Car Reviews

From the April 1988 issue of Car and Driver.Why would anyone pay $70,000 for a se­dan? If you want to attract the opposite sex, your money would be better spent on an exotic sports car from northern Italy. If you want to project your wealth and im­portance to the populace at large, a limou­sine is the way to go. Even if you can afford an exotic, a limo, and any other car you want, why spend the price of a small house on a sedan? After all, you can buy any of several truly wonderful sedans for no more than 30 or 40 grand.BMW provides the answer in the form of its new 750iL. Does more top end than a Porsche 911 Turbo appeal to you? How about quicker acceleration than a Mazda RX-7 Turbo? If speed isn’t your top prior­ity, maybe you’ll be impressed to learn that the 750iL is one of the quietest cars we’ve ever tested. And its cabin offers lux­urious furnishings and limousine-like space in a package that is ten inches shorter than a Mercedes-Benz 560SEL. Yes, BMW’s new flagship is expensive, but this is one case where you get what you pay for: a portfolio of strengths that no other sedan in the world can match. As its designation suggests, the 750iL is related to the second-generation 735i, in­troduced here last year. The 735, with an aerodynamically efficient new body that looks simultaneously elegant and muscu­lar, a spacious interior, solid-as-the-Alps construction, and an excellent blend of smooth ride and agile handling, is a sedan that any carmaker would be proud to call its own. The magicians of Munich, howev­er, had even higher aspirations for the 7-series. They wanted a car that could claim the title of World’s Best Sedan. More Archive Luxury Sedan ReviewsThe essential ingredient of the potion that transforms 735i into 750iL is BMW’s new M70 V-12 engine. BMW’s engine wizards combined a generous displace­ment of 5.0 liters with the extravagance of twelve cylinders because they wanted an engine that not only produced seemingly unlimited power but, equally important, did so without apparent effort. A twelve­-cylinder produces a smoother power flow than a six of the same displacement be­cause its cylinders fire twice as often and with half as much intensity. (A twelve is not necessarily better balanced; a well-designed in-line six, such as the 735’s 3.5- liter, can be balanced just as well.) The in­herent smoothness of a twelve minimizes the noise and vibration transmitted through a car’s driveline; and in BMW’s view, this benefit outshone the size, weight, and cost advantages of simpler en­gine designs. The engineers further enhanced the quietness of the 750’s drive­line by fitting rubber mounts to the M70’s two interwoven intake manifolds, install­ing an insulating cover over its twelve clicking electronic fuel injectors, and fit­ting hydraulic valve-lash adjusters to its single-overhead-cam valvetrain. Twelve-cylinder engines not only oper­ate smoothly but also generate power ea­gerly. The reason is that they have so many valves. Even with only two per cylin­der, the M70 has a total of 24 valves—50 percent more than a conventional V-8, or as many as a four-valve-per-cylinder six. (The total number of valves is more im­portant to an engine’s breathing than their arrangement.) In addition, twelves are unusually responsive: their flywheel mass is minimal, and their small, light­weight reciprocating components are quick to accelerate. To make the most of these advantages, the BMW V-12 is regulated by two Bosch Motronic electronic engine-control sys­tems—one for each bank of six cylinders. Fitting two systems to the M70 was mostly a matter of expedience: Bosch does not make a twelve-cylinder version of its Motronic system. The arrangement does have one benefit, however: Because each system operates independently of the oth­er, six cylinders will remain operational should one system fail. Another unusual electronic feature of the M70 is its throttle linkage. When you press the accelerator pedal, a transducer signals the pedal position to a computer, which in turn controls electric motors that open the throttle butterflies the appropriate amount. The system in­teracts with the engine-control computers to synchronize the opening of the two throttles and provide an even progression of power. It also controls the idle speed. The designers of the M70 did every­thing they could to minimize the weight and bulk disadvantages of the V-12 layout. Most significantly, they specified aluminum for all of the engine’s major compo­nents, resulting in a fully dressed weight of only 529 pounds—lighter than the all­-aluminum Mercedes 5.6-liter and Porsche 5.0-liter V-8s. And though the new engine is wider than the 735i’s 3.5-liter six, it is not as long and fills the 750’s engine com­partment nicely. BMW says that its V-12 produces 300 hp at 5200 rpm and 332 lb ft of torque at 4100 rpm. However, it quotes the same figures for the European 750. Since European power figures are expressed in PS, or metric hp, instead of in English horsepower, the European fig­ure should be 4 hp higher than the Ameri­can number.Whether the M70 engine produces merely 296 or a nice, round 300 hp, you may rest assured that there are enough horses under the hood to move the 4247-pound 750iL at full gallop. With its ZF four-speed automatic transmission set in the sport mode, which causes shifting to occur at the engine’s 5800-rpm redline, our 750iL test car accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds and hit 100 mph less than ten seconds later. In the process it covered the quarter-mile in 14.8 sec­onds at 96 mph. Even at speeds well above 100 mph, the 750 never seems to run into the heavier air that eventually thwarts most cars’ acceleration. This BMW doesn’t stop accelerating until its speed­ometer needle reaches the 164 mark, which translates into a true 158 mph. Dick Kelley|Car and DriverEven more impressive than the V-12’s absolute power is its reserve of power at any rpm. Cruise down the highway at 65 mph, with a relaxed 2000 rpm showing on the tach, and a slight squeeze of the throt­tle is all that’s needed to produce a swell of acceleration. If you press hard enough to induce a downshift, the automatic pro­vides a swift, seamless transition from gear to gear. Such silky, broad-range power makes for an amazingly quiet ride. At a steady 70 mph, the interior sound level in the 750iL is a mere 67 dBA. The 750 is also remark­ably quiet when running hard. Listen closely, though, and you can detect the sounds of finely honed machinery that we’ve always loved in BMWs. Such quiet requires an environment-­isolating suspension as well as a smooth engine. The 750’s underpinnings are identical to the 735’s: struts in the front, semi-trailing arms in the rear, and anti-roll bars at both ends. The shock and spring calibrations have been revised to cope with the 750’s heavier weight, and hydrau­lic load leveling has been added to the rear suspension, but the 735’s excellent ride-and-handling compromise survives intact. The suspension clearly communi­cates the condition of the road surface to the driver, but it transmits only informa­tion, filtering out the punishment. Even severely frost-heaved roads cause only a gentle jostling. And despite this isolation, the suspension keeps the 750’s body mo­tions under tight control. This car wouldn’t float if you took a wrong turn onto a roller coaster. The 750 also stays firmly planted when the road twists and turns. With 0.78 g of grip at its disposal and admirably neutral handling, the big Bimmer is remarkably agile. At its limit, the 750 stays just on the understeer side of neutral; however, a slight lift of the accelerator or a twist of the steering wheel can make the tail step out in precise increments. And when you find yourself entering a turn too fast, the 750’s thicker brake rotors and standard anti­lock control are ready to scrub off speed instantly. No matter how you drive this car, you never feel as if you’re piloting a two-ton quasi-limousine. The only weak link in the 750’s dynamic controls is its ZF Servotronic variable-­assist power steering, which it shares with the 735. The system is decidedly dead on center, which prevents an inadvertent twitch of the wheel from turning into a 150-mph mistake; call it autobahn sneeze protection. The unfortunate side effect of this prescription is that the 750 is unre­sponsive to the tiny, subconscious steer­ing corrections that a sensitive driver makes constantly; as a result, compensat­ing for wind gusts requires more attention than it should. In addition, the ZF system’s resistance increases with speed too obvi­ously, and the steering feel tightens up un­naturally in high-speed bends. The con­ventional power-steering systems in other BMWs work much better. Dick Kelley|Car and DriverAnother shortcoming of the 750 is its climate-control system. Although BMW bills it as an automatic system, the fan speed must be set manually. More impor­tant, the blower is loud even at its low settings. Our test car also suffered from an incessantly whirring servomotor. BMW says it has solved the latter problem, but the entire system could use more work. Some might also find fault with the 750’s resemblance to the 735—though most of us were happy with its styling. The 750’s only exterior distinctions are a wider version of the BMW dual-kidney grille, a hood recontoured to match, aluminum wheels of different design, square exhaust pipes, and a 4.5-inch extension spliced into the rear-seat area—which accounts for the car’s “L” suffix. The additional length gives