Thu, 22 Oct 2026 19:09:21 +0000 InsideEVs InsideEVs | Electric Vehicle News, Reviews, and Reports https://insideevs.com/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/812974/range-rover-electric-first-drive/ Thu, 22 Oct 2026 19:08:45 +0000 Want The Best Range Rover? Get The Electric One: First Drive The electric model is powerful, elegant, and capable. And it doesn't even cost more than the gas model.

After descending the long muddy ruts toward the frigid Loch, plodding along the seaweed- and lichen-strewn beach, crossing between rows of stacked quartzite and limestone cairns, and plowing through a loose graveyard of ancient coastal rocks, I came to the stream crossing. It was a perfect Scottish autumn afternoon, which meant it was 47 degrees and pissing rain. The buttery soft faux-leather of the seat, steering wheel, and armrests were heated enough to scotch an egg. The same couldn’t be said for the spotter on the near side of the shore, who had clearly been standing in the squall for some time, awaiting our arrival.

“Is it quite toasty in there?” he brogued when I opened the window. I felt terrible about the prospect of responding honestly, so I just shrugged, but the heat exhaling through the open double-pained glass provided a clear answer. 

Photo by: Land Rover

“Just stay on the path and stay steady on the throttle,” he said. And I was off. The cold water was deep enough to swamp the front “off-road” camera, and I briefly glimpsed a sub-aquatic view of the tannic river on the center console display, as if through a scuba mask.

This all occurred not only in a Range Rover—among the contemporary vehicle brands considered most prone to voltaic glitching—it was the all-new $140,000 Range Rover Electric. Shockingly, even with its 800-volt 118.5kWh battery fully submerged, nothing fritzed out. With my foot pressed on the accelerator, it crept along the seabed, wading through three feet of pure Caledonian brackishness, and led me out onto the other shore. Even more shockingly, unlike in other Range Rovers I’ve off-roaded or forded, it accomplished all of this with just a simple twirl of the modal control dial to Wade. No need to shift into neutral, switch into low, lock the diffs, or any of that mechanical nonsense. 

Photo by: Land Rover

This is because Land Rover’s first-ever battery-powered ultra-luxury SUV obviates translations between power source and drivetrain. The software controlling the inverter in the electric drive unit (EDU), which processes electron delivery to the twin 260 kw front and rear permanent magnet motors, does it all single-handedly, allowing the truck’s integrated traction management system to operate a startling 100-times more quickly than in the internal combustion version of the world’s most venerable luxury sport ute. At every step of my off-road journey, it knew exactly what to do, and did it, before I knew exactly what was happening, and often well before I cared.

This is, of course, the promise of a Range Rover, and has been since 1970, when it invented the category of high-class all-wheel-drive truckster it continues to dominate: the capacity, whether utilized or not by its well-heeled owners, for elegant, effortless, all-terrain, all-weather dominance. It delights me, as the masochistic owner of a less-than-stellar 1990 iteration of the model, and regular chronicler of the brand, that the RREV might just be the best Range Rover, ever. Because it does everything a Range Rover should do, but better. 

Photo by: Land Rover

There is no special badging that distinguishes the Electric from its gas- or hybrid-powered brethren, just some covert aerodynamic add-ons—a “grille” up front and diffuser out back—and a lack of tailpipes. But if you get inside and start it up, you can immediately sense the core differentiator. Or, not sense it. A Range Rover is, by definition, a cocoon, meant to insulate its occupants from incursions of things like undesirable meteorology, challenging roadway surfaces, lesser vehicles, and the generally noisome workings of the outside world and its occupants.

Petroleum-sipping Ranges allow anywhere from “some” to “raucous amounts” of engine noise to intrude on this isolation, depending upon the trim, if only to remind the people inside of their ability to outrun any meddlesome disturbances. The Electric ups the ante on this swaddling. Land Rover claims a 7-decibel reduction in noise under hard acceleration—and remember that the decibel scale is logarithmic, meaning every 10 db equates to a doubling in loudness. The difference is even more noticeable from outside, where its powertrain has fallen silent. All this whilst its 542 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque dispatches 0-60 runs in the same 4.3 seconds as its basic V8-endowed sibling. 

Photo by: Land Rover

This silence was most appreciated, and golden, when sloshing through the remote, brooding, and muddy Scottish wilderness. Pheasants and grouse barely fluttered from our path, offering exquisite opportunities to examine their complex plumage. Flocks of sheep grazing on roadside heather, used to the dieseling of local vintage Defenders and Discoveries, acted dumbfounded by our tranquil whir, drawing close enough to risk becoming sweaters or mutton. I could practically hear the rustling autumn leaves shedding from the birch branches overhead.

This quietude meant that, despite the vehicle’s three-plus-ton mass—about 300 lbs more than the heaviest gasser Range—I felt as though I was treading lighter on the earth. Even more thankfully, the Electric did not emit, through its internal speakers, any of that gargly sci-fi soundtrack endemic to many upscale EVs, except under hard acceleration in Dynamic mode. Instead, active noise cancellation works to mitigate against irksome sound, making the interior even more hushed. Other brands please take note: If one of the core benefits of an electric vehicle is to allow its occupants to cherish the silence, please allow us to cherish that silence, in silence. 

Photo by: Land Rover

This Range can also be credited with a superiorly wafting “magic carpet” ride compared to its peers in the Land Rover lineup. Hat tip to its twin-chamber air suspension. Though these magical dampers share billing with the big battery pack in the floor, and the additional torsional rigidity and lowered center of gravity it provides. The brand claims that these boosted struts respond 60% more quickly to inputs than those in the ICE version, working hard to absorb road imperfections. Still, there is no masking mass, and on Northern Scotland’s undulating and often broken one-lane tracks, I found the Comfort setting too pillowy for my taste. Spinning the response controller to Dynamic helped firm up the rebound to a less excitable level.

Also notable, when this Rangey ventures off-road, its powertrain provides a layer of automatic support that must be requested of other iterations. Clicking the shifter down once from D still activates an S mode, as it does in gas versions, but here, S stands for “Single Pedal.” This regenerative braking feature provided very useful mediating downhill speed when I was slipping along a steep hillside in the the Scottish slop. In fact, if given enough leeway, it will even bring the car to a surprisingly gentle “chauffeur” stop. It’s far less nauseating than the regen on some other EVs, and sports three additional levels of adjustment, including “off.” 

Photo by: Land Rover

Of course, being an electric vehicle, this Range has a limited range—though its expected 333-mile certification from the EPA seems like a pretty solid number. Still, this means that it can’t carry extra jerry cans of potential energy like a gas version, so if you’re a dictator fleeing an unruly mob in Toyota Hiluxes, you may run out of juice before they do. Land Rover does claim that its 800-volt architecture means that the electric model is capable of charging its battery from 10‑80% in 22 minutes, or adding up to 125 miles in 10 minutes. So, if you’re in that situation, maybe get a good head start, and plan your route accordingly.

I ended my time in Scotland having covered around 450 miles in the RREV, on- and off-road. That was a lot of driving in a 36-hour window. But despite my exhaustion, I formed a powerful and almost exclusively positive opinion of the vehicle. There will be those who say that the lack of a gas-powered V8—a Range Rover tradition since its inception—and the inclusion of so much electronic gimcrackery make this Range less “engaging.” These traditionalists might decry this especially when off-roading, when they want to feel their own hand shaking, or slapping, the hand of their god in triumphing over the natural world. 

Photo by: Land Rover

To this, I would say two things. First, only .05% of Range Rover owners will ever do .05% of the off-roading we managed to accomplish seamlessly in the EV. Second, the current gas-powered Range Rovers are also laden with technological gewgaws to support their triumphant bouldering and mudding and swimming chops, and have an order of magnitude more moving mechanical parts to wear and break down. Moreover, there’s not even a price penalty for selecting the electric version.

As a Range Rover Classic die-hard, this opinion might label me as a heretic. But after putting this vehicle to the test, I feel confident in stating that if you want the range-topping Range, the EV is the obvious choice. 

Brett Berk is a freelance automotive writer based in New York. He has driven and reviewed thousands of cars for Car and Driver and Road & Track, where he is a contributing editor. He has also written for Architectural Digest, Billboard, ELLE Decor, Esquire, GQ, Travel + Leisure and Vanity Fair.

]]> contact@insideevs.com (Brett Berk) https://insideevs.com/reviews/812974/range-rover-electric-first-drive/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/812963/bmw-ix5-electric-x5-first-drive-review-2027/ Thu, 22 Oct 2026 19:01:00 +0000 I Drove The Electric And Gas-Powered BMW X5. I Know Which One I'd Pick. For the first time ever, the X5 is going electric. I drove the iX5 to see if it's compelling enough to get BMW buyers into an EV.

The fifth-generation BMW X5 is here, and for the first time ever it comes in a dizzying array of powertrain options: gas, diesel, plug-in hybrid, hydrogen (yes, seriously), and, the subject of today’s review: electric.

All the X5s are identical inside and out: same clean look, same distinctive X-shaped headlights, same screens, same high-class cabin. So why pick one over the other? After driving both the combustion X5 and the electric iX5 for a day in Southern California, I think BMW has made an exceptional case for its buyers to go electric. The iX5 provides gobs of range, super-fast charging, dazzling tech, and a more pleasant driving experience than the gas version.

Perhaps more than ever, the decision comes down to one simple question: Can you live without the theater of a combustion engine? If so, the iX5 deserves your attention.

[Full disclosure: BMW covered my travel and lodging in Newport Beach, California, so I could drive the new iX5.]

BMW iX5: What Is It?

The iX5 is the latest of BMW’s Neue Klasse vehicles, joining the new iX3 crossover and i3 sedan. It’s one of the most important too; while BMW made its name as a sports-sedan company, the X5 and X3 are its bread and butter in the U.S. So the X5 going all-electric (at least as an option) is a big deal both for BMW and for America’s EV options.

The iX5 uses BMW’s sixth-generation EV motors and batteries, and has the biggest battery pack ever fitted to a BMW production car, at 144 kWh. While the iX3 and i3 use 4695 cells—that is, ones that are 46 millimeters wide and 95 mm tall—the iX5 uses 46120s, giving it extra energy capacity and a huge amount of range. The battery uses a cell-to-pack format without bulky modules. (It’s not a cell-to-body design like the other Neue Klasse cars, BMW told me, since the X5’s chassis also has to accommodate other powertrains.)

When BMW first announced the iX5’s specs earlier this year, it targeted an EPA range of 435 miles, but that figure has since grown. At last week’s drive event, BMW reps said they’re now estimating an EPA range of 450 miles, which would put the iX5 in a very small club. Michael Ahlers, the head of the X5 project, told me BMW realized that 400 miles of range was the sweet spot where potential buyers stop complaining about not having enough.

Pair with that an 800-volt architecture and some of the highest-powered charging in a U.S. production car, and you get—on paper, at least—an EV with far fewer compromises than those that came before it. BMW says the iX5 can charge at up to 460 kilowatts (you’d be hard-pressed to even find a station that can dispense that) and recharge from 10%-80% in 22 minutes. That equates to over 300 miles of estimated EPA range added in not very much time.

Rounding out the EV specs, every iX5 will come with bidirectional charging capability that can be routed through various attachments: a vehicle-to-load adapter with three 110-volt outlets and a vehicle-to-home adapter that turns the SUV into a home-backup battery.

The iX5 60 xDrive will start at $79,800, plus a $1,450 destination charge. That’s $7,700 more than the gas-powered X5 40 xDrive. But for the added outlay you get a more powerful, quicker car with home-backup capability and, I’d argue, a more enjoyable driving experience. The X5 rolls out starting this month, while the iX5 hits U.S. dealerships in early 2027.

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How Does It Drive?

When I drove the iX3 last year, I came impressed with how agile, smooth, and quiet it was. With the iX5, it’s largely the same story, just in a noticeably bigger and heavier package. The SUV’s 570 horsepower and 593 pound-feet of torque give it more than enough zip, helping mask its weight.

Even at highway speeds, the iX5 feels like it has plenty more to give—and unlike in the combustion version, power comes on immediately. Driving the two powertrains back to back gave me that much more appreciation for the effortless, punchy performance you get in the EV at virtually any speed. (On paper, the iX5 is rated to hit 60 in 4.4 seconds, while the xDrive 40 is rated at 4.8 seconds.)

2027 BMW iX5

Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs

Sure, the X5 40 xDrive brings the drama and raucous experience of a gas engine, but you also have to deal with gear changes and turbo lag. Clearly, I’m no gas-car enthusiast and I’m preaching to the choir here, but I’ve come to prefer the electric way—just put your foot down, and you’re off at full beans.

Put someone else who’s EV-curious in the driver’s seat of both options, and I think many would come to the same conclusion. It’s why survey after survey show that once someone buys an EV, they’re pretty much hooked.

On twisty mountain roads, I found the iX5 settled around corners and decently engaging to drive. The giant battery in the floor, while making the SUV feel heavier than the gas one, also provides a lower center of gravity. An X5’s real daily duty, though, is puttering around town or cruising casually on the highway, and the iX5 gets high marks for its performance in either environment. On long stints, it was quiet, comfortable, and overall a pleasant place to pass the time.

2027 BMW iX5

Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs

I also got to try out BMW’s latest hands-free driver-assistance tech on this trip, both in the X5 and the new 7 Series. It works great. The system holds a lane confidently, doesn’t nag you unnecessarily, and asks you to confirm automatic lane changes by glancing at the driver-side mirror to double check for traffic. It also features collaborative steering, so you can reposition the car within its lane quite freely without fully taking over.

Let’s Talk About Those Screens

I’ll start with the good. BMW’s Panoramic Vision display, that slim bit of screen running across the entire car just below the windshield, is one of the best new car features I’ve seen lately in an auto industry whose mantra has become “more screen.” We should all be glad it’s not limited to EVs, but rather will land in gas BMWs as well. (And a hydrogen one, if that floats your boat.)

The display is remarkably high-contrast, making it legible even when the sun is streaming into the cabin or when viewed through sunglasses. It puts basic driving info like your gear, drive mode, range, and speed above the steering wheel and right in your line of sight to the road. The iX5 offers a crisp head-up display too, but I’d argue you really don’t need it. The leftmost gauge-cluster bit of the Panoramic Vision display includes turn-by-turn directions, making the most useful part of a HUD redundant.

2027 BMW iX5

Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs

The rest of the screen can be configured to include just about anything else you might want to check at a glance. Those include the date and time, current weather conditions, and power output. Plus, BMW threw in some stuff that’s just for fun. The screen now includes the option of several “art cars,” BMWs from years past with funky designs. So you can have an E30 M3 or a Z1 keep you company from the dash.

The main display is nice enough to use, too, and its off-kilter look lends the cabin a fresher feel than pure rectangular designs do. It’s quick to respond to taps and swipes, and the design is crisp and easy to read. There’s a quick-access menu accessible from the portion closest to your right hand for things like door locks and opening the trunk. The home screen features the map, plus a vertical carousel of key functions lining the left-hand side of the screen. In all, it has a far more modern and Silicon-Valley feel than BMW’s previous iDrive system.

But the UI could use some fine-tuning. For example, the home button at the bottom of the display only appears when you’re not on the home screen. Otherwise, it transforms into the button for the apps menu. The thinking is that you only need a home button when you’re not on the home screen, but the result is frustrating. If you want to jump from one app to another, you need to hit the home button, then the resulting apps button, rather than accessing the app menu in one tap. It’s a pain. Also, while you can adjust the temperature up and down without going into menus, there’s no one-tap method for switching on the heated seats or cranking up the fan speed. With so much digital real estate, you’d think BMW could make room for a dedicated home button and some more seamless climate controls.

2027 BMW iX5

Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs

As for the passenger screen, I could take it or leave it. BMW is keeping up with the times here and with similar offerings from competitors like Mercedes and Audi. But I don’t see much use in a passenger screen and think the trend will—and should—die a slow death.

BMW’s new Alexa Plus-powered AI assistant was also hit or miss in my experience. Unlike most previous in-car voice features, it can actually answer general knowledge questions and handle vague queries, like “tell me some fun things to do around here” or “what’s going on with diesel prices.” But it also was clunky at times and failed at the basic command of “turn off driving sounds,” no matter how I rephrased it. It seems like a step in the right direction, but could use some work.

Early Verdict

When BMW first announced the vast range of powertrain options for the new X5, I thought the plan was surely a recipe for buyers to default to what they know best, leaving the EV for the true believers. After spending some more time with it, I think that was the wrong assumption.

With enough flashy tech to reel in some would-be Tesla buyers, range and charging speeds to silence the skeptics, and some of the best benefits of EVs, like bidirectional charging, the iX5 is a leader in a new class of more fully fleshed-out EVs from luxury brands. I think BMW has done a very good job of making this a real, tough decision for anyone walking into a BMW dealership—even those who maybe didn’t think an EV was right for them before. I know which one I’d pick.

Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com

2027 BMW iX5 Base Price$79,800 Battery144 kWh Charge Time10%-80% in 22 min Drive TypeDual-motor AWD EV Range450 miles (est. EPA) Output570 hp Maximum torque594 lb-ft Speed 0-60 MPH4.4 seconds (BMW est.)

]]> contact@insideevs.com (Tim Levin) https://insideevs.com/reviews/812963/bmw-ix5-electric-x5-first-drive-review-2027/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/811706/2026-porsche-taycan-4-review/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 I Drove The 2026 Porsche Taycan 4. It Proves EVs Don't Need 1,000 Horsepower To Be A Blast The least powerful all-wheel-drive Taycan proves that Porsche’s electric sedan is defined by its chassis, not its acceleration.

I’ve waited for years to drive a Porsche Taycan, and now that I have sampled one, I can confidently say it was worth the wait. This electric sedan blew me away. Not because it’s the quickest electric car, or the most expensive, or the most luxurious. But because it is by far the best to drive.

The funny thing is, my tester was one of the least powerful Taycans you can buy—not some rip-your-face-off Turbo GT version with a four-digit horsepower rating. But over a 200-mile trip that included highway cruising, stormy weather, and bombing down my favorite twisty mountain road, I never once found myself asking for more power.

The relatively sensible Taycan 4 I drove blended sportiness, comfort, luxury, and excellent EV specs like no other car I’ve ever driven. Now that I have tried it, I want one. Badly.

The Sensible Taycan

Photo by: Andrei Nedelea

My tester was a Taycan 4, the lowest-powered all-wheel-drive variant. It has a dual-motor setup with a combined output of 429 horsepower and 449 lb-ft (610 Nm) of torque. With launch control, it can go from 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 4.4 seconds, then reach a top speed of 143 mph (230 km/h). That all sounds rather quaint compared to top-end Taycans, which can hit 60 in under 3 seconds.

My Black Edition tester gets the Taycan’s larger 105-kilowatt-hour battery pack as standard, making it a great long-distance cruiser. Porsche quotes a maximum WLTP range of 395 miles (635 kilometers), compared with the standard pack’s 347 miles (559 kilometers). I didn’t verify that while charging up a mountain in dreadful weather. My right foot had other priorities.

The Taycan also has something unusual under the hood: a two-speed gearbox for the rear motor. First gear helps launch the car, while second suits higher speeds and efficient cruising. You may notice the change under hard acceleration, but it mostly works in the background.

Someone At Porsche Still Likes Driving

Photo by: Andrei Nedelea

You don’t even have to move the car to notice it. The steering wheel is round, sensibly sized, and relatively thin-rimmed. Compared to some BMW M and Mercedes-AMG steering wheels that feel as though someone upholstered a tractor tire, it’s refreshing. You sit really low for an EV, legs stretched ahead, and the steering column's adjustment range is truly excellent.

Arrive at a corner, and you quickly realize what the wheel is attached to is equally good. The Taycan turns precisely without the exaggerated off-center steering response that can make a heavy car feel artificially darty. Each input produces exactly the change of direction you expect, and you don’t have to make constant corrections to adjust your line like you do in other cars.

On my favorite mountain road where I’ve taken dozens of cars, that translated into enormous confidence, even in the rain. The Taycan stayed remarkably flat and let me adjust its cornering balance with the accelerator. Adding power felt like part of the cornering process, rather than something to save until the wheels were straight.

Photo by: Andrei Nedelea

The Taycan weighs well over two tons, but its weight rarely dominated the experience. As I increased the pace, it remained composed and responsive, even approaching and sometimes exceeding the grip limit. 

One thing that surprised me was how much the Taycan's automatic regen system favors coasting over strong one-pedal driving. You rely on the brake pedal for much of its regeneration. Pressing it doesn’t automatically waste energy through the friction brakes; the motors can slow you down first. The best part was that the blending between regen and physical brakes was completely seamless, and you couldn’t tell where the handoff point was.

Before I tried the Taycan 4, my favorite sporty EV was the Tesla Model 3 Performance. The Porsche, though, brings a precision and cohesion that made me feel like I was discovering familiar asphalt for the first time.

My tester didn’t have the new simulated gearshifts. Between choosing a line, feeling the front end respond, and adjusting the car’s attitude with my right foot, I never missed them. The chassis provides the entertainment, and the acceleration sound it came with was more than enough to help me keep track of how fast I was going.

