One of the dirty little secrets of the car review biz – and it’s not really dirty, nor is it a secret – is that auto journos take delivery of a whole bunch of press cars, and never really get around to reviewing them. Sometimes it’s simply because their outlet already covered said vehicle, or that said car is so old, there’s really nothing new to say about it. And sometimes, yes, we just get lazy.

So unlike other year-end “best-of” lists, there’s nothing particularly special about the cars here, other than we drove them, had some thoughts about them, and wanted to get those thoughts out into the world. So without further ado, here’s a list of some of the extra cars that graced this writer’s press fleet.

Ford Bronco Sport First Edition

The biggest surprise of 2021 car-wise was Ford’s Bronco Sport. Escape underpinnings or otherwise, this SUV is simply phenomenal. It’s a scaled down version of its bigger Bronco sibling, taking the same overall boxy shape and front-end styling. We also see a bit of Land Rover influence in the greenhouse, further emphasizing this crossover’s off-road readiness.

Thanks to a standard 4x4 drivetrain, generous approach and departure angles, intelligent traction system (G.O.A.T.) and some meaty off-road tires, the Bronco Sport proved to be surprisingly capable off-road. And as it’s still somewhat based on an Escape, it drives quite well on normal roads, too. That its interior is best described as “durable” works given the Bronco Sport’s general vibe, but with lots of useful space and tech, it’s still a nice place to be. We’re looking forward to spending more time in the Bronco Sport in 2022 and, yes, we’d much rather have this one over the standard “proper” Bronco. There, we said it.

Engine: 2.0-liter EcoBoost inline 4 / Power: 250 hp, 277 lb-ft torque / MSRP: $40,050 (as tested)

Toyota Prius Prime Limited

Family life means we spend lots of time in crossovers and SUVs, so it’s always nice to get into an actual car – even if it’s just a Prius. And as the Prius Prime sits so low, and has a nice battery-assisted low-end shove, for a brief moment, it can almost feel like a sports car. But just for a moment.

As an engineering exercise, the Prius Prime offers a lot to like. There’s its carbon fiber rear hatch, and that amazingly complex double-bubble rear window. Its plug-in hybrid powertrain allows for 25 miles of pure EV driving, or up to and EPA-estimated 133 MPGe, whatever that means. So yeah, it’s got some cool things going for it, but it doesn’t feel like a fully realized product. It lacks the cargo capacity of the standard Prius, and that large touchscreen display needs a lot of work. Like, despite offering over 11 inches of real estate, accessing Apple CarPlay functionality will actually display buttons smaller than those found on your phone. It’s a small issue – especially considering the overall performance angle of this site – but if you’re offering us a technologically advanced vehicle, make sure the technology works.

Overall, the Prius Prime is an okay drive, but we feel most would be better suited with a standard Prius.

Engine: 1.8-liter inline 4, permanent magnet AC synchronous motor / Power: 121 net hp / MSRP: $34,000

Toyota Venza Limited

We really wanted to like the Venza. It’s the return of the Harrier, which was first introduced to the US as the genre-defining Lexus RX luxury crossover. This newest one brings a modern take on that classic Harrier shape, and with that blade-like tail lamp, hints that it could fit in nicely with the Lexus stable.

Except it can’t. First time this writer drove the Venza, it was a dealer test drive. With a sticker over $40k (thank the chip shortage), the Venza offered cheap materials, a noisy motor, and not much more in the way of space. The fully loaded Venza Limited press car we received later didn’t fare better. Its faux-leather interior felt awful to the touch; the clunky button system was replaced with a capacitive-touch system worse than a first-generation Cadillac CUE system; and the hybrid engine still felt coarse. We hate to shit on press cars, but this writer was happy to see this one go.

Engine: 2.5-liter inline 4 with three electric motors / Power: 219 net hp / MSRP: $40,380

Toyota Highlander XLE

We didn’t initially ask for a Highlander; rather, it was given to us as a replacement for a different, more exciting press loaner. No big whoop – cars are pulled from LA’s press fleet all the time, so vehicles like this Highlander get slotted in to fill in those gaps. It also hit our driveway immediately after the Venza, and holy crap is the Highlander a way better vehicle.

Sure, its interior materials feel about the same as those in the Venza, but at least the control stack uses real buttons. Interior space is quite generous, with second-row captains chairs and a fold-down third-row that reveals a massive cargo area. Its 3.5-liter V6 is quieter and smoother than the Venza’s powertrain, so with that alone, this crossover felt more luxurious. That the Highlander rides atop the Camry platform means it drives, well, like a Camry, but if you’re in the market for a comfortable family hauler, this one is definitely worth considering.

Engine: 3.5-liter V6 / Power: 295 hp, 263 lb-ft torque / MSRP: $40,405

Volkswagen Arteon SEL Premium R-Line

Another pleasant surprise was Volkswagen’s Arteon. We already know it’s the replacement for the old Passat CC, but given how decontented the current Passat is, we’re wondering why VW doesn’t just make this its only full-size sedan.

Not that the current Passat is a bad car, it’s just that the Arteon feels so much better. A numbers sheet may show that the Arteon is lacking in certain interior dimensions, but when you get inside, both the front and rear seats feel plenty spacious. Rear cargo area, admittedly, is a bit smaller – so this may not be a hit with the airport rental fleets – but with its liftback hatch, it’s super easy to get cargo in and out of the thing. Oh yeah, our Arteon was also outfitted with a capacitive-touch center stack, but at least it wasn’t horrible.

But where the Arteon shines is its styling – especially in R-Line guise. It’s shape is sleek, with its aggressive stance perfectly punctuated by its optional 20-inch alloys. And as its built atop VW’s MQB platform, it drives like every other vehicle in the VW portfolio, which is to say it drives quite nice. As our tester was the 2021 model, its 2.0-liter turbo engine pushed out a healthy 268 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. The 2022 model gets a power bump, with the 2.0-liter lump now pushing out 300 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Looks like we have to book some time in an Arteon again.

Engine: 2.0-liter turbo inline 4 / Power: 268 hp, 250 lb-ft torque/ MSRP: $46,995

Now that 2021 is in our rearview mirror, it’s time to look ahead at 2022. The only question we're looking to answer is: what car should we get into first?

A year-end bonus: More from our 2021 press fleet.

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