Driving’s favourite vehicles from 2020
It was hardly business as usual in 2020, but in the absolute gong show of the year that was, we did have some rather refreshing and smile-inducing moments behind the wheel. here’s a look at some of Driving.ca writers’ favourite vehicles in 2020.
Graeme Fletcher: the first was what Porsche calls the sports car of the future: the all-electric taycan. not any ordinary taycan, mind you, but the top-dog turbo S model with no fewer than 750 horsepower and 774 pound-feet of torque when the overboost function is in play. the key is having full torque ready to roll immediately. the result is a run from rest to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds. it’s the fastest car off the line i’ve ever tested. David Booth: Choosing my favourite car of the year was easy. it’s Porsche taycan turbo S, and not for the obvious reasons. regardless of energy source and speed, the taycan turbo S is the finest handling four-door sedan i have ever sampled. Smoking around the Driver Development track at Canadian tire motorsport Park earlier this year, the big taycan outbraked a 911 Carrera 2S going into corners, outstuck it while cornering at the apex, and simply out-dragged once i put the hammer down. Simply put, the taycan turbo S could’ve been powered by coal and taken another second to scoot to 100 km/h, and it would still be my car of the year. that’s how incredible its handling is. Andrew Mccredie: Unsurprisingly, given my unofficial title as Driving.ca’s in-house ev expert, each of my picks have some measure of electrified powertrain. the most fun-to-drive car i tested is the 2021 mini Cooper Se, the fabled brand’s first foray into full electrification. the sole downside to this beautifully styled and solidly built three-door hatch is a sub 200-km range. But that doesn’t diminish the pure joy of driving it. next is the 2021 Polestar 2. Performance to spare, exquisite minimalist design, fantastic ergonomics, and industry-leading connectivity software make this debut vehicle a bona fide contender. and finally, while it certainly won’t be named Sexiest vehicle of the year, the 2021 toyota rav4 Prime could be the most influential. it’s full charge range touches 70 km.
Brian Harper: With Covid-19 shutting down most automakers’ press fleets for several months this year, i spent a lot more time behind the wheel of my 2008 mazda miata, delighting in the intimacy of motoring along back roads, top down, soaking up the sun. that makes the 2021 Porsche 718 Boxster gts 4.0 i tested in Portugal — weeks before the world went into panic mode — my favourite new car driven this year. the news was the return of the six-cylinder to the mid-engine sports car, the gts fitted with a normally aspirated 4.0-litre flat six mated to a six-speed manual transmission. With nearly 400 hp, the gts has serious performance bona fides.
Jil Mcintosh: i had a couple of standouts this year, and they were polar opposites.
For coddle-me-completely comfort, nothing outdid the genesis g90. it’s powerful, beautiful to drive, and priced well below any of its luxolimo competitors.
at the other end of the scale, i just loved the yeehaw factor of the Jeep gladiator rubicon, especially because there’s an off-road trail near my house and i had the truck during a particularly snowy and rainy week. how many times can you drive full-tilt through a mudhole before it gets boring? i’m sure there is a limit, but i never found out what it was. Nick Tragianis: the vehicle that will surely remain imprinted in my brain for years to come is the lexus lc 500. From its spindle grille motif to the trippy tail lights enveloped in those wide rear haunches, the big lexus looks like absolutely nothing else on the road. inside, barring the horrendous infotainment system, the cabin is top-notch and just as wildly styled as the exterior — yet it all works.
Fire up the normally aspirated 5.0-l v8, nail the loud pedal, and one thing is immediately clear. the razor-sharp throttle response, buttery smooth transmission, and the especially delicious soundtrack prove the lc 500 isn’t a car you buy for the numbers, but rather for the experience. there will never be another car quite like it.
Clayton Seams: the one i most loved last year wasn’t speedy or luxurious. i was fortunate to spend over 1,000 km behind the wheel of a friend’s 1982 Citroën 2Cv. this dainty four-door, two-cylinder, front-wheeldrive car kicks out a rocking 30-ish horsepower. it has no roll-up windows, the top is fabric, and the tires are smaller than space-saver spares. it was true back-tobasics driving, and as more and more cars boast 500, 600, and even 700 hp, it’s great to remember how little you truly need to have fun.
I just loved the yee-haw factor of the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon, especially because there’s an off-road trail near my house and I had the truck during a particularly snowy and rainy week. — Jil Mcintosh