Motor News

Jeep is leaning in to its off-roading roots with a new pair of patents it filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office earlier this year.The first patent is for a rooftop tent designed to attach directly to the top of the Jeep Wrangler. The second patent focuses on a Jeep-specific off-road-capable trailer that uses the same suspension as the Jeep pulling it. Stellantis has filed two new patents for the Jeep brand, both of which focus strongly on the brand’s off-roading personality. The first patent relates to a rooftop tent designed specifically for the Jeep Wrangler, while the second patent pertains to an off-road-capable trailer that uses production Jeep parts. USPTOWhile most third-party rooftop tents require additional hardware such as additional roof racks, the tent shown in Jeep’s new patent features a more elegant solution: Rather than bolting to the top of the roof, the tent replaces the Wrangler’s removable roof panels and reuses their mounting points. The slick design keeps the tent from adding excessive height and means campers can access the tent directly from the car without having to get out and clamber onto the roof. The compact design should also keep the tent from harming fuel economy too much as well. When it’s fully deployed, the tent features an optional awning to provide more cover from the weather outside the car. There’s also additional floor space that can be cantilevered over the edge of the car, extending the tent’s footprint.USPTOJeep’s second patent appears to be more focused on the Gladiator pickup, though the documents allow for other Jeep models. The patent focuses on an “Off-Road Capable Trailer” that includes components carried over directly from the production vehicle. USPTOPatent publication documents on the USPTO website explain that the trailer could include suspension and body components that correspond to a production Jeep. The patent documents also show that at least in some instances, the trailer would use the same axle and the same tires found on the production truck. Under the “Background” section, Jeep references how trailers typically have lower ground clearance and are designed for paved or smooth road surfaces. How soon would we potentially see these products? That is impossible to tell from the patents, but they’re intriguing.More on JeepJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

Nissan appears to be readying a next-generation Sentra compact sedan for the 2026 model year.The Sentra prototype appears to adopt some of the styling cues found on the recently updated 2025 Murano SUV.With the Altima and Versa expected to depart Nissan’s lineup after the 2025 model year, the Sentra will be the brand’s sole remaining sedan.Sedans were once the dominant force in the American auto market, but their numbers are dwindling. Nissan killed off full-size Maxima following the 2023 model year, and a report in 2023 suggested that Nissan would ditch the subcompact Versa and mid-size Altima after 2025. That would leave the compact Sentra, which had strong sales in 2024, as the brand’s only sedan. While the Altima and Versa may still be living on borrowed time, it appears Nissan isn’t entirely done with sedans, with our spy photographer catching a four-door prototype testing at Nissan’s Michigan headquarters.KGP Photography|Car and DriverThe camouflaged sedan was spotted driving with an Altima, suggesting that it could be a replacement for the mid-size sedan. Yet the prototype looks a bit smaller than we would expect for a mid-size offering and the Sentra—which entered its current generation for the 2020 model year—is due for an overhaul in 2026. Although this prototype looks a bit bigger than the outgoing Sentra, it’s possible that the Sentra could grow slightly in size in an attempt to cover both the compact and mid-size segments after the demise of the Altima.Regardless of the Altima’s fate, we’re pretty certain this is the next-generation Sentra, and the compact sedan appears to be adopting the new design language introduced by the 2025 Murano SUV. The narrow headlights are positioned with a slight angle, creating a sleek, piercing look, and feature a blade-like piece at the outer edge that cuts downward toward the bumper. This echoes the styling seen on the Nissan N7, an electric sedan revealed last fall for the China market.KGP Photography|Car and DriverThe headlights are joined by a black trim piece bisected by the Nissan badge. This element looks like it might feature an illuminated section along the lower edge and is certainly reminiscent of the black band stretching across the Murano’s front end. Beneath the Nissan emblem sits a thin grille with angled strakes and a wider intake in the lower bumper with a matching look. The side profile reveals a sloping roofline while the rear features horizontally oriented taillights linked by a trim piece above the license plate housing.There’s no official word on what will power the Nissan Sentra, but it’s possible the 149-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder and continuously variable automatic transmission could carry over. A hybrid variant could be in the cards, and there are rumors of a sportier variant featuring the 201-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder found in the Rogue. More concrete information should emerge later this year.More on Nissan SedansCaleb 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