I never thought I’d have more fun if the Taycan 4 had more power either. Sure, it is among the slower fast EVs that I’ve driven. But it’s more than quick enough to be exciting and make any overtaking maneuver feel super easy. You can keep your 1,000-horsepower spaceship. In an EV that’s this sublime to drive, I’d take “only” 429 horsepower any day of the week.

Sport Plus, Spine Intact

Photo by: Andrei Nedelea

You don’t have to suffer through a punishing ride to get the Taycan’s handling benefits either. The same car that was so engaging through the bends was also an excellent companion on the journey there.

Putting a sports sedan on 21-inch wheels and setting its suspension to its firmest setting is usually a recipe for a trip to the chiropractor. So I expected that switching on the Taycan’s Sport Plus mode would quickly turn unpleasant.

But that never happened. Even on imperfect mountain-road asphalt, the Taycan remained comfortable, absorbing bumps while almost completely eliminating body roll. So I left the suspension in Sport or Sport Plus for many stretches of road where only the plushest setting is bearable in other cars.

The exquisite cabin also helped make the Taycan super comfortable and pleasant to travel in. Truffle-brown leather covered the dashboard, doors, and steering wheel, and I loved how the plastics were carefully both color- and texture-matched to blend in with the leather too. It gives the cabin a cohesive look, and it just feels lush.

Fast Charger

Photo by: Andrei Nedelea

The Taycan is one of the original 800-volt EVs, and the larger battery supports up to 320 kW of DC charging. That is good for 10–80% in as little as 18 minutes, provided the charger is powerful enough and the battery is at the right temperature.

I only charged the car once—to top it up before the mountain road drive—using a 200 kW charger. It went from 54% to 90% with an average power of 138 kW. That session put back 44.75 kWh into the battery in just under 19 minutes.

After the mountain road blast, the average electricity consumption for the day was still a very reasonable 2.45 miles/kWh (25.4 kWh/100 km), and it still had a 48% state of charge. That was more than enough to tackle the 70-mile (110-km) highway drive back without worrying about range. By the time I reached home, efficiency had dropped to 2.73 miles/kWh (22.8 kWh/100 km).

Even The Sensible Taycan Costs A Fortune

The Black Edition Taycan 4 I tested in Romania cost nearly €150,000 as equipped. Sure, it’s the most sensible Taycan you can buy, but it’s still in dream car territory for most people.

After driving it, I understood what that buys you. The steering, suspension, brakes, and power delivery work together to make a heavy electric sedan feel natural on a demanding road, then carry you home in comfort. That doesn’t make the price easy to swallow. But it explains why I came away wanting this particular EV so badly, even though one could technically spend less and get something quicker.

That’s also what makes this car reassuring for anyone wondering what happens to performance brands in the era of EVs, when almost anyone can sell you outrageous horsepower and 0-60 times. If acceleration were all that mattered, Porsche would have a much harder time making its case. But the Taycan 4 made its strongest impression between the straights, where the power figure didn't matter, and all the little things Porsche got right shined. Going electric hasn’t made those qualities any less valuable. 

I climbed out of the first Taycan I ever drove wanting one. Badly. After years of wondering whether it could possibly be as good as everyone said, I'm left with another question: How the heck am I supposed to afford one?

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2027 Porsche Taycan As-Tested Price€148,000 Battery105 kWh (gross) / 97 kWh (net) EV Range314 miles WLTP Drive TypeAll-Wheel Drive Output435 hp Maximum torque449 lb-ft Speed 0-62 MPH4.6 seconds Speed 0-60 MPH4.4 seconds Maximum speed143 mph

]]> contact@insideevs.com (Andrei Nedelea) https://insideevs.com/reviews/811706/2026-porsche-taycan-4-review/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/811794/mercedes-cla-350-electric-review/ Fri, 16 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000 I Drove Mercedes’ New EV With A Silicon Anode Battery. The Future Is Here The CLA Electric’s flaws are overpowered by monster efficiency and charging speeds thanks to new silicon-containing cells.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes when Mercedes-Benz first unveiled the all-electric CLA last year. What on Earth were those 142 illuminated stars doing on the grille? The automaker has admitted the industry had gone too far with giant screens and fewer buttons, so why did the new CLA still come with a humongous, pillar-to-pillar “Superscreen?"

From the photos alone, I wasn't convinced that the CLA could be the electric hit Mercedes needs right now. The German automaker has been losing ground to increasingly competitive Chinese rivals, and its first wave of EQ-branded EVs with their computer-mouse-like designs didn't exactly take off. The CLA, then, is meant to be a fresh start, the first in a new generation of software-defined, higher-tech EVs.

But when Mercedes handed me the keys to a CLA 350 Electric for a week, the car proved me dead wrong. The CLA is lovely to drive and the all-wheel-drive 350 delivers serious performance. Its range comfortably blew past the EPA rating, and charging stops were astonishingly quick, thanks to the new silicon-containing battery.

This compact luxury sedan has plenty of flaws, too. The software doesn't feel class leading, and I question some of its interior design choices. But the fundamentals are so strong that most of those drawbacks felt trivial to me. It’s an excellent EV, but not necessarily a great Mercedes-Benz. And I’m perfectly fine with that. Let’s dive right in.

New-Generation Battery Cells

At the heart of the CLA are Mercedes-Benz's new-generation battery cells that use a silicon-oxide and graphite blend in the anode, the electrode that stores lithium ions during charging. I found the CLA to be a strong performer in both range and charging performance, and Mercedes attributes that to the new batteries.

Traditionally, graphite has been the go-to anode material in batteries, but automakers are increasingly incorporating silicon to boost energy density and charging speed. They're also trying to reduce their reliance on graphite; China dominates processing of the material, and it's dirty and expensive to mine. Mercedes said the new cells improve energy density by 20% while also reducing cobalt content.

The rear-wheel-drive CLA 250's EPA-estimated 374 miles of range should be more than enough for most drivers. The all-wheel drive 350 is rated for 312 miles, but its real-world range is much higher. I didn't do a full-blown range test, but I did see an impressive 4.2 miles per kilowatt-hour across mostly highway driving in Sport mode in fall weather. With 85 kilowatt-hours of usable battery capacity, that works out to roughly 357 miles on a full charge, about 45 miles beyond its 312-mile EPA estimate.

Plenty of electric sedans offer more range than the CLA, including the Lucid Air, Audi A6 e-tron, and new BMW i3. But those are all a bit bigger and not exactly apples-to-apples rivals.

Charging performance is similarly impressive, even if it's nothing like the fastest-charging EVs in the U.S. I put it through a 16-80% and a 16-90% charging test at a 400-kilowatt Mercedes-Benz High Power Charging station in Livingston, New Jersey. The press car had Plug & Charge enabled, so the session started almost immediately after I connected the cable to its factory-fitted Tesla-style NACS charging port.

Within seconds, the CLA was pulling a peak of 280 kW. It added 100 miles of indicated range in just five minutes. After 14 minutes, it had gained 200 miles, and it reached 80% state of charge in exactly 20 minutes, adding 254 miles of indicated range in that time. The really remarkable part came next. The CLA reached 90% in just 26 minutes, adding nearly 300 miles of indicated range over the session.

With that kind of performance, the car may be ready to leave a charging stop before you've even finished grabbing a coffee or snack. Spend too long inside, and you may be paying for charging that you don't need.

How It Feels To Drive

Most EVs use a single-speed reduction gear, but the CLA is among a small group of electric cars—alongside the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT—to feature a two-speed transmission. Mercedes says the setup delivers the best of both worlds. First gear provides punchy acceleration from a standstill while also being suited to lower-speed driving. Second gear takes over at higher speeds, helping sustain power delivery and improve efficiency during highway cruising.

In practice, I barely noticed the gear changes. According to our previous tests by my colleagues Andrei Nedelea and Editor-in-Chief Mack Hogan, the transmission shifts into second gear at around 60-65 miles per hour. My testing routes had speed limits of 60 mph or lower, so I suspect I spent much of my time in first gear. Either way, you never have to think about the gearbox. The CLA is buttery-smooth to drive, and that's what matters.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

The CLA 350's 349 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque get unleashed instantly and aggressively. The throttle response is sharp, and a firm squeeze of the pedal releases a forceful surge of acceleration.

It loves the twisty back roads, too. It doesn't feel quite as light on its feet as its compact dimensions might suggest, and its heft is definitely noticeable in corners. But the chassis is responsive, with enough agility to make a winding road feel entertaining. The steering is light but direct, and the car settled into corners with reassuring stability rather than feeling unsettled by quick direction changes.

That said, the CLA is tuned more for comfort than spirited driving. Its suspension does a decent job of keeping the body controlled, but I'd have liked a little more compliance over broken pavement. The uneven, cratered roads of the tri-state area aren't exactly a German luxury sedan's natural habitat, and the CLA can feel a little busy over successive bumps. It isn't quite the plush, cosseting experience I'd expect from a Mercedes, but it strikes a solid balance between body control and everyday comfort.

Its four regenerative braking settings also offer something for every type of driver: Coasting, Normal, Intelligent, and Strong. Intelligent adjusts the regen strength based on traffic whereas Strong is the most aggressive and allows true one-pedal driving. It makes your head toss forward, but once you learn to modulate the throttle that becomes a non-issue.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

The MB.Drive Assist Pro advanced driver assistance system wasn't enabled on my CLA 350 Electric tester. This is Mercedes' answer to Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised), offering point-to-point hands-on assisted driving that we tested in California last year. At the time, Mercedes said that it would be available later this year. My tester came with the standard MB.Drive Assist, which includes lane centering, adaptive cruise control, and automatic lane changes.

The automatic lane-change function gave me a few scares during my test. The system initiated maneuvers when other vehicles were uncomfortably close, including attempts to move into lanes where cars were just a few feet ahead. On several occasions, I had to abort the maneuvers. I disabled system-initiated lane changes and switched to activating them manually with the turn signal.

Interior And Technology

Slip inside the CLA and you're smacked in the face by the MBUX Superscreen, an evolution of the Hyperscreen setup found in the EQE and EQS. It combines two 14-inch displays, one for the central infotainment system and another for the front passenger, with a separate 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. The screens are crisp and responsive for the most part, although I did notice occasional frame drops.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

The central screen is packed with genuinely useful features. The native navigation supports EV-specific route planning, automatically incorporating charging stops into longer journeys. The interface itself feels like using an iPhone, with a familiar app-based layout and plenty of functionality beyond the usual navigation and media controls. You get the Vivaldi web browser, streaming apps, a calendar, Microsoft Teams, and games such as Angry Birds and Beach Buggy, among others.

The passenger display was another story; I wasn't sold. My friends, however, loved it. They argued that it gives the front passenger something to do on long journeys, helps keep them engaged, and makes the drive feel less monotonous. Fair enough. Mercedes also said its latest voice assistant is its most capable yet, integrating ChatGPT and Microsoft Bing to handle conversational commands and answer general questions.

The more frustrating omissions are the little things that should be second nature in a car at this price. There's no dedicated media toggle or track-skipping switch on the steering wheel. Want to skip a song? You'll have to navigate the touchscreen, taking your eyes off the road, or use voice commands.

The window switches are another ergonomic misstep. Mercedes gives you just two physical switches on the driver's door, along with a separate button to toggle between the front and rear windows. Needlessly cumbersome. It's these smaller compromises which left me the most frustrating. When you add them all up, the CLA feels less like great Mercedes-Benz, even though it gets the fundamentals of being an EV remarkably right.

There's another catch with the Superscreen. It comes as part of the nearly $6,000 “Pinnacle” package—my tester was loaded with roughly $16,000 in options—which also bundles features such as a powered trunk, a head-up display, and adaptive headlamps. Without it, the passenger display is replaced by a glossy black panel decorated with dozens of Mercedes stars, looking like a very expensive chopping board.

Things I think are worth it include the $750 Sky Blue Metallic exterior paint and the $1,750 Beech Brown leather interior. The blue is a particularly attractive shade that suits the CLA's sleek proportions, and I'd consider it money well spent. The brown leather also lends the cabin a warmer, more upmarket ambience than spartan dark interior.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

What you can’t do much about is interior space. The CLA has never been the most spacious Mercedes, and this latest generation doesn't fundamentally change that, despite riding on the all-new, software-defined Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA), which also supports a hybrid powertrain. Taller passengers will find the rear bench cramped. And while the cabin is full of high-quality materials, some of the hard plastic trim around the rear air vents felt out of place.

The 10.3-cubic-foot trunk is also relatively modest, with enough room for a large suitcase and a few smaller bags, but not much more. Fortunately, the EV-first platform has enabled a sizable frunk, which can easily accommodate a carry-on suitcase and a few other small items.

Mercedes-Benz CLA 350 Electric: Verdict

By the end of my week with the CLA, most of its shortcomings had stopped bothering me. I got used to the awkward window-switch arrangement, and I stopped caring about those rather horrendous stars on the grille. In fact, they grew on me. They also attracted plenty of attention in Manhattan, especially at night, when the illuminated details made the CLA hard to miss. Plus, it's not even the gaudiest Mercedes fascia on sale. Just look at the new GLS, and you’ll gain some appreciation for the sedan.

Its compact footprint made navigating the city and squeezing into street parking spots an absolute breeze. Of course, the cramped rear seat means the CLA Electric is more of a 2+2 than a proper five-seater. It’s more suited to couples with two kids or a group of four average-sized adults. And the ride quality is another area where the CLA falls short of the comfort and refinement you'd normally associate with that three-pointed star.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

What really won me over, though, was how much better the CLA's performance, range, charging capabilities, and software experience were than I'd expected. It gets the fundamentals of being an EV remarkably right, making long drives less stressful and everyday city driving refreshingly easy. That’s far more important to me than a few questionable design choices inside. It also doesn’t have any direct rivals, sitting in a league of its own as a luxury compact sedan.

The car's $51,850 starting price—with destination fees and without options—makes it only about $2,500 more expensive than a Model 3 Premium all-wheel drive. For that money, the Mercedes is a substantially superior EV. It will give you a sense of occasion that the Model 3 will never match. The all-electric Lexus ES also has a similar starting price as the CLA and is roomier inside, with a business-class-like rear seat. But its range, charging speeds, and overall software experience can't hold a candle to the CLA.

More than anything, the CLA gives me reason to be optimistic about Mercedes-Benz's electric future. The automaker's earlier EQ models never quite delivered on their promise, but this feels like a genuine step forward. It's a remarkable comeback, and a sign that Mercedes is finally heading in the right direction.

Contact the author: Suvrat.Kothari@InsideEVs.com

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2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA 350 4Matic Electric As-Tested Price$67,155 (Destination included) Base Price$50,750 Battery85 kilowatt-hours usable EV RangeEPA 374 miles (RWD), 312 miles (AWD) Efficiency4.2 miles per kWh observed Charge Time10-80% in 22 minutes Drive TypeRWD/AWD Charge TypeNACS (DC), J1772 (AC) Speed 0-60 MPH4.8 seconds (AWD) TransmissionTwo-speed Output349 horsepower Maximum torque380 pound feet Weight4,553-4,729 pounds curb weight

]]> contact@insideevs.com (Suvrat Kothari) https://insideevs.com/reviews/811794/mercedes-cla-350-electric-review/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/811410/engineering-explained-mustang-mach-e/ Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:00:00 +0000 This YouTuber Got Burned By His Lucid Air And Elon Musk. So He Bought A Mustang Mach-E GT It may not be as sophisticated as the Lucid, but at least the software works.

Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained has had a rough time settling on his electric daily driver. The YouTuber was plenty happy with his early Tesla Model 3 Performance for years. But when Elon Musk's government cuts affected his family, he swore off the brand. Given his affinity for excellent engineering, he landed on a Lucid Air, one of the most sophisticated EVs on sale. But that ended in disaster, too, as Fenske explained on the Plugged-In Podcast.

So now he's in a four-year-old Ford.

Fenske said in his latest video that he bought a 2022 Mustang Mach-E Performance a few months ago. But it certainly wasn't his first choice.

He originally wanted to wait for a Rivian R2, after falling for it on the first drive. His delivery window wasn't until the end of the year, though, and he needed a daily driver. Lucid originally offered a Gravity as a long-term loan to bridge the gap, yet even the free car proved to be more trouble than it was worth. He then tried to land a Genesis GV60 in the highlighter yellow color. None of it worked.

So he got the Mach-E. He chose a Cyber Orange Metallic model with the Performance Pack, which came with 480 hp and 260 miles of EPA range. Equally important, it came with physical controls for core functions like the gear selector, windshield wipers, lights, and volume, all things he had missed in his Tesla and Lucid. Best of all, his gets the magnetic suspension system, which I can confirm is excellent.

It hasn't been a perfect experience, as Fenske calls out the Mach-E's laggy display and counterintuitive door handles as pain points. I can sympathize; part of why I crossed the Mach-E off my own personal list and got a Chevy Blazer EV was because I get so frustrated by both of those things. He also calls out the relatively unimpressive charging curve; 10-80% takes about 40 minutes. Given his real-world testing suggests a highway range of 212 miles on a full battery, it's not an ideal road tripper.

But he doesn't care. Fenske has lived with EVs long enough to know that the instantaneous torque, silent driving experience, and maintenance advantages of EVs far outweigh the costs. So while he still has a gas-powered Mustang in the garage, he's driving the electric Ford for most of his trips. Sounds like a good way to live.

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]]> contact@insideevs.com (Mack Hogan) https://insideevs.com/reviews/811410/engineering-explained-mustang-mach-e/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/810861/kia-ev3-review-drive-best-affordable-ev/ Tue, 06 Oct 2026 13:01:00 +0000 I Drove the $30,000 Kia EV3—And It Might Be the Best Value EV Yet I drove Kia's newest and cheapest EV. With up to 321 miles of range, it's a great value.

It’s hard to say whether the Kia EV3 is hitting dealerships at the best possible time—or the worst. Gas prices are still sky-high, electric options are dropping like flies, and affordable EVs—especially good ones—have always been tough to find. All of that bodes well for Kia’s stubby, $30,000 battery-powered crossover to make a real impact.

Then again, federal tax credits are gone and Americans seem increasingly smitten with hybrids. Kia may be dropping exactly the EV America has been asking for at a time when the market for it has never been more uncertain.

We’ll have to wait and see whether Americans actually buy the thing. But after driving the EV3 for a day recently, I can say this much: They probably should. Kia’s newest and cheapest EV is charming, capable, and appealing in ways that have historically eluded entry-level electric cars.

[Full Disclosure: Kia covered my travel, lodging, and meals in Victoria, British Columbia, so I could attend the launch of the EV3.]

Kia EV3: The Basics

The EV3 is a small crossover that slots in below the EV6 in Kia’s electric lineup. Starting at $29,890 (plus a $1,495 destination charge), it’s one of the cheapest electric cars on sale in a U.S. market that’s historically dominated by pricey models. Until future offerings like the Slate truck and Ford Fathom come along, the only cars it will compete with in that sub-$30,000 segment are the $28,995 Chevrolet Bolt and $29,990 Nissan Leaf. Coming in at 169.3 inches long, the EV3 is roughly as long as a Bolt and 15.5 inches shorter than an EV6.

That base price gets you a Light-trim vehicle with the smaller 58.1 kWh battery, front-wheel drive, and 221 miles of EPA-estimated range. Stepping up to the Wind trim unlocks the larger 81.4-kWh pack and adds 100 miles of range, making it the sweet spot in the lineup. That version costs $34,990, putting nicely equipped EV3s in competition with base versions of larger EV crossovers, like the Toyota bZ and C-HR and the Chevy Equinox EV. All-wheel drive is an option on the Wind and Land trims, costing $3,700 and $3,200, respectively, and comes standard on the GT-Line and GT models.

Kia notes that of the close to 80 EV options on the U.S. market today, just five cost less than $35,000. Executives believe the EV3 can open the door to broader EV ownership, especially as overall U.S. EV sales rebound over the next several years.

I can’t quite say yet whether the $30,000 version delivers on that promise; the EV3s Kia had on hand at last week’s drive event cost closer to $40,000 and up. (The Land FWD I sampled carried an MSRP of $38,690, while the AWD GT-Line I drove retailed for $44,235). But after a couple hours behind the wheel of each, I came away convinced that Kia got the fundamentals right. The EV3 is simply a very good little electric car.

What’s Good: SUV Styling, Comfy Ride, Punchy Base Powertrain

This may be a budget EV, but it doesn’t look like one. Whereas the Bolt—and to some degree the Leaf—looks like an awkward economy car, the stylish, squared-off EV3 gives off the vibe of a shrunken down EV9. I think that’ll make it more appealing to SUV-loving Americans. Kia thinks so too.

“Those other two don’t feel SUV. They don’t look SUV,” Christine Bagnard, Kia America’s director of sales and field operations, told me. “They’re kind of ‘been there, done that.’”

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The Kia also punches above its weight on the road. I drove it on smooth open highways and two-lane roads with some deep divots. The EV3 handled it all impressively well for a small car. It wasn’t luxury-vehicle plush, but the ride was composed and comfortable, and I didn’t register the bouncy, harsh feeling you can get in a basic, compact car. I can’t say as much for the Chevy Bolt.

