We drove 16 of the newest cars over two days in the Rocky Mountains. Here’s how they stacked up

As a board member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press, a lot of work goes into planning our premier annual event, the 2024 Rocky Mountain Driving Experience. It is orchestrated with the generous cooperation of several automotive manufacturers and showcases many of the latest and greatest car models against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains.

It’s a whirlwind of an event, with a lot of driving over two days. We began early in the morning in Englewood, Colorado, and began our way through the mountains to Frisco, stopping every 30 minutes or so to swap vehicles.

If you’ve never taken the time to drive through the Rocky Mountains just outside of Denver, put it on your bucket list — especially if you have time to drive through Rocky Mountain National Park as I did in 2023. 

Over those two days, I drove 16 very impressive new cars. Vehicles have gotten much more expensive over the last few years, so I give them much more scrutiny in my reviews to see if they are worth their price. Below is a brief summary of each vehicle I drove and some of my initial impressions. 

Check in with the KSL Cars Resource page for more in-depth reviews of most of them.

Photo courtesy Acura

2024 Acura TLX Type S

I’ve been waiting three years to drive the new TLX, and I finally got my chance with the refreshed 2024 TLX Type S. I had heard mostly positive things about it, and my friend and fellow KSL contributor Tyson Hugie even owned one.

The Type S ended up being even better than I was expecting. It looks sharp and athletic. It’s also surprisingly large — at least by the exterior dimensions. The interior was surprisingly snug. Comfortable, but snug enough it left me wondering where all that space from the outside went. 

Driving the TLX Type S is thrilling, especially in Sport+ mode. That’s the mode this car seems made for and the only way I’d drive it if it were mine. The real star here is the all-wheel-drive system. It’s outstanding and made for some epic canyon carving.

The question to be answered is this: What about the Integra Type S? It’s $10,000 less, has a manual and is much more practical — and is even more spacious in the rear seat. In that context, the TLX Type S has stiff internal competition, but again, that all-wheel-drive system is awfully enticing.

Browse Acura TLX listings on KSL Cars

Photo courtesy Fiat

2024 Fiat 500e

One of my favorite cars over the two days was the 2024 Fiat 500e. It’s the only 500 for sale in the United States currently, and as an electric vehicle, it’s just as the 500 should be. I’m not the biggest EV fan, but the 500 was born to play this role.

It only has about 150 miles of range, but with this much charm, who cares? This is the perfect city driver for so many people. It’s easy and fun to drive, comfortable, a piece of cake to park and it’s affordable. Honestly, it’s hard to find a reason not to buy this car if all you need is small, nimble transportation for a metropolitan area.

I can’t overstate how well-suited the 500 is to being an EV. In my mind, this is how an EV shines. Not as a large, family hauling SUV or an overweight sports car, but as a tiny, spritely commuter that isn’t going to break the bank. I loved this little bug and wholeheartedly recommend it. 

View all Fiat 500e listings on KSL Cars

2025 Genesis GV80

I didn’t get much time behind the refreshed GV80 but holy cow, if you aren’t paying attention to what Genesis is doing by now, you need to check it out. The luxury and driving experience is legitimately top-tier. 

I’ve had high praise for its vehicles before, especially the GV70 and G90, and the GV80 is just as impressive. If you’re in the market for a midsize luxury SUV with a third row, don’t sleep on the Genesis GV80. It will leave you stunned. 

See all Genesis GV80 listings on KSL Cars

Photo courtesy Honda

2024 Honda Prologue 

What happens when you team up with GM to save costs on producing an EV? You get the Honda Prologue, Acura ZDX, Cadillac Lyriq and the Chevrolet Blazer EV. Sure, they’re all similar, but each brand has imbued its respective car with a distinct personality — even if the GM roots are overtly clear.

Regardless, the Prologue is a good, if surprisingly pricey, car. I didn’t drive it much but found the Prologue to be one of the better looking EVs on the market. It also offers a calm and peaceful ride, which was a nice change of pace compared to all the sporty options available these days.

Shop all Honda Prologue listings

Photo courtesy Hyundai

2025 Hyundai Santa Fe

Hands down, one of the coolest SUVs on the market is the new Hyundai Santa Fe. It looks nothing like the outgoing 2023 model and will have your neighbors remarking, “That’s a Hyundai?!” Inside and out, it looks more akin to a Land Rover than anything else in its price segment. It’s blocky, modern and definitely eye-catching.

It was also great to drive. Hyundai provided its top of the line Calligraphy trim to test, and it really impressed with its features and materials. For $50,000 fully loaded, it’s an amazing value and a vehicle I would consider for my family. 

Browse new Hyundai Santa Fe listings on KSL Cars

Photo courtesy Land Rover

2024 Land Rover Defender 110 Country Pack

It’s not easy to update a legend, but Land Rover nailed the new Defender when it came out a few years ago. It retains much of its off-road prowess from the decades prior and is now much better to daily drive. As I wrote in a Defender 130 review on KSL Cars, I love it. The power, the design, the capability — it all works for me.

It’s also much less expensive than the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, making it a bit of a value play. However, it can also cost about double what the aforementioned Land Rover-esque Hyundai Santa Fe costs. From that perspective, it’s a bit of a tougher sell for the mall crawler crowd. 

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Photo courtesy Lexus

2024 Lexus TX 550h+ Luxury Direct4

I test drove the TX 350 Premium a few months back, and while I enjoyed much of what it offered, it felt a little underpowered and a little too close to its Grand Highlander cousin to be a serious contender for our wallets. I’m happy to report the 550h+ is a huge step in the right direction, even if it costs considerably more than its non-hybrid counterpart. 

