Aurelia Butler

Overshadowed by its Geo Storm sibling and undermined by Isuzu’s focus on SUVs, the second-generation Impulse is a forgotten gem, and the all-wheel-drive RS Turbo is the fastest, rarest version.A high-tech pocket rocket, this Impulse also features a Lotus-tuned suspension, passive rear-wheel steering, anti-lock brakes, and a functional hood scoop.With just 27,000 miles on the clock, this is one of the nicest remaining examples of a fun, obscure, and very collectible car.For a car that struggled to get noticed when it was new, the second-generation Isuzu Impulse RS Turbo isn’t shy. It’s loud, raw, and quick, and if you’re behind one at a stoplight, it advertises its “all wheel drive/intercooled turbo” status right on the back in all-caps decals. There are also “Handling by Lotus” and “DOHC” badges on the sides. If Isuzu had added decals or plaques for all of this punchy pocket rocket’s laundry list of tech, it might have ended up looking like a Winston Cup car. Despite all those features, sporty looks, and an available shooting-brake body style, Isuzu sold fewer than 10,000 second-gen Impulses in the U.S. before it axed its car line in 1993. Despite that ignominious end, the Impulse went out with a bang. This 27,000-mile 1991 Impulse RS Turbo AWD for sale on Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos) is the ne plus ultra of Impulses. With 160 horsepower and moves to rival Integra GS-Rs and 240SXs, this unsung hero is one of just 600 U.S.-market turbos.Courtesy: Bring a TrailerThe Impulse’s problem was that its main adversary wasn’t the Integra or 240SX but the Geo Storm, its GM sibling from the start of development in 1985. GM owned 35 percent of Isuzu then, and the Storm would theoretically boost production and profits for Isuzu’s tiny car division, make replacing the aging first-generation Impulse easier, and provide Chevy with a fun, high-quality small coupe.Courtesy: Bring a TrailerIn reality, while the Geo didn’t get the Impulse’s best performance bits, it was cheaper, obviously related, and enjoyed a bigger dealer network and much more marketing budget. Geo sold 280,000 Storms while Impulses gathered dust. By 1991, Americans also thought of Isuzu as an SUV brand. They flocked to showrooms for the Amigo, Rodeo, and Trooper, not its cars. Meanwhile, Japan’s souring economy also meant poor sales at home, which led to the company’s 1992 decision to cancel its U.S. car line and ultimately stop building cars altogether.Courtesy: Bring a TrailerStill, Isuzu swung for the fences with the Impulse and Storm designs. The spaceship-like coupes were created under the eye of Isuzu’s Takao Honda, and the wagonback was sketched by one of Isuzu’s first female designers, Masayo Nagata. They had advice from high up, too, with GM design VP Chuck Jordan consulting on the designs at the firm’s Fujisawa studios. The Impulse looks more menacing, and those “eyebrow” lights resemble the Lamborghini Jarama’s.Courtesy: Bring a TrailerMechanically, they were just as bold, incorporating a Lotus-tuned suspension, Isuzu’s own Nishiboric passive rear-wheel steering, all-wheel drive with a 43:57 front-to-rear torque split, optional anti-lock brakes, and punchy twin-cam, 16-valve engines, including the optional 1.6-liter, 160-horse turbo. Lotus, also owned by GM back then, borrowed Isuzu’s turbo four and five-speed gearbox for the Elan M100 roadster.Courtesy: Bring a TrailerDelayed by labor shortages in Japan, the Impulse was introduced in 1989 but it didn’t arrive until the spring of 1990. That year, it came only as the XS coupe, with a 130-hp 1.6-liter twin-cam four, the Storm’s more powerful optional engine, and a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual. In 1991, Isuzu added the wagonback XS and the all-wheel-drive RS Turbo coupe, which would be the two rarest versions, but the RS, while included in the 1992 brochure, lasted just that one year and only 600 were shipped over, all manuals.Courtesy: Bring a TrailerSprightly and grippy, the all-wheel-drive turbo was a genuinely entertaining car, as we discovered in an April 1992 comparo. It was noisy and unrefined, probably thanks to attempts to keep the price down, but it could certainly keep up with other rad-era rivals like the Mitsubishi Eclipse, Integra GS-R, and Honda Prelude. It’s still a fun ride with a devoted cult following today.The tribe of classic Isuzu owners is tight-knit, active, and inclusive, with a lively Facebook group (Isuzone) and regular drives. This car has been offered for sale in that group before and is considered to be one of the nicest, lowest-mileage RSs in existence. It rides on non-original wheels (the originals are included) and has lost its rear windshield wiper, but it’s otherwise a minter and ready to roll. Best of all, Impulses (and Storms) are hardy cars; they’re easy to live with, though their rarity makes some parts hard to get. If you’re ready to be Radwood royalty and enter the Isuzone, the auction ends on August 14. More

