SUVs Are Now the Status Quo — And That’s Fine
Sport Utility Vehicles accounted for roughly three out of every four new cars sold in Canada this year. They are the default option, with sedans, hatchbacks, wagons, and everything else relegated to niche status. It’s little wonder, really. SUVs are easier to get in and out of, and they make you feel like you’re driving a tank. Here are the ’utes that impressed us this year.
ALSO INCLUDING:
• THE CARS THAT DEFINED OUR YEAR ON THE ROAD
• 5 Rides Marking the Return of Eccentricity
CHECK BACK FOR MORE ONLINE COVERAGE OF OUR FAVOURITE JOYRIDES OF 2019 IN THE WEEKS TO COME.
Two New Normcore Champs
Lincoln Aviator
It’s time to put Lincoln back on your radar, and not just because our favourite true detective Matthew McConaughey is their spokesmodel. Lincoln’s new SUVs nail the whole Big American Luxury thing. The cabin has a bit of a Frank Lloyd Wright vibe, with strong lines and an obsession with geometric purity.
$75,000
BMW X5 M
This was one of the original muscle-bound SUVs, and it’s still among the very best. The all-new model looks surprisingly upstanding and understated, which is probably a good thing when you’ve got 4.4 litres of twin-turbocharged V8 under the hood: 617 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and space for the whole family. Well played, BMW.
Price TBD
One That Won’t Mind Getting Dirty
Jeep Gladiator
Surely the overlap in the Venn diagram between Jeep People and Pickup-Truck People must be massive. So why Jeep hasn’t had a pickup truck in its lineup since the 1992 Comanche, we cannot imagine. Anyway, the long-overdue Gladiator is finally here, and it is sure to make all those people inside the Venn diagram very happy.