AutoGuide's 2024 Wrapped: The Vehicles That Stood Out

We drove hundreds of cars across thousands of miles this year. A few wriggled their way into our hearts, impressing us enough to leave lasting memories. These were our top picks of the year. Then there were the others: not necessarily bad, but vehicles that, for one reason or another, just didn’t sit right with us.

All together, these are the vehicles that stood out this year.

While I was conflicted over the GMC Hummer EV(see below), the Porsche 718 Boxster left no doubt that it was a standout in a good way. It recalls the great Porsches of the past and is strong in nearly every measurable way. But it was the ways that are less easily quantified – the feeling you get driving at sunset with the top down on a warm night as summer takes hold – that remain with me.

I tested a Boxster Style Edition, which added some throwback cues like striping and white wheels. Very cool. The 2.0-liter turbo four and crackling exhaust provided the soundtrack, and the PDK (while no match for the feel of a manual) was excellent. This is what driving is supposed to be.

There’s only one car—or MPV, or bus, but definitely not a minivan according to its maker—that defies categorization this year, appealing to folks across all segments. Nothing produced more smiles in its vicinity than the VW ID.Buzz. Satisfying to drive and sit in and look at, it’s VW at its best: making a brand flagship that walks its own path.

I was lucky enough to drive a 718 Spyder RS this year and while it’s undoubtedly the enthusiast pick of the year for me, it can’t match the infectious joy the Buzz provides.

Special mention to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, the first truly fun enthusiast EV. Silly noises for the win!

What can I say, I love loud, large-engine sports cars. My list of cars I remember most all fall into that category. The V10-powered Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato turned heads with its aggressive overlanding style and gave passengers and me infinite thrills.

The Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray is loud, fast, and with all-wheel drive, the best street-going Corvette on sale today.

Then there’s my perennial favorite, the jack-of-all-trades Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. Rounding out this list is a car that could have qualified for the category above, the much-improved Ford Mustang GT.

Some vehicles defy convention and are an absolute conundrum. Although the Huracan Sterrato could qualify here, it’s a supercar meant to off-road after all, it only comes second. The winner by a landslide is the Hummer EV SUV Omega.

It’s a purpose-built off-roader that’s massive in size, weighs around 9,000 pounds, and can raise up to offer 16 inches of ground clearance. Oh, it’s also fully electric, has 3 motors making over 800 horsepower, and can go 0-60 mph in just over 3 seconds on all-terrain tires.

I finish my entries with two vehicles that have such promise, but let me down. The first is the Alfa Romeo Guilia Q4 that I drove for a week in Florida. The center dial, drive mode selector, and other controls were completely inoperable during my time with the vehicle.

The other is a more recent drive, the Chevrolet Silverado EV RST, that threw a fault and thought the front trunk was open all the time (even though it wasn’t).

I agree with Schlee, the Hummer EV is polarizing. As I contemplated my year-end stand-outs, the Hummer EV kept creeping to the surface. Did it stand out the most? In a good or bad way? Yes to all of the above. I enjoyed driving it. It’s huge, attention-getting, and lots of fun. The exterior design is a modern interpretation of Hummer’s lineage. I also CrabWalked and enjoyed it.

By the end of my week with it, however, I was ready to be done with it. It’s a good deal of work to drive. The battery is quite large, so when I tried to juice it up at a local ChargePoint – which wasn’t working well – I spent a lot of time on my phone while the Hummer sipped electrons. Not the Hummer’s fault, but part of the experience. It’s also a little harder to see out of than you might think, and the interior is just OK.

Given all of that, I’d say it stood out, but not in the best way. Conversely, I tested a Jeep Gladiator around the same time, and couldn’t get enough of it. I think that speaks volumes.

Sorry Bow Tie fans, the Chevy Blazer EV just ain’t it. Mike and I liked the related Lyriq so much that we gave it the nod over the GV70 Electrified, but the Blazer is boring to drive, and not any more spacious than its mediocre gas sibling.

I still can’t get over the AWD model having both less power and less range than the RWD one either—or that silly Apple CarPlay skip. The only vehicle to make my passenger bleed this year, too.

Thanks for spending 2024 with AutoGuide, stay tuned for even more content about the cars you love in the new year!