving, street driving and helmet fitting. Apparently my head size is “large.” They also put us up in a swanky hotel.
Testing conditions: Driven on one of the hottest days of the summer in the Northeast so far, in humid but otherwise clear circumstances.
What Is It?
Gif: Adam Ismail
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If the last Toyota 86 — a.k.a. the BRZ in Subaru speak, or the Scion FR-S for the youths — was the second coming of Car Jesus as Stef Schrader put it in her review of the old car, I suppose that makes the GR 86 the third. Except third Jesus doesn’t sound as important; and besides, this car shares its platform with the last one and even looks pretty similar, if you really unfocus your eyes. So it’s still kind of the second Car Jesus — but better. Car Jesus II+.
The “better,” in this case, is mostly owed to the new engine — a 2.4-liter, naturally aspirated flat-four replacing the 2.0-liter motor in the old car. It makes 228 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, an improvement of 23 HP and 28 lb-ft over the first generation. Also, all that torque hits at 3,700 RPM now. Remember that for later! We’ll come back to it.
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Photo: José Rodriguez Jr.
That’s not to say the engine is all that’s new about the GR 86. The chassis has been stiffened up from front to back, with new diagonal cross members connecting the front suspension to the frame and a ring of steel behind the cabin that ties the upper and lower bones together. The net result is a 50-percent improvement to lateral rigidity.
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Photo: Adam Ismail
An aluminum roof contributes to a lower center of gravity and helps keep the curb weight in check, which hovers around 2,850 pounds depending on transmission and trim. As with the previous car, the new one can be had with a 6-speed manual or an automatic with paddle shifters.
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For all this, Toyota tells us the GR 86 will start “comfortably” under $30,000, including destination. The old 86 started at a shade above $28,000 with destination included by the end of its run. That’s a good sign!
Top Takeaways
The Interior
Photo: José Rodriguez Jr.
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We’ll get to the theatrics you came for in a moment, I promise. I won’t waste time explaining how the GR 86 looks with words, because you can see it in pictures yourself. I think it’s quite sharp, for the record.
But I do want to take a moment to talk about the interior, because aside from moaning about the lack of a turbo, interior quality is the main complaint I’ve seen lobbed at the Toyobaru kids over the years. I suspect my threshold for tacky plastics and the tactile feedback of switchgear is lower than most, because my only car is a Fiesta ST. I’ll admit that I didn’t have a wealth of time to focus on these things while there was an open track in front of me. That said, absolutely nothing about the interior jumped out at me as excessively cheap, flimsy, or indicative of the car’s stature as the entry point of Toyota’s performance family. I’d be perfectly happy spending every day in this interior.
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Photo: Adam Ismail
Of course, the requisite enhancements to the infotainment system and instrument panel make the GR 86 feel more modern. The 8-inch touchscreen is noticeably larger than whatever Nintendo Switch-sized panel was affixed to the dash of the outgoing car, and I genuinely like the new digital speedometer and tach. (Which is saying something, because I feel digital instrument cluster design is almost universally terrible these days, but that’s a soapbox for another time.) Also, I’ll applaud Toyota and Subaru for strangely keeping the auxiliary audio port around, even though the company that makes your phone ditched it five years ago.
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Photo: Adam Ismail
One quirk of the instrument cluster is the torque and horsepower graph to the left of the main dial. A line trailing the Y axis of the graph will move across it as you apply throttle, to inform you of the engine’s current place on the torque curve. I found this useful as I acclimated myself to the car. I doubt I’d care much for it a year into ownership, but that side of the panel can cycle through other groups of information, so it’s not like you have to stare at it if you’d prefer not to.
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On The Track
Photo: Adam Ismail
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Toyota thoughtfully provided both the new GR 86 as well as the old 86 for our little track day, as well as automatic and manual versions of each car and both standard and Premium examples of the new one. Trim happens to be really important when discussing the way this car behaves on track, because it comes with different rubber depending on which package you opt for.
