Any vehicle with a model year of 2022, regardless of when it was first released or last updated. Along with general excellence, the best cars are extraordinarily well-rounded, offering their luxury along with above-average usability and drivability. They also represent the pinnacle of luxury in their class.
2022 Cadillac Escalade is the winner
Cadillac’s most recognizable vehicle is the Escalade, and the full-size SUV has a long history of having an intimidating look. Cadillac, however, focused inward while redesigning the Escalade for the 2021 model year, paying close attention to the interior of the SUV. The end result was a place that was both more aesthetically pleasing and practical than before, with premium materials and eye-catching tech features.
We gave this Cadillac our best luxury award the previous year because we were so thrilled. The Escalade won the title of Best Luxury Car of 2022 when we surveyed the luxury market once again for this year’s award. Its combination of quality, style, technology, and capability helped it win the title twice.
The centerpiece of the Escalade’s interior are three conventional organic light-emitting diode screens that span the driver’s side of the dashboard and measure a total of 38 inches diagonally. The central instrument cluster screen is used by both the basic augmented reality navigation and the optional night vision systems for the Escalade. The Escalade contains some of the same groundbreaking technology that its European competitors unveiled initially, but its user interface is significantly better.
The Escalade’s screen technology is only one feature of its remarkable interior, which, if you select the Platinum trim level, is covered in leather and wood. Cadillac made the most of the Escalade’s larger exterior than it did for its predecessor by giving passengers more room and comfort, especially in the third row.
The Escalade’s emphasis on technology extends to its safety features, such as optional Super Cruise, which allows hands-free operation of the vehicle on about 200,000 miles of roads.
Despite the Escalade’s emphasis on comfort, technology, and luxury, it can nevertheless tow a trailer and transport a family, among other conventional full-size SUV duties. The Escalade can tow up to 8,200 pounds with the base 420-horsepower 6.2-liter V-8 engine, and 8,100 pounds with the optional 277-horsepower turbo-diesel 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine. Eight people may fit in any Escalade, and choosing the extended-length ESV variant greatly expands the cargo space behind the third row.
The latest Escalade is a superior car overall and the best edition of the marque yet thanks to its opulent and roomy interior, sophisticated driving manners, and excellent technology, even though it doesn’t have as much outward presence as its predecessors. It’s the ultimate Cadillac, the ultimate full-size luxury SUV, and Cars.com named it the Best Luxury Car of 2022 in large part due to a more user-friendly approach to technology.
Genesis GV70: Nominee for 2022
As far as luxury companies go, Genesis from South Korea is still in its infancy. It sold its first automobiles, the G80 and G90 sedans (as a standalone Hyundai offshoot), for the 2017 model year. Genesis, despite being relatively new, has achieved a number of things: The manufacturer’s G70 sports sedan won our Best of 2019 award, and its GV80 mid-size SUV was a finalist for our Best of the Year award the previous year. The GV70 compact luxury SUV, which will go on sale in 2022, is impressive in many ways. The difference between a standard SUV and the coupe-like SUV design that is becoming more and more common among luxury brands is bridged by sleek external style. The cabin may be customized with high-end materials like carbon fiber and Nappa leather to make it just as unique.
The GV70 is one of the best-driving compact luxury SUVs we’ve tested, with a satisfying, communicative feel from the driver’s seat, and it reminds us of the G70 sports sedan, which we love for its excellent driving dynamics. An optional 375-hp, twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 or a base 300-hp, turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder are the two available engines. All-wheel drive is standard, and both engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Genesis has a reputation for providing good value, and the GV70 starts at about $42,000, which is on the low end of the class, even if its MSRP can reach $65,000 with options. Overall, the GV70 is an intriguing alternative to well-established compact luxury SUVs and is yet another great vehicle from Genesis.
Nominee: 2022 Ram 1500 Limited Longhorn
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Ram 1500 Limited Longhorn, a high-end trim level (born from the previously separate Laramie Longhorn and Limited trims) of Ram’s full-size light-duty pickup that we named our Luxury Car of the Year for 2020 and has since been nominated both years after. As pickup trucks are increasingly used for personal transportation as opposed to just work, they have become more upscale.
There’s no doubt you’re in a luxury car as soon as you get into one of these Rams. The cabin is primarily covered in leather, with actual wood details. Rich stitching patterns and enticing scents go well with the luxury fabrics. However, the Ram 1500’s high-end features don’t stop there. It also offers a four-corner air suspension with adjustable ride height, a 12-inch touchscreen multimedia system with a vertical orientation, a panoramic moonroof, and a vast rear seating area in crew-cab trucks that rivals the room and comfort in a full-size luxury sedan.
Nevertheless, Ram offers a selection of powertrains to accommodate various customer needs, and these pickups are still capable. A 305-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 engine and mild hybrid technology are the drivetrain’s basic components; 395-hp, 5.7-liter V-8 and 260-hp, turbo-diesel 3.0-liter V-6 engines are optional.
Ram’s luxury trucks have been noticed by other truck manufacturers, and Ford and Chevrolet now offer the F-150 and Silverado 1500 with more opulent cabins. However, the Limited Longhorn continues to set the bar for luxury trucks. It is every bit a luxury vehicle, despite not having a luxury logo on its grille.