When equipped with the optional dual-motor powertrain, the 261 horsepower, all-wheel-drive EV3 is quick off the line and a champ at last-minute highway merges. I’m also pleased to report that it’s no slouch even if you skip the second motor. The FWD model, rated at 201 horses and 209 pound-feet of torque, was nearly as eager. It never felt sluggish. Up to 321 miles of range for the larger battery (or up to 280 miles for AWD models) is healthy for the segment. Visibility was good too, and the little car felt nice and maneuverable in parking lots and the like.

2027 Kia EV3

Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs

Stopping is improved too; Kia is introducing a revamped version of its regenerative braking system that addresses one of the biggest complaints owners have about its current EVs. The i-Pedal one-pedal driving system is now far more adjustable, with three levels of braking intensity. Before there was just one i-Pedal setting, plus three levels of regen that wouldn’t bring the car to a stop. Now, holding the left paddle with any of those regen settings selected will switch on i-Pedal. Thankfully, the car now remembers the last setting you selected when you boot it up, unlike previous Kia EVs.

Finally, the EV3 is just a nice place to spend time. The faux-leather seats in both my test cars—standard in everything above the Light trim—were soft and supportive. The back seat was small, obviously, but also not terribly cramped for my 6’2” frame. Kia claims that the car has more total interior space than the Toyota bZ thanks to its stretched-out wheelbase and short overhangs. And it does beat the competition on cargo space, which definitely has something to do with its boxy shape. It boasts 26.1 cubic feet of storage behind the rear seats, on par with larger options like the Chevy Equinox EV considerably more than what you'd find in the Leaf (20 cu. ft.) or Bolt (16.9 cu. ft.).

2027 Kia EV3

Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs

While there was of course some hard plastic around, the whole cabin felt well-built and sophisticated. Importantly, while the EV3 can easily push $50,000, it seems like you don’t need to go crazy with options to get a nice-feeling car. Even the $35,000 Wind trim comes well-equipped, with a power driver’s seat, wireless phone charger, and heated front seats. The step-up EV3 Land I drove added on features like a power sunroof, ventilated front seats, and a power tailgate, which are nice to have but not essential.

What’s Not So Good: Low Base Range, Slower Charging Than Kia Is Known For

The EV3 is a stellar $35,000 EV, but the $30,000 model is a less compelling value. I say that mostly because of the range on offer; 221 miles pales in comparison to what you get in the Leaf or Bolt, which offer 303 and 262 miles, respectively. The company expects the majority of buyers to upgrade to the larger battery anyway, Young Kim, Kia North America’s senior product planning manager, told me. The entry option will be for a “small subset” of customers, like those buying the EV3 as a second car or a short-distance commuter, he said.

All versions of the EV3 also use a modified, 400-volt version of the Hyundai Motor Group’s 800-volt E-GMP platform to cut down on costs, which makes sense. That decision means that while charging times aren’t necessarily bad, though, they do fall short of the lightning-fast speeds we’ve come to expect from the brand’s other EVs.

2027 Kia EV3

Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs

According to Kia, 10-80% happens in 29 minutes for cars with the small battery and 31 minutes for models with the larger one. (Peak charging power, Kia says, lands at 100 kW for the smaller battery and 127 for the long-range pack.) This splits the difference between the Bolt (25 minutes) and Leaf (35 minutes), but is more sluggish than the EV6’s 18-minute sprint. Given that one of the EV3’s biggest competitors may end up being lightly used EV6s and Hyundai Ioniq 5s, that could work against the little EV.

While the Kia’s digital interface is generally attractive and pretty intuitive, the section of the touchscreen that houses some of the climate controls is awkward to use. It’s situated between the main display and the gauge cluster and is partially obscured by the steering wheel, making it tougher than necessary to adjust, for example, where the air is blowing on the fly. Kia partially makes up for it by including physical toggles for the fan speed and temperature.

Early Verdict

For years, Americans have been clamoring for more affordable electric options. In that way, the EV3 marks a big step in the right direction. It’s a well-rounded product that looks great and is, in EV-market terms at least, relatively inexpensive.

The big question mark is just how many buyers are willing to put their money where their mouths are these days. Judging by the EV sales numbers overall, it’s a lot fewer than before. Still, Kia has maintained that it’s in the EV game for the long haul and positions the EV3 as a key entry point into the segment for more budget-conscious buyers. Bagnard, Kia’s sales director, thinks the EV3 will do “very well,” she told reporters last week.

2027 Kia EV3

Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs

Indeed, while the Bolt and Leaf haven’t sold particularly well this year, the EV3 has a few key edges. It delivers more range than those cars and, unlike either of them, it offers an all-wheel-drive option and the sort of boxy styling Americans clearly love.

In an era with fewer EV launches than anybody expected, Kia's newest option as a solid, much-needed option in the segment. In a difficult time for EVs, the EV3 could very well be the car that gets a lot more Americans to take the plunge.

Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com

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2027 Kia EV3 Base Price$29,890 (plus $1,495 destination) Battery58.1 kWh / 81.4 kWh Charge Time10-80% in 29 min / 31 min EV Range221 mi (FWD small pack) / 321 mi (FWD large pack) / 280 mi (AWD large pack) Output201 hp (FWD) / 261 hp (AWD) / 288 (GT AWD) Maximum torque209 lb-ft (FWD) / 284 lb-ft (AWD) / 385 lb-ft (GT AWD)

]]> contact@insideevs.com (Tim Levin) https://insideevs.com/reviews/810861/kia-ev3-review-drive-best-affordable-ev/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/809842/vw-id-polo-road-trip/ Thu, 01 Oct 2026 17:18:44 +0000 VW’s Electric Polo Is Expensive. But After Driving It, It's Not Hard To See Why Volkswagen’s new small EV feels remarkably grown-up on a European road trip. It might be VW's best EV ever, but it doesn't come cheap.

A nearly €40,000 Volkswagen Polo needs a pretty good explanation. That’s roughly how much you would have to pay to get yourself an ID. Polo like the one I drove for a day during the Eurocharge by Schaeffler EV grand tour, a cross-Europe electric car road trip. And sure, the ID. Polo is pricey, but while driving it, I found myself searching for excuses to justify it.

This little hatchback feels so effortless that judging it by its size alone seems a bit unfair. It really made me question whether going larger meant you were buying a better car or simply more car.

Eurocharge tour took us from Romania across Europe to the sources of the Danube and back, with mountain roads and long motorway stretches along the way. The electric Polo racked up 4,468 kilometers, or about 2,776 miles, and on the day I drove it, we covered 507 km (315 miles) from Enzklösterle, Germany, to Hohe Salve, Austria.

Photo by: Autocritica

What made my ID. Polo drive particularly interesting (and revealing) was having the Renault 5 E-Tech along for the trip. We could compare not only how they drove subjectively over many types of roads, but we could also measure their efficiency along the same routes.

The R5 is undeniably efficient, and on one day, it almost managed to achieve its WLTP range in real-world driving conditions. It also makes a stronger first impression, rocking its retro design with the confidence.

The ID. Polo is more restrained, with familiar proportions and enough sharp detailing to look modern without requiring an explanation of what you’re looking at. You know what you’re looking at, and it is certainly a more premium presence in the electric supermini segment.

VW ID. Polo Interior

Photo by: Ciprian Mihai/Autocritica

Inside, the ID. Polo has more than you’d expect to find in a vehicle this size. Our Style tester had pretty much all the options boxes ticked, so it came with electric front seats with memory. The driver’s seat feels like a little armchair, and the steering wheel’s generous reach adjustment helped me get properly comfortable.

There are pleasant materials where your hands naturally land, too. Sure, you can find hard plastic and plenty of it. But you can also find it in cars that cost considerably more and carry premium badges.

More encouragingly, though, VW has rediscovered buttons. The ID. Polo gets real steering wheel controls, physical climate buttons, and four individual switches for four windows. That may sound weird to praise, but after the earlier ID. cars, it feels like VW has finally listened to the feedback and is making its cars nice to be in again.

The retro instrument display, meanwhile, is a lovely little nod to old Volkswagens. The needle in the power gauge moves slightly erratically, like the rev counter in an older car would, adding to the charm. You can also choose a retro theme for the central screen, which turns your media player icon into a cassette player, and you can actually see the tape going from one side to the other as your track progresses.

The battery charge meter also looks analog in this mode, and when you plug the car in, a very retro-looking green light comes on to let you know it’s charging. These little details made me happy in this car, and I kept the two screens retro throughout my day with it.

As impressive as it may be when it’s static, the bigger surprise comes once you get going. At 130 km/h (81 mph), the Polo feels entirely at ease. The ride has a composure that makes long motorway stretches feel like a normal part of its job. It’s really good, and not just for a small car.

Photo by: Autocritica

It feels more comfortable and grown-up than its Renault rival, even with a more basic rear suspension setup. The VW’s slightly longer wheelbase helps too.

Its suspension absorbs bumps well and does its job quietly, with no major noticeable thumps even over larger road imperfections. The Polo’s refinement helps sell the impression that you’ve accidentally been given something from the class above. It also quiets down wind noise better than the Renault.

This is definitely the best-feeling VW ID model I’ve ever driven, although I’ve yet to try the ID.7, and that should feel even better. What makes this even more impressive is that it rides on the cheaper front-wheel-drive version of the MEB platform, and it somehow feels better than the ID.3.

Photo by: Autocritica

However, the steering gave me less confidence. Driving down Austria’s stunning Hochtannbergpass, I had a moment when the front tires started to run wide through a corner, with no feedback through the wheel to tell me they were losing their grip. The Renault is unquestionably the more fun car to drive on a twisty road, with more mechanical grip and more feel.

Maybe the GTI version of the ID. Polo will address this and prove a real rival to the Alpine A290, the hot hatch version of the R5.

What was also interesting to observe was how these two vehicles used their electricity. Both have the same 52 kilowatt-hours of usable battery capacity, but the ID. Polo proved more efficient on all but one day when it tied the R5.

Photo by: Autocritica

It was more efficient while also having considerably more muscle than the Renault 5. Its motor produces 208 bhp and 290 Nm (214 lb-ft) of torque, compared with the Renault’s 148 bhp and 245 Nm (181 lb-ft). That gives the Volkswagen an extra 60 bhp and 45 Nm (33 lb-ft).

It can hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in a claimed 7.1 seconds, nine-tenths quicker than the R5. Its average efficiency at the end of the tour was 15.2 kWh/100 km, compared with 16.6 kWh/100 km for the Renault. That’s around 4.1 miles/kWh versus 3.7 miles/kWh, or an 8% advantage to the VW.

These figures came from rotating crews on a real trip driving the speed limit along the same route on the same day. Not quite a laboratory verdict, but still useful to give you an idea of which car uses its electrons more efficiently.

Photo by: Autocritica

On the day I drove the Polo, we covered 507 kilometers (315 miles) with just one 17-minute charging stop, which took the battery from 30% to 81%. We’d started the day almost fully charged to 99% and reached the hotel with 10% remaining. That’s a full day of traveling with a charging break barely long enough to get a coffee and drink it, and it made the Polo’s small battery feel like less of a limitation than you might expect.

The Polo’s quoted 105-kW DC peak is modest, although Volkswagen’s approximately 24-minute 10% to 80% claim is respectable, and its charging curve is decent.

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But no matter how good I think the ID. Polo is, its success will depend on whether enough people will actually buy it. Our Romanian-market Polo costs €39,500 all-in, against €34,200 for the Renault 5 Roland-Garros. That’s a €5,300 gap. The Volkswagen’s efficiency advantage won’t make that difference disappear in a hurry, although these are the prices of the particular high-spec press test fleet cars we tested, not their best-value versions.

You really have to want what the Polo does better. I’d still choose the Renault for its looks and enthusiast appeal, plus I’d also keep the change. But the Volkswagen’s comfort, equipment, and motorway manners make a compelling case for someone who wants a small electric car that can handle the big journeys, too.

]]> contact@insideevs.com (Andrei Nedelea) https://insideevs.com/reviews/809842/vw-id-polo-road-trip/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/808598/mazda-cx6e-ev-review-eurocharge/ Tue, 29 Sep 2026 15:00:51 +0000 The Mazda CX-6e Is Easy To Like, But Hard To Take On A Road Trip A 444-mile drive revealed a plush cabin and an entertaining chassis, but also EV quirks that made the journey harder than it needed to be.

The Mazda CX-6e is a big step for a carmaker that has been slow to embrace electrification. After the cool but compromised MX-30, this new electric crossover feels like Mazda taking electric cars seriously, even if it outsourced most of the engineering. But it just might be the most premium and special-feeling Mazda that I’ve ever been in.

It looks fantastic, has a sumptuous cabin, and is surprisingly good company on a mountain road thanks to its rear-wheel drive platform. Yet for all its appeal, the CX-6e’s real-world highway range and efficiency left me unimpressed.

Like the 6e sedan I drove last year, the CX-6e is also based on Chinese tech. Even if it looks like you’d expect a Mazda to, it’s built in China, with architecture and technology from Chinese automaker Changan. That’s not a bad thing, because this platform delivers a great balance of comfort and sportiness, plus an incredibly hushed cabin.

Photo by: Autocritica

Driving the CX-6e last week from Romania across the Transapuseana mountain road and then to a town called Tata in Hungary, I got to experience it on a wide range of roads. It’s one of the eight cars taking part in this year’s edition of the Eurocharge by Schaeffler EV road trip, which took us from Bucharest to the source of the Danube River and then back, and it’s probably the best-looking of the group.

Compared to the quirky-looking MX-30, the CX-6e is completely different. Mazda didn’t want it to look like a boxy SUV, so it gave it more of a raised hatchback aesthetic. It looks aggressive, planted, and futuristic, with cool aero elements integrated into the hood and C-pillar, where flying buttresses let air pass through.

Swing open the frameless doors, and they reveal a surprisingly sumptuous interior, which in this tester had purple leather upholstery. It works very well with the equally purple exterior, and it proved to be a great long-distance companion. It featured the optional digital mirrors, which work just fine once you get used to them; they also add to the vehicle’s futuristic vibe and help with cabin quietness at speed.

Out on the road, the CX-6e has a hard edge but feels well damped, like the best German cars. Its rear-wheel-drive chassis handles twisty roads well, and its 77-kilowatt-hour battery pack, placed low in the vehicle, helps it feel planted.

The CX-6e comes only with rear-wheel drive and a single motor producing 255 horsepower and 214 pound-feet (290 Nm) of torque, helping it sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h) in a claimed 7.9 seconds. It was the slowest-feeling car of this year's Eurocharge roster, which included a 148 hp Renault 5.

On the Transapuseana mountain road, though, the CX-6e was far more entertaining than a crossover has any right to be. The suspension is firm enough to keep body roll in check, but without making you regret going over broken asphalt, and the car feels surefooted through bends. The steering tells you very little about what the front tires are doing, but at least they go where you point them, and it’s better and more precise than in most other Chinese EVs I’ve driven.

Photo by: Autocritica

I enjoyed driving the CX-6e, but it also made what followed more frustrating, because it has a bit of a thirst for electrons. It covered 444 miles (715 km), with 51% of the driving on national roads and 49% on highways, at an average efficiency of 19.9 kWh/100 km, or around 3.14 miles/kWh.

It draws from a 78-kilowatt-hour lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. DC fast charging peaks at 195 kilowatts, with Mazda claiming a 10–80% charge in 24 minutes under ideal conditions. During my day with the car, I did briefly see it exceed the maximum advertised charging power, but we still needed three separate charging stops to reach the day's destination in Hungary, totaling 93 minutes of charging.

That includes one extra unplanned charging stop to reach Tata, because highway driving at a steady 130 km/h (81 mph) exposed its appetite. We saw consumption of around 25 kWh/100 km (2.49 miles/kWh) at highway speeds, which forced an unplanned charging stop before Tata.

Its WLTP range of 484 km (300 miles) seems a bit optimistic, unless you drive it very gingerly and keep far away from highways. Our theoretical range based on the observed electricity consumption was 387 km (240 miles). Driving it only on the highway at the speed limit, even hitting 300 km (186 miles) on one charge seems optimistic.

Then there was the regenerative braking. Lifting off sometimes produced strong deceleration. Other times, the car coasted, and the energy graph showed barely any recovery. Adjusting the regen meant going through the touchscreen, which made an already irritating experience more fiddly.

I wanted consistent, predictable deceleration so I could judge my approach to a corner, not guess what response lifting off the accelerator would give me.

That’s what makes the CX-6e frustrating. I loved looking at it, really enjoyed sitting in it, and had fun driving it through the mountains. But on this trip, its highway appetite cost us an extra charging stop (and caused a bit of range anxiety), and its inconsistent regen kept me guessing. Mazda has looked to China and made an electric SUV I wanted to like. And I do like it, but it made me work harder at it than I expected, and it’s not as technically competent as I'd hoped.

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In Europe, it costs around €50,000 ($57,300), and it’s roughly in the same size bracket as the Tesla Model Y and Hyundai Ioniq 5, as well as Chinese rivals like the BYD Sealion 7 or the Xpeng G6. Its plush cabin and blend of comfort and sportiness help justify the price. But faster-charging rivals and its thirst for electricity make it harder to recommend for frequent highway trips.

Still, I was left with the impression that there’s real value in an electric car that looks this good, feels this plush, and goes down the road like a sorted German car. I could see someone choosing it for those qualities. But at this price, I’d want fewer compromises from the electric side of the equation.

]]> contact@insideevs.com (Andrei Nedelea) https://insideevs.com/reviews/808598/mazda-cx6e-ev-review-eurocharge/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/808693/ebike-vs-emoto-aotos-flux-x26-pro-review/ Sat, 19 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000 Is This An E-Bike Or A Moped? It Depends On Who You Ask E-moto models are all the rage. But if you want the best e-bike experience, I recommend a more conventional design.

I love e-bikes. I love slipping past traffic on a covered bike lane, running errands without parking, and bombing down hills with the wind in my face. I love the speed, the freedom, and the simplicity.

So when I got the Aotos X26 Flux Pro to test, I thought I’d be in love. With up to 1500 Watts of nominal power (2000W peak) in off-road mode and big, chunky tires, it looked like the perfect e-bike for ripping trails on the weekend and errands on the weekdays.

But I don’t even know if this is really an “e-bike,” and it’s certainly not my favorite for weekend or weekday activities. Let me explain why. 

(Full disclosure: Aotos sent me a Flux X26 Pro to test for this review.)

E-Bike Vs. E-Moto: Where’s The Line?

In the U.S, e-bikes are typically divided into three classes. I’m going to use the definitions from the California Bicycle Coalition, which are as follows:

“Class 1: Provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 20 mph

Class 2: Operates via pedal-assist or throttle and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 20 mph

Class 3: Provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 28 mph.”

Most e-bikes come out of the box set to Class 2 mode, which gives you full access to the throttle and and pedal assist, but caps speed at 20 mph. Some bikes allow you to raise things to Class 3 speeds and either axe the throttle altogether or only allow the throttle to function below 28 mph. Any way you slice it, though, power is legally capped at 750W nominal.

But 750W isn’t a ton. It’s certainly not enough to make you feel like you’re ripping on a dirt bike, or even enough to do easy wheelies. So more and more bikes offer “off road” or "unlimited” modes that raise the power and the performance. That way when your high school classmate shows up on his Class 2, 750W e-bike, you want to be able to dust him, and look cool doing it. 

The X26 rides on "E-Moped" tires. But legally, this isn't a moped.

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

That’s where options like the Aotos come in. The Aotos Flux X26 and Flux X26 Pro comes from the factory set to Class 2, 750W mode, with an overboost function that kicks the limit up to 28 mph and provides more power. But both have off-road modes, enabling 2000W of power in the Pro and 1200W on the standard model.

They also come with fixed seats, big aerodynamic fairings, single-gear drivetrains, and beefy moped tires. The X26 Pro looks every bit a motorcycle, and that doesn’t seem to be an accident.

So does that make it an e-moto? I guess. It’s not a specifically defined term. Technically, as soon as you enter off-road mode, it’s no longer a bike nor legal for public roads. It doesn’t have the license plate or other accoutrement you need for a street-legal moped or motorcycle, but its ability to go 28 mph on throttle and dump 2000W of power into its rear wheel means it’s not an e-bike in off-road mode. 

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

That means you can only legally ride it off road. That’s fine enough, but if you’ve seen your local hooligans doing wheelies through town square, you know that people are bound to use all of the power they paid for. Considering the $2,299 Pro is quite a bit dearer than the $1,699 base model, you’re paying a lot for that extra power, the 4G connection, and a few other upgrades.

Why I Prefer E-Bikes

I’m not going to get into moralizing here. The X26 Pro is legal to buy and fun to operate, and if the design suits you, go nuts.

But over three weeks and about 90 miles of testing, I found myself constantly dreaming of the more traditional Tenways Wayfarer e-bike I currently have at the house. Despite the Aotos offering more power and nearly as much range, I had way more fun on the Tenways. 

The Tenways Wayfarer I reviewed earlier this year has more range than the X26, costs less, weighs about 40 lbs less, has 10 miles of extra range from a smaller battery, and handles better. Almost all of those advantages are due to its simpler, traditional design.

