The 10 most improved cars of 2023

As we close a very auspicious 2023, it’s time to take a look at some of the new models that were unveiled. But this isn’t just a list of new models, it’s a small gathering of those cars that have made truly substantial changes and improvements over their predecessors. Here now is the elite 10 that made that quantum leap.

Toyota Zenix

Talk about night and day. That’s the difference between the Innova, which is still on the market, and its successor, the Zenix, launched last June. It’s easy enough to make a quantum leap in terms of design evolution, but to move to a completely new (and vastly more refined) platform, switch from rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive, gain a much needed independent rear suspension, offer a more spacious and much more versatile and luxurious interior, is nothing short of a magical transformation.

Ford Territory (April)

The 1^st-gen Ford Territory was already one of Ford’s bestsellers. So the Blue Oval brand couldn’t be faulted if they just did a modest rehash for the second gen. Not happening. The second-gen Territory, launched in April and still coming from China, was as comprehensive an overhaul as you can get. Bigger. More spacious. More powerful. More fuel-efficient. More refined. And with much more features. Best of all, the price difference wasn’t as much as the improvements wrought upon the whole vehicle.    

Ford Ranger Raptor

Hot off the heels of the all-new Territory is Ford’s all-new Ranger Raptor. Unveiled in May, the new Raptor boasts all of Ford’s changes, improvements, and innovations that made the next-gen Ranger and Everest an even better pickup and SUV than they already were. 

Chevrolet Trax

The long-lived previous-generation Chevrolet Trax has been gone from the market for a short while, supplanted by the all-new Tracker and Trailblazer. But the Bowtie boys were just waiting to spring an all-new Trax to the Philippine market. And they finally did so last July, when they rolled out the all-new Trax via GM’s subsidiary in Korea. Like its American competitor, the Ford Territory, the new Trax is in a totally new league, with stunning styling, scintillating performance, superb ride and handling, a spacious premium interior, plus gobs more safety features.

Honda City

You might wonder why a car that looks largely like its previous model-year version might make it to a “Most Improved” list.  That’s because the 2023 Honda City, launched last July, packs a class-leading suite of advanced driver-assist safety (ADAS) features in HONDA SENSING. Best of all, even the base model gets ADAS. Which means all variants get goodies such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane-Keeping Assist, and even Road Departure Mitigation. With all those features, the new City is arguably the only car in its price and size class to boast a full suite of advanced active driver-assist safety features.

GAC GS8 (August)

GAC’s previous-gen GS8 rocked a 7/8-scale Land Cruiser vibe so well, it was surprising not to see more of these fairly large SUVs on the road. That should change with the all-new GS8 rolling out in August—now bigger and this time rocking a Cadillac Escalade aura with its edgy styling and cutting-edge vertical headlamps and taillamps. Aside from knockout styling, it now has four-wheel drive, a kickass 10-speaker Alpine sound system, a suite of ADAS features, and a Borg-Warner-developed Terrain Management System with Eco, Sport, Comfort, Sand, and Snow/Mud modes.

Nissan Z

On paper, it should be easy to improve on a car that’s already 15 years old. But we’re talking here of one of Japan’s most legendary sports cars—the Nissan Z. So while the previous 370Z made its world debut way back in 2008 and the new Z (yes, just “Z”) still uses the same chassis of the 370Z—they even share the same Z34 internal designation—the new Z, unveiled last September, packs a whole bunch of detail improvements and refinements that address all of the shortcomings of the previous model. Needless to say, it has more power, better performance, and improved fuel efficiency. Best of all, its styling is simply Drop. Dead. Gorgeous.      

Chery Tiggo 5X Pro

Viewed from the front, Chery’s 2023 Tiggo 5X Pro, rolled out last August, looks like an all-new model. Viewed from the side and the rear, though, it looks almost identical to the previous non-Pro model. It also has almost identical exterior and interior dimensions. So why is it on this list? Because the changes made in the model’s transition to “Pro” status adds not just that handsome front end, it also adds a significant change underhood—the addition of a mild hybrid powertrain (which also benefits from a turbocharger for a delightfully strong acceleration)—and undershassis, with the adoption of a fully independent rear suspension for better riding comfort and handling, when most of its competitors use a less sophisticated and cheap-to-manufacture torsion beam.   

Foton Thunder 2.0

Pickups are usually given short shrift when carmakers design their succeeding models. The all-new Foton Thunder, however, breaks the norm. Announced in February, the new Thunder catapults itself into the upper echelons of pickupdom with a substantial upsize in dimensions, badass styling and, more importantly, more power and torque (and an available automatic transmission), better overall refinement, and a much more elegant interior.      

Kia Seltos

Kia has been actively distancing itself from being a car for value-oriented buyers to a more aspirational brand. The new Seltos, unveiled just last month, is a solid step in this direction. From styling to build quality, from engine power to comfort, convenience and safety feature sets, the Kia Seltos is a homerun in the premium stakes.