[T3F]

Hey all,

I figured I'd start this thread for two reasons:
1. When buying a car, we all consider multiple models, but it's hard to test drive everything, let alone get a good impression from a short test drive when a salesperson is breathing down your neck.
2. Waitlists for the G8x are getting really long, to the point where nothing is available on lots and orders placed now will most often take close to a year (or more) to be delivered, and some of us either can't wait or don't have the patience to.

I also made it specifically for AWD alternatives, as that's something that's crucial to me, and a lot of the more natural comparisons (e.g., Giulia Quadrifoglio, CT4-V, C63, etc.) only concern RWD cars and already have threads.

Here are the vehicles I've considered, as well as any applicable driving impressions (I haven't driven everything). Feel free to add others you considered, and any impressions on any of them would be greatly appreciated, especially if you've driven a G8x of some sort and are able to compare. Annoyingly, I haven't driven a G8x myself, though I finally tracked one down to rent in the next few days, so I'll update my impressions then.

-Audi RS5 Sportback: This is the most direct competitor, and though I haven't driven it, I have an S5 Sportback. My S5 does everything very competently -- there's not really much to complain about -- but in a boring, clinical way. The RS5, from what I've heard, fixes this to an extent, but this is an aging platform at this point that feels dated to me (especially on the inside), and unless you love the looks of it, I don't know that there's a single thing it does better than the G8x aside from having more cargo space because of the hatch.

-Tesla Model 3 Performance: I have one at my second house, and it's simultaneously great and disappointing. The infotainment screen is awesome (though I wish there were a few more physical controls), the acceleration is obscene, and everything with it is just easy and just works. You save a ton on gas, servicing is much easier and cheaper, and the car itself is a ridiculously good deal -- in any non-track situation, it's as fast or faster than a G8x for $60k. The main downside is that I don't feel connected to it at all when driving. The steering is too quick and twitchy for my taste and has ZERO feel whatsoever -- it literally feels like driving a car in a video game. The suspension isn't refined at all and is somehow both harsh/crashy and bouncy, and you don't at all get that feeling of solidity and stability you get in basically any luxury German sedan, if you know what I mean. As a disclaimer, my car is a 2018, and I've heard the suspension has been improved over the last few years (to an extent), and when I pick my 2022 up in the next few weeks, I'll update this aspect of my assessment if it changes. The interior is a bit plain, but I've grown to be fine with that -- it keeps things feeling airy and modern, and it'll age much better than basically any other interior on the market right now. The seats are horrendous for a performance car and don't keep you at all planted in the corners. Overall, though, this thing packs a serious punch, especially at the price point, and if they tweak the suspension, steering, and seats, version 2.0 of this in a few years could be really special.

-BMW X3M/X4M: I haven't driven these, but from what I've heard, they handle exceptionally well for SUVs but ride significantly worse than the G8x (or anything else on this list, though the GLC63 is supposedly similar), and also allegedly feel a little muted in spite of the fact that they're immensely capable. It's also an aging platform, though the LCI brought it to a point where it at least looks pretty close to as modern as the G8x and has some of the mechanical upgrades. Very interested to hear whether anyone has more feedback on these.

-Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio: I wish an AWD Giulia existed, but this is fairly close and, in my experience, is the closest thing to a lifted sports car. The chassis is great, the engine sounds very good for a 6-cylinder and has lots of character, and the steering is really, really good. It also comes in some really cool, unique colors, which is a plus. The downside is that the interior feels essentially a decade old at this point, although I will say that the simplicity of it isn't necessarily bad, it still has 98% of the features of the G8x even if the implementation doesn't look as futuristic, and the materials quality on the post-2020 models is surprisingly good. They're also available right away, and at a solid discount. It should be noted that the dealership network is smaller, spottier, frequently changing (a fair number of dealerships are opening, but it seems an equal amount are shutting down), and there's a chance the plug could be pulled on the entire brand within a few years.

-Mercedes-AMG GLC63: I have one of these now, and to be honest, I've never really gotten along with it. The platform is old at this point, which really shows on the interior, and the whole interior design to me feels both a little dated and tackily over-designed (as if the designers thought more going on = more luxurious). The engine has ridiculous amounts of power and torque, but the transmission tuning is seriously awful, to the point I and many other owners thought there might be something wrong with it. It's constantly shifting, is extremely clunky when doing so, especially at low speeds, and when you want power in any mode except Sport + (and even then), you have to wait for it to shift down sometimes 4-5 gears, as it'll go up to 9th by like 50 mph. The suspension is also really, really stiff and crashes over any tiny imperfection. If they figured out the transmission mapping and hired away some Porsche engineers to sort the suspension out, this could be really, really good (I probably wouldn't be here writing this post, if that was the case), but this will be gone after this year, so that chance was missed.

-Porsche Macan: I've driven a 2015 Turbo a lot, and I have to say that the steering feel, chassis control, and gearbox are phenomenal, and it also rides beautifully. People frequently claim that it doesn't drive like an SUV, which is accurate to a point, but it also definitely doesn't drive like a sports car, either, and you can feel the weight and higher center of gravity. That being said, if you're not driving on a track, I'd expect the new GTS version of this to be close to as enjoyable as a G8x (and an argument could be made that it would be more enjoyable because of its more approachable limits) as a daily, and probably more comfortable due to the extra space and air suspension. It's only a few thousand more expensive, which makes it tempting, but I don't think it's any easier to get than a G8x, so if your concern is getting something quickly, this won't help.

-Jaguar F-Pace SVR: I only drove this briefly, but the engine is INSANE. I've spent a lot of time behind the wheel of a Range Rover Sport Supercharged with this engine and it's great in that setting, but it's ratcheted way, way up in the F-Pace. There's no way there's a better-sounding or more characterful engine out there right now short of something truly exotic. Definitely the highlight of the vehicle for me, and something I can't stop thinking about, especially since there's nothing else like it and never will be again -- it's now or never. It rides really well, had nice steering, and seemed to handle well also -- it honestly felt fairly similar to the Macan in these aspects to me, but I didn't drive it long enough/was too distracted by the engine to give a more detailed assessment here. I can say that it clearly wasn't meant for the track and would obviously get dusted by a G8x in that regard, but my assumption is that many of you reading this are like me and don't care all that much about this aspect; on the street, I can say for sure that you would have to be hitting very illegal speeds to get anywhere near the F-Pace's limits. I'm more concerned about having something that is fun to drive on the street than outright capability, and the F-Pace certainly gives the G8x a run for its money in this regard, though with a different formula.