Driven reviews reviews

The Mercedes-AMG E53 Cabriolet sort of sits in a niche of its own, mainly due to the lack of performance convertibles on the market. Its closest competition, as of the time of this writing, is the BMW M4 Convertible, which offers quite a bit more power at a similar price, or the Lexus LC500 Convertible, which is considerably more expensive. The biggest highlight of the 2022 AMG E53 Cabriolet is arguably its impressively appointed and nicely equipped cabin and the turbocharged straight-six under the hood that can, in fact, raise your blood pressure. Paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive, the AMG E53 Cabriolet is as gorgeous as it is quick and is designed to excite and soothe your soul at the same time.

The Infiniti QX55 was launched four years after the second-generation QX50 – in 2021 as a 2022 model – as a competitor to models like the Audi Q5 Sportback, Mercedes GLC Coupe, and (to some extent) the Acura RDX. Essentially a QX50 with a raked roof, the QX55 serves a spiritual successor to the Infiniti FX \ Infiniti QX70. With the coupe-SUV segment being more crowded than ever, was releasing a new model based on one that was due for a facelift really a wise move? We spent a week with the QX55 to find out, and this is our story.

Nissan’s desire to get a bigger share of the ‘three-row SUV’ pie resulted in it reinvigorating the Pathfinder. The Pathfinder has been around for a long time and needs no introduction. For the 2022 model, the SUV has been redesigned on the inside and out, and it looks quite fresh and modern. Just like most of the other three-row SUVs, the Pathfinder is trying to offer the practicality of a minivan in an SUV form.

The Pathfinder doesn’t have a widespread buffet like the Ford Explorer and is offered in just four trims. It also comes with just one engine and transmission option. However, it has a spacious cabin with lots of little storage places inside. The towing capacity is impressive, too. The 2022 Nissan Pathfinder recently arrived at TopSpeed’s headquarters, and here are our impressions of it.

Hyundai revealed the Vision T concept at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show with a promise that it would loan at least some of its DNA to the next-generation Tucson. As a very bold concept, it didn’t seem likely that much of its design would make it to production, but here we are looking at the 2022 Hyundai Tucson and, sure enough, it has a daring new design akin to that of the concept that previewed it. The new entry-level Tucson has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that is derived from the Sonata, but a Hybrid and PHEV model is also available. The Tucson comes fairly well equipped even in base trim, but it’s the comfort, practicality, and driving dynamics that will really wow you. The Tucson has an uphill battle in a crowded segment, with its main competitors including the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Mazda CX-5, and even the Volkswagen Tiguan.

Five years into its lifecycle, and the AMG GT sports car has grown into its own dedicated lineup that includes a convertible and the car you see here – a sedan that Mercedes markets as a four-door… ahem… 4-door coupe. This specific model blends the sporty essence of the coupe with the comfort, practicality, and family friendliness of a traditional sedan. We got to spend an entire week with the AMG GT53 – the middleman between the new GT43 and the GT63 (and GT63 S) to see just what it’s like to live with the sportiest four-door car Mercedes makes.

The Mercedes-Benz GLB, in general, is a weirdly positioned vehicle that seems derived from nothing more than Mercedes’ desire to populate every single corner of a segment possible. It sits between the GLA and GLC, which makes it not quite small enough to be declared a subcompact, but not exactly large enough to sit in the compact segment, either. It is a comfortable vehicle, has a rugged look and feel to it, and it can even be had with a third-row seat – something essentially unheard of in this segment (and largely unusable). We’re comparing it to the BMW X3 and Audi SQ5, which might seem a little silly at first, but you’ll understand as we dig deeper into it. This is what it’s like to live the Mercedes-AMG GLB 35, and why it may or may not be for you.

There’s no denying that in its short time in existence, the Ford Mustang Mach-E has seen its fair share of controversy. It started off when the name was officially announced, and to be honest, even a year in, not everyone is convinced that Ford’s first important EV is worthy of the Mach name. Is the Mustang Mach-E a true Mustang? Is it worth the price? How does it stack up against its non-Tesla competitors like the Volvo XC40 Recharge and the Audi E-Tron? The answers to these questions will probably surprise you.

The Nissan Rogue rolled into its third generation for the 2021 model year as the brand’s best-selling vehicle and one of the most popular small SUVs on the market. That’s saying a lot since it contends with cars like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, among many others. The third generation kicks off with updated looks, new tech, and some all-new features along with an all-new range-topping Platinum trim – the model we just spent an entire week with. Will the third-gen Rogue live up to the standards set by its predecessor and, more importantly, can it overshadow its stiff competition?

