Awesome Suvs

Reporting for Pickup Truck Plus SUV Talk, automotive journalist and friend of The Awesomer, Micah Wright headed to the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon for an up-close look at some of the weird and wonderful custom SUVs, trucks, and vans on display on the show floor. That Daihatsu Midget truck is bonkers. Watch part two here.

We headed to Moab, Utah, to test out the new Jeep Grand Cherokee. The 2022 model is longer, more spacious, and has a redesigned exterior and interior with a more upscale and premium look. Improvements to the suspension, chassis, and visibility make it even better off-road while still comfortable for everyday drives.

The 2022 Range Rover brings new levels of luxury, performance, and tech. The SUV has a graceful new form and is driven by a 395 hp hybrid turbo I6 or 523 hp turbo V8, with a 434 hp PHEV in 2023. All-wheel steering improves stability and turning, while headrest speakers and noise-canceling help create the perfect sanctuary.

To promote their electric G-Class Concept EQG, Mercedes-Benz enlisted director Nina Holmgren to create a lighthearted promotional film that imagines this futuristic vehicle from the perspective of a 1970s television viewer. The style of the cinematography, color grading, and voiceover work are spot-on.

Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations have crafted the ultimate incarnation of the Range Rover Sport SVR. The 575 hp V8 performance SUV comes in bespoke blue and grey paints with sparkly glass flake base coats, or satin black. It has a black roof, white accents, a carbon fiber hood, and rides on 22″ gloss black alloy wheels.

The most powerful Porsche SUV has a 4.0L twin-turbo V8 that makes 632 hp and 623 lb-ft. of torque. Combined with a modified 8-speed transmission and traction management system, it zooms from 0-to-62mph in 3.3 seconds, with a top speed of 186 mph, while carrying your family and cargo in style and comfort.

The new QX60 is a complete redesign of the family-friendly three-row SUV. It has more room for its seven passengers, a hands-free liftgate, and one-button 2nd-row seats that pop forward for easy 3rd-row access. The gorgeous Autograph edition offers quilted semi-aniline leather, open-pore wood trim, Bose audio, and more.

After driving Jeep’s plug-in-hybrid Wrangler 4xe, we spent a week with a high-torque Wrangler of a very different flavor. The 392 model packs a 6.4L HEMI V8 that makes 470 hp and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. The Rubicon Unlimited trim means it’s fully kitted out for off-roading. It’s got an awesome exhaust note too.

Ringbrothers built this incredible restomod of Chevy’s classic Blazer SUV. This K5 model has a beastly LS3 6.2L V8 that makes 430 hp, a carbon fiber hood, Flowmaster exhaust, 18″ HRE wheels wrapped in 33″ General Grabber tires, Warn locking hubs, and a custom leather interior. The vehicle is currently being given away on Omaze.

Toyota is adding a new TRD Sport trim for its rugged and reliable 4Runner. The SUV gets a sport-tuned X-REAS cross-linked suspension, a TRD hood scoop, 20″ wheels, a color-matched grille, door handles front fascia, and nameplate, and black roof rails. Inside, Softex seats provide comfort and durability and are stitched with TRD logos.

Luxury automaker Genesis continues to knock it out of the park with their first-ever SUV. The GV80 offers a smooth ride, premium materials, the latest technology, and incredible versatility, all wrapped up in a grand and sophisticated package. We spent a week driving the V6 AWD model and enjoyed every minute of it.

The Land Rover Defender is known for its impressive off-road capabilities and ability to go places few other vehicles dare to tread. But the latest model is so much more, offering comfort and technology that transform it into a splendid luxury SUV for the other 364 days of the year that you’re not hitting the trails.

Jaguar’s compact SUV gets tweaks to its grille and LED headlights with slick double J-blade running lights. Inside, there’s a new 11.4″ curved glass touchscreen, a streamlined center console with a new shifter, and an optional digital rearview mirror. Available in 246 hp and 296 hp mild-hybrid variants with 2.0L turbo engines.

Lexus teamed up with Expedition Overland to create this luxury off-road monster. The LX-based SUV packs a 550 hp supercharged V8, a lifted suspension, an air snorkel, LED trail lighting, and more. The J201 will make its debut at the punishing Rebelle Rally on 10.8.20 with defending champs Rachelle Croft and Taylor Pawley behind the wheel.

The ultimate incarnation of Acura’s sporty RDX crossover gets slathered in the rich Thermal Orange Pearl paint from the NSX supercar. It also gets the RDX Advance and A-Spec packages, SH-AWD, 20″ black alloy rims, gloss black trim, and leather, Ultrasuede, and orange stitching inside. Just 360 of the vehicles will be made.

Jaguar’s excellent and sporty AWD crossover gets refreshed with slim new quad LED headlights, a more modern and refined new interior with an 11.4″ curved glass touchscreen, and updated 3.0L supercharged engines with 48V hybrid tech, making either 335 hp or 395 hp, as well as a torquey 2.0L turbo-4 that makes 246 hp.

Jeep sets its sights on the luxury market with a boxy and stately new three-row SUV. In concept form, it packs air suspension, a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, and a luxe interior decked out in leather, metal, and wood. Its dash is loaded with screens, there’s a McIntosh audio system, and a huge panoramic glass roof overhead.

Since its redesign in 2019, the Toyota RAV4 has been one of our favorite family vehicles, combining style, versatility, and dynamic handling in a package that won’t bust your wallet. The new RAV4 Prime is the best of the bunch, with amazing fuel economy, a 302 hp drivetrain, and the ability to drive entirely on electric power.

We headed to snowy Winter Park, Colorado with Rocky Mountain Redline to put AWD cars from Nissan, Dodge, FIAT, Acura, for some Honda through their paces for snowy autocross, drag racing, and donut-making fun. There were no winners or losers, just six great cars and crossovers, all of which can handle inclimate weather with aplomb.

If you’re looking for a three-row SUV that drives like a sports car, look no further than the 2020 Ford Explorer ST. We spent a week behind the wheel of this tricked-out 400 horsepower family vehicle, and were very impressed with its performance and capabilities. Read on for more details on this sporty SUV.

The next-generation of GMC’s flagship full-size SUVs looks truly impressive in its luxurious Denali and rugged AT4 trims. It’s also 6.1″ longer, increasing cargo space and third-row legroom, and offers up to 420 hp and 460 lb-ft. of torque with its 6.2L V8 engine.

Restoration garage Zero Labs kicks off its production with a fully-electric SUV that uses an original Ford Bronco chassis. It has a 70kWh battery that lasts up to 190mi per charge and a motor that produces 369hp. Limited to 150 units.

To promote some of the many high-tech features in its 2019 Sorento SUV, Kia and David&Goliath put together this precisely-choreographed promotional spot which manages to demonstrate 17 different capabilities in under 30 seconds, and over a distance of 335 feet. Read on for the full list of features.