The base GR 86 gets the same 215/45/R17 Michelin Primacy HP tires the old car had, while the Premium benefits from a set of much grippier Pilot Sport 4s wrapped around 18-inch wheels. Yes, you can have more dumb fun with the shittier tires; that said, it’s not impossible to break loose with the stickier rubber, you just have to push a little harder to do it. Personally, I prefer point and squirt traction, but then I’m not especially skilled in the dark arts of oversteer.
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Image: Toyota
No matter what it’s riding on, the GR 86 is a joy. Handling-wise, I struggled to suss out differences between the new and old cars; I’m splitting hairs, maybe the GR 86 felt a little more sure-footed thanks to those aforementioned lateral rigidity enhancements. For the most part, they behave about the same when changing direction: snappily and gladly, with poise. Steering is relatively light in the new car like in the old one, with a slight degree of on-center play that leaves a little room for improvement, but certainly isn’t pronounced enough to be off-putting.
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Perhaps longtime 86 or BRZ owners will notice differences I won’t in corners. But one difference everyone’s sure to notice is the additional torque, and particularly when it strikes. The new 2.4 builds power far more rapidly, and you don’t have to keep it at the absolute top of every gear to get the most out of it. The GR 86 is just a friendlier car to push in that way. And when you do push it, it certainly feels like it has more to give.
Image: Toyota
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Toyota had us lap Monticello’s short course to begin the day, a ribbon of asphalt full of mid-speed bends and few straights. In the GR 86, I could pretty much get around the entire track in third gear if I wasn’t overtly concerned with getting the fastest exit out of every corner. But you’d never want to do that in the original 86, because you’d suffer putting the hammer down out of slower turns, or quickly run out of steam on straights as a consequence of having less overall power. The GR 86’s more accommodating torque curve especially benefits the automatic.
That engine is the real game-changer with the GR 86. It makes the car feel more responsive overall, and I suspect the once-deafening clamor for forced induction will die down a bit with this generation.
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On The Road
Easy way to tell a base GR 86 apart from a Premium one: wheel color. The silver 17-inch rims indicate a standard model.Photo: Adam Ismail
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I took to the undulating, forested roads of Monticello in one of the standard examples Toyota had on hand, with its inferior tires and cloth seats. Out on the road, two things stuck out at me.
First, the ride is harsh. “Of course it is, Captain Obvious” I’m sure you’re thinking. But, the judder from each imperfection in the asphalt was likely a bit dampened compared to the jolt my Fiesta would’ve shot up my spine. If you’re especially concerned with comfort, you’re not finding that here. The base seats were surprisingly pleasant, though.
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Image: Toyota
Second, I much prefer the clutch pedal in the newer coupe. The old 86’s bite point was really far back, and right behind it was an audible “clonk” with every complete depression. The GR 86 doesn’t emit this discomforting noise, and I found the clutch more intuitive, particularly with takeoffs. The gearbox is perfect for those who prefer notchy, short throws. If I had one gripe, diagonal movements, like shifting from third to fourth, were met with more resistance than I’m used to on my car, where it’s typically one swift stroke. Not a deal-breaker, but something to get used to.
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Those minor observations aside, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the GR 86 on the street. The beauty of a car like this is that its lightness and immediacy make it captivating at any speed. As it happens, I’ll be driving the new BRZ in a few weeks, and I’m especially curious if some of the changes that Toyota’s engineers made to the suspension components and electric power steering will leave the Subaru feeling a bit lifeless by comparison. One representative told me the stories of CEO Akio Toyoda being underwhelmed by the steering feel of the new car were in fact true, and those tweaks were made at the last minute in response to the boss’ criticism.
Safety and Everything Else
Every GR 86 comes standard with this sad excuse for back seats. Seriously, I’m not even that tall at 5’10”, and you’re never getting me into the backseat of this car with my kneecaps intact, unless the driver or front-seat passenger I’m sitting behind also lacks kneecaps.
