Only the $58,995 Ioniq 9 S is available with a rear-wheel drive powertrain. In this case, one with 215 hp (160 kW) and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) and a range of 325 miles (539 km) from the 110.3 kWh (gross) battery pack. All other trims feature twin motor all-wheel drive, but you give up little in the way of range.
The $62,765 SE and $68,320 SEL offer a combined 303 hp (226 kW) and 446 lb-ft (605 Nm) and 320 miles (515 km) of range, and the $71,250 Performance Limited, $74,990 Performance Calligraphy, and $76,490 Performance Calligraphy Design use a more powerful front motor to generate a total of 442 hp (315 kW) and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm), and a range of 311 miles (500 km).
The Ioniq 9’s interior loses some of the charm of the concept. Hyundai
While a short first drive is not the best place to evaluate an EV’s range efficiency, driven day to day in Eco mode, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were able to easily exceed 3 miles/kWh (20.7 kWh/100 km). Other drive modes include Normal, which uses the front motor much more often and therefore is markedly quicker than Eco; Sport, which has quite a lot of initial throttle tip-in and will head-toss your passengers if you have any; Terrain, first seen on the Ioniq 5 XRT; and Snow.
The ride is quite firm on surface streets but less so at highway speeds over seams and expansion gaps. As you start to corner faster you can expect to encounter understeer, but since this is a three-row SUV weighing between 5,507-6,008 lbs (2,498-2,725 kg), one has to wonder what else was expected. At sensible speeds, it’s easy to see out of and place it on the road, and if you’re stuck in a tailback with a couple of grumpy children in the back, it’s a calming enough environment to keep you from being over-stressed.
Hyundai has wisely priced the Ioniq 9 between the related Kia EV9 (which also uses the E-GMP platform) and EVs from premium OEMs like the Volvo EX90, Mercedes EQS SUV, or the aforementioned Rivian.
In the modern era, cars keep getting bigger and bigger between generations. Or at least, they’re certainly not getting smaller. That’s especially true in America, where bigger is always better and the vehicles in the current crop of “compact” crossovers are now nearly as large as full-size SUVs from a decade ago. Don’t ask about curb weights, either, as more powerful drivetrains, including widespread adoption of hybrid-electric components, add significant mass, as highlighted by the new BMW M5 “sport sedan.”
Within that fray, however, the new Volkswagen Tiguan stands apart. VW purposefully refined the third-gen Tiguan to cater better to American consumer needs, which meant dropping the third row to create more interior volume for the front and rear seats. The wheelbase still measures the same length at 109.9 inches (2,791 mm), but shorter overhangs mean the overall length actually shrinks by nearly two inches. Yet more efficient packaging on the inside also results in a marginal passenger volume increase of about two percent.
To help keep pricing attractive at below $30,000 to start, VW also decided to skip out on a hybrid variant, but the new EA888evo5 2.0 L turbocharged-four nonetheless delivers more power and improved fuel economy. And all of the above actually contributes to the Tiguan losing weight while evolving from the second to third generation, shaving about 160 lbs (72.5 kg), depending on trim.
There’s some ID.4 in here, but also a big helping of generic. Michael Teo Van Runkle
Generic outside, great inside
Volkswagen USA recently invited Ars to join a rainy test drive of the Tiguan’s SE and SEL R-Life trims in Bozeman, Montana. At first glance, the new exterior definitely hews more closely to current crossover trends, which the Tiguan arguably helped to inaugurate back in the late-2000s. There’s also a healthy dose of Volkswagen ID.4 design language throughout, especially at the nose. The interior truly steps up to a new level, though. I started out in an almost-base Tiguan SE, which means front-wheel drive and minimal options, not even onboard navigation.
Like most buyers, though, I connected my iPhone via Wireless CarPlay, which effectively makes onboard nav obsolete. And the SE’s 12.9-inch touchscreen atop the dash provides all the necessary tech, as premium materials throughout clearly prioritize touchpoints to enhance the impression of quality.
The improvements for model year 2025 amount to new bumpers—shades of Mk2, anybody?—and an illuminated VW badge that would have made you the coolest Beastie Boy in 1986. There are also adaptive front fog lights that turn with the wheels, and VW’s improved 12.9-inch infotainment system has replaced the old 10.25-inch unit. The wireless charging pad for mobile devices is now capable of 15 W, and the much-disliked capacitive multifunction steering wheel has been replaced by a wheel with plastic buttons. Hooray!
The base GTI starts at $32,445, but you’ll want to at least splash out for the $37,420 SE if only for the fantastic ArtVelours seats that previously were only found in the Europe-only Clubsport. The best wheels are found on the $40,880 Autobahn—19-inch telephone dials that evoke the Mk5. The Autobahn also benefits from adaptive dampers, a heads-up display, a parking assistant, leather seats (with 12-way power adjustment for the driver), ventilated front seats, and three-zone climate control.
Golf interiors have always been spartan. Volkswagen
A word of warning about the infotainment. The Wi-Fi stopped working on our test car, which prevented CarPlay from operating. While there is a pair of USB-C ports up front, CarPlay over USB does not appear to be an option. VW PR was not particularly surprised to hear of this malfunction; we had been issued navigation road books for the drive to Summit Point in West Virginia for just this eventuality, but no other journalists reported problems, so it seems to be a random if annoying bug that may well afflict any VW with this 12.9-inch system, at least until VW patches it.
Automakers are making a lot of heavy crossovers and SUVs now, so I mostly have to drive heavy crossovers and SUVs these days. Consequently, any time in something that doesn’t sit a foot off the ground is a refreshing change. Even more refreshing is the 3,188 lb (1,446 kg) curb weight. Sure, a few hundred pounds of the metastasizing weight of modern cars comes with better crash protection, and mod-cons like ventilated seats add a bit of mass, but the Golf has all that stuff and still tips the scales at less than a ton and a half. More of this, please.