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

A big part of that comes down to the traditional bike design. The Tenways—and most e-bikes I’ve ridden—has a multi-speed transmission, a traditional bike seat and handlebars, a cargo bike, and well-positioned pedals. Both my fiáncè and I love clicking through the gears in Tour or Sport mode, feeling the surge of power in the drivetrain and the surge of blood to our calves. Pedaling makes the experience more connected, more traditional, and even more stable feeling. It just feels like a really fast bike.

The Aotos feels like a slow motorcycle. Its non-adjustable seat, fixed gearing, and slightly awkward ergonomics make it nearly impossible to consistently use the pedals. From a stop the gearing makes it hard to get rolling, and at 25 mph your feet have to move cartoonishly fast to keep up. 

The pedals on the Aotos feel decorative. There's only one gear ratio, and the cheap cadence sensor is nowhere near as seamless as a modern torque sensor.

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

All of this is made worse by the fact that the Aotos has a cheaper cadence sensor for pedal assist rather than a torque sensor. So while the Tenways or Aventon e-bikes we’ve recently reviewed respond to how hard you pedal, and thus feel natural, the Aotos responds only to how fast the pedals actually move. It’s much less smooth, and it’s easy for a lazy, half-turn of the pedals—done to reposition my feet—to generate a surge of acceleration.

I ended up almost exclusively using the throttle. And while the Aotos is fine in this mode, I found myself truly bummed when my fiáncè, stepmom, and dad went for a 25-mile e-bike trip. They all got to row through the gears, find their ideal cruising cadence, and have fun. Meanwhile I was trying not to shoot out ahead of them, constantly prevented from going full throttle.

So in general I’m not a fan of bikes that treat pedals as an afterthought. That is merely my preference. You might love that. Even still, I’m not convinced that going full e-moto for the design helped Aotos here. The bulky frame and wide tires require a ton of energy to move down the road, so to offer 75 miles of claimed range, the Aotos needs a 48V, 21Ah battery, providing just over a kilowatt of energy. The Tenways offers 85 miles of range out of a much smaller 720 Wh battery. And because the pedals on the Tenways are more than decorative, you’ll get a lot closer to the rated figure than you would on an Aotos. 

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

Despite its far bulkier size, though, the Aotos is worse at hauling. Its fairing takes up a ton of usable space, and with no cargo rack at the rear, I found myself schlepping a backpack most of the time. That’s really annoying, and while cargo bags may look dorky, they’re a better solution.

Why The Aotos Isn’t The E-Moto I’d Buy

I generally think bike-style frames are better for e-biking than e-moto style frames. Even still, I find the Aotos lacking among its e-moto peers. Other e-moto brands offer wide areas for underslung storage and super easy battery access.

Not here. The Aotos’ only cargo spots are a small underslung zipper cubby and a little compartment in the frame for chucking in your phone and keys. They’re welcome benefits, but more open designs give you more flexibility. They also make swapping batteries simple. The same can’t be said with the Aotos. The battery is annoying to maneuver in and out, and the connector for it is finicky.

The Aotos' large battery takes up most of the space in the center of the frame. Getting it in and connected is a hassle, and the cover that hides it feels flimsy. On the bright side, it can function as a portable battery bank for your phone, with a built-in USB-C port.

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

This was made worse by a battery drain issue. See, one benefit of the X26 Pro is that it comes with a ton of features. It has a proximity unlock feature based on your phone’s bluetooth signal, a remote start function, tracking features, an alarm for if it’s moved, and even tire pressure monitors.

But not all of these features are fully baked. Proximity unlock caused such aggressive battery drain that I turned it off quickly, especially because it hardly ever worked. The alarm for unauthorized motion is sensitive and annoying. And the app that runs the other features can be slow and annoying to use. 

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

It’s worth remembering here that the Flux is Aotos’ first product, and it’s born of a Kickstarter campaign. You can’t expect them to get everything right on the first go. But if they want $2,299 for this thing, I want it to feel good right out of the box. The tech issues, the heavy design, and the poor use of space consistently frustrated me.

Who It’s Still Good For

Here’s the challenge for me. I still like the Aotos because, at its core, a 2000W e-moto is a fun experience. But it’s not one I can have legally, at least not on public roads. Even if I could get away with it—which I’m sure I could—I don’t want to continue normalizing breaking the rules around e-bikes. These things have to be handled with care, and the bare minimum there is keeping it within legal limits.

Do so and the Aotos makes no sense. It’s more expensive and unwieldy than conventional Class 2 e-bikes, and its only on-road advantage is its design. It otherwise offers the same amount of power and capability as e-bikes with the inefficiency and practical compromises of a 100-lb e-moto.

Where it does make sense is off-road or on private land, I’m sure. I’d love to let this thing properly rip on some private dirt road. To do so, though, I’d need to drive outside of the city, and getting a bike this bulky and heavy inside of my car doesn’t seem worth the trouble. That’s doubly true because I don’t have access to non-public land that would be good for this thing. 

The rocket button activates an overboost function, which Aotos says is perfect for wheelies. It also makes a silly rocketship noise, which thankfully can be turned off. The Aotos also offers a simulated engine noise, but I switched that off almost immediately.

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

If you do, though, and you have a way to get it there, I bet it’s a fun toy to have. If you can match that desire for a weekend toy with a real use-case for a personal e-bike around town, that’s the Aotos’ sweet spot. E-mountain bikes and dirt bikes would be more fun on unrestricted land. Traditional e-bikes are better for commuting.

But if you need to commute on a legal e-bike and fool around on an unlimited e-moto, the Aotos is a solid option. For the rest of us, there are more conventional e-bikes. 

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]]> contact@insideevs.com (Mack Hogan) https://insideevs.com/reviews/808693/ebike-vs-emoto-aotos-flux-x26-pro-review/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/808381/mercedes-glc/ Tue, 15 Sep 2026 16:53:49 +0000 2027 Mercedes GLC 400 Electric Review: The Best Mercedes EV Ever, And It’s Not Close The GLC is lovely to drive and incredibly sophisticated. But it's not cheap.

Mercedes may have made a hubbub about the ultra-efficient CLA EV it launched earlier this year, but don’t be fooled. This is its most important EV of 2026.

In fact, the new GLC Electric is Mercedes’ most important EV ever. And unlike with many of its previous attempts, this time Mercedes has stuck the landing.

(Full Disclosure: Mercedes loaned me a GLC 400 4Matic Electric for this review. The company dropped it off with a full battery and didn't ask questions about what I planned to do with it, so I drove it around 300 miles through mountains, dirt roads, and traffic.)

2027 Mercedes GLC 400 Electric: What Is It?

This is a year of EV renewal for Mercedes. Like crosstown rival BMW, the company is starting to launch its third generation of electric vehicles. The first ones were low-volume science experiments. The EQ models missed the mark on design and failed to move the needle on EV tech. Now the company is launching true software-defined, ultra-efficient, 800-volt EVs.

The GLC rides on the all-new MB.EA platform, which also underpins the upcoming C-Class EV. The CLA, which I previously reviewed, uses much of the same technology but rides on a platform shared with hybrid vehicles. Unlike the CLA and C, though, the GLC competes in a segment that matters to the American auto market. While buyers in this country have mostly abandoned luxury sedans, they can’t seem to get enough compact and midsize crossovers like the GLC. 

To win them over, the GLC offers just about every tech gadget you could hope for. My tester—loaded up from its $64,950 starting price to a whopping $89,270—had massaging seats, a self-parking system, video streaming, games, multicolor LED ambient lights, a massaging driver’s seat, a surround sound Burmester stereo with Dolby Atmos support, and a virtual assistant that can tap into AI agents from Google, OpenAI, and Microsoft to answer questions about your destination or vehicle.

It’s all a bit overwhelming, but quite nice all the same. To remind you of how nice it is, Mercedes puts three-pointed stars everywhere. Every. Where. They are in the lights, front and back. There are three-pointed stars tucked all over the cabin, too, including dozens embedded in the roof glass that twinkle at night. Combined with the optional full LED grille—which broadcasts the Mercedes logo as if it were the return of Christ the King—the GLC ensures that nobody on Earth will forget that you’re loaded.

The one part of the GLC I really didn't like: its light-up grille. Luckily, this fully digital grille is optional. 

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

Bombastic design aside, the GLC is a thoroughly modern, thoroughly lovely EV. It now comes with one-pedal driving and ditches the on/off button, both relatively new for Mercedes EVs, and gets deeper software updates over the air. And, because it’s a luxury EV in 2026, it’s blindingly fast. The mid-range GLC 400 EV pushes 483 horsepower and 590 lb-ft to its four wheels. It’s effortlessly quick from any speed. It should also be efficient, too, thanks in part to a two-speed gearbox on the rear motor that enables more efficient highway cruising. The front motor can disconnect from the wheels at speed , too, also helping with energy efficiency.

Those highway slogs won’t be something you’ll have to manage on your own, either. The GLC gets Mercedes’ newest generation of advanced driver assistance systems, including MB.Drive, a new NVIDIA-powered suite that will eventually enable Tesla FSD-style point-to-point supervised driving. But Mercedes still won’t say when that capability is coming, and the current version of the system is much more limited.

2027 Mercedes GLC 400 Electric: Charging & Range

The GLC uses a Tesla-style NACS port for fast charging and a legacy J1772 port for slow charging. Frustratingly, though, this means you'll need an adapter to use NACS AC infrastructure.

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

Here’s another lesson Mercedes learned in the premium EV business: big numbers matter. Buyers want a lot of range for their dollar, and the GLC provides. Even on massive 21-inch wheels shod in Goodyear Eagle F1 performance tires, my GLC 400 tester was rated for 350 miles of EPA range. Go smaller and you can get up to 380 miles of range.

But the all-wheel-drive GLC 400 isn’t the range king. Rear-wheel-drive GLC 300s should get over 400 miles of range when they arrive later on. I expect most buyers will still choose the pricier AWD trim, as luxury crossover buyers tend to, but it’ll still be good to offer such an incredible range figure.

On a long trip, you’re not going to be slowed down by the GLC 400. First, based on the efficiency I saw, I wouldn’t be surprised if real-world highway driving is friendly to the GLC. Its two-speed transmission should really help with efficiency at high speeds.

Second, the GLC 400 is a certified charging champ. I charged it from 15% to 80% in just 20 minutes and 30 seconds, with the car maxing out the 350 kW fast charger. The GLC can technically pull up to 360 kW, so faster times are possible. It charges quickly even as the battery fills up, and the thermal management system seems to have no problem with heat buildup. 

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

There is one caveat, though, and it’s a big one. The GLC comes from the factory with a Tesla-style NACS port for native compatibility with Superchargers. I can confirm that it works with Superchargers, and that plug-in-charge works seamlessly, but that’s where the good news ends.

Because the vast majority of Superchargers are not 800V systems, the Mercedes has to use its on-board booster to step-up the voltage when plugging into one. This drastically limits your charging speed, however. I used a charger that could support 325 kW speeds and a car that could pull 360 kW of power, but my real-world max rate on that Supercharger was 83 kW. The car reported that a 12-80% charge would take 47 minutes at that speed. 

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

I don’t like to roleplay as someone who paid ninety G’s for Chevy Bolt charging speeds, so I moved on to an EVGo station. But like most 350- and 400-kW stations these days, that one was CCS and required an adapter.

Another potentially frustrating charging quirk of the GLC: the NACS port only works for DC fast charging. All AC charging goes through the car’s legacy J1772 port, which is the same slow-charging receptacle that traditional CCS EVs use. The idea is that former Mercedes EV owners won’t need to mess around with adapters or a new charging setup at home, but the unfortunate consequence is that you’ll need an adapter to use Tesla Destination Chargers or any AC NACS infrastructure.

2027 Mercedes GLC 400 Electric: What’s Good

By God this is a lovely car to drive. From the poise it exhibits on a winding backroad to the satisfying heft of its steering wheel, the GLC just feels like a Mercedes in the best way. I’ve driven it hard on the highway, slow on dirt, and fast through giant sand dunes (in a prototype) at this point, and it feels utterly unflappable in all situations.

The four-wheel-steering system on my tester made it ultra nimble as I trundled through national forest roads looking for camping spots. When I rejoined the main road, the 483-hp powertrain blurred my vision without seeming to upset the chassis one bit. As far as handling, ride, and tuning go, the GLC has every single gas crossover on sale utterly licked. It is so much more graceful than a gas-powered car in this class, as the beautiful scenery and serene cabin are not desecrated by a puttering two-liter engine. 

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

The only cars that hold a candle to the GLC are other modern software-defined luxury EVs. But competition there is getting stiff. Can I say the GLC is better on these roads than a Rivian R2, or more serene than a Volvo EX60, or as engaging as a BMW iX3? No, and not just because I haven’t driven the BMW, but because the Volvo and Rivian are also just shockingly great.

The GLC, R2, and EX60 have all blown me away in a way that few products have in my nine-year career testing cars. As fully rounded products, cars in this segment are just delightful in almost any context.

The BMW iX3 is a natural competitor to the GLC. I haven't driven one yet, but my coworkers have been blown away by the new BMW. 

Photo by: Radu Chindriș/BMW Romania

Mercedes tries to up the ante with more clever tech than its rivals, and in some ways is successful. The GLC is the first car I’ve driven to allow Dolby Atmos through Apple CarPlay, which really makes its beautiful Burmester stereo shine. Its electronically dimming roof is also thoughtfully divided, so you can “close” segments individually for a partially-opaque ceiling. There’s an AI-powered Hey Mercedes function, too, which uses ChatGPT, Gemini, Microsoft Bing AI, and the car’s internal AI agent to answer anything you ask. In my experience, it was pretty good at finding restaurants and charge stops, although it struggled if there were no results within a few miles.

Today’s car market is dominated by screens, and this is an area where Mercedes does not screw around. Basically the entire dashboard of my tester was taken up by the optional 39.1-inch Hyperscreen. It is a pillar-to-pillar unit that covers every surface in front of you, with a configurable, lovely little background animation that matches the ambient light profile. 

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

The screen looks great, offers a ton of functionality, and is pretty intuitive to use. There are some limitations and caveats that I’ll get to in the section below, but as a whole, it’s Mercedes’ best system yet, and one that left me (mostly) ok with the lack of physical controls.

2027 Mercedes GLC 400 Electric: What’s Bad?

Every car company seems to be moving more controls to the screen. Tesla has always been the worst offender overall, while Mercedes has been among the most aggressive traditional automakers. Even the company’s CEO admits that the industry may have gone too far.

The GLC is a product of that age of the industry. Everything is accessed via the touchscreen. And I mean everything. There’s no way to skip a track from the steering wheel or the center stack; you must tap the screen. That means the icon in question moves and disappears depending on on-screen context. So if you turn the volume down and go to skip a song, too bad, because the volume pop-up covers the skip-track button. 

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

The climate settings all live in the screen, too. I appreciated the persistent temperature controls pinned to the bottom rail , but my GLC tester was very slow to adjust fan speeds, so I found myself having to constantly dive into the climate menu to crank the A/C on hot days.

Those were the only real pain points during my week with the car. The GLC was otherwise lovely. Even those faults are easy to forgive. The only tough part is the pricing, because a lot of what I just described is optional.

Pile on the options, and the GLC can easily run you about as much as a Rivian R1S Premium Long Range ($90,990), as the my $89,270 tester demonstrated. Specs, size, and capability wise, though, it’s much closer in line to the R2 Performance ($59,485).

You can get a GLC 400 EV for a lot less than ninety grand. Pricing starts at just under $65,000, which still gives you those great range and charging figures, plus a nice interior and a few big screens. But a lot of the equipment is extra, and it adds up fast. My tester had the Pinnacle Plus Trim, which includes the light-up panoramic roof, the Digital Light virtual upgrade that enables matrix lights and projection capabilities in the headlights, cooled front seats, massaging front seats, the Hyperscreen, rear heated seats, and the Burmester stereo. But it costs a whopping $6,800, and is basically necessary if you want the GLC to feel a cut above a Rivian or a Tesla.

Indeed, my tester felt quieter, more luxurious, and more nicely appointed than a Tesla or Rivian, and in bright red looked more upscale, too. But it’s certainly not restrained, and it’s built for people who don’t mind spending more to get a luxury feel. 

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

Finally, I’ll say that the GLC’s MB.Drive system is supposed to match what Tesla offers eventually, but it’s not close now. For now, it maintains your set speed and position in the lane, with with automatic lane changes to navigate around traffic. It’ll handle stop-and-go traffic without issue, but doesn’t quite keep you in the lane on high-speed bends in the freeway. THe current form of MB.Drive is noticeably less smooth and competent than the legacy Mercedes system on the EQE and EQS, and not nearly as capable as Tesla FSD or General Motors Super Cruise.

That’s fine—nobody but Tesla offers supervised point-to-point assistance right now, and I’m not even sure that they should. But it sucks that the cutting-edge Mercedes EV feels behind its predecessors in this way. The company says that this stack will enable a huge leap forward in capability, but I’m also waiting to see what Mercedes delivers on the over-the-air front. 

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

2027 Mercedes GLC EV: Verdict

The Mercedes GLC 400 4Matic Electric is the best Mercedes EV yet. It’s more polished and upscale than the CLA while being more efficient and sophisticated than anything that’s come before. As this tech stack works its way into the E- and S-Class sedans and SUVs, Mercedes’ EVs are going to keep getting better.

This was an important one to get right. It lives at the heart of the luxury market, in a segment flush with new, strong competitors like the EX60, iX3, and R2. I can’t say it’s better than those cars, but with a great powertrain, a beautifully tuned chassis, excellent software, and solid tech, it’s another tremendous option in a class that’s quickly become a bright spot for the EV market. You may have to pay up for it, but you won’t regret it.

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2027 Mercedes-Benz GLC 400 4Matic Electric As-Tested Price$89,270 Base Price$64,950 EV Range350 (as tested), 380 (max) Battery94 kWh (usable) Charge Time15-80% in 20 minutes 30 seconds (tested) Drive TypeAll-wheel-drive Output483 hp / 590 lb-ft Speed 0-60 MPH4.2 seconds (MFR estimate)

]]> contact@insideevs.com (Mack Hogan) https://insideevs.com/reviews/808381/mercedes-glc/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/807569/toyota-bz-chr-woodland-ev-comparison-review/ Thu, 10 Sep 2026 20:15:33 +0000 I Drove All The New Toyota EVs. Here’s My Pick—And How To Choose The Toyota bZ, C-HR, and bZ Woodland all share the same bones. I drove them all to find the best value.

Toyota's EV timing has been a bit counterintuitive. When electric car sales were booming and the federal tax credit sweetened the deal, the automaker crawled through the transition with just one so-so model, the bZ4x. Now that the incentive is gone and EV sales have cooled, Toyota suddenly has three new or refreshed models to sell, plus more on the way.

The strategy is working. In the first quarter of this year, the bZ was America's best-selling non-Tesla EV, thanks to big range and charging improvements. It's also no longer the automaker's sole battery-powered model, now joined by the smaller C-HR and the wagon-like bZ Woodland. The broader lineup helped push Toyota's U.S. EV sales up 225% in the second quarter. 

The Toyota-faithful now have more capable electric options to choose from than ever before. But which one should you pick?

2026 Toyota bZ Woodland

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

2026 Toyota C-HR

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

2026 Toyota bZ

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari Photos by: Suvrat Kothari

I've tested all three, and there are some obvious and some not-so-obvious differences that set them apart. 

Buyer needs will obviously differ, so let's break down the key differences to help you find the right fit. My pick of the bunch is the all-wheel-drive bZ XLE, and I'll explain why as we go.

Toyota bZ, bZ Woodland, & C-HR: Pricing & Basics

The three EVs share underlying technology but cater toward slightly different buyers. The bZ leans toward value in the hot crossover segment. It's a direct competitor to popular EVs like the Tesla Model Y and Hyundai Ioniq 5. The C-HR is compact, with a slightly sportier feel. The bZ Woodland is the biggest and most adventure-oriented of the bunch. 

Base pricing, including destination charges, is as follows: $36,495 for the bZ, $38,695 for the C-HR, and $46,975 for the bZ Woodland. 

Toyota EV Range: bZ, bZ Woodland, & C-HR Compared

Underneath, all three EVs are very similar. They’re manufactured in Japan on the same e-TNGA platform which is now more capable than the pre-rebrand bZ4x.

All share the same 74.7-kilowatt-hour nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery. The bZ delivers up to 314 miles of EPA-rated range, the C-HR is good for 287 miles, and the bZ Woodland tops out at 280 miles. The entry-level bZ also offers a smaller 57.7-kWh battery good for 236 miles.

  Toyota bZ Toyota C-HR Toyota bZ Woodland Starting price, with destination $36,495 $38,675 $46,975 EPA Range 236-314 miles 287 miles 280 miles (260 on all-terrain tires) Battery 74.7 kWh (57.7 kWh on base) 74.7 kWh 74.7 kWh Charging 10-80%  Under 30 mins Under 30 mins Under 30 mins Drivetrain FWD or AWD AWD AWD Horsepower 165 (base), 221 (FWD, large battery), 338 (AWD)  338 hp 375 hp Cargo space (cu-ft) 27.7  25.3  33.8 Ground clearance (inches) 8.1  8.0 8.4

Both the C-HR and bZ Woodland get standard all-wheel drive. If you'd rather have front-wheel drive (and the associated efficiency gain), Toyota offers it on the bZ with both the small and the large battery. So does Subaru on the Uncharted, the C-HR's mechanical twin. 

