GM Could Be About to Fix the Biggest Problem With Its Pickup Trucks

The white-hot battle for full-size pickup truck supremacy in America took a slightly unexpected turn when General Motors revealed the latest versions of its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. Sure, the new trucks had plenty of expected features — new tech, added cargo- and people-carrying capability, and bold new styling that might have been a little too bold in the case of the Chevy.

But if the exterior was wild, the interior was mild. GM left the insides almost unchanged when compared with the past generation, leaving the big rigs looking outdated compared with the likes of the Ram’s revolutionary interior. Correlation doesn’t equal causation, but it’s likely no coincidence that Ram sales edged past the Silverado for the first time in the same year both new trucks went head-to-head.

The fates of GM’s trucks might be about to change, though. According to GMC Trucks and SUVs senior marketing manager Stuart Pierce, the rigs will soon receive updated interiors much like those found in the Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and the GMC Yukon.

“You’re gonna see some similarities” between the pickups and the SUVs, Pierce told Muscle Cars & Trucks. “Our customers are looking for very premium appointments in a very capable truck.”

While there are plenty of smaller differences between them, the Yukon/Suburban/Tahoe interiors’ biggest difference from the pickups is their infotainment layout — a vitally important piece of equipment for tech-obsessed new car buyers these days. The Silverado/Sierra’s small touchscreen looks even smaller than it is due to its awkward layout sandwiched between air vents; the SUVs’ screen, in contrast, stands tall and proud above the vents.

Above: The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban’s interior.

The Silverado’s somewhat controversial front end might see itself tweaked, as well. “We’re working on some projects that will grab exterior design on one, and grab interior design on the other,” Chevy Trucks marketing director Bob Krapes told MC&T.

What forms those projects may take, of course, remains to be seen — though MC&T speculates it could involve using the badass front end of the SUVs’ Z71 trim levels on the Silverado. One thing’s for certain, though: with the new Ram still grabbing accolades and an all-new Ford F-150 set to appear this year, the time is prime for GM to upgrade its big pickup trucks.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The Toyota Sienna May Be Old, But It Still Holds a Trump Card in the Minivan Game

You might not realize it, but the minivan category thrives on innovation. Not in form, but in the small details of functions — the convenience features that make real life easier for most of us. An in-car vacuum, fold-flat second-row seats, an amplifier to make your voice cut into the kids’ headphones? You’ll find them in minivans, and nowhere else.

As the elder statesman of the minivan class, however, Toyota’s Sienna boasts little in the way of unique convenience novelties. Yet the Sienna does boast one trump card none of its rivals can match: all-wheel-drive. Wander into a Honda, Kia or Chrysler dealership, and you’ll find minivans with vanishing seats and plug-in hybrid powertrains…but they all come with front-wheel-drive. Most people who want AWD are probably going to buy an SUV anyway, goes the logic, so why bother?

This sort of reasoning, however, deprives the public of choices with regards to ideal family transportation. If you need to lug more than four people around (or really any mix of people and gear) a minivan is the most efficient form of transportation that doesn’t carry the stigma of criminal activity; adding AWD to the mix means it has the added grip to plow through snow and mud that would stymie two-wheel-drive cars. For that reason, if nothing else, the Sienna is worthy of consideration.

(Of course, that’s only the case until late this year, when Chrysler will be adding AWD back to its minivan lineup. But for now, the Sienna is the only game in town.)

All-wheel-drive + snow tires = all the grip you’ll likely ever need.

People began flocking to SUVs because of the added traction of having power go to all four wheels, but unless you’re planning on going well beyond the ends of the roads — which very few SUV or truck buyers do — there’s really no practical reason to opt for the added size and mass that comes with choosing a taller vehicle. When paired with a good set of snow tires, all-wheel-drive makes a vehicle capable of tackling bad winter roads with aplomb.

