Acura
Acura’s newly redone MDX three-row SUV will gain a sportier Type S version with a 355-hp turbocharged V-6 shared with the recently introduced TLX Type S. The strong-selling RDX compact crossover receives a mid-cycle update that’s primarily cosmetic, and the ILX moseys on without revision. For its final year of production, the NSX sports car becomes the NSX Type S, with 600 ponies (27 more than before) and a limited run of 300 for the U.S. Lastly, the Integra will return next year (likely as a 2023 model), but that’s all we know about it.
Alfa Romeo
It’s deader inside Alfa’s 140 dealerships than a kissing booth during a pandemic, with the brand selling just 9664 vehicles in the U.S. during the first half of 2021. The 4C exited after the 2020 model year, and the Tonale small crossover, shown as a concept in 2019, won’t boost sales until late 2022 or 2023. The Giulia sedan and Stelvio crossover soldier on with only minor changes in both standard four-cylinder and piccante Quadrifoglio form.
Aston Martin
The barely street-legal Valkyrie and track-only Valkyrie AMR Pro are coming to the U.S. for 2022. A street-friendlier derivative named Valhalla will follow in 2023. Less significant but still notable is a power bump for the DB11’s AMG-sourced twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8, which brings it to 528 horses and raises top speed to 192 mph. Meanwhile, the V-12 version of the DB11 loses its AMR badge, and the DBS no longer has Superleggera script, changes that are sure to cause a stir among the judges at the 2091 Pebble Beach Concours. The Vantage, DBS, and DBX SUV get new wheel options.
Audi
The VW-customer-poaching A3 and S3 enter a new generation. The former gets a 201-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four that splits the difference between the last A3’s 184-hp base model and the 228-hp S Line Quattro. This one pairs with a 48-volt hybrid system and the same seven-speed dual-clutch as before. As for the S3, it squeezes 18 more horses from 2.0 liters, for a total of 306, and offers a sport-tuned suspension featuring adaptive dampers. Fresh bodywork with bulging fenders gives even the lowliest model some attitude, but Audi reserves the real badassery for the 401-hp RS3.
The Q4 e-tron crossover, Audi’s take on the VW ID.4, is the brand’s most affordable EV. It comes in a traditional-SUV shape as well as raked-roof Sportback form. Starting around $45,000, the rear-drive Q4 40 packs an estimated 201 horsepower from a permanent-magnet synchronous AC motor and boasts a targeted range of 250 miles from a 77.0-kWh battery. To make the Q4 50 e-tron Quattro variant, Audi added an induction motor on the front axle, bringing total estimated power to 295 horses. The ute’s optional matrix LED headlamps enable the driver to choose from four daytime-running-light signatures, which Audi claims is a world first.
Bentley
First with the Bentayga and now the Flying Spur, electrification of the Bentley lineup is taking root. For 2022, the flagship sedan gains an optional 536-hp hybrid powertrain. On the other end of the efficiency spectrum are the new 650-hp Continental GT Speed coupe and convertible. More power from the familiar 6.0-liter W-12 and chassis changes, including rear-wheel steering and a torque-vectoring diff, indicate that the brand isn’t abandoning gas-guzzling performance just yet. A sporty-looking S variant joins the Bentayga line, while the SUV’s hybrid system sits the year out before returning for 2023.
BMW
BMW has an eventful year ahead. The electric i3 is dead, replaced by the i4 sedan and iX SUV. The former debuts with two trims: The 335-hp i4 eDrive40 has rear-wheel drive and an estimated 300-mile range, while the 536-hp M50 has all-wheel drive and should cover about 245 miles on a charge. The iX goes upmarket with 516 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and some 300 miles of range. Both arrive early next year.
Now in its second generation, the 2-series coupe remains the gateway drug to rear-drive BMW performance, with a modest $37,345 base price. Though longer, lower, and wider than the first gen, the 2 somehow looks frumpier than before. Launching in November, the entry 230i fields a 255-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four and the M240i xDrive, a 382-hp turbo 3.0-liter inline-six. Now repeat that line but change “November” to “August,” “230i” to “430i,” and “M240i xDrive” to “M440i xDrive” and you’ll know what’s up with the 4-series Gran Coupe. All of these models employ an eight-speed automatic and will eventually come in both rear- and all-wheel-drive flavors.
All-wheel drive joins the options list for the 503-hp Competition models of the M3 and M4 as well as the non-M 4-series convertibles. The M4 droptop returns after a short break in Competition xDrive form.
