car review

BEVs are better than combustion: The 2025 BMW i4 xDrive40 review

BMW i4 xDrive40, car review, Cars / Tim Belzer / March 12, 2025

But it’s not really fair to compare yesterday’s 430i with this i4 xDrive40; with 395 hp (295 kW) and 442 lb-ft (600 Nm) on tap and a $62,300 MSRP, this EV is another rung up the price and power ladders.

The i4 uses BMW’s fifth-generation electric motors, and unlike most other OEMs, BMW uses electrically excited synchronous motors instead of permanent magnets. The front is rated at 255 hp (190 kW) and 243 lb-ft (330 Nm), and the rear maxes out at 308 hp (230 kW) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm). They’re powered by an 84 kWh battery pack (81 kWh usable), which on 18-inch wheels is good for an EPA range of 287 miles (462 km).

Our test car was fitted with 19-inch wheels, though, which cuts the EPA range to 269 miles (432 km). If you want a long-distance i4, the single-motor eDrive40 on 18-inch wheels can travel 318 miles (511 km) between charges, according to the EPA, which offers an interesting demonstration of the effect of wheel size and single versus dual motors on range efficiency.

A BMW i4 wheel — There’s a new design for the 19-inch M Aero wheels, but they’re part of a $2,200 package. Credit: Jonathan Gitlin

It’s very easy to switch between having the car regeneratively brake when you lift the throttle (in B) or just coast (in D), thanks to the little lever on the center console. (Either way, the car will regeneratively brake when you use the brake pedal, up to 0.3 G, at which point the friction brakes take over.) If you needed to, you could hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 5.1 seconds from a standstill, which makes it quick by normal standards if not by bench racers. In practice, it’s more than fast enough to merge into a gap or overtake someone if necessary.

During our time with the i4, I averaged a little worse than the EPA numbers. The winter has been relatively mild as a result of climate change, but the weather remained around or below freezing during our week with the i4, and we averaged 3.1 miles/kWh (20 kWh/100 km). Interestingly, I didn’t notice much of a drop when using Sport mode, or much of a gain using Eco mode, on the same 24-mile mix of city streets, suburban arteries, and highways.

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Yes, you get used to the grille: The 2025 BMW 430i Gran Coupe review

BMW 430i Gran Coupe, car review, Cars / Paul Patrick / March 11, 2025

Back in 1995, a 430i badge would have meant that BMW had a 3.0 L engine. But this 430i makes do with just 2.0 L and four cylinders under the hood, albeit with a turbocharger. Output is 255 hp (190 kW) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm), which in this case is sent to all the wheels—xDrive in BMW-speak—via an eight-speed transmission.

In the frosty and below-freezing winter temperatures, I averaged 28 mpg (8.4 L/100 km), one down on the car’s official EPA combined economy. Perhaps the engine’s 48 V mild hybrid system helped minimize the loss due to cold weather, which, yes, affects gasoline-powered cars, too.

Another downside to a diet that’s mostly electric cars is that you very quickly get used to that immediate throttle response. Even the best naturally aspirated engines can’t quite replicate that—not even the ones BMW has made in the past. Even though the turbocharger’s torque plateau arrives at just 1,600 rpm, it’s better to just be a bit relaxed about the whole thing. I found the automatic eight-speed a little too jerky in Sport mode, anyway.

A BMW 430i Gran Coupe seen from behind — Credit: Jonathan Gitlin

Among other minor grumbles, the brake pedal had too little bite for the first half-inch of travel and then too much bite for the next. And the steering wheel rim is too fat, a problem that has afflicted BMW for far too long. But they are minor complaints, and ones that hardly ruin the driving experience. While it’s more of a cruiser than a canyon carver, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. No one said that “ultimate driving machine” had to mean the fastest thing around a track, and for day-to-day driving, being in the 430i was a pleasant place to have to sit.

At $51,200, the 430i xDrive Gran Coupe looks relatively well-priced by the standards of 2025. But unlike the Korean or Japanese luxury brands, you will be expected to pay more if you want all the bells and whistles—our test car came in at $61,125 with options and delivery fee. Some might be superfluous—I’m not sure I’d spend $1,700 on the driving assists, or $2,500 on the M Sport package, but the top-down, 360-degree parking cameras are worth the $700 option, and the driver and infotainment display (part of the $1,650 premium package) lifts the in-car experience.

If all that sounds interesting but the internal combustion engine is a deal-breaker, check back tomorrow when we review the very closely related and even longer-named BMW i4 xDrive40 Gran Coupe (19-inch wheels).

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The 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe proves to be a real crowd-pleaser

car review, Cars, Genesis GV80 Coupe / Paul Patrick / March 4, 2025

The 27-inch OLED screen combines the main instrument display and an infotainment screen. It’s a big improvement on what you’ll find in older GV80s (and G80s and GV70s), and the native system is by no means unpleasant to use. Although with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, most drivers will probably just cast their phones. That will require a wire—while there is a Qi wireless charging pad, I was not able to wirelessly cast my iPhone using CarPlay; I had to plug into the USB-C port. (The press specs say it should have wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, for what it’s worth.)

Having a jog dial to interact with the infotainment is a plus in terms of driver distraction, but that’s immediately negated by having to use a touchscreen for the climate controls.

Beyond those gripes, the dark leather and contrast stitching look and feel good, and I appreciate the way the driver’s seat side bolsters hug you a little tighter when you switch into Sport mode or accelerate hard in one of the other modes. Our week with the Genesis GV80 coincided with some below-freezing weather, and I was glad to find that the seat heaters got warm very quickly—within a block of leaving the house, in fact.

I was also grateful for the fact that the center console armrest warms up when you turn on your seat heater—I’m not sure I’ve come across that feature in a car until now.

