Editor’s Note: Rob here, and I’m excited to present this peek behind the curtain, a rare opportunity for MotorTrend readers to understand a bit about how the sausage really gets driven. Please send thank-you cards to my publicist, Sam.
Per normal protocol, an editor gives a writer notes aimed at improving a story. A second draft is written, and the process repeats until that word-turd transforms into a turd-butterfly, flying on wings of gracefully plotted ideas and sentences. But there exists a class of elite magazine writers, car journalists in our case, who have evolved beyond this rubric, those with the experience and skill to dazzle in their very first draft. Those with the guts to use the word rubric, even if somewhat improperly. These are the untouchables, and they are a feared bunch, free to operate beyond an editor’s busy red pen.
His British modesty would never permit him to agree, but my Top Gear America co-host, Jethro Bovingdon, is of those vaunted few, a genuine one-percenter. With rare, naturally aspirated air filling his lungs, Jethro writes real stories about cars. The kinds of stories tickle our prehistoric lizard brains and satisfy our predetermined need to read about heroes on a journey.
This story is from the July 2021 edition of Motor Trend.
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This story is from the July 2021 edition of Motor Trend.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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MOTORTREND SUV OF THE YEAR 2024 - CERTIFIED FRESH
THERE’S NO REST FOR SUV MAKERS IN THE INTENSE QUEST TO BE THE BEST
THE CHEVROLET BLAZER EV IS THE 2024 SUV OF THE YEAR
Once again, the bow-tie brand shows leadership in the electric vehicle space
AGENTS OF ZERO
WE DID IT AGAIN: RUNNING OUR VW ID4 EV OUT OF ELECTRICITY, JUST TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS
THEY LISTENED
THE NEW TESLA MODEL 3 HIGHLAND FIXES NEARLY EVERYTHING WE HATED ABOUT THE OLD CAR
2023 Lexus RZ
Lexus says it will make only battery-powered vehicles by 2035, and the new RZ 450e is the brand’s first dedicated EV. This midsize crossover indicates Lexus’ future lineup will have luxurious appeal, but we find this first effort lacking in crucial areas.
2024 Land Rover Defender
The Defender 130 is a tricky one to judge. On one hand, it potentially improves upon a design and package we previously lauded enough to crown as our 2021 SUV of the Year in the form of the standard Defender 110. The 130 is more than a foot longer than the 110 and has more room for people and stuff, stretching the existing design into a new body style. (The 130’s wheelbase remains unchanged.)
2024 Kia Seltos
If you’ve been a fan of Kia’s recent styling direction but don’t want to pay top dollar for it, the 2024 Kia Seltos is a great way to get a rolling piece of that design aesthetic at a reasonable price.
2023 Jeep Compass
When asked to identify an off-road vehicle, the average person will point to just about any Jeep.
2024 Hyundai Kona
The Kona enters its second generation for 2024 with a new design language. It’s larger than the outgoing Kona, too, and its uncommonly ornate (for this class) and unmistakable design is something we’re already seeing in other upcoming Hyundai products. Having really liked the previous Kona, would our judges warm to this one?
2023 Ford Escape
The Escape is one of those SUVs that hasn’t ranked at the top of its class for a long time, but every time we drive one, we’re pleasantly surprised. Although it perpetually feels a little outdated, there’s some inherent goodness baked into the Escape.