en Latest news, reviews, and more from around the The Car Connection https://static.thecarconnection.com/website/tcc-logo-rectangle.png https://www.thecarconnection.com Tue, 01 Apr 2025 17:26:00 -0400 The Car Connection https://www.thecarconnection.com 2024 Kia Carnival acts as transporter, living room, and sanctuary on the road Covering 700 miles, averaging 26.2 mpg, the Carnival impresses, even before the 2025 hybrid arrives National Parks, dolphins, and an Army duffel bag bind a father and son before college starts When my automotive friends heard that my son and I would be driving down U.S...]]> Tue, 01 Apr 2025 17:26:00 -0400 https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1144106_kia-carnival-road-trip-test-drive https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1144106_kia-carnival-road-trip-test-drive news@thecarconnection.com (Robert Duffer) https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1144106_kia-carnival-road-trip-test-drive#comments Robert Duffer 2024 Kia Carnival acts as transporter, living room, and sanctuary on the road Covering 700 miles, averaging 26.2 mpg, the Carnival impresses, even before the 2025 hybrid arrives National Parks, dolphins, and an Army duffel bag bind a father and son before college starts When my automotive friends heard that my son and I would be driving down U.S...]]> Subaru ranks as the most reliable brand for the first time in Consumer Reports's annual ratings Toyota fell due to new powertrains in new vehicles Rivian ranked last in reliability, though 15 other brands weren't rated at all Toyota or its luxury brand Lexus no longer top the most reliable brand rankings, according to an annual report published...]]> Mon, 31 Mar 2025 17:04:00 -0400 https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1145209_toyota-no-longer-most-reliable-brand-says-consumer-reports https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1145209_toyota-no-longer-most-reliable-brand-says-consumer-reports news@thecarconnection.com (Robert Duffer) https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1145209_toyota-no-longer-most-reliable-brand-says-consumer-reports#comments Robert Duffer Subaru ranks as the most reliable brand for the first time in Consumer Reports's annual ratings Toyota fell due to new powertrains in new vehicles Rivian ranked last in reliability, though 15 other brands weren't rated at all Toyota or its luxury brand Lexus no longer top the most reliable brand rankings, according to an annual report published...]]> U.S. spec is 3-row, 10 in. longer than Euro version out two years ago Larger 91-kwh battery pack, higher-power rear motor EPA range up to 234 miles, 10-80% in 26 min. Starts at $61,545, spans to $71,545 for top 1st Edition AWD VW’s electric Bus reboot is finally arriving in the U.S.. And by design, it’s hard to imagine a better way...]]> Mon, 31 Mar 2025 16:46:00 -0400 https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1144782_2025-volkswagen-id-buzz-test-drive-review https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1144782_2025-volkswagen-id-buzz-test-drive-review news@greencarreports.com (Bengt Halvorson) https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1144782_2025-volkswagen-id-buzz-test-drive-review#comments Bengt Halvorson U.S. spec is 3-row, 10 in. longer than Euro version out two years ago Larger 91-kwh battery pack, higher-power rear motor EPA range up to 234 miles, 10-80% in 26 min. Starts at $61,545, spans to $71,545 for top 1st Edition AWD VW’s electric Bus reboot is finally arriving in the U.S.. And by design, it’s hard to imagine a better way...]]> Mild design tweaks don’t change the off-road Ram trucks' capabilities Ram Power Wagon still has no direct competitor 2025 Ram Power Wagon costs $74,235 and Rebel HD costs $70,740 The competition woke up and realized there’s room to play in the heavy-duty off-road sandbox. But Ram doesn't want to give an inch of a segment it has defined...]]> Sun, 30 Mar 2025 13:12:00 -0400 https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1146014_2025-ram-power-wagon-rebel-hd-test-drive-review https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1146014_2025-ram-power-wagon-rebel-hd-test-drive-review news@motorauthority.com (Joel Feder) https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1146014_2025-ram-power-wagon-rebel-hd-test-drive-review#comments Joel Feder Mild design tweaks don’t change the off-road Ram trucks' capabilities Ram Power Wagon still has no direct competitor 2025 Ram Power Wagon costs $74,235 and Rebel HD costs $70,740 The competition woke up and realized there’s room to play in the heavy-duty off-road sandbox. But Ram doesn't want to give an inch of a segment it has defined...]]> Are plug-in hybrids an on-ramp to fully electric vehicles, or undue cost and complexity? Are they something consumers asked for, or something created by bureaucrats and regulators? At least in some respects the answer includes all of the above. It’s complicated. Plug-in hybrids’ greater complexity is intended to pay off by greening the...]]> Sun, 30 Mar 2025 07:00:00 -0400 https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1143823_new-plug-in-hybrid-phev https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1143823_new-plug-in-hybrid-phev news@greencarreports.com (Bengt Halvorson) https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1143823_new-plug-in-hybrid-phev#comments Bengt Halvorson Are plug-in hybrids an on-ramp to fully electric vehicles, or undue cost and complexity? Are they something consumers asked for, or something created by bureaucrats and regulators? At least in some respects the answer includes all of the above. It’s complicated. Plug-in hybrids’ greater complexity is intended to pay off by greening the...]]