The new year can bring a mixed bag of emotions ranging from symbolic optimism to stress about resolutions and post-holiday exhaustion. But it’s a good time for reflecting on the good, the bad, and the ugly that occurred during the last 12 months. This year, I was fortunate to test drive a charcuterie board of vehicles ranging from savory pickup trucks to spicy sports cars and everything in between.
Since this is the season of good (and fine) spirits, I looked through my notes and picked the best full and mid-size pickup truck, sports car, muscle car, sedan, compact SUV, off-road 4×4, and mid-size SUV of 2023. The results of these picks are based on vehicles I physically drove during the year, ending with my favorite overall vehicle that checked all the boxes regarding curbside appeal, interior allure, need for speed, and practical versatility.
Photos by Jesus R. Garcia.
Best Compact SUV – 2024 Chevrolet Trax
The 2024 Chevrolet Trax made a splash with a cannonball dive powerful enough to notify the lifeguard. Chevrolet gave the Trax a rare-for-the-day reasonable starting price under $21,000. The 2024 Trax is all-new with a complete makeover that turned the previous budget compact into an elegantly organized crossover CUV with sports wagon aesthetics.
The 2024 Chevy Trax offers a velvet smooth ride with ample rear leg room and Swiss Army knife practicality. However, the cherry on top is its 137 horsepower, turbocharged 1.2L three-cylinder engine delivering a gas-sipping 30+ mpg. Of all the vehicles I drove this year, the 2024 Chevy Trax left the best impression and is on my recommendation list.
Best Sports Car – 2023 Lexus LC 500
The Lexus LC 500 upheld its unofficial title of being the prettiest sports car of 2023. But looks aren’t everything. That’s why Lexus gave the LC 500 a 5.0L V8 (and optional hybrid powertrain) to match its silver tongue devil styling. The deciding factor that made me pick the LC 500 over the Corvette C8 and Mercedes-AMG SL 43 wasn’t the zero to 60 acceleration or curve-hugging handling but how comfortable it is to drive.
The Lexus LC 500 cradles you in its lumbar cuddling sport bucket seats. It’s so comfortable that you’ll be torn between deciding on a cross-country road trip or taking a nap. Moreover, it’s a car that doesn’t follow trends or seek clout. The LC 500 makes no claims of being the fastest, most advanced, or viral status topper. It’s a sports car for people who know exactly what they want.
Best Muscle Car – 2023 Dodge Challenger 392 Shakedown Last Call Edition
This V8 powered muscle car is the closest I’ll ever get to experiencing the leaded fuel and bell bottom blues of the early 1970s. A Last Call edition of Dodge Challenger 392 Scat Pack that focuses on what people enjoy about muscle cars. A vehicular embodiment of a punk rock leather jacket dressed in a sinister shade of black mirror paint garnished with unique, special edition hood graphics wrapped around its functional shaker hood scoop and Mopar hood pins.
The Dodge Challenger Shakedown edition is limited to 1,000 units, with half in a Widebody configuration, flexing a 6.4L HEMI V8 that uses 485 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft of torque to shove you back in your seat in a tire-smoking battle cry. The Challenger 392 Shakedown is a symphonic swan song to a time-stamping engine nameplate.
Best Mid-Size Sedan – 2024 Lexus ES 300h
The 2024 Lexus ES 300h smothers you in leather upholstery while averaging over 40 mpg. This mid-size sedan provides a full-size experience with ample interior seating, trunk space, and presence. Its hybrid powertrain comprises a 2.5L inline-four, two AC electric motors, and a 0.9-kWh lithium-ion battery pack to generate a combined output of 215 horsepower.
The car’s acceptable but modest performance and Cloud 9 ride quality means it’s too dull to carve a canyon road like its German competitors. The Lexus ES 300h is not an Autobahn missile. It’s a modern land yacht equipped with all the necessary amenities to sail the ocean-wide lanes of your local interstate for well under $60,000.