Tempting the former boss of BMW’s M division, Albert Biermann, away to set up Genesis’ vehicle dynamics department was also a good move. Biermann has been retired for a while now, but he evidently passed on some skills before that happened. The GV80 Coupe is particularly well-damped and won’t bounce you around in your seat over low-speed obstacles like potholes or speed bumps that, in other SUVs, can result in the occupants being shaken from side to side in their seats.

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The Acura ZDX is an example of badge engineering for the software age

Acura ZDX, car review, Cars / Kris Guyer / February 25, 2025

Acura is gearing up to build its first entirely in-house battery-electric vehicles, but it has gotten a head start with the ZDX SUV. Built in collaboration with General Motors, the ZDX is a comfortable and competent luxury EV. More than that, it’s a shining example of what badge engineering looks like in the digital age.

Automakers have long collaborated with each other. Sometimes that means working together on a powertrain or vehicle platform for use in quite different products. Sometimes, it’s a little less involved—the Dodge Hornet differs very little from the Alfa Romeo Tonale, for example.

In the case of the Acura ZDX, the vehicle platform and the battery-electric powertrain are all thoroughly GM, what used to be called Ultium, until the American automaker retired that branding. It is, in essence, Acura’s take on the Cadillac Lyriq and is similar, if not identical, in terms of power output and pricing.

Although the range starts with the rear-wheel drive $64,500 ZDX A-Spec, our test car was the range-topping all-wheel drive ZDX Type-S, which costs $73,500 before the $7,500 clean vehicle tax credit. It has an output of 499 hp (372 kW) and 544 lb-ft (738 Nm), and it has an EPA range of 278 miles (447 km) on a full charge of the 102 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

Despite winter temperatures and 22-inch tires (a $600 option), that range estimate seems spot-on—over the course of a week, we averaged 2.7 miles/kWh (23 kWh/100 km).

The next Acura EV to launch will have a NACS port, but ZDXs feature CCS1 for now. Adapters, and access to Tesla’s Supercharger network, should happen in this spring. Jonathan Gitlin

Fast charging wasn’t particularly impressive, especially compared to other luxury SUVs in this price bracket. Acura quotes 42 minutes to go from 20–80 percent state of charge; in practice, I plugged in with 38 percent SoC showing on the dash and had to wait 45 minutes to get to 80 percent. Charging peaked at 91 kW but had dropped to 69 kW by 50 percent SoC.

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The Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance is quite a name, quite a car

car review, Cars, Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance four-door / Kris Guyer / February 4, 2025

The powertrain has been tuned for power delivery, not maximum efficiency—that isn’t the job of a car wearing the AMG badge—and has an almost-dizzying amount of drive modes, suspension settings, and levels of battery regeneration, all configurable from Mercedes’ flat UI infotainment system that can be a little busy to look at but which remains very intuitive (and comes with rather excellent voice recognition). In fact, this might be the least-distracting implementation of MBUX I’ve encountered so far.

When you first start the AMG GT 63 S, it defaults to electric mode, as long as the battery has some charge in it. Top speed is capped at 87 mph (140 km/h), and the electric motor has more than enough torque to make using this mode perfectly pleasant. Your neighbors will appreciate the silence as you leave in the morning, too. There are three levels of lift-off regen, up to the highest setting, which is a one-pedal driving mode.

The Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S engine bay. Jonathan Gitlin

Comfort fires up the V8 as necessary but will defer to the electric motor whenever possible. It upshifts the nine-speed transmission early, and with the dampers set to Comfort as well, this is the mode you’d use with passengers on board. Because the car is meant to be a performance hybrid, the powertrain will use spare engine power to recharge the battery pack whenever it can and will fully charge the pack in about 30 minutes of driving.

One mode maintains the battery’s state of charge, another is for slippery conditions, and then there’s Sport, Sport+, and Race. These offer escalating levels of performance, with more boost from the electric motor supplementing the raucous V8, faster shift times from the transmission, sharper throttle maps, and more regenerative braking. Finally, there’s an individual mode for you to pick your own settings.

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Weight saving and aero optimization feature in the 2025 Porsche 911 GT3

car review, Cars, Features, First drive, Porsche 911 GT3 / Rejus Almole / January 29, 2025

Among the changes are better aero, shorter gearing, and the return of the Touring.

The Porsche 911 GT3 is to other 911s as other 911s are to regular cars. Credit: Jonathan Gitlin

VALENCIA, SPAIN—A Porsche 911 is rather special compared to most “normal” cars. The rear-engined sports car might be bigger and less likely to swap ends than the 1960s version, but it remains one of the more nimble and engaging four-wheeled vehicles you can buy. The 911 comes in a multitude of variants, but among driving enthusiasts, few are better regarded than the GT3. And Porsche has just treated the current 911 GT3 to its midlife refresh, which it will build in regular and Touring flavors.

The GT3 is a 911 you can drive to the track, spend the day lapping, and drive home again. It’s come a long way since the 1999 original—that car made less power than a base 911 does now. Now, the recipe is a bit more involved, with a naturally aspirated flat-six engine mounted behind the rear axle that generates 502 hp (375 kW) and 331 lb-ft (450 Nm) and a redline that doesn’t interrupt play until 9,000 rpm. You’ll need to exercise it to reach those outputs—peak power arrives at 8,500, although peak torque happens a bit sooner at around 6,000 revs.

It’s a mighty engine indeed, derived from the racing version of the 911, with some tweaks for road legality. So there are things like individual throttle valves, dry sump lubrication, solid cam finger followers (instead of hydraulic valve lifters), titanium con rods, and forged pistons.

I’ve always liked GT3s in white.

For this car, Porsche has also worked on reducing its emissions, fitting four catalytic converters to the exhaust, plus a pair of particulate filters, which together help cut NOx emissions on the US test cycle by 44 percent. This adds 3 lbs (1.4 kg) of mass and increases exhaust back pressure by 17 percent. But there are also new cylinder heads and reprofiled camshafts (from the even more focused, even more expensive GT3 RS), which increase drivability and power delivery in the upper rev range by keeping the valves open for longer.