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Photo: Adam Ismail
If you’re sitting in the front seats, though, you’ll have a swell time and you’ll be safe, with a seven-airbag system that now includes a driver’s knee airbag, something missing from the previous generation. The automatic-transmission models get the brunt of Subaru’s EyeSight active safety features, including pre-collision braking, adaptive cruise control, land departure warning and lead vehicle start assist, which will let you know if you’re caught nodding at a stop light and the car in front of you has taken off. You’ll probably be woken up by the blaring horn behind you, but a little extra nudge doesn’t hurt.
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This thing kicks.Photo: Adam Ismail
Toyota is very excited about the GR 86’s range of new Gazoo Racing-branded accessories, including bronze 17-inch wheels, performance exhaust and air intake kits and strut braces and stabilizer bars. But the coolest add-on isn’t any of those — it’s the Kicker subwoofer you can get in the trunk. I know this because the particular car given to me on my street drive had one, and it does a whole lot of bumpin’ for a tiny car. If I were buying a GR 86, I’d strongly consider it. The speakers in my Fiesta are doing a whole lot of rattling these days.
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Jalopnik Recommended Options
The Alcantara seats in the Premium trim are really grippy and look great, but not necessary.Image: Toyota
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It’s difficult to recommend a particular configuration because Toyota hasn’t issued a definite base price or how much the Premium package adds to the total. With that trim level, you get heated, leather-trimmed bucket seats with Alcantara inserts, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts, a bit more aluminum in the interior along with contrast stitching, 18-inch rims and a handsome duckbill rear spoiler. Those are all nice to have and I’m a sucker for Alcantara, but in the current 86 a similar package will tack on $3,000 to the price tag. This car isn’t about luxuries, and either trim level can be had in either transmission — for the GR 86, that’s really the only option that truly matters.
Class And Competition
These days there aren’t many GR 86 alternatives out there on this side of the pond, at least in spirit.
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The BRZ’s grille is more of a grin than the GR 86’s frown, and I much prefer Toyota’s front-end treatment.Image: Subaru
The closest (if you exclude the BRZ, of course) is the Miata, which already starts cheaper than the existing 86 but is also lighter and less powerful. Then you’ve got the under $30K hot hatch set that includes the Veloster N and Volkswagen GTI; front-wheel drive, though obviously more practical to live with. The WRX is an option within that price bracket too if an all-wheel drive sedan is more your flavor, though that car is about to be replaced. Besides, at that point you’re starting to stray pretty far from the GR 86’s nimble, light, tail-wagging ethos. Toyota’s own GR Supra 2.0, which has all of 27 more horsepower than the GR 86 but will probably start around $15K more when all is said and done, is a non-starter.
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One question mark is the upcoming Nissan Z. Like the GR 86 and BRZ, the new Z is a rear-wheel drive coupe, and it appears Nissan will offer a manual option with it. It could also be considerably more powerful out of the gate if those rumors of 300 horsepower are true. But cost is still up in the air. If the Z does manage to hit $35K as some have hinted it may, it’ll definitely make choosing one of the Toyobaru twins considerably tougher.
Verdict
Photo: Adam Ismail
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There is nothing pretentious about the GR 86, and that’s why it feels so special among modern performance cars. It’s like an excitable puppy that’s been hit with a car ray. It knows exactly what it is; you know exactly what it is. You’ll have lots of fun together, whether you’re a seasoned driver or a novice, whether you feel strongly about doing all the shifting yourself or not. It’s like its predecessor in that sense, except even better, because now it has a powertrain a bit more equipped to keep the fun rolling. If you don’t mind the lack of space, or you’re looking for a reasonably-priced back road toy, you shouldn’t second guess it. It’ll never second guess you.
I like it when auto manufacturers take a chance, when they break out of the tried-and-true mold of nondescript SUVs, trucks that look like the vehicle version of a triceratops, or sedans that offer nothing exciting. Give me bright colors, neat features, something to talk about. And that’s why I was so excited to drive the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz.
(Full Disclosure: Hyundai invited me to California to drive the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz and review it forA Girls Guide to Cars; they graciously said I could review it here as well. All opinions are my own.)
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
What Is It?
