Meet the Cool Cars We’ve Been Driving This Winter

We drive a lot of cars every year here at Gear Patrol. In addition to the brand-new vehicles we fly around the country (and occasionally beyond it, though less so in recent years for obvious reasons) to try out, we also oftentimes have cars and trucks to drive on our own home turf. These can often be more rewarding tests; after all, we’re putting them through the paces of our actual lives, seeing how they handle the daily grind of parenting, urban / suburban / rural living, and other challenges you likely find familiar.

Here are the cars we’ve been driving this winter.

2022 BMW X3 M40i

Will Sabel Courtney

The BMW X3 M40i is, sadly, not nearly as much fun as the letters “BMW” and “M” in its name might lead you to believe. Like the BMW M440i (and unlike true M models like the M3 and M4), the steering never makes a solid connection with the driver; you’re unaware of what it’s up to, and often wind up making minor course corrections. (Also, I don’t know why BMW seems to be intend on making its cars uglier with every passing generation, because the X3 definitely looked better before its mid-life facelift.)

On the plus side, it is fast as hell. With 382 horses and 369 lb-ft tied to an eight-speed automatic (and with a 48-volt mild hybrid system in the mix to smooth things out even more), the power comes on hard and strong when you mash the gas in a way that’ll feel familiar to sports car owners and likely alien to anyone hopping in out of a Lexus RX. It’s also very comfortable, with supportive seats, a good driving position and mostly solid ergonomics. And, I’d argue, the X3 is just-right sized for a two-row SUV: large enough to fit four people (or five in a pinch) with a bag or two for each person, small enough to be wieldy and maneuverable in tight confines.

Bottom line, the X3 M40i is a lovely crossover for anyone who values luxury, comfort and forward thrust over the joy of driving. And if you really want something more involving, hey, the X3 M is always one more rung up the ladder. —Will Sabel Courtney

Base Price (As Tested): $57,800 ($64,290)

2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe

Tyler Duffy

Will Sabel Courtney described the Jeep Wrangler 4xe as the best Jeep Wrangler you can buy in his launch review. After using an aggressively lime green one as my family sleigh over Christmas for a week, I concur with that assessment. The Wrangler 4xe offers 21 miles of EV-only range. That doesn’t sound like much, but it’s enough to cover most errands in the burbs and a lot of commutes. I averaged 28.8 mpg over a week of driving. Plus, the system with physical buttons for hybrid, electric, and e-save (gas) is about as intuitive as it gets.

And the beauty of the 4xe is you aren’t sacrificing that much for that efficiency. It’s the most powerful Wrangler of the bunch — aside from the ludicrous V8-powered Rubicon 392 — with 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. And it can still do the business off-road, earning Jeep’s coveted Trail Rated badge. The only performance drawback? It’s not that efficient when hauling around the heavy batteries in gas mode, which makes its advantages less apparent on extended trips.

The sticking point for many people with the Wrangler 4xe will be pricing, which has continually gone up. The current base price for a Wrangler 4xe is $53,475. My Rubicon 4xe tester came out to $69,645 with the destination charge, and it would likely be more expensive now. And even though I love Jeep Wranglers and grew up driving them, $70,000 for a Jeep Wrangler is nuts. – Tyler Duffy

Base Price(As Tested): $53,475 ($69,645)

2021 Ford Bronco Wildtrak

Will Sabel Courtney

After months and months of anticipation, watching owners and other journalists gallivanting around in the new Bronco, I finally had the chance to try it for myself…in New York City in early January. Which is to say, not exactly the ideal circumstances for an outdoors-focused SUV with a soft top.

Still, even if my experience was among the more pedestrian ways one might appreciate such a vehicle, appreciate it I still did. The soft top didn’t have to deal with any of the snowfall that seems to have plagued select examples of its breed, but it did a fine job keeping in the heat even in freezing temperatures. The Sasquatch Package that comes standard on the Wildtrak may be absolute overkill for New York City, but it certainly didn’t hurt when it came to pounding over the potholes with aplomb. And as I’d heard from others, the steering feel and power were far better than I’d come to expect from the likes of open-top body-on-frame SUVs; the twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 and 10-speed automatic make a solid pairing even in the likes of the F-150, so it’s not surprising they can shove the Bronco through traffic and down the thruway with impressive speed.

