The votes have been tallied and the results are in for the 2022 Motor1.com Star Awards. After spending a week in rural California with 20 vehicles, the esteemed Motor1 editors have a list of 2022 award winners. We discuss them all on this week's podcast, and much more besides.
Helping out Bruce and Smith are Senior Editors Jeff Perez and Brett Evans, part of the road test team evaluating the contenders for this year's star awards. 20 new vehicles for 2022 were selected to compete in seven categories, and this year saw some vehicles eligible in multiple categories. In case you missed it, here's a rundown of the categories and all the winners.
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Best Performance: Audi RS3
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Best Truck: Ford F-150 Lightning
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Best Luxury: Land Rover Range Rover
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Best Value: Ford Maverick Hybrid
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Best SUV: Kia Sportage Hybrid
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Best EV: Ford F-150 Lightning
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Editors' Choice: Hyundai Ioniq 5
Narrowing down a list of 20 contenders to just a few winners isn't easy. To qualify, all vehicles had to be new or significantly different for the 2022 model year. They also needed to have earned high marks in official Motor1.com reviews. And of course, vehicles need to be available from automakers during the official Test Week. This is why there are some notable absences from the group, such as the Rivian R1T for the Best Truck category.
You know the vehicles, you know the winners, and you know the criteria. But you don't know how the editors handled the 13-hour days, driving hundreds of miles on test loops, running errands, and measuring track performance at Willow Springs Raceway. That's where Perez and Evans come in, casting some light on intangible aspects of in-depth testing. And in typical Rambling About Cars style, we have a few laughs along the way.
Did your favorite car win an award? Are you insanely irate over a particular winner? Tell us how you feel in the comments section below, or comment on our Motor1 Podcasts YouTube channel. And you can always email us: podcast@motor1.com. We're looking forward to reading (and sharing) your feedback.
Rambling About Cars Preview:
Get ready for another special episode next week! We welcome back Myron Vernis to the program – he shared his amazing car collection with us on podcast #59 – but he's not alone. Mark Brinker joins us as well; together they are the co-authors of A Quiet Greatness - Japan's Most Astonishing Automobiles for the Collector and Enthusiast. Simply put, this five-volume (yes, volume) set is the most comprehensive collection of information and photos focusing on the coolest Japanese cars of all time. Even if you're not an enthusiast of the Japanese scene, you will be after this podcast.
Where To Listen:
In addition to our YouTube channel, you can catch us on your favorite streaming audio channel every Friday as always. You'll find Rambling About Cars on every major podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Please like, follow, and comment because it exposes the show to more car-crazy enthusiasts. And the more enthusiasts that join us on this automotive odyssey, the better.
