This here is a nearly $60,000 car; a small, all-wheel drive purple sports coupe just trying to make its way in an SUV-obsessed world. But, for those in the know – and you’re about to become one of them – this is the performance bargain of your sports car dreams. It’s the all-new BMW 2 Series and it’s beyond good…it’s addicting.
What was originally known as the 1 Series Coupe upon its arrival in 2008 became the 2 Series Coupe in 2014. And now for its second act, this 2022 redesign introduces sexy new styling, a dash of additional horsepower, stickier handling and a modern interior…oh, and this new color Thundernight Metallic…a $550 option that gets all the stares. This week, I’m skipping over the base 230i model and jumping right into the current top trim; the M240i xDrive. The former – a 4-cylinder rear-wheel setup – starts at under $40,000 making it the least expensive way to get into a BMW car while the latter- this all-wheel drive turbo-6 – starts at about $10 grand more. Now, my last spin in one of these came in 2017 in the small but mighty M2, a version expected to be reintroduced next year. As for this one, it’s quicker, significantly more fuel efficient and about the same price as that M2 so I can only imagine BMW has grand plans for its resurrection. Nevertheless this here is likely enough M for most. Though it’s 3.5” longer about 2.5” wider and a little over 200 pounds heavier than before, this is undoubtedly still a driver’s car with a low slung body, subcompact dimensions and a willingness to please as an Ultimate Driving Machine should. It’s arguably the purest form of BMW ethos in their lineup. Now, it is a shame you can’t currently get one like this without xDrive and with a stick shift but a rear-drive M240i will follow shortly. As for the manual it looks like you’ll have to wait for the M2 for that. As the 3 Series has matured beyond just a sports sedan the 2 Series has become the driver’s repository for attainable German driving enjoyment.

Chevy has revived this new generation SUV reintroducing the big 6.2 V8. This is the 2022 Tahoe RST and the drive is phenomenal. If you want the 6.2 it’s optionally available on the 3 trims just below High Country; RST, Z71 and Premier leaving just the LS and LT out of the party. And it really makes the most sense here on the RST considering this is the sporty model with its numerous blackout treatments, 22” wheels and Victory Red accents on the Jet Black leather seats. A richer sounding cat-back upgrade is available as are Brembo front brakes but they’re not cheap…choosing those options add nearly $5,800 to the price. Chevy bundles the 6.2 V8, dual tip exhaust and Magnetic Ride Control in what they call the Sport Performance Package priced at $3,815. The MRC system reads the road every millisecond to deliver real-time damping and more precise body control – it’s an absolute must-have on any Tahoe, providing an exceptionally smooth and luxurious ride. Even without the air suspension on my last Tahoe High Country tester, this Magnetic Ride Control RST is off the charts good at graceful, big SUV motoring. It’s almost hard to believe how great this drives. Not only is the 6.2 powerful but it’s also refined and smooth…and thirsty, unfortunately. But the centerpiece of the RST’s luxury level drive is Magnetic Ride Control…holy smokes. Even on 22s the ride is buttery smooth and never sloppy or truck-like. Whether you’re taking a long trip with it…which I’ve done, or driving around town, this is very Range Rover-like in its vault-like quietness and supreme ride quality. Exceptional in every way.

For its first and apparently last refresh, the 2022 Stinger receives updated styling, better electronics and more safety tech. With the highest starting MSRP of any Kia model at $37,135, the Stinger is Kia’s halo car and expectedly sells in very small numbers; about 1,200 per month. It was introduced to take on the stalwart German sport sedans; Kia flexing their engineering muscles showing that they too can go fast and handle a curvy road. But the Stinger doesn’t fit into Kia’s Plan S which aims to transition the Korean brand to electric mobility by 2025. So it’s expected that the Stinger will disappear sometime next year meaning if you want one don’t linger. The biggest news for this 2022 model actually revolves around the base GT-Line’s new, more powerful 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder. But I’m back in the saddle of the most potent Stinger; the GT2 with its 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 now producing 368 horsepower – that’s 3 more than before but I can’t say that I noticed. With 376 pound-feet of torque and a launch control feature, this car will get after 60mph in less than 5 seconds. And when you go full GT2 Kia adds in a number of key performance features, most notably an electronically controlled suspension that maximizes comfort and is connected to the 4 drive modes for either a relaxed or firmer feel. This stellar Ceramic Silver paint is a $495 option and is worth every penny nicely playing off of the red Brembo brake calipers. And the more aggressively styled exhaust tips elevate the Stinger’s presence. The rear seats are spacious, comfortable and heated but the large tunnel really makes this a 4-seater. And because it’s a hatchback there’s way more room in here than in a typical sports sedan. Drop the rear seats and now you’re ready for bigscreen TV duty. The hatch also opens automatically, hands-free, just by standing near it with the key fob on you. The Stinger is a great looking car, it’s engaging to drive and luxuriously appointed for pennies on the dollar. So if this turns out to be its swan song it’s going out with a win.