Mansory just unveiled what may be its worst design yet—or best, depending on your point of view. The design in question is Mansory’s “Elongation” Tesla Cybertruck, which plasters the EV truck with heaps of carbon fiber and a pair of roof floodlights. The interior is equally loud and features a mixture of gray, white, and yellow accents, and as much carbon fiber as the customer wants, of course. As the old idiom goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Oftentimes, art is as much about what we bring to the table as it is about what the artist has made. That said, Mansory’s latest creation might be the ugliest thing to ever come out of the German modification company’s doors.MansoryMansoryYou’re free to disagree, of course. Perhaps you like the look of the Mansory “Elongation.” Mansory is known for taking high-end and often beautiful cars and making them visually louder with the addition of copious amounts of carbon fiber, which—at least in this author’s humble opinion—ruins otherwise beautiful pieces of art. On the other hand, the Tesla Cybertruck started life as the gaudiest mobile refrigerator to ever grace Dwight D. Eisenhower’s interstate system. Sure, Mansory took an ugly thing and made it look worse, but at least it didn’t ruin an artistic masterpiece. MansoryThe Elongation Cybertruck swaps out the front and rear bumpers for a set of carbon-fiber replacements with illuminated badging. Carbon fender flares and side sills connect the two ends of the truck. The mirror caps are carbon fiber, as are the fake air vents and front hood. Mansory says the distinct winglets at the rear mark the Elongation as a “real” Mansory at first glance. The inside is just as over the top. Mansory says customers will have complete control over customization. The version pictured here shows a mix of gray, white, and yellow. Customers can order hard surfaces in even more carbon if they want to match the exterior. Inside and out, the Mansory Cybertruck is certainly going to turn heads wherever it goes. Plus, on second thought, Mansory should probably be tried by the International Court of Justice for what it did to the Ford GT.More Mansory CreationsJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

In an interview with ABC News, Mercedes design chief Gorden Wagener conceded that “screens are not luxury.” Wagener argued that true luxury is communicated to customers through “craftsmanship and sophistication.”Still, Mercedes won’t ditch its Hyperscreen, and Wagener said the company is developing better software and more content to make the massive screens worth having.While most modern cars have a large touchscreen on the dashboard, along with a digital gauge cluster behind the steering wheel, Mercedes-Benz took the trend to new extremes a few years ago with the electric EQS sedan’s Hyperscreen. The dash-spanning setup consists of three screens behind one continuous piece of glass that stretches the width of the car. Despite Mercedes’s screen innovation, its chief design officer Gorden Wagener recently said in an interview with ABC News that “screens are not luxury.” The main reason behind Wagener’s opinion is that big screens aren’t uncommon, especially for Mercedes’s wealthy clientele. “You have a better—and bigger—TV at home, right?” he stated. Plus, new cars, especially in the premium segments, tend to feature at least one screen measuring 10 inches or more. Bigger and bigger displays aren’t enough to differentiate Mercedes, especially as more cars start to feature dedicated screens for the front passenger, such as the Ferrari Purosangue, Ram 1500, and Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Mercedes-BenzThe Superscreen in the E-class sedan.”So, we have to create luxury beyond the screen,” Wagener explained. However, the design boss didn’t get specific about how Mercedes aims to create that feeling of luxury, simply stating that what denotes a true luxury vehicle is “craftsmanship and sophistication.”Despite Wagener’s comments, Mercedes isn’t about to ditch the gigantic displays. The S-class sedan, the company’s flagship car, is set for a substantial refresh for the 2026 model year, which will likely see the EQS’s Hyperscreen adorn the sedan’s dashboard. Plus, the latest E-class only arrived two model years ago with the Superscreen, a slightly more modest take on digital overload.While the screens will stick around, Mercedes plans to do more to make the displays worth having. The concession about the use of bigger and flashier screens to denote a high-end vehicle came after ABC News asked about the customer response to units such as the Hyperscreen found in the EQS electric sedan. Wagener noted that the hardware is “very good”—Mercedes’s displays look futuristic and feature crisp graphics—but he also said the software “hasn’t been that good.” The E-class’s infotainment system packs an array of applications such as TikTok, Angry Birds, and the ability to take Zoom video calls, but Mercedes is cooking up even more special content for its oversized displays. “Because when you have a big screen, you want to have great content on it,” Wagener told ABC News. “So we’re working on content that is more specific and more entertaining.” More Mercedes NewsCaleb 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