Efficiency & Charging Speed

The good news is, unlike the old bZ4x, model year 2026 and 2027 Toyota EVs get upgraded batteries and drive motors that make them more efficient in the real world. I observed well over 3.0 miles per kilowatt-hour on all three EVs in mixed city and highway driving. In the city, the C-HR and bZ Woodland even touched 5.0 miles per kWh over short distances before settling into the 3.5 to 4.0 mile-per-kWh range on longer drives and highway stretches.

Take those efficiency numbers with a grain of salt, though. I did most of my driving in summer conditions when battery cells are at their happiest. In colder weather here in the Northeast, we saw a maximum of 2.7 miles per kWh on the bZ during a winter test in upstate New York. Your own numbers will vary depending on climate, driving style, road conditions, and more.

Charging speeds are consistent among the three EVs. According to Toyota, they all charge from 10% to 80% in roughly 30 minutes, a big improvement over the old bZ4x, which took nearly an hour to do the same.

2026 Toyota C-HR charging at an Ionna station in Pennsylvania.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

2026 Toyota bZ Woodland charging at an Ionna station in New Jersey.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari Photos by: Suvrat Kothari

In my own real-world charging test at an Ionna station, the C-HR went from 15-80% in 26 minutes, adding nearly 200 miles of range in that time. A 15-100% charge took 48 minutes. The bZ Woodland went from 12% to 80% in 28 minutes and 12% to 100% in 46 minutes, also at an Ionna station and in similar weather conditions. 

All three support Plug & Charge at select networks through the Toyota app, though you'll want to read the fine print to see exactly which networks qualify. Toyota has instructions on its website to help you navigate that.

Toyota EVs: How Do They Drive?

The C-HR is the most fun to drive of the three. Standard all-wheel drive and 338 horsepower launches it to 60 miles per hour in a claimed 4.9 seconds, and it accelerates with puppy-dog energy. Switch off traction control and stomp the pedal, and you'll feel the front tires momentarily break loose like a hot hatch. It also stays planted in corners with minimal body roll.

The 338 hp, all-wheel-drive bZ is no slouch either, with strong off-the-line performance. The 221 hp, front-wheel-drive trim also felt plenty quick in our limited testing last year, and this is the version with over 300 miles of range. If you want to maximize fun though, you'll want the AWD.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

The bZ Woodland is the most powerful of the bunch with 375 hp, and it sure feels that way from behind the wheel. It accelerates ferociously and keeps building speed even beyond 70 mph without tapering off.

However, its extra length and weight shows up in corners, with slightly more noticeable body roll over the other two EVs here. The bZ Woodland's 4,497-pound curb weight is 131 pounds more than the C-HR and 264 pounds more than the bZ. It's also more than a foot longer than the C-HR and 5.6 inches longer than the bZ. 

But it's not a dealbreaker at all. That extra size pays off in interior space and cargo room (more on that below). And the e-TNGA platform delivers pretty solid chassis dynamics across the Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru lineup. EVs built on it don't feel nearly as porky as, say, GM's Ultium-based crossovers like the Chevy Equinox EV and Blazer EV.

2026 Toyota bZ Woodland

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

Ride quality varies substantially across the three. The bZ is the most comfort biased, with a soft suspension setup that delivers an excellent ride in the city. The C-HR felt slightly stiff for my taste, with lateral jolts filtering into the cabin over larger bumps, though it feels more planted as speeds rise. 

What the C-HR and bZ do share is a tendency toward loud, clunky thuds over expansion joints, which makes the ride feel a touch unrefined. Then again, it's more pronounced on bad roads. If the pavement where you live is in better shape, you'll likely notice it less than I did.

Purely in terms of ride quality and overall performance, the bZ Woodland was my favorite. With longer suspension travel, all-terrain tires with thick sidewalls, and 8.4 inches of ground clearance, you can bulldoze through bad roads without slowing down. The spring rate and damping are excellent too, soaking up bumps easily. And the side-to-side jolts are far less pronounced on the bZ Woodland compared to its siblings.  

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

While it's no Land Cruiser, the Woodland is also the most off-road capable of the three. It comes with Snow, Dirt, and Mud driving modes, which adjust the vehicle's traction management and torque distribution to help you claw out of low grip situations. I didn't get a chance to test the bZ Woodland off-road myself, but Senior Editor Tim Levin did, and he said the EV tackled rut-filled dirt roads and off-camber sections like a champ.

The bZ AWD also gets the X-Mode setting with the exact same drive modes as the bZ Woodland. So the wagon's advantage is really narrow here, coming down to the extra ground clearance, all-terrain tires, and the extra room inside. I was able to tackle some pretty serious trails on the Subaru Solterra—the bZ's mechanical twin—in Colorado last year, and came away impressed with it.

Interior And Technology

The dashboards across all three EVs are practically indistinguishable. Each gets the same standard 14-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, the same steering wheel, the same digital gauge cluster, the same rotary gear knob, and an identical overall cabin design.

2026 Toyota bZ Woodland interior

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

I'd characterize the infotainment experience as "fine." The systems are a bit laggy, and they aren't nearly as slick or packed with useful features as, say, a Tesla. I'll also note that the software experience wasn't exactly consistent during my testing. 

While the infotainment generally works well, the bZ Woodland randomly refused to play music via Bluetooth or connect to wireless Android Auto on a few occasions. Embarrassingly, I ended up doing an hour-long drive with my buddies without our favorite music, and had to fall back on Google Maps on my phone since the car's native navigation suggested a different, longer route. 

These EVs run Toyota's older-generation software. None of them get the company’s latest Arene software platform which you'll find in the new RAV4 and the Lexus ES. Arene brings a slicker, more responsive touchscreen, customizable widgets, over-the-air updates for both ADAS, and infotainment, a built-in dashcam, and more.

A Toyota spokesperson previously told InsideEVs that the bZ, C-HR, and bZ Woodland lack the hardware and software architecture needed to support Arene, meaning they'll likely need a major model-year update before they can get it.

The gauge cluster on the Toyota EVs gets blocked by the top of the steering, a persistent issue ever since the first bZ4x rolled out in 2022.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

The three EVs also share another common problem, one that's persisted since the bZ4x's debut in 2022. The digital gauge cluster is pushed way back towards the windshield. The result is that, for many drivers (including myself) it's blocked by the top of the steering wheel. So key information like range and speed isn't easily visible without bobbing my neck up and down like an ostrich. I like a low, tucked in driving position, and the gauge cluster's positioning is especially unfriendly to that. Many people find it a non-issue, but I hope Toyota rethinks it in a future update.

In terms of cabin space, the bZ Woodland is the roomiest of the three, which comes as no surprise given it's also the largest. It has the most spacious back seat and 33.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind it, well ahead of the bZ's 27.7 cu-ft and the C-HR's 25.3 cu-ft. The bZ is plenty roomy too, with ample head- and shoulder room for tall adults in the back. I’m 5'7" and didn't have any issues in the C-HR, but taller adults will find its rear seat cramped, with noticeably less legroom and headroom.

2026 Toyota bZ Woodland

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

2026 Toyota C-HR

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

2026 Toyota bZ

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari Photos by: Suvrat Kothari

Verdict

None of these three EVs are class leading, but they're good enough for the average EV buyer. Paired with Toyota's brand reputation, "good enough" might be a sensible short-term play until EV demand rebounds in the U.S. and competition meaningfully grows.

The C-HR’s stiffer ride and higher starting price than the roomier bZ make it a dealbreaker for me. If money were no object, the bZ Woodland would take the win. It has the best ride quality, the most charming design, and tons of room inside. But it's also $10,000 more expensive than the bZ.

Which is why the bZ ends up as the value pick here. The XLE front-wheel-drive plus trim, with the larger battery, delivers 314 miles of EPA range and costs nearly the same as the base C-HR. Going all-wheel drive adds another couple grand but will give you a lot more oomph from behind the wheel—338 hp—and the same off-road settings as the bZ Woodland.

2026 Toyota bZ

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

2026 Toyota C-HR

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari Photos by: Suvrat Kothari

If you want something fancier, the more premium Lexus RZ and ES are worth a look, and we've reviewed both here at InsideEVs. Note that Subaru also offers near-identical versions with the Solterra, Uncharted, and Trailseeker with a few minor trim-level differences. Want something bigger? Toyota will launch the three-row Highlander EV early next year. 

Contact the author: suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com

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]]> contact@insideevs.com (Suvrat Kothari) https://insideevs.com/reviews/807569/toyota-bz-chr-woodland-ev-comparison-review/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/807593/jeep-recon-moab-first-drive/ Wed, 09 Sep 2026 04:01:00 +0000 The All-Electric Jeep Recon Beats The Wrangler In One Key Way. But It's Still Flawed. The Recon is far more happy on the road than any Wrangler. But it’s still a Jeep EV, and that’s a big caveat.

This is the first real electric Jeep. Sure, the Wagoneer S arrived in 2024 to a critical shrug, but that was a high-performance, on-road luxury vehicle—more Range Rover than Wrangler. The Recon Moab, though, rides on gnarly 33-inch tires, gets a locking differential, and offers an open-roof, no-doors experience. It’s pure Jeep.

For better, and for worse.

After driving it around Sonoma County wine country in California, here’s what I liked about the Recon, and why I’m still a bit skeptical.

2026 Jeep Recon: Design & Overview

You can spot it 50 yards out. While the Wagoneer S could be mistaken for just about any modern electric crossover, the Recon’s broad stance, squared-off design, and prominent rear-mounted spare tire betray its origins. Currently available only in Moab guise—the EV equivalent of the hardcore Rubicon trim, it seems—the Recon looks fit for purpose.  

Much of that is clever design work. The Recon rides on the same STLA Large platform as the Wagoneer S and the Dodge Charger, but with independent suspension at all four corners. Sharing roots with a muscle car suggests this isn’t quite the pure-bred Wrangler alternative that some may assume, but that’s ok. 

The Recon shares its platform, battery, and many parts with the more road-oriented Wagoneer S (pictured).

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

The Wrangler has solid front and rear axles, which are great for off-road wheeling but terrible for on-road ride and handling, and brutal for steering. It’s a compromised machine designed for one purpose.

The Recon is more of a multi-tool. With an electro-mechanical locking rear differential, a variety of terrain modes and tools, 9.1 inches of clearance, and great angles (33.8-degree approach, 33.1-degree departure, and 23.3-degree breakover), it’s certainly up for any forest road or field you’ll point it towards. But roll through the gates at an off-road park and you’ll find yourself outmatched by Wranglers, Broncos, and trucks—really anything with solid axles and a more flexible body. 

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

The payoff is clear, though: The Recon’s 670 horsepower output suggests that it’s a bit more comfortable with speed than your average off-roader. With 620 lb-ft of twist, it can notch a 0-60 sprint in just 3.6 seconds. That’ll leave any Wrangler watching your spare tire as you blast away. Combined with a proper rack-and-pinion steering system, a less creaky body, and less wallowy suspension, the Recon looks to be a lot more capable on tarmac.

So it can venture plenty far off pavement and go plenty fast on it. But every multi-tool has its weak point. The Recon Moab offers 222 miles of range from its 100.5 kWh battery, so it won’t go too far on the highway. 

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

Right there I can feel readers closing the page. But stick with me. The number was the elephant in the room at the event. My fellow automotive journalists and I chewed over the issue at dinner: Is that really enough for a $66,995 vehicle? In 2026? Many seemed offended or surprised.

I was not one of them. I’ve owned a four-wheel-drive vehicle on 33s before. It burned fuel quicker than an open pyre. There’s a mechanical truth here. A boxy, upright vehicle on knobby all-terrain tires must be bludgeoned forward with an exorbitant amount of energy if you want to maintain 70 mph. Expect the Recon to go less than 200 miles between stops when cruising at 70 and not quite running to 0%. At least charging happens quickly: Jeep says the Recon can juice from 10-80% in just 23 minutes.

Longer-range, more street-oriented trims are coming to assuage range concerns. But the main hope is that the easily removable doors and capable off-road performance will help you overlook the poor road-trip performance and steep starting price, which is about $17,000 North of a Wrangler Rubicon. Does it deliver? 

Jeep says this is its first trail-capable EV.

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

2026 Jeep Recon: Driving, Performance, & Off-Road

The second we left downtown Healdsburg, CA, I could tell that this was no Wrangler. The traditional Jeep’s solid axles necessitate the use of an older, sloppier steering system, the steering box. While the solid axle has advantages off-road, the steering box is much less precise than a more modern rack-and-pinion setup. If you’ve ever wondered why you have to steer constantly just to keep a Wrangler straight on the highway, that’s why.

The Recon gets a road-oriented independent front suspension and a modern steering system, and it’s transformative. It is the first knobby-tired Jeep I’ve driven that isn’t a chore on fast, straight roads. It’s precise and easy to handle.

Just don’t forget it’s still on chunky all-terrains, has more torque than a McLaren F1, and weighs 6,112 pounds. Despite the sharper steering the Recon is still a big, tall, truck riding on rubber that’s ill-suited to on-road performance. In light rain, at less than 30% throttle and with all of the safety assists on, it still tried to slide out on me on a tight highway onramp. 

The Recon can ford through two feet of standing water.

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

While newly minted Jeep CEO Branden Coté told us the Recon is part “race car,” that’s pure marketing speak. If anything, it’s more like a classic Dodge muscle car, in that it’s riotously fast off the line but sloppy in the corners. The truck never fully settles down when going hard, with every bump and lean reverberating through its chassis.

It handles pavement better than any Wrangler. But don’t let the 670 hp figure fool you. You won’t be chasing any Rivians to the trail.

You’ll be comfortable enough, though. The Recon is pretty quiet and, in my case, was free of substantial rattles. The ride is perfectly acceptable on the highway, easily trouncing a Wrangler or a Bronco, and there’s always enough power. It’s perfectly at home on long interstate cruises and two-lane highway slogs. Even if the going gets twisty, you’d rather be in a Recon than just about anything with a frame.

Slow down and the shine wears off. Much like the Wagoneer S and Charger Daytona before it, the Recon has janky low-speed throttle and regen calibration. Rolling from 10 mph down to 0 is uncomfortable in any mode, and precise throttle control below 5 mph is tricky business. At its worst it feels binary, the throttle giving either too much or nothing at all. This is made worse by the confusing regen brake settings. 

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

The vehicle has separate settings for how aggressively it regenerates energy off-throttle and for whether “creep” is on or off. You can toggle regen to high or low, and creep on and off. But while the “high regen” setting in many EVs enables one-pedal mode, in the Jeep it’s turning creep off that enables one-pedal mode. Unfortunately it isn’t very good at this, grabbing the brakes with far too much force at low speeds and jerking your head forward.

The Recon is best experienced with regen set to low and creep on. It’s bizarre with high regen and creep, and awkward with low regen and no creep. This all serves as a reminder that Jeep is much more comfortable tuning for gas car fans than EV enthusiasts.

This was troublesome in the Wagoneer S, but I find it more annoying in the Recon. This is a vehicle built for off-roading, and all real off-roading happens below 10 mph. Precise throttle control is essential and was, in my brief experience, lacking here. Over a small rock garden Jeep set up for us, the Recon bucked heavily, even when I used its off-road cruise control. I didn’t find its ride or powertrain calibration to be too reassuring on the course.  

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

I didn't get nearly as much time as I would've liked to test it out, though, as much of the off-road course Jeep set up got shut down due to heavier-than-expected rain. Other journalists also seemed less annoyed by the throttle than I was, so take that as you will. Even still, the course was enough to prove that the Recon can handle some gnarly bits, plus two feet of standing water, so it was valuable.

I didn’t do enough testing to prove it but, with a mechanical rear locker and a 15:1 final drive ratio, I fully expect the Recon to out-climb the Rivian R2 when the going gets steep. But the R2 is more precise and better on the road, so it’s a tradeoff.

2026 Jeep Recon: Interior & Tech

The Recon’s interior is utilitarian yet upscale. There’s a thick, solid grab handle for the passenger, a bulky drive selector, a solid switch for the locker and off-road modes, and plenty of light regardless of whether you get the (standard) dual-pane moonroof or the sliding retractable soft top. The seats are comfortable enough, and all of the cabin materials are quite nice for the segment. 

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

Then there are the Jeep touches. The doors can each be removed in less than a minute, with zero tools, as can the rear quarter windows and rear windshield. You can drop in little mirrors in the door mounting points, as the normal side mirrors are mounted to the doors themselves. Plus, Jeep included a locking center console to secure any important items when you’re going door-free. Easter eggs of little Jeeps and Recons abound.

But the center of it all is, as ever, a large touchscreen. The Recon gets a 14.5-inch central screen running Uconnect 5, Stellantis’ latest system. It’s flanked by a 12.3-inch driver display. Both screens were quick, well-designed, and clear. But the system’s EV-specific features are either underbaked or missing.

The efficiency display is indecipherable, as I noted in my Wagoneer S review, displaying both miles per kWh and “charge” (on a scale of -2 to 2?) on the Y axis and time (by week) on the X axis. No clue. Then there’s the fact that the on-board navigation doesn’t automatically add chargers. If you do look for them, it tends to treat Level 2 chargers as good road trip stops, which is silly. Factor in the vagueness about creep, plus the inability of the car to tell you how much battery you’ll have upon arrival, and it all starts to feel like the team just doesn’t know or care much about the EV experience. 

There will be more street-oriented trims of the Recon, including this Overland model. The smaller tires should improve range, and a lower price should improve the Recon's value proposition. Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

That’s a shame, because the rest of the software and interior experience are nice. I don’t love having all of my climate controls in the screen, but in the Recon at least they are persistent software buttons, and easy to quickly adjust. It could use a back button, to be sure, but for most users I think the tech is perfectly adequate.

Early Verdict: Who Is The Jeep Recon For?

I hope I’m not surprising anyone when I say that the Jeep Recon is not the best EV on sale. It’s my favorite EV Jeep makes, sure, but it’s still an early attempt from a brand that’s far from all-in on electrification. Hell, the company is planning to drop a gas motor into this bad boy.

With its middling stats, questionable launch timing, and high price, I expected to dislike the Recon. I didn’t. The awful low-speed throttle and bouncy ride of the Wagoneer S made me hate it. Yet in the Recon, I was willing to overlook these flaws because I was driving something that felt authentic, fun, and unmistakably Jeep. Say what you will about the brand; it still makes some of the most charming products in the business. 

The Recon looks great with its doors off and the optional wheels.

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

Atop those sits the Wrangler, a car that I have always loved as an outdoors enthusiast and always hated as a driving enthusiast. I would prefer not to daily drive or road trip a vehicle with solid axles, and I certainly don’t like riding in one on bumpy trails.

The Recon solves that for me. It gives me the same captivating styling and open-air vibes as a Wrangler without the unacceptable road manners. It offers all the doors-off, lockers-on fun of a Wrangler on a gnarly road without the painful awareness that you’re getting 15 mpg.

It’s a compelling pitch. But for $67,000, I want a polished, well-thought-out product. The Recon is the first Jeep EV to get close to that, but it’s not all the way there.

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]]> contact@insideevs.com (Mack Hogan) https://insideevs.com/reviews/807593/jeep-recon-moab-first-drive/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/806194/bmw-ix-ownership-lease-buyout/ Wed, 26 Aug 2026 16:52:39 +0000 I Leased A BMW iX For Three Years. Here’s Why I Ended Up Buying It Out I thought the iX would be a short-term commitment. But I wasn't ready to give it up.

A lease is a great way to sample a new car without making a true commitment. You get to live with the thing for 12 or 24 or 36 months and, no matter how many problems it has, no matter how badly it depreciates, you're never going to be out more than you expected. You won't have to worry about selling the thing, either.

That was partly my mindset in engaging 36 months of non-committal partnership with a 2024 BMW iX xDrive50. If you haven't followed along with the updates, my wife and I got a sweet lease deal back when there was still a federal rebate to be enjoyed, and I figured that in three years the market would be ripe enough to move on to something even sweeter.

Little did I know that we would become so enamored of the thing we'd decide to keep it.  

Current Competition

As predicted, there is indeed no shortage of choice EVs on the market these days, not the least of which being BMW's own iX3. With over 400 miles on a charge and a starting price at around $60,000, it's an extremely compelling alternative to a lightly used iX. Doubly so because we really don't need the extra room of BMW's bigger and now sadly discontinued SUV.

Why, then, are we keeping the iX? For starters, we've had it for three years now, covered 29,301 miles (coming dangerously close to our 30,000-mile lease cap), and had exactly zero serious problems other than a lone tire puncture—something we can't really blame the car for. I'm certainly not expecting the iX3 to be a lemon, but I also wouldn't be surprised if a wholly new machine on a wholly new platform has a few teething problems. 

The BMW iX3.

Photo by: Radu Chindriș/BMW Romania

Secondly, we've never found our iX lacking in range. Now that we're in the temperate part of the year here in New York, it routinely shows over 300 miles of estimated range when charged at 80 percent, which is as high as we typically juice it. BMW's in-car range estimates continue to be remarkably accurate, and according to BMW's data report, the car still has 99 kWh of capacity out of 105 kWh usable when the SUV was new. That's only around 5% degradation, which is solid for a three-year-old vehicle. 

