A truck/SUV crossover with decidedly car-like cabin, similar in length to Hyundai’s Palisade 3-row SUV and it’s a curiosity worth exploring. 
I’ve always been supportive of car companies who dare to do something different. And when I think back to some of the most memorable cars I’ve tested names like Baja and Avalanche come to mind. Which leads me to this new pickup truck/SUV called the Santa Cruz. I fell in love with it when I first saw it in concept form years ago but unlike most automakers who keep their experiments in the design lab Hyundai has the guts to actually bring this one to market. And it’s a curiosity worth exploring.
The Santa Cruz drives like a car. It’s nimble, peppy, quiet, comfortable – an anti-truck, if you will. The turbo is really strong; it rides very comfortably and drives with an unexpected purpose. And with 8.6” of ground clearance, solid Michelin light truck tires and a switch to lock in the traction of all 4 wheels, the Santa Cruz has the advantage of a full-time all-wheel drive system and not part time like some other small trucks. I’m just surprised Hyundai didn’t include an off-road mode in addition to the snow setting.

The 2018 model year was significant for VW here in the States. That’s when they introduced the 1-2 punch of Atlas and this next-generation Tiguan that have quickly become the brand’s best-sellers with each of them individually outselling all of VW’s cars combined. And now for the 2022 model year, the Tiguan has been refreshed with updated styling and broader availability of tech and safety features.
You know what you don’t see much of in this small SUV segment? A 3rd row of seating. And you won’t find one in my Tiguan either…VW reserves it for the front-wheel drive model. But here I have the top trim SEL R-Line which comes standard with 4MOTION all-wheel drive, priced at $37,790. It’s incredibly easy to build this one as there are virtually no options and only 4 paint choices: white, black, blue and this charismatic gray. If this lavishly equipped Tiguan is too rich for your blood, the base S trim starts at $10k less. And this R-Line looks sharp, sporting a new front end with redesigned LEDs and this cool light line that runs through the grille. Out back, the Tiguan name now lives more prominently below the VW logo. And then you get the R-Line badges, specific bumpers, body-color side sills and newly designed 20” wheels. It just goes to show that a little nip and tuck can work wonders in freshening one’s appearance.
And then inside, this noisette leather looks very Audi-like – and by the way I had to look it up; noisette means a small piece of lean meat. New for 2022 are these touch-sensitive controls in the center stack which can also be summoned by voice commands triggered by simply saying “Hello Volkswagen” and then saying things such as I’m hot or my feet are cold. There are also steering wheel touch controls, 15 colors of ambient light choices and this redesigned navigation system which can be updated automatically with a paid subscription. Combined with this upsized Digital Cockpit Pro with 3 views, the Audi vibes are palpable …just don’t look for the satellite mapping here.
VW’s have their own distinctive driving persona and the Tiguan is no exception with great forward visibility including adaptive front lighting, a comfortable but Euro-tuned suspension with handling agility and an all-around driver connectedness. And IQ.DRIVE is VW’s name for their driver-assistance systems which include Park Assist, Road Sign Display, auto high beams and this overhead view camera which displays sideways…that I don’t care for and I can’t figure out how to change it. But the Adaptive Cruise Control system with Stop & Go and Lane Assist is not one of the better semi-autonomous setups on the market, reacting a little slowly, clumsy in its steering and offering very little hands-off time.
But I like this…VW has kept it fresh and feeling like the German-chic, sportier small SUV choice with bountiful spaciousness to boot.

