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Editors' Picks March 2022 | Acura RDX, VW GLI and a Rolls-Royce

This month's Editors' Picks offer a little something at every budget. We call out a performance car as cheap as the Volkswagen GLI, but the Rolls-Royce Ghost also manages to make its way on to the list. Of course, very few folks can afford a Ghost, but that doesn't change the fact that it's an engineering master class. In addition to these options, we also dive into the compact luxury SUV market, one that is bursting with choices. In case you missed our previous Editors' Picks posts, here’s a quick refresher on whatÂ’s going on here. We rate all the new cars we drive with a 1-10 score. Cars that are exemplary in their respective segments get EditorsÂ’ Pick status. Those are the ones weÂ’d recommend to our friends, family and anybody whoÂ’s curious and asks the question. The list that youÂ’ll find below consists of every car we rated in March that earned an EditorsÂ’ Pick. 2022 Acura RDX Quick take: The RDX ticks a lot of boxes for a great price. It drives better than expected, offers excellent tech, has plenty of room and even looks the part. Score: 7.0 What it competes with: Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, BMW X3, Volvo XC60, Audi Q5, Lexus NX, Infiniti QX50, Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Genesis GV70, Porsche Macan, Jaguar F-Pace, Lincoln Corsair Pros: Value, driving dynamics, space Cons: Infotainment is polarizing, midgrade interior From the editors Road Test Editor Zac Palmer — "The RDX is a bit of a sleeper in this segment. It drives far better than many of its competitors, and it doesn't let you down in any particular area. If you were thinking of buying an entry-level option from one of the Germans, make sure you take the RDX into account, because you'll likely end up with more tech and features for an even lower price. News Editor Joel Stocksdale — "The Acura RDX is an impressive value in the small luxury SUV segment. It starts in the low $40,000 price range, and provides loads of standard convenience and safety features. Everything is packaged in a sharp and surprisingly spacious package, too. It's also nimble and has a punchy engine that makes it fun to drive. You may find some competitors that surpass it in some areas, but the Acura offers about the most for the money of anything in the segment." In-depth analysis: 2022 Acura RDX Review | Value-packed and surprisingly sporty   2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Quick take: The GLI offers excellent driving dynamics and great styling for someone who doesn't want a hatchback. It's pricey, but it's worth it.

The UK votes for Brexit and it will impact automakers

It's the first morning after the United Kingdom voted for what's become known as Brexit – that is, to leave the European Union and its tariff-free internal market. Now begins a two-year process in which the UK will have to negotiate with the rest of the EU trading bloc, which is its largest export market, about many things. One of them may be tariffs, and that could severely impact any automaker that builds cars in the UK. This doesn't just mean companies that you think of as British, like Mini and Jaguar. Both of those automakers are owned by foreign companies, incidentally. Mini and Rolls-Royce are owned by BMW, Jaguar and Land Rover by Tata Motors of India, and Bentley by the VW Group. Many other automakers produce cars in the UK for sale within that country and also export to the EU. Tariffs could damage the profits of each of these companies, and perhaps cause them to shift manufacturing out of the UK, significantly damaging the country's resurgent manufacturing industry. Autonews Europe dug up some interesting numbers on that last point. Nissan, the country's second-largest auto producer, builds 475k or so cars in the UK but the vast majority are sent abroad. Toyota built 190k cars last year in Britain, of which 75 percent went to the EU and just 10 percent were sold in the country. Investors are skittish at the news. The value of the pound sterling has plummeted by 8 percent as of this writing, at one point yesterday reaching levels not seen since 1985. Shares at Tata Motors, which counts Jaguar and Land Rover as bright jewels in its portfolio, were off by nearly 12 percent according to Autonews Europe. So what happens next? No one's terribly sure, although the feeling seems to be that the jilted EU will impost tariffs of up to 10 percent on UK exports. It's likely that the UK will reciprocate, and thus it'll be more expensive to buy a European-made car in the UK. Both situations will likely negatively affect the country, as both production of new cars and sales to UK consumers will both fall. Evercore Automotive Research figures the combined damage will be roughly $9b in lost profits to automakers, and an as-of-yet unquantified impact on auto production jobs. Perhaps the EU's leaders in Brussels will be in a better mood in two years, and the process won't devolve into a trade war. In the immediate wake of the Brexit vote, though, the mood is grim, the EU leadership is angry, and investors are spooked.

Volkswagen offers Beetle Classic, priced from $20,195*

The current Volkswagen Beetle already tries to be a fairly retro-looking ride by cribbing styling elements from the iconic original. However, for the new, limited-edition Classic model, VW is hopping into the time machine to grab even more vintage cues. The company is even cutting the price, perhaps in hopes of turning around flagging sales this year. You don't need to wait long for any of these upgrades either because the automaker says that the Classic goes on sale this week for $20,195, *excluding the $820 destination charge. That's $100 less than a bone-stock Beetle.
Starting as a standard Beetle with VW's 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 170 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, the Classic edition comes with a six-speed automatic and then adds some retro flair. It includes new vintage-look 17-inch wheels with simulated dog dish polished hubcaps over black spokes. It also comes with a rear spoiler, and the automaker is offering the model in Pure White, Black Uni, and Reflex Silver.
The interior mixes in a few more classic touches but includes modern amenities like a standard navigation system, satellite radio and multifunction steering wheel. However, the seats are finished in a two-tone design combining light brown leatherette on the sides and checked cloth centers, plus lumbar support for the driver's side. The shift knob and handbrake also get wrapped in leather.