15 Cars That Won’t Disappoint You Like the Game of Thrones Finale Did
Like a lot of other people, we were pretty disappointed with the Game of Thrones finale. Half the things that happened made no sense, many of the plot points were hard to believe, and the ending felt way too rushed. After all that, we could seriously use a good long drive. That got us thinking about […]
The post 15 Cars That Won’t Disappoint You Like the Game of Thrones Finale Did appeared first on Motortrend.
Like a lot of other people, we were pretty disappointed with the Game of Thrones finale. Half the things that happened made no sense, many of the plot points were hard to believe, and the ending felt way too rushed. After all that, we could seriously use a good long drive.
That got us thinking about cars that actually are satisfying. And as much as we love sports cars, two-seat coupes don’t fit everyone’s lifestyle. So we decided to put together a list of all the winners of comparison tests from the last year. The list includes vehicles from a variety of segments, but every single one is satisfying in its own way.
Honda Insight
Honda’s last attempt to take down the Toyota Prius wasn’t very successful, but the new Insight is much, much better. To our eyes, it looks better than the Civic it’s based on, and it’s surprisingly quick and fun to drive for such a fuel-efficient car. Add in better-than-expected ride quality, and it’s clear Honda has a winner on its hands.
Porsche 911 GT3 RS
Few people will find themselves in a situation where they’re forced to decide between the McLaren 600LT and the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. We’d even be willing to bet that most people who can buy one of these track monsters can probably buy both. But if you’re ever forced to pick, the Porsche took home the trophy this time around.
Ram 1500
People buy pickup trucks for all kinds of reasons these days, and it’s well-established that most owners rarely use them for serious hauling and towing. If you do plan to use your full-size pickup truck for work, though, the Ram 1500 edged out the Ford F-150 and the Chevrolet Silverado to win our recent work truck comparison. Looks like we made the right decision for Truck of the Year.
Chrysler Pacifica
Back in March, we used a technically-not-trademark-violating bracket-based comparison test to figure out what the best family vehicle is. Despite going up against the Chevrolet Blazer, a fun-to-drive, stylish SUV newcomer, the Chrysler Pacifica won us over with its surprisingly good driving dynamics and unmatched practicality.
Chevrolet Colorado
We couldn’t let Ford bring back the Ranger without comparing it to the other midsize pickup trucks currently on sale. And in the end, we decided the Chevrolet Colorado was still our favorite. It may be getting old, but every single judge thought it was the best truck in the field.
Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V’s been busy this last year. After winning our 2018 MotorTrend SUV of the Year award, it took on the redesigned Toyota RAV4 and won. We then entered it into an eight-vehicle comparison test, and it won again. At this point, it will probably be years before another compact crossover can dethrone the CR-V.
Genesis G70
Genesis has had some issues with its rollout of the G70 in the U.S., but if you can find one to test drive, we highly recommend it. Somehow, Hyundai’s 2-year-old luxury brand managed to build a better BMW 3 Series. The G70 also beat 19 other cars to become our 2019 Car of the Year.
Hyundai Kona
As it turns out, all it takes to get Americans to buy hatchbacks is a small lift and some crossover styling. And right now, the best subcompact crossover in the U.S. is the Hyundai Kona. The gas version beat both the Nissan Kicks and the Ford EcoSport in a recent comparo. And if you’re looking for something more environmentally friendly, there’s a 258-mile electric version, as well.
Acura RDX
Unlike its competitors, the Acura RDX actually sells well enough to make the Germans take notice. In fact, through the first quarter of 2019, the RDX outsold both the Audi Q5 and BMW X3. And as we saw in a recent comparison test, it’s a better buy than the Cadillac XT4 and Infiniti QX50, too.
Jeep Wrangler
If you want to go off-road, it doesn’t get much better than the Jeep Wrangler. The new Wrangler proved unstoppable in our off-road SUV comparison test, and even better, its on-road behavior has been improved, too. Even the turbocharged four-cylinder and automatic transmission won us over. There’s a reason it was this year’s SUV of the Year.
Porsche 911 GT2 RS
On paper, putting the Porsche 911 GT2 RS up against the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 looks like it would be a relatively fair fight. Even though they compete at different price points, the ZR1 has 755 hp and a hilariously large rear wing. But no, unless you love the ZR1’s styling, the 911 GT2 RS proved to be the superior supercar killer. Heck, it almost won our Best Driver’s Car competition.
Volvo XC40
If you’re in the market for a subcompact luxury crossover, it doesn’t get much better than the Volvo XC40. It’s got standout style, much-appreciated tech features, and a more affordable price than some of its competitors. Plus, you can order it with orange carpet if you want, which is really cool.
Lamborghini Huracán Performante
The Porsche 911 GT2 RS is incredible, but the Lamborghini Huracán Performante is better. Perhaps even more surprisingly, we thought it was also better than the McLaren 720S. As Randy Pobst put it, “This car makes you into a god. You just get in and you drive like Ayrton Senna.”
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
If you still think crossovers can’t handle like sports cars, drive the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio. It’s better than the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S. It’s better than the Porsche Macan Turbo. Heck, it’s so good, we almost don’t mind the fact that Alfa doesn’t sell a Giulia wagon. Considering how much we love the Giulia Quadrifoglio on the track, that’s saying something.
Honda Civic Type R
In theory, there’s no way the front-wheel-drive Honda Civic Type R should be able to hang with the more powerful, all-wheel-drive Ford Focus RS. But it does. In fact, we liked it even better than the Focus RS. Don’t let the over-the-top styling scare you off. The Civic Type R is the best hot hatch you can buy today.
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