This is the only Jaguar that sells in an appreciable number. Not this super high-performing SVR trim, mind you, which sits here at over $97,000 but the F-PACE in general which resides in the popular mid-size SUV segment and starts at a relatively attainable $51,145 including destination. And just like every gas-powered vehicle in Jaguar’s current lineup, it’s only here for 4 more years as the full electrification of the brand begins in 2025. So if you’ve got lots of money, may I suggest you tuck one of these away while it’s still available because nothing beats a Jag with a supercharged V8. The stance, the color, the wheels, the sound – this is Jaguar at its modern best exceeding expectations as to what a crazy fast SUV can be. Even if a sport-ute that can cut down 60mph in in a mere 3.8 seconds isn’t really your thing, I promise just one drive of the F-PACE SVR can go a long way to changing your mind. The drive is 550 horsepower of supercharged awesomeness with bellowing pipes and neck-snapping acceleration and despite the 4,500 pounds it has to manage the handling and steering feel is impeccable for an SUV. This is truly a great drive; the kind you crave to do again and again. And the balance here between ride comfort and its dynamic characteristics is spot on. So there really isn’t anything would change here about the driving experience. Jaguar’s Special Vehicle Operations has gotten this exactly right and it’s cheaper and faster than the comparable Range Rover Sport. So get it before it’s gone.

2022 NISSAN FRONTIER TEST DRIVE
The last time Nissan redesigned the Frontier YouTube was just getting ready to launch and the first iPhone was still 2 years away. That’s the type of product cadence that would make even Toyota jealous. I’ve always been a fan of this truck so I’m very curious to see what Nissan has been cooking up over the past 2 decades. So no surprise, here in the new Frontier; the cabin’s design and tech level have been significantly enhanced and the new powertrain – which in an peculiar move was actually introduced on the old Frontier for the 2020 model year – adds a 9-speed auto in addition to a more efficient, smaller displacement V6 that makes more horsepower. Stick shifts and 4-cylinders are gone but just about everything else concerning the Frontier’s resume looks very familiar. There’s still the King Cab model with the small rear doors and a 6’ bed or the full 4-door Crew Cab with the 5’ bed or optional 6’ bed on midlevel SV trims. And this PRO-4X remains the top dog Frontier but this time around you can get it without the 4 – in other words it’s now also available in 2-wheel drive. The wheelbase is the same, towing capacity of 6,270 pounds is about the same and max payload of 1,230 pounds has increased by 4 bags of Quikrete. It is 5” longer, 2” wider and 1” shorter in height, the bed is deeper, there are now 2 front two hooks, and 18” wheels have been shelved in favor of 16” and 17” sizes exclusively. In Baja Storm with red accents it looks great – like a baby Titan. The PRO-4X is the most aggressively styled model and is the most capable in terms of off-road adventures with all-terrain tires, Bilstein shocks, a locking rear differential for times when you get stuck and 3 steel skid plates to protect the family jewels. And then on the comfort and convenience front the 2 available PRO packages add in such niceties as a bass-rich, Fender premium audio system, a moonroof, heated leather seats, a heated steering wheel, an around view monitor, wireless charger, remote start, a spray-on bedliner, 4 tie-down cleats, and LED bed lighting. On the tech front, another optional package sprinkles in high beam assist, blind spot warning, intelligent cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and other assistance features leading to an as-tested price of $44,710. For a fun comparison, that’s $15,000 more than the last Frontier SV I tested about a decade ago. https://testdrivenow.com/2022-nissan-frontier/