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is the Korean brand’s answer to years of teasing the possibility of a small pickup truck, but it wants you to know that this isn’t actually a pickup. Instead, it’s an “adventure vehicle,” which is marketing speak for a crossover that can do more than just be a crossover.
The relatively affordable trucklet clocks in at just under $24,000 for its base-level trim, but the beauty of this vehicle is the fact that it can be spec’d out to feel like an entry-level luxury vehicle without needing the sticker shock of a massive price tag. But whether or not this vehicle is going to revolutionize the automotive world remains to be seen.
We drove the fully-loaded top-of-the-line trim; we have yet to see what the other trims will look like.
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
So… Is The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz A Truck?
No. The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is not a pickup truck. It cannot perform a full, celebrated range of Certified Truck Stuff™. It is not going to haul a massive trailer. It will not be the vehicle you use out on the farm. It is not the top-of-the-line luxury truck you drive to feel like king of the road. It’s not even the compact truck you buy because you need a decent amount of bed space but don’t need a large vehicle to accomplish your needs.
The Hyundai Santa Cruz is not a truck. But I think it’s a lot better served for it.
People love their trucks, and they love their SUVs. What Hyundai is doing here is blending the two for something that has, until now, really only worked in Australia. You have the compact body size and interior comfort of a nice crossover, and you have some bed space instead of an enclosed trunk.
It’s a bold move. Hyundai, of course, is confident that it’s going to work, and based on the sheer number of people who stopped me to ask about what I was driving bodes well for the company; no one has ever stopped me so much to ask about a press car, even when driving other first-of-its-kind cars. One older gentleman I chatted to was changing a tire and looked ruefully at the bed space.
“I wish I had something like that instead of having to put this dirty tire on the carpet.” he told me.
Hyundai keeps calling the Santa Cruz an ‘adventure vehicle’ as a way to transcend boundaries here… but it also featured some slides in its press presentation about how it compares to the Ford Maverick. It almost kind of seems like the brand itself has been unsure of who to target with this product, but I think it has potential for anyone who lives an active lifestyle but still wants something smaller. After all, no one wants to stick their gross, muddy boots or damp, sandy towels on a carpeted trunk space. You’re going to be much better served with something like the Santa Cruz’s bed.
I think comparing it to a truck is going to do the Santa Cruz a disservice. Hyundai would be much better served to emphasize what this vehicle can do compared to a crossover or SUV; those buyers will appreciate the flexibility of a truck bed, whereas I think truck buyers are looking for something more specific that the Santa Cruz can’t provide.
How Did It Drive?
I’m going to start out by saying right away that I cannot imagine this vehicle with the base-level engine; the Santa Cruz needed the turbocharged 2.5-liter engine. It had just the right amount of power and punch you’d want from your car, but it was exactly that: just right. To have anything less than what the turbo engine provides would likely feel sluggish and uninspired. The turbo isn’t giving you tons of extra pep like you’d get on something like the Mazda CX-5; it’s making your base level performance feel a little more exciting.
Adding to that, Hyundai did a solid job making the ride enjoyable. The cabin is nice and quiet, even on windy coastal roads. The low ride height makes the Santa Cruz feel steady, capable, and agile when on long straights or tight turns. I had the chance to try out the Santa Cruz on a little bit of everything, from well-paved highways to bumpy gravel roads, and it handled everything with ease. It’s not the kind of vehicle you want to take off-roading, but it’s also not something you’ll cringe at taking through that rutted dirt road.
And, unlike some pickup trucks, you’ll have a comfortable ride whether you’ve got the bed loaded or not. I will say, though, that we didn’t get a chance to put the Santa Cruz’s towing or payload powers to the test during our drive. That will remain to be seen.
Overall, we’re talking about a very comfortable vehicle, but not necessarily one that’s going to blow your mind in terms of the drive. It drives more like a commuter car than a performance machine — and that’s fine. Not everyone needs a car with an angry exhaust and an overwhelming amount of power. We’ll just keep our fingers crossed for an N or N-Line Santa Cruz, where we can kick things up a notch.