On the flipside, this beast didn’t come cheap. My well-equipped four-door tester rang up the register at $61,440, about twice the price of a basic Bronco — or, perhaps more notably for the way I used it, $21K less than a fully-loaded Bronco Sport that, arguably, would be a better fit for urban and suburban life. It was also nearly $12,000 more than an Explorer Timberline that packs more room and still has plenty of outdoor prowess.

Of course, neither are as burly or cool as a Bronco…so I can’t say that I wouldn’t be tempted to let my emotions reign and take the reins over something more, shall we say, suburban. —Will Sabel Courtney

Price as Tested: $61,440

2022 Volvo XC60 AWD R-Design

Tyler Duffy

Volvo refreshed the XC60 for 2022. The most notable changes are a new mild-hybrid motor and the changeover to Google’s Android operating system. It’s still what most buyers will want from a Volvo crossover. The exterior looks sleek and stylish. The interior feels luxurious. The drive experience is smooth and comfortable without being particularly engaging — no one buys a Volvo compact crossover to use it for trackwork. Throw in cutting-edge Volvo safety technology. The XC60 is an impressive, family-friendly package.

But buying a Volvo is more of a status move now than a value one, and the pricing reflects that. My R-Design tester tacked on $10,000 in options to come in at $65,890 — about the same price as a fully-loaded Genesis GV70 with the uprated engine.

I’d also note that there isn’t a ton of cargo space in the XC60 with the seats up — a family looking for a primary family car will probably want to level up to the XC90. It’s not that efficient; I averaged about 20 mpg combined over a week. And the new infotainment system was challenging to navigate with a now small-ish and vertically-oriented nine-inch screen. – Tyler Duffy

Base Price(As Tested): $42,650 ($65,890)

2022 Toyota Prius Prime Limited

Toyota

The Prius Prime works in theory. Toyota has a fuel-efficient hybrid with the Prius. Why not add more battery capacity and get 25 miles of EV range? Dip your toes into EV ownership on short commutes without having to commit to that charging life. In practice, it leaves a few things to be desired.

The Prius Prime is OK to drive around a neighborhood. But it’s not that fun. The Prius Prime is achingly slow at higher speeds with a groaning engine. The cabin is wonky, and the batteries impinge on the cargo space. And the Prius Prime may be the least sexy vehicle on the road.

You don’t need a vehicle that looks and drives like a Prius to be eco-minded anymore. And with a price tag exceeding $35,000 in Limited trim, either going all-in on a cheap EV or opting for a sedan-based hybrid like the Accord Hybrid or the Sonata Hybrid may be more gratifying options. – Tyler Duffy

Base Price(As Tested): $28,220 ($35,284)

2022 Hyundai Kona Limited

Hyundai

Hyundai has a high-performance Kona N and an all-electric Kona. But the standard combustion version is a strong option in its own right and more amusing than it should be. My tester had the upgraded 1.6-liter turbocharged engine with 195 horsepower, a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and the optional all-wheel drive. It’s quick. Handling is responsive. And if you toss out the word crossover, you realize you’re in one of the best affordable lukewarm hatchbacks out there.

On the downside, the Kona doesn’t offer a ton of space. It’s most likely a single person’s car. When you get to the finer points of the driving dynamics, you don’t get much feedback from the steering or particularly grippy tires, which can make the power on hand unnerving at times. And when you level it up to the Limited trim, you’re getting close to Volkswagen GTI price territory. – Tyler Duffy

Base Price(As Tested): $21,300 ($28,300)

2022 Volvo S90 B6 AWD R-Design

Volvo

The Volvo S90 sedan received more or less the same refresh as the aforementioned XC60 with a new B6 mild-hybrid engine pushing out 295 horsepower and torque. You can upgrade to the PHEV, pushing out 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque. I actually prefer the B6. The PHEV isn’t as sporty as it sounds from the power outputs. And the B6, with no drive modes, is much simpler to drive than the PHEV, which requires strategy to deploy the battery life properly with every trip.

The S90 is a solid, comfortable, not very sporty sedan. But — again like the XC60 — you’re paying for every bit of the Volvo caché. My tester, which again had the base engine, came out to $64,450. And you can lux up a similarly-sized Genesis G80 midsize sedan with the 300 hp base engine for about $4,000 less. – Tyler Duffy

Base Price(As Tested): $52,850 ($64,540)

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