The Sienna rides at compact crossover height and serves up similar fuel economy, but delivers full-size SUV space. Clad in the right rubber, it’s as capable as any crossover…at least, capable of handling the conditions most crossover owners come across.

It may be old, but you won’t care from behind the wheel.

A 296-horsepower V6 connected to an eight-speed automatic means this van hustles with surprising vigor when you push it; no one’s likely to mistake it for a Ferrari, but it still flows through traffic well. Its 4,605-pound curb weight may land it in crossover territory, but it has the advantage of carrying its center of gravity a good deal lower.

Of course, most of us don’t consider a minivan for its handling. Buyers will more likely be happy to hear about the host of modern convenience features: Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a collision-avoidance system that detects pedestrians and cars, active cruise control, lane departure alert, automatic high beams, a tire pressure monitor and a rear-view camera all come standard; parking sonar, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a system that lets you save your voice by projecting it through the third-row speakers and a second-row multimedia system with a 16.4-inch screen that can play two separate videos at once all come as options.

Oh, there are five USB ports and a ton of cupholders, too.

You can’t beat a van when it comes to space.

No, minivans aren’t sexy. The Sienna attempts to look cooler than most with its distinctly Japanese-spec front fascia, but still, it’s ultimately a block of cheese on wheels. Yet it’s that one-box shape that makes it such a great value, as it maximizes the interior volume. Fill all eight seats, and there’s still 39.1 cubic feet of space behind them — as much as a Chevy Suburban. Fold down the third row, you can seat five and carry 87./1 cubic feet of stuff; get the second row out of the way, and you can take on a cool 150 cubic feet of gear — more than any extra-large SUV on the market.

5 Dirt Cheap Land Rovers You Could (But Probably Shouldn’t) Buy

We love old Land Rovers. They’re luxurious, capable and boxily beautiful, accruing charm and dignity as they age. They pair nicely with a Barbour jacket and the faint scent of pipe smoke in your pastoral, aristocratic fantasy.

The trouble with old Land Rovers, in reality, is they don’t last. They are notoriously unreliable. Something — the air suspension, a miscellaneous leak, an electrical gremlin — is bound to go wrong. And when it does, it won’t be straightforward or affordable to fix.

But, because they don’t endure like a Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rovers don’t hold their value in the same way. Wait long enough, and they become exceedingly affordable. You can get a stylish SUV suffused with grandeur for almost nothing. You know you should resist temptation. You know it will break your heart and your bank account.

But, well…look how cheap it is!

Here are five used Land Rovers you can buy right now for less than $7,000. If you’re brave enough.

2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

This Range Rover Sport is a dapper-looking gent with a black exterior, gray interior, and some lovely wood trim. It also has a supercharged 4.2-liter V8. 128K miles on the odometer should concern you, but a sub-$5,000 price tag may alleviate some of those worries.

1998 Land Rover Discovery LE7

Here’s an exceptionally clean 1998 Disco with a blue exterior and tan interior. It has only 86,000 miles. Not convinced yet? Check out the rear jump seats.

2005 Land Rover LR3

Black detailing is all the rage these days. This LR3 owner was ahead of his or her time: this sinister beauty has a black exterior, black interior, black wheels and black tinting. It also has the LR3 badging removed, so it could pass as a younger, pricier Land Rover amongst commoners.

2006 Land Rover Range Rover HSE

Photo via Autotrader.com

This Range Rover has about everything one could want from a used car. California car. Older owner. Merely 63,000 miles. You just need to sort out whatever’s going on with that paint.

1996 Land Rover Discovery SE7

Looking for a used Land Rover for overlanding? This 1996 Disco may be your option. It’s a California car with some off-road accessories, and has had extensive maintenance performed. It’s not a Defender, but it does have Defender wheels.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

2020 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid Review: Efficient, Affordable and (Mostly) Normal

Hyundai launched the Ioniq to fight the Toyota Prius on its own turf. It’s a compact four-door liftback, landing in that busy gray area between sedan and hatchback. It comes in three versions: a limited-range EV, a plug-in hybrid and a regular mild hybrid.

