No single trait defines the best and most memorable cars MotorTrend editors drove this year, and that’s what makes this list so special. From a surprisingly entertaining sport sedan to a vintage diesel SUV convertible (not kidding), the diverse choices below were picked from the hundreds of vehicles we’ve collectively driven this past year. So keep reading for the best cars, SUVs, and trucks MotorTrend editors drove in 2018.
Read about our 2017 favorites here.
The orders were only one, which makes this exceptionally difficult, so I’ll waffle. My heart picked the Lamborghini Huracan Performante at 2018 Best Driver’s Car, but my brain had the Porsche 911 GT2 RS. I was shocked by two flavors of Hyundai Veloster; the N is a great track car but too rough for the real world and no match for the balance of the Honda Civic Type R. That Veloster R-Spec, though, likely offers the best bang for your hatchback buck.
The standout driving moment was tracking the fluid and graceful (and journalist special) manual-transmission Genesis G70 2.0T on the winding track during COTY testing. With the dampers loaded by a fast and long left-hand sweeper, I felt the rear end just begin to step right. A tiny bit of countersteer, and the sensation back through the wheel was exceptional—light and flat, confident with no kickback. We track fast and true at corner exit, huge grin on my face.—Ed Loh
My husband and I ended our week in the E 53 Cabriolet with sore throats, but it was totally worth it. We took off for San Francisco the day after we got married, and I began appreciating the drop-top almost immediately. Nearly everywhere we went, no matter the temperature, the top was down while the heated seats and neck-warming air were on. (As a Southern California native, anything under 60 degrees is cold to me.)
I always appreciate tops that can retract while you’re driving at city speeds, and the car’s color-changing ambient lighting mesmerized me. Massaging seats and rewarding exterior design details also engaged me. What made this pick easier—despite the car’s minor drawbacks—was our journey home to L.A. via the stunningly beautiful Highway 1, punctuated by an occasional crackle from the exhaust.—Zach Gale
I’m usually not the type to love large sedans, but the second-generation Kia K900 is an exception. I drove this big Korean back in September, and like the Genesis G70, the K900 is an example of the progress happening at Hyundai Motor Group. No longer a floaty, sloppy full-sizer, the K900 is a luxury sedan for those who care more about the driving and riding experience rather than the badge. The twin-turbo V-6 moves the K900, which has turned into a dual-purpose cruiser that drives confidently or coddles you should you decide to have someone chauffeur you around.—Stefan Ogbac
2018 Porsche 911 Carrera T
I spent lots of time in some fantastic cars this year, but ironically enough, the one that left the biggest impression on me was a car I drove for less than an hour. But I’d argue that’s part of what makes the Porsche 911 Carrera T special. From the moment you fire it up, everything feels like it is as it should be. If every car was a 911 T, the world would be a much better place.—Collin Woodard
When I look back at everything I drove this year, the 1989 Mercedes-Benz 300GD Cabriolet put a bigger smile on my face than any other vehicle. To celebrate the launch of the updated G-Class in France earlier this year, Mercedes shook lose a couple of classic G-Wagens from its collection. The ’89 G Cabriolet was easily my favorite. Something about a topless blue G-Wagen with plaid seats just made me grin before I even fired it up. Even better was the lazy, gutless 87-hp diesel engine and its four-speed manual. The new G-Class is fun, but the old one is just something else.—Christian Seabaugh
Without hesitation, the best car I drove this year was the Porsche 911 GT2 RS. Not merely for the ludicrous performance results it achieved (production car lap records at Big Willow and Laguna Seca, set a new lap record on our figure-eight test, ties the record for our shortest stop from 60 mph, ran the quickest 0–60 time this year) but because it does all of these things so effortlessly and with such confidence.
The 911 GT2 RS’ dynamic limits are exceedingly high yet remarkably approachable. That doesn’t just happen. Porsche has been sports car and endurance racing nonstop for decades, and that experience and engineering makes the road cars nearly peerless. Good race cars aren’t difficult to drive and don’t scare their drivers. After Randy Pobst set the Laguna Seca lap record in the GT2 RS, he said it best: “Somebody pinch me. This is like one of those movies where the clouds part and a light shines down from the heavens on the car, and it takes on this otherworldly power. My definition of a great-handling car is that it practically drives itself. It’s not a bloody wrestling match. It’s a dance. This car is just so fabulous.”—Chris Walton
2018 was a banner year for memorable drives in memorable cars: Flat out through Portugal in the herculean Porsche 911 GT2 RS, London to Berlin in the whisper-quick Jaguar I-Pace, kicking up dust in Italy in the genre-melting Lamborghini Urus. But the best I drove all year was a car named after a driving god that made me feel like one, too—the McLaren Senna. It took just three corners of Silverstone’s International Circuit in the Senna to completely recalibrate everything I’ve learned about road car performance in more than 30 years of testing. Change of direction, midcorner grip, braking—the Senna delivers an otherworldly combination of controlled violence and surgical precision at blistering speed, thanks to 789 hp, special tires, massive carbon-ceramic discs, and, most of all, 1,764 pounds of downforce from 155 mph up. Ayrton would have approved.—Angus MacKenzie
Ferrari 488 Pista
In March, my enginerdhood earned me an invite to Maranello to sit through PhD-level seminars on Ferrari’s most powerful V-8 engine ever (710 hp/567 lb-ft) in return for which I was granted an opportunity to hot-lap the Fiorano circuit and storm the hills above Ferrari-land in a camoed 488 Pista. Plenty of cars I’ve driven can match the Pista’s ferocious power and even its race car–level dynamic handling limits. The Pista’s party trick is its ability—through software and savvy powertrain and chassis tuning—to make a mere mortal punter like me comfortable exploiting those lofty limits. Another car I drove this year (hailing from the same general neighborhood) came real close. We named it our 2018 Best Driver’s Car.—Frank Markus
I was lucky enough to drive the Veloster N on one of the most famous tracks in the world: the Nurburgring Nordschleife. The Veloster N was no stranger to the track, as it spent hours of development time on that raceway. With its 275 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, this special Veloster is quite fun to drive. Its low body roll, great grip, and well-tuned suspension make it an enjoyable car.—Miguel Cortina
Prior to this year, the last time I stepped foot in a Lincoln was when the MKC was new, so as you can imagine, I was blown away when I saw the 2018 Navigator’s interior for the first time. You could argue that Lincoln’s renaissance began with the Continental sedan, but I believe historians of the future will see Navigator as the turning point. Not only did Ford up its interior game, but ride quality, driving dynamics, and drivetrain tuning have all been improved, as well. It’s a new era for Lincoln, and the Navigator is just the beginning. We’re excited to see if the Aviator can continue the brand’s forward momentum in 2019.—Alex Nishimoto
Sure, it would be easy to pick the Lamborghini Huracan Performante, which instantly transforms a pretty good driver into an immortal. But my pick goes to the far more affordable Alfa crossover, for doing all the things a hot-blooded sport sedan should do but in a family-friendly package. With 505 hp under the hood mated to a rock-solid eight-speed ZF transmission, the Alfa hauls ass as well as five asses and all your Christmas toys. But it’s the Italianate tuning of the steering and suspension—supple when it needs to be, stiff when you want it to be—that clinches it. Starting at a tick under 80 grand, no wonder it ran away with our Super SUV Comparison test.—Mark Rechtin
The best car I drove this year is the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera. Of course, 715 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque are the stuff car-enthusiast dreams are made of. However, I implore you to just look at it. Search your feelings, as Darth would say. Have you ever seen a car this beautiful? Simply, fantastically, glorious.—Jonny Lieberman
Read about our 2017 favorites here.
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