That said, I didn’t have a chance to drive the most affordable trims, so my observations aren’t going to translate.
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
The Good
Many of my favorite things about the Hyundai Santa Cruz were in the little, thoughtful details that put this vehicle a step above others — ones that you actually use every day.
One of my favorite things was the infotainment system. There’s not actually a menu that you have to use to navigate from; instead, integrated tabs line the bottom of the screen. Give it a touch, and you’re immediately moved to navigation. Another touch, and you’ll have music available. It doesn’t require a whole lot of searching to find what you need, which can be a serious detriment with many other infotainment systems. You also had the option to select an arrow on the right side of the screen that would split the screen to show you, say, navigation and your music selection at the same time. I was really impressed.
It really seems like Hyundai paid attention to design through and through. The horizontal LED taillights stretch the truck out to give it a commanding stance while the hidden LEDs on the front end prove that you can create a statement grille without needing to rely on polarizing half of your audience. Further, the sloping cabin definitely retains SUV vibes, but it integrates well into the bed rails, proving that you can absolutely blend design barriers if you’re so inclined.
And we can’t talk about the good without talking about the truck bed. Sure, it’s on the small side, but Hyundai worked hard to ensure that flexibility is key here. Adjustable rails, latches, and molded bed inserts mean that you can secure plenty of goodies inside. You can turn it into a two-tiered bed with some plywood, and you can lock your valuables up in the under-bed storage.
The tonneau cover, too, is standard, not an option. It’s water-resistant (not waterproof; you’ll likely get some leaks in a hard rainstorm), it locks, and it’s self-retracting. Just push up on the tonneau handle, and it’ll roll up for you. Reach in and pull it back, and it’ll close. Best of all, you don’t need tons of strength or height to manage it.
And let’s talk about that under-bed trunk. It’s waterproof, and it features two drain plugs. It fit my backpack with ease, and I could also see it functioning as a cooler on the go for those of you out there who dig your tailgating.
The Santa Cruz was one of the first times I’ve had a truck-like vehicle that actually felt friendly for someone short like me. I know some smaller ladies enjoy the power they feel by driving a truck much bigger than them, but I’m not the kind of person that digs having to pole vault into the truck bed or turn into a bodybuilder to lift myself into the truck. Best of all, the sight lines inside were incredible. Seeing the road — what a concept!
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
The Bad
I’ll be honest — there wasn’t a lot that I didn’t like about this truck, but I’ll also admit that it’s not an easy vehicle to review because there’s nothing like it to compare it to. I’ll start with some of the concerns that folks asked about previously:
You’re probably not going to be able to fit a large adult human comfortably in the backseat for long periods of time. The seats were comfy, but the leg room left a lot to be desired.
The digital dashboard was fine, but I would have preferred a cleaner display for speed.
On a similar note, I would have also preferred a dial for volume, since it was a pain in the ass to quickly change volume with touch-screen buttons.
The blind spots were pretty big, but I think that’s because I’m short and had the B-pillar right in my blind spot. Collision alerts and Hyundai’s blind spot cameras when activating the turn signal worked great, though. You just have to be comfortable relying on technology.
Also a short-people problem, but it was tough to reach the heated/ventilated seat buttons without taking my eyes off the road.
The presentation and marketing of the Santa Cruz has seemed a little confused, which makes it hard to hypothesize a really great target market.
The truck bed can be a pain in the ass for anyone who has gotten used to the easy accessibility of an SUV’s trunk space.
We averaged about 22 mpg during our drive, which is about mid-range for a vehicle like this.
I didn’t have the chance to see anything but the top-of-the-line trim, so I can’t accurately predict that the entry-level trim is worth its price.
