A few months ago we got to take part in a beautiful drive event thanks to our friends at the International Motor Press Association. Big thanks to them for coordinating a terrific day and for the OEMs for bringing out some of their latest and greatest rides to sample in beautiful Bear Mountain State Park.
Mercedes-AMG GLE 53
Mmmm the Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 is a bit of a mind pretzel for me. Sporty SUVs often are. This one isn’t the full wild GLE 63 S, that fire breather features a turbo V8 with over 600 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque, and also costs upwards of $120,000+. No, we took a quick spin in the GLE 53, with “just” 429 horsepower and 384 of the torques from a smooth and burly inline 6-cylinder engine. Mercedes tells me this set up, channeled through their 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive system can launch the SUV to 60 miles per hour in a hair over 5 seconds, and I have no reason to doubt that. It does so with a sense of performance and drama that EV’s can’t quite match. Air ride suspension keeps things the way you want them, hunkered down or soft and muted. The dual nature of this as equal parts luxury and hammer make it interesting. Can only imagine what the big boss 63 is like. Interior materials feel rich and luxurious, as one might expect at something that can cost $90,000 to $100,000 well-equipped.
Hyundai Elantra N
10 years ago, who would have guessed that Hyundai would be the purveyor of some of the most audacious performance vehicles on the market (under $50,000 that is). With the Veloster N gone (pour one out for the quirky asymmetric hatchback), the Elantra N becomes the entry point into the lauded “N” brand from Korea. This compact sedan has personality from first glance, and it’s more than just skin deep with plenty of go to go with the vibrant exterior design show. It’s also the only N left with an honest to God manual transmission that lets you shift gears to your heart’s delight. Yes the design is cranked up to 12 on the outside and yes the ride can be a bit punishing in its firmest setting, and yes there are apparently some noise concerns of the exhaust and its animated burbles and pops, but man, what character. The actual driving is also dialed in and won’t leave much to want, especially at its $33,000 price. Drive something that tugs your heart and the corners of your mouth upward.
Hyundai Kona N
Hyundai N’ed its subcompact sport ute. I was initially expecting it would take the same delightful 276 horsepower turbo 4 from the Veloster and the Elantra and add AWD for a WRX fighter, but Hyundai kept it front wheel drive. No matter, KonaN the Warrior was still a hoot to drive, even with the mandatory dual-clutch automatic transmission. I was ready to knock the lack of manual and shrug off the Kona N, but it was surprising at how well matched the powertrain and transmission are. Maybe it’s the tidier dimensions than the Elantra N that add some fun to the Kona variety of N’s. Or maybe it’s the availability of the bright red NGS (N Grin Shift) button on the steering wheel helping boost horsepower and sharpen transmission performance for a 20 second full shenanigan session. Like its sedan sibling, the Kona N just has such verve and and energy, it’s hard not to like, and per the red button, it does indeed put a grin on your face.
Nissan Rogue
Where Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V command more consumer attention, the Nissan Rogue quietly goes about its business. Nissan has tried to make its vehicles focus on minimizing dislikes, much like the other Japanese branded Compact Utes, but has it lost a bit of its unique brand identity? There are a lot of factors at play when comparing sales figures during this time of supply chain this and that, but it’s worth noting that Hyundai’s new Tucson has edged past the Rogue in sales this year. What’s going on? The Rogue is comfortable and offers up an efficient powertrain option with the new turbo 3-cylinder that we found to be pleasant to enough with low end punch for daily needs. Rear doors open nice and wide for parents that need to load in car seats. Only missing thing would be a lack of hybrids, which is odd given that the prior generation Rogue offered one. Would that get Rogue back into the race?
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep took its time launching the new Grand Cherokee, finally replacing a wildly successful generation that lasted just over a decade on the market. The Jeep lineup and the brand is in a much different position than when the 2011 model year Grand Cherokee launched. Grand Cherokee is the utility player for the brand, asked to cover a multitude of customers, everything from the base Laredo up through the Summit Reserves with side branches out to the Trailhawk like we drove here. Refinement and steering is impressive over the outgoing WK2 generation. Only area of improvement we’d look for was with the powertrain, where the 3.6-liter V6 feels a bit dated and lacks punch. For 2023, the Trailhawk mitigates this by only being available with the plug-in hybrid 4XE system paired with a turbo 4-cylinder engine. Here’s hoping the new Hurricane engines find their way into the Grand Cherokees as well! Although that will likely drive up pricing, where the Grand Cherokee is already reaching up into some heady competition tiers.
Mazda CX-50
Mazda is in the midst of a brand overhaul and the CX-50 is the latest in that shift. That’s perhaps a hard pill to swallow for some of the customers that may have helped build Mazda to where they are today. The CX-5 was always one of my most recommended models for anyone looking for a nicely executed and balanced compact utility vehicle. The CX-5 is still around, for now, but the CX-50 basically overlap in terms of pricing and offers. CX-50 comes in as the burlier, beefier brother, and supposedly more premium. Steering was fairly light and responsive, as you’d expect from a Mazda product, but the ride seemed to crash through to the cabin a bit more than I would have expected for something pegged as a premium product. If this is really more off-road/active minded, would love to see some smaller wheels and more sidewall rubber. Doors also felt a bit tinny and light, a bit of a let down compared to some prior Mazdas which had a nice tactile heft and sound to their doors.
Ford Expedition Timberline
The Expedition, Ford’s full-size, body-on-frame SUV wears many different hats. Luxurious (and pricey!) family hauler, sometimes a Fire Crew Chief rig and everything in between. With off-roading back in vogue, Ford is leaning into that with its Timberline trims. Perhaps sensing a threat from Jeep and its Wagoneer, Ford bestowed the Expedition Timberline with a class-topping 10.6″ of ground clearance, 33″ all-terrain tires (somehow still emblazoned with Wrangler naming), Trail Turn Assist (which you’ll definitely need with something this long), and underbody shielding cribbed from the F-150 Raptor parts bin. Big tires and off-road suspension make for cushy on-road ride comfort. Power is also plentiful with the 440 horsepower turbo 6-cylinder engine, but refinement of the 10-speed automatic wasn’t the smoothest on our quick drive. Found myself wishing for an Expedition Lightning. Steering was a bit soft and slow, as you might expect for a large 17.5 foot long beast. But it’s still impressive how approachable and comfortable Ford has made this with over 20 years of Expedition experience.
BMW iX
BMW launches one of the first dedicated EV luxury SUV platforms into the market with the iX. Its carbon fiber intensive architecture is a boon for dynamics, where the iX doesn’t feel the overt heft that often plagues many EVs. It feels somehow light and nimble, despite it still hefty weight that approaches 6,000 pounds, a good bit more than say the similarly sized BMW X5. Luckily BMW has significant experience with electrics and electrified drivetrains and it shows in just how smooth the iX is to drive and the thought behind the regenerative braking levels. Everything felt natural and comfortable. I’d wager this to be an easy and delightful transition for first time EV buyers in the luxury segment. If you can get past the big “grille” up front, you’d be welcomed into a plush and designer cabin. Yes, I would still love some more hard and direct controls, but there’s still a bit of special feeling in the iX without going completely spaceship, and I think it’s a good balance. Still don’t see many on the roads though, at least in the DC metro area. It’s too bad, because this is a phenomenal machine.