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — Before letting us loose on the freshly laid tarmac of Ten Tenths Motor Club, Chevrolet was at pains to tell us that the new Blazer SS “is not a track car.” Sure, there’s a “competitive mode” to the suite of electronic settings and the fastest 0–60 mph time of any SS-badged Chevy to date. The upgrades have been focused on making the Blazer EV “stop, go, and turn” better, and you don’t need to be driving hard to appreciate the benefits.
While other Blazer EVs are available with front- or rear-wheel powertrains or with a smaller battery pack, the SS only comes with all-wheel drive and the larger 102 kWh battery pack. Nominal power output is 515 hp (384 kW) and 450 lb-ft (610 Nm), which jumps to 615 hp (458 kW) and 650 lb-ft (880 Nm) if you engage the “Wide Open Watts” mode.
The styling changes for the SS trim are subtle. Jonathan Gitlin
The battery chemistry is the same as lesser Blazers, but the SS makes good use of new silicon carbide inverters in the rear drive unit that minimize energy losses and segmented magnets in the motors that reduce heat buildup. There are bigger brakes, better tires, and the suspension benefits from stiffer anti-roll bars and springs, a faster steering ratio, and new monotube dampers that (together with the springs) do a far better job of controlling the Blazer’s ride than the bits fitted to the Blazer EV RS I last drove.
Oftentimes, the performance variant of an EV suffers from reduced range as a consequence of the added power and bigger wheels. But the Blazer EV SS still manages an EPA range estimate of 303 miles (488 km), significantly better than the less powerful AWD option (which uses the smaller 85 kWh battery pack). DC fast-charging maxes out at 190 kW—I’d love to give you a 10–80 percent fast-charge time, but Chevy only quotes “78 miles in 10 minutes” when it comes to charging stats.
The front electric motor has revised electronics and a new pulse inverter, and the rear motor is a new version with a higher density of copper windings and an overall weight reduction of 22 lbs (10 kg). They’ve upped the amount of regenerative braking on offer, too—you can now harvest up to 400 kW under braking at up to 0.45 G before the friction brakes take over (the old car was up to 290 kW and 0.38 G). Audi also upped the maximum amount of regen braking that occurs when you lift off the throttle, which can now be 0.13 G (up from 0.06 G), which you toggle on or off using the paddles behind the steering wheel.
Being able to recover more energy under braking obviously helps efficiency, but there’s also new battery chemistry with a different ratio of nickel:manganese:cobalt from before, plus a lot of work on the 800 V battery pack’s cooling system. That also means it can DC fast-charge at up to 320 kW now, which drops the 10–80 percent charge time to just 18 minutes, making the e-tron GT competitive with the very fast-charging EVs from Kia, Hyundai, and Genesis. The optimum pack temperature for fast charging has been reduced from 95° C to 59° C, and the pack even weighs 25 lbs (11 kg) less than before.
The e-tron GT has AC charge ports on both sides, but only DC charging on one side. Audi
For an extra $11,000, you can equip the RS e-tron GT with active suspension (together with better performance tires and ceramic brakes in the Dynamic plus package). If you choose comfort mode, the active suspension will lean into turns, lift the nose under braking, and drop the nose under acceleration, combating the weight transfer that happens under cornering, acceleration, and braking. With this setting active, and when driven at regular speeds, the effect is a subtle but indeed very comfortable ride as a passenger.
I’m going HOW fast??
As you settle into the seat of the RS e-tron GT, you notice there’s a new multifunction steering wheel, with a pair of bright red buttons—one to activate the 10-second boost mode, the other to toggle between the two customizable “RS” drive modes and performance mode (to switch between comfort, dynamic, and efficiency, you use a button on the center stack). There’s also new Nappa leather for the seats, and the option of forged carbon fiber trim as opposed to the woven stuff. Oddly, the forged carbon is an $8,400 add-on, despite being cheaper and easier to make than traditional woven carbon fiber. There’s also the option of an all-carbon fiber roof, or a glass roof with or without electrochromic dimming sections.
SAN FRANCISCO—Newsflash: the new electric Cadillac Escalade IQ weighs over 9,000 lbs, or a fair amount more than 4,000 kilograms. For context, that figure works out to almost exactly half again as much as the 682 hp (509 kW) Escalade V that comes equipped with a barking-mad 6.2 L supercharged V8. Yet the latest and supposedly greatest from Cadillac needed to weigh so very much to achieve a class-leading range target of 460 miles (740 km), thanks to a 205 kWh battery pack.
The Escalade IQ shares a modular General Motors (formerly Ultium) chassis and battery pack with the gargantuan Hummer EV, and even more hardware with the Silverado and Sierra pickup truck siblings. As opposed to trying to attract rugged work truck and off-roading cred, though, for Cadillac that kind of range figure seemed necessary to appeal to a “no compromise” lifestyle that Escalade buyers might well expect while considering a switch to fully electric power.
And the new IQ certainly puts down plenty of instantaneously available grunt, and despite its mass can punch out a 0–60 time under five seconds with the Velocity Max button pushed, thanks to dual motors rated at 750 hp (560 kW) and 786 lb-ft (1,065 Nm).
Credit: Michael Teo Van Runkle
Three rows of seats will comfortably seat seven adults, and a forthcoming EQL variant stretches just over 4 inches longer with a higher roofline to create even more space in the third row. The rest of the interior, meanwhile, packs in all the tech possible: almost six feet of screens atop the dash, up to 42 speakers’ worth of surround sound, optional Executive second-row seats with massaging function, hands-free Super Cruise partially automated driving, and the list goes on.
We know by now that electrification fits well into the super-luxe ethos, because silent and smooth propulsion works better for shorter lifestyle drives. And yet, the sheer mass required to achieve those range and power figures—despite improved aero versus the ICE Escalade—unfortunately means that the laws of physics make no compromises, either.