That means north of 350 miles on a full charge in the summer, easily out-pacing our SUV's 307-mile EPA rating three full years after it first hit the road. We're averaging an efficiency of 3.4 mi/kWh this month, still above the official 2.9 rating. 

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This past winter, that efficiency went as low as 2.0 mi/kWh in January, but as anyone in the Northeast will tell you, this was a cold one, with extended periods well below freezing. By March, when temperatures started normalizing, our efficiency was already up to 2.6 mi/kWh.

Beyond all that, though our iX does without adaptive suspension, we're still quite happy with the ride quality on the 20-inch tires. And while I appreciate the tech-focused interior reboot of the iX3, it's definitely a step down from an overall design standpoint from the iX. 

Finally, while we don't necessarily need the extra room of the iX, now that our puppy is over 70 pounds, the extra volume to haul all his toys and accessories around is certainly appreciated.

I still love the interior of our iX. 

Dislikes

What haven't we liked about the iX? There hasn't been much. Again, we've had no real mechanical issues, and we haven't had to worry about bringing it in for recalls, either. It's been almost entirely trouble-free.

We do wish that BMW had added some sort of equivalent for a Dog Mode or camping mode or the like. Our SUV continues to turn itself off the second the driver steps out of the door, an annoyance if you're just jumping out to grab the mail at the end of the driveway, and the rear windows only go down about halfway, which means even our decidedly lanky pooch has to strain to put his snoot in the breeze. 

Photo by: Tim Stevens/InsideEVs

The most unfortunate thing, though, is how tire-hungry it's proven. In late 2024, after a little over a year, we swapped the stock tires out for a set of all-weather Remedy WRG5 tires from Nokian. They were a huge improvement over the stock rubber in inclement conditions. But, 20 months and roughly 20,000 miles later, the rear tire tread depth measured just 2/32, while the fronts were down to 4/32.

The Nokians were flagged as inadequate as part of the Certified Pre-Owned inspection we went through in buying our iX out of lease. While I probably could have gotten a few more months out of them had I been more proactive about rotating them, they still wouldn't have passed that inspection, which requires BMW star-stamped tires to be capital-C Certified.

The relatively porky iX really needs proper snow tires during our winters.

Photo by: Tim Stevens/InsideEVs

Thankfully, I found a set of Bridgestone Alenza tires on sale that have the necessary mark and will do well for the summer months, leaving me now to figure out a new cold-weather solution for the coming winter. The iX, as heavy as it is, really needs something more grippy than your average all-season when driving in even light snow.

Future Plans

Now that the car is officially ours, not just temporarily, we're actually looking forward to using it even more. We knew we'd be very close on that lease mileage cap, so we've been treading somewhat lightly this year. With fears of prohibitive per-mile fees behind us, we'll be doing even more road tripping.

I'm also hoping to put a trailer hitch on the back of the thing, something that's only been intermittently available on the American iX, and wasn't installed on ours. Thankfully, there are plenty of non-BMW options on the market now. Even a basic option should do just fine for carrying my bike rack and pulling our little utility trailer. 

Photo by: Tim Stevens/InsideEVs

We've also been toying with the idea of getting a vinyl wrap to give us a break from the stormtrooper look, but given the sheer size of this thing I fear that may be a bit more cash than we're willing to drop for aesthetics.

I'm sure we'll have to pay up for a NACS adapter eventually too, but beyond that, we'll see where it takes us. I've been hugely impressed by both the iX3 and the upcoming i3, and I wouldn't be surprised if one of those two isn't in our future, especially on the second-hand market. But whenever you buy a used car, you always have to wonder just how well the previous owner treated it.

In this case, we were lucky to know exactly how the previous owners managed this iX. They loved it, and with any luck we'll continue doing the same.

Tim Stevens is a veteran editor, analyst, and expert in the tech and automotive industries. He helmed CNET's automotive coverage for nine years and acted as Vice President of Content. Prior to that, Tim served as Editor-in-Chief at Engadget and even led a previous life as an Enterprise Software Architect. Follow Tim on X at @tim_stevens and catch his Substack.

]]> contact@insideevs.com (Tim Stevens) https://insideevs.com/reviews/806194/bmw-ix-ownership-lease-buyout/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/805609/2027-bolt-ev-affordable-car-review/ Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:53:30 +0000 2027 Chevy Bolt Review: Do Americans Really Want Cheap EVs? It’s a good car at a great price. But there’s a reason Americans don’t buy cars like this.

EV evangelists and pundits have begged for more affordable options. We cried when the Chevy Bolt went away, and cheered when General Motors announced it was coming back. It arrived earlier this year to great reviews.

The sales results speak for themselves: We’re delusional.

Chevy sold just 4,224 Bolts in the first six months of the year. The company moved 16,249 examples of the more expensive Equinox EV, for example. And while it wasn’t on sale until January, with volume deliveries coming later, it’s hard to imagine this is purely a supply issue. Chevy has already announced the end of Bolt production, with the factory being retooled to produce gas-powered SUVs instead.

This follows a similar pattern we’ve seen with affordable EVs in this market, from the Nissan Leaf and the first-gen Bolt to the Hyundai Kona EV and Kia Niro EV. None of these cars have matched their more expensive, more opulent siblings on the sales charts in recent years, despite people claiming that EVs are too expensive.

So what gives? I spent a week with the 2027 Chevy Bolt to find out. I liked it, but I’m not surprised that most Americans spurn cars in this segment.

They Fixed (Most Of) Its Problems

I am particularly interested in the new Bolt because of what it represents. The previous-generation Bolt was often struck from shoppers’ lists due to its poor charging performance, making it unfit for any rushed road trips. This was the same problem the previous Nissan Leaf faced, along with its outdated charging connector.

But by 2027, both vehicles have competitive, 150-kW peak charging rates. The Bolt now charges quicker than any of the other GM EVs, and while its 262 miles of EPA range still lands on the low side of normal, it’s good enough.

The old Bolt also lacked solid route-planning capabilities and used old technology. The new one gets leftovers from GM’s Ultium bag of bits, with native Google Maps, support for Gemini AI, Apple Music streaming, and even video streaming when parked. Maps and audio services are included for eight years, though after that you’ll need a subscription to keep using them. CarPlay and Android Auto are not available. 

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

The interior has also grown more practical. There are more cubbies, more shelves, more places to cram your stuff. Everything looks a bit nicer, too.

In fact, GM has systemically addressed most of the reasons that Americans scorn small cars. The Bolt offers Super Cruise and 360-degree cameras and all of the apps you’d expect in a modern, mass-market car. It has plenty of power—210 horses, to be specific—and is instantly responsive. It gets a Tesla-style NACS port and route planning and plug and charge.

It is not slow or under-equipped or behind the times. It is everything you need.

Why Isn’t It More Popular?

The 2027 Bolt starts at $28,995 and includes everything you really need. Super Cruise and leatherette seating costs more, but the base Bolt is the exact kind of practical, simple family hatchback that European and Asian buyers love. Chevy lifted it a bit and started calling it an SUV—as Nissan did with the Leaf—but fundamentally this is a front-wheel-drive economy hatchback. 

The interior is solid for its class, but it still feels like an economy car.

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

It’s a super practical formula. There’s enough leg room out back to comfortably use it as a rideshare vehicle, which makes extra sense considering how cheap it is to run. Its small size makes it hyper efficient, easily delivering nearly 4.0 miles per kWh and requiring no real maintenance besides occasional tire rotations and replacements. It is the definition of reasonable.

But Americans don’t want their cars to be reasonable. They want ‘em big. While Germany is full of Volkswagen Golfs, America is ruled by the Toyota RAV4 and Ford F-150. The best-selling model of just about every brand these days is a compact (really midsize) SUV with all-wheel drive. Delivering family SUV practicality with solid range seems far the cheapest price seems to be a more successful formula.

That’s why—in America—the Equinox EV outperforms the Bolt in the rankings, why the Hyundai Ioniq 5 always outsells the Kona, and why the Ioniq 6 is dead. It’s why the Tesla Model Y was the world’s best-selling vehicle, not the Model 3, and why it was unseated by the Rav4.

That segment is clearly the sweet spot for many car buyers. SUVs above this size class are often too expensive to match their volumes; smaller SUVs and sedans are not as desirable to vast swaths of American consumers. 

Chevy markets the Bolt as an SUV, but I consider it a hatchback.

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

Americans do want more affordable options. But they don’t seem too eager to settle for a sedan or a smaller crossover.

I can see why. Within five minutes of driving, my fiancé called out the Bolt’s Achilles heel. Its seats are thin, narrow, and under-cushioned. Combined with the short wheelbase, it makes the car bouncier and less comfortable than the Equinox or Blazer EVs. It’s less composed over bumps and far less roomy, pushing you against the doors. It’s louder, too, as the wind howls on the highway.

Its entire purpose is to be cheaper than larger, more luxurious options, and it accomplishes that goal. Even with options, you’re spending around $35,000 to get a nice one, with all the tech you’d ever need. That’s a lot less than you’d spend on an equally equipped Equinox EV or Ioniq 5.

But it feels cheaper. You’re packed in tighter, in a less comfortable seat, in an interior with rougher materials. It’s small, and it’s front-wheel-drive. These are perfectly good compromises to make to drive down the price. 

The problem is that American buyers don’t seem ready to compromise, at least not yet. Though it’s hard to know how much dealer behavior and automaker production volumes factor in here, it’s clear that car buyers overwhelmingly prefer to buy slightly larger vehicles, and they typically demand all-wheel drive.

I can hardly blame them: I chose a used AWD Blazer EV over a new Bolt because I use it for off-pavement adventures, and love the spacious and comfortable seats for road trips. I could absolutely have made a Bolt work for my lifestyle. But I’m like most Americans: I buy more than I need.

For the smarter among us, the Bolt remains an excellent option. But if you want a new one, act fast. The low-volume hatchback factory is being retooled to build—you guessed it—larger, gas-powered Equinox SUVs. 

Kia Just Revealed EV3 Pricing. It's Even Cheaper Than We Expected
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The New Chevy Bolt Was Driven Until It Died. Here’s What Its Battery Buffer Looks Like
I Drove The 2027 Chevy Bolt. I Loved All The Storage Space But Its Cheap-Feeling Interior Was Underwhelming

]]> contact@insideevs.com (Mack Hogan) https://insideevs.com/reviews/805609/2027-bolt-ev-affordable-car-review/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/804226/2027-kia-telluride-hybrid-outclassed-by-ev9/ Thu, 13 Aug 2026 16:00:00 +0000 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid Review: Outclassed By The EV9? The second-generation Telluride adds hybrid power with many EV-like features.

While Toyota continues to be America’s undisputed hybrid vehicle sales leader, Kia has also been capitalizing on the hybrid boom. The Korean carmaker keeps setting U.S. sales records courtesy of its growing hybrid lineup, which now also includes the flagship Telluride. After spending a week with it, I'm convinced this is the best Telluride yet.

It's smoother, quicker, and more efficient than the first-gen model. With the engine now paired with a small battery and a pair of electric motors, the Telluride Hybrid makes more horsepower and torque while burning far less fuel. It's also bigger inside and out, with a sharper, boxier design that suits it well. As three-row hybrid SUVs go, the Telluride is about as good as they get.  

There's just one problem. Kia already builds something even better. The all-electric three-row EV9 is better packaged, even more refined, and delivers a far better driving experience. But the EV9 costs substantially more than the Telluride Hybrid, which makes the hybrid SUV the better value among the two.

[Full Disclosure: Kia loaned me the Telluride Hybrid for a week in New York City for this road test and paid for fuel and tolls.]

2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid Design

The old model's rounded corners have given way to sharper, more upright lines that make the hybrid SUV look boxier and more imposing. There's even a hint of Range Rover in the way the creases wrap around the taillamps.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

Most trims get a glossy grille, but my SX Prestige X-Line tester came with a rugged mesh-style design. It gets a squared-off lower bumper, black wheel arch cladding, skid plates at both ends, and raised roof rails, all of which give it a more commanding stance. The 21-inch gloss black wheels wrapped in 265/45 Kumho tires fit the squared-off design well. In a market where buyers want their SUVs to project confidence, the Telluride absolutely looks the part.

2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid Powertrain And Performance

The first-generation Telluride's thirsty 3.8-liter V6 is replaced by a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a parallel hybrid system. It gets a 1.65-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery and a pair of electric motors. Kia claims this latest-generation hybrid system is more powerful and more efficient than the 1.6-liter turbo hybrid powertrain on the Sorento and Sportage.

Instead of using a belt-driven electric motor mounted outside the transmission, Kia has now integrated both motors inside the transmission to eliminate frictional losses. It also replaced the engine-driven alternator and A/C compressor with electrically powered ones, further improving efficiency. The e-motor itself is thinner and more power-dense than before, opening up room for a new dual-spring transmission damper to better absorb vibrations.

The combined output on the hybrid is 329 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque, up 38 hp and 77 lb-ft over the first-gen model. Power goes to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. There’s also a non-hybrid Telluride costing about $7,000 less, but it’s also less powerful with just 274 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. 

Out in the real world, a gentle squeeze of the throttle sends the Telluride forward with urgency, thanks to the instant torque from the electric motors. That initial rush of torque fades as the gas engine kicks in, after which power delivery is smooth but unremarkable. The hybrid system masks that 5,000-pound curb weight, making highway speeds pretty effortless.

There's no EV-style shove-in-the-back response beyond that initial surge, but it doesn't need one. The linear power delivery feels better suited to the Telluride. Around town, the electric motors constantly harvest energy from braking to drive mostly in EV mode. That made navigating New York City's narrow streets surprisingly easy. On the highway, the Telluride felt brisk and comfortable.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

I observed 30 miles per gallon in highway-heavy driving in Sport mode, which really isn't terrible for something with the aerodynamic prowess of a refrigerator. Even though that’s lower than the EPA's 35 mpg combined rating, you could squeeze more out of it with a lighter foot and Eco mode. The non-hybrid Telluride is rated for 20 mpg combined only. If you get anywhere close to the EPA rating, the Telluride Hybrid can go over 600 miles on a single tank of fuel.

2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid Ride And Handling

The Telluride gets what Kia calls Electrification-Vehicle Motion Control (E-VMC), which optimizes torque output from the e-motors to reduce vertical movement over bumps, minimize body roll in corners, and control pitch and dive under acceleration and braking. This kind of motor-based chassis tuning is pretty standard in EVs, but it's interesting to see automakers now using e-motors to do the same in hybrids.

Out on open roads, the Telluride delivers the kind of soft, supple ride you'd expect from a large family SUV. It absorbs potholes and road imperfections with ease, and even sharper bumps rarely send harsh impacts into the cabin. I noticed some fore-and-aft rocking, which is expected from a nearly 5,000-pound, high-riding SUV. None of it felt unsettling or poorly controlled.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

The NVH levels impressed me even more. Kia has added triple door seals, thicker door glass, and sound-deadening films in the front and rear windshields. That results in an exceptionally quiet cabin, with just enough wind and road noise filtering through to keep the experience feeling natural. Even at 80 miles per hour, the Telluride maintains the kind of low noise levels you'd expect from a more premium SUV. After hours in the car, I felt little fatigue.

2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid Stay Mode

Kia is making smart use of the electric hardware with another EV-inspired feature: Stay Mode. Stay Mode is similar to Utility Mode on the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Kia EV9, using the high-voltage battery for the climate, media, seats and lighting without the engine running. But unlike an EV, the Telluride doesn't have a massive battery pack to keep these systems running for hours. Kia's workaround is still clever.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

Stay Mode uses navigation data to ensure the 1.65 kWh battery maintains a high state of charge when you arrive at your destination. It only works with the vehicle's built-in navigation, not Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. After turning it on, the battery powered in-vehicle features for about an hour and 10 minutes. I ran the A/C at a low fan speed, enjoyed the massaging driver’s seat, and blasted music. But run the A/C at full speed and the usable time from the battery halves to 30 minutes. Either way, if the kids are taking too long at soccer practice, you can comfortably wait in the car without idling the engine.

Once the battery is depleted, the vehicle just cycles between the engine and battery power like any other hybrid. But the ability to intentionally manage the hybrid battery's state of charge is a genuinely useful feature. Other than Hyundai and Kia, I haven’t seen this system in any other regular hybrid in the U.S., not even in a Toyota.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

Hyundai Motor Group's hybrid system is also capable of vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality to power external appliances using the household power outlet in the cabin, but a Kia spokesperson told InsideEVs that the Telluride Hybrid doesn't get V2L just yet. Enabling V2L would have meant additional complexity, including hardware and software for what the automaker said was limited added capability. You still get a three-pin power outlet in the trunk though, but that's powered of off the smaller 12V battery.

2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid Interior And Technology

The Telluride’s cabin is cavernous and modern. I found the suede-trimmed seats slightly firm for my taste, but they have excellent bolstering and are high quality. You'd want to call dibs on the second-row captains’ chairs because those are the best seats in the house. The legroom is ample, they have heating and ventilation, and the large windows and panoramic glass roof let in plenty of natural light and offer an expansive view of the outside world.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

With one touch, the captain’s chairs fold and move forward, allowing easy access to the third row, where two average-sized adults can sit comfortably. Taller passengers will feel a squeeze here. Both the second- and third-row seats fold flat, opening up 47.7 cu ft of room behind the second row and 21.3 cu ft behind the third row.

The 12.3-inch central screen is crisp and responsive, and driving information is neatly laid out on the similarly sized digital gauge cluster. The circular blind view monitor, which appears on the gauge cluster when you activate your blinker, is one of my favorite features in Kia models. It gives you a great view of approaching vehicles in the blind spot close to your natural line of sight, complementing the side mirrors really well.

The press car also got an over-the-air software update during my test, which added Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars display themes. I did not end up using any of them, because the standard layout was far easier to read.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

You can’t really see the climate functions because they’re hidden on a smaller display that’s crammed between the two larger screens. From my position, it was blocked by the steering wheel, making it frustrating to use. Although I do appreciate physical controls for the temperature, fan speeds, and volume, which were easy to use.

The ambient lighting also gets very bright, almost making it feel like a mini lounge. But it’s never distracting, as it dims when you shift into drive. The interior has a few quirks, but it nails what matters most in a three-row family SUV, which is space, comfort, and amenities. It’s a practical family hauler with an upscale feel.

2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid: Verdict

Things get a bit muddy here, so bear with me. 

Starting at $48,035 including destination, the Telluride Hybrid lands right around the average transaction price for a new vehicle in the U.S. My fully loaded X-Line SX Prestige AWD tester came in at $61,180 with destination. Its closest rivals are the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid and the mechanically identical Hyundai Palisade Hybrid. The Palisade starts about $2,300 lower, while the Grand Highlander costs nearly the same as the Telluride.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

The big question is whether the hybrid premium is worth it over the gas-only model, and whether the premium for the all-electric three-row EV9 is worth it over the hybrid. The Telluride Hybrid costs $7,300 more than the gas-only model, but $8,000 less than the EV9, which starts at $56,545. How quickly you recover that upfront premium will depend heavily on local gas prices, where you charge, electricity rates, and how much you drive.

The EV9 is substantially more refined, better packaged, and more enjoyable to drive than the Telluride Hybrid. Try the EV9 and the Telluride Hybrid will feel like an iPhone 8 in an iPhone 17 era. Such is the absurdly large delta between the overall experience of a combustion engine and a competent all-electric powertrain.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

Then again, that advantage comes at a price. You can compare the costs yourself with the U.S. Department of Energy's vehicle cost calculator to estimate how long-term costs might pan out. In my case, living in New York, they don’t. The calculator estimated that it would take roughly 15 years for the EV9 to break even against the Palisade Hybrid in total ownership costs. [The DOE hasn't added model year 2027 cars yet, so I used the mechanically similar Hyundai for the comparison.]

So if you're shopping for a three-row hybrid SUV around the $50,000 mark, the Telluride Hybrid is easy to recommend. It’s capacious, comfortable, and efficient with some genuinely useful EV-inspired features. Until EVs reach true price parity with gas-powered models, there remains a strong case for hybrids, especially larger ones like the Telluride. EVs will someday be the default answer in this segment, but until that happens, enjoy the hybrid boom while it lasts.

Contact the author: suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com

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2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid Specifications As-Tested Price$61,180 including destination and options Base Price$48,035 Engine2.5 liter 4-cyl turbocharged Transmission6-speed automatic Battery1.65 kilowatt-hours lithium ion MotorTwo electric motors Output329 horsepower combined Maximum torque339 pound-feet of torque combined Seating Capacity6-seater Drive TypeAll-wheel drive Cargo Volume47.7 cu ft behind second row, 21.3 cu ft behind third row Ground clearance7.4 inches

]]> contact@insideevs.com (Suvrat Kothari) https://insideevs.com/reviews/804226/2027-kia-telluride-hybrid-outclassed-by-ev9/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/803772/geely-ex2-review-video-ex2/ Thu, 13 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000 VIDEO: I Drove China's Best Selling Car. It's Really Good The Geely Xingyuan, or EX2, beat out BYD and Tesla for a reason. In China, I found out just how Geely did it. The Geely EX2 (Xingyuan, as it's known in China) is China's best selling car.  In 2025, Geely sold about 470,000 units in China alone.  Geely plans to bring the EX2 to markets outside of China, like Australia, Mexico and the UK. It is already on sale in places like Malaysia and Brazil.