The latter, which I drove for a few days, is the most fuel-efficient car sold in America — at least, among those still powered by fossils. The base model Ioniq Hybrid can earn 58 miles per gallon combined; my highfalutin’ Limited trim example is good for 55 mpg. That efficiency — not sportiness or sex appeal — is why one buys a Hyundai Ioniq. But should it be your eco-cruiser of choice?

There’s no disputing that full-electric cars are more environmentally friendly than a mild hybrid — and they’re almost always more fun to drive. Hyundai’s Kona Electric, for instance, delivers 291 lb-ft of instant torque to help accelerate through everyday traffic, and you can broadcast your zero-emissions status with a smug vanity plate.

The Ioniq Hybrid does offer one critical advantage over comparable EVs (not to mention the Toyota Prius): it’s [expletive deleted] cheap. The base Hybrid Blue trim Ioniq starts at just $22,200; that’s about $15,000 less than a bare-bones electric car and about $2,000 cheaper than a Prius. And perhaps best of all for many buyers: unlike many vehicles dedicated to being green, it feels like a normal car.

The Ioniq Hybrid Drives Acceptably

Driving a Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid is pleasantly nondescript. Quickness is not an Ioniq Hybrid’s strength; it speeds from 0-60 mph in 8.9 seconds. But that’s still as quick as many base-model Subaru SUVs, and few people are avoiding them because they’re too slow. It uses a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission rather than a CVT, making powertrain transitions feel far less jarring. I wouldn’t describe it as a precision instrument, but it handles itself comfortably at highway speeds, and doesn’t feel like it’s about to fall apart traversing potholes.  If your goal is to use less gasoline, the Ioniq Hybrid is just fine.

The Ioniq Hybrid Looks Normal…Almost.

Most electric and hybrid cars advertise their fuel efficiency with bright lights, dorky aggressive styling, and some prominent eco-badging. The Ioniq Hybrid looks like your bog-standard budget compact. It doesn’t present a vision of the future, and lacks weird lines.

It only has one quirky feature: the rear window(s). The trunk of the vehicle is so high, it results in a rear window that faces upward more than backward. Hyundai countered this not with a full redesign, but by adding a second glass panel on the back of the car, creating an odd split view.

I Couldn’t Match The Listed Fuel Efficiency.

I drove conservatively, keeping the Ioniq in its default “Eco-mode.” Yet I earned just 39.1 mpg instead of the EPA-listed 55 mpg over about 100 miles of mixed driving. Rather than my inveterate lead foot trying to make itself known, I suspect that the culprit was the cold weather, which can affect fuel economy. It was January in Michigan, and there was a day where it dipped below freezing.

This One Feature Drove Me Nuts.

I don’t often write about key fobs. Nowadays, you don’t even need to futz with them on most new cars; they work without even taking them out of your pocket. The trouble with the Hyundai Ioniq’s is that the fob can detach completely from the chain to reveal a physical key for emergencies. It does this via a button…one that is easy to accidentally press if you keep your keys in a pants pocket or a purse. (Thankfully, I recovered my fob from my jeans before I ran them through the washing machine.)

Everything You Need for a 500-Mile Winter Motorcycle Trip

Last December, I had a wild idea. Instead of renting a car or buying a train or plane ticket, why not ride a motorcycle home for the holidays?

Now, this notion might not be a big deal if I lived in Southern California, or if my family resided nearby. However, I’m in New York City, and my destination was Northern Virginia. We’re talking about a 540-mile round-trip journey, much of it on major highways, at the start of an East Coast winter. That’s not the kind of expedition one takes lightly, even during a relatively mild December — so I knew I had to get serious about gearing up.

Spoiler alert: I survived the ride. Here are five major things I learned along the way, plus a rundown of all the gear I used to keep from freezing to death on this little cold-weather adventure.