> What’s in a name? The Escalade IQ is smarter, it turns out A big battery delivers 460 miles of range Cadillac delivers a big price, too: $129,990 For all its red-carpet appearances and secret-service duties over the past generation, the Cadillac Escalade has not been particularly cutting edge. It’s prospered in a prosperous world where...]]> Sat, 29 Mar 2025 12:19:00 -0400 https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1145998_test-drive-review-2025-cadillac-escalade-iq-iql-ev https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1145998_test-drive-review-2025-cadillac-escalade-iq-iql-ev news@motorauthority.com (Martin Padgett) https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1145998_test-drive-review-2025-cadillac-escalade-iq-iql-ev#comments Martin Padgett What’s in a name? The Escalade IQ is smarter, it turns out A big battery delivers 460 miles of range Cadillac delivers a big price, too: $129,990 For all its red-carpet appearances and secret-service duties over the past generation, the Cadillac Escalade has not been particularly cutting edge. It’s prospered in a prosperous world where...]]> Among those considering the purchase of a new or used battery-electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle, or just curious about EVs, charging can still be the EV dealbreaker. Unless you don’t have a way to easily install or access home charging, your excuses are quickly disappearing, though. In 2024 public charging kept pace—or...]]> Sat, 29 Mar 2025 07:00:00 -0400 https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1145736_electric-car-charging-the-basics https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1145736_electric-car-charging-the-basics news@greencarreports.com (Bengt Halvorson) https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1145736_electric-car-charging-the-basics#comments Bengt Halvorson Among those considering the purchase of a new or used battery-electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle, or just curious about EVs, charging can still be the EV dealbreaker. Unless you don’t have a way to easily install or access home charging, your excuses are quickly disappearing, though. In 2024 public charging kept pace—or...]]> Looking for a cheap car that doesn't feel cheap yet has a cheaper cost of ownership than any other cheap car? The cheapest cheap car is a hybrid, and it should be no surprise it's a Toyota. With a Toyota Corolla Hybrid and its 50 mpg combined, the EPA estimates that you can save $3,250 in fuel costs over five years compared to a similarly-equipped...]]> Fri, 28 Mar 2025 17:45:00 -0400 https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1144410_cheapest-new-hybrid-cars https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1144410_cheapest-new-hybrid-cars news@thecarconnection.com (Robert Duffer) https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1144410_cheapest-new-hybrid-cars#comments Robert Duffer Looking for a cheap car that doesn't feel cheap yet has a cheaper cost of ownership than any other cheap car? The cheapest cheap car is a hybrid, and it should be no surprise it's a Toyota. With a Toyota Corolla Hybrid and its 50 mpg combined, the EPA estimates that you can save $3,250 in fuel costs over five years compared to a similarly-equipped...]]> Santa Fe Hybrid strikes the best value in base SEL trim with AWD for $40,975 It’s only $500 more than a similarly-equipped gas-only model But second-row captain’s chairs only come with the top Calligraphy model One strong reason the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid won our Best Car To Buy 2025 award was because of its value. Sure, its boxy Land...]]> Fri, 28 Mar 2025 16:46:00 -0400 https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1145438_hyundai-santa-fe-hybrid-how-we-d-equip-our-best-car-to-buy-2025-winner https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1145438_hyundai-santa-fe-hybrid-how-we-d-equip-our-best-car-to-buy-2025-winner news@thecarconnection.com (Robert Duffer) https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1145438_hyundai-santa-fe-hybrid-how-we-d-equip-our-best-car-to-buy-2025-winner#comments Robert Duffer Santa Fe Hybrid strikes the best value in base SEL trim with AWD for $40,975 It’s only $500 more than a similarly-equipped gas-only model But second-row captain’s chairs only come with the top Calligraphy model One strong reason the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid won our Best Car To Buy 2025 award was because of its value. Sure, its boxy Land...]]> Sierra EV Denali stands out with a GM-estimated 460 miles Midgate setup allows flexibility for items nearing 11-feet long Versatility from air suspension, rear-wheel steering, Super Cruise “I’ve been on that route, and it’s not one for a full-size pickup—let alone one weighing nearly 9,000 pounds.” That was what I...]]> Fri, 28 Mar 2025 16:03:00 -0400 https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1145063_2025-gmc-sierra-ev-test-drive-review https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1145063_2025-gmc-sierra-ev-test-drive-review news@greencarreports.com (Bengt Halvorson) https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1145063_2025-gmc-sierra-ev-test-drive-review#comments Bengt Halvorson Sierra EV Denali stands out with a GM-estimated 460 miles Midgate setup allows flexibility for items nearing 11-feet long Versatility from air suspension, rear-wheel steering, Super Cruise “I’ve been on that route, and it’s not one for a full-size pickup—let alone one weighing nearly 9,000 pounds.” That was what I...]]