The Toyota Prius Prime and other plug-in hybrids are sluggish in EV mode in our acceleration testing.PHEVs are heavier than regular hybrids and have electric motors that aren’t as powerful as pure EVs, leading to slow 60-mph runs on electricity alone.In electric-only mode, the Prius Prime and other PHEVs took about twice as long to accelerate to 60 mph.Welcome to Car and Driver’s Testing Hub, where we zoom in on the test numbers. We’ve been pushing vehicles to their limits since 1956 to provide objective data to bolster our subjective impressions (you can see how we test here).Plug-in hybrids such as the Toyota Prius Prime, for example, occupy the space between hybrid and electric vehicles. PHEVs have an internal-combustion engine that works with one or more electric motors (just like regular hybrids that don’t have a plug), but they also have a larger battery pack than a traditional hybrid to provide more electric-only range and the ability to plug in to recharge like an EV. While PHEVs might sound like the best of both worlds, it’s more complicated than that, especially since they’re usually heavier than hybrid equivalents yet their electric motors aren’t as mighty as EV alternatives. And for anyone who loves an electric car’s speedy acceleration, that sensation is lost in translation on plug-in hybrids when motivated by electricity alone. As our 60-mph acceleration testing reveals, PHEVs are downright slow in EV mode. The sprint to 60 mph is a staple of Car and Driver’s comprehensive testing regime, but when it comes to testing plug-in hybrids in electric-only mode, we’ve only done a few. That’s largely because automakers use different operating strategies. Some such as Toyota allow drivers to “lock” the powertrain into EV mode, whereas others such as Volvo lack a dedicated EV mode, meaning the gas engine fires up after a certain amount of throttle input. The latter makes achieving a credible electric-only 60-mph time very tedious.Still, to show how much more slowly PHEVs accelerate in EV mode, we collected test results from a Toyota Prius Prime, a BMW X5 xDrive50e, a Lexus RX450h+, and a Mercedes-Benz GLE450e. We tested all four in both hybrid and electric-only modes and found that when their gas engines were left offline, their 60-mph times roughly doubled.Toyota Prius PrimeThanks to its plug-in-hybrid powertrain, the Toyota Prius Prime is more powerful than the regular Toyota Prius, which is a traditional hybrid. Naturally, the Prime is quicker in hybrid mode, and its larger 10.3-kWh battery gives it an EPA-estimated electric driving range of up to 44 miles. However, the Prime’s plug-in system also makes it about 300 pounds porkier than its hybrid sibling. That added mass is motivated by an Atkinson-cycle 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 150 horsepower and 139 pound-feet of torque. Paired with two electric motors, the Prime’s total system output is 220 horsepower. In hybrid mode, the front-wheel-drive Prime used all that to hit 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. However, that time stretched to a sluggish 11.7 seconds in EV mode, as our 3536-pound test car was propelled solely by a 161-hp electric motor driving the front wheels.Acceleration Times (Hybrid mode/EV mode)60 mph: 6.5 seconds/11.7 seconds 1/4-mile: 15.1 seconds at 94 mph/18.7 seconds at 75 mphLexus RX450h+Lexus subscribes to the same PHEV philosophy as its parent company, meaning its plug-in models have a dedicated EV mode just like Toyotas. The Lexus RX450h+ is, of course, a ritzier experience than the Prius—it’s quicker too. The mid-size luxury SUV has a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder with 180 horsepower and 168 pound-feet of torque. Helping juice those numbers to a combined 304 horses are three electric motors that draw from an 18.1-kWh battery. A pair of e-motors on the front axle generate 179 hp and 199 pound-feet, while a third motor with 53 hp and 89 pound-feet is attached to the rear axle and helps provide all-wheel drive. Flatten the RX450h’s throttle in hybrid mode and it hits 60 mph in 6.0 seconds. Switch to EV mode, and the electric motors need 10.6 seconds to move the 4866-pound plug-in-hybrid Lexus SUV to the same mark. Acceleration Times (Hybrid mode/EV mode) 60 mph: 6.0 seconds/10.6 seconds 1/4-mile: 14.6 seconds at 95 mph/17.7 seconds at 74 mphBMX X5 xDrive50eThe BMW X5 is a mid-size SUV with a plethora of powertrain options. These range from the standard 375-hp turbocharged inline-six to the 617-hp twin-turbo V-8 that motivates the hi-po X5 M. Somewhere in the middle is the plug-in-hybrid xDrive50e, which has a turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six that makes 308 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque. The gas engine partners with an electric motor that’s integrated into the housing of the eight-speed automatic transmission. Fed by a 19.2-kWh battery, the e-motor packs 194 horses and 280 pound-feet. Altogether, the X5’s plug-in-hybrid powertrain produces 483 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, which helps the all-wheel-drive SUV