Steve’s Top Picks

This here is the Bronco Wildtrak – the most expensive Bronco – designed for high-speed, all-out dessert runs…a terrain type foreign to my area. Instead, I’ve got a freshly fallen 3” sleet bomb with some snow on top. This is the only Bronco which comes standard with the Sasquatch Package taking ground clearance to 11 ½” through long-travel Bilstein shocks and 35” mud tires mounted to 17” beadlock-capable wheels. There’s a higher final drive ratio delivering more torque to the ground and it also possesses a nearly 2” wider track. The Wildtrak also comes standard with the more powerful 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 rated at 315 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque on regular unleaded – 330 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque if you feed it premium. A 10-speed auto is the only available transmission on Wildtrak, rated at 17mpg. This one is also optioned with Dual Tops: a Carbonized Gray removable hard roof with a sound deadening headliner which was left at the shop and – the way it was delivered to me – with a retractable full soft top. Removing the standard fog lamps on this tester is the optional Ford Performance Heavy Duty front bumper which includes upgraded front steel bash plates. Other notable extras on this Bronco include leather-trimmed vinyl seats, a 2” hitch receiver for max towing of 3,500 pounds and the most lavishly equipped Lux Package which essentially turns this Bronco’s interior into that of a well-stocked Explorer’s.

If BMW doesn’t sell more models than any other automaker then it’s pretty darn close. There are a dizzying array of body-styles and variants from which to choose but it’s this one here, the X3, that outsells them all. And now into in the 5th year of its 3rd generation, the 2022 X3 receives some notable updates.
The difference between a 248 horsepower X3 and one with 382 horsepower is the main reason this M40i model is the one to have. It’s not the range-topping X3M mind you but honestly, if it’s a quick, sporty, fun-to-drive SUV you’re looking for this M40i is more than adequate. All-wheel drive is standard for a starting MSRP of $58,795, about $12,000 more than an X3 xDrive30i. Yes, that’s a hefty premium and if you’re more into the show and less into the go the M40i’s performance upgrades will be lost on you but for those who get excited by a launch controlled 4.4 second 0-to-60mph time, sophisticated handling and racy sounds this is the one you’ll want. And the 3.0-liter turbo-6 gets a boost this year from a 48-volt battery that adds 11 horsepower of electric drive, contributing to the stellar acceleration. This setup also supports regen braking which helps to smooth out and extend the duration of the engine start/stop function when paused in traffic. With the M Sport Differential, real leather seating, the Premium Package and heated rear seats MSRP is $64,290 or an $876 per month lease. With phenomenal performance, the X3 M40i is the small SUV calling all drivers.

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.

It’s a Jeep so above anything the brand has ever produced that it doesn’t even use the Jeep name. It simply goes by Grand Wagoneer and it’s the big, highly capable, opulent 3-row affluent Jeep owners have been waiting for. So watch out Escalade and Navigator; there’s a new 4X4 in town and it isn’t pulling any punches.
They’re both the same size – huge – but if you prefer your Wagoneer to be grand you’re going to need an extra $30,000 and an even more fervent desire for fossil fuels. Each premium fill up of its 26 gallon tank costs more than $100 in order to feed the 6.4-liter V8. Even with engineering tricks such as cylinder deactivation and a front-axle disconnect, consider yourself lucky if you get 15mpg. But the Grand Wagoneer’s story isn’t about fuel economy. It’s about oversized American opulence; a new choice for fat-cat families in the gigantic SUV segment. GM and Ford now have a new competitor to wrangle with and Jeep is coming in hot. But you can barely find the Jeep name on the Grand Wagoneer and if you go to Jeep’s retail site the Wagoneers receive their own special tab, so consider this a Jeep subbrand if you will.
This here is the penultimate Obsidian trim in the only monotone color choice; Diamond Black with a starting MSRP of just over $100,000. But despite the name, the Obsidian is also available in white, silver, red and blue. But even those colors receive 22” black wheels, black grille and badging, black interior accents and as a bonus a 23-speaker McIntosh audio system with a cool amp app to make you feel like you’re in a home theater. The sticker price of this one is $109,025 with the optional Rear-Seat Entertainment Group, Heavy Duty Trailer Tow Package and Convenience Group. But if the blacked-out treatment just isn’t for you, the Grand Wagoneer Series III is basically the Obsidian with more shiny metal and standard equipment starting at $4,000 more.

Once a rival to Lexus, Infiniti has been mired in old product and meandering business plans for years. The recently introduced QX50 didn’t set the world on fire as they had hoped so this new QX60 better click and it will. This is a solid evolution of what made the 1st one so popular; now smarter, more premium and better packaged for greater convenience. A base, front-drive QX60 Pure is priced at just under $48,000 and leases for $671 per month but we don’t do much base around here so my tester is an all-wheel drive QX60 Autograph; a metaphor referencing its personalized style. And this is a beautiful reimagining of the body with a judicious use of chrome and this gorgeous Moonbow Blue paint. It’s less curvy and more muscular now with a pronounced front end design proclaiming affluence. The footprint is nearly identical to before but this one is wider with a little more ground clearance though inside the 2nd and 3rd row legroom has decreased while cargo volume behind the 3rd row has increased by 2 cubic feet. There’s also a nifty underfloor storage box back here and of course, the tailgate can be foot activated. The 3rd row seats don’t power fold but they do get a power assist when raising them. And in general the configurable seat action is a QX60 strong suit. To access the 3rd row, just press this button at the base of the seat and the rest of the movement is done for you. And because the 2nd row captain’s chairs slide and recline and the 3rd row seats also recline, as long as everyone is courteous there’s enough room for 6 in here without any whining from the kids. And when it’s time to get out, there’s another one-touch button for that. So very family friendly though other than a couple of mixed-type USB ports there’s no entertainment features or screens back here…not even as an option.
Extremely limited in availability, the 2022 Infiniti QX60 can be ordered in Pure, Luxe, Sensory and Autograph trims in either front- or all-wheel drive with up to 6,000 pounds of towing capacity including trailer sway control and a transmission oil cooler. I’m not sure it’ll be the savior the brand needs but it’s certainly the best SUV Infiniti offers and will no doubt resume its reign as their sales leader.