Tag Archives: hybrid vehicles

2026 Honda Prelude

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The facts and the feelings. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

It is the sixth generation of the nameplate after a 25-year hiatus (2001 to 2026). (People talk about nameplates with pedigree: the first was a model year 1979, or 47 years ago.)

It is a compact coupe.

It is 178.4 inches long, 74 inches wide, 53.4 inches high, and has a 102.6-inch wheelbase.

It rides on 19-inch wheels.

It is a front-wheel drive vehicle.

It is a hybrid.

It is powered by a 2.0-liter Atkinson four-cylinder engine supplemented by a traction motor such that the total system output is 200 hp.

It even drives remarkably well on the types of streets and roads you’re more likely to find yourself on. (Image: Honda)

It has what is known as a “two-motor hybrid system” with the aforementioned traction motor and a generator motor. The generator motor produces electricity for the drive motor.

It weighs 3,261 pounds. This means the power-to-weight ratio is 16.3 lb/hp. That is better than the base fifth-generation Prelude (21.9 lb/hp) but not as good as the fifth-gen Type SH (15.2 lb/hp), but not off by a huge amount.

It doesn’t have a conventional transmission. It has a single fixed-ratio direct-drive clutch system instead. (The clutch comes into play when the engine is operating at higher speeds.)

It offers four drive modes that adjust functions including powertrain response, steering feel, suspension damping, and the graphics on the gauge cluster:

  • Comfort: A smooth powertrain response; light steering; soft dampers
  • GT (the default setting): Stronger powertrain response than previous; more-direct steering feel; firmer dampers than in Comfort
  • Sport: Sharpest throttle response; heavier steering; firm suspension
  • Individual: Select the powertrain, steering, damper, etc. settings

It has an S+ function that is accessed via a button that’s to the right of the gear selector buttons and ahead of the Drive Mode selector on the center console. It simulates a step-gear transmission and allows the driver, through the use of the shift paddles on the steering wheel, to do things like downshift and hold gears even though there aren’t any of those functions physically: it simulates the feeling of an eight-speed very well and supplements engine noises, to boot.

It has a dual-axis strut front suspension and a multi-link rear suspension.

It has Brembo brakes—13.8-inch rotors; four pistons—in the front and rear brakes from the Civic Type R, 12-inch rotors and a single piston sliding caliper. (The suspension is also shared with the Type R, as is the steering system.)

It is a four-passenger car (a.k.a., “2+2 coupe).

It provides a passenger volume of 84.6 cubic feet.

It provides a cargo volume of 15.1 cubic feet.

It is equipped with the Honda Sensing system, which includes an array of driver-assistance and ADAS tech including forward collision warning, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, and traffic sign recognition.

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Now you know a lot about it.

But you really don’t have a good sense of it.

The first thing to know about the Prelude, which comes as a single spec through there are options that can be added, is that it looks great. The roofline is such that the vehicle appears—even when parked—as though it is going to spring forward.

This vehicle had not only lots of turned heads as I drove by, but comments from complete strangers about it. One guy who came to my front door trying to sell me fertilizer service spent more time telling me how much he loved the look of the Prelude than he did talking nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.

In the current environment the fact that it is EPA rated at 46 city/41 highway/44 mpg combined—and those numbers are right on with what I experienced—is certainly a consideration for someone.

One of the things I think is important is not how any given vehicle drives in some ideal setting but on the everyday roads, including freeways. Sometimes smaller, sportier vehicles can make one feel like they’re going to be crushed like a bug by all of the full-size pickups and SUVs that are on the streets. This can be particularly disturbing when on freeways. But the Prelude comported itself just fine, whether it was on the potholed surface streets of southeastern Michigan or the autobahns freeways of the area.

While it could be an everyday driver, it strikes me that given its comparatively limited human and cargo capacities, it is more likely to be something of a weekend car.

The base MSRP is $42,000, which puts it well below the average transaction price for vehicles right now, but ahead of the starting price of a 2026 Accord Touring Hybrid ($39,495). While that is certainly not an apples-to-apples comparison, it sure does make that Accord look like a great deal even though it has a higher power-to-weight ratio than the Prelude (17.6 lb/hp) and probably won’t get as many positive comments from strangers.

2026 Hyundai Tucson PHEV Limited AWD

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Why you might take advantage of a compelling package. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

Earlier in my career I needed to get a new job.

There was, it seemed to me, a hitch: The unemployment rate at the time was quite high.

I figured there were few jobs and plenty of people looking for them.

Consequently, I thought, the odds would be stacked against me for finding a job.

When I explained that idea to someone smarter than me, she simply replied:

“You only need to find one job.”

The number of unemployed was irrelevant. The number of people who were looking for work didn’t matter.

It came down to me.

(I eventually found one.)

What, you might wonder, does this have to do with the 2026 Hyundai Tucson PHEV Limited AWD?

Well, it’s this: Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) are knocked more than they are lauded.

Just as there were those—mainly in office buildings in southeastern Michigan—who used to harumph about plain, unpluggable hybrids as being too expensive or too complicated or too much for them to handle (though they didn’t say the last one out loud), there are those and then some who are critical about PHEVs because not only do they have all of the issues of the regular hybrids, but they have an additional battery and attendant electronics, too.

Holy moly!

But it isn’t about them. It is about the customer.

(Notice how Toyota managed to sell, one by one, far more hybrids than the others have sold anything other than full-size pickups.)

And then there are those who criticize PHEVs because not only do they have that “complicated” propulsion system (i.e., engine and electric motor) but they have a bigger hybrid battery (they still have the same 12-v that’s found in all manner of vehicles, too).

That’s apparently a bridge too far.

But then there’s another smack on PHEVs.

It is that plenty of people don’t plug them in.

Consequently, they operate just like a “regular” hybrid.

This brings me back to the singular nature of some things.

I needed a job.

You could buy a PHEV. Say a Tucson PHEV.

The 2026 Hyundai Tucson PHEV: features a plug and a gas tank—the best of both worlds. (Image: Hyundai)

You could plug in to a common 120-v outlet when you got home from work.

About 12 hours later the 13.8-kW lithium battery would be charged.

You would then be able to drive your Tucson for about 32 miles on electricity alone.

No gas.

Lots of other people might not do that.

But you certainly could.

Consider: otherwise the vehicle is just sitting in your garage or driveway. (If you live in an apartment this might not be so easy, but if your apartment complex provides Level 2 chargers, your Tucson PHEV can be regularly plugged in and fully charged there in just two hours.)

Cleverly, however, you would be taking advantage of that 13.8-kW battery.

And conceivably (depending on commute) drive to work and back the next day without a drop of gas.

The battery