Specifically, the Escalade IQ rides on the same battery cradle, same suspension components, same 24-inch wheel size, and same Michelin Primacy LTX tires as the Silverado EV RST First Edition—a behemoth of a pickup truck that many journalists panned due to the baffling decision by General Motors to spec the largest wheels ever sold on a production vehicle. Even slightly smaller 22-inch wheels, as I can attest after driving a Silverado EV LT, help to reduce the crashy and clunky reverberations that ruined any semblance of passenger serenity.
Among the changes are better aero, shorter gearing, and the return of the Touring.
The Porsche 911 GT3 is to other 911s as other 911s are to regular cars. Credit: Jonathan Gitlin
The Porsche 911 GT3 is to other 911s as other 911s are to regular cars. Credit: Jonathan Gitlin
VALENCIA, SPAIN—A Porsche 911 is rather special compared to most “normal” cars. The rear-engined sports car might be bigger and less likely to swap ends than the 1960s version, but it remains one of the more nimble and engaging four-wheeled vehicles you can buy. The 911 comes in a multitude of variants, but among driving enthusiasts, few are better regarded than the GT3. And Porsche has just treated the current 911 GT3 to its midlife refresh, which it will build in regular and Touring flavors.
The GT3 is a 911 you can drive to the track, spend the day lapping, and drive home again. It’s come a long way since the 1999 original—that car made less power than a base 911 does now. Now, the recipe is a bit more involved, with a naturally aspirated flat-six engine mounted behind the rear axle that generates 502 hp (375 kW) and 331 lb-ft (450 Nm) and a redline that doesn’t interrupt play until 9,000 rpm. You’ll need to exercise it to reach those outputs—peak power arrives at 8,500, although peak torque happens a bit sooner at around 6,000 revs.
It’s a mighty engine indeed, derived from the racing version of the 911, with some tweaks for road legality. So there are things like individual throttle valves, dry sump lubrication, solid cam finger followers (instead of hydraulic valve lifters), titanium con rods, and forged pistons.
I’ve always liked GT3s in white.
For this car, Porsche has also worked on reducing its emissions, fitting four catalytic converters to the exhaust, plus a pair of particulate filters, which together help cut NOx emissions on the US test cycle by 44 percent. This adds 3 lbs (1.4 kg) of mass and increases exhaust back pressure by 17 percent. But there are also new cylinder heads and reprofiled camshafts (from the even more focused, even more expensive GT3 RS), which increase drivability and power delivery in the upper rev range by keeping the valves open for longer.
Those tweaks might not be immediately noticeable when you look at last year’s GT3, but the shorter gearing definitely will be. The final drive ratios for both the standard seven-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox and the six-speed manual have been reduced by 8 percent. This lowers the top speed a little—a mostly academic thing anyway outside of the German Autobahn and some very long runways—but it increases the pulling force on the rear wheels in each gear across the entire rev range. In practical terms, it means you can take a corner in a gear higher than you would in the old car.
There have been suspension tweaks, too. The GT3 moved to double front wishbone suspension (replacing the regular car’s MacPherson struts) in 2021, but now the front pivot point has been lowered to reduce the car diving under braking, and the trailing arms have a new teardrop profile that improves brake cooling and reduces drag a little. Porsche has altered the bump stops, giving the suspension an inch (24 mm) more travel at the front axle and slightly more (27 mm) at the rear axle, which in turn means more body control on bumpy roads.
Credit: Porsche
New software governs the power steering. Because factors like manufacturing tolerances, wear, and even temperature can alter how steering components interact with each other, the software automatically tailors friction compensation to axle friction. Consequently, the steering is more precise and more linear in its behavior, particularly in the dead-ahead position.
The GT3 also has new front and rear fascias, again derived from the racing GT3. There are more cooling inlets, vents, and ducts, plus a new front diffuser that reduces lift at the front axle at speed. Porsche has tuned the GT3’s aerodynamics to be constant across the speed range, and like the old model, it generates around 309 lbs (140 kg) of downforce at 125 mph (200 km/h). Under the car, there are diffusers on the rear lower wishbones, and Porsche has improved brake and driveshaft cooling.
Finally, Porsche has made some changes to the interior. For instance, the GT3 now gains the same digital display seen on other facelifted 911s (the 992.2 generation if you’re a Porsche nerd), similar to the one you’d find in a Taycan, Macan, or Panamera.
Some people may mourn the loss of the big physical tachometer, but I’m not one of them. The car has a trio of UI settings: a traditional five-dial display, a more reduced three-dial display, and a track mode with just the big central tach, which you can reorient so the red line is at 12 o’clock, as was the case with many an old Porsche racing car, rather than its normal position down around 5 o’clock. And instead of a push button to start the car, there’s a twister—if a driver spins on track, it’s more intuitive to restart the car by twisting the control the way you would a key.
You can see the starter switch on the left of the steering wheel. Porsche
Finally, there are new carbon fiber seats, which now have folding backrests for better access to the rear. (However, unless I’m mistaken, you can’t adjust the angle of the backrest.) In a very clever and welcome touch, the headrest padding is removable so that your head isn’t forced forward when wearing a helmet on track. Such is the attention to detail here. (Customers can also spec the car with Porsche’s 18-way sports seats instead.)
Regular, Touring, Lightweight, Wiessach
In fact, the new GT3 is available in two different versions. There’s the standard car, with its massive rear wing (complete with gooseneck mounts), which is the one you’d pick if your diet included plenty of track days. For those who want a 911 that revs to 9 but don’t plan on spending every weekend chasing lap times, Porsche has reintroduced the GT3 Touring. This version ditches the rear wing for the regular 911 rear deck, the six-speed manual is standard (with PDK as an option), and you can even specify rear seats—traditionally, the GT3 has eliminated those items in favor of weight saving.
Of course, it’s possible to cut even more weight from the GT3 with the Weissach Pack for the winged car or a lightweight package for the Touring. These options involve lots of carbon fiber bits for the interior and the rear axle, a carbon fiber roof for the Touring, and even the option of a carbon fiber roll cage for the GT3. The lightweight package for the touring also includes an extra-short gear lever with a shorter throw.