1. Layer Smart

As you probably know, layering is critical to keeping your core temperature up and your blood circulating out to your extremities. It’s even more important on a bike, because once you get rolling on the highway, 65-mph wind makes things feel a lot colder. So rock plenty of layers (I maxed out at five on my upper body, including my jacket’s liner), and keep additional ones easily accessible by stashing them near the top of your saddlebag or luggage.

Make sure you have the ability to ditch layers, as well. You’ll want to shed some if you find you’re over-bundled; otherwise you’ll start sweating, and then you’ll really be cold if the temps drop.

2. Get Creative

Our good friends at RevZilla will tell you that one of the best ways to stay warm is to don heated gear, and they’re probably right. I have not yet taken this step, nor have I ridden a bike with heated handgrips — but I did recognize that Gore-Tex gloves and boots might not be enough to cut it with all that highway wind.

So in addition to doubling up on socks and adding a liner under my gloves, I took a friend’s unorthodox advice and put some of those magic chemical handwarmers on the backs of my hands and the tops of my feet. That move just might have warded off frostbite.

I also got creative with some of my layers: who needs “motorcycle-specific” apparel when the mountain-spec gear you’ve already got does the same job just as well, if not better?

3. Follow the Sun

Speaking of the sun, I can’t stress enough how ideal it is to ride when that nuclear ball of light and heat is high in the sky. I was cruising along with nary a care in the world on the last weekend of 2019 — when, maybe a hundred miles from home, night fell.

In a matter of moments, it felt like the temperature had dropped 20 degrees. I was chilly AF — and the combo of darkness, fatigue and frosty fingers made the whole affair suddenly seem a lot more precarious. I buckled down and powered through, but not before making a permanent marker mental note to leave at least an hour earlier next time.

4. Respect the Weather

I’ve done this NYC-to-greater-D.C. ride a few times before in warmer weather, and one of my previous trips taught me a painful lesson that served me well this time around.

That spring, I brushed off a minor rain forecast. Of course, less than an hour in, down came the drops, forcing me to spend all day drying off and praying for the precipitation to cease at a coffee shop before completing the journey at about 11 p.m. as a frozen and shivering mess. During my trip last month, I left a day early to beat some Sunday morning showers — and happily rolled along under the clearest of Saturday skies.

5. When in Doubt, Overbike

During a recent gravel biking camp in Arizona, I learned a fun new term from some cycling industry friends: underbiked. Like undergunned, it describes a situation where your set of wheels isn’t quite up to the terrain you’re tackling. Extreme example: riding a banana-seat Huffy on Whistler’s single-track mountain bike trails.

On the flip side of that coin, for winter riding, your best bet is to be overbiked. My daily city ride is a beautiful black Bonneville T-100, but I realized for this trip it might help to have a moto with real storage capacity, highway-crushing displacement — and, you know, an actual windshield. So I lined up the majestic Indian Chieftain Elite you’ll see below. It was a total overbike move…and it was spectacular.

Kali Protectives Catalyst Helmet

It took me far too long to realize highway riding is much more pleasant with a full-face helmet. This badass matte black one just happens to be super-comfortable, streamlined and stylish.

WileyX WX Hayden Sunglasses

That little rock dropping off the back of a truck can turn into a bullet at 80 miles per hour. Good thing these tactical shades meet ANSI Z87.1 industrial standards for high-mass and high-velocity impact protection.

BlackStrap The Hood Balaclava Facemask

Bandannas are cool and all, but winter demands a bit more coverage. BlackStrap’s breathable, moisture-wicking balaclavas feature a helmet-friendly fit that comes in equally handy on snowboarding trips.

Lululemon Metal Vent Tech Long Sleeve 2.0

Lululemon’s combination of good looks and seamless comfort have pretty much ruined all other first layers for me.