the 750 enough legroom for four NBA All-Stars. The 750 enjoys several other interior upgrades over the already lavish 735i. Leather upholstery covers not only its seats but most of the dash and the door panels. The front seats are heated, and the split rear seat has individual fore-and-aft adjustments, which also vary the seatback angles. The outside rear positions have motorized headrests that automatically rise from their retracted positions when the corresponding seatbelts are fastened. Dick Kelley|Car and DriverThe result is a cozy and functional driv­ing environment. It’s easy to get comfort­able in the highly adjustable and well-­shaped front seats. The instrument and control layouts are excellent, and the stitches in the leather upholstery are aligned with military precision. The stan­dard-equipment cellular telephone—if you can afford this car, you probably call your broker frequently—is designed for hands-free operation. Whether all of these attributes make the 750iL worth its $67,000 base price de­pends very much on one’s net worth. Most people can’t imagine spending so much money on a car. The 750, however, is far from being the most expensive car in its class: the Mercedes 560SEL costs 70 grand, and the Bentley Eight costs almost a hundred. And at current exchange rates, the big BMW is actually cheaper here than it is in Germany. If you can afford the 750iL and like what it can do, you might even consider it a bargain. We like what it can do. The 750iL may not turn heads like a Lambo or a limo, but its combination of speed, agility, comfort, and luxury beats its sedan competition by a huge margin. If money were no prob­lem, this is the car that the majority of our staff members would select over any other sedan, at any price. CounterpointA shocking number of us who have driven this car have been reduced to a state of helpless adoration akin to that of Emil Jannings in the movie The Blue Angel. Jannings, you may recall, played the old professor who wound up doing rooster imitations at the cabaret just so Marlene Dietrich would continue speak­ing to him. With its 750iL, BMW has hatched something to crow about, a cruiser so good that even important Volk at Mercedes-Benz agree that it’s a fine car. In a country where bragging rights to the best big sedan are so important, that’s going somewhere. Which is exactly what the 750iL does—in a fine, silent style made up of equal parts hypnotism and seduction. The car does everything that reason can demand from a European long runner. At nearly $70,000, it should do that, of course, but I—for one—just didn’t ex­pect it to do it so well. The power’s there, the handling’s there, the state­ment’s there. No other large sedan in recent memory has offered so much in such a smoothly done package. Cock-a-doodle-doo. —William Jeanes After driving the BMW 750iL for barely half an hour, I found I had engaged my­self in debate. Seventy thousand dollars is a hell of a lot of money, I argued. But, I countered, the 750iL is a hell of a lot of car. Not all of its virtues are immediately apparent. Only a variety of roads will bring out the full range of its talents. And those virtues and talents combine to form a whole that is much greater than the sum of its parts. But, I won­dered, is it really worth $70,000? The debate undecided, I set out on a quest. I wanted to see if I could find a road that the 750 couldn’t handle, a road that would demonstrate the limits of its refinement, a road that would in­troduce a single doubt into the pleasure I was deriving from it. I failed. Whether accelerating hard out of 100-mph sweepers or threading through tight country-road turns, the 750 never fal­tered. It remained unbelievably quiet and composed, and its wonderfully smooth and elastic engine never hinted at straining. Maybe $70,000 isn’t so much money after all. —Nicholas Bissoon-Dath I keep hearing the song sung by West Virginian Kathy Mattea—”You’re the Power”—who could be singing to this West German super­sedan:Like a blaze of gold At the break of dawn You’re the power that heals My soulWhen the wind grows cold And I’m halfway gone You’re the power that keeps Me whole…Driving the 750iL is therapeutic, yet it soothes your psyche without requiring you to take anything lying down. Put aside your annoyance at its price. Sus­pend, for the moment, any belief that the U.S.A. can build cars as well as any­body. The 750 has its small faults, but its talents overwhelm its idiosyncrasies. Despite its capacities for passengers and performance, the 750 gracefully goes, handles, and stops without effort, as if it were half its size. You feel its fluidity in its every move. The 750iL is a manifestation of the human drive to do the by-God best we can. It is an automobile for the ages. —Larry GriffinArrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
1988 BMW 750iLVehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $67,540/$69,780Options: limited-slip differential, $390; gas-guzzler tax, $1850.
ENGINESOHC V-12, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 304 in3, 4988 cm3Power: 300 hp @ 5200 rpmTorque: 332 lb-ft @ 4100 rpm 
TRANSMISSION4-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/trailing armsBrakes, F/R: 11.7-in vented disc/11.8-in vented discTires: Pirelli P600B225/60VR-15
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 116.0 inLength: 197.8 inWidth: 72.6 inHeight: 55.1 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 54/51 ft3Trunk Volume: 13 ft3Curb Weight: 4247 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS30 mph: 2.5 sec60 mph: 6.5 sec1/4-Mile: 14.8 sec @ 96 mphTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.0 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.4 secTop Speed: 158 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 182 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.78 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMYObserved: 14 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMYCity/Highway: 12/17 mpg 
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDContributing EditorCsaba Csere joined Car and Driver in 1980 and never really left. After serving as Technical Editor and Director, he was Editor-in-Chief from 1993 until his retirement from active duty in 2008. He continues to dabble in automotive journalism and LeMons racing, as well as ministering to his 1965 Jaguar E-type, 2017 Porsche 911, and trio of motorcycles—when not skiing or hiking near his home in Colorado.  More

The Toyota Corolla Cross is the SUV for people who choose the “no spice” option when ordering Indian. It’s a supremely inoffensive conveyance focused on value and familiarity over standing out. That’s okay, but its internal-combustion powertrain is as weak as pre-spinach Popeye, and its fuel economy doesn’t tell such a happy tale either. That’s where the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid comes in, adding a trio of electric motors for some much-needed horsepower and netting better fuel economy too.Instead of making do with the 169 horsepower of the Corolla Cross, the Hybrid bumps that figure to 196 ponies. As in the all-wheel-drive 2023 Toyota Prius, a 150-hp Atkinson-cycle 2.0-liter inline-four pairs with three electric motors: two up front that combine for 111 horsepower and a 40-hp motor on the rear axle that enables standard all-wheel drive. There’s a small lithium-ion battery under the rear seats, and front-axle torque arrives via a continuously variable automatic transmission.ToyotaEven with its newfound power, the Corolla Cross Hybrid promises far better fuel economy than the nonhybrid model. Toyota estimates 45 mpg in the city, 38 mpg on the highway, and 42 mpg combined, versus 29, 32, and 30 mpg (respectively) for an all-wheel-drive Corolla Cross. Acceleration is improved too; Toyota’s estimate of 8.0 seconds to 60 mph would slice more than a second from our test results with a nonhybrid variant.But you don’t need a Racelogic VBox to know the Corolla Cross Hybrid is the quicker horse in the barn. A sensitive throttle and instant electric torque combine for more off-the-line snappiness than before, and the hybrid doesn’t give up the ghost on inclines like the gas version does. The new model is far more acceptable for joining highway traffic, although as we’ve seen in many hybrids, performance suffers with a depleted battery.More Hybrid Toyota ActionSince the hybrid has more vim than any other Corolla Cross variant, Toyota saw fit to shove in a bunch of sporty elements into the hybrid—and it’s available only in the jauntier S, SE, and XSE trims, forgoing the more pedestrian LE and XLE. This includes a standard “sport-tuned” suspension, which offers a slightly flintier ride than what we’ve experienced on the Corolla Cross’s non-S trims. Thankfully, it’s not too sharp; aiming for mass appeal keeps things relatively soft, and the steering is overboosted to a fare-thee-well.The cabin is nearly the same as in the standard Corolla Cross and barely different from that of the Corolla. There’s a lot of unused space atop the dashboard, but otherwise, it’s a cozy interior with more than enough hidy-holes to store whatever tchotchkes fall out of your pockets. Visibility is solid on all sides. The S and SE offer some comfortable fabric seats that sadly lack heat. If you want seat warmers, you’ll have to step all the way up to the XSE, which adds frippery such as LED headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a power driver’s seat.Toyota also gave the 2023 Corolla Cross Hybrid its latest and greatest infotainment system, which is good, because the old Entune setup left much to be desired. Toyota Audio Multimedia is a snappier, snazzier piece of software that includes standard wireless phone mirroring, over-the-air updates, and—with a subscription—cloud-based navigation. It resides within an 8.0-inch touchscreen on all three models.Toyota’s driver-assist systems are combined under the banner of Toyota Safety Sense 3.0. This standard bit of kit includes automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beams, lane-departure warning, and traffic-sign recognition. Blind-spot monitoring and rear-cross-traffic alert are added to the mix on SE and XSE grades.While the Corolla Cross Hybrid is more expensive than its gas counterparts, it’s still a few thousand below similarly equipped RAV4 Hybrid models. The base S Hybrid sneaks in below the 30-grand mark (at $29,305). Bumping up to the better-equipped SE raises the window sticker to $30,625, while the XSE tops out at $32,400. Expect the hybrid to make its way to dealerships this summer. Given that most SUVs this small don’t offer hybrid variants, the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid could make a sizable splash with buyers who want the same thrifty experience as a Corolla Hybrid but in a taller package.Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Toyota Corolla Cross HybridVehicle Type: front-engine, front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base (S): $29,305; SE: $30,625; XSE: $32,400
POWERTRAIN
DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-4, 150 hp, 139 lb-ft + AC motors, 111 and 40 hp, 152 and 62 lb-ft (combined output: 196 hp; 0.9-kWh lithium-ion battery pack)Transmissions, F/R: continuously variable automatic/direct-drive
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 103.9 inLength: 176.8 inWidth: 71.9 inHeight: 64.8 inCargo Volume, behind F/R: 70/22 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3400–3450 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 7.5 sec1/4-Mile: 15.9 secTop Speed: 115 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (MFR’S EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 42/45/38 mpgCar and driverCar and driver Lettermark logoSenior EditorCars are Andrew Krok’s jam, along with boysenberry. After graduating with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, Andrew cut his teeth writing freelance magazine features, and now he has a decade of full-time review experience under his belt. A Chicagoan by birth, he has been a Detroit resident since 2015. Maybe one day he’ll do something about that half-finished engineering degree. More

Toyota claims that the raw materials required for just one EV could instead go on to power seven plug-in hybrids or 90 traditional hybrids. Given Toyota’s goal to spread electrification of any kind as far and wide as it can, hybrids will remain an important part of the automaker’s portfolio for some time. And if they’re sticking around, they may as well be good. We’ve already driven—and enjoyed—Toyota’s new Prius, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the plug-in Prius Prime is a fab little hatchback too, eliminating many of our concerns with the outgoing version.The Prius Prime has been around since 2017, and in recent years it’s been feeling its age. We tested a 2022 model ahead of its retirement, and while the PHEV’s fuel-economy benefits were hard to ignore, it was even harder to ignore its time-it-with-a-sundial acceleration, middling EV range, and frustrating touch controls.ToyotaFor 2023, Toyota sent all those frustrations to The Bad Place and gave the Prius Prime a massive aesthetic and mechanical glow-up. With minor exceptions in badging, wheel design, and some silver trim around the lower air dam, the Prius and Prius Prime are now nearly indistinguishable—which is great, because the Prius looks better than it ever has. The second flap on the rear fender, which hides the SAE J1772 charging port, is an easy way to tell the two apart.But it’s the upgraded mechanicals that make the Prius Prime relevant again. The Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder grows from 1.8 liters to 2.0, boosting engine output from a sad 95 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque to a more sensible 150 horsepower and 139 pound-feet. The engine works in conjunction with a 161-hp permanent-magnet AC electric motor driving the front wheels—a second motor is integrated into the Prime’s planetary gearset—for a net output of 220 horsepower, a huge leap over the 2022 model’s 121-hp rating. Toyota believes the 2023 Prius Prime will reach 60 mph in just 6.6 seconds, a massive improvement over the outgoing model, which required 10.3 seconds for the same feat in our testing.Power to the PHEVs!Toyota also addressed range concerns by growing the Prime’s usable lithium-ion-battery capacity from a C/D-estimated 6.2 kWh to 10.9 kWh. The car will now operate on electricity alone for an EPA-estimated 44 miles (for the base SE, dropping to 39 miles on better-equipped trims), nearly doubling the old model’s range, yet only requiring four hours on a Level 2 charger to top off the battery. When functioning in regular hybrid mode, the Prime will return an EPA-estimated 53 mpg combined for the base SE and 50 mpg combined for XSE and XSE Premium variants. To the top trim you can also add a solar roof, which can feed up to 185 watts to the battery or the 12-volt electrical system. It won’t net you much charge while shopping, but it’s better than nothing.On the roads around Carlsbad, California, the Prime’s perkier powertrain is immediately appreciated. Even in Eco mode, where the throttle is least sensitive, the plug-in Prius no longer feels like a slow-moving danger to others. It’s perfectly capable of getting up to speed with e-propulsion alone, but when the engine does kick in, it does so smoothly and without a lot of annoying drone. The Prius Prime is a little more playful now too, thanks to a stiffer TNGA-C chassis, but the suspension tuning remains on the softer side, soaking up road inconsistencies without sending much jostling into the cabin. Save for a little bit of wind whistling around the A-pillars, it’s pretty quiet inside as well.The Prime’s shape leads to good visibility in all directions, but the cabin does suffer from some ergonomic concerns. Headroom isn’t as cramped as it is in the Crown, but a six-foot-tall driver may feel their hair rustling against the headliner; things are more dire in the back row, where there’s ample legroom, but even less headroom. The center console is tall, but there’s surprisingly little storage space under the center armrest. The dashboard sticks out a bit on the passenger side, and it’s easy to smack a knee against the plastic if you aren’t careful.The Prius Prime’s old infotainment, with its tall portrait display and frustratingly button-free experience, is thankfully in the trash heap. In its place is a more traditional 8.0-inch touchscreen, growing to 12.3 inches on higher trims. It runs the latest iteration of the Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system, which is a vast improvement over its forebear in everything from aesthetics to response time. Wireless smartphone mirroring is standard on every trim, and all three variants also get six standard USB-C ports.And then there’s the gauge cluster. The Prius Prime borrows its steering wheel and instrumentation from the bZ4X, which means the small steering wheel sits at a lower position while the cluster resides above it, closer to where a HUD would be on any other car. It takes some getting used to, but the setup jells in time. We just wish Toyota knew where to put its thousand little icons, which are currently scattered wherever there’s free space, leading to an unnecessarily busy cluster that makes it harder to discern relevant information quickly.Safety systems abound on the Prius Prime. All three trims get a suite of active and passive nannies that include automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high beams. It also includes Proactive Driving Assist, which provides steering or brake inputs to help the car maintain an appropriate distance from the vehicle ahead. Traffic Jam Assist allows the Prius Prime to operate without driver input at speeds under 25 mph, and there’s a driver-facing camera to ensure the pilot is still paying attention. There’s also an attention monitor that is entirely too heavy-handed, beeping at us when we dared look left or right before entering an intersection.The Prius Prime may also be the first vehicle to offer a standard heated steering wheel with optional heated seats. All three trims get a free hand-warmer, but balmy butts are reserved for XSE and XSE Premium buyers. It’s yet another instance of Toyota being weird with heat-related packaging—the RAV4 Woodland Edition can’t be had with heated seats—but at least base-model consumers still get something this time around.Considering how much improvement Toyota shoehorned into the 2023 Prius Prime, its swollen price tag shouldn’t shock anyone. While the last gen snuck its way under the $30,000 mark, the 2023’s base model will set you back $33,445. The sweet-spot XSE asks $36,695, while the bells-and-whistles XSE Premium bumps that up to $40,265. The 2023 Prius Prime starts hitting dealerships in May. Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Toyota Prius PrimeVehicle Type: front-engine, front-motor, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
PRICE