Those tweaks might not be immediately noticeable when you look at last year’s GT3, but the shorter gearing definitely will be. The final drive ratios for both the standard seven-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox and the six-speed manual have been reduced by 8 percent. This lowers the top speed a little—a mostly academic thing anyway outside of the German Autobahn and some very long runways—but it increases the pulling force on the rear wheels in each gear across the entire rev range. In practical terms, it means you can take a corner in a gear higher than you would in the old car.

There have been suspension tweaks, too. The GT3 moved to double front wishbone suspension (replacing the regular car’s MacPherson struts) in 2021, but now the front pivot point has been lowered to reduce the car diving under braking, and the trailing arms have a new teardrop profile that improves brake cooling and reduces drag a little. Porsche has altered the bump stops, giving the suspension an inch (24 mm) more travel at the front axle and slightly more (27 mm) at the rear axle, which in turn means more body control on bumpy roads.

A white Porsche 911 GT3 seen in profile

Credit: Porsche

New software governs the power steering. Because factors like manufacturing tolerances, wear, and even temperature can alter how steering components interact with each other, the software automatically tailors friction compensation to axle friction. Consequently, the steering is more precise and more linear in its behavior, particularly in the dead-ahead position.

The GT3 also has new front and rear fascias, again derived from the racing GT3. There are more cooling inlets, vents, and ducts, plus a new front diffuser that reduces lift at the front axle at speed. Porsche has tuned the GT3’s aerodynamics to be constant across the speed range, and like the old model, it generates around 309 lbs (140 kg) of downforce at 125 mph (200 km/h). Under the car, there are diffusers on the rear lower wishbones, and Porsche has improved brake and driveshaft cooling.

Finally, Porsche has made some changes to the interior. For instance, the GT3 now gains the same digital display seen on other facelifted 911s (the 992.2 generation if you’re a Porsche nerd), similar to the one you’d find in a Taycan, Macan, or Panamera.

Some people may mourn the loss of the big physical tachometer, but I’m not one of them. The car has a trio of UI settings: a traditional five-dial display, a more reduced three-dial display, and a track mode with just the big central tach, which you can reorient so the red line is at 12 o’clock, as was the case with many an old Porsche racing car, rather than its normal position down around 5 o’clock. And instead of a push button to start the car, there’s a twister—if a driver spins on track, it’s more intuitive to restart the car by twisting the control the way you would a key.

You can see the starter switch on the left of the steering wheel. Porsche

Finally, there are new carbon fiber seats, which now have folding backrests for better access to the rear. (However, unless I’m mistaken, you can’t adjust the angle of the backrest.) In a very clever and welcome touch, the headrest padding is removable so that your head isn’t forced forward when wearing a helmet on track. Such is the attention to detail here. (Customers can also spec the car with Porsche’s 18-way sports seats instead.)

Regular, Touring, Lightweight, Wiessach

In fact, the new GT3 is available in two different versions. There’s the standard car, with its massive rear wing (complete with gooseneck mounts), which is the one you’d pick if your diet included plenty of track days. For those who want a 911 that revs to 9 but don’t plan on spending every weekend chasing lap times, Porsche has reintroduced the GT3 Touring. This version ditches the rear wing for the regular 911 rear deck, the six-speed manual is standard (with PDK as an option), and you can even specify rear seats—traditionally, the GT3 has eliminated those items in favor of weight saving.

Of course, it’s possible to cut even more weight from the GT3 with the Weissach Pack for the winged car or a lightweight package for the Touring. These options involve lots of carbon fiber bits for the interior and the rear axle, a carbon fiber roof for the Touring, and even the option of a carbon fiber roll cage for the GT3. The lightweight package for the touring also includes an extra-short gear lever with a shorter throw.

The track mode display might be too minimalist for road driving—I tend to like being able to see my directions as well as the rpm and speed—but it’s perfect for track work. Note the redline at 12 o’clock. Porsche

Although Porsche had to add some weight to the 992.2 compared to the 992.1 thanks to thicker front brake discs and more door-side impact protection, the standard car still weighs just 3,172 lbs (1,439 kg), which you can reduce to 3,131 lbs (1,420 kg) if you fit all the lightweight goodies, including the ultra-lightweight magnesium wheels.

Behind the wheel

I began my day with a road drive in the GT3 Touring—a PDK model. Porsche wasn’t kidding about the steering. I hesitate to call it telepathic, as that’s a bit of a cliché, but it’s extremely direct, particularly the initial turn-in. There’s also plenty of welcome feedback from the front tires. In an age when far too many cars have essentially numb steering, the GT3 is something of a revelation. And it’s proof that electronic power steering can be designed and tuned to deliver a rewarding experience.

The cockpit ergonomics are spot-on, with plenty of physical controls rather than relegating everything to a touchscreen. If you’re short like me and you buy a GT3, you’ll want to have the buckets set for your driving position—while the seat adjusts for height, as you raise it up, it also pitches forward a little, making the seat back more vertical than I’d like. (The seats slide fore and aft, so they’re not quite fixed buckets as they would be in a racing car.)

The anti-dive effect of that front suspension is quite noticeable under braking, and in either Normal or Sport mode, the damper settings are well-calibrated for bumpy back roads. It’s a supple ride, if not quite a magic carpet. On the highway, the Touring cruises well, although the engine can start to sound a little droning at a constant rpm. But the highway is not what the GT3 is optimized for.