hit 60 mph in a hasty 3.9 seconds. Accelerating with electricity alone, the 5473-pound Bimmer reached 6o in 9.3 seconds, which is the quickest of the PHEV bunch we tested but slow, nonetheless. When in EV mode, the plug-in X5 can travel at speeds of up to 87 mph without the gas engine getting involved.Acceleration Times (Hybrid mode/EV mode) 60 mph: 3.9 seconds/9.3 seconds 1/4-mile: 12.5 seconds at 110 mph/16.9 seconds at 80 mphMercedes-Benz GLE450eThe Mercedes-Benz GLE450e is the plug-in-hybrid member of Mercedes’s mid-size luxury SUV lineup, and it has a 2.0-liter turbo four producing 248 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The gas engine pairs with a 23.3-kWh battery that feeds an electric motor making 134 horses and 325 pound-feet of torque. The PHEV GLE’s total output is 381 horsepower and 479 pound-feet. The hybrid all-wheel-drive setup shoved the 5940-pound Merc to 60 mph in a tidy 5.3 seconds. However, taking the gas engine out of the equation meant the trip to 60 took almost three times as long, with the mark arriving in 14.4 seconds, by far the slowest EV-only time of all four PHEVs we tested. For comparison, the similarly sized Mercedes-Benz EQE500 SUV, with its 402-hp dual-motor electric powertrain, sped to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds.Acceleration Times (Hybrid mode/EV mode) 60 mph: 5.3 seconds/14.4 seconds 1/4-mile: 13.9 seconds at 99 mph/19.7 seconds at 69 mphMore PHEV ReadingEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More

Estimate: UnknownRM Sotheby’sAny narrow-body Cobra is a special and extremely valuable thing, but this particular example may well be verging on priceless. Bought new by Henry “Hank” Williams (not that Hank Williams, but he was a jazz drummer who played with B.B. King and Ray Charles), this car was a regular at many a Shelby gathering, owned for nearly six decades by a man who would become a close personal friend of Carroll Shelby. Williams drove his Cobra 140,000 miles over his lifetime, covering the last of those miles one year before his death at the ripe old age of 99. He raced it in nearly 400 races, entered it in countless shows, and was the first Black person to drive a sports car for a lap of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in it. The car is being sold by his family trust, and few cars come with a better story. More

The electric Hyundai Ioniq 5 N has a drive mode that simulates gearchanges but reduces its acceleration times.With N e-Shift activated, the 641-hp EV acts like it has an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and needed 3.5 seconds to hit 60 mph.The Ioniq 5 N’s fake shifting made it four-tenths slower to 60 mph and 1.1 seconds slower to 100 mph, but the fakery might be more fun for some.Welcome to Car and Driver’s Testing Hub, where we zoom in on the test numbers. We’ve been pushing vehicles to their limits since 1956 to provide objective data to bolster our subjective impressions (you can see how we test here).Do you remember blue ketchup? An experiment by the condiment kings at Heinz in the early 2000s turned what for nearly two centuries had been red to green, purple, orange, and, in some bottles, pink. Electric cars—not quite as old as ketchup—are having a blue-ketchup moment. Take the 641-hp Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, for example. Its ability to imitate the sounds and gearchanges of a gas-powered car make it one especially unusual tomato. To simulate the sensations of a car with a dual-clutch automatic transmission, the all-wheel-drive Ioniq 5 N moves and makes noises that an electric car typically wouldn’t. With N e-Shift drive mode enabled, its software will drop torque between “gearshifts” and allow you to slam into a pseudo redline if you forget to upshift. It’s as convincing as it is cool. Pair that with the Ignition drive sound that mimics engine noise, and you could easily fool a passenger into believing they’ve climbed into the seat of some custom SEMA-show Elantra N with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. As senior editor Ezra Dyer said in his review, “Auditory cues are a practical advantage in a car that gathers speed like a Supermarket Sweep contestant gathers groceries.” That, and the imitation pops and crackles sound far more exciting than the vacuum-cleaner-has-come-unplugged sound that EVs typically make on deceleration. Configured for FunThe Ioniq 5 N is the quickest Korean car we’ve tested, launching to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds, taking 6.9 seconds to get to 100 mph, and reaching the quarter-mile in 11.1 seconds at 123 mph. To achieve those times, we used the Ioniq 5 N’s Drag mode, which needs roughly 20 minutes to pre-warm the battery. We also used launch control to ensure the car was configured for maximum quickness.This time around, we threw some of that serious business out the window as we entered the depths of Hyundai’s infotainment menus to toggle on all of the fun. Due to drive-mode restrictions, we had to run our standing start twice to