Ford filed a new trademark with the USPTO that could point to a Mustang sedan being built in the near future. The company filed to trademark the name “Mach 4,” conjuring images of Ford’s iconic pony car stretched to accommodate a set of rear doors. The idea of a four-door Mustang isn’t totally new, the company has been selling an electric SUV called the Mustang Mach-E for four years, after all.Automotive subbrands are all the rage these days. Everyone’s got one. GMC spun off the Hummer into its own thing, Jeep revived the Wagoneer as its own brand, and Chevy is reportedly preparing to spin Corvette into a standalone brand. Thanks to the introduction of the Mustang Mach-E several years ago, Ford also knows how to transform a popular nameplate into something new. Mach 4 a Mustang Sedan?Now, a new report from Ford Authority revealed that Ford has applied for a new trademark with the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) for the name “Mach 4.” The application was filed on February 25. According to the USPTO site, the trademark covers “Motor vehicles, namely gasoline and electric automobiles, pickup trucks, sport-utility vehicles, and their structural parts.”Car and DriverRumors that Ford will build a Mustang sedan have been around for years, even going as far back as the Mustang’s first generation, according to Ford Authority. Fast forward to 2018, and Ford reportedly showed a concept model to dealers before the project was shelved. The outlet also reported that last May, Ford CEO Jim Farley said he “believes” the automaker could build a four-door Mustang as long as it has “all the performance and attitude of the original.”There’s also the possibility that this Mach 4 trademark somehow relates to the standalone Raptor supercar Ford has teased in the past. Nothing is known about that particular project, but in January, Farley told Top Gear, “We’re in the middle of creating something, so we don’t have all the answers yet, but the question is, should Ford make an off-road supercar? Not a version of a car, a standalone supercar.” FordGiven that Ford has already angered the feistiest of Mustang purists with the electric Mustang Mach-E, there’s a real possibility that the automaker could introduce a sedan. Then again, none of the previous Mustang sedan rumors have amounted to anything, so we’ll have to wait and see if this trademark also turns into a nothingburger. Related StoriesJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

After showing the exterior design last week, Kia has divulged more details about its new electric PV5 van for Europe and South Korea.Built on a modular platform, the PV5 will be sold in an array of configurations, including passenger and cargo variants and a wheelchair-accessible model.The PV5 packs a front-mounted 161-hp electric motor and an estimated range of over 200 miles.Kia first signaled its intent to enter the electric commercial vehicle space at CES 2024 more than a year ago, showing off three van concepts ranging from the teensy PV1 to the large PV7. After showing off the production-ready styling of the mid-size PV5 last week, Kia has now released full details on the PV5 at its EV Day event in Spain. The new van will launch with a series of body styles, a range of nearly 250 miles, and a highly flexible interior.An Adaptable PlatformThe PV5 is the first production model in Kia’s new PBV—standing for Platform Beyond Vehicle—business and will ride on a new platform dubbed E-GMP.S, a version of Hyundai-Kia’s skateboard-style battery architecture. The E-GMP.S platform has been developed with flexibility in mind, allowing Kia to affix a wide array of bodies atop a flat base. Kia compares its “Flexible Body System” to building a puzzle and asserts that the PV5 will be well-suited to a vast range of use cases.Kia will sell the PV5 in three body styles: passenger, cargo, and chassis cab. The passenger version has a spacious interior with three rows of seats that can fold up and down to form various configurations. Kia envisions the passenger-spec PV5 as being well adapted for ride-hailing services, as the company worked closely with Uber throughout the van’s development, but it also sees the van being well suited for personal use.The PV5’s cargo model will offer standard, long, and high-roof configurations, and the latter will also be available with a walk-through setup for businesses that need to quickly and easily get to the cargo hold. Kia says the PV5 measures 184.8 inches from nose to tail, making it a bit longer than compact vans such as the Ford Transit Connect. The PV5’s maximum cargo capacity of just over 180 cubic feet also makes it a tad roomier than most compact vans, and Kia says the PV5 cargo can fit two Euro-sized pallets. The PV5 will also be capable of vehicle-to-load functionality, allowing owners to power tools directly from