On a dusty or wet road, you need to be alert if you’re going to use a lot of throttle at low speed. Jonathan Gitlin

On windy mountain roads, again in Normal or Sport, the car comes alive. Second and third gears are perfect for these conditions, allowing you to keep the car within its power band. And boy, does it sound good as it howls between 7,000 and 9,000 rpm. Porsche’s naturally aspirated flat-sixes have a hard edge to them—the 911 RSR was always the loudest race car in the pack—and the GT3 is no exception. Even with the sports exhaust in fruity mode, there’s little of the pops, bangs, and crackles you might hear in other sports cars, but the drama comes from the 9000 rpm redline.

Porsche asked us to keep traction control and ESC enabled during our drive—there are one-touch buttons to disable them—and given the muddy and dusty state of the roads, this was a wise idea. (The region was beset by severe flooding recently, and there was plenty of evidence of that on the route.) Even with TC on, the rear wheels would break traction if you were injudicious with the throttle, and presumably that would be the same in the wet. But it’s very easy to catch, even if you are only of moderate driving ability, like your humble correspondent.

After lunch, it was time to try the winged car, this time on the confines of the Ricardo Torno circuit just outside the city. On track, the handling was very neutral around most of the corners, with some understeer through the very slow turn 2. While a low curb weight and more than 500 hp made for a very fast accelerating car, the braking performance was probably even more impressive, allowing you to stand on the pedal and shed speed with no fade and little disturbance to the body control. Again, I am no driving god, but the GT3 was immensely flattering on track, and unlike much older 911s, it won’t try to swap ends on you when trail-braking or the like.

The landing was not nearly as jarring as you might think. Porsche

After some time behind the wheel, I was treated to some passenger laps by one of my favorite racing drivers, the inimitable Jörg Bergmeister. Unlike us journalists, he was not required to stay off the high curbs, and he demonstrated how well the car settles after launching its right-side wheels into the air over one of them. It settles down very quickly! He also demonstrated that the GT3 can be plenty oversteer-y on the exit of corners if you know what you’re doing, aided by the rear-wheel steering. It’s a testament to his driving that I emerged from two passenger laps far sweatier than I was after lapping the track myself.

The GT3 and GT3 Touring should be available from this summer in the US, with a starting price of $222,500. Were I looking for a 911 for road driving, I think I might be more tempted by the much cheaper 911 Carrera T, which is also pared to the bone weight-wise but uses the standard 380 hp (283 kW) turbocharged engine (which is still more power than the original GT3 of 1999). That car delivers plenty of fun at lower speeds, so it’s probably more useable on back roads.

A green Porsche 911 GT3 seen at sunset — Credit: Porsche

But if you want a 911 for track work, this new GT3 is simply perfect.

Jonathan is the Automotive Editor at Ars Technica. He has a BSc and PhD in Pharmacology. In 2014 he decided to indulge his lifelong passion for the car by leaving the National Human Genome Research Institute and launching Ars Technica’s automotive coverage. He lives in Washington, DC.

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Jeep’s first battery EV is not what we expected: the 2024 Wagoneer S

car review, Cars, First drive, Jeep Wagoneer S / Kris Guyer / January 26, 2025

Drag optimization means it’s very quiet inside, but it’s also quite expensive.

The Wagoneer S is more like an electric Cherokee than a Wrangler EV. Credit: Michael Teo Van Runkle

This year marks the return of the Jeep Wagoneer, which formerly served as a more luxurious version of the Cherokee, but now hits the market as Jeep’s first full EV. The challenge? How to merge the modern electric lifestyle with the outdoorsy, rugged ethos that defines Jeep as a brand, alongside the more recent addition of the internal-combustion Grand Wagoneer SUV’s enormous luxury.

First of all, the new Wagoneer S wound up much smaller in person than I expected. The overall profile falls more in line with the shape of mid-size electric crossovers including the Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Chevrolet Equinox, and of course, Tesla’s Model Y. But the interior volume belies that relatively compact exterior, with plenty of space for me at 6’1″ (185 cm) to sit comfortably in both the front and rear seats. Total cargo volumes of 30.6 cubic feet (866 L) with the second row up and 61 cubic feet (1,727 L) with the second row folded flat end up mattering less than the large floor footprint, because the height used to calculate those measurements drops with the low sloping roofline and rear window.

Much of the interior space can be attributed to packaging of the Wagoneer EV’s battery. Rather than going for all-out kilowatt-hours in a dedicated skateboard layout, Jeep instead used the Stellantis group’s STLA Large platform, in this case stuffed with a 100.5-kWh lithium ion pack built on 400 V architecture. That’s enough for an EPA-estimated 303 miles of range (487 km), a solid figure but not a seriously impressive efficiency stat. In comparison, the world-beating Lucid Air Pure RWD manages about 40 percent more range per kilowatt-hour and a Polestar 3 AWD does about 18 percent worse. Claimed DC fast charge times of 23 minutes for a 20-80 percent top up, or 100 miles (160 km) in 10 minutes similarly get the job done without standing out from the pack.

That modular STLA Large chassis can house either a full internal-combustion engine, a hybrid powertrain, or fully electric components. The Wagoneer S uses two matching 335 hp (250 kW) motors, front and rear, for a combined 600 hp (447 kW) and 618 lb-ft of torque (838 Nm). In typical EV fashion, the latter comes on quick and makes this undoubtedly the fastest accelerating Jeep ever, as I learned while battling horrendous headwinds in fire-ravaged Southern California (which served as something of a nonstop reminder of the importance of taking baby steps, a la Jeep’s first EV, toward a more sustainable transportation future).

Pushing deep into the “throttle” pedal, the Wagoneer S will happily chirp all four tires in Sport mode. And the jerk thrusting my torso and skull back into the plush seat suggests that Jeep’s claimed 0-60 mph time of 3.4 seconds might just be accurate, potentially thanks to being able to do a true launch by stepping on the brake and gas pedals simultaneously—possible because Jeep chose to retain more standard mechanical brakes rather than a brake-by-wire system as on the EV6/Ioniq siblings and Model Y.

