After two days of on- and off-road evaluations, the automotive media professionals of the Northwest Automotive Press Association (NWAPA) named the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe as the Northwest Outdoor Activity Vehicle of the Year. This marks the first time in the 27-year history of the event (fondly referred to as “Mudfest”) that a plug-in vehicle has won the overall title.
“The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe marks a new era in the SUV market,” says NWAPA President John Vincent of U.S. News & World Report. “It’s a no-compromise vehicle that blends Jeep’s legendary off-road capability with outstanding on-road manners, impressive fuel economy, and the ability to travel on electricity alone.”
Members of the NWAPA spent two days evaluating 20 SUVs, crossovers, and pickups on specially prepared courses at the Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Wash. The first day of testing consisted of on-pavement courses designed to allow evaluation of acceleration, braking, road manners, and handling. The second day was all about off-road performance, with challenges crafted to evaluate traction, clearance, articulation, and the latest in off-road technology.
There was broad consensus that 2022 brought us the most diverse — and most competitive — field in the history of the event. Awards were earned in seven categories, and an overall winner was named.
- Subcompact and Compact Family – 2023 Mazda CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus
Runner up – 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness - Mid-and Full-Size Family – 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe
Runner up – 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV - Compact and Midsize Luxury – 2022 Genesis GV70 AWD 3.5T Sport Prestige (repeat winner)
Runner up – 2022 Acura MDX Type S - Full-Size Luxury – 2021 Genesis GV80 AWD 3.5T Prestige
Runner up – 2022 Wagoneer Series III 4×4 - Pickup Trucks – 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited AWD (repeat winner)
Runner up – 2022 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X - Extreme Capability – 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor
Runner up (tie) – 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe
Runner up (tie) – 2022 Wagoneer Series II 4×4 - Electrified Utility Vehicle – 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe
Runner up – 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV - NW Outdoor Activity Vehicle of the Year – 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe
Runner up – 2022 Genesis GV70 AWD 3.5T Sport Prestige
The off-road testing courses featured optional sections for extremely capable vehicles. They took these SUVs and pickups through steep climbs, deep moguls, and extreme descents on loose dirt and mud to test their prowess and features, such as low-range four-wheel drive, axle articulation, plus approach, breakover, and departure angles. Vehicles were required to complete this course to be eligible for the Extreme Capability category.
New for 2022 was the Electrified Outdoor Activity Vehicle of the Year class. To compete in this class, a vehicle needed to be fully electric or a plug-in hybrid. The electrified vehicles competing this year were plug-in hybrid SUVs.
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