Best Off-Road 4×4– 2023 Ford Bronco Raptor
Ford’s “Braptor” is a rolling manifestation of popular demand. When the next-generation Ford Bronco went on sale in 2021, people immediately asked when Ford planned on slapping a Raptor badge on it. Ford responded swiftly in 2022 with the Ford Bronco Raptor which the internet nicknamed the Braptor.
The Ford Bronco Raptor’s steep starting price of $90,000 features a 418-horsepower twin-turbocharged 3.0L EcoBoost V6, Baja-ready off-road suspension and bouncy 37-inch all-terrain wheels. Its comic book vibrant interior and grin-inducing performance offer plenty of flare for your buck. The Bronco Raptor is a toy RC truck upscaled to grown-up proportions with four doors to thrill more passengers. It’s guaranteed to put a bee in the bonnet of your neighborhood Jeep Wrangler owner.
Best Full-Size Pickup Truck – 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Z71
This super-sized gentle giant has the brawn to support a business and family. The 2024 Silverado 2500 HD, with the optional 6.6L turbocharged Duramax diesel V8, is your beast of burden with 470 horsepower and a mighty 975 pound-feet of torque. Higher trim levels like the LTZ and High Country give the brute a softer side with five-star amenities.
In addition, the optional Z71 adds off-road capability to the Silverado 2500 HD’s versatile tool belt. The truck’s skyscraper stance and thunderous performance can be a job site workhorse and valet status statement. The one downside is that the Silverado 2500 HD’s $46,000 starting price (Work Truck) can double when you start checking off options. However, the Silverado is still a great option if you need a truck to bring home the bacon and cook it.
Best Mid-Size SUV – 2023 Kia Sorento X-Line
The 2023 Kia Sorento is the last of its generation before switching to a redesigned 2024 model year. The silver lining is that car dealers will be anxious to make a deal on this mid-size SUV to make room for the new inventory. The Sorrento’s $30,000 starting price leaves plenty of room for trim-level upgrades while staying south of the $50,000 border.
The Kia Sorento range of options includes available third-row seating, all-wheel drive, plug-in hybrid powertrains, a turbocharged engine, and exclusive quilted leather interior for the X-Line SX Prestige trim level. Having this many options is a luxury on its own. You can configure a Sorento to fit your needs with standard safety features like knee airbags and a blind spot camera when you use your turn signals. The Kia Sorento’s reasonable pricing, satisfactory performance and the latest bells and whistles earned its spot on this list.
Best Mid-Size Pickup Truck – 2023 GMC Canyon
The 2023 GMC Canyon mid-size pickup truck with class that compliments its off-road prowess. Under its chrome smile grille and starring role good looks is a 310-horsepower turbocharged 2.7L four-cylinder engine flexing 430 pound-feet of torque. The available AT4 and AT4X off-road packages sharpen the nails so that the GMC Canyon can crawl with a factory 2-inch lift kit providing 9.6 inches of ground clearance and widening the truck’s track by 3.5 inches.
The GMC AT4 also spruces up the Canyon’s interior with two-tone color upholstery to accent its standard amenities like heated front seats, sliding rear window, a hitch view camera, an 11.3-inch touchscreen and multi-terrain drive mode selector. Capable of towing up to 7,700 pounds worth of weekend toys without taking up too much space in the driveway.
Pick of the Year – 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe
With a starting price of $90,000, I didn’t pick the 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe because it’s good value. This luxury SUV won me over by simply being as advertised. You get what you pay for with the Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe. A fast, comfortable, stylish all-wheel drive SUV that is not afraid of getting its 21-inch wheels dirty with mud while averaging over 20 mpg. The heart and soul of this slick utility vehicle is an AMG-derived turbocharged 3.0L inline-six, producing a robust 429 horsepower.
On the highway, the ride was smoother than Tom Jones wearing satin pajamas. Its 4Matic all-wheel drive system on post-rain muddy terrain prevented my spine from feeling the ruts and dips in the road. Lastly, the GLE 53 Coupe’s fastback roofline and sports car personality doesn’t pander to traditional values associated with SUVs. Yes, you can fit car seats in the back and haul school zone miscellaneous, but it also works as a chariot for the single’s life.