Base: SE, $33,445; XSE, $36,695; XSE Premium, $40,265
POWERTRAIN
DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-4, 150 hp, 139 lb-ft + 2 AC motors, 161 and 94 hp (combined output: 220 hp; 10.9-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, C/D est; 3.5-kW onboard charger)Transmission: continuously variable automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 108.3 inLength: 181.1 inWidth: 70.2 inHeight: 55.9-56.3 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 53/39 ft3Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 27/20 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3500-3600 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 6.5 sec1/4-Mile: 15.3 secTop Speed: 115 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 48-52/50-53/47-51 mpgCombined Gasoline + Electricity: 114-127 MPGeEV Range: 39-44 miCar and driverCar and driver Lettermark logoSenior EditorCars are Andrew Krok’s jam, along with boysenberry. After graduating with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, Andrew cut his teeth writing freelance magazine features, and now he has a decade of full-time review experience under his belt. A Chicagoan by birth, he has been a Detroit resident since 2015. Maybe one day he’ll do something about that half-finished engineering degree. More

Volkswagen’s ID.4 compact SUV is already in its third model year, and the ID.Buzz retro minivan comes next. It’s only logical that the next ID will be a sedan, and it will be dubbed ID.7. The ID.7 is still more than a year off, but we just drove it, in disguised form, in Spain.The ID.7 is built on an enlarged version of the MEB platform that undergirds the ID.4 and ID.Buzz. The 7 is solidly mid-size with almost exactly the same length and the same width as a Honda Accord, though its 116.8-inch wheelbase is 5.4 inches longer and its 60.6-inch height is 3.5 inches taller.When the first ID.7 goes on sale, it will use the same 77.0-kWh battery used in the higher-trim versions of the ID.4, and a single electric motor will power its rear wheels.This motor, however, is more powerful than the ID.4’s rear motor, developing 282 horsepower instead of 201, along with 402 pound-feet of torque instead of 229. This increased output comes from more powerful permanent magnets, a stator with more windings and wires with a larger cross-section, and a more efficient cooling system that includes a liquid-cooled and gearbox oil circuit to maintain the proper temperature in the motor.More on the ID.7Just as in an internal-combustion engine, using a heat exchanger with a liquid circuit in combination with the oil serves to heat up the oil more quickly after a “cold” start, lowering its viscosity and friction. The helical teeth in the reduction gears have also been micro-polished to reduce their friction.This powertrain efficiency is complemented by the ID.7’s much improved aerodynamic performance compared with the ID.4. The sedan’s longer and lower body facilitates a more streamlined shape. Combined with details such as a steeply raked windshield, smoothly curved roofline, integral rear spoiler, side air vents to help airflow around the wheels, and a roller blind to block off the radiator in front, the ID.7 achieves a drag coefficient of 0.23. By contrast, the ID.4’s Cd varies from 0.27 to 0.29, and with its 3.8- to 4.5-inch-taller roof, it punches a much larger and more ragged hole in the air. In fact, the small SUV has about 30 percent more aerodynamic drag than the new sedan.VW says that these improvements give the ID.7 a range of 382 miles, according to the European WLTP standard. We expect that to turn into around 320 miles on the EPA tests. And later on, the Pro S version will have a larger 86.0-kWh battery, which should add another 30 to 35 miles. That’s decent for a large car without a giant battery. With its long wheelbase, there’s plenty of space for two rows of seats, and the high roof provides decent headroom despite the rack of batteries under your feet. A 5-foot-11 rear-seat passenger sitting behind a similar-size driver can cross their legs without contortions. And there’s plenty of cargo space in the hatchback body, particularly when the rear seats are folded—conveniently using releases in the luggage area. It looks like you could easily take a nap back there.The cockpit is nicely finished, but the biggest change is in the layout of the newly enlarged 15.0-inch display screen. It addresses most of the complaints about the irritating and convoluted programming of the ID.4’s current infotainment system. First, there’s a row of always-present, virtual buttons that runs the full width across the bottom of the screen. These control all major climate-control functions. Now you can turn on your seat heaters with a single action, just like you could in 1980.Csaba Csere|Car and DriverAcross the top of the screen, there’s a thinner band that’s available for you to place the icons controlling your favorite functions, so you no longer have to negotiate the multiple layers of the menu to access them instead of paying attention to your driving. The system also provides the option of subdividing the screen in several ways, such as two-thirds for navigation and splitting the remaining third in two—using one for the phone and the other for the trip computer—or whatever you prefer. It’s a huge improvement.In ID fashion, the display in front of the driver is tiny—even smaller than the smartphone-sized screen on the ID.4. Information is minimal. However, a head-up display is standard on the ID.7 and presents a useful amount of selectable information right in the driver’s field of view.Other interior features include smart air vents that swivel side to side and up and down with the aid of electric motors. Just tell the car to warm your hands, and the system directs hot air toward the steering wheel. There’s also an optional sunroof that can be switched from transparent to opaque at the touch of a button. Massaging seats incorporate pelvic massage into the seat cushion, in addition to the massage functions on the backrest. You can also option a 14-speaker, 700-watt Harman/Kardon sound system.We had a short drive on a tight back-road loop, and the ID.7 felt rock solid, with a surprisingly firm ride. Surprising because the ID.7 comes with electronically controlled dampers that adapt to conditions within four drive modes. The drive modes also change the steering effort, which felt less synthetic in the Comfort setting. Brake-pedal action also feels somewhat artificial, though the transition from regen to friction braking was well muted.But body control is excellent, as we’ve come to expect in cars with about half a ton of batteries under the floor. You can bend the ID.7 into corners confidently, and grip was more than enough with the staggered 235/45 and 255/40 20-inch tires on our car.And while the ID.7 will set no new EV acceleration records, it felt plenty peppy. The ID.7 weighs about the same as an all-wheel-drive ID.4 and has slightly less power and a lot more torque than that car’s two motors can provide. As such, we’d guess a 60-mph time in the mid- to low-5.0-second range. If and when a dual-motor version arrives, the additional 100 horsepower and 100 pound-feet could easily slice a second from that.VolkswagenThe ID.7 will hit our shores sometime in 2024 as a ’25 model. With that date so far out, pricing is undefined. Given the standard head-up display and electronic HVAC vents, we expect this car will probably start in the mid-$50,000 range. It will be assembled in VW’s Emden, Germany, plant, meaning it won’t be eligible for an EV tax credit. While such a price used to be solidly in luxury territory, in these inflationary times, it’s barely above average, meaning VW’s electric sedan can still claim a “people’s car” mantle. Contributing EditorCsaba Csere joined Car and Driver in 1980 and never really left. After serving as Technical Editor and Director, he was Editor-in-Chief from 1993 until his retirement from active duty in 2008. He continues to dabble in automotive journalism and LeMons racing, as well as ministering to his 1965 Jaguar E-type, 2017 Porsche 911, and trio of motorcycles—when not skiing or hiking near his home in Colorado.  More