The track mode display might be too minimalist for road driving—I tend to like being able to see my directions as well as the rpm and speed—but it’s perfect for track work. Note the redline at 12 o’clock. Porsche
Although Porsche had to add some weight to the 992.2 compared to the 992.1 thanks to thicker front brake discs and more door-side impact protection, the standard car still weighs just 3,172 lbs (1,439 kg), which you can reduce to 3,131 lbs (1,420 kg) if you fit all the lightweight goodies, including the ultra-lightweight magnesium wheels.
Behind the wheel
I began my day with a road drive in the GT3 Touring—a PDK model. Porsche wasn’t kidding about the steering. I hesitate to call it telepathic, as that’s a bit of a cliché, but it’s extremely direct, particularly the initial turn-in. There’s also plenty of welcome feedback from the front tires. In an age when far too many cars have essentially numb steering, the GT3 is something of a revelation. And it’s proof that electronic power steering can be designed and tuned to deliver a rewarding experience.
The cockpit ergonomics are spot-on, with plenty of physical controls rather than relegating everything to a touchscreen. If you’re short like me and you buy a GT3, you’ll want to have the buckets set for your driving position—while the seat adjusts for height, as you raise it up, it also pitches forward a little, making the seat back more vertical than I’d like. (The seats slide fore and aft, so they’re not quite fixed buckets as they would be in a racing car.)
The anti-dive effect of that front suspension is quite noticeable under braking, and in either Normal or Sport mode, the damper settings are well-calibrated for bumpy back roads. It’s a supple ride, if not quite a magic carpet. On the highway, the Touring cruises well, although the engine can start to sound a little droning at a constant rpm. But the highway is not what the GT3 is optimized for.
On a dusty or wet road, you need to be alert if you’re going to use a lot of throttle at low speed. Jonathan Gitlin
On windy mountain roads, again in Normal or Sport, the car comes alive. Second and third gears are perfect for these conditions, allowing you to keep the car within its power band. And boy, does it sound good as it howls between 7,000 and 9,000 rpm. Porsche’s naturally aspirated flat-sixes have a hard edge to them—the 911 RSR was always the loudest race car in the pack—and the GT3 is no exception. Even with the sports exhaust in fruity mode, there’s little of the pops, bangs, and crackles you might hear in other sports cars, but the drama comes from the 9000 rpm redline.
Porsche asked us to keep traction control and ESC enabled during our drive—there are one-touch buttons to disable them—and given the muddy and dusty state of the roads, this was a wise idea. (The region was beset by severe flooding recently, and there was plenty of evidence of that on the route.) Even with TC on, the rear wheels would break traction if you were injudicious with the throttle, and presumably that would be the same in the wet. But it’s very easy to catch, even if you are only of moderate driving ability, like your humble correspondent.
After lunch, it was time to try the winged car, this time on the confines of the Ricardo Torno circuit just outside the city. On track, the handling was very neutral around most of the corners, with some understeer through the very slow turn 2. While a low curb weight and more than 500 hp made for a very fast accelerating car, the braking performance was probably even more impressive, allowing you to stand on the pedal and shed speed with no fade and little disturbance to the body control. Again, I am no driving god, but the GT3 was immensely flattering on track, and unlike much older 911s, it won’t try to swap ends on you when trail-braking or the like.
The landing was not nearly as jarring as you might think. Porsche
After some time behind the wheel, I was treated to some passenger laps by one of my favorite racing drivers, the inimitable Jörg Bergmeister. Unlike us journalists, he was not required to stay off the high curbs, and he demonstrated how well the car settles after launching its right-side wheels into the air over one of them. It settles down very quickly! He also demonstrated that the GT3 can be plenty oversteer-y on the exit of corners if you know what you’re doing, aided by the rear-wheel steering. It’s a testament to his driving that I emerged from two passenger laps far sweatier than I was after lapping the track myself.
The GT3 and GT3 Touring should be available from this summer in the US, with a starting price of $222,500. Were I looking for a 911 for road driving, I think I might be more tempted by the much cheaper 911 Carrera T, which is also pared to the bone weight-wise but uses the standard 380 hp (283 kW) turbocharged engine (which is still more power than the original GT3 of 1999). That car delivers plenty of fun at lower speeds, so it’s probably more useable on back roads.
Credit: Porsche
But if you want a 911 for track work, this new GT3 is simply perfect.
Jonathan is the Automotive Editor at Ars Technica. He has a BSc and PhD in Pharmacology. In 2014 he decided to indulge his lifelong passion for the car by leaving the National Human Genome Research Institute and launching Ars Technica’s automotive coverage. He lives in Washington, DC.
Drag optimization means it’s very quiet inside, but it’s also quite expensive.
The Wagoneer S is more like an electric Cherokee than a Wrangler EV. Credit: Michael Teo Van Runkle
The Wagoneer S is more like an electric Cherokee than a Wrangler EV. Credit: Michael Teo Van Runkle
This year marks the return of the Jeep Wagoneer, which formerly served as a more luxurious version of the Cherokee, but now hits the market as Jeep’s first full EV. The challenge? How to merge the modern electric lifestyle with the outdoorsy, rugged ethos that defines Jeep as a brand, alongside the more recent addition of the internal-combustion Grand Wagoneer SUV’s enormous luxury.
First of all, the new Wagoneer S wound up much smaller in person than I expected. The overall profile falls more in line with the shape of mid-size electric crossovers including the Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Chevrolet Equinox, and of course, Tesla’s Model Y. But the interior volume belies that relatively compact exterior, with plenty of space for me at 6’1″ (185 cm) to sit comfortably in both the front and rear seats. Total cargo volumes of 30.6 cubic feet (866 L) with the second row up and 61 cubic feet (1,727 L) with the second row folded flat end up mattering less than the large floor footprint, because the height used to calculate those measurements drops with the low sloping roofline and rear window.
