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Best Products of 2016: Automotive

This year's finest car recaptured the essence of driving

Winner
Mazda MX-5 Miata

As products go, cars fall into the unique position between utility and entertainment, so picking the best one overall that we drove in 2016 is quite the task. A car can be useless but fun, or practical yet boring, and both could still be considered “good.” With that in mind, we took a step back to see what cars this year satisfied the basic essence of driving — and the Mazda MX-5 was tough to beat.

Mazda’s plucky roadster evokes extreme emotion on both ends of the spectrum – some love it, some loathe it. But the ones who sing its praises are more often or not the ones who actually spent some time behind the wheel.

With three pedals, a handbrake, a naturally-aspirated engine, and a rear-wheel drive setup, the Miata conforms to a purist’s configuration. The 2.0-liter four-pot under the hood gins up 155 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. For a roadster that weighs roughly 2,300 pounds, that’s plenty of pep to have fun with yet remain manageable; no monstrous horsepower to fear, but no less enjoyable.

Complementing the power punch is its phenomenal steering, braking, and suspension tuning. While enthusiasts might bemoan Mazda’s decision to ditch the hydraulic steering rack for an electrically assisted unit, this is easily one of the best systems available. Not only is turn-in lightning quick, but weight also builds as the g-forces do mid-corner, leading to a natural, balanced feel.

Analog as it may seem, the Mazda MX-5 still meets modern digital needs. Mazda’s Connect infotainment system is one of the best in the industry, with excellent feedback from the selection dial, quick responses from the system, intelligent button redundancies, and clear navigation readout.

Driving purity under $30K and it won’t tear your head off? Sounds like a worthy ride for enthusiasts across the board.

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Runner up
Ford F-150 

If America had to send one automobile to represent the nation in some car version of The Hunger Games (“Fuel Wars”?), it would send the Ford F-150. It’s been the best selling vehicle in the U.S. for decades, and with good reason: It gets the job done.

What job, you may ask? Just about any of them, actually. The latest iteration sports a high-strength aluminum body on a steel frame that sheds 700 pounds when compared to the previous generation. The current F-150 is much more aggressively styled than before, with lots of creases and chunky shapes to give it a more rugged look that’s much more interesting than the stereotypical boxy truck.

There are brains to go along with the brawn, too. Along with Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system, the F-150 has available features like a 360-degree camera system and trailer backup assist that makes stowing your haul less of a chore.

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Runner up
Mercedes AMG GT S

Auto enthusiasts look at the cars of the past with rose-tinted glasses, longing for today’s to emulate the driving experiences that the classics delivered, warts and all. Mercedes did one better with its AMG GT S, crafting a stellar luxury sport grand tourer that captures a classic car’s essence but is thoroughly a car of the modern age.

The AMG GT S is the automaker’s showpiece, housing a 4.0-liter biturbo V8 that churns up 503 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. Capable of leaping from 0 to 60 in 3.7 seconds, Its stiffness and low center of gravity, combined with the four-wheel double wishbone independent suspension means back road bends feel as supple and smooth as the upholstery you’re sitting on. You could demand little else from a car deemed worthy to be Formula 1’s official pace car.

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Whew! Rough year. Fortunately, we got some amazing tech out of it. Digital Trends’ expert editors picked the most amazing gadgets in their respective categories, then convened as a panel to pick the one that towered above them all. Join us every day between now and Jan. 1 as we recap our favorites, and build up to the big Best of 2016 reveal!
Alexander Kalogianni
Former Automotive Editor
Alex K is an automotive writer based in New York. When not at his keyboard or behind the wheel of a car, Alex spends a lot of…
Archer’s flying taxis head to LA for the 2028 Olympics
archer air taxi la28 inglewood aerial a final