The suspension tuning definitely trends toward the typical tautness of today’s crossover segment, where aspirational sporty dynamics can sometimes create harsh and uncomfortable ride quality. But I still might have ventured to call the Wagoneer S somewhat softer than most of the competition, until the roughest of roads revealed the 5,667 lb (2,570 kg) curb weight. For an EV, that figure falls roughly in the middle of the pack, but this crossover weighs about as much as a full-size internal-combustion three-row SUV.

Still, even at highway speeds (in gale-force winds) or on those roughest of roads, the Wagoneer S remains shockingly quiet. And not just to enhance the experience of the Wagoneer S Launch Edition’s 1,200 W Macintosh sound system. Instead, Jeep exterior designer Vince Galante walked me through the design process, which kicked off with a targeted 0.30 coefficient of drag despite the need to stick with a squared-off, upright SUV posture typical of Jeeps throughout history.

“On the exterior design portion, the aerodynamic drag is our biggest contributor,” Galante told me. “It kind of comes up off the hood, up the A pillar, and tapers down towards the back, and finishes in a square, yet tapered pillar reminiscent of the original Wagoneer. But through the middle of the car, it’s basically ideal for what the wind wants to do.”

From the front or side perspective, this Wagoneer looks almost as boxy as a 1980s Jeep. But a rear viewing angle reveals the massive rear wing creating that illusion, which sits well off the sloping line of the rear roof and glass.

“Anytime we do a floating element, we think ‘Yeah, there’s no way engineering’s gonna let us get away with this,'” Galante laughed. “We work really collaboratively with the engineers, and they were like, ‘Let’s test it. Let’s see what it does.’ And they came back and said, ‘You know, yeah, this has potential. But you guys gotta make it sit off the surface three times more dramatically.'”

Galante estimates the original wing design rose up two inches, while the final production version is more like nine inches off the rear window. He also pointed out a host of other less obvious details, from body panels that step in by fractions of millimeters to differently rounded radii of wheel arch edges, and especially the confluence where the A pillar connects to the body.

“The windshield, the A pillar, the side glass, the mirror, the post that holds the mirror, the fender, everything comes together there,” he said. “I think every vehicle I’ve ever worked on, that was the last thing to finalize in the wind tunnel… I mean, we’re talking tenths of millimeters for some of the iterations that we’re doing in those areas. Especially the front edge of the A pillar, I can recall trying twenty, thirty, forty different radii on there to get that just right.”

All the aero considerations attempt to coax air to stick to surfaces, then break off suddenly and evenly. The rear wing therefore pushes air down toward the rear window, while creating as little turbulence as possible. The final range figure critically—and barely—cracking 300 miles justified so much refinement in Jeep’s new rolling road wind tunnel, thanks to a final Cd of 0.294. Maybe juggling production cost savings of the STLA Large platform dictated such extensive aerodynamic efforts more than a dedicated skateboard battery layout might have, but the resulting quietude that combating those inefficiencies produced does truly border on a luxury experience, even if we’re not quite at Audi (nor Lucid) levels of silence.

On the interior, Jeep also tried to lean into the Wagoneer S’s sustainability, using quality materials with textural designs and as little piano-black plastic as possible. The fabrics, plastics, and aluminum trim come almost entirely from recycled sources—62 percent for suede and 100 percent for fabric and carpeting, in fact—and you’ll see zero chrome anywhere on the car, since chroming is apparently one of the most environmentally deleterious processes in all of automaking.

But the Wagoneer S similarly leans into a tech-heavy user experience, with almost 55 inches of screen visible from the front seats: the gauge cluster, center infotainment, climate controls, passenger dash screen, and digital rearview mirror all contribute to that total. Climate control, especially, seems critical—and an often overlooked element for many EV manufacturers. Rather than a full panoramic glass roof, as on the Lucids and Polestars of the world, this Jeep gets a long sunroof with a retracting insulated cover to keep out heat. The excellent ventilated front and rear seats (and massaging, for the fronts!) also more efficiently cool down passengers.

For my taste, the digitalization of driving went a little too far. I never enjoy a rotating shift knob but this one clicks into gear with a positive heft. I also noticed some pixelation and latency in the gauge cluster’s navigation maps, as if the refresh rate was too slow for the speed I was driving. Not that I started ripping up the road too much in this luxury crossover, or at least, not more often than scientific experimentation demanded (and a similar problem also affected the Dodge Charger EV we drove recently).

Sport mode brought out some of my inner grinning child, but I actually preferred the Wagoneer S in Eco mode. So much power split to the front and rear wheels can create some torque steer, and throttle response that borders on touchy. The electrically assisted steering also prioritizes a heavy on-center zone, then snaps to light inputs with the slightest turn of the wheel, which made holding a steady line slightly distracting.

Instead, Eco dulls down the throttle response and the steering becomes a bit less reactive. The Wagoneer S will then also more regularly disconnect the front wheels for improved efficiency—though at the hubs, rather than the axles, so some reciprocating mass still saps precious electrons.

It would be more efficient to disconnect the rears, but this decision also centers around maintaining some semblance of Jeep-ness. Even if the Wagoneer S aligns most nearly with recent Cherokee and Grand Cherokee models, rather than the off-roady Wrangler and Gladiator or the super-luxe Grand Wagoneer. The forthcoming Trailhawk version promises to double down on the 4×4 capability, with a locking rear differential, better tires, and hopefully better suspension than I experienced on a quick sojourn off the asphalt onto a slightly rutted gravel road east of San Diego.

More importantly, cheaper trims will arrive later in 2025, also, since the Launch Edition’s tall ask of $71,995 almost doubles the starting sticker of a Equinox EV, seriously eclipses either a Model Y, EV6, or Ioniq 5, and also somehow costs more than a Polestar 3 or even a Lucid Air. Jeep so far wants to keep pricing for those lower-spec Wagoneer EVs under wraps, though, even if the heart of the run will undoubtedly help the first electric Jeep more effectively escape from unfortunate comparisons to such stiff competition.

