The practical off-roader

Ford Bronco Sport

The 2025 version of this compact all-wheel-drive SUV can certainly tote a family to soccer games and Costco lots, but the good times really roll with its off-road capability. Unleash your inner backwoods beast with the Bronco Sport’s first-ever Sasquatch package: It features steel-bar front and rear bumpers, Bilstein shocks, and largest-in-class 29-inch Goodyear all-terrain tires. The Badlands trim gets an engine boost, too — to four cylinders and 238 horsepower.

King of the horsepower hill

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

Bumblebee the Transformer’s latest alter ego could well be this smokin’ ZR1. Thanks to a new twin-turbocharged V-8, the most powerful engine made in the U.S., it’s the fastest ’Vette ever, notching a top speed of 233 mph. Eye-catching exterior elements include a carbon fiber wing and, in the coupe, a split rear window that nods to the ’63 Corvette. Interior touches include heated and ventilated napa leather seats on the 3LZ trim. Expect to drop close to 200 large for this one.

The rolling electric lounge

Hyundai Ioniq 9

This three-row electric SUV — scaled up in size, luxury, and tech from previous models — looks retro-futuristic, a cross between a station wagon and a space shuttle. And given its spacious, comfy interior, you’ll want to ride it all the way to the moon. The seats offer various comforts — massage settings, full recline, leg rests — that, in the top trim, extend beyond just the front row. There are charge ports and cup holders galore, and a center storage console slides to let you tailor the car’s interior space.

Luxury in a gas-free SUV

Cadillac Optiq

Designed as an entry point into the compact luxury market, this all-electric crossover gets an estimated 300 miles of range. Brimming with sumptuous touches, the Optiq offers a 19-speaker AKG system with Dolby Atmos, a panoramic glass roof, a customizable-color light bar embedded in the steering wheel, and a laser-etched black crystal grille. When the key fob nears the car, it triggers a choreographed light sequence.