Backcountry Timpanogos Tech Fleece Hoodie

Timpanogos is the second-highest mountain in Utah’s Wasatch range. It’s also a damn good mid-layer piece featuring stretch fabric, handy thumbholes and a hood that could save your neck if you forget your balaclava.

Arc’teryx Cerium SL Jacket

I take this jacket with me just about everywhere I go. It packs down to the size of a peanut butter jar, then expands to provide way more down-based warmth than you’d expect from such a minimalist garment.

AlpineStars Ray Canvas V2 Jacket

The exact jacket I used on my ride, the AlpineStars Kinetic, is no longer available, but this one is pretty dang similar. Key features include Level 1 CE-certified BIO-Light shoulder and elbow protectors, plus a durable, water-repellent shell.

HotHands Hand Warmers

Ten hours of warmth for less than a dollar a pair? Sign me up.

PearliZumi Men’s Cyclone Gel Gloves

These cycling gloves served as a perfect liner to my moto gloves. Bonus: the index finger works on touchscreens, like the one between the handlebars of the Chieftain.

Dainese Nembo Gore-Tex Gloves

Thanks to Gore-Tex Grip technology, these gloves are water- and wind-resistant while also providing exceptional grasp of the handlebars. They boast knuckle protection and a gauntlet that will make you feel like a medieval knight — and shield you from harsh weather, of course.

Lululemon Keep the Heat Thermal Tight

Sure, they’re designed for winter running. They just happen to be an excellent first-layer liner, too.

Dainese D-Explorer 2 Gore-Tex Pant

Where to start with how much I love these pants? A Gore-Tex membrane, removable liner and zippered thigh vents mean they’re tough enough to ward off wind, rain and cold, yet can be streamlined for summer riding, too. They are so comfortable you’ll forget all about the Trixior inserts that could save your knees if things go awry, and there’s even a matching all-season jacket.

Darn Tough Hiker Boot Sock Cushion

Darn Tough’s socks are unquestionably burly. What some people may not realize is that they are also super-comfortable. And in the case of these thicker ones, super-warm.

Darn Tough Vertex 1/4 Ultra-Light

I threw an extra sock on top of the first one for just a bit more warmth, and once the sun set on the return ride, I was quite glad I did.

Vasque Clarion ’88 GTX Waterproof Hiking Boot

I’ve been effusive in my praise of this boot in the past, asserting that its throwback tech is perfectly suited to many modern activities. Thanks largely to waterproof Gore-Tex, a grippy Vibram outsole and plenty of cushioning, you can add long-distance winter motorcycling to the list.

Indian Chieftain Elite

Last fall, I raved about the 2019 Indian Chieftain Limited, which I also took on a 500-mile trip. This 2020 bike in the same family is even better. It has everything that bike does and more, including three features that came in especially handy: a more user-friendly touchscreen navigation system; life-saving antilock brakes; and the coup de grâce: booming 400-watt speakers integrated into the front fairing and rear saddlebags for a true surround sound experience. It’s a real mood booster when the weather — or the traffic — gets you down.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The Best Used Car Bargains from 2010–2019 You Can Buy

It’s human nature to look backwards. We reminisce about what was, viewing the past with rose-colored glasses; we rewind past our mistakes again and again, scanning for details about how to prevent things from happening that way again. Thinking backwards is as much a part of us as wondering what’s next.

But looking in the rearview mirror, when it comes to car shopping, is a pretty good way to spot some bargains. (Not literally, of course; if looking in the rearview mirror of an actual car reveals anything than what’s directly behind the trunk, see your doctor.) The years between 2010 and 2019, being not so long ago, are still fresh enough for us to remember the fresh-faced vehicles we were excited to see and drive — yet are now far enough in the past that those rides have grown to fill used car lots across the land.

So now that we’re into the third decade of the 2000s, we thought it was worth taking a peek back at some of the cars that were on sale in the last decade that still make for good rides today. Don’t be afraid to check back every so often, either; we’ll likely add more vehicles as time goes by.