Jeep’s first battery EV is not what we expected: the 2024 Wagoneer S Read More »

The 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid: A refreshing alternative to a crossover

ars_approved, car review, Cars, Honda Civic Hybrid / Mike M. / January 3, 2025

The Honda Civic Hybrid powertrain. — This is the hybrid powertrain. Credit: Honda

And that can be tempting. The car we tested is much more pedestrian than the Type-R, but from the driver’s seat, it wants to eat corners almost as ravenously as that track-tuned model. That surprised me because the Type-R uses a limited slip differential, and these more sedate models do not. This is indeed a car that will reward you for hustling it down a twisty road should the desire arise.

The paddles on the steering wheel increase or decrease the amount of regenerative braking you experience when you lift the throttle rather than changing (non-existent) gears. Turned off, the Civic Hybrid will coast down the road with aplomb; in its strongest setting, it’s not quite one-pedal driving.

The driving position is now rather low-slung for a normal passenger car, no doubt a feeling exacerbated by a driving diet too-heavy in crossovers and SUVs, but you don’t feel quite as close to the ground as you might in, say, an MX-5. Visibility is good, and the ergonomics/HMI deserves praise for the fact that most of the controls are physical buttons. The air vents even have little machined metal stalks to aim them.

It’s a well-thought out interior. Honda

It’s also easy to live with. The hatchback means loading cargo is no hassle, although at this price point, you have to close your own tailgate; there is no motor assistance. The front and rear are spacious enough, considering the class of car, and there are plenty of USB-C ports for people to use to recharge their stuff. The heated front seats heated up very quickly on cold days, although a heated steering wheel would have been a nice addition.

The Sport Touring Hybrid we tested also comes with a 9-inch Android Automotive-based infotainment system that includes a full suite of Google’s automotive services, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. And all Civics come with Honda Sensing, the company’s suite of advanced driver assistance systems. Unusually for a Honda, we didn’t even notice that many false positive alerts for the forward collision warning.

In all, I find very little reason not to recommend the Civic Hatchback Hybrid to people looking for a fun and efficient car that’s not too huge, too expensive, or too dependent on touchscreens.

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Here’s what we learned driving Audi’s new Q6 and SQ6 electric SUVs

Audi Q6 e-tron, Audi SQ6 e-tron, car review, Cars, First drive / Tim Belzer / December 19, 2024

HEALDSBURG, Calif.—Earlier this summer, Ars got its first drive of Audi’s new Q6 e-tron on some very wet roads in Spain. Then, we were driving pre-production Q6s in Euro-spec. Now, the electric SUV is on sale in the US, with more power in the base model and six months more refinement for its software. But the venue change did not bring a change of weather—heavy rain was the order of the day, making me wonder if Audi is building its new electric vehicle on the site of an ancient rain god’s temple?

Of all its rivals, Audi appears to have settled into a nomenclature for its vehicles that at least makes a little sense. Odd numbers are for internal combustion engines, even numbers for EVs, although it also appends “e-tron” on the end to make that entirely clear… and give francophones something to snicker about. (Yes, the e-tron GT does not fit into this schema, but nobody’s perfect.)

The Q6 e-tron is also the most advanced EV to wear Audi’s four rings. Built on a new architecture called PPE (premium platform electric), at its heart is an 800 V powertrain with a 100 kWh (94.4 kWh useable) lithium-ion battery pack that powers a permanently excited synchronous motor driving the rear wheels, and in the case of the quattro versions, an asynchronous motor. The electric motors have 30 percent less energy consumption than those used in the Q8 e-tron, and are smaller and lighter.

That makes it a lot more up to date than the Q8 e-tron, which uses a modified version of Audi’s venerable MLB Evo platform, or the smaller Q4 e-tron, a somewhat disappointing electric crossover that’s essentially a Volkswagen ID.4 with a glow-up. That goes for the Q6 e-tron’s electronics, which are also a generation newer than the Q4 e-tron, and also more capable.

Audi is starting off US Q6 e-tron sales with a pair of models, the $65,800 Q6 e-tron quattro and the $72,900 SQ6 e-tron quattro. A $63,800 single-motor (not-quattro) Q6 e-tron will be available in time, with 302 hp (225 kW) and an EPA range of 321 miles (517 km), but we’ll have to wait a while before we get behind the wheel of that one.

Here’s what we learned driving Audi’s new Q6 and SQ6 electric SUVs Read More »

2025 Lamborghini Urus SE first drive: The total taurean package

car review, Cars, Features, First drive, Lamborghini Urus, plug-in hybrid / Tim Belzer / December 7, 2024

A 789-horsepower Goldilocks moment

Adding electric power and a battery turns the Urus from hit-or-miss to just right.

The original Urus was an SUV that nobody particularly wanted, even if the market was demanding it. With luxury manufacturers tripping over themselves to capitalize on a seemingly limitless demand for taller all-around machines, Lamborghini was a little late to the party.

The resulting SUV has done its job, boosting Lamborghini’s sales and making up more than half of the company’s volume last year. Even so, the first attempt was just a bit tame. That most aggressive of supercar manufacturers produced an SUV featuring the air of the company’s lower, more outrageous performance machines, but it didn’t quite deliver the level of prestige that its price demanded.