Should EVs make a statement? Or should they blend in with the gas-powered masses? That’s the major question facing designers in the tectonic shift to electric propulsion. After watching Tesla sprint ahead as the tech-forward luxury offering, Mercedes-Benz burst out of the gate with its EQS sedan, an S-class-level electric vehicle on a dedicated platform with a look that pushed the envelope. The next-up mid-size EQE sedan followed suit. The SUV models, first the EQS SUV and now the EQE SUV, adopt a more familiar form. Playing in the heart of the market, the EQE SUV tries harder to not alienate the great swaths of buyers that presumably will soon enter this segment.The EQE SUV doesn’t have the odd, taffy-stretched form of the sedans, but it is lower (by 4.4 inches) and more rounded than its conventionally powered counterpart, the GLE. The EQE SUV is also 2.4 inches trimmer in length but nearly identical in width. The EQE SUV’s egglike form, plus its smooth underbody, contributes to a slippery 0.25 drag coefficient. But it’s no weirder looking than its BMW counterpart, the iX, which takes an alternate tack on the neo-SUV idea. True aesthetes might be drawn instead to the conventionally shaped Audi e-tron or the edgy-but-still-approachable Cadillac Lyriq.The EQE SUV is the fourth model to use Benz’s dedicated EV platform, and being fourth has its advantages. Specifically, the EQE SUV introduces two innovations. All-wheel-drive models have the ability to power down the front motor (except in Sport mode), which Mercedes claims results in a 6 percent improvement in range. Additionally, the climate control system uses a heat pump to more efficiently heat the cabin. (We’re told both features will soon spread to the other EQ models.)Inside, there’s greater commonality with the EQE sedan. The entire front passenger compartment is similarly configured, and the upper trims have the same ritzy details. The EQE’s dash dips down at the center to meet the tallish center console, a less spacious-feeling arrangement than you’ll find in EVs such as the iX and the Genesis GV60 that play up the flat floor of an EV by offering open space at the front of the console. However, the Mercedes does provide a large bay underneath the floating console, and the top part has a covered bin with space for your phone and the requisite two cupholders.Mercedes-BenzSome of the EQE SUV models we drove had a freestanding central screen and a separate digital instrument cluster; others were equipped with the brand’s dash-spanning Hyperscreen (even though that option won’t be available in U.S. cars until next year). In addition to its wow factor, the Hyperscreen adds a display for the front passenger that offers redundant controls for much of the infotainment, as well as the ability to stream video or games—or it can just display a picture of your dog. With or without the Hyperscreen, there’s a digital instrument cluster and a large central touchscreen. The former has a variety of display options, and the latter boasts relatively easy access to major functions. When using navigation, for instance, the display keeps open small submenus for other functions, including audio, phone, and major climate controls. Still, we bemoan the lack of any non-touch switchgear, with the worst offenders being the touch slider for audio volume and the tiny four-way touchpads on the steering wheel. Such are the travails of modernity. Despite a wheelbase that’s 3.5 inches shorter than the EQE sedan’s, rear-seat space is generous. Occupants find plenty of legroom and knee clearance, and the flat floor makes the middle position tenable. The EQE’s rounded form cuts into cargo space, however, as its 14 cubic feet behind the rear seats is well short of the GLE’s 33 cubes. Seats folded, the total volume is 55 cubic feet. And whereas the GLE wedges in an optional third-row seat, the EQE SUV is strictly a five-seater.As pleasant as the EQE SUV cabin is to look at, we wish it were easier to look out of. The brow over the dashboard makes for a shallow windshield, and the stocky A-pillars stretch forward into the field of view. We had to raise the driver’s seat to get a decent view out, but in tight confines, it’s tough to judge where the bodywork ends. The SUV largely mirrors the EQE sedan’s motive offerings, though here with a bit more torque. There are three powertrains: the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive 350+ and the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive 350 4Matic and 500 4Matic. Both 350s have 288 horsepower—fewer ponies than in mid-size electrics from Audi, BMW, Cadillac, or Genesis. Torque output is more respectable, with the single-motor powertrain spinning out 417 pound-feet and the dual-motor 564 pound-feet. The high-zoot EQE500 pumps out 402 horses and 633 pound-feet, which puts it closer to the BMW iX xDrive50 (516 horsepower, 564 pound-feet). Presumably, the upcoming AMG version of the EQE will have the beans to face off against the 610-hp iX M60.Mercedes-BenzWe first drove the 350+, and while it’s perky enough in town, acceleration at higher speeds is rather languid, particularly for an EV. Switching next to the 350 4Matic, one can definitely feel the dual-motor version’s extra torque, which wakes up response when passing on two-lanes or merging onto a freeway. Step up to the EQE500, and you get the kind of scenery-blurring acceleration that EVs are becoming known for. But even the EQE500 is still likely to fall well shy of the sprinting capabilities of the Genesis GV60 Performance (which hit 60 mph in 3.7 seconds in our testing) or the BMW iX xDrive50 (which did so in 4.0). For blame, we might look to the EQE500’s curb weight, which Mercedes pins at 5665 pounds (even the lightest EQE350+ version is a claimed 5300 pounds). But the iX, the e-tron, and the Lyriq all spent just as much time bellying up to the buffet, as all three pack more than 5500 pounds.More on the EQE SUVMercedes offers four different Soundscapes, oddball soundtracks that we were only too happy to switch off. Doing so does not totally extinguish the whirr from the electric motors, however. At highway speeds, the car is quiet; wind rustle is all but absent, leaving only tire noise to be heard. The EQE350+ we drove was riding on steel springs and passive dampers, which is the standard setup. Aided by 19-inch wheels (the smallest available), that suspension did a reasonable job coping with the beat-up cobblestone streets in the old section of Lisbon, Portugal, where our drive took place. The 350+ exhibited some side-to-side body motions over pavement disturbances at higher speeds. The EQE350 and EQE500 4Matics we drove had the optional air springs and adaptive dampers. That setup kept a tighter rein on body motions, although it suffered a bit more impact harshness, likely owing to the larger rolling stock on those two cars. We did not discern an appreciable difference between the Sport and Comfort modes. In all three cars, the steering has a reasonable degree of effort, but it doesn’t build as cornering forces increase and ends up just feeling inert. Rear-axle steering, which turns the rear wheels up to 10.0 degrees, is standard on the EQE500. The system is clearly evident when you fully crank the wheel in low-speed maneuvers, and we were surprised at the EQE’s ability to bang a U-turn on a narrow two-lane road.The EQE offers four levels of brake-energy recuperation: Strong, Normal, No, and Intelligent. Normal approximates the experience of driving an internal-combustion car, while No recuperation enables a sailing mode. Intelligent is a little weird to get used to because the degree to which the car slows when you let off the accelerator is different all the time. Sometimes it varies based on whether the system detects a slower vehicle ahead, and other times it reacts to information from the navigation system (whether you’re entering a reduced-speed zone or approaching a stop sign, say). If the car ahead stops, Intelligent mode can work like one-pedal driving, stopping the EQE. But true one-pedal fans might prefer Strong recuperation mode, which always slows the car aggressively when the accelerator is released, even if it doesn’t quite bring the vehicle to a full stop. Mercedes-BenzMore aggressive regen modes hold extra appeal here because they minimize the interaction with the brake pedal. Like its sibling EQ models, the EQE SUV’s brake modulation feels unnatural, with the initial wooden response becoming suddenly grabby as you apply more pressure. The result is that smooth stops can be a challenge. As with other EQ models, the maximum recharge rate is 170 kW; at max draw, Mercedes estimates 32 minutes for a recharge of 10 to 80 percent. On a Level 2 source, replenishing the battery from 10 to 100 percent happens in 9.5 hours. Customers get two years of free 30-minute fast-charging sessions at Electrify America stations, and, looking ahead, Mercedes has announced a plan to build its own fast-charging network, à la Tesla.All EQE SUVs use the same 90.6-kW battery pack. It provides EPA range estimates of 279 miles for the single-motor EQE350+ and 253 miles for the EQE350 4Matic, with the EQE500 4Matic good for 269 miles. Those numbers are credible but not class-leading. They land the Mercedes comfortably ahead of the e-tron, but behind the Lyriq and iX and well aft of the still-class-leading Tesla Model X. Pricing for the EQE SUV unsurprisingly starts just under the magic $80,000 mark (the vehicle’s Alabama assembly site and U.S. battery factory being the other key factors in securing federal tax-credit eligibility). What is unusual is that the single- and dual-motor EQE350 models have the same $79,050 ask. It’s hard to imagine many buyers picking the 350+ over the 350 4Matic, even with the rear-drive version’s slight advantage in range. The EQE500 4Matic, meanwhile, opens at $90,650. All three are offered in Premium, Exclusive, and Pinnacle trims; the EQE500 in Pinnacle form stretches the price tag to $96,350.Rich pricing is pretty characteristic of Mercedes-Benz—for some, it’s part of the brand’s appeal. At least with the EQE SUV, anyone who wants to flash around town in an electric Benz won’t have to get past a weird exterior shape to do so. Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUVVehicle Type: mid- or front- and mid-motor, rear- or all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base: EQE350+, $79,050; EQE350 4Matic, $79,050; EQE500 4Matic, $90,650
POWERTRAIN
Motors: permanent-magnet synchronous ACPower: 288 or 402 hpTorque: 417, 564, or 633 lb-ftBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 90.6 kWhOnboard Charger: 9.6 kWPeak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 170 kWTransmissions: direct-drive