Acura TSX

Acuras are well-known for their reliability, but the TSX brings an added dose of spriteliness that the carmaker’s current lineup can sometimes be lacking. A six-speed manual is available, albeit only with the 201-hp inline-four, but that engine suits the car better than the 280-hp V6 that only comes with a five-speed automatic. (If you find one of the rare Sport Wagon variants in good condition, snap it up as quick as you can.) Low-mileage ones are rare, but you can find good ones with 60K miles or less for $14,000 or below with ease.

Nissan Leaf

It may not be the sexiest electric car, or the roomiest, or the one offering the most range — but a used Nissan Leaf is one of the best deals you can grab on an EV. First-gen models at four-digit prices (yes, less than $10,000) with less than 60K miles abound across America, making them an ideal second commuter car for folks who might not have considered adding an electric to their household before. Plus, the inherent simplicity of an EV powertrain — with just a handful of moving parts compared to the hundreds of an internal-combustion one — helps make the Leaf plenty reliable.

Toyota Tundra

Toyota’s sterling reputation for reliability extends to their full-sized trucks just as much as it does their cars and SUVs, which means the Tundra ranks among the most reliable half-ton rigs on the road. Add in the fact that the truck on sale today is mechanically almost identical to the one sold in 2010, and there’s practically no reason to buy a new one instead of one of these. You can find tons out there with less than 50,000 miles for between $20K and $30K; or, if you want to go cheaper, there are plenty still under 100K that have prices in the teens.

Lexus GS

The fourth-generation GS was one of the first vehicles to prove Lexus was serious about adding some dynamism to its traditionally-staid cars. With a well-balanced chassis and nimble handling, it was the sort of four-door that proved worth holding up alongside the BMW 5 Series and Audi A6 as an entertaining option of its day. It’s also proven itself one of the most reliable luxury sedans you can buy. So long as you can live with the frustrating infotainment system, you’ll likely find it a great fit. You can find high-mileage ones (figure just over 100K) for around $16,000, but just a couple grand more will net you one with less than 60K miles on the clock.

Porsche Boxster / Cayman

Granted, no new Porsche is going to be outright cheap to buy or take care of, but the 981-generation model sold from 2012 to 2016 is about as good a deal as you’ll find. The last generation of Boxster/Cayman to be powered by flat-sixes across the board, the 981 is generally seen as reliable and fairly cheap to own by Porsche specialists — and you can find solid examples in the mid-$20K-to-low-$30K range all day long.

Hyundai Genesis

The car currently known as the Genesis G80 started off as the second-generation Hyundai Genesis half a decade ago — and it makes for an even better used car today than it did a new one then. A 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty means you should have plenty of coverage on your used car’s moving bits into the near future. It still rides smoothly and comfortably, and still looks like an Aston Martin at a glance. And they’re dirt cheap: V6 models with less than 50,000 miles can be yours for less than $20,000 all day long, while V8s with around 50K-80K can be yours for the same amount.

Toyota 4Runner

Not unlike its Tundra cousin, a 2010 4Runner is mechanically pretty much identical to a new one you can buy in a dealership today. As with the Tundra, that means used ones make for an excellent choice when seeking a car of Twenty-Teens provenance. Unlike the big pickup, though, the boom in overlanding has led 4Runners to hold their value quite well. Still, it’s cheaper than a new one — and better than most other four-wheel-drives you can buy. Good ones with less than 40,000 miles generally run in the mid-to-high-$20Ks; those looking to spend less can find plenty of ones with 75K-100K miles for prices around $20,000.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

Which Ford Should You Buy? Let Our Quick Guide Help You Figure It Out

Describing the Ford Motor Company as a fixture of the American automotive scene would be an understatement. Ford essentially invented the mass-produced automobile with the world’s first moving assembly line. One of America’s greatest automotive icons, the Mustang, is a Ford. America’s perennial best-selling vehicle for nearly 40 years running, the F-150 pickup, is a Ford. American engines have powered 13 Formula 1 championships and six outright wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race… and all of them were Fords.