the cargo area.Lastly, the PV5 chassis cab will be sold as an unfinished vehicle that can be adapted for myriad uses. The chassis cab pairs the front of the PV5 cargo with a flat section that includes side-collision protection for the battery and mounting brackets for installations such as a standard box van or freezer box setup. A slew of other versions will be added in the future, including the PV5 crew—with a mixture of seating and cargo storage—and the PV5 WAV, a wheelchair-accessible model. A camper model is also in the cards. Kia provided extra details on the PV5 WAV, which will sport a side opening to allow easy access to the van for wheelchair users from the curb via a ramp that can support up to 661 pounds. Kia also says there is a user-friendly universal wheelchair belt-fastening system, and the WAV model includes third-row tip-up seats to allow other passengers to ride with someone in a wheelchair.Electric Motors and a Modern CabinThree battery choices will be offered in the PV5. Most versions of the electric van will come equipped with either a 51.5-kWh or a 71.2-kWh battery, with both employing nickel-manganese-cobalt chemistry. The PV5 cargo variant will also offer a 43.3-kWh unit with a lithium-iron-phosphate chemistry. All batteries will power a single front-mounted electric motor producing 161 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque.Kia says the PV5’s maximum range will be around 248 miles when fitted with the 71.2-kWh battery in the passenger configuration. That figure is based on the optimistic European WLTP test cycle and would roughly translate to a 211-mile range using the EPA’s methodology. Kia also claims the PV5 will be able to charge from 10 to 80 percent in as little as 30 minutes, but it didn’t specify which battery that figure applies to.The cabin looks modern and fairly plush for a van, offered in a variety of colors from Deep Navy to Terracotta Brown and Iceberg Green. Kia says it utilized durable, easy-to-clean, sustainable materials as well as eco-friendly choices. The “driver zone” is the same across all versions of the PV5 and centers around a 7.0-inch digital gauge cluster and a 12.9-inch infotainment screen running an Android Automotive-based operating system. Sticking with the theme of versatility, the automaker is launching “Kia AddGear,” a selection of modular accessories that can be added to the cabin.The PV5 will be assembled in a new dedicated factory called the EVO Plant in South Korea. Sales will kick off in South Korea and Europe in the second half of 2025, before adding other markets in 2026. Unfortunately, there are no plans to bring the PV5 to the United States, presumably a result of the “chicken tax,” a 25 percent import tariff on light trucks.More on Kia EVsCaleb 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

The 2026 Kia EV4 debuts as the brand’s first electric sedan, and it’ll be sold in the United States. The 201-hp front-wheel-drive EV will offer two battery sizes, and we expect the larger 81.4-kWh pack will provide 330 miles of range. The EV4 sedan should start at around $35,000 when it reaches U.S. dealerships near the end of this year or in early 2026.Sedan fans shopping for an affordable EV have very few options: the $38,900 Hyundai Ioniq 6 or the $44,130 Tesla Model 3. Kia is looking to expand that segment with its new EV4 compact sedan and will begin selling it late this year or early next year.We estimate the EV4 will start at about $35,000 and rise toward the EV6’s $43,995 base price. Like the EV6 and the upcoming EV3, the EV4 is built on the brand’s familiar E-GMP architecture. At 186.2 inches, the EV4 sedan is a couple of inches longer than a Honda Civic sedan, but the Kia’s 111.0-inch wheelbase is on par with the Accord’s 111.4-inch wheelbase. The EV4’s package has a spacious rear seat and a deep and cavernous 17-cubic-foot cargo hold behind the elongated trunk lid. A hatchback version of the EV4 will be available and built in Europe, but there are no plans for it to come stateside. The interior design is largely shared with the EV4’s platform-mate, the EV3. A 12.3-inch screen faces the driver and butts up next to a 5.3-inch screen that handles HVAC information. Next to that is another 12.3-inch touchscreen that handles infotainment and various vehicle settings. The three screens fill a 30-inch display that dominates the fabric-adorned instrument panel. A GT-Line appearance package with 19-inch wheels and aggressive-looking front and rear fascias will be optional, but the extra-cost option won’t add any performance to the mix. Presumably to hold costs down, the EV4 has a 400-volt architecture instead of the EV6’s 800-volt system. On a Level 2 connection, the EV4 will suck down electrons at a rate of 11 kW. Kia didn’t provide details on the speed of a DC fast-charge but promises a 10-to-80-percent charge for the 81.4-kWh battery will take 31 minutes. A smaller 58.3-kWh battery is also available and achieves the same charge in 29 minutes. Kia promises the battery can be used to power various electric appliances for both campers and power-loss sufferers. The ability to send power back to the grid is also touted, although it remains to