> Stellantis may be looking to adapt planetary gear hybrid systems—like the one currently used in the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid plug-in hybrid minivan—to more rugged vehicles, a patent filing indicates. The Pacifica Hybrid uses a planetary power-split system to juggle its 3.6-liter V-6 and a pair of electric motors, which can both be used...]]> Fri, 28 Mar 2025 07:00:00 -0400 https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1145924_could-jeep-reinvent-planetary-hybrid-tech-for-4wd-adventures https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1145924_could-jeep-reinvent-planetary-hybrid-tech-for-4wd-adventures news@greencarreports.com (Stephen Edelstein) https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1145924_could-jeep-reinvent-planetary-hybrid-tech-for-4wd-adventures#comments Stephen Edelstein Stellantis may be looking to adapt planetary gear hybrid systems—like the one currently used in the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid plug-in hybrid minivan—to more rugged vehicles, a patent filing indicates. The Pacifica Hybrid uses a planetary power-split system to juggle its 3.6-liter V-6 and a pair of electric motors, which can both be used...]]> The Santa Fe gains hybrid power, 36 mpg combined It outdoes the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Kia Sorento, and looks like a Land Rover The Hybrid model costs only $500 more than the gas-only Santa Fe A three-row crossover SUV with a hybrid powertrain may be nothing new, but packaged with a blocky Land Rover look and an interior that puts the...]]> Thu, 27 Mar 2025 22:27:00 -0400 https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1145313_hyundai-santa-fe-hybrid-best-car-to-buy-2025 https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1145313_hyundai-santa-fe-hybrid-best-car-to-buy-2025 news@thecarconnection.com (Martin Padgett) https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1145313_hyundai-santa-fe-hybrid-best-car-to-buy-2025#comments Martin Padgett The Santa Fe gains hybrid power, 36 mpg combined It outdoes the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Kia Sorento, and looks like a Land Rover The Hybrid model costs only $500 more than the gas-only Santa Fe A three-row crossover SUV with a hybrid powertrain may be nothing new, but packaged with a blocky Land Rover look and an interior that puts the...]]> For 2025, dozens of EV variants top 300 miles of range The top dozen contains pickups, SUVs, crossovers, sedans, and a hatchback Standouts like Lucid Air and Hyundai Ioniq 6 manage market-leading range without huge battery packs Less than a decade ago, 300 miles seemed like the holy grail for EV driving range. Now, even as the overdue reality of...]]> Thu, 27 Mar 2025 17:00:00 -0400 https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1144941_which-electric-cars-have-the-most-range https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1144941_which-electric-cars-have-the-most-range news@greencarreports.com (Bengt Halvorson) https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1144941_which-electric-cars-have-the-most-range#comments Bengt Halvorson For 2025, dozens of EV variants top 300 miles of range The top dozen contains pickups, SUVs, crossovers, sedans, and a hatchback Standouts like Lucid Air and Hyundai Ioniq 6 manage market-leading range without huge battery packs Less than a decade ago, 300 miles seemed like the holy grail for EV driving range. Now, even as the overdue reality of...]]> Next-generation Nissan Leaf will launch first in U.S. and Canada, be fully revealed this year Rogue Hybrid and Rogue PHEV are on the way over the next two model years A broader range of U.S.-made Nissan and Infiniti EVs starts to arrive in 2028 Affordable EVs? Widely available hybrids? A plug-in hybrid? As it emerges from financial upheaval...]]> Thu, 27 Mar 2025 07:00:00 -0400 https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1146054_2026-nissan-leaf-ev-price-photos-range https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1146054_2026-nissan-leaf-ev-price-photos-range news@greencarreports.com (Bengt Halvorson) https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1146054_2026-nissan-leaf-ev-price-photos-range#comments Bengt Halvorson Next-generation Nissan Leaf will launch first in U.S. and Canada, be fully revealed this year Rogue Hybrid and Rogue PHEV are on the way over the next two model years A broader range of U.S.-made Nissan and Infiniti EVs starts to arrive in 2028 Affordable EVs? Widely available hybrids? A plug-in hybrid? As it emerges from financial upheaval...]]> Spinoff starts with $105 million VC investment, Rivian maintains “substantial minority stake” Products to be affordable, vastly more efficient than today's cars or SUVs In-house-built for core components, may share sales space with Rivian Flagship product coming in early 2026 Do we really need a new generation of EVs that are bigger...]]> Wed, 26 Mar 2025 16:53:00 -0400 https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1146053_rivian-spinoff-focuses-on-small-evs-ways-to-move-beyond-cars https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1146053_rivian-spinoff-focuses-on-small-evs-ways-to-move-beyond-cars news@greencarreports.com (Bengt Halvorson) https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1146053_rivian-spinoff-focuses-on-small-evs-ways-to-move-beyond-cars#comments Bengt Halvorson Spinoff starts with $105 million VC investment, Rivian maintains “substantial minority stake” Products to be affordable, vastly more efficient than today's cars or SUVs In-house-built for core components, may share sales space with Rivian Flagship product coming in early 2026 Do we really need a new generation of EVs that are bigger...]]>