Five Cool Cars To Add To Your Christmas Wishlist

If you’re a car enthusiast you might prefer to own and talk about supercars like McLarens and Lotuses, but the truth is there’s a lot of beauty and complexity to practical cars that, while they may not be the darlings of the L.A. Auto Show or turn heads when you park them at your local Ikea, make them just as awesome.  

Here are some of our favorite 2021 models that are slightly lower key, but still cool.  

Ford Bronco 

This much anticipated reboot has been a long time coming - pandemic-related production delays and recalls kept the Bronco from us for longer than anticipated. Now that it’s here though, it set hearts on fire like a chili dog with extra cheese. Back in August Ford had to stop taking reservations because it couldn’t keep up with demand. Ford has gone for a slightly more sophisticated vision of off-road excellence with this model, and this is definitely our pick for the affordable all-around off-road champ, just check out this video where it tackles some of the toughest terrain. Incredible. 

Volkswagen Golf R 

For those of us that want something sportier and, on a budget, you cannot beat the perennial hot-hatch - the VW Golf. This was the Fast & Furious kit car before there was a Fast &Furious. It was the reason anyone ever wanted to street race in the first place, at least in our case. It can get from 0-60mph in just under 4 seconds, and it was awarded the Motor 1 Star Award for best performance. For the price range, we dare you to find a more accomplished car with as much pedigree.  

Hyundai Kona Electric 

If you’d like a kick-butt electric SUV/crossover and aren’t too excited about the Tesla Model X price tag, then the Hyundai Kona is perfect. You get all the reliability and peace of mind you'd expect from Hyundai, but you also get 258 miles per charge and 201 horsepower. That’s pretty zippy for an urban get around vehicle, and there’s also the next gen look that catches the eye. 

Dodge Ram TRX  

If you like pick-up trucks, and who doesn’t – more pick-ups are sold in the U.S. than any other model – then you need the Dodge Ram TRX. Because you may not even know that you needed it, but you get two pick-ups in one with it. This 702-horsepower behemoth has 11.8 inches of ground clearance, a heads-up display and can haul 8,100 pounds. You get your off-road monster, and your everyday workhorse all rolled up into one. 

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio  

Just saying the words makes one feel like a European playboy zipping along the highways and byways of the continent. The Alfa Romeo brand has a kind of sheen that is more often reserved for names like Aston Martin. The Giulia Quadrifoglio isn’t your typical Camry or Accord four-door sedan; the twin-turbo V6 pumps out 505 horsepower. To put that into perspective the BMW M3, maybe the gold standard in performance for its class, has somewhere like 480 real world horsepower. That’s quite an improvement, and it places the Giulia Quadriglio ahead of the pack.  

Related: Holiday Gift Guide: Best Gifts For A Car Fan