Much of the interior space can be attributed to packaging of the Wagoneer EV’s battery. Rather than going for all-out kilowatt-hours in a dedicated skateboard layout, Jeep instead used the Stellantis group’s STLA Large platform, in this case stuffed with a 100.5-kWh lithium ion pack built on 400 V architecture. That’s enough for an EPA-estimated 303 miles of range (487 km), a solid figure but not a seriously impressive efficiency stat. In comparison, the world-beating Lucid Air Pure RWD manages about 40 percent more range per kilowatt-hour and a Polestar 3 AWD does about 18 percent worse. Claimed DC fast charge times of 23 minutes for a 20-80 percent top up, or 100 miles (160 km) in 10 minutes similarly get the job done without standing out from the pack.
Credit: Jeep
That modular STLA Large chassis can house either a full internal-combustion engine, a hybrid powertrain, or fully electric components. The Wagoneer S uses two matching 335 hp (250 kW) motors, front and rear, for a combined 600 hp (447 kW) and 618 lb-ft of torque (838 Nm). In typical EV fashion, the latter comes on quick and makes this undoubtedly the fastest accelerating Jeep ever, as I learned while battling horrendous headwinds in fire-ravaged Southern California (which served as something of a nonstop reminder of the importance of taking baby steps, a la Jeep’s first EV, toward a more sustainable transportation future).
Pushing deep into the “throttle” pedal, the Wagoneer S will happily chirp all four tires in Sport mode. And the jerk thrusting my torso and skull back into the plush seat suggests that Jeep’s claimed 0-60 mph time of 3.4 seconds might just be accurate, potentially thanks to being able to do a true launch by stepping on the brake and gas pedals simultaneously—possible because Jeep chose to retain more standard mechanical brakes rather than a brake-by-wire system as on the EV6/Ioniq siblings and Model Y.
The suspension tuning definitely trends toward the typical tautness of today’s crossover segment, where aspirational sporty dynamics can sometimes create harsh and uncomfortable ride quality. But I still might have ventured to call the Wagoneer S somewhat softer than most of the competition, until the roughest of roads revealed the 5,667 lb (2,570 kg) curb weight. For an EV, that figure falls roughly in the middle of the pack, but this crossover weighs about as much as a full-size internal-combustion three-row SUV.
Still, even at highway speeds (in gale-force winds) or on those roughest of roads, the Wagoneer S remains shockingly quiet. And not just to enhance the experience of the Wagoneer S Launch Edition’s 1,200 W Macintosh sound system. Instead, Jeep exterior designer Vince Galante walked me through the design process, which kicked off with a targeted 0.30 coefficient of drag despite the need to stick with a squared-off, upright SUV posture typical of Jeeps throughout history.
“On the exterior design portion, the aerodynamic drag is our biggest contributor,” Galante told me. “It kind of comes up off the hood, up the A pillar, and tapers down towards the back, and finishes in a square, yet tapered pillar reminiscent of the original Wagoneer. But through the middle of the car, it’s basically ideal for what the wind wants to do.”
From the front or side perspective, this Wagoneer looks almost as boxy as a 1980s Jeep. But a rear viewing angle reveals the massive rear wing creating that illusion, which sits well off the sloping line of the rear roof and glass.
Credit: Michael Teo Van Runkle
“Anytime we do a floating element, we think ‘Yeah, there’s no way engineering’s gonna let us get away with this,'” Galante laughed. “We work really collaboratively with the engineers, and they were like, ‘Let’s test it. Let’s see what it does.’ And they came back and said, ‘You know, yeah, this has potential. But you guys gotta make it sit off the surface three times more dramatically.'”
Galante estimates the original wing design rose up two inches, while the final production version is more like nine inches off the rear window. He also pointed out a host of other less obvious details, from body panels that step in by fractions of millimeters to differently rounded radii of wheel arch edges, and especially the confluence where the A pillar connects to the body.
“The windshield, the A pillar, the side glass, the mirror, the post that holds the mirror, the fender, everything comes together there,” he said. “I think every vehicle I’ve ever worked on, that was the last thing to finalize in the wind tunnel… I mean, we’re talking tenths of millimeters for some of the iterations that we’re doing in those areas. Especially the front edge of the A pillar, I can recall trying twenty, thirty, forty different radii on there to get that just right.”
Credit: Michael Teo Van Runkle
All the aero considerations attempt to coax air to stick to surfaces, then break off suddenly and evenly. The rear wing therefore pushes air down toward the rear window, while creating as little turbulence as possible. The final range figure critically—and barely—cracking 300 miles justified so much refinement in Jeep’s new rolling road wind tunnel, thanks to a final Cd of 0.294. Maybe juggling production cost savings of the STLA Large platform dictated such extensive aerodynamic efforts more than a dedicated skateboard battery layout might have, but the resulting quietude that combating those inefficiencies produced does truly border on a luxury experience, even if we’re not quite at Audi (nor Lucid) levels of silence.
On the interior, Jeep also tried to lean into the Wagoneer S’s sustainability, using quality materials with textural designs and as little piano-black plastic as possible. The fabrics, plastics, and aluminum trim come almost entirely from recycled sources—62 percent for suede and 100 percent for fabric and carpeting, in fact—and you’ll see zero chrome anywhere on the car, since chroming is apparently one of the most environmentally deleterious processes in all of automaking.
But the Wagoneer S similarly leans into a tech-heavy user experience, with almost 55 inches of screen visible from the front seats: the gauge cluster, center infotainment, climate controls, passenger dash screen, and digital rearview mirror all contribute to that total. Climate control, especially, seems critical—and an often overlooked element for many EV manufacturers. Rather than a full panoramic glass roof, as on the Lucids and Polestars of the world, this Jeep gets a long sunroof with a retracting insulated cover to keep out heat. The excellent ventilated front and rear seats (and massaging, for the fronts!) also more efficiently cool down passengers.
For my taste, the digitalization of driving went a little too far. I never enjoy a rotating shift knob but this one clicks into gear with a positive heft. I also noticed some pixelation and latency in the gauge cluster’s navigation maps, as if the refresh rate was too slow for the speed I was driving. Not that I started ripping up the road too much in this luxury crossover, or at least, not more often than scientific experimentation demanded (and a similar problem also affected the Dodge Charger EV we drove recently).
