Who makes the best SUV, crossover or pickup? Mudfest, an independent competition put on by the Northwest Automotive Press Association, is all about finding that out. In this two-day comparison event, 23 automotive writers assess 20 different vehicles in five different categories. They look at everything from a Subaru Forester Wilderness to a Rolls Royce Cullinan. And this year, the competition is tighter than ever. Tom Voelk show you how it’s done from The Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, WA.

Best SUV And Pickup Comparison Test. 20 Competitors Fight For The Mudfest Trophy.

New York Times contributor and Emmy Award-winning automotive journalist Tom Voelk looks at all things cars.

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The biggest complaint about EVs is range. Volvo adds 31 miles of it to the 2024 version of the C40 Recharge. The trick? New more efficient motors. And for the first time in 25 years, Volvo offers a rear-wheel drive vehicle with the single motor version that’s rated to travel nearly 300 miles on a charge. Tom Voelk checks out an AWD twin motor Ultimate C40 Recharge dipped in Silver Lake paint with the optional Midnight Zinc wool blend upholstery (and no, it doesn’t itch). With Seattle temperatures in the low 30’s, it’s a great range and charge test.

2024 Volvo C40 Recharge Is A Swede EV With Added Range

Families have trusted the 3-row Honda Pilot to get groceries and shuttle the kids for over 20 years. Now it can take them farther into the wilderness. The Trailsport model gets the gear to tackle tough terrain- the suspension, tires, front stabilizer bar and Trail Torque Logic rear differential are all off-road oriented. Tom Voelk checks the Trailsport out off-road and, just as importantly, on paved roads (since that’s where this rig will spend most of its time). 

Honda Pilot Trailsport Will Get Families To The Woods (And Back Again)

When loyal Subaru owners outgrow their Foresters and Outbacks, they can always move up to Ascent.  It has the 3-rows of seating families crave, and being a Subaru, it comes standard with Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. The Onyx Edition Limited gets standard StarTex water-resistant seats, stitching that looks stolen from a Seahawks jersey and a very good Harmon/Kardon sound system. Tom Voelk checks out an Ascent in Ice Silver Metallic and finds it’s the right size for larger families, as long as tall people stay out of the third row.

Subaru Ascent Onyx Edition Limited Gets Families To Trailheads In Comfort

When the Audi e-tron hit the market in 2019 it was one of the only electric EVs on the market. For 2024 it gets a significant refresh with extra range, faster charging speed, improved driving dynamics and the Q8 prefix. Good thing because the competition never rests. It’s now going up against BMW iX, Cadillac Lyriq, Jaguar i-Pace, Lucid Gravity Mercedes EQE SUV, Rivian R1S and the aging Tesla Model X. Just how good is the redo? Tom Voelk checks out an Audi Q8 55 e-tron in Madeira Brown metallic paint and Black Optic package that MSRPs for $88,590 (before any tax incentives).

2024 Audi Q8 e-tron EV Adds Range, Charge Speed and Goodness

The box is a mighty efficient package and not many vehicles are as square jawed as the new 3-row 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. With it’s “box-that-it-came-in” design, it swallows up passengers and cargo with maximum efficiency. And Hyundai is gone wild with the letter H (you’ll see). Tom Voelk travels to Franklin, TN to check out a fully loaded AWD Calligraphy model with a 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. Wait for spring and there’ll be a more fuel-efficient hybrid. In the meantime, check out competitors Kia Sorento, Mazda CX90, Toyota Highlander, and Subaru Ascent. Tom Voelk attended a Hyundai press event for this review. Opinions remain his own.

Best SUV And Pickup Comparison Test. 20 Competitors Fight For The Mudfest Trophy.

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