The 14 New Vehicles We're Most Excited About Seeing In 2022

From turbocharged Mazda 3s and an all-new Honda Civic to new top-selling SUVs such as the Nissan Rogue and Kia Sorento as well as a new Nissan Frontier pickup and Kia Carnival minivan, 2021 was a big year for the brands in Centennial Auto Group's umbrella. 

2022 is going to be even bigger.

A year ago, we told you all about the 11 new vehicles Centennial was most excited about for 2021. Now it's time for a major update: the 14 new vehicles we're most excited about for 2022. In certain instances, we know everything there is to know about the incoming vehicles; in other cases we're running with an element of rumour and conjecture. 

HONDA

CIVIC TYPE R

In mid-January, the next-generation 2023 Honda Civic Type R will be fully revealed at the Tokyo Auto Salon. We have a decent idea of what the new Civic Type R will look like because Honda has already shown the hot hatch in red camo during testing. As with the 10th-generation Civic, the Type R version of the 11th-gen Civic will sit atop the Civic lineup – above the Si – with more than 300 horsepower, heaps of technology, a manual transmission, and true daily driveability. 

PASSPORT

The 2022 Honda Passport doesn't just offer a new look – there'll also be a new TrailSport model, too. As always, all Passports are ridiculously well equipped. Even the entry-level 2022 Passport Sport includes a sunroof, power tailgate, remote start, auto high beams, and blind spot monitoring. 

NEW SUVs

Besides the Passport, Honda's other trio of crossovers closely follow a similar schedule, a schedule that makes us think that a 12-month period overlapping 2022 and 2023 will be The Year Of SUVs at Honda. North America's first HR-V was launched in 2015 as a 2016 model. The third-generation Pilot debuted for the 2016 model year. The fifth-gen CR-V was launched for the 2017 model year. Honda will replace these hugely popular utility vehicles with all-new models in the very, very near future. [Update: we now know a lot more about the next HR-V.]

KIA

SPORTAGE

Kia has redesigned the 2023 Sportage in order to take what was one of the smallest compact SUVs and make it one of the largest. And in so doing, the new Sportage will provide best-in-class cargo volume and best-in-class rear seat legroom. 

EV6

Destined to tbe the fastest-charging EV in the world, the 2022 Kia EV6 is a high-performance, high-style, electric vehicle with the potential for over 500 kilometres of range and 0-100km/h acceleration in well under 4 seconds. 

FORTE

Even though the Kia Forte's segment is struggling, the Forte just keeps gaining market share. This is the small car people want. So for 2022, Kia made the Forte even better. (We're cheating a little bit – the first 2022 Fortes arrived at Centennial Kia in the last week of 2021.) Kia altered the exterior look of the Forte in only the slightest ways, but the interior is where you'll see the big upgrades. This is a truly premium, truly high-tech environment.

NIRO

Since 2017, the Niro has been so much more than just one car. It's been sold as a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid, and a pure electric. Just as with the first-gen Niro, the new Niro will offer absurd fuel efficiency, a premium cabin, and tons of versatile space.

SORENTO PHEV

Not ready to go all-electric? Still want a conventional powerplant? A plug-in hybrid is a remarkably useful combination. In the 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV, a significant portion of your routine daily driving will actually be completed on electric power alone. But whenever your available battery power depletes, there's a range extender. It's a conventional engine, which completely erases all of the typical range anxiety related to a normal electric car's limitations. There are other bonuses, too: a $5,000 rebate from the PEI provincial government and a free level 2 home charger to top up that electric power every night. 

MAZDA

CX-50

The Mazda CX-50 is an all-new SUV from Mazda, slotting in above the CX-5 but with a similar footprint. Suffice to say, it's gorgeous. Drop-dead gorgeous. The CX-50 will offer Mazda's first panoramic sunroof, multi-mode AWD called Mi-Drive, and more rugged off-road ability than previous Mazda utilities.

CX-5

While introducing a new SUV in the heart of its lineup, Mazda is also updating the brand's best seller. The 2022 Mazda CX-5 gets a revamped front end, more LEDs, new wheel designs, a more rigid frame that allowed Mazda to improve suspension tuning, and standard AWD. 

NISSAN

400Z

More than 50 years ago, the world was shocked by the arrival of the Datsun 240Z. The Z franchise led to the 260Z, 280Z, 280ZX, 300ZX, and then the return of the Z in 2002 with the 350Z. The 370Z served as that car's replacement, and now it's time for the 400-horsepower, twin-turbocharged 2023 Nissan 400Z. And yes, there will be an available manual transmission.

ARIYA

Delayed for the same reason so many vehicles and general goods were delayed in 2021 – the supply chain is in anguish – the Nissan Ariya is now set to dramatically shake up the world of electric vehicles. Sized like a Rogue but with up to 482 kilometres of EV range, over 400 lb-ft of torque, and e-4ORCE all-wheel drive.