The new Kona N – a performance SUV within financial reach. $35,445; that’s the modest price of the Kona N – one of the most unique enthusiast cars on the market today…or shall I say SUV. However you describe the Kona N, this is Hyundai at its nuttiest and I mean that in a good way. The high-performance N story began with the Veloster and has since spread to the Elantra and now the Kona with more to come later this year. Available in white, black, blue or red with a 2.0-liter turbo, 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, a limited slip, electronically controlled shocks and summer-use Pirelli rubber, the Kona N is a front-wheel drive hooligan. With 276 horsepower and 289 pound-feet of torque delivered more linearly via what Hyundai dubs “Flat Power” technology, this is a torque-steering, exhaust-popping, rigid ride with fun technology built-in. Names like Grin Shift, Grin Control and Corner Carving Differential intertwine with N Mode infotainment creating a video-game-like atmosphere. There’s launch control, all sorts of ways to measure and monitor your performance and even built-in racetrack layouts with lap timers. This Kona is a hoot. It’s super stiff and gives you the feeling that you’re driving a rally car. Short for N Grin Shift, when you press this button it’s like inserting a sugar IV needle into a kid’s arm; 20 seconds of over-boosted turbo and the most aggressive shifting available when rapid acceleration is required. Kudos to Hyundai for producing something this crazy that isn’t so over the top that it’s completely impractical. This one’s for the driver who craves automotive personality.

The cabin is gorgeous. Absolutely top-notch for $53,000…very reminiscent of what you’d find in a Lexus SUV. And hey, Toyota listened…there’s now a height-adjustable passenger seat on XLE grades and above. And though there’s still no wireless CarPlay or Android Auto this JBL Audio System is astonishingly good. And the quietness of this cabin lets you take in every note. When I first tested this new Highlander a couple of years ago I discovered Lexus-level luxuriousness to this new Platinum trim. Toyota had taken their popular 3-row SUV and refined it to the point where it blurred company lines. Replacing the powerful and smooth V6 is Toyota’s latest gas-electric hybrid design starring a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and 2 electric motors producing 243 total horsepower…52 fewer than in the non-hybrid models. And with the all-wheel drive option there’s a 3rd electric motor back here powering the rear wheels, doing its own thing without the need for a mechanical connection to the transmission. Storing the energy for the motors are old school nickel-metal hydride rechargeable batteries situated under the rear seats. Al of this results in the heaviest, least powerful, lowest towing rated Highlander you can buy BUT – and this is of course the Hybrid’s trump card –mileage which is 52% higher than the gas-only model with the secondary benefit being extended driving range. This one will take you 600 miles on a single tank! And in times like these 35mpg city/ 34mpg highway sounds great for a midsize SUV – though I’ve averaged a tad less than 30mpg in the winter cold.

So you’re shopping for a small SUV, I see. Maybe a CR-V? RAV4? Rogue? Well, if you’re like me and tend to zig when others zag, perhaps an Eclipse Cross should be on your list. They sell in minuscule numbers as compared to the class leaders and with the updates this year Mitsu has made it more competitive. Introduced for the 2018 model year it never really caught on, mainly because it’s butting heads with some mammoths of the small SUV segment and for a small time player in this market you’ve got to do something really special to garner attention, and that apparently didn’t happen. So for 2022 it grows by over 5” in length, increasing cargo capacity to bring it more in line with its rivals. Inside there’s now a power passenger seat – which doesn’t sound like much until you realize how hard they are to come across – and a redesigned infotainment system that no longer uses a touchpad and that has a screen that’s closer to the driver. With the vehicle’s added length comes a revised suspension with retuned shocks and springs for improved ride control. And lastly, the rear end has been restyled to remove bar bisecting the window. The 1.5-liter turbo-4 and CVT carryover. So how does 152 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque sound? Actually, not so bad as the Eclipse Cross presents as sportier than the rest of the herd… Mitsu’s most distinguishing trait. It rides firmer, sounds racier and handles more spiritedly than you might expect making this a good choice for those who don’t follow the herd.

This whole Wilderness thing is perhaps the smartest idea Subaru has ever had. It just makes too much sense; an all-wheel drive, outdoorsy brand with dogs in every commercial is perfectly suited for something more rugged. It’s Subaru’s best-selling model and their owners love them but let’s be honest; it’s never been a looker. Dorky is the descriptor that always comes to my mind but this Wilderness model is a game changer for Forester, taking it in a completely more appealing direction. Now, Subaru could have done a Fugazy LL Bean Edition wheel and sticker job here but no; this is a real deal off-road upgrade: more ground clearance and thus better trail-tackling metrics, specially tuned suspension components to compensate for the vehicle’s added height, all-terrain Yokohama 17” tires, a deep snow and mud driving mode that can work at higher speeds than in other Foresters, a transmission with an 8th gear, if you will, for the paddle-shifted manual mode and that also automatically detects steep gradients and locks into lower gearing to get the power to the ground, 3,000 pounds towing capacity – double that of the other models and a roof that can support an additional 100 pounds for things like a tent. This one is also equipped with an optional aluminum under guard for the engine and it’s the only way to get this sharp Geyser Blue paint. It looks amazing and the copper finish accents and Wilderness logos are appropriately sprinkled inside and out to give it a special feel. Starting MSRP for the Forester Wilderness is $33,945 for what turns out to be the most well-executed Subaru of all-time.

Did you know that you can buy a brand new Jaguar SUV for as little as $42,000? I bet you didn’t. It’s this one here…the E-PACE. Based on its minuscule sales it’s been largely ignored with shoppers choosing the bigger and much more expensive F-PACE at a ratio of nearly 4 to 1. But it’s been refreshed this year and looks especially sharp as this Caldera Red E-PACE 300 Sport.
for what may be its final refresh the body receives a nip and tuck for a more assertive stance, the chassis has been updated, aiming to deliver enhanced dynamics and comfort, and the cabin gets an infusion of fresh tech and a more premium touch. Previously called the R-Dynamic this here is the range-topping 300 Sport model riding atop optional 21” gloss black wheels framing optional red brake calipers. With the black badges leaping off of the solid red paint, this little guy grabs its share of attention for sure. So what is the 300 Sport and why would you choose it over the lesser 2 trims? Well, mainly it comes down to the P300 engine which is a 296 horsepower mild-hybrid turbo-4 producing 295 pound-feet of torque. That’s 50 more horses, nearly a half second quicker to 60mph and 1mpg more fuel efficient in city driving than the P250 engine. And then equally as important are the Adaptive and Configurable Dynamics with Comfort and Dynamic settings that adjust the ride stiffness automatically or to suit your chosen preference. There’s also torque vectoring on the rear wheels so this all-wheel drive system works from front to back as well as side to side for more responsive handling. And then goodies like a head-up display, sport seats and soft leather touch-points make this the E-Pace to have. The starting MSRP is $51,000 with this fully stocked and accessorized tester checking in at nearly $60 grand. Is that a lot when compared to its competitors? Well, it depends on who you think they are. A similarly spec’d BMW X4 xDrive30i is almost identically priced with similar metrics though it’s rear-wheel based and considerably longer with more cargo volume. If you look at an X2 xDrive28i which is even larger inside, much more fuel efficient and not that much slower than the E-Pace, it’s about $15,000 less.