Sport mode brought out some of my inner grinning child, but I actually preferred the Wagoneer S in Eco mode. So much power split to the front and rear wheels can create some torque steer, and throttle response that borders on touchy. The electrically assisted steering also prioritizes a heavy on-center zone, then snaps to light inputs with the slightest turn of the wheel, which made holding a steady line slightly distracting.
Instead, Eco dulls down the throttle response and the steering becomes a bit less reactive. The Wagoneer S will then also more regularly disconnect the front wheels for improved efficiency—though at the hubs, rather than the axles, so some reciprocating mass still saps precious electrons.
It would be more efficient to disconnect the rears, but this decision also centers around maintaining some semblance of Jeep-ness. Even if the Wagoneer S aligns most nearly with recent Cherokee and Grand Cherokee models, rather than the off-roady Wrangler and Gladiator or the super-luxe Grand Wagoneer. The forthcoming Trailhawk version promises to double down on the 4×4 capability, with a locking rear differential, better tires, and hopefully better suspension than I experienced on a quick sojourn off the asphalt onto a slightly rutted gravel road east of San Diego.
More importantly, cheaper trims will arrive later in 2025, also, since the Launch Edition’s tall ask of $71,995 almost doubles the starting sticker of a Equinox EV, seriously eclipses either a Model Y, EV6, or Ioniq 5, and also somehow costs more than a Polestar 3 or even a Lucid Air. Jeep so far wants to keep pricing for those lower-spec Wagoneer EVs under wraps, though, even if the heart of the run will undoubtedly help the first electric Jeep more effectively escape from unfortunate comparisons to such stiff competition.
HEALDSBURG, Calif.—Earlier this summer, Ars got its first drive of Audi’s new Q6 e-tron on some very wet roads in Spain. Then, we were driving pre-production Q6s in Euro-spec. Now, the electric SUV is on sale in the US, with more power in the base model and six months more refinement for its software. But the venue change did not bring a change of weather—heavy rain was the order of the day, making me wonder if Audi is building its new electric vehicle on the site of an ancient rain god’s temple?
Of all its rivals, Audi appears to have settled into a nomenclature for its vehicles that at least makes a little sense. Odd numbers are for internal combustion engines, even numbers for EVs, although it also appends “e-tron” on the end to make that entirely clear… and give francophones something to snicker about. (Yes, the e-tron GT does not fit into this schema, but nobody’s perfect.)
The Q6 e-tron is also the most advanced EV to wear Audi’s four rings. Built on a new architecture called PPE (premium platform electric), at its heart is an 800 V powertrain with a 100 kWh (94.4 kWh useable) lithium-ion battery pack that powers a permanently excited synchronous motor driving the rear wheels, and in the case of the quattro versions, an asynchronous motor. The electric motors have 30 percent less energy consumption than those used in the Q8 e-tron, and are smaller and lighter.
That makes it a lot more up to date than the Q8 e-tron, which uses a modified version of Audi’s venerable MLB Evo platform, or the smaller Q4 e-tron, a somewhat disappointing electric crossover that’s essentially a Volkswagen ID.4 with a glow-up. That goes for the Q6 e-tron’s electronics, which are also a generation newer than the Q4 e-tron, and also more capable.
Audi is starting off US Q6 e-tron sales with a pair of models, the $65,800 Q6 e-tron quattro and the $72,900 SQ6 e-tron quattro. A $63,800 single-motor (not-quattro) Q6 e-tron will be available in time, with 302 hp (225 kW) and an EPA range of 321 miles (517 km), but we’ll have to wait a while before we get behind the wheel of that one.
Adding electric power and a battery turns the Urus from hit-or-miss to just right.
The original Urus was an SUV that nobody particularly wanted, even if the market was demanding it. With luxury manufacturers tripping over themselves to capitalize on a seemingly limitless demand for taller all-around machines, Lamborghini was a little late to the party.
The resulting SUV has done its job, boosting Lamborghini’s sales and making up more than half of the company’s volume last year. Even so, the first attempt was just a bit tame. That most aggressive of supercar manufacturers produced an SUV featuring the air of the company’s lower, more outrageous performance machines, but it didn’t quite deliver the level of prestige that its price demanded.
The Urus Performante changed that, adding enough visual and driving personality to make itself a legitimately exciting machine to drive or to look at. Along the way, though, it lost a bit of the most crucial aspect of an SUV: everyday livability. On paper, the Urus SE is just a plug-in version of the Urus, with a big battery adding some emissions-free range. In reality, it’s an SUV with more performance and more flexibility, too. This is the Urus’ Goldilocks moment.
If you’re looking for something subtle, you shouldn’t be looking at an Urus. Credit: Tim Stevens
The what
The Urus SE starts with the same basic platform as the other models in the line, including a 4.0 L turbocharged V8 that drives all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic and an all-wheel-drive system.
All that has received a strong dose of electrification, starting with a 25.9 kWh battery pack sitting far out back that helps to offset the otherwise nose-heavy SUV while also adding a playful bit of inertia to its tail. More on that in a moment.
That battery powers a 189 hp (141 kW) permanent-magnet synchronous electric motor fitted between the V8 and its transmission. The positioning means it has full access to all eight speeds and can drive the car at up to 81 mph (130 km/h). That, plus a Lamborghini-estimated 37 miles (60 km) of range, means this is a large SUV that could feasibly cover a lot of people’s commutes emissions-free.
The V8 lives here. Credit: Tim Stevens
But when that electric motor’s power is paired with the 4.0 V8, the result is 789 hp (588 kW) total system power delivered to all four wheels. And with the electric torque coming on strong and early, it not only adds shove but throttle response, too.
Other updates
At a glance, the Urus SE looks more or less the same as the earlier renditions of the same SUV. Look closer, though, and you’ll spot several subtle changes, including a hood that eases more gently into the front fenders and a new spoiler out back that Lamborghini says boosts rear downforce by 35 percent over the Urus S.