be seen how that will work in customer hands.No matter the battery, the EV4 has a front motor with 201 horsepower. Kia claims that will help the sedan with the larger battery go from zero to 62 mph in 7.7 seconds. The smaller-battery model should do the deed in 7.4 ticks. The 201-hp setup is shared with the EV3 and is presumably the same motor that motivates the Kia Niro EV to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds. Kia hasn’t published a curb weight for the EV4, but we’d expect it to be in the neighborhood of the Niro EV’s 3715 pounds. If that bears out, expect a similar time to 60 mph. Customers might be more interested in driving range. Based on the very optimistic European WLTP test cycle, the EV4 sedan scores an impressive 390 miles, which we believe will result in a 330-mile EPA range for the larger battery. The smaller battery nets a claimed 267-mile range in the same Euro test, a likely 225-mile result using the EPA’s methodology.Korean-market versions will begin production in South Korea this March. U.S. examples will be built in the same plant in Korea and should start rolling off the assembly line late this year.More on Kia EVsTony Quiroga is a 20-year-veteran Car and Driver editor, writer, and car reviewer and the 19th editor-in-chief for the magazine since its founding in 1955. He has subscribed to Car and Driver since age six. “Growing up, I read every issue of Car and Driver cover to cover, sometimes three or more times. It’s the place I wanted to work since I could read,” Quiroga says. He moved from Automobile Magazine to an associate editor position at Car and Driver in 2004. Over the years, he has held nearly every editorial position in print and digital, edited several special issues, and also helped produce C/D’s early YouTube efforts. He is also the longest-tenured test driver for Lightning Lap, having lapped Virginia International Raceway’s Grand Course more than 2000 times over 12 years. More

The Kia Concept EV2 previews a future production model that’s probably too small to be sold on our shores.The EV2 has a bulldog-like appearance with its broad shoulders, stubby overhangs, and assertive, albeit still adorable, face.Inside, nifty features abound, such as the sliding front bench seat, portable speakers, and text messages that can be displayed through the windows.Despite a strangely arranged name, the Kia Concept EV2 is like a cute puppy we want to take home. Too bad we’d have to smuggle it out of the adoption center because it’s likely not coming to the United States due to its diminutive dimensions. Still, a production version of the pint-sized electric SUV is slated to be sold elsewhere sometime in 2026.The EV2 Is Kia’s Smallest-Ever EVThink of the EV2 concept as Kia’s version of the Hyundai Inster, a similarly tiny and quirky ute that we also don’t get here. While there’s not a single drop of information about the EV2’s electric powertrain, we bet the production version will be influenced by the Inster’s setup, which peaks at 113 horsepower and 108 pound-feet of torque when paired with the larger (lol) 49.0-kWh battery. That translates to roughly 187 miles of range, meaning American drivers would probably treat the Inster or EV2 like a puppy that peed on the carpet.The EV2 represents Kia’s smallest EV, but its design is similar to its larger siblings. For example, its vertical front lighting elements resemble those of the upcoming EV4 sedan and EV9 three-row SUV. The EV2 also features what Kia has dubbed “Star Map” lighting, which is basically illuminated freckles on the vehicle’s flat front panel. The geometric shapes seen on the glass and wheel arches continue the continuity. However, a couple of things differentiate the EV2 concept from its kin, namely the missing center pillar and rear-hinged back doors (a.k.a. coach doors). While we’d be surprised if those design elements make their way into production, they’re cool nonetheless.The Concept EV2’s interior is arguably the coolest thing about it. We’ll cut straight to the chase: we’re suckers for front bench seats, so the EV2 is playing games with our hearts. What’s also interesting is that the front bench is on a track, so users can slide it backward and fold the rear seats out of the way, opening space to stretch out or even sit on the flat floor. The latter situation is possible according to Kia, but we’re not sure how feasible that will be for more than one person over six feet tall.The dashboard features a tablet-like display that wouldn’t be out of place on most current Kia models. The concept also has a fanciful steering wheel that looks like it was melted in the oven. We dig the dash’s fabric material, which looks like it was inspired by the BMW iX, and there’s an oddly colored metal surface that spans the bottom section. Kia says the EV2’s speakers are portable, so car karaoke can easily become a mobile affair. Another interesting concept is the message lighting that lets people display text messages through the windows. However, it’s quite possible that “Hey, Kia, why don’t you sell cool stuff like the EV2 in America?” is too long to fit.More from Kia’s EV DayEric 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