Best Luxury Car of 2022

Winner: 2022 Cadillac Escalade

The Escalade is Cadillac’s most recognizable model, and the full-size SUV’s history of imposing exterior design is a significant reason why. But when Cadillac redesigned the Escalade for the 2021 model year, it looked inward, with a lot of attention toward the SUV’s cabin. The result was a striking interior with premium materials and distinctive tech features, and a space that was also more comfortable and convenient than before.

We were so impressed that we gave this Cadillac our top luxury award last year. After we surveyed the luxury landscape again for this year’s award, the Escalade’s blend of style, quality, technology and capability made it a back-to-back champion as our Best Luxury Car of 2022.

The showpiece of the Escalade’s cabin is three standard organic light-emitting diode screens, which together measure 38 inches diagonally and stretch across the driver’s half of the dashboard. The Escalade’s standard augmented-reality navigation and available night-vision systems both use the center instrument cluster screen. The Escalade has some of the same eye-popping tech European rivals debuted first, but its user interface is vastly superior.

The Escalade’s screen technology is just one aspect of its impressive interior, which is wrapped in leather and wood when you choose the Platinum trim level. The Escalade’s exterior dimensions are even bigger than its predecessor’s, and Cadillac put the extra size to good use by increasing passenger space and comfort, particularly in the third row.

The Escalade’s focus on technology extends to its safety systems, which include available Super Cruise that enables hands-free driving on some 200,000 miles of roadways.

The Escalade’s focus on comfort, technology and luxury doesn’t mean it can’t do traditional full-size SUV tasks like towing a trailer or hauling a family. With the standard 420-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8 engine, the Escalade can tow up to 8,200 pounds, and the available 277-hp, turbo-diesel 3.0-liter six-cylinder is rated to 8,100 pounds. All Escalades have seating for eight, and choosing the extended-length ESV version significantly increases cargo room behind the third row.

While the current Escalade doesn’t have as much in-your-face presence as its predecessors, it’s a better vehicle overall and the best iteration of the nameplate yet thanks to its luxurious and spacious interior, refined driving manners and impressive technology. It’s the ultimate Cadillac, the ultimate full-size luxury SUV and, thanks largely to a user-friendlier approach to technology, it’s Cars.com’s Best Luxury Car of 2022.

2022 Genesis GV70: Nominee

As luxury brands go, South Korea’s Genesis is still in its infancy, having sold its first cars (as an independent Hyundai spinoff), the G80 and G90 sedans, for the 2017 model year. Despite its relative youth, Genesis has had a string of successes: We named the automaker’s G70 sports sedan our Best of 2019 award winner, and its GV80 mid-size SUV was a nominee last year for our Best of the Year award. New for 2022, the GV70 compact luxury SUV impresses on a number of fronts. Sleek exterior styling bridges the gap between a traditional SUV and the coupelike SUV look that’s increasingly popular among luxury marques. The cabin is just as distinctive and can be trimmed with premium materials like Nappa leather and carbon fiber.

The G70 sports sedan is one of our favorites because of its great driving dynamics, and the GV70 reminds us of that car; it’s one of the best-driving compact luxury SUVs we’ve tested, with a rewarding, communicative feel from the driver’s seat. Two engines are offered: a standard 300-hp, turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder or an optional 375-hp, twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6. Both engines pair with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive is standard. 

Genesis has been known for value, and even though the GV70’s MSRP can exceed $65,000 with options, it does start at around $42,000, which is on the low end of the class. All in all, the GV70 is another impressive vehicle from Genesis that’s a compelling alternative to established compact luxury SUVs.

2022 Ram 1500 Limited Longhorn: Nominee

As pickup trucks are increasingly used for personal transportation as opposed to just work, they’ve become more upscale, and nowhere is this more evident 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 have now nominated both years since. 

From the moment you step into one of these Rams, there’s no question you’re in a luxury vehicle. Most of the cabin is wrapped in leather, and there are real wood accents, too. The premium materials are complemented by elaborate stitching patterns and pleasing aromas. The premium amenities don’t stop with the cabin materials, however, as the Ram 1500 also offers a four-corner air suspension with adjustable ride height, a vertically oriented 12-inch touchscreen multimedia system, a panoramic moonroof and a cavernous rear seating area in crew-cab trucks that rivals the space and comfort in a full-size luxury sedan. 

These are still capable pickups, however, and Ram offers a choice of powertrains to meet different buyer needs. The standard drivetrain features mild-hybrid technology and a 305-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 engine; a 395-hp, 5.7-liter V-8 and 260-hp, turbo-diesel 3.0-liter V-6 are optional. 

Other truck makers have taken note of Ram’s luxury trucks, with Ford and Chevrolet offering richer interiors in the F-150 and Silverado 1500, respectively. Even so, the Limited Longhorn remains the standard bearer in the luxury truck space. While it doesn’t carry a luxury badge on its grille, it’s every bit a luxury vehicle.