Catalytic converters, Honda Accords, petrol prices, electric Chevy Silverados, and even an obscure law involving EV chargers in North Carolina were among the year’s most popular subjects.
As the year 2022 comes to a close, we take a look back at the 10 stories on the Car and Driver’s website that had the most impact on the automotive industry. In other words, these are the most popular pieces. This collection should offer something for everyone, with themes ranging from gas costs to catalytic converters to all kinds of new sheet metal.
1. Catalytic Converter Thieves’ Top Ten Cars
Keep your children hidden! Keep your wife hidden! Is your catalytic converter hidden? Yes, the increased prevalence of catalytic converter theft was one of the biggest stories in auto dom this year. Because of the worth of the precious metals found within, heists of this key automotive part—which serves to remove pollution from internal combustion engines—increased in 2022. Palladium, rhodium, and platinum may be extracted from catalytic converters and sold for a fast buck, and we combed through National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) data to identify the top ten automobiles most frequently targeted by thieves.
2. The Toyota Sequoia 2023 will be available with a standard hybrid powertrain.
When a car hasn’t been redesigned in almost a decade, you know there’s a lot of excitement for the new one. Toyota’s revamped Sequoia, which debuted in 2023 with a new look, a renovated interior, and a standard hybrid V-6 powerplaprovedoven this to be true.
3. The 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse Is a Badass New Pony Breed
Ford worked on the whole Mustang portfolio for 2024, but the new Dark Horse performance variety had folks excited. This is the new top dog in the 5.0-liter Mustang family, with a dark appearance and several technical modifications, and we now know that its tuned Coyote V-8 will produce 500 horsepower.
4. Gas prices in the United States are skyrocketing—how much worse will it get?
Nothing frightens Americans more than pricey gasoline—except perhaps fuel shortages—so when prices rocketed up to never-before-seen highs in March, the panic was apparent. The national average for regulars had just surpassed $4 when the piece was published. Prices continued to rise until June when they reached $5 a gallon. Fortunately for the nation’s collective blood pressure, they’ve subsequently dropped below $3 in certain places.
5. The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV has been shown, with 664 HP and a 400-mile range.
When one of America’s best-selling nameplates goes electric, you know something is up. That’s precisely what occurred when Chevrolet unveiled the new EV version of its Silverado full-size pickup truck, which won’t be available until the 2024 model year but is set to make an impact in the booming electric pickup truck industry.
6. North Carolina is considering removing public EV chargers, most likely to be discarded.
North Carolina House Bill 1049 was introduced this year, and it would fund $50,000 to remove free public auto charges unless free petrol and diesel outlets were built adjacent. Ben Moss, one of the bill’s proponents, is from District 52, where public vehicle charges were shut down for four days later that year when domestic terrorists shot up the local power substations. In the aftermath, the culprits may have been surprised to learn that the area’s gas pumps are also powered by electricity.
7. When Will Car Prices Return to Normal?
We were all in high school economics class when the supply and demand rule was explained to us. However, when the unpleasant reality of global supply chain concerns reached our beloved automobiles, we all wanted—no, required—answers. At a time when 82 percent of new car purchasers spent more than the sticker price, we met with industry experts to find out why car costs had risen and when we should expect them to fall. We were not alone in our search, based on the popularity of that tale.
8. Winter has returned, but don’t leave your car idling.
This was one of the year’s most popular stories. Why? Let’s not mince words: because people enjoy arguing in the comments area. It appears that it is human nature to take it personally when the Car and Driver advise you to stop letting your car “warm up” for 20 minutes merely to avoid getting a cold. That suggestion infuriated several of our employees, as well as a number of our readers, who hate-read the piece simply to complain in Backfires.
Having said that, several readers agreed that leaving a contemporary vehicle idle is inefficient and not very ecologically friendly.
9. The 2023 Honda Accord Is the Most Beautiful Accord Ever
While the Honda Accord is no longer one of the best-selling vehicles in the country, it remains a significant vehicle. That was clear this year when Honda launched the new, eleventh-generation model, which drew a strong response from our readership. The 2023 Accord loses the more powerful turbo 2.0-liter engine update, but we determined that the base 1.5-liter and hybrid were still good enough to retain it on our 10 best lists for 2023.
10. Corvette will become a brand in 2025, featuring four-door and SUV models.
Corvette is one of the most well-known names in the car business, so it stands to reason that Chevrolet would aim to capitalize on the brand even more. And, as previously reported, Corvette will become its subbrand within GM’s portfolio, beginning in 2025 with the introduction of an electrified Corvette SUV and some form of the four-door.