Power is ample (when charged up) and offers 39 miles of pure electric range. The interior is cocoon-like and a great place to load up your family for some Sunday afternoon drives. The TX 550h+ Luxury Direct4 doesn’t come cheap, though. It starts at $78,050 and can creep well into the mid-$80,000 range.

Find all Lexus TX listings on KSL Cars

Photo courtesy Mazda

2024 Mazda CX-50

I’ve really liked the CX-50 for a few years now and after driving it again, I was reminded how good it is. The turbocharged engine is very torquey, and the handling is exceptional. If you find the CR-V to be a bit too relaxed, you’ll definitely want to check out the Mazda CX-50.

View Mazda CX-50 listings

Photo courtesy Mazda

2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF

I’ve owned two manual transmission Miatas in my time, the most recent being a 2022 ND2 Club, and I can confidently say they are some of the most fun cars on sale today — at any price point. They’re lightweight, quick and so, so nimble. 

Everyone needs to drive a Miata, especially one of the ND2 or ND3 generations, just so they can experience how good they are. For the price, only the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ come close to giving you this kind of driving experience, but they’re not available in droptop form. 

The downsides? It’s tight in the cockpit. I’m 5-feet-9-inches tall and 180 pounds, and I barely fit comfortably. It’s even more compressed for the passenger. It’s loud inside, too. But, if you’re OK with some minor sacrifices, the MX-5 in soft-top or RF form is one of the best ways to live out your driving days. 

View new Mazda MX-5 Miata listings on KSL Cars

Photo courtesy Nissan

2024 Nissan Z Nismo

I had huge eyes for the Z Performance when I first tested it. It was very fast, and the manual transmission made it so fun. I reviewed the Z Nismo on KSL Cars and found it to be almost too much of a good thing. It’s a factory-made track weapon, and I wasn’t too keen on its daily drivability.

My second go around with it in Colorado was more forgiving. It’s an amazing car, very well dialed in and a riot to push hard. It’s also expensive, listing at nearly $70,000. 

Browse 2023 and newer Nissan Z listings

Photo courtesy Stellantis

2025 Ram 1500 Big Horn

The new Ram 1500 was one of the most interesting drives of our two-day adventure. The Big Horn trim I drove is one of the top sellers of the Ram lineup. The big news for this year is the absence of the V8. RIP. 

As a huge fan of V8 motors and the previous generation Ram 1500, I was apprehensive about the new turbocharged Hurricane inline 6-cylinder engines Ram is putting in its new trucks. Well, after a decent amount of seat time, I can confirm that the new standard output Hurricane engine is really good. 

There is some slight hesitancy upon initial acceleration, but after that, it feels just as powerful as the outgoing 5.7-liter V8. However, there is one thing glaringly missing: sound. This engine is whisper quiet. Honestly, it was a bit of an odd sensation to be driving a huge truck with lots of power and have it be so quiet. For a brand built on muscle and sound, I hope Ram figures out a way to inject some more drama into its vehicles equipped with these new engines.

Shop KSL Cars for new Ram 1500 listings

Photo courtesy Subaru

2025 Subaru Forester

There’s a lot of beauty in simplicity, and that’s what the Subaru Forester continues to be: simple. The trim I drove was not turbocharged or hybridized. It was just a plain Jane boxer engine that was slow and easy to drive. I loved it. I’ve owned two Subaru Foresters, and they’re always so endearing in their simple charms.

For 2025 Subaru has updated the styling inside and out. It’s also more comfortable than ever and still offers some of the best visibility and ingress/egress on the market. For those who value supreme practicality, safety and drama-free dynamics, the new Forester is such a good choice. 

Check out new Subaru Forester listings

Photo courtesy Toyota

2025 Toyota Camry XSE Hybrid AWD

The new Camry is so good and so efficient that it almost renders its smaller sibling, the Prius, obsolete. Its hybrid motor is a joy to drive. It’s comfortable and even has Lexus LS elements in the cabin. I loved the red leather and the perfect seating position. 

It’s rated at 47 mpg on the highway and 48 mpg in the city. The best part? Fully loaded it only costs just over $41,000. The only downside is that the backseat was a little tight. For the value this brings, it’s a small sacrifice for what you get.

View new Toyota Camry listings on KSL Cars

2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road

I’ve spent a lot of time in the 2024 Tacoma and overall, it’s a great truck. The interior is a huge upgrade over the last generation I reviewed (except for the rear seat — it’s teeny-tiny), and the power delivery is much better. 

However, the previous two Tacomas I’ve driven both developed engine issues that resulted in a loss of power while driving them. Toyota has long been known for its reliability; here’s hoping that reputation continues. 

Browse new Toyota Tacoma listings on KSL Cars

Photo courtesy Toyota

2025 Toyota Crown Signia

The Toyota Venza is no more, and in its place is the new Crown Signia. As a fan of the regular 2023 Crown, this wagonized Crown Signia is even better. It may not draw as much attention as the uniquely shaped Crown, but the added utility of the Signia’s hatchback makes this a compelling buy for those wanting a luxurious, practical, powerful and unique two-row lifted wagon. 

See new Toyota Crown listings

Final Thoughts

In the end, it was an excellent trip to Denver that left me feeling impressed with what’s on sale right now. I thank all the manufacturers who provided their cars and who attended the event in person. It was wonderful to speak with so many representatives and get a feel for the future of the industry. There are a lot of great cars on sale today, and you can find your next one right now on KSL Cars. 

*KSL Cars does not endorse any vehicles. The views or opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not reflect the views or opinions of KSL.com or its employees.