accurately measure the comparison with and without fake shifting.With N e-Shift mode enabled, the Ioniq 5 N won’t allow the use of N Grin Boost (good for 40 horsepower of extra oomph) or launch control. We kept the Ioniq 5 N in N mode and its softest suspension setting to allow for additional squat to help with grip, but we still used Drag mode to condition the battery. Letting the software automatically handle shifts was quicker, so we kept our greedy paws away from the paddle shifters too.The Cost to FlossWe began this test using those settings as our baseline, instead of relying on the results when using launch control. The Ioniq 5 N was only a tenth slower to 60 mph (3.1 seconds), 0.3 second slower to 100 mph (7.2 seconds), and 0.2 second behind in the quarter-mile (11.3 seconds) than when using launch mode.Then we enabled N e-Shift mode, making the Ioniq 5 N burble and pop, snapping through its make-believe gears like a WRC car starting a rally stage. But the simulated drama came at a cost. With N e-Shift activated, it took the Ioniq 5 N 3.5 seconds to reach 60 mph (a four-tenth penalty), 8.3 seconds to hit 100 mph (1.1 seconds slower than without fake shifting), and 11.8 seconds to clear the quarter-mile at 117 mph (five-tenths behind our baseline). There was also a big difference in passing times. In the fake-shifting mode, the Ioniq 5 N was two-tenths slower from 30 to 50 mph and six-tenths slower from 50 to 70 mph. At least the fake-shifting N model is still a full second quicker to 60 mph than the less intense 320-hp Ioniq 5. Despite what our hearts tell us, test data proves over and over that in every modern application, the automatic transmission moves cars quicker to 60 mph than even the most impressive sleight of hand can manage in the dwindling number of cars sold today with a manual transmission. In the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, it is the virtual automatic transmission that doesn’t cut the mustard like the immediacy of an EV’s direct-drive unit. Still, since N e-Shift mode can be turned on or off, the decision to sacrifice quickness is a choice, and while the Ioniq 5 N is slower when it’s faking gearchanges, it might fool you into falling in love with an electric powertrain.More on the Ioniq 5 NAustin Irwin has worked for Car and Driver for over 10 years in various roles. He’s steadily worked his way from an entry-level data entry position into driving vehicles for photography and video, and is now reviewing and testing cars. What will he do next? Who knows, but he better be fast. More

The Kia K8 is teased in new photos that show the front, side, and rear of the upcoming sedan.The K8 replaces the Kia Cadenza, which was last sold in the U.S. in 2020.While the K8 isn’t destined for America, we are still fans of new sedans.UPDATE 8/9/24: Kia has revealed the K8 for the Korean market, and these photos show the sedan’s fresh new look. The EV9-esque headlights dominate the front end, while the taillights look similar to those on the recently updated K5 and new K4 sedans that we get in the U.S. The interior looks to feature plush materials, large dashboard-spanning screens, ambient lighting, and a rotary shift knob. Kia also revealed that the K8 will continue to be powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 engine making 296 horsepower.KiaKiaKia’s transformation has been drastic. Once a purveyor of affordable, albeit bare-bones, transportation, the Korean automaker now proffers a lineup of well-appointed and sleek-looking models such as the popular Telluride mid-size SUV and the Carnival minivan, which is even offered with princely VIP rear lounge seats. Still, not every upmarket move from Kia has panned out in the United States. One misstep was the full-size Cadenza sedan, last sold on our shores in 2020. However, the model lives on in South Korea as the K8. Today, a new round of teaser photos were released that show how the refreshed sedan looks like it’s going to be a stunner.KiaWhile the lower bumpers are obscured by shadows, the teaser images show off most of the K8’s new design, which looks to draw heavily upon Kia’s electric vehicles. Called “Opposites United,” Kia’s latest design language has proliferated from its EVs to gas-powered vehicles like the refreshed Carnival and new K4 this year.The new K8’s thin vertical headlights looks like they were taken straight off the electric EV9 SUV. They are linked by a thin trim piece that’s adorned with a series of small illuminated hash marks. The taillights also span the entire width of the car, with a thin horizontal element ending in two vertical LEDs. The profile image shows off a slippery sloping roofline. KiaWhile we don’t expect the new Kia K8 to make it to America, we’re always fans of sedans. So it’s fun to keep an eye on what’s going to be available in other markets, especially when it’s the newest version of a car that was once sold on our shores.More Kia Sedan StoriesThis story was originally published July 30, 2024.Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More