Bugatti
Bugatti’s lineup consists of various editions of the 16-cylinder Chiron hypercar, none of which have changed for 2022. But the big news is Bugatti’s partnership with the Croatian startup Rimac, which produces electric supercars and tech. This venture sees Rimac and Porsche sharing ownership of the French brand and likely portends some high-horsepower Bugatti EVs in the near future.
Buick
Buick’s Enclave three-row SUV has a fresh look thanks to a larger, boxier grille and slim LED headlights. Inside, the center console and steering wheel are redesigned. The potato-shaped Encore crossover trades its 138-hp turbocharged 1.4-liter for a 155-hp version; torque rises from 148 to 177 pound-feet. The Encore GX and Envision see minor trim changes.
Cadillac
The Blackwing versions of the CT4-V and CT5-V are here. They’re slated to be Cadillac’s last gas-powered V sedans before the brand transitions to EVs, starting with the 2023 Lyriq. Our advice: Get a manual one while you can. Other CT4s and CT5s remain largely unchanged, as do the XT4, XT5, and XT6 SUVs. Spy photos of a quad-exhaust Escalade have us hopeful that a high-performance version with a V badge and the big Blackwing’s 668-hp supercharged V-8 will debut soon.
Chevrolet
Just when you thought the mid-engine C8 Corvette was getting stale, a high-powered Z06 variant appears this fall. We expect it to have a high-revving flat-plane-crank V-8 with four camshafts, 32 valves, and over 600 horsepower; it should make the car sound more like something with a prancing horse than a bow tie.
Elsewhere in the lineup, the Bolt EV looks fresher and has more features than before. It also has a new sibling: the Bolt EUV, which is bigger in nearly every dimension and offers GM’s hands-free Super Cruise tech. The crossover has the same battery and electric motor as the standard hatchback Bolt, yet its size takes a toll on EPA range. The EUV manages to go 247 miles on a charge; its brother, 259.
The Trax’s turbocharged four sees a 12 percent increase in horsepower and 20 percent more torque. Chevy’s mainstream Equinox and Traverse crossovers benefit from a visual refresh and equipment reshuffling, while the Trailblazer, Blazer, Tahoe, and Suburban SUVs continue on largely unchanged. A major update for the Silverado 1500 includes a new ZR2 off-road trim and a thoroughly redone interior. The Colorado pickup adds a Trail Boss off-road package. And yes, Chevy still sells cars; the Malibu, Spark, and Camaro cruise on as they were for now.
Chrysler
The Pacifica minivan and 300 sedan continue on virtually unchanged, and the now-fleet-only Voyager will come only in LX trim, with desirable standard features such as Stow ‘n Go second-row seats, a 7.0-inch touchscreen, powered doors and liftgate, and heating for the front seats and steering wheel. So that you’ll breathe easy, all Chrysler vehicles receive a high-efficiency cabin air filter.
Dodge
Dodge has an electric car in the works, but that’s still a few years away. For 2022, the Charger and Challenger receive minor changes, and the Durango SUV shuffles some features among trim levels.
Ferrari
Ferrari fits its latest supercar, the 296GTB, with a turbocharged 2.9-liter V-6. Not since the Dino-branded products has Ferrari messed with a six-pot in a road car. It makes up for the low cylinder count with a battery underfloor and an electric charging port. We can dig it. The 296’s wavy rear fenders read Ferrari as much as Enzo’s violet signature, and its 819-hp hybrid powertrain matches the output of the V-12 in the new 812 Competizione coupe and targa. Gone from the roster are the Monza models, which sold out before they hit the market. Late last year, the Portofino gained 21 horses (now up to 612), an eight-speed dual-clutch, some aero enhancements, and an M at the end of its name. Everything else—F8s, other 812s, SF90s, Roma—stays the same, though we have news to share about the SF90 Stradale.
Fiat
After quietly killing the cute and tiny 500, the oddball 500L wagon-thing, and the Miata-based 124 Spider sports car in the past few years, Fiat has just one model left in its U.S. lineup: the 500X subcompact SUV, which carries over with no meaningful updates.
Ford
Ford’s 2022 can be summarized by two themes: trucks and electrification. There’s the all-new Maverick, a small unibody pickup with a hybrid, and the F-150 Raptor R, which returns V-8 power to the high-performance truck. Just how much power Ford won’t yet say, but the existence of the 702-hp Ram TRX leads us to believe it might be 700 ponies.
Among the regular F-150 lineup, the diesel 3.0-liter engine is no longer an option. The first full-size electric pickup to hit the market will likely be the two-motor F-150 Lightning, which promises either 230 or 300 miles of range, depending on battery size. While it costs more than comparable gas-powered versions, its low-$40,000s starting price may make it a popular choice for EV seekers.