The Urus Performante changed that, adding enough visual and driving personality to make itself a legitimately exciting machine to drive or to look at. Along the way, though, it lost a bit of the most crucial aspect of an SUV: everyday livability. On paper, the Urus SE is just a plug-in version of the Urus, with a big battery adding some emissions-free range. In reality, it’s an SUV with more performance and more flexibility, too. This is the Urus’ Goldilocks moment.

the front half of an orange Lamborghini Urus — If you’re looking for something subtle, you shouldn’t be looking at an Urus. Credit: Tim Stevens

The what

The Urus SE starts with the same basic platform as the other models in the line, including a 4.0 L turbocharged V8 that drives all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic and an all-wheel-drive system.

All that has received a strong dose of electrification, starting with a 25.9 kWh battery pack sitting far out back that helps to offset the otherwise nose-heavy SUV while also adding a playful bit of inertia to its tail. More on that in a moment.

That battery powers a 189 hp (141 kW) permanent-magnet synchronous electric motor fitted between the V8 and its transmission. The positioning means it has full access to all eight speeds and can drive the car at up to 81 mph (130 km/h). That, plus a Lamborghini-estimated 37 miles (60 km) of range, means this is a large SUV that could feasibly cover a lot of people’s commutes emissions-free.

Lamborghini urus engine bay — The V8 lives here. Credit: Tim Stevens

But when that electric motor’s power is paired with the 4.0 V8, the result is 789 hp (588 kW) total system power delivered to all four wheels. And with the electric torque coming on strong and early, it not only adds shove but throttle response, too.

Other updates

At a glance, the Urus SE looks more or less the same as the earlier renditions of the same SUV. Look closer, though, and you’ll spot several subtle changes, including a hood that eases more gently into the front fenders and a new spoiler out back that Lamborghini says boosts rear downforce by 35 percent over the Urus S.

Far and away the most striking part of the car, though, are the 22-inch wheels wrapped around carbon-ceramic brakes. They give this thing the look of a rolling caricature of a sport SUV in the best way possible. On the body of the machine itself, you’ll want to choose a properly eye-catching color, like the Arancio Egon you see here. I’ve been lucky to drive some pretty special SUVs over the years, and none have turned heads like this one did when cruising silently through a series of small Italian towns.

Things are far more same-y on the inside. At first blush, nothing has changed inside the Urus SE, and that’s OK. You have a few new hues of Technicolor hides to choose from—the car you see here is outfitted in a similarly pungent orange to its exterior color, making it a citrus dream through and through. The sports seats aren’t overly aggressive, offering more comfort than squeeze, but I’d say that’s just perfect.

Buttons and touchscreens vie with less conventional controls inside the Urus. Tim Stevens

But that’s all much the same as prior Urus versions. The central infotainment screen is slightly larger at 12.3 inches, and the software is lightly refreshed, but it’s the same Audi-based system as before. A light skinning full of hexagons makes it look and feel a little more at home in a car with a golden bull on the nose.

Unfortunately, while the car is quicker than the original model, the software isn’t. The overall experience is somewhat sluggish, especially when moving through the navigation system. Even the regen meter on the digital gauge cluster doesn’t change until a good half-second after you’ve pressed the brake pedal, an unfortunate place for lag.

The Urus SE offers six drive modes: Strada (street), Sport, Corsa (track), Sabbia (sand), Terra (dirt), and Neve (snow). There’s also a seventh, customizable Ego mode. As on earlier Urus models, these modes must be selected in that sequence. So if you want to go from Sport back to Strada, you need to cycle the mode selector knob five times—or go digging two submenus deep on the touchscreen.

Those can be further customized via a few buttons added beneath the secondary drive mode lever on the right. The top button enables standard Hybrid mode, where the gasoline and electric powertrains work together as harmoniously as possible for normal driving. The second button enters Recharge mode, which instructs the car to prioritize battery charge. The third and lowest button enters Performance mode, which gives you maximum performance from the hybrid system at the expense of charge.

Finally, a quick tug on the mode selector on the right drops the Urus into EV Drive.

Silent running

I started my time in the Urus SE driving into the middle of town, which was full of narrow streets, pedestrian-friendly speed limits, and aggressively piloted Fiats. Slow and steady is the safest way in these situations, so I was happy to sample the Urus’ all-electric mode.

To put it simply, it delivers. There’s virtually no noise from the drivetrain, a near-silent experience at lower speeds that help assuage the stress such situations can cause. The experience was somewhat spoiled by some tire noise, but I’ll blame that on the Pirelli Scorpion Winter 2 tires outfitted here. I can’t, however, blame the tires for a few annoying creaks and rattles, which isn’t exactly what I’d expect from an SUV at this price point.

Though there isn’t much power at your disposal in this mode, the Urus can still scoot away from lights and stop signs quickly and easily, even ducking through small gaps in tiny roundabouts.

Lamborghini Urus cargo area — It might not be subtle, but it can be practical. Credit: Tim Stevens

Dip more than three-quarters of the way into the throttle, though, and that V8 fires up and quickly joins the fun. The hand-off here can be a little less than subtle as power output surges quickly, but in a moment, the car goes from a wheezy EV to a roaring Lamborghini. And unlike a lot of plug-ins that stubbornly refuse to shut their engines off again when this happens, another quick pull of the EV lever silences the thing.

When I finally got out of town, I shifted over to Strada mode, the default mode for the Urus. I found this mode a little too lazy for my tastes, as it was reluctant to shift down unless I dipped far into the throttle, resulting in a bucking bull of acceleration when the eight-speed automatic finally complied.

The car only really came alive when I put it into Sport mode and above.

Shifting to Sport

Any hesitation or reluctance to shift is quickly obliterated as soon as you tug the drive mode lever into Sport. The SUV immediately forgets all about trying to be efficient, dropping a gear or two and making sure you’re never far from the power band, keeping the turbo lag from the V8 to a minimum.

The tachometer gets some red highlights in this mode, but you won’t need to look at it. There’s plenty of sound from the exhaust, augmented by some digital engine notes I found to be more distracting and unnecessary than anything. Most importantly, the overall feel of the car changes dramatically. It leaps forward with the slightest provocation of the right pedal, really challenging the grip of the tires.