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
Trim Walk and Pricing
SE
2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine
8-inch color touchscreen
Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
Hyundai’s SmartSense safety features
Sheet-molded composite bed
18-inch alloy wheels
$23,995 for FWD, $25,490 for AWD
SEL
Blind-spot collision and rear cross traffic avoidance assist
BlueLink app
Proximity key with push-button start
Power driver’s seat
Heated front seats
$27,190 for FWD, $28,690 for AWD
SEL Activity
Integrated tonneau cover
Dual C-channel utility rail in bed
Rear sliding glass with defroster
In-bed 115-volt power outlet
Power sunroof
Roof side rails
$30,460 for FWD, $31,960 for AWD
SEL Premium
2.5-liter turbo engine
Steering wheel paddle shifters
LED headlights
Hyundai digital key
Dual-zone climate control
$35,680, AWD only
Limited
10.5-inch navigation system
Surround and blind view monitor systems
Smart cruise control with stop and go
Ventilated front seats
Heated steering wheel
$39,720, AWD only — this is the trim I drove
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
Specs to Know
Starts at $23,995
FWD/AWD options for the first three trims, AWD only for the last two
Standard 2.5-liter four cylinder engine; makes 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft torque
Optional 2.5-liter turbo engine; makes 281 hp, 311 lb-ft torque
How Does The Hyundai Santa Cruz Compare To The Ford Maverick?
I lost count of how many times Hyundai reminded our press group that the Santa Cruz isn’t designed to compete directly with the truck market before then comparing The Santa Cruz’s specs to those of the Ford Maverick. It makes sense; here are two small, affordable trucklets that are meant to be as comfortable in the city as they are on the dirt road heading to your favorite mountain trail. It makes sense that folks are cross-shopping these.
That said, I still think the Santa Cruz and the Maverick are competing for very different segments of the market, with the Santa Cruz appealing more to the SUV crowd and the Maverick aiming for a truck audience. Both have features that set them apart from the niche I think they’d most effectively appeal to — the Santa Cruz has a truck bed, the Maverick is electrified — which make both vehicles a bit of an outlier in their respective markets. But I don’t know that it’s ever occurred to me to compare these two on a one-to-one basis.
There’s no right or wrong answer as to which is better, since they’re both designed for different audiences. But let’s talk some general differences:
Santa Cruz
More expensive.
Shorter, squatter, and wider.
Built on the Hyundai Tucson platform.
Less bed space, but more storage options (under-floor storage and two extra side bins).
Larger payload and towing capacity.
No dedicated off-road package.
Worse fuel mileage.
No electrified option.
Higher horsepower and torque.
Maverick
Cheaper.
Taller, longer, and narrower.
Built on the Ford Escape platform.
More bed space, but fewer other storage options.
Smaller payload and towing capacity.
Dedicated off-road package.
Better fuel mileage.
Electrified option.
Lower horsepower and torque.
Which is superior? That’s going to come down to your personal preferences and uses for the vehicle. Nothing more.
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
The Verdict
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is a great, flexible, and approachable vehicle that definitely has the chops to convince an American market that the ute can be a glorious thing — but I don’t think Hyundai quite knows what it wants the Santa Cruz to be yet. Its marketing push toward young, active professionals is a little bland because that’s the market every semi-flexible sedan, crossover, SUV, or truck is aiming toward these days. That angle isn’t fresh or exciting enough to convince people to opt for the result of a sordid love affair between a crossover and a small truck.
Revise that marketing push, and I think Hyundai has a banger of a product. Sell this to small families with kids who like to get muddy. Sell it to short women who want to feel like a badass driving their succulents home from the nursery without sacrificing their comfort. Sell it to eternally-messy guys who want a reasonably sized vehicle that won’t be a pain in the ass to clean out. Sell it to older folks who just can’t climb in and out of their tall work trucks anymore. Sell it to the in-between crowds who aren’t sure if they want a truck or an SUV. If I have to see one more ad showing a 20-something city slicker pulling off her office-wear as she hits the bike trail, I’m gonna snap.
That bland effort isn’t worthy of the Santa Cruz, which is ultimately a fun, peppy little vehicle that makes you smile when you drive it — and when you check your bank account before you think about financing it. It has potential lasting power that means we’ll not only see the Santa Cruz on the road in 10 years but that we’ll also see a fair share of its trucklet competitors. Hyundai just needs to find the in-between places where the Santa Cruz will shine.
