The Best New Cars We've Driven in 2020 (So Far)

We look back at our favorite new cars we've driven since 2020 kicked off.

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Toyota

Let's just say that 2020 has not gone how we planned. We on Gear Patrol's Motoring Desk have seen auto shows and press trips canceled and plenty of exciting product launches postponed. But on the bright side, we've also still been fortunate enough to drive a number of awesome cars — albeit on roads much closer to home. Here are 10 of our favorite so far in 2020.

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Alfa Romeo
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2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

"That engine would be enough for this car to be special, but the Giulia Quadrifoglio balances that with ballerina-esque precision, lightness and grace. And, when you step back from the limit, the Giulia Quad becomes a reasonable, not-particularly bone-clattering means of transport." Read the review

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Audi
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2020 Audi S8

"The S8 is for men and women who have to work real hours in an office for a living. Granted, it’s probably a corner office the size of a studio apartment high atop a skyscraper, but still: this is a blue-collar car, assuming that blue collar belongs to a Charvet button-down sitting beneath a Savile Row suit." Read the review

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Will Sabel Courtney
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2020 BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe

"So let’s strip away the jargon, and admit what the BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe really is: a better-looking version of the incredible BMW M5. Which, this reviewer would argue, makes it a better M5…even if it costs an extra $33,000." Read the review

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Chevrolet
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2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

"The all-new, eighth-generation Corvette…is an awful lot like the one that came before. The engine is still a 6.2-liter, naturally-aspirated smallblock; it still fits two people and a pair of golf bags; it’s still all sharp angles and wide flanks; and, most importantly, it still starts around $60,000. The engine just happens to be behind you." Read the review

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Honda
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2020 Honda Civic Si

"The sportiest Honda Civic you can buy, of course, is the Type R — a stripped-down, track-oriented, 306-horsepower hot hatchback. The S, in contrast, is the sportier Civic — slotting between that bewinged sports car and the standard model. Unlike the Type R, the Si is a sedan or coupe, not a hatch; it puts out 101 fewer horsepower; and the styling is markedly less turnt." Read the review

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Tyler Duffy
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2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

"It’s remarkably fuel-efficient, earning up to 52 mpg combined in Blue trim level form; but unlike many hybrids on the market, fuel efficiency is just one of its many features. It’s also a sophisticated, spacious, and exceedingly comfortable car in its own right — and best of all, like a lot of Hyundai Group offerings of late, it’s a great value, starting for less than $30,000." Read the review

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Will Sabel Courtney
7 of 11
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS580

"Well, assuming you’re not stuck dealing with compact-only parking spots on a regular basis, you’re left with one of the best all-around vehicles you can grab. Granted, it’s no One Car to Rule Them All if you love to drive, but it handles just about any task a reasonable person would ask with style and excellence." Read the review

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Will Sabel Courtney
8 of 11
2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S

"It offers roller-coaster thrills and road tripper comfort, all forged with some of the best engineering the car world has to offer and wrapped up in one of the prettiest shapes in auto-dom. I’d love it no matter what it was called…but I love it even more because the back ends says turbo." Read the review

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Toyota
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2020 Toyota 4Runner Venture Special Edition

"It’s not hard to look at the portly, pricey Land Cruiser and think it should be about 1,000 pounds lighter, $40,000 less expensive and place more emphasis on off-road ability than luxury — ideally while retaining its cool appearance and the sense of security offered by its capability and reliability. That car exists; it’s the 4Runner." Read the review

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VW
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2020 Volkswagen Golf GTI

"Some cars surprise you with their raw power; with the GTI, it’s the sheer amount of control you have. It’s a fine-tuned beast for tackling the normal roads you drive on. Switching to Sport mode requires one touch of a well-lit, easily accessible button. Having a little fun is hard to resist. And “the man” wanting you to slow down to 35 mph for that mundane S curve feels unreasonable." Read the review

UP NEXT
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Land Rover
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UP NEXT: 7 New Cars We Still Can't Wait to Drive for the First Time in 2020

It's safe to say that 2020 has not gone how the automotive world (or anyone else) intended. But there are still a few months left of the year, and with it, some exciting cars that are starting production and should be arriving at dealerships in the near future — hopefully, before the year closes out. Check out the seven cars that we can't wait to drive before the end of the year.

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