Lexus’ compact NX was overhauled in 2022 and carries forward for 2023. Its style, amenities, and safety features are among its strong suits, while a pair of hybrid choices set this model apart in a crowded segment. Our test plug-in hybrid model blends performance with efficiency, a combination that we … Read more
Lincoln Aviator highlights and features. For the first time, Lincoln gains a three-row crossover with the debut of the 2020 Aviator. The Lincoln Aviator shares its platform with the Ford Explorer and is situated between the smaller Lincoln Nautilus and the full-sized Lincoln Navigator SUV. Along with the upcoming Lincoln … Read more
Chevrolet’s Volt maintains its place in a niche segment. The 2019 Chevrolet Volt operates in a limited, but important segment. As a compact plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, the Volt supplies sufficient electrification range for local drivers, then backs it up with a small generator (engine) for longer trips. The original … Read more
The 740e is BMW’s big PHEV. Certain dreams of mine were recently fulfilled when a handsome, shiny BMW 7 Series arrived at my home one blustery March afternoon. The new conveyance completed my quest to drive each of BMW’s numbered car models ranging from 3 to 7. Yes, “2” remains … Read more
T8 represents maximum power and efficiency. Certainly, Volvo doesn’t have the product reach or market sales of such luxury stalwarts as Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Nevertheless, the Swedish automaker continues to make a name for itself with the vehicles it has. For example, the 2018 S90 is its midsize sedan, delivering … Read more
A Kent Island glimpse at a compact luxury PHEV sedan. The Mercedes-Benz brand has remained elusive among my press fleet vehicles, a situation I plan to amend by next year. You simply can’t properly evaluate the market without a steady dose of M-B models to compare with Audi, BMW, and … Read more
Not a Prius fighter…or is it? Some may say the Hyundai Ioniq is this Korean manufacturer’s answer to the Toyota Prius. Hyundai insists otherwise, citing its own effort to deliver the most affordable and efficient cars the world over. Maybe there is a touch of irony here, but what’s important … Read more
The industry’s first-ever hybrid minivan has arrived. Chrysler arrived late to the hybrid game releasing 2009 MY Dodge Durango Hybrid and Chrysler Aspen Hybrid models in the summer of 2008. Sharing the two-mode hybrid system developed jointly with GM, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, the Chrysler duo were discontinued a few months … Read more
Fourth-generation Prius includes a new plug-in Prius Prime model. How many Prius models are there? Four, including the all-new Prius Prime — a plug-in electric vehicle based on the standard Prius theme. The Prius Prime isn’t the first Prius plug-in hybrid, but it does reflect the presence of Toyota’s latest … Read more
Ford’s PHEV is surprisingly reasonably priced. Three model years passed by and I finally got behind the wheel again of a Ford Fusion. Just like the last time, this model was the Fusion Energi, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle based on Ford’s popular midsize car. Now in its fifth model … Read more
The original Porsche Cayenne changed the way that we look at Porsche as well as at sport-utility vehicles in general. Where Jeep and Land Rover paved the way for the earliest off-road vehicles, Porsche came to the party late, but with its guns a-blazing. Porsche’s First Sport Utility Vehicle The … Read more
The Toyota Prius is the best-known hybrid in the world. It is also a consistent top seller for Toyota, with upwards of 20,000 units sold per month. In the US, Toyota sells about twice as many hybrid electric vehicles under its Toyota and Lexus brands than do all other manufacturers … Read more
The Honda Accord Hybrid is back and this time it comes in both plug-in and standard hybrid configurations. The standard hybrid will be produced in the United States and go on sale this fall, while the PHEV hybrid is already available, a 2014 model that went on sale at select … Read more
As auto manufacturers put forth a number of hybrid, alternative fuel, and full-electric options, the average motorist can be understandably confused by exactly what each of those labels means when it comes to actually getting out and driving. The word “hybrid” only means that a car can run on both … Read more