Years ago, non-Chinese brands dominated the top of the country’s sales charts. Eventually, China got its act together and started making good cars, especially electrified ones. And now it's largely Chinese EVs that are battling for supremacy in their home market. Last year, China's best-selling car was this: the Geely EX2, or Xingyuan as it’s known there. 

Earlier this year, I got a chance to get behind the wheel and film a short video that gives you guys an idea of what exactly China’s best-selling car is like. It may be small and relatively inexpensive, but it’s actually really impressive. 

Geely EX2

Photo by: Kevin Williams/InsideEVs

The EX2 is petite, about the same size as the old Chevrolet Sonic. It's a big bigger than the BYD Seagull, another top seller, and I'd wager that's part of what makes it so popular. It seats five instead of four, and its rear-wheel-drive design allows for a sizable frunk. Not many cars in this car’s size class and price range can do that. 

My time with the EX2 was limited to a couple of laps on a tiny autocross circuit outside of Geely’s headquarters in Hangzhou, China. But it was enough to get an impression of what this car can do. Dynamically, the EX2 is soft, comfortable, and not very engaging, but I don’t think most of this car’s target drivers will be whipping it full throttle around a series of cones. The EX2’s real ace-in-the-hole is just how much space, comfort, value, and quality it offers for such a low price.

Chinese market pricing isn’t necessarily representative of what anyone would get here in other markets, but it’s helpful to remember that the Xingyuan starts at just under $10,000, which is a reasonable price for China's working-class population. As tested, our units were closer to $13,000, given the upgraded battery and larger motor. Still, even as the Xingyuan makes its way out of China, it’s often right in the ballpark of other cheap, small EVs from all over the globe.

As usual, there isn’t much of a chance that the EX2 will make it to U.S. shores anytime soon. However, it is starting to show up in markets outside of China. The EX2 (or Star Wish as it's also sometimes called) is already in Malaysia and Brazil, and the brand has already announced plans to bring it to the UK, Mexico, and Australia.

Will the EX2 continue to be China’s best-selling car? Maybe not. Sales are already down compared to last year. China’s market is hyper-competitive; since the EX2’s introduction, a gaggle of competitors has come along. The Leapmotor A10 starts at the same price as the Geely EX2, and it's already starting to catch up. 

Still, the EX2 is a very compelling package. Give our video above a gander to learn more. 

Contact the author: Kevin.williams@insideevs.com

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]]> contact@insideevs.com (Kevin Williams) https://insideevs.com/reviews/803772/geely-ex2-review-video-ex2/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/803784/slate-ev-truck-first-drive-review-2026/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 20:08:13 +0000 I Drove Slate’s $25,000 Electric Truck. It Could Be A Real Game-Changer InsideEVs finally got to drive the Slate Truck. Despite the budget price, this simple EV feels planted, solid, and comfortable.

Launching a new carmaker from scratch is one one of the most challenging endeavors possible. The graveyard of automotive startups is filling up with brands that failed to cash in on the electric transformation. But unlike other aspirants, Slate doesn’t just have massive financial backing, it’s also following a far more unique path. Shunning the usual top-down approach used by companies like Tesla and Rivian, Slate’s all-electric truck is entering the market right at the bottom. InsideEVs has covered its story from the beginning; now, it’s time to find out how it holds up on the road.

I got the opportunity to test it out around Newport, Rhode Island. Slate had a few writers over to spend actual time behind the wheel of a pre-production unit, shipped from the Warsaw, Indiana factory in absolute bargain-basement specification. The only add-on fitted to the truck was a demo speaker system. I got to drive it for almost a full hour on back roads and highways, on smooth, bumpy, and loose surfaces, and in generally good weather conditions.

InsideEVs drove Slate Truck in pretty much its most basic form.

Photo by: Jens Meiners

Judging from photos and depending on the color, the Slate might seem almost toy-like, appealing to your protective instincts. But in reality, it is a substantial truck. It is virtually identical in size with the first-gen Ford Explorer 3-door and the 1990s Chevy S-10 Blazer. As a pickup, it is shorter than a current Ford Maverick, but that’s only because it has a regular cab with one row of seats. Its bed is actually longer than the Ford’s.

This flexibility is a major feature of the Slate: The basic pickup—the “blank Slate”—is priced at a mere $24,950 (plus a requisite $1,450 delivery fee). This means it undercuts the conventionally powered Ford Maverick by more than $3,000, making it the most affordable truck on the market. Beyond the open-bed truck, there is the $5,000 Squareback SUV kit, which radiates Land Rover Defender vibes, and the more elegant $7,000 Fastback SUV kit, which faintly evokes the International Scout and the roof style of late 1970s and 1980s Broncos and Blazers.

The SUV versions come with second-row seats with rear airbags, and can be factory ordered. But it is also possible to convert a pickup later, a process that has been made even more easy by a recent design change: Slate has moved the third brake light to the tailgate.

It’s Not A Toy

When we headed out for the drive, I went second, which I didn’t mind. Following the Slate in a chase car gave me the opportunity to assess how it presents itself on the road. It’s one thing to see a new vehicle in a studio; it’s another to see it out in the wild. In my eyes, the Slate passed the test with flying colors. It looks substantial and polished, with a powerful shoulder, the character lines and gaps defined with absolute precision, and the “Slate” lettering, which serves as a logo, slightly embossed on the tailgate. Chief designer Tisha Johnson knows what she is doing.

The Slate Truck looks polished and substantial out in public—not like a toy. 

Photo by: Jens Meiners

What about the interior? Any similarities with other trucks and SUVs vanish here. You enter by pulling a pleasantly industrial-looking door handle, the door closes with a reassuring thud, and from the fabric-clad front seat, the driver looks at an austere cockpit defined by straight lines and flat surfaces. 

I am a tall guy, but finding a good seating position presented absolutely no problem. The seats are firm, comfortable, and sufficiently supportive. The cabin feels roomy and airy, and it is easy to see all four corners of the Slate. That’s a rare treat, and combined with its compact footprint and the tight 37-ft turning circle, it makes the Slate an absolute pleasure to maneuver in urban surroundings. 

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For a truly open-air experience, you can also take off the doors, like on a Bronco or Wrangler. This interior is a good place to sit, but I’d spice it up with some colorful aftermarket touches—if this were my daily driver, I would find it a bit too gray. Slate will offer a variety of colorful trim to address this issue, though it also invites owners to customer it themselves or with third-party kit. There are plenty of fastening points to let you fit equipment you want. By the way: The front end houses a massive frunk with 7.0 cu.ft. of storage and a water drain. The pickup bed holds an additional 35.1 cu.ft of cargo.

Operating the Slate is as simple and intuitive as it can get. Right in front of the three-spoke steering wheel, there is a small screen with a digital speedometer; the left stalk operates the wiper, the right stalk selects the gear, and the HVAC system is operated by traditional knobs—all of it as God intended. Despite the prototype state of our test car, the controls feel firm and solid - and everything functioned. Though keep in mind that “everything,” thankfully, means rather less than in most other cars. 

The Slate Truck's interior is basic as can be, to the point that there's no built-in infotainment screen or navigation system. 

Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs

It’s all BYOD: bring your own device. Slate doesn’t bother with navigation and infotainment. There is no Apple Car Play or Android Auto because there is no screen to project it onto. Isn’t this reduction and decluttering a form of luxury? I can think of only one current car that reduces digital screens to a similar extent: The Bugatti Tourbillon. And that doesn’t have a bed.

Ah, and the defining element: The manual window cranks. Easy to use and smoothly calibrated, I wouldn’t have the Slate any other way, though power windows will of course eventually be added to the list of aftermarket options. Of course, the manual windows are a bit of a gimmick, a mascot more than anything. Slate doesn’t take its frugal approach to absurd extremes: Air conditioning, for instance, is always included, as are power steering and power locks.

The Slate At (Nearly) Top Speed

Having passed the visual and tactile test, the looming question remained: Is the Slate a real truck, or will it turn out to be a glorified quad? I stuck the key fob into the receptacle, put it into drive, and tried it out. There is no fuss, no simulated startup sequence—and, so far, no obnoxious fake sound. Production versions of the Slate, though, will of course be subject to the federal requirement for low-speed pedestrian warning sounds in EVs.

Out on the road, the Slate has a perfectly acceptable amount of power and torque.

Photo by: Jens Meiners

The power rating of the single, rear-mounted motor has been downgraded from the initially communicated 150 kW (201 horsepower) to 135 kW (181 hp). What matters more are the almost 200 lb-ft of torque, enough to move the 4048-pound truck with real authority. This gets the Slate to 60 mph in 8 seconds flat, and provides enough shove to tow a 2,000-lb trailer. 

The square little truck runs out of steam at 90 mph, a velocity I almost managed to reach on a short stretch of road: I pushed it up to 85 mph and thus, according to a Slate representative, attained “the highest speed ever reached by a non-employee.” The acceleration is strong even on the upper end, it doesn’t trail off like on some other entry-level EVs.

The powertrain is fed by a 65-kWh LFP battery pack, which can be charged at up to 90 kW. A larger battery option with 240 miles of range, initially announced, has been discarded. But at the same time, the upgraded standard battery’s range has been improved from 150 to 205 miles. On a DC charger, getting from 20% to 80% takes precisely 30 minutes. That’s not top-tier performance, but pretty solid for the cheapest truck on the market. 

The Slate delivers its fully satisfactory (if not overwhelming) performance in a remarkably effortless manner. I was prepared for all sorts of powertrain whine, not to mention body and chassis creaks, but there was no need for the company reps to explain anything away. It takes off in near-absolute silence, and it keeps wind, road, and powertrain noise at pleasantly low levels up to highway speeds. It feels production ready.

It's pretty quiet and planted too. 

Photo by: Jens Meiners

The steering is precise and offers good feedback, fully on par with the most refined compact trucks and a universe away from, say, the ponderous steering of an Ineos Grenadier. The brakes are pleasantly easy and linear to modulate, and it is rarely necessary to engage the hydraulics. The Slate has one of the most aggressive recuperation settings on the market, with one-pedal driving that’ll bring you down to a complete stop. You can’t adjust it. It is what it is, and it works well.

The Slate comes with a MacPherson strut front suspension and a rear DeDion axle with coil springs, which allows for low unsprung weight. My test vehicle was fitted with the standard 245/65 Kenda Klever S/T EV tires on 17-inch steel wheels. Bigger wheels and all-terrain tires are available, but even in standard configuration, the chassis design translates into remarkably good dynamics, a comfortable ride, and none of the hopping and bouncing that one might expect from the short wheelbase.

What’s more, the truck remains solidly planted to the road up to the outer limits of its capabilities, or at least as close to them as I could get during my somewhat spirited drive. Body roll is noticeable but not excessive, and on a loose surface, it’s actually possible to induce a bit of oversteer. Of course, the truck is fitted with a stability control system, but many of the obtrusive nanny systems that make operating a new car such a nuisance are absent. I can’t thank Slate enough for that.

The Slate is even better than I expected, and I might even follow through with an order. Photo by: Slate

Even Better Than I Expected

While the “Blank Slate” looks positively frugal with its gray outfit and dark wheels, it can be enhanced and personalized in countless ways. Beyond the three bodystyles, it can be wrapped in a plethora of colors, partial decor and stripes; there are multiple options and covers to change the look of the head- and taillights, there are larger bumpers and fender flares, an external spare tire mount, roll bars and the like. Camping accessories will be added as well.

This abundance of exterior options is reflected in the cockpit, which can be fitted with colorful decor and various visual upgrades, speaker systems, and playful badges called “Slatelets.” All options are applied after the vehicle is produced. Depending on your skill level, all modifications and wrapping can be carried out at home, Slate claims, and that includes the full color wraps, which are available from a surprisingly low price of $499. This also means that the Slate can change its appearance over the years at low cost, with ever-new options and add-ons expected to be offered on the aftermarket.

There are, however, a few options that Slate will not offer. That includes a range-extender gasoline engine—a hard no—or all-wheel drive for the time being. Unlike, most notably, Scout, Slate has decided that the electric powertrain is and will remain a core part of the truck’s character. And an all-wheel drive system is simply not in the books right now, although we are confident that many customers would happily pay a substantial extra amount for this capability. 

I always liked the design and the basic idea behind the Slate. What really impressed me during the drive, though, was the genuine sophistication in which the minimalist philosophy was executed. It’s real, it’s good, and I think has the potential to be a game changer, pivoting the market away from ever more screens, features, gadgets, and unusable levels of performance. On a personal note, I have an early reservation. After driving the Slate, I am very tempted to follow through.

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Slate Truck Base Price$26,400 (incl. destination fee) Battery65 kWh LFP Charge Time20%-80% in 30 min. EV Range205 miles Maximum speed90 mph Output181 hp Maximum torque195 lb-ft Speed 0-60 MPH8 sec. Towing2,000 lb

]]> contact@insideevs.com (Jens Meiners) https://insideevs.com/reviews/803784/slate-ev-truck-first-drive-review-2026/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/803161/2015-tesla-model-s-review/ Thu, 30 Jul 2026 17:31:19 +0000 I Drove An Original Tesla Model S To See If It's Still Worth Buying In 2026 After 160,000 miles, this 2015 P85D still has its original battery, more than 186 miles of real-world range, and insane performance.

The most surprising realization after spending some time with a 2015 Tesla Model S P85D is that it doesn’t feel like an old EV. It feels like an old luxury car, in a good way. That wasn’t something I was expecting to say about it in 2026, 11 years after it first rolled off the line.

This example is the top-of-the-range Performance model, with a dual-motor powertrain that produces a combined output of 691 horsepower and 687 lb-ft (931 Nm) of torque. That is a lot of motivation, and it makes surprisingly light work of the car’s 4,936 lbs (2,239 kg) mass, ripping from a standstill to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds.

That’s the official claim, at least. But it’s independently been measured to be even quicker than that. To experience all the acceleration the P85D has to offer, you have to put it in Insane+ mode. A message will pop up indicating that the vehicle has begun bringing its battery to the temperature its cells require to deliver all their available volts.

Photo by: Andrei Nedelea

So the performance feels thoroughly modern, but the rest of the car doesn’t look compromised by modern standards, either. Its design has its roots nearly two decades ago, when Tesla began developing the Model S in 2007. It showed the first design concept two years later, and the final production version, which began production in 2012, stayed remarkably true to the look of the 2009 study.

Today, the Model S doesn’t look bad at all. Its shape has always had a whiff of Maserati or Jaguar, and as the Model S has matured, it is now starting to look like an older luxury car. It has the posh coupe-like sedan look that—back when it debuted—was nowhere near as common among mainstream cars as it is today.

These days it’s hard to name an actual three-box sedan that isn’t trying to look like a fastback.

The front fascia is what betrays its age and it actually looks very different from the last Model S. There’s just something quaint about how it presents its stick-out faux grille, which, of course, had to have lots of chrome to really shout about the fact that it is, indeed, a luxury car. The facelift it got after April 2016 made it look a lot sharper and more modern by dropping the “grille,” but today those newer cars just don’t have the same old-world charm as an early Model S driving by.

Photo by: Andrei Nedelea

It’s less obviously the old model when you see it from the back, even though the 2016 facelift also changed the rear fascia. There’s a chrome streak between the taillights bearing a proudly embossed “Tesla” script, which looks great, but also traps dirt and is hard to keep clean.

This car’s owner removed the original 21-inch Turbine wheels and fitted it with a more sensible set of period-correct 19-inch Slipstream wheels. The smaller wheels make the already large red Performance brake calipers look even bigger.

Period reviews of the Model S’s interior were generally positive, although many argued whether it truly felt like a luxury car. More than a decade on, the cabin appears to have aged gracefully. Mostly.

Photo by: Andrei Nedelea

The Model S's Mercedes-sourced switchgear makes certain touchpoints feel like those of German cars from the era. But its cheaper seating and soft-touch materials are more Cadillac than Audi. Overall, it felt pretty solid; there were hardly any noises making their way into the cabin while on the move.

The rest of the cabin has aged more gracefully than the original infotainment. The rear hatch was the main exception, as its soft-close mechanism sometimes struggled, and it seemed to move around and make noise over bumps.

Otherwise, it still felt pretty luxurious. As a Performance model, it had Alcantara on the dashboard, headliner and pillars, which helps give the cabin a slightly sportier feel.

Photo by: Andrei Nedelea

There was visible wear on the left driver’s seat bolster, though, as well as on a piece of trim that protruded into the door opening. It snagged on me as I climbed aboard. But the steering wheel still had its original leather, with minimal wear.

The back seat is roomy enough for two six-footers to travel in relative comfort. The floor is pretty high in the rear, though, which pushes your legs away from the cushion. I wouldn’t love to sit back there for a long journey. And the lack of pockets on any of the doors or behind the front seats is simply unacceptable, even for 2015.

With standard adaptive air suspension and the smaller wheels that my tester had, ride comfort was excellent. The air suspension has a leak, and the owner told me the front starts to sag after it's been parked for over two days. This needs to be addressed, as it forces the compressor to run excessively, making it prone to fail.

Photo by: Andrei Nedelea

It doesn’t fall apart when you show it a corner, either, although the steering feels somewhat vague and detached, and it doesn't encourage you to corner spiritedly. You can reduce the assistance to make turning the wheel harder, but this has no effect on the amount of feedback the tires send to your fingers, which in this case is virtually none.

Cruising around town in this old Model S feels really good, and it’s still a pretty luxurious and unique experience even in 2026. What hasn’t aged well is the 17-inch portrait-style display, arguably one of its most recognizable features and one that changed all car interiors forever.

The graphics look rough and pixelated by today’s standards, and the screen response and smoothness feel generations behind. There is occasional stuttering and lag, but while it’s mildly frustrating to use, it’s an adequate way to interact with the car and still does the job today.

Tesla has kept the car reasonably current through over-the-air updates, adding newer features and maintaining app, navigation and charging functionality. However, this car’s original MCU1 hardware can cause the infotainment system to lag at times. This was addressed in later cars, which feature the Intel-powered MCU2.

MCU1 cars are limited to just audio streaming services like Spotify. Video streaming also requires the later MCU2. Tesla still offers an MCU2 upgrade for its pre-2018 cars for $2,700, so that’s always an option for this car in the future.

But what matters most if you’re looking at one of these as a cheap used luxury EV buy is how well the battery has held up. The example I tried didn’t have the built-in overnight battery health test, which can produce a very accurate estimate of how healthy the pack is on other Tesla models.

You can get an estimate through an app like Tessie, though. The service reported that the car I drove still had around 86% of its original capacity. That’s a pretty good number for such an old car, but we’ve seen even higher mileage decade-old examples with similar battery health ratings; your experience may vary.

This car has likely seen a lot of DC fast charging throughout its life, as it has the coveted free lifetime Supercharging option. This is transferable to new owners, and the current owner has saved thousands of dollars supercharging for free. He regularly takes it on a 280-mile trip across the country, and the miles do add up every year; in two years of ownership, it has served him really well, never leaving him stranded.

With that health rating, the battery can still deliver around 200 miles of real-world range. That may be mediocre by today’s standards, but considering how cheap you can get an early Model S like this, I wouldn’t count one out. If you find one with the SC01 free Supercharging option, it becomes an unbeatable deal.

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I approached the Model S expecting it to feel like an archeological expedition into the early days of serious electric cars. What I found was a slightly creaky, aging luxury sedan that still packed a punch and could travel meaningful miles before it had to stop and charge. The fact that it could do so for free made it feel like a real-world infinite-money glitch. 

If you’re in the market for a cheap used EV, it’s hard to argue with. It’s the most historically significant car of its era, the blueprint that would define all modern EVs. A decade later, not only is it a reliable, affordable used EV option, but its charm still hasn’t faded.

]]> contact@insideevs.com (Andrei Nedelea) https://insideevs.com/reviews/803161/2015-tesla-model-s-review/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/802603/hyundai-ioniq-9-ev-review-2026/ Thu, 23 Jul 2026 20:44:51 +0000 I Think The Hyundai Ioniq 9 Is The Best Three-Row EV Value. But That Might Not Be Enough Everyone is charmed by the Hyundai Ioniq 5. I actually think the three-row Ioniq 9 is Hyundai's best EV.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has been an EV fan darling since its launch in 2021. Its dazzling design, refined dynamics, and fast-charging 800-volt architecture catapulted it to the top of everyone’s “Best Non-Tesla EV” lists. But here’s a secret: It’s not the best EV Hyundai makes.

That honor belongs to the Hyundai Ioniq 9. While the Ioniq 5 may be slugging it out with the Tesla Model Y, Chevy Equinox EV, and Rivian R2 for the “best compact electric SUV title,” the Ioniq 9 is a clear favorite for the best three-row family EV on sale.

Its only competition for the throne is the Kia EV9, a car built by the same conglomerate on the same architecture. That’s a clear sign that the company has gotten something right.

Design & Interior

The first thing you notice about the Ioniq 9 is its striking sheetmetal. In a world where three-row crossovers increasingly look identical, the Ioniq 9 operates from an entirely different playbook. Its futuristic front end, smooth contours, and wagon-like proportions make it stand out in a sea of anonymously blocky crossovers.