Mitsubishi revealed the fourth-generation Outlander back in February 2021 with a lot of styling influenced by the Engelberg Concept, but if you’re hoping to get all that new goodness in an Outlander PHEV, you’re out of luck. Why? Well, because while the rest of the Outlander lineup transitioned into a new generation, here we have the forgotten Outlander PHEV that’s still stuck in the past, flaunting styling and tech that’s beyond dated. So, is it still worth it to buy an Outlander PHEV in 2021 or should you look for alternatives? Our tester had a final price of $39,835 and its generation went into production in 2012, so you should probably read on if you really want the answer to that question.

At the onset, it seems like the Grand Cherokee L is nothing but a Grand Cherokee with an extra row of seats. Essentially, that’s pretty much true, but, it is much more than just that. The Grand Cherokee L rides on a new platform, comes with a whole lot of new tech features, and is arguably the most off-road capable SUV in the segment. The standard Jeep Grand Cherokee is a big hit, selling over 200,000 examples every year. So, instead of coming up with a completely new model altogether, Jeep decided to build on the Grand Cherokee’s reputation by offering a product with the same ethos, but a lot of distinct differentiation.

Chevrolet debuted the twelfth-gen of the Suburban in December 2019. The SUV came out looking rejuvenated and reinvigorated. Introduced as the 2021 model year Suburban, the SUV was now based on a new platform, featured a new diesel engine option, and came with a range-topping High Country trim. Chevy even capitalized on space optimization, plonked in a new suspension setup, and turned all the screws in the right direction to make this a complete package.

We recently laid our hands on the 2021 Chevy Suburban in the Premier trim with the Duramax diesel engine. Our example was finished in a black exterior shade and looked exquisite, to say the least. It is definitely one of the best full-size SUVs that you can buy today with a five-digit budget.

The Hyundai Venue isn’t only one of the brand’s newest cars, but it’s also the smallest SUV or crossover the brand currently sells. As a subcompact model, it competes with models like the Mazda CX-30 and Honda HR-V, but there’s a catch, because the Venue is significantly smaller, sitting on the lower border of the subcompact segment. With that in mind, we have been itching to find out if a smaller, more affordable Hyundai can actually hold its own against the larger, more expensive competition. It does have its faults, but you’ll be surprised as to what those faults really are.

When Kia change the name of the Optima to K5, it was more than just a name change. With that new designation came a sportier sedan with a simple and attractive interior, and a pair of engines that put you one two different sides of the same fence: Economy or Performance. After driving the GT-Line AWD, we felt like we were wanting more. It looked faster, but it was essentially the same car as the standard K5 with AWD and sportier looks. So, does the K5 GT scratch that it? Well, it really does, but it certainly has it flaws, the most important of which is, arguably, the lack of AWD – something can actually be dangerous for unskilled drivers or those not used to having 300-horsepower at their disposal. Keep reading to learn, why?

The sixth-generation Nissan Altima has been on the market since 2018, and was generally received as more technologically advanced, better looking, and better equipped than the fifth-gen model. Three years in, however, and it’s easy to wonder if the Altima can still hold its own so close to its mid-cycle update. We spent a week with the Altima VC-T to see just how well it manages to navigate the cut-throat midsize sedan market.

For very many years, the Ford F-150 Raptor was the only off-road standalone model you could get straight from the factory. Ram, however, decided to come up with a rival for it and announced its intention by coming up with a concept performance off-road truck in 2016 called the TRX. Pretty much everything we saw there made it to the production version as well.

Fast forward to 2020, Ram launched the TRX as a Raptor-killer by upping the ante in almost every single department. The TRX was introduced with a supercharged V-8 that makes over 700 horses, impressive off-road equipment and specs, and an uber-premium cabin. Given all the bells and whistles Ram offered, there was no way this was going to be an inexpensive truck. Ram priced it at $69,000 at launch in the ‘base’ form. At that time, it was clearly positioned above the Raptor as they both had a significant price difference.

While this is a truck that you definitely want, is this a truck that you actually need? A white 2021 Ram TRX arrived at TopSpeed and we find out the answer to that.

After two decades and four generations in U.S., Kia has decided to globally rebrand the Optima as the K5 – a name it had be using for the Optima in the Korean market since 2010. With the name change came a much sportier exterior, a simple yet attractive interior, and a pair of engines that split the difference between great fuel economy and great performance – you can have one or the other. In early 2021, we had the opportunity to spend a week with the more economical K5 with a 1.6-liter inline-four that was good for 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. Fast forward a few months, and Kia graced us with the K5 GT-Line AWD, which comes at a $1,600 premium over the FWD model plus a few extra standard goodies, including a special “Snow Mode.” Is it necessary to have a K5 with AWD, though?

The Kia Carnival name might sound new to you, but Kia has been using it for this exact minivan in various markets since its introduction since 1998. Up until this point, you’ve known it as the Kia Sedona, but with the transition into the fourth-generation – which has been on sale in South Korea since September 2020 and in parts of Europe as of March of 2021. It will hit the North American market in July of 2021, but we managed to get behind the wheel of the new Carnival beforehand. This is what you need to know about the 2022 Kia Carnival.