Far and away the most striking part of the car, though, are the 22-inch wheels wrapped around carbon-ceramic brakes. They give this thing the look of a rolling caricature of a sport SUV in the best way possible. On the body of the machine itself, you’ll want to choose a properly eye-catching color, like the Arancio Egon you see here. I’ve been lucky to drive some pretty special SUVs over the years, and none have turned heads like this one did when cruising silently through a series of small Italian towns.
Things are far more same-y on the inside. At first blush, nothing has changed inside the Urus SE, and that’s OK. You have a few new hues of Technicolor hides to choose from—the car you see here is outfitted in a similarly pungent orange to its exterior color, making it a citrus dream through and through. The sports seats aren’t overly aggressive, offering more comfort than squeeze, but I’d say that’s just perfect.
Buttons and touchscreens vie with less conventional controls inside the Urus. Tim Stevens
But that’s all much the same as prior Urus versions. The central infotainment screen is slightly larger at 12.3 inches, and the software is lightly refreshed, but it’s the same Audi-based system as before. A light skinning full of hexagons makes it look and feel a little more at home in a car with a golden bull on the nose.
Unfortunately, while the car is quicker than the original model, the software isn’t. The overall experience is somewhat sluggish, especially when moving through the navigation system. Even the regen meter on the digital gauge cluster doesn’t change until a good half-second after you’ve pressed the brake pedal, an unfortunate place for lag.
The Urus SE offers six drive modes: Strada (street), Sport, Corsa (track), Sabbia (sand), Terra (dirt), and Neve (snow). There’s also a seventh, customizable Ego mode. As on earlier Urus models, these modes must be selected in that sequence. So if you want to go from Sport back to Strada, you need to cycle the mode selector knob five times—or go digging two submenus deep on the touchscreen.
Those can be further customized via a few buttons added beneath the secondary drive mode lever on the right. The top button enables standard Hybrid mode, where the gasoline and electric powertrains work together as harmoniously as possible for normal driving. The second button enters Recharge mode, which instructs the car to prioritize battery charge. The third and lowest button enters Performance mode, which gives you maximum performance from the hybrid system at the expense of charge.
Finally, a quick tug on the mode selector on the right drops the Urus into EV Drive.
Silent running
I started my time in the Urus SE driving into the middle of town, which was full of narrow streets, pedestrian-friendly speed limits, and aggressively piloted Fiats. Slow and steady is the safest way in these situations, so I was happy to sample the Urus’ all-electric mode.
To put it simply, it delivers. There’s virtually no noise from the drivetrain, a near-silent experience at lower speeds that help assuage the stress such situations can cause. The experience was somewhat spoiled by some tire noise, but I’ll blame that on the Pirelli Scorpion Winter 2 tires outfitted here. I can’t, however, blame the tires for a few annoying creaks and rattles, which isn’t exactly what I’d expect from an SUV at this price point.
Though there isn’t much power at your disposal in this mode, the Urus can still scoot away from lights and stop signs quickly and easily, even ducking through small gaps in tiny roundabouts.
It might not be subtle, but it can be practical. Credit: Tim Stevens
Dip more than three-quarters of the way into the throttle, though, and that V8 fires up and quickly joins the fun. The hand-off here can be a little less than subtle as power output surges quickly, but in a moment, the car goes from a wheezy EV to a roaring Lamborghini. And unlike a lot of plug-ins that stubbornly refuse to shut their engines off again when this happens, another quick pull of the EV lever silences the thing.
When I finally got out of town, I shifted over to Strada mode, the default mode for the Urus. I found this mode a little too lazy for my tastes, as it was reluctant to shift down unless I dipped far into the throttle, resulting in a bucking bull of acceleration when the eight-speed automatic finally complied.
The car only really came alive when I put it into Sport mode and above.
Shifting to Sport
Any hesitation or reluctance to shift is quickly obliterated as soon as you tug the drive mode lever into Sport. The SUV immediately forgets all about trying to be efficient, dropping a gear or two and making sure you’re never far from the power band, keeping the turbo lag from the V8 to a minimum.
The tachometer gets some red highlights in this mode, but you won’t need to look at it. There’s plenty of sound from the exhaust, augmented by some digital engine notes I found to be more distracting and unnecessary than anything. Most importantly, the overall feel of the car changes dramatically. It leaps forward with the slightest provocation of the right pedal, really challenging the grip of the tires.
In my first proper sampling of the full travel of that throttle pedal, I was surprised at how quickly this latest Urus got frisky, kicking its tail out with an eager wag on a slight bend to the right. It wasn’t scary, but it was just lively enough to make me smile and feel like I was something more than a passenger in a hyper-advanced, half-electric SUV.
Credit: Tim Stevens
In other words, it felt like a Lamborghini, an impression only reinforced as I dropped the SUV down to Corsa mode and really let it fly. The transmission is incredibly eager to drop gears on the slightest bit of deceleration, enough so that I rarely felt the need to reach for the column-mounted shift paddles.
But despite the eagerness, the suspension remained compliant and everyday-livable in every mode. I could certainly feel the (many) imperfections in the rural Italian roads more when the standard air suspension was dialed over to its stiffest, but even then, it was never punishing. And in the softest setting, the SUV was perfectly comfortable despite those 22-inch wheels and tires.
I didn’t get a chance to sample the SUV’s off-road prowess, but the SE carries a torque-vectoring rear differential like the Performante, which should mean it will be as eager to turn and drift on loose surfaces as that other, racier Urus.
Both the Urus Performante and the SE start at a bit over $260,000, which means choosing between the two isn’t a decision to be made on price alone. Personally, I’d much prefer the SE. It offers plenty of the charm and excitement of the Performante mixed with even better everyday capability than the Urus S. This one’s just right.