I particularly love its lighting choices. The front light bar has become something of an industry trope, but the Ioniq 9’s pixelated lighting style and hidden lower lights pull off the look better than most. Out back, the vertical LED strips subvert the industry-standard horizontal lightbar expectation and—combined with the tailgate mounted license plate—make it look like an electric version of the first-gen Volvo XC90.

The side profile is nothing like an XC90, though. Its powerful haunches and low roofline evoke performance wagons, a boon in my book but potentially a con for those seeking the manly-man aesthetic of a taller, squarer SUV. 

Overall, I like every detail of the Ioniq 9, but find the entire design a bit disjointed. I never quite expect to see such a conventional and flat rear end affixed to such a bold and flowing front 3/4s. I think it’s particularly noticeable in lighter colors like the Ultimate Red of my tester. Between the clear-white vertical light strips, black negative spaces on the license plate surround and bumper, silver brightwork on the bumper, white “IONIQ 9” lettering, and red paint, there are just too many things competing for your eye. You can alleviate this by opting for a darker color, but I still consider the Ioniq 9’s design just shy of great.

Inside, I think it’s an aesthetic home run. My tester had white seats with a good mix of grays and silvers on the dash and doors, helping avoid the monotony of some single-color designs. The things you touch often are laid out in bright aluminum-effect plastic, helping to guide your eyes and hands. It all looks a cut above its price tag.

2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Limited AWD Review

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

Yet while your eyes may struggle to discern the difference between this and a BMW or Land Rover in terms of quality, your hands tell a different story. The brushed aluminum look is certainly welcome, but inevitably leads to some disappointment when you grab what turns out to be painted plastic. It’s no worse than the plastic you get in any competitive vehicle. It just looks better, which can lead to unfairly high expectations.

This has long been a frustration of mine in Hyundai EVs. I hate when things feel worse than they look. But there’s a fair counterpoint: Many other companies make cabins that look as cheap as they are. At least the Hyundai makes a better first impression.

For its MSRP, too, I can’t fault it. This isn’t priced like a Land Rover or BMW, after all. The seats are comfortable, the components impeccably assembled, and the space well-used. I fit comfortably in all three rows, and found the second-row recliners in my $73,800 Limited AWD tester suitably posh. This wasn’t the top trim, either, though I struggle to imagine needing more kit in such a car; my tester had highway driving assist, heated and cooled front seats, the aforementioned recliners, and a panoramic roof. 

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Stepping up to the Calligraphy would add cooled second-row seats, a massaging driver’s seat, a head-up display, a digital rearview mirror, and body-color-matched wheel arches. I don’t think that makes it worth the $3,740 premium, but sometimes your neighbor buys a Limited and you have to show them who’s King of the Cul-de-Sac. I get it.

Range, Charging, And Specs

The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 comes with up to 335 miles of EPA range. But that figure only applies to the rear-wheel-drive model, which I don’t suspect many people will opt for. RWD is only available on the base model S trim, which starts at $61,055 with destination fees.

2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Limited AWD Review

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

The Limited Performance AWD model I drove starts at $71,250 with destination—$73,800 as tested— and comes standard with dual-motor all-wheel drive. Range is quoted at 311 miles, though you can squeeze a few more miles out of the 110.3 kWh battery if you opt for the SEL AWD, which gets up to 320 miles of range thanks to smaller wheels. 

Regardless of trim, you get the advantages of Hyundai’s fast-charging 800-volt architecture (actual nominal voltage, if you’re curious: 610V). The Ioniq 9 can charge from 10-80% in just 24 minutes, although you’ll likely need an adapter to do it. The Hyundai comes standard with a Tesla-style NACS port, but since V3 Superchargers aren’t built for 800V vehicles, your 10-80% time on one will be closer to 40 minutes. 

This issue will fade as more third-party NACS charging stations pop up and as Tesla deploys its V4 Superchargers. But for now, if you want peak charging rates, stop at a CCS 350kW or 400kW station and use the car’s included NACS-to-CCS adapter.

Speaking of power, the Ioniq 9 Limited has plenty of it. The dual-motor performance powertrain produces 422 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of twist, enough to make the 5,994-pound barge feel positively feisty. Zero to 60 supposedly takes 4.9 seconds based on Hyundai’s estimate, but Car and Driver clocked it at 4.5 seconds. The latter feels more indicative of what I felt behind the wheel. 

2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Limited AWD Review

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

Not all AWD Ioniq 9s are so blessed with power. Dual-motor SE and SEL models get just 303 hp, which feels low for such a heavy vehicle. They still should be quick enough off the line, though, with 446 lb-ft of torque. I can’t say the same for the RWD Ioniq 9 which—with 215 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque—seems to me like it’d be an absolute dog. It takes over eight seconds to hit 60 mph, still quicker than the base Hyundai Palisade but glacial by EV standards.

Still, this thing is for hauling families, and haul it does. The Ioniq 9 offers 21.9 cubic feet of space behind the third row, good enough for your weekly grocery haul. With 46.7 cu. ft. behind the third row, four-adult road trips are more than achievable, while the 86.9 cu. ft. space with both rows folded is large enough to swallow a full e-bike with room to spare. 

All of these figures are roughly in line with what you’d get from gas-powered alternatives like the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot, even if the Grand Highlander and Chevy Traverse have it beat. A tiny frunk in the Ioniq 9 closes a bit of the gap, but it’s mostly just a place to keep your charging cable and adapters. The only real practicality trade-off you make going for the Ioniq 9 is its cargo opening, which is smaller than in a traditional three-row thanks to its sloping roofline. There may have been plenty of room for a big e-bike, but getting it inside was anything but easy.

What’s It Like To Drive?

The Ioniq 9 is as composed and enjoyable as any three-row SUV out there. None of the cars in this segment will light your hair on fire, but the Ioniq 9 is over three seconds quicker to 60 than a Highlander, has a lower center of gravity, more responsive power, and far more eager handling. Credit the weight distribution for that. 

2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Limited AWD Review

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

Handling is not the focus, though. While it’ll outrun any gas-powered family hauler in the twisties, its tires will be screeching the whole time, and it won’t be particularly charming while doing it. It’s built for long highway hauls and around-town runs, and for that it is well-suited. The suspension is suitably cushy, the cabin suitably quiet, and the steering suitably light. 

The only real snag is its maneuverability, as the long-wheelbase Hyundai feels a bit more cumbersome in tight parking lots than many gas and electric rivals. Its 41.0-foot turning circle is about four feet wider than a Highlander’s. Thankfully the Limited model has 360-degree cameras to ease this burden, and it’s still easy to slot into any parking lot that regularly sees full-size trucks.

Last, I’ll note that Hyundai’s Highway Driving Assist 2 is feature-rich but functionally frustrating. It’s capable of keeping you within the lane and managing your throttle and brakes, but it requires more input and more vigilant supervision than competitors. I found it bouncing me against lane markings and losing tracking more often than I’d have liked. It’s fine for the price, but a replacement for Super Cruise or Full Self-Driving (Supervised) this is not. 

What’s It Like To Live With?

It has taken me a while to get around to writing this review. That is for a simple reason: I find most Hyundais absolutely agreeable and undeniably well-specced for the price, but rarely memorable. The Ioniq 9 is another in that line.

Throughout my time with it, it did nothing wrong. There were no warning lights or obtuse design decisions. But the cars that stick with me are ones that do little things perfectly, and the Ioniq 9 doesn’t quite get there. The software still looks and feels a generation behind the best in the class, with graphics that feel a decade old. It has all the features you’d technically want—route planning, connected car services, over-the-air updates. But none is implemented particularly well. 

2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Limited AWD Review

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

Hyundai’s built-in route-planning is lackluster and, in my experience, not up to date about which chargers are functional. I’ve never heard of a Hyundai getting meaningful updates over the air, either, except for navigation data. And while Hyundai has been optimistic about the potential for revenue from connected car services, the company doesn’t really offer any compelling software features.

The Ioniq 9 does benefit from a lovely menu of settings and tools. I love that Hyundai includes a Camp-Mode-adjacent Utility Mode, and I love that the car supports 1.9 kW of vehicle-to-load capability, with a full three-prong outlet in the cargo area of the limited. I like that there are physical knobs and buttons for media and climate controls, too.

I like that there are configurable levels of regenerative braking accessed via paddles on the steering wheel. But I hate that there’s no way to leave it in one-pedal mode on startup, and that I always need to use the start button. 

For buyers coming from traditional cars, none of these things are issues. The Ioniq 9 starts, stops, and feels like a gas car, with slightly more sophisticated technology. But if you’re expecting a full-fledged EV experience with meaningful over-the-air updates, killer native apps, default one-pedal driving, and world-class software, you’re going to be disappointed. 

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Regardless of my software gripes, this is still a better value than just about any other three-row family EV on the market. It’s pricier than the new Tesla Model Y L, but also far bigger and more practical. It’s not as sophisticated as a Lucid Gravity or Rivian R1S, but it’s way cheaper and likely to be far more reliable.

2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Limited AWD Review

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

Its only direct competitor is the Kia EV9, with which it shares its platform. If you want a reasonably equipped all-wheel-drive version of either Korean three-row EV, you’ll be spending around $65,000, though the Kia is to be a bit cheaper. 

That’s partially because it’s down about 10 kWh in the battery compartment, leading to a max AWD range of just 280 miles to the Hyundai’s 320. That alone may seal the deal for many, or the fact that the Kia has a few cubes less storage space.

Me, though? I’d take an EV9. On an objective basis I’d say the Ioniq 9 is a marginally better car, with more of what buyers in this segment prioritize: Space and range. But I find the Kia more charming to look at, more eager to drive, and more unique.

Verdict

The Hyundai Ioniq 9 is the odds-on favorite for the best car in its segment. The issue is that its segment is relatively weak. 

There just aren’t many three-row electric family SUVs in the mainstream segment.Unfortunately, that’s for a good reason. An equivalent gas-powered Hyundai Palisade three-row is around $20,000 cheaper. The electric version may be better to drive, quicker, cooler looking, cheaper to run, and less maintenance intensive, but 20 grand is 20 grand. 

It is therefore easy to see why Hyundai sold just 5,189 Ioniq 9s last year compared to—gulp—123,929 Palisades. Three-row EVs remain a niche market, and until we get closer to cost parity, I don’t expect that to change. 

But I’m grateful that Hyundai is staying in the arena. Three-row EVs may not be profitable or popular at the moment, but they are the future of the segment. The best gas cars have already been built; the best EVs are decades away. As costs come down and technology improves, it won’t be too long before Americans are gobbling up large family EVs in droves. When that day comes, Hyundai’s early experience should give it a big leg up. 

Contact the author: Mack.Hogan@InsideEVs.com 

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2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Limited Performance AWD Base Price$61,055 As-Tested Price$73,800 EV Range335 miles max / 311 as-tested Charge Time10-80% in 24 min Battery110.3 kWh Output422 hp Maximum torque515 lb-ft Speed 0-60 MPH4.9 sec Weight5,994 lb

]]> contact@insideevs.com (Mack Hogan) https://insideevs.com/reviews/802603/hyundai-ioniq-9-ev-review-2026/ https://insideevs.com/reviews/802028/2026-jeep-cherokee-hybrid-review-toyota-suv/ Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:30:43 +0000 I Drove Jeep’s First Proper Hybrid. It Feels More Like A Toyota, And That's Not A Coincidence Jeep has been missing out on the hybrid boom. The new Cherokee fixes that with help from a key rival.

Imagine showing up to a marathon but waiting until others were halfway to the finish before you even start running. That's basically been Stellantis' approach to electrification. While rivals spent years growing the sales of their hybrids and EVs, the automaker has struggled to find its footing with battery-powered cars. It was aggressive and successful with its plug-in hybrid, only to discontinue all of them earlier this year. Meanwhile, its first wave of long-range fully electric models has stumbled.

But the automaker has finally found an answer to one crucial piece of the electrification puzzle: a conventional hybrid. With the new 2026 Jeep Cherokee, Stellantis is finally embracing a technology that's been proving itself in the U.S. for more than a quarter century.

The Cherokee itself was discontinued in 2023 after dwindling sales and Jeep's decision to make room for a more modern replacement. Now it's back as a hybrid-only SUV that's larger and more sophisticated than its predecessor. It's a fine example of how even a small amount of battery-power can vastly improve a gas car today. 

After a week behind the wheel, it's clear the Cherokee doesn't drive like the Jeeps of old. Instead, it feels remarkably close to a Toyota hybrid, and I mean that as a genuine compliment. The hybrid powertrain unlocks a level of efficiency the Cherokee nameplate has never seen in its half-century history. Design, interior, and technology have all taken meaningful steps forward for this new generation, though a handful of quirks remain that Jeep could iron out.

[Full disclosure: Jeep loaned me the 2026 Cherokee for a week in New York City and paid for fuel and tolls.]

2026 Jeep Cherokee Design And Dimensions

The Cherokee is new from the ground up, now riding on Stellantis' STLA Large platform. At 188.1 inches long, 74.7 inches wide, and 67.5 inches tall, with a 113-inch wheelbase, it's about five inches longer and roughly an inch wider and taller than before. The wheelbase alone has grown by more than six inches, giving it a substantial road presence and roomy interior.

The boxy design looks clean and confident, carrying itself with far more authority than the old model ever did. It borrows styling cues from the Wagoneer S and the upcoming Recon, both of which are handsome SUVs in their own right.

Black body cladding, skid plates at both ends, and the signature seven-slot grille mean you won’t mistake this for anything other than a Jeep. The standard U-shaped daytime running lights add a modern touch, while the squared-off surfacing gives it a tough look. I also loved the tiny Willys logo stamped onto the wheel center caps—a subtle detail that enthusiasts will appreciate.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

2026 Jeep Cherokee Powertrain

The new Cherokee downsizes on displacement and makes up for it with battery power. There’s no big V6 or 2.0-liter options available anymore. Adapted from Peugeot and Citroen models in Europe, the Cherokee now gets a 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that’s paired with two electric motors and a small 1.03 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. Power goes to all four wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The hybrid system comes from Blue Nexus, a joint venture between Toyota suppliers Denso and Aisin. That name might not ring a bell, but Blue Nexus already powers a lot of what we see on the roads today. In addition to Toyota models, it also supplies the hybrid systems for Mazdas and Subarus as well as electric motors on some Suzuki and Isuzu models sold overseas. In other words, this is an extremely reliable and proven hybrid system already powering millions of vehicles globally. Now we'll see if that holds true for Jeep too.

Stellantis is assembling the EP6, 1.6 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder hybrid power unit at its Dundee Engine Plant in Michigan.

Photo by: Stellantis

The setup itself works much like Toyota's familiar Hybrid Synergy Drive. One electric motor starts the engine and also acts as a generator, charging the battery using engine power. The second e-motor can drive the wheels on its own, assist the engine under acceleration, and recover energy during braking to recharge the battery.

Unlike Toyota's all-wheel-drive hybrids, which use a third electric motor to power the rear axle, the Cherokee relies on a mechanical connection. It can disconnect the rear axle during everyday driving, effectively operating as a front-wheel-drive vehicle when extra traction isn't needed to improve efficiency.

2026 Jeep Cherokee Driving Experience, Efficiency

The hybrid powertrain returned an impressive 36 miles per gallon during my testing, most of which was on the highway. The infotainment screen even breaks down how many miles were covered on electric-only power versus with the engine running. In stop-and-go traffic, the electric motors handled about half the driving, sometimes even more.  

The system especially shines while puttering along in slow-moving traffic. The brakes constantly recuperate energy, and the electric motors redeploy it, shouldering the burden with the combustion engine. While 210 combined horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque is nothing to brag about, there’s ample grunt available for highway cruising and overtaking.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

While the powertrain feels sophisticated overall, the 1.6-liter engine gets loud and coarse when pushed hard. Sharp throttle inputs are met with a sluggish response and plenty of strained engine noise, exacerbated by the CVT's familiar rubber-band effect. Drive it with a lighter right foot, however, and the powertrain becomes much smoother and more refined. 

It’s no match to the RAV4's setup, which uses a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine rather than a 1.6-liter turbo. The Toyota is far more polished and also delivers better fuel economy. During my recent testing, it easily topped 45 mpg.

2026 Jeep Cherokee Off-Road Features

The Cherokee is primarily built for the pavement, but it still has some light-duty off-roading chops. I wasn’t able to test its off-road capabilities, but on paper, there's plenty of promise for light trails.

Its best-in-class approach and departure angles of 19.6 and 29.4 degrees, along with a breakover angle of 18.8 degrees, should help it get on and off steep grades easily. Its 8.0 inches of ground clearance is 0.1 inches lower than the RAV4 and 0.3 inches lower than the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

The Select-Terrain traction management system is standard across trims, and so are four driving modes: Auto, Sport, Snow, and Sand/Mud. You also get a low gear mode and Selec-Speed control, which basically allow off-roading at a steady and controlled speed—think of it as cruise control for off-roading. 

Jeep has confirmed a more capable Trailhawk variant. That trim will go head-to-head with the Toyota RAV4 Woodland and the Subaru Forester Wilderness.

2026 Jeep Cherokee Ride And Handling

The Cherokee’s ride quality leans firmly toward comfort. At low speeds, it soaks up broken pavement with real suppleness, with the soft damping doing exactly what it’s supposed to. 

But that same softness introduces a wobbliness more befitting a body-on-frame SUV than a modern unibody crossover. Get on the throttle and the rear squats noticeably. Tap the brakes, and the nose dives just as eagerly. Through direction changes, the Cherokee bobs and weaves with a side-to-side heave that feels kind of old school.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

The steering is numb and stays that way through corners, offering little feedback that would let you place the front end with any confidence, even on gentle bends. Both the Tucson and RAV4 feel noticeably more buttoned-down by comparison, with less float and less roll.

2026 Jeep Cherokee Interior And Technology

The cabin is a big step forward over the old Cherokee. The octagonal steering wheel felt great in my palms, although its unconventional shape will likely draw divided opinions. The dashboard mixes soft-touch materials with some hard, cheap-feeling plastics. I particularly liked the metallic finish and tactile feel of the rotary gear knob, start-stop button, and drive mode selector.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

Jeep has retained dedicated climate controls beneath the screen, but they're horrendous touch-sensitive haptic buttons that don't always register inputs. It's not a dealbreaker; owners will eventually learn exactly where to press, but regular plastic buttons would have been perfectly fine here.

The 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and 12.3-inch central touchscreen are both crisp and easy to read. Wireless Android Auto connected flawlessly every time, and the infotainment itself was quick and responsive. That said, it's still a generation or two behind the slick software experiences you'll find in Teslas and the latest BMWs and Volvos.

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

Another annoyance I couldn't ignore was a high-pitched whine that grew louder as I increased the air conditioning fan speed. I suspect it was coming from the AC compressor, which doesn't seem particularly well isolated from the cabin. Turns out I'm not alone in noticing it—Wrangler and Grand Cherokee owners have reported similar complaints on online forums.

Because the air conditioning is actually pretty strong on the Cherokee, I left the fan speed in a lower setting, at which point the noise was a non-issue. 

2026 Jeep Cherokee: Worth Considering?

The Cherokee is not in easy company here. It’s going against the world’s best-selling car, the Toyota RAV4. It’s also competing against the hybrid versions of the Hyundai Tucson, Subaru Forester, Mazda CX-50, and the upcoming Nissan Rogue e:Power. 

I think it’s the best-looking SUV in this company with its retro-modern charm, but when it comes to sheer value, things get complicated. At a starting price of $36,995 with destination for the base model, it costs about $2,000 more than the RAV4 LE all-wheel drive and roughly $3,000 more than the Tucson Hybrid AWD. Both the Forester and CX-50 have similar starting prices as the Cherokee. 

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

Even the base version is well equipped with things like daytime running lights, phone mirroring, adaptive cruise control, a large central touchscreen, and a digital gauge cluster. But comparable trims of rival SUVs are pretty feature-packed, too. The Cherokee is also a spacious, comfortable, and an efficient daily driver that can also handle mild trails. But again, so can most of its competitors.

Even though Jeep moved at glacial pace on hybrids, the timing of the Cherokee's launch is coincidentally ripe. Hybrid sales were already on a tear in the U.S. over the past few years and now high gas prices from the war in Iran have supercharged them. So even though the Cherokee is not really going to shake up this segment, it indeed is another compelling addition. For the first time in a very long time, Jeep has built a Cherokee that's actually worth considering.

Contact the author: suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com

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2026 Jeep Cherokee Specifications As-Tested Price$43,590 including destination Base Price$36,995 Engine1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder TransmissionCVT Motor2 electric motors Battery1.03 kilowatt-hours lithium-ion Efficiency36 miles per gallon as tested Output210 horsepower Maximum torque230 pound-feet of torque Drive TypeStandard all-wheel drive Angle of repose19.6 degrees Departure angle29.4 degrees Ground clearance8.0 inches Towing3,500 pounds

]]> contact@insideevs.com (Suvrat Kothari) https://insideevs.com/reviews/802028/2026-jeep-cherokee-hybrid-review-toyota-suv/