In my first proper sampling of the full travel of that throttle pedal, I was surprised at how quickly this latest Urus got frisky, kicking its tail out with an eager wag on a slight bend to the right. It wasn’t scary, but it was just lively enough to make me smile and feel like I was something more than a passenger in a hyper-advanced, half-electric SUV.

In other words, it felt like a Lamborghini, an impression only reinforced as I dropped the SUV down to Corsa mode and really let it fly. The transmission is incredibly eager to drop gears on the slightest bit of deceleration, enough so that I rarely felt the need to reach for the column-mounted shift paddles.

But despite the eagerness, the suspension remained compliant and everyday-livable in every mode. I could certainly feel the (many) imperfections in the rural Italian roads more when the standard air suspension was dialed over to its stiffest, but even then, it was never punishing. And in the softest setting, the SUV was perfectly comfortable despite those 22-inch wheels and tires.

I didn’t get a chance to sample the SUV’s off-road prowess, but the SE carries a torque-vectoring rear differential like the Performante, which should mean it will be as eager to turn and drift on loose surfaces as that other, racier Urus.

Both the Urus Performante and the SE start at a bit over $260,000, which means choosing between the two isn’t a decision to be made on price alone. Personally, I’d much prefer the SE. It offers plenty of the charm and excitement of the Performante mixed with even better everyday capability than the Urus S. This one’s just right.

2025 Lamborghini Urus SE first drive: The total taurean package Read More »

The 2025 BMW i5 M60 review: An EV that makes you want to drive and drive

BMW i5, car review, Cars / Paul Patrick / December 6, 2024

In fact, I think the cheaper, less powerful i5 eDrive40 (or the all-wheel drive xDrive40) is the better i5, but BMW didn’t have one of those available in the press fleet, so a review of that version will have to wait for one to show up. As I often write, the most powerful version of any given EV is usually a worse deal, as they’re invariably fitted with big, range-sapping wheels, and it’s not like a 0–60 time of 5.7 seconds is particularly slow, even by 2024’s standards.

And those big wheels cause a range hit—the EPA rates the i5 M60 at 240 miles (386 km) on a full charge, although in Efficient mode that should be beatable—according to our test car, over 1,000 miles (1,609 km), it averaged 3.2 miles/kWh (19.4 kWh/100 km). Then again, if you stick it in Sport mode and hoof the throttle too often, it’s not hard to see that number plummet to 2.4 miles/kWh (25.9 kWh/100 km).

BMW i5 Hofmeister kink — In case you forgot which series BMW this is, the panel set into the Hofmeister kink reminds you it’s a 5. Credit: BMW

As the latest version of BMW’s fifth-gen EV powertrain, the i5 has its most up-to-date fast charging software, which uses a new control strategy to maintain higher levels of power for longer while plugged into a DC fast charger, even when starting at a state of charge as high as 50 percent. During our testing, we fast-charged the i5 from 19 to 91 percent, which took a couple of seconds more than 37 minutes, delivering 62 kWh and peaking at an impressive 209 kW, although before long power delivery dropped to 150 kW.

Software-defined emotions

Sport mode is fast and sounds good, accompanied as it is by Hans Zimmer-crafted powertrain sounds. And Efficient, which mostly just relies on the 335 hp (250 kW), 317 lb-ft (430 Nm) rear motor, is quiet and comfortable. But the i5 offers you some other choices, including Expressive, Relax, and Digital Art modes, which reconfigure the cabin lighting, the dynamic wallpaper on the curved display, and the powertrain sounds.

The 2025 BMW i5 M60 review: An EV that makes you want to drive and drive Read More »

Driving the biggest, least-efficient electric car: The Hummer EV SUV

car review, Cars, Hummer EV SUV / Tim Belzer / November 5, 2024

GMC’s Hummers have always been divisive. After getting hold of the rights to a civilian version of the US military vehicle in 1999, the company set about designing new, smaller vehicles to create an entire range. The ungainly H2 and H3 followed, both SUVs playing to the sensibilities of a country grappling with its warlike nature. By 2010, the Hummer brand was dead and laid dormant until someone had the bright idea to revive it for the electric vehicle generation. We drove the pickup version of that new Hummer in 2022, now it’s time for the $104,650 Hummer EV SUV.

I’ll admit I was worried that the Hummer EV wasn’t going to fit in my parking space. This is an extremely large vehicle, one that’s classified as a class 3 medium-duty truck—hence the yellow lights atop the roof. In fact, at 196.8 inches (5,000 mm) long, it’s actually slightly shorter than the pickup version, although that length doesn’t count the big spare tire hanging off the back.

Its 86.5-inch (2,196 mm) width just about fit between the lines, although it was a tight squeeze to try to open a door and climb up into the Hummer if my neighbor was parked as well. And climb up you do—there’s 10.2 inches (259 mm) of ground clearance even in the suspension’s normal setting, and the overall height is a towering 77.8 inches (1,976 mm). There is an entry mode that drops the car on its air springs by a couple of inches, but only if you remember to engage the feature when you park.

The curb weight is equally excessive at 9,063 lbs (4,119 kg)—at more than four metric tons, you’d need a commercial driver’s license to get behind the wheel of a Hummer EV in many other countries. Almost a third of that mass is the ginormous 217.7 kWh battery pack. Such over-provisioning means that despite the high drag coefficient of 0.5 and a frontal area that makes barn doors look skinny, the Hummer EV SUV has an EPA range estimate of 314 miles (503 km) on a single charge. In fact, the actual range indicated by our test car was 358 miles on a full charge, based on GM’s own testing. (As a class 3 truck, the Hummer doesn’t actually fit into the EPA’s tests properly.)

Driving the biggest, least-efficient electric car: The Hummer EV SUV Read More »