The best part of driving any EV is the immediate acceleration and the Mach-E has plenty of that though Ford reserves the really spirited stuff for the GT trim. The other aspect of this car that makes it unique is the degree to which 1 pedal driving is applied. That’s where you can brake the car by just lifting off the accelerator. And unlike my Kona which has steering wheel paddles to vary the amount of 1 pedal, here on the Mach-E it’s either on or off and it’s the most aggressive form of 1 pedal I’ve ever tested. Some people love it, others hate it and I’m somewhere in between…either way it takes some practice to do it right. And lastly, these tires are none too interested in sports car handling so in that regard the Mach-E feels a little heavy and sloppy for a car wearing the Mustang badge.
The First Edition came very well equipped with all of the goodies and draws plenty of attention in this Grabber Blue Metallic paint. It’s the very definition of a crossover; sporting a car-like appearance with SUV hatchback versatility. It seats 5 with cargo dimensions similar to that of a Ford Escape though unlike that small SUV the Mach-E doesn’t tow. But where the Escape would have its engine placed the Mach-E offers more carrying space via a divided luggage compartment that’s drainable meaning you could even pack it with ice for tailgating. The other big talking point is this enormous 15.5”, Tesla-like tablet housing the next generation of Ford’s SYNC infotainment system. Beyond its notable size, it’s meant to work like your smartphone, programmed to learn your behaviors and making suggestions based upon your routine. It’s also updatable over-the-air.

Unlike Isuzu and Suzuki who pulled out of the US market years ago, Mitsubishi has somehow been able to hang on as a small Japanese automaker with vacillating interest in selling cars here. But now that they are part of the Renault Nissan alliance we should expect to see more competitive products in Mitsu showrooms starting with this Nissan Rogue-based, all-new 2022 Outlander. The 10-year old compact-sized Outlander Sport is still far and away Mitsu’s best-seller but it’s this bigger Outlander – which has nothing in common with the Sport – that wears the flagship mantle, even available as plug-in hybrid way before that sort of thing was fashionable. It’s done very well for Mitsubishi and for its next act it leans on Alliance partner Nissan for its bones and just about everything else. For all intents and purposes, this is the Nissan Rogue with cooler styling and a minuscule 3rd row. This fully loaded SEL Touring trim with all-wheel drive is priced about $1,500 less than the Rogue Platinum I tested and comes with a better warranty. And while the Rogue did away with its Slid-N-Recline 2nd row seat, the Outlander does both of those things. There’s more people space in here than before as this Outlander is 2” wider than the previous model. Though the engine is slightly larger than the 2020 model’s standard 4-cylinder motor, gas mileage remains the same at 26mpg though with a smaller driving range of 377 miles. But this Outlander’s story is really about improved quality, greater breadth of features and its newfound appeal. The design is a grand slam for Mitsu, here in the upcharge Diamond White paint looking tough yet elegant, sporty yet functional.

Raise your hand if you want a Jaguar sedan? Not many of you? Ok, so the XF is probably not your first choice when shopping the British brand but there’s something sneaky good going on with this top-of-the line R-Dynamic model that I think you should now. Yep; SUVs and EVs are the name of the game for the leaper these days BUT the slow-selling XF – we’re talking less than 100 per month – has been updated for 2021 with simplified choices: now just one engine with 2 tunes in the 4-door body-style. High-performance variants, wagons and diesels have left the building. But I’m going to give you some reasons why this updated XF – particularly this R-Dynamic model – shouldn’t completely be ignored. First off, with a starting MSRP of $45,145 including destination this is one the least expensive ways to get into a Jaguar. Secondly, just like their best-selling F-PACE, the XF has been given the once over this year with a thoroughly updated cabin almost identical to that found in the SUV. And lastly, despite that a 4—cylinder turbo is the only engine left on the menu, this XF P300 with the optional Dynamic Handling Package achieves sleeper status with its sinewy backroad moves. As it sits, this car is priced at $62,695. That gets you the 296 horsepower, 295 pound-feet of torque 2.0-liter turbo, all-wheel drive, 20” wheels, British Racing Green paint and just about every option Jaguar offers. But it’s the $1,350 Dynamic Handling Package you’ve got to have in order to get that friskiness you want. For about 8 grand less than a comparable Mercedes E-Class with more exclusivity, the XF is worth a look and hey, you can’t get 20” wheels or green paint on the Benz.