Perched in the driver’s seat, I’m not sure why you would need to be, anyway. Nothing about the Buzz’s driving style demands you rag it through the corners, although the car coped very well on the very twisty sections of our route up the shore of the Tomales Bay.
Like last week’s Porsche Macan, the single-motor model is the one I’d pick—again, it’s the version that’s cheaper, lighter, and has a longer range, albeit only just. And this might be the biggest stumbling block for some Buzz fans who were waiting to push the button. With 86 kWh useable (91 kWh gross), the RWD Buzz has an EPA range estimate of 234 miles (377 km). Blame the frontal area, which remains barn door-sized, even if the drag coefficient is a much more svelte 0.29.
Fast-charging should be relatively fast, though, peaking at up to 200 kW and with a 26-minute charge time to go from 10 to 80 percent state of charge. And while VW EVs will gain access to the Tesla supercharger network with an adapter, expect 2025 Buzzes to come with CCS1 ports, not native NACS for now.
I expect most customers to opt for all-wheel drive, but again, American car buyer tastes are what they are. This adds an asynchronous motor to the front axle and boosts combined power to 335 hp (250 kW). VW hasn’t given a combined torque figure, but the front motor can generate up to 99 lb-ft (134 Nm) together with the 413 lb-ft from the rear. The curb weight for this version is 6,197 lbs (2,811 kg), and its EPA range is 231 miles (376 km).
It’s a bit of a step up in price, however, as you need to move up to the Pro S Plus trim if you want power for both axles. This adds more standard equipment to what is already a well-specced base model, but it starts at $67,995 (or $63,495 for the RWD Pro S Plus).
I was driving the lead Buzz on the day we drove, but this photo is from the day before, when it wasn’t gray and rainy in San Francisco. Credit: Volkswagen
While I found the single-motor Buzz to be a more supple car to drive down a curvy road, both powertrain variants have an agility that belies their bulk, particularly at low speed. To begin our day, VW had all the assembled journalists re-create a photo of the vans driving down Lombard St. Despite a very slippery and wet surface that day, the Buzz was a cinch to place on the road and drive slowly.
Enlarge/ The Polestar 4 is the latest entrant into the crowded midsize luxury electric SUV segment. We think it has what it takes to stand out.
Jonathan Gitlin
“If you’re going to make a car and use all that energy, it should be a good car,” said Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar. Ingenlath was referring to the company’s latest electric vehicle, a midsize SUV with striking coupe looks called the Polestar 4. While Ingenlath is on point from a sustainability perspective, it makes good business sense, too. The Polestar 4 needs to be a good car to stand out as it enters one of the most hotly contested segments of the market.
In fact, Polestar uses less energy to make its latest EV than anything else in its range—the company quotes a carbon footprint of 19.9 tonnes of CO2 from cradle to gate. Like some other automakers, Polestar is using a monomaterial approach to the interior to make recycling easier, choosing the same base plastic for all the components in a particular piece of trim, for example.
The carpets are made from, variously, recycled fishing nets or plastic bottles. The vinyl seats use pine oil instead of the stuff extracted from the ground, and the knitted upholstery fabric—also recycled plastic bottles—was designed to leave no off-cuts.
The headlights are a Polestar trademark now, even though there have been just four models so far.
Jonathan Gitlin
Coupe-like looks, SUV-like practicality.
Jonathan Gitlin
No, your eyes don’t deceive you, there is no rear windshield.
Jonathan Gitlin
The interior is inspired by sportswear.
Jonathan Gitlin
The back seat of the Polestar 4 outdoes rivals from Porsche, BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz.
Jonathan Gitlin
At night, LEDs illuminate the interior from behind textile trim panels. The colors are switchable depending on which theme you have the car set to—more on that later.
Jonathan Gitlin
The fastest Polestar yet
In addition to being the greenest Polestar so far, this one is also the most performant. We tested the $62,900 Long Range Dual Motor version, which can send up to 536 hp (400 kW) and 506 lb-ft (686 Nm) to the wheels. Pick this version and you should see 270 miles (434 km) from the 100 kWh battery pack. In a suitable location like a motorway toll booth, 60 mph arrives in 3.7 seconds (100 km/h in 3.8).
That’s if you’re in performance mode, at least. Switch to range mode, and clutches disconnect the front permanent magnet synchronous motor and remap the throttle pedal for better efficiency. There’s also a heat pump as standard. The car can DC fast-charge at rates of up to 200 kW, which should take the battery pack from 10 to 80 percent state of charge in 30 min. At home on an 11 kW AC charger, 0–100 percent SoC should take about 11 hours.
There is also a Long Range Single Motor variant with precisely half the power and torque but an EPA range of 300 miles (482 km). Driven by just its rear wheels, the Polestar 4 has more modest performance—60 mph arrives in 6.9 seconds, 100 km/h in 7.1—but it also carries a $8,000-cheaper price, starting at $54,900. New tariffs on Chinese-made EVs have come into effect, but Polestar told Ars that it is sticking with the original pricing. Next year, production of US-market Polestar 4s will begin in South Korea, which will mean significantly smaller import tariffs. (This story originally stated there had been a $10,000 price increase; this was incorrect.)
Jonathan Gitlin
It’s surprisingly good to drive
It has to be said: Making an electric car go fast is not particularly difficult. Electric motors generate most of their torque almost immediately, and unlike with a combustion motor, if you increase the peak power, there isn’t really an efficiency hit lower down the performance envelope. So even a 3-ton monster can get hurled down the road rapidly enough to embarrass a whole lot of supercars.
The Polestar 4 isn’t quite that heavy—5,192 lbs (2,355 kg)—so it forgoes air suspension in favor of conventional coil springs and dampers. These are passive in the Single Motor, but the Dual Motor is equipped with active dampers as standard, and if you choose the performance pack, it’s upgraded with stiffer springs and antiroll bars and new damper tuning.
Our test car was so equipped, and it was a noticeably firm ride, particularly when sitting in the back. There was also a bit of wind noise at speed, but more tire roar, thanks presumably to the performance pack’s 22-inch wheels.