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 119.3 inLength: 191.5 inWidth: 76.4 inHeight: 66.3 inCargo Volume, Behind F/R: 55/14 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5350–5750 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 4.0–5.6 sec1/4-Mile: 12.5–14.1 secTop Speed: 130 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 82–90/85–92/80–88 MPGeRange: 253–279 miDeputy Editor, Reviews and FeaturesJoe Lorio has been obsessed with cars since his Matchbox days, and he got his first subscription to Car and Driver at age 11. Joe started his career at Automobile Magazine under David E. Davis Jr., and his work has also appeared on websites including Amazon Autos, Autoblog, AutoTrader, Hagerty, Hemmings, KBB, and TrueCar. More

“Would you like to come over for dinner tonight? We’re having two backpacks full of nutritional granola bars,” asked no one ever. Though pressed with enough soy protein to grow hair on your legs, those individually wrapped caloric boosters are a matter of convenience rather than taste. They call to mind the new Subaru Impreza. It’s not as exciting to drive as the BRZ or the WRX, but like a Clif Bar, the Impreza uses only the necessary ingredients, and its handy size and affordable price make preparing for life’s real adventures a lot easier. Although still basic, the sixth-generation Impreza has gotten a bit tastier with bigger screens, a more powerful engine option, and a wider array of standard features. Some things, though, have been lost. After checking the books, Subaru decided to stop offering a four-door sedan and the manual transmission, in favor of making what 73 percent of its Impreza customers were buying: hatchbacks with CVTs.Design-wise, the new Impreza seems to be doing a Mazda 3 impression, but this car has always been about driving to go do something cool rather than about looking cool. And so the new design didn’t change the dimensions of Subaru’s smallest all-wheel-drive car: It has the same wheelbase, length, and ground clearance as the previous generation, but is a little taller and heavier. The big functional change is hidden: Subaru has integrated a plastic step into the rear door sills, a big help when you’re loading your lifestyle gear onto the roof; and the rear doors are designed to accommodate your hips while you’re up there tying everything tight.Related StoriesThe updated body structure is a claimed 10 percent stiffer torsionally, as Subaru engineers weren’t shy with the structural glue this time around. The difference could be felt when we were pretending to be Colin McRae driving the paved twisties in Paso Robles, California. The extra support and sound deadening have made the Impreza heavier but easier on the ears. Even on the highways that stretch between the casks of cabernet sauvignon in wine country, this Subaru was pleasantly quiet to drive. While parts of the new Impreza got tougher, others have relaxed. A newer dual-pinion electric power steering rack, similar to what’s used in the WRX, has lightened the steering effort. The Impreza also switched to an electronic brake booster, which has resulted in a lighter pedal effort. The brake-based torque vectoring, previously only offered on more expensive Imprezas, is now standard across the updated three-trim lineup. That lineup consists of the base Impreza, the Sport, and the new RS. The latter is back as the top-performance model. In place of the standard 2.0-liter engine, the RS uses a 182-hp 2.5-liter flat-four from the Crosstrek and an updated CVT. There are paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, and the CVT tries its best to imitate an eight-speed automatic. The RS gets dark gray 18-inch wheels, a black front grille, side skirts, heated mirrors, and adaptive LED headlights that peek around corners as you drive. Sport and RS models offer a new exclusive color, Oasis Blue Pearl, that’s reminiscent of the limited-edition 2016 WRX STI and BRZ Series.HyperBlue. RS badges, illustrated with two opposing horizontal pistons à la the boxer-engine setup, are fitted inside and out.Despite the bigger engine’s 30-hp and 33-pound-feet advantage over the 2.0-liter base unit, the more powerful engine doesn’t live up to the enthusiasm of the updated chassis. When you toss the RS into downhill hairpins hard enough to make the all-season Yokohama Avid S34P tires cry out, the delightful chassis carries speed without a hiccup. Unfortunately, stomping on the gas pedal on corner exit is met with little urgency. Still, it’s a much-needed advantage over the base engine, which in our last test took 9.0 seconds to reach 60 mph. We’re certain the RS will be quicker than that, but so are most cars.The new Impreza gets a larger fuel tank: 16.6 gallons, up from the previous car’s 13.2. However, fuel economy has dipped marginally. When comparing base hatchbacks, the EPA estimates the new Impreza gets 27 mpg city and 34 mpg highway, down from 28/36 mpg previously. The new RS trim is 1 mpg behind at 26/33 mpg. Regardless, the bigger tank gives base Impreza and Sport trims nearly 500 miles on a single tank of gas.The changes most people will notice are inside the cabin. A larger 7.0-inch screen is standard on base models, but move up to the Sport or RS and you get an 11.6-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system is intuitive and thanks to the physical buttons that border the digital display, things happen at the push of a button rather than at the sometimes-laggy speed of software. The RS we drove was equipped with an option package ($2070) that adds a 10-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system, a power sunroof, and a 10-way power driver’s seat. Subaru’s latest version of its EyeSight driver-assist suite uses a new camera with a wider field of view. During highway driving, we noticed the system now only beeps when it needs to, rather than all the time. While passing when using adaptive cruise control, the car accelerates before the lane change is complete, which feels closer to how humans drive.SubaruIt’s not as exciting to drive as the Honda Civic, and its interior isn’t as lavish as the leather-lined Mazda 3, but the Impreza is one of the most affordable ways to get all-wheel drive, and it’s a great tool to get you places. If the old Impreza was a Clif Bar, the new one is a Clif Bar with chocolate chips—still basic, but with a little more taste.Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Subaru ImprezaVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
PRICE
Base: $24,085; Sport, $26,085; RS, $28,975
ENGINES
DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter flat-4, 152 hp, 145 lb-ft; DOHC 16-valve 2.5-liter flat-4, 182 hp, 178 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION
continuously variable automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 105.1 inLength: 176.2 inWidth: 70.1 inHeight: 58.3 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 55–56/44 ft3Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 56/20 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3200–3350 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 8.2–9.0 sec1/4-Mile: 16.3–17.1 secTop Speed: 125 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 29–30/26–27/33–34 mpgAssociate EditorYes, he’s still working on the 1986 Nissan 300ZX Turbo project car he started in high school, and no, it’s not for sale yet. Austin Irwin was born and raised in Michigan, and, despite getting shelled by hockey pucks during a not-so-successful goaltending career through high school and college, still has all of his teeth. He loves cars from the 1980s and Bleu, his Great Pyrenees, and is an active member of the Buffalo Wild Wings community. When Austin isn’t working on his own cars, he’s likely on the side of the highway helping someone else fix theirs. More

Slide into the driver’s seat of the new Mazda CX-90 Turbo S in top-spec Premium Plus trim, and it takes about 20 seconds of soaking in the rich environs to understand where this brand is headed: upmarket, to the sunny skies inhabited by the makers of premium vehicles. There’s soft nappa leather on the seats, blond Japanese maplewood on the center console and doors, and handsome cloth sewn onto the instrument panel. It’s all very Volvo XC90 or Genesis GV80. Mazda has been infusing its cars and SUVs with more style and richer interior appointments recently to go along with the engaging road manners that remain an integral part of the brand’s DNA. Now comes the CX-90, the biggest, most powerful, and by far most luxurious Mazda ever. It feels like the company’s master’s thesis on creating upscale products. After a first drive, we give it high marks. New From the Ground UpMazda says that the CX-90 will serve as its flagship, and the company clearly has taken that mission seriously. This is no remake of an existing product. The CX-90 is built on an all-new architecture, is powered by two all-new engines—one of them a plug-in hybrid—and sends its power through an all-new transmission to a new all-wheel-drive system. The CX-90 sits on what Mazda calls its Large platform. By any other name, it’s a rear-drive architecture that situates the engine longitudinally rather than transversely as it is in the CX-9 and all other Mazda products, save for the Miata. All CX-90s come with all-wheel drive standard. The new underpinnings have another purpose: They enable the CX-90 to look the part of the premium SUV it’s trying to be. That’s thanks to a longer dash-to-axle ratio—the distance from the front wheels to the dashboard—something not achievable with a transverse-engine, front-drive layout. The result is a longer hood and a cabin