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
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It’s definitely not this one, but I needed an image.Photo: Justin Sullivan (Getty Images)
Of the many, many vanity plates on the road, some stand out a bit more than all the others. And so I ask, what’s the best worst vanity plate you’ve come across in your travels?
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“Best worst” in this instance could mean “impressive,” “amusing” or “terrible” — really anything that demanded your attention for any reason. If it tied into the vehicle it belonged to in a clever way, that makes it all the better.
This question was inspired by two cars I’d seen recently. One was a red Alfa Romeo Stelvio I was trailing on the highway last weekend. It had a plate that read “STELVIO,” an oversized Alfa logo decal above the left rear wheel arch and gratuitous Quadrifoglio clover badges — some I suspect came with the vehicle, some it seemed did not. None of this was creative at all obviously, I was just amazed someone could take that much pride in their more-or-less ordinary Italian crossover.
A far more charming example was when I visited Formula Drift in Englishtown, New Jersey about a month ago. I happened across a Nissan Laurel parked outside the track, fitted with an RB26 motor out of a GT-R. As stunning as it looked, the best part might’ve been the license plate: “YANNY.” (If catastrophic world events have caused you to forget inoffensive memes from three years ago, here’s a refresher.)
That’s all I got, but what about you? What vanity plate is seared into your memory, for better or worse?
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The old Maserati GranTurismo was the kind of constant that you could set your watch to, or at least refuse to believe it would ever die. The new one is different proposition altogether.
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Because the new one will be all-electric — Maserati’s first all-electric — with an electric powertrain that Maserati has been testing for a while. It’s part of an electrification plan for Maserati that includes several EVs, and maybe still a gas engine or two somewhere.
Photo: Maserati
These photos show the GranTurismo in Modena, Italy, where Maserati is based, and were published by Maserati itself, in what feels like a more and more common thing for automakers to do these days. Rather than let spy photographers shoot and sell photos of cars in development, automakers now simply do it themselves.
Maserati offered no other new information about the GranTurismo, other than to say that it is currently in testing.
Ahead of the launch of the new model, the prototype cars are currently undergoing a period of intensive road and circuit testing, in various conditions of use, to acquire vital data for the preparation of the final setup.
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We do, however, maybe know what it might sound like, thanks to a previously released Maserati video.
And while the new GranTurismo will be all-electric, this prototype for testing may not be. You can see what looks like an exhaust tailpipe in the following photo, suggesting that, for now, Maserati is testing with a gas engine.
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Photo: Maserati
Also in development at Maserati is the MC20, which is powered by a gasoline engine and is a bit of a throwback to the days when 630-horsepower supercars were more common. That is just to say that Maserati apparently wants to compete in a couple of very different places right now. One of them is a space occupied by cars like the Porsche Taycan and the other by cars like the Ferrari SF90 Stradale. What’s new is old in Modena.
For buyers looking for a new ride before the summer Memorial Day weekend is, historically, a pretty good time to buy. Most automakers and dealers would be clearing out previous model-year inventory with competitive discounts. This year is different, and you should probably just stay home. If you insist on buying a car this summer, follow these tips.
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Our friends at Lifehacker did an excellent breakdown of how this might be the absolute worst time to buy a new or used car. It’s worth a read, but the short version is that inventory is down and prices are up. There also doesn’t seem to be any relief in sight with some analysts predicting that a market correction may not happen until 2023.
Furthermore, there is a pretty good chance that the car you want isn’t even available. Several major automakers including Subaru and Toyota have closed factories due to the microchip shortage. Therefore, the likelihood of you finding a “deal” on this holiday weekend is slim.
If you can’t put off getting a new ride for a while and you are going to be in the car market this summer, here are some tips to keep in mind.
Don’t be picky: If you have to have a specific car in only one color with a narrow set of options you are setting yourself up for a world of frustration. I was speaking with a buyer looking for a RAV4 TRD in Lunar Rock. I ran a search and there are only 50 RAV4 TRD trim models available in the entire country, only a handful of those was “grey” and an even smaller number were the Lunar Rock. The greater your level of flexibility on the model of your choosing the better your chances of success.
