There are plenty of lists of “Best of” or other versions involving descriptors like most, favorite, etc. This list of 10 vehicles is a compilation of reviews of vehicles the TheDetroitBureau.com editorial team really enjoyed — and it shows.
It may also not be the worst place to begin a shopping list if you’ve gotten a huge year-end bonus or simply have cash to burn rolling into the new year.
2023 BMW i7 xDrive60
The BMW 7 Series is an icon, and every substantive change is subject to incredible scrutiny — and criticism. Now add in a major shift in powertrain and you have the recipe that makes top executives nervous. The Bavarian leadership can exhale now because the new i7 — as well as its gas-powered sibling — is a stunning evolution of the luxury performance sedan.
2023 Cadillac Escalade-V
There’s a dichotomy going on within the automotive industry, one best symbolized by the mere presence of the 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V. Bigger and faster may be best encapsulated in the newest member of the luxury unit’s V-Series at 682 horsepower and 653 pound-feet of torque. It, and others like it, is a raucous middle finger to those who would extinguish the thrill that comes from speed powered by burning old dinosaur remains.
2023 Hyundai Elantra HEV Limited
Even as politicians foist electrification on a populace mostly unwilling to give up their chariots powered by internal combustion engines, the hybrid electric vehicle (or HEV) makes for a perfect intermediary step. One of the best of the group is the Elantra HEV Limited — if for no other reason than its affordability. However, it’s a fantastic mix of price, style and functionality — we’re all about it.
2023 Toyota Prius
Toyota gets two mentions on this list and for small vehicles offering surprising performance. In this case, we’re talking about the 2023 Prius hybrid. There are certainly some reasons to praise the Prius, the OG of the hybrid segment, starting with the hatchback’s industry-leading fuel economy, but until now few would likely list “fun-to-drive” and “very attractive” among its merits. Times change and so has the Prius.
2023 Nissan Z
There are just a few sports cars that have really stood the test of time. The Chevy Corvette is the grand old man, of course, and the Mazda Miata is over 30 years old now. But right up there, at 52 years of age, is the Nissan Z, and its new incarnation is better than ever. It’s back and better than ever because it went back to the original formula: great handling and good power. It’s not “slow-car-fast” driving, but “fast-car-fast” which in an era of monster torque numbers is a refreshing alternative.
2023 Range Rover Sport Autobiography PHEV
Land Rover follows the debut of the fifth-gen Range Rover with the 2023 Sport hybrid. Slightly smaller, but more athletic and every bit as opulent, it’s a look at how the 1% look to be “green.” Plus any ute that can tackle just about any terrain with a 0-to-60 time in the low 4-second range while massaging my back is aces with me. Nice to see Range Rovers being, well, Range Rovers.
2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring
Many think this is the brand that will dethrone the EV king, Tesla. I don’t see it that way, but it’s the most exciting electric vehicle to hit the road this year — with apologies to Ford and the F-150 Lightning — and even the lower performance version offers that neck-snapping, giggle-inducing torque everyone loves. But the car is way more than push pedal, go fast. It’s a head-turning technical marvel that begs for another tour of in the near future.
2023 Toyota GR Corolla
The first sentence is: “There are three words I never expected to use in the same sentence: Toyota, Corolla and fun.” You know what’s coming after is going to be at the very least interesting and most likely compelling. Toyota’s new limited run hot hatch is exactly that and getting more time in it is going to be a top objective around here in 2023.
2022 Ford Bronco Everglades Edition
The Bronco’s been a smash hit with buyers, in spite of a few issues at the launch. At the drive for the Everglades Edition, journalists were given chest waders “just in case.” I can happily report, they weren’t needed in spite of my best efforts to get stuck. Not only that, the rough-and-ready-from-the-factory off-roader climbed rocks, forded water at window height and scampered over muddy trails as I listened to satellite radio and was nice and cool courtesy of the air conditioning. Yes. I still have the waders, and it is the most impressive off-roader I’ve been in.
2022 GMC Hummer EV Edition 1
The GMC Hummer EV is GM’s first vehicle based on the Ultium dedicated EV platform, and like its namesake, it’s designed to be full of attitude and over-the-top in every way possible. Mission accomplished. Weighing in at about 9,000 pounds and capable of a 0-60 sprint in 3 seconds flat, the Hummer is an apocalyptic EV, about as far from the Chevy Bolt EV as it’s possible to get. It’s alluring, a little bit ridiculous, and it absolutely had to be this way.