As 2022 ends, it’s worth remembering that even road testers form attachments to cars.
And while objectivity is the backbone of our industry, it is often the emotional connection we form with them that makes this job such an amazing and enduring privilege, especially given how it is a love for cars that led us here in the first place.
Despite the ongoing turmoil of long waiting lists and limited supply, 2022 has turned out to be a vintage year for great new model releases, as well as a historic one, as one of them – and a top five of mine – is likely to be the last-ever of the Australians.
So, without further ado, here are my personal greatest hits of 2022… and in alphabetical order, because – like reading – objectivity is fundamental. Let’s go…
BMW iX
BMW was truly an EV pioneer when it launched the i3 back in 2014, and that beautiful exercise in progressive urban mobility continues to resonate.
Using a carbon-fibre frame and sparking a revolution in interior packaging, design and material use, it sadly failed commercially because the SUV-crazy world by and large just wasn’t interested. And that’s despite possessing true BMW dynamics.
Enter the iX. This is the spiritual successor to the i3, but in a larger and more practical package. Using an all-new electrified architecture, it systematically addresses every one of its predecessor’s issues, with the right shape, space, practicality, performance and range to warrant the hefty BMW premium.
But more than that, the iX seems to move the EV game along, feeling advanced enough to justify the jump up from the startlingly excellent Hyundai Ioniq 5, with a serene ride and quality interior ambience like few other limos I’ve ever driven. And that’s before enjoying the sensational steering and handling capabilities.
Like the Peugeot 504, Mercedes-Benz W124, Ford Focus Mk1 and Honda GE Jazz, the iX is more than the sum of its parts. If you can afford it, do it.
Ford Ranger Raptor
From the sublime to the… ridiculously outrageous. That sums up the latest Ford Ranger Raptor.
In many ways it is the polar opposite of the BMW iX: old fashioned in its mid-20th Century-style body-on-frame chassis, grossly thirsty and dirty from a resources-consumption point of view, and with a camp machismo that – like all utes of this ilk – wouldn’t look out of place in a Village People video. Or even in the bit of Olivia Newton-John’s Physical film clip (RIP, ONJ).
But despite feeling like I am compensating for heaven-knows-what from behind the wheel, the Tonka Truck fun the 10-storey-high Raptor delivers in the right, off-road environment is utterly intoxicating, taking me back – not coincidentally – to my own childhood of the ‘70s. The twin-turbo V6 petrol powerhouse catapults this Ford Performance machine with cyclonic insouciance, accompanied by a preposterously entertaining exhaust roar that’s as boorish as your proudest-ever burp.
Yet, as with all of the latest Ranger range, Ford’s (mostly) Australian engineers have somehow managed to infuse decent, almost car-like on-road manners, with decent handling, great steering and a civilised ride. A comfy, inviting interior, oozing with modern amenities and backed up by exceptional safety systems, underline how broad the Raptor’s talents actually are.
And the fact that this world-class extrovert is part of the final-ever mainstream Australian vehicle range, before its successors arrive later this decade from Detroit, justifies my completely selfish and emotional reaction to the Raptor… except, as I’ve just outlined, it’s also probably the greatest truck in the world today. How can it not be on my faves-of-22 list!
Honda Civic e:HEV Hybrid
Honda is back, baby!
The Civic e:HEV embodies everything that has made Honda arguably the greatest affordable carmaker of the past 50 years.
Head first. Progressive engineering means the Honda’s EV-first hybrid system makes it drive like an electric car at urban speeds, before its 2.0-litre atmo engine seamlessly joins in. But here’s where the Civic e:HEV snags my heart: when it does, the silken, velvety power rush that results raises this to hot-hatch levels of performance, turning this Japanese small car into a true Jekyll-and-Hyde Q-Car.
And that’s only a fraction of the Honda’s allure.
The chassis comes alive beneath you as you carve through fast, tight corners, flowing along in a way that reminds me of the Peugeot 306 of the ‘90s. The ride is compliant enough to be classed as comfortable. And the overall level of refinement from inside the lovely, minimalist cabin, eclipses rivals like the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Audi A3.
With startling economy (4.2L/100km) married to brilliant dynamics, the e:HEV truly brings to mind classics like the Honda Accord Euro. And that’s high praise indeed.
Hyundai Ioniq 5
Probably the car of the first-quarter decade, the Ioniq 5 transcends its brand’s more-traditional positioning with breathtaking style and ease.
What can I say that hasn’t already been waxed lyrical? From the stunning retro-inspired design outside and excellent interior packaging practicality, to its world-leading 800-volt electrical architecture that opens up a world of vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging, the Ioniq 5 as well as its Kia EV6 fraternal twin is right on the money.
That both the Hyundai and Kia are so relaxing and pleasurable to drive and ride in no matter what your mood is further highlights their classless reach, doubling up as a luxury limo if you’re tired of treating it like a hot-hatch. They are all that, and more.
But I’ve singled out the Ioniq 5 because of the arresting styling, which adds a level of sophistication that even the outstanding EV6 cannot quite attain in my eyes. You may feel different, in which case, you can easily switch the brands here.
Yep, the Ioniq 5 is the greatest EV of our age, for now anyway. May Hyundai’s fierce streak continue.
Subaru WRX
To paraphrase another ‘90s icon, ‘do call it a comeback!’.
As Subaru is all too sick of hearing by now, the original WRX achieved a level of success and influence that makes it a modern great, while subsequent versions fell flat with increasingly loud thuds.
Not WRX number five, though. Ditching the 1989 Liberty/Legacy architecture for the all-new one that debuted all the way back in 2016 has worked wonders for the 2022 redesign, returning the agility, poise and flow that seemed to have been lost in most prior versions – and all with a newfound and very comfortable ride.
Throw in the muscular performance to match the striking good looks, pleasingly presented interior, option of a Sportwagon without a daft name (like Levorg) and – not least of all – surprising value for money, and the 2022 WRX makes for an outstanding sports-car buy.
Honourable mentions:
Citroen C4
Citroen’s decision to re-engineer-in comfort is music to my ears. Great value too.
Nissan Z
Yes, it’s much like the 2003 350Z, but what a homage, and so enjoyable to drive.
BMW M240i Coupe
The essence of BMW, distilled into a magnificent sports coupe. To live for.
Keyword: Byron Mathioudakis' Top 5 cars of 2022: From the Ford Ranger Raptor to the Subaru WRX