that sits farther back. It’s a more elegant proportion, one employed on luxury vehicles from BMWs to Benzes. Carefully tailored sheetmetal with handsome detailing dresses that premium profile. The CX-90 looks substantial, but it’s actually only slightly bigger on the outside than the CX-9 that it will replace at the end of 2023—1.4 inches longer, 0.6 inch taller, and 1.0 inch wider. Its 200.8-inch overall length and long 122.8-inch wheelbase put its exterior size at the larger end of the broad mid-size-SUV segment, which encompasses everything from the Kia Telluride to the Toyota 4Runner. The CX-90’s one big size difference compared with the outgoing CX-9 is its wheelbase, which is 7.5 inches longer. Jessica Lynn Walker|Car and DriverThree CX-90 ModelsCX-90s come in three models: Turbo, Turbo S, and PHEV (plug-in hybrid). The first two are powered by an engine that helps the CX-90 feel like the real deal: a 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-six with a 48-volt, 17-hp hybrid-assist system. A 280-hp version of the engine with 332-pound feet of torque powers the Turbo; this version runs on regular fuel. A 340-hp version of the six making 369 pound-feet of torque on premium fuel motivates the Turbo S. Both engines’ internals are identical; Mazda turns up the boost on the more powerful variant by roughly 5 psi to about 19 psi and adjusts other engine parameters to take advantage of higher-octane fuel. The plug-in hybrid mates a 189-hp 2.5-liter turbo four with a 173-hp electric motor for a combined 323 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, also on premium fuel. Both the 48-volt hybrid-assist motor and the plug-in’s more powerful electric motor are sandwiched between the engine and the eight-speed automatic. Mazda’s first automatic with more than six forward speeds, it was developed entirely in-house. Mazda chose to use a wet clutch pack in place of a conventional torque converter; this arrangement is more compact, which slims the transmission’s size and opens up additional foot room for front-seat passengers by reducing the width of the transmission tunnel. Multiple Trim Levels and Seats for Six, Seven, or EightOne glitch in Mazda’s master’s thesis is the CX-90’s dizzying array of trims and seating configurations. CX-90 Turbos offer five available trims (Select, Preferred, Preferred Plus, Premium, and Premium Plus) that layer on more features and better interior materials as you go up each step of the ladder. Turbo S and PHEV models offer only the top few trims, with subtle differences between them. Once settled on a trim, you then have to figure out your preferred seating configuration, which could well change the trim you ultimately end up with. Depending on the model and trim, CX-90s offer six-, seven-, or eight-passenger configurations. The various layouts mix three-across bench seats for the second and third rows with available second-row captain’s chairs and a two-across third-row bench. Sort that Rubik’s Cube of possibilities out, and you’re home. We won’t even attempt to do that here except to tell you that Turbos start at $40,970, PHEVs at $48,820, and Turbo Ss at $53,125. No matter which setup you ultimately choose, there’s plenty of room in the first two rows, but the third row is too tight on legroom to be adult-friendly, and only the kiddies will be able to sit three across in the last row.Jessica Lynn Walker|Car and DriverWe drove both a top-spec Turbo S Premium Plus ($61,325) and a PHEV Premium Plus ($58,325) on rain-lashed highways and two-lanes between San Francisco and Sonoma. The Turbo S was posh personified, with a long list of standard equipment encompassing the aforementioned nappa leather upholstery and handsome wood inlays plus heated-and-ventilated front seats and second-row captain’s chairs, a second-row center console, three-zone climate control, a head-up display, 12-speaker Bose audio, a power sunroof, and much more. Turbo S models get a 12.3-inch digital instrument display and 12.3-inch central infotainment screen, up from 7.0 inches and 10.3 inches, respectively, in the lesser trims. There’s some hard plastic in the interior, but it’s well disguised. All CX-90s come with a full suite of driver-assist safety tech. Better still, the controls have a refreshingly straightforward simplicity about them. Yes, there are plenty of functions embedded in the central screen—navigation and vehicle-system setup and personalization options, among others—but we applaud Mazda’s decision to use hard buttons and knobs for the climate controls, audio system, and several other features. Shutting off lane-keeping assist or the stop-start function is but a single push of a button away. Sometimes the old ways are the best ways. Drives Like a MazdaThat straightforwardness translates into the way the CX-90 drives. This is a subtly engaging automobile—enjoyable and refined but never overbearing. The CX-90 lineup eschews the air springs and adjustable dampers often found on premium SUVs, but they’re not missed. The ride on the 21-inch all-season tires—lower trims have 19s standard—is taut without being harsh. You feel the road but in a good way. The handling is rock steady on the interstates and surefooted on the many miles of drenched two-lanes we traversed. The helm has heft, the steering is progressive and sure. The CX-90 feels reassuringly planted in corners, and it didn’t flinch when we leaned on it in some of the less wet sections. There was very little difference dynamically between the Turbo S and PHEV; they’re both satisfyingly refined and competent. So, yes, the CX-90 drives like a Mazda.The new turbocharged inline-six in the Turbo S is well matched to the CX-90’s classy persona. At 340 ponies from 3.3 liters, it’s no screamer—the automatic upshifts at 6000 rpm. But it’s as smooth as Häagen-Dazs and pulls well from just about any speed with virtually no discernible turbo lag. According to Mazda, some of the engine’s willing low-speed responsiveness is due to its sky-high 12.0-to-1 compression ratio, plus the torque provided by the 48-volt hybrid assist system at lower engine revs. The turbo six voices a pleasant snarl at higher rpm that disappears to a whisper at highway speeds. Mazda digitally enhances the engine note “slightly.” Jessica Lynn Walker|Car and DriverThe six plays well with the new eight-speed automatic in everyday driving. The gearbox shifts smoothly enough and holds gears longer in Sport mode, but there’s no dedicated manual-transmission mode, and downshifts using the steering-wheel-mounted paddles are laggy. We didn’t drive the base Turbo powertrain, but both versions of the six deliver 25 mpg combined, a reasonably competitive number in this segment. The PHEV drivetrain is also happy in its work. The gas engine has a sporty exhaust note, and the hybrid system has more than enough torque to pull the CX-90 along with little effort. The PHEV houses its roughly 14.8-kWh battery under the floor just above the rear axle. We had to estimate that usable-capacity figure, as Mazda won’t say what it is—it also wouldn’t reveal either the CX-90’s drag coefficient or its front-rear weight distribution. Odd. Nevertheless, it’s a well-integrated system that brings in the gas engine seamlessly when the juice runs out or when you call for more acceleration than the electric motor can provide. The EPA estimates all-electric driving range at 26 miles; the PHEV earns ratings of 56 MPGe and 25 mpg combined. On our return leg from Sonoma to San Francisco, we drove the first 18 miles on electrons even though we left the parking lot without a full charge, easily accelerating to 65 mph on the straighter two-lanes and holding that for miles at a time. Mazda says that the battery will recharge from empty to full in 11 hours on a Level 1 (120-volt) outlet and in two hours, 20 minutes on a Level 2 (240-volt, 7.2-kW) charger. This first rain-soaked drive of the CX-90 leaves us feeling very good about Mazda’s latest push toward luxe. This SUV is handsome, plush, and value-priced relative to the premium vehicles it aspires to compete against. It drives with just the right balance of sportiness and refinement to be both engaging and appropriately cosseting. It looks sharp outside and is well appointed inside. But will the general public buy into the premise of Mazda’s master’s thesis—that a brand with a mainstream badge on the grille has the chops to compete with premium SUVs? With CX-90s hitting dealerships in the next few weeks, we’ll know soon enough. Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Mazda CX-90Vehicle Type: front-engine or front-engine, front-motor; all-wheel-drive, 6- to 8-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
3.3 Turbo Select, $40,970; 3.3 Turbo Preferred, $44,820; 3.3 Turbo Preferred Plus, $47,275; PHEV Preferred, $48,820; 3.3 Turbo Premium, $50,275; 3.3 Turbo S, $53,125; PHEV Premium, $54,275; 3.3 Turbo Premium Plus, $54,325; 3.3 Turbo S Premium, $57,825; PHEV Premium Plus, $58,325; 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus, $61,325
POWERTRAINS
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.3-liter inline-6, 280 or 340 hp, 332 or 369 lb-ft; DOHC 16-valve 2.5-liter inline-4, 189 hp, 192 lb-ft + AC motor, 173 hp, 192 lb-ft (combined output: 323 hp, 369 lb-ft; 14.8-kWh (est) lithium-ion battery pack; 7.2-kW onboard charger)Transmission: 8-speed automatic