Remember the buzz about flying taxis zipping through Paris for the 2024 Olympics? That sci-fi fantasy never got off the ground —Germany’s Volocopter dream was denied certification, leaving fans staring at the same old ground traffic. But now, the skies are opening again for a second shot at glory—this time over Los Angeles.
Archer Aviation, the California-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company, has been named the exclusive air taxi provider for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Archer’s Midnight aircraft, a piloted electric air taxi designed to carry four passengers, will be whisking around VIPs, fans, and stakeholders between venues and key locations like LAX, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and even Orange County. Think 10-20 minute flights that skip the infamous LA gridlock and land you right where the action is—on the roof, basically.
“We want to transform the way people get around Los Angeles and leave a legacy that shapes the future of transportation in America. There’s no better time to do that than during the LA28 Games,” said Adam Goldstein, CEO and founder of Archer Aviation.
And Midnight isn’t just a pretty rotor. It’s a whisper-quiet, emission-light aircraft with 12 rotors and a redundant, airline-level safety design.
What’s more, Archer and LA28 are working together to electrify vertiport hubs around the city—think futuristic sky stations—to serve not only Games-time needs but also to plant seeds for a post-Olympic air mobility network.
The air mobility market has been fast developing over the past few years, featuring the likes of Hyundai partnership with China’s XPeng HT Aero and Toyota's backing of Joby Aviation, a U.S. venture. Joby bought Uber Elevate in 2020, hoping to someday pair its air taxis with Uber’s ride-hailing app.
Archer, for its part, has been busy building a strategic partnership with United Airlines, which has already placed orders for the aircraft and is helping with logistics to integrate air taxis into airport-to-downtown travel. More than a demo for the cameras, the LA28 partnership will showcase urban air travel for real-world daily use, starting with one of the most high-profile events on Earth.
After raising false hopes in Paris, the air taxi dream is aiming for liftoff in LA—and this time, it might just stick the landing.

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Electric Muscle Misfire? Dodge Pulls Charger Daytona R/T from 2026 Lineup
electric muscle misfire dodge pulls charger daytona r t from 2026 lineup all new

The Dodge Charger Daytona R/T, once hailed as the vanguard of Dodge’s electric muscle car future, is being dropped for the 2026 model year.
According to a report from MoparInsiders, the Scat Pack variant will now lead the Daytona lineup, marking a significant pivot in Stellantis’ EV strategy.
Originally introduced with bold ambitions, the Charger Daytona R/T was designed to offer an accessible gateway into electric performance. With its 456-horsepower dual-motor setup and optional 509-horsepower Direct Connection stage kit, it seemed poised to excite both muscle car fans and EV newcomers. However, market realities have painted a different picture.
Industry and media reports highlight the core issue: buyers just weren’t biting. Despite its impressive specs and nostalgic design cues, the R/T struggled to justify its price tag, starting near $60,000. At that level, buyers expected either more performance or more premium features. Without strong sales traction, Dodge made the tough call to shelve the R/T variant for 2026, opting instead to focus on trims that resonate better with customers.
As we reported in December, the Charger EV was launched with an off-beat marketing message to “save the planet from self-driving sleep pods.” The goal was to retain Dodge’s brand identity—muscle, aggression, and driver engagement—even in the electric era. The Charger Daytona R/T was supposed to be the perfect balance of price and performance, but it seems the target audience wasn’t ready to make that leap at that price.
Importantly, this doesn’t spell the end of the Charger Daytona altogether. Higher-performance models like the Scat Pack and Banshee are still in the pipeline and, interestingly, are being adjusted for price competitiveness. Several trims are reportedly seeing price cuts, suggesting Stellantis is serious about making these vehicles more appealing and accessible.
For enthusiasts, the takeaway is clear: the electric muscle car isn’t going anywhere, but automakers are still figuring out how to sell it. The demise of the R/T is less a failure and more a recalibration—proof that even the boldest plans need to stay flexible in the face of consumer demand.

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The all-electric Cadillac Vistiq makes the Escalade redundant
2026 Cadillac Vistiq front-quarter view.

Cadillac wants a full lineup of electric vehicles, and it’s nearly there. It has a standard crossover SUV (the Lyriq), an entry-level model (the Optiq), an electric version of its flagship Escalade (the Escalade IQ), and even a baroque showpiece (the Celestiq). But something’s missing.

For a modern luxury brand, a midsize three-row crossover is key. Customers for whom a Toyota Highlander is too déclassé need something to take their kids to lacrosse practice, but may not want something as big as an Escalade. This isn’t the most exciting design brief, and that’s reflected in the gasoline Cadillac XT6, which has always felt like nothing more than a placeholder. Its new electric counterpart, the 2026 Cadillac Vistiq, is anything but.

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