Consider other model alternatives: The truth is that it is very hard to find a “bad car” nowadays. While some models may be better than others, building in some cross-shopping between a few brands is going to give you more options to find a competitive price. The inventory shortages are impacting everyone, but some cars are much easier to find than others. You may want to think about buying a “hold-me-over” car if you need something now. This is a vehicle that will do the job but might not be something you love, but it can get you through this transition time, and when the market changes you can trade it in for your preferred model.
Cast your net wide: This one is obvious, but don’t think you only have to shop within your market region. If you open up your search within several hundred miles of your location you are more likely to find a match, and you have more leverage to get the best price. I recently helped a client in the DC metro with a WRX STI, and the dealers in FL and Ohio were surprisingly competitive with their deals. Even with shipping costs, he was still saving money over the local stores.
Understand that a “deal” is relative: You can’t compare prices this year to last year and you definitely can’t compare what you paid for a similar model a few years ago to what you may pay today. In some cases for some cars, full sticker price might be the “best” deal you can get if many dealers are charging over sticker for a popular model. As always you want to compare the out-the-door price for new cars to see who is offering the lowest total transaction cost. The key here is to have a frame of reference when it comes to your pricing. I recently was working on a brand new Honda Odyssey deal and the discounts ranged from nothing, with a few dealers offering only $500 or $1,000 off the MSRP. One dealer came down $2,800. Based on previous years, $2,800 off a $40,000 van wouldn’t seem that great, but when compared to the rest of the field that was the deal.
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Of course, before you step foot into a dealership you should have a handle on your budget and your credit. Running the math ahead of time and knowing what you can and cannot afford, is the best way to avoid being ripped off.
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Last weekend I attended the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, where I got a ride in a Lucid Air, nearly shit myself driving an original, manual Beetle for the first time ever and generally felt skittish for the entire weekend because nobody except staff was wearing masks or distancing, even indoors. That last part is just a heads up that if you’re planning to attend such an event. That’s where we’re at right now!
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Anyway, the biggest surprise of my weekend had nothing to do with any that. They were all fairly predictable experiences. Rather, it was what I saw when I walked past a Type 916 Alfa Romeo Spider with its hood up, and instantly realized I’ve been lied to my entire life.
That in and of itself is sort of a lie, because when I first laid eyes on the car, I didn’t even know what I was looking at. I understood it was an Alfa of course — it was sitting next to all the other Alfas during the Saturday morning Cars and Coffee. I just wasn’t quite sure what model it was — the headlights were rounded rectangles. It briefly crossed my mind that this might’ve been a midcycle GTV refresh I wasn’t aware of, but then I peered at the hood and at once, all was understood.
Photo: Adam Ismail
The GTV never actually had four circular, discrete headlights. The units were two rectangles, divided into circles by cutouts in the hood that had rubber padding around them presumably to protect against the ingress of gunk. This is something I’m sure every owner and savvy Alfa enthusiast knows, but it was a shock to me. I’ve been a fan of the car’s design since I was a kid, driving it in Metropolis Street Racer and Sega GT 2002. Much like the BMW Z8, the Alfa GTV stands as proof that parted pencil mustaches can work equally well on some cars as on movie stars.
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Anyway, the headlight thing is a cleverbit of engineering and I suppose if you’re especially perceptive, you probably could have sussed out the truth based on how deep the circles are set in the hood when it’s shut. That always struck me as odd, but without having seen the headlights in their undisguised state, I never connected the dots.
This all got me wondering what other cars might’ve used a similar trick. Of course, automotive history is peppered with weird headlights that conceal and reveal themselves in amusing ways, but what the GTV’s doing is less talked about. In a way, it reminds me of the redundant taillights that some cars have (particularly those with rear hatches), so the lights remain visible when the normal, exterior ones are not. Like with the GTV, you’d never know the true nature of the car’s lighting situation until you moved a panel.
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