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 122.8 inLength: 200.8 inWidth: 78.5 inHeight: 68.2 inPassenger Volume, F/M/R: 56–57/51–52/33 ft3Cargo Volume, Behind F/M/R: 74–75/40/15–16 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 4750–5250 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 6.0–6.8 sec1/4-Mile: 14.4–15.2 secTop Speed: 118–130 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (3.3L)
Combined/City/Highway: 25/23–24/28 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (PHEV, C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 25/24/28 mpgCombined Gasoline + Electricity: 56 MPGeEV Range: 26 miDirector, Buyer’s GuideRich Ceppos has evaluated automobiles and automotive technology during a career that has encompassed 10 years at General Motors, two stints at Car and Driver totaling 19 years, and thousands of miles logged in racing cars. He was in music school when he realized what he really wanted to do in life and, somehow, it’s worked out. In between his two C/D postings he served as executive editor of Automobile Magazine; was an executive vice president at Campbell Marketing & Communications; worked in GM’s product-development area; and became publisher of Autoweek. He has raced continuously since college, held SCCA and IMSA pro racing licenses, and has competed in the 24 Hours of Daytona. He currently ministers to a 1999 Miata and a 1965 Corvette convertible and appreciates that none of his younger colleagues have yet uttered “Okay, Boomer” when he tells one of his stories about the crazy old days at C/D. More

Do you struggle to make sense of today’s influx of heavy, absurdly powerful EVs? Does trying to discern one SUV body shape from another induce anxiety and depression? Then you may suffer from transitional automotive disorder. Ask your BMW dealer if the second-generation M2 coupe is right for you. (Side effects may include joyous laughter at extralegal speeds, an increased tolerance for g-forces, and cravings for empty, curvy roads.) The new M2’s prescription is straightforward: Take the workings of one of BMW M’s finest cultures, the one-size-up M4, and scale them down to a more playful size. Based on the redesigned 2-series coupe produced in Mexico, this is still a compact rear-wheel-drive riot of a car with two confining rear seats, though its wheelbase and overall length have increased by 2.1 and 4.1 inches, respectively, to 108.1 and 180.3 inches. It’s also now a little shorter in stature yet 1.3 inches broader in beam, with wider front and rear tracks that now match the M4’s. You’ll need to step down to the workaday M240i model if you want all-wheel drive—the M2 is rear-wheel drive only. While the ductwork on the M2’s stylized bumpers appears disjointed from certain angles, prominently flared fenders lend this upright three-box coupe swagger like a handsome vintage IMSA racer. Thankfully, the larger sibling’s bucktooth maw is not included. BMWBMW did incorporate virtually all the M4’s (and mechanically identical M3 sedan’s) other major bits into the M2, including its twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six. Though the new car’s estimated curb weight has increased considerably to around 3800 pounds, BMW’s S58 mill generates a stout 453 horsepower in this application—20 horses less than what it makes in the standard M4 but 48 more than the outgoing M2 Competition’s S55 inline-six produced (it’s a stronger dosage than even the limited-edition 444-hp M2 CS provided). A six-speed manual remains standard, with the no-cost option being a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic in place of the previous seven-speed dual-clutch unit (we haven’t driven the auto yet). The EPA pegs both setups at 19 mpg combined, roughly the same as the previous-gen M2 Competition. Not that we need any added incentives to select the DIY gearbox, but according to the EPA, it’ll travel a mile farther per gallon on the highway. Related StoriesLaunch control should help the self-shifting M2 return an estimated 3.6-second 60-mph time, similar to the last automatic M2 CS we tested. Working the manual’s precise yet somewhat rubbery shifter through its gates likely will cost a few tenths of a second, but we don’t care. This transmission remains one of BMW’s most potent treatments for driving boredom, and the M2’s pedals are ideally spaced for the heel-and-toe dance. From the engine’s melodious race toward its 7200-rpm redline to the velvety growl it emits through its quad tailpipes, it’s business as usual for this awesome straight-six. The main difference is that while the M2 makes the same 406 lb-ft of torque at the same 2650 rpm as the M4’s headier tune, its thrust builds more progressively as revs increase. With slightly less turbo boost to manage—17.4 psi versus the base M4’s 18.9—it’s easier to feed in the power without upsetting the car’s hold on the road. The M2’s stiffened body shell houses the M4’s rear axle with its electronically controlled limited-slip differential, as well as that car’s suspension links, adaptive dampers, and brakes (15.0-inch rotors with six-piston calipers in front, 14.6-inch single-piston units out back). Minor tuning changes, such as springs that are slightly firmer in the front and softer in the back, help temper the M2’s willingness to rotate on a wheelbase that’s 4.4 inches shorter than big brother’s. But even the M4’s 19-inch front and 20-inch rear Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires carry over. At least 1.00 g of skidpad grip should be possible. With a $63,195 starting price—$3300 more than the outgoing M2 Competition yet $12,500 less than the M4’s initial ask—this is the entry point to the M brand, and as such, it won’t offer carbon-ceramic brakes. Track-oriented Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires will be available, however, and a lighter carbon-fiber roof can also be optioned.BMW’s Curved Display (a combined 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.9-inch center touchscreen) dominates the business-casual interior and features many of the climate controls that previously had separate buttons and switches. Despite additional width inside and ample legroom up front, you still wear this car more than sit in it, especially if you opt for the $9900 Carbon package and its hard-shell M Carbon bucket seats—we’d avoid them unless you plan to regularly attend track days. Though ultrasupportive and good for a claimed 24-pound weight savings, their firm padding and lack of lumbar adjustment punished our lower backs. The softer standard sport seats, with still-generous side bolsters that held us snugly in place, are far more agreeable. BMWThe M2’s myriad drive settings can overwhelm at first, but know that the overarching Sport and Track modes (there’s also a default Comfort setting) provide a simplified gauge display that’s easier to read at speed. Pair the sportiest engine mapping with the softest suspension mode, as the M2’s ride is still taut and short of travel, though with enough compliance to not feel brutal on smoother surfaces. We also recommend deactivating the manual’s rev-matching feature, setting the steering response to Comfort (Sport increases effort but not tactility), and leaving the brake-pedal feel alone (we couldn’t tell a difference between modes). The M4’s Drift Analyzer is present for scoring your slides around a racetrack, but more welcome is the updated stability-control system with 10 stages of traction-control intervention. Most important, the M2 still saturates your senses as it squirms over undulating pavement, its swell of midrange power allowing you to carefully adjust its attitude with the throttle. Turn-in response is crisp as the chassis takes a set and neatly orients itself over midcorner bumps, subtly telegraphing load transfers to your backside. Given that it shares the M4’s variable steering hardware, its chunky helm is lighter on feel than, say, a Porsche 718’s. But overall refinement and stability have improved to the benefit of driver confidence, making the feistiness of this Bavarian muscle coupe more enjoyable to live with.BMWScience has yet to find a cure for transitional automotive disorder, as it spreads naturally in the open market, spurred on by environmental and societal stressors. But thanks in large part to its bountiful raid on BMW’s parts bin, the new M2 offers powerful relief, successfully targeting the areas of the brain associated with pleasure and fine motor control. This is strong medicine for the driver’s soul. Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2023 BMW M2Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base: $63,195
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve inline-6, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 183 in3, 2993 cm3Power: 453 hp @ 6250 rpmTorque: 406 lb-ft @ 2650 rpm
TRANSMISSIONS
6-speed manual, 8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 108.1 inLength: 180.3 inWidth: 74.3 inHeight: 55.2 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 52/33 ft3Trunk Volume: 14 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3750–3850 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.6–3.8 sec100 mph: 9.0–9.2 sec1/4-Mile: 12.1–12.3 secTop Speed: 155–177 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 19/16/23–24 mpgTechnical EditorMike Sutton is an editor, writer, test driver, and general car nerd who has contributed to Car and Driver’s reverent and irreverent passion for the automobile since 2008. A native Michigander from suburban Detroit, he enjoys the outdoors and complaining about the weather, has an affection for off-road vehicles, and believes in federal protection for naturally aspirated engines. More