The American automotive industry is currently undergoing massive changes — and so, consequently, is the Ford Motor Company. It is reorienting toward a future as a multifaceted mobility and tech firm, yet in the here and now, the Blue Oval has shorn its model tree of nearly everything but trucks and SUVs in search of present-day profitability.

So if you’re shopping for one today, what’s the best Ford vehicle to buy? It depends on what you’re looking for…and maybe whether you’re willing to wait for the Mustang Mach-E or the new Bronco. Here’s a quick, helpful guide to help you figure out what you need.

Want the best performance value? Get a Mustang GT

You can find greater precision and refinement in a sports car than the Ford Mustang has to offer, but the car has made major strides in recent years — so it’s nearly impossible to beat the Mustang GT as a value proposition. Ford will give you a 460-horsepower V8 and a six-speed manual transmission with which to wield it for less than $40,000. (Those with some extra cash to spend may wish to level up to the Bullitt edition, however.)

Want something fuel-efficient? Get a 2020 Fusion Plug-In Hybrid

The Ford Fusion sedan is soon to die, but it’s still available for the 2020 model year.  The plug-in hybrid variant is currently Ford’s most fuel-efficient vehicle. It earns 42 mpg combined in city and highway driving, and also offers 26 miles of electric-only range in EV mode.

Want a family hauler? Get a Ford Expedition

The Ford Expedition is enormous, but it’s far from ogreish on the road. The latest generation lost weight, thanks to an aluminum body. It makes 375 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque, routed through an excellent 10-speed transmission. It has a very usable third row of seats, can be outfitted to tow more than 9,000 pounds, yet can accelerate from 0-60 mph in the low six-second range. Fuel economy — about 20 mpg combined — is quite reasonable for a vehicle this size, as well.

Want the best all-around vehicle? Get a Ford F-150

The Ford F-150 is America’s best-selling vehicle by a wide margin. The reason for that: Ford offers proven quality, whether you’re buying a $30,000 work truck or a $70,000 luxury ride. Ford dragged the full-sized truck market into the 21st Century with the current-gen F-150, with its lighter aluminum-based construction and turbocharged V6s in place of V8s. Even bigger changes should be in store for 2021.

Want the best all-around vehicle under $30,000? Get a Ford Ranger

Ford brought the mid-cycle Ranger back to the U.S. for the 2019 model year. Some may be upset the Ranger Raptor did not come with it, or that there is no V6 option. But the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder and 10-speed transmission deliver a solid, capable truck, with 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. Ford has been steadily adding off-road options to compete with the rest of the midsize segment.

Want to drive on a track? Get a Shelby GT500

Ford built the Shelby GT500 to embarrass supercars that cost three times the price. Mission accomplished. It’s the 760-hp monster you expect in a straight line, reaching 60 mph in 3.3 seconds and traveling a quarter-mile in 10.7 seconds. But besides being faster than its predecessor, it’s also refined and well-balanced in the corners. No manual transmission is available, but the modern tech makes it significantly easier to drive.

Want to (pretend to) run the Baja 1000? Get an F-150 Raptor

The F-150 Raptor is Ford’s off-road performance beast. Its 3.5-liter V6 puts out 450 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque. It can accelerate from 0-60 mph in a little more than five seconds. The Raptor gets Ford’s best off-road tech, Fox Racing shocks, and a special long-travel suspension. Sure, it’s freaking enormous, and complete overkill for the off-roading most people do. But being complete overkill is why it’s so popular.

Fine, you just want a crossover? Get a Ford Escape

The Ford Escape is all-new for 2020. Running on the Focus platform, it’s the de facto replacement for most of the Ford car lineup. There are four different engine options. You can equip a fairly decent one for around $30,000, making the Escape a competitive option in the compact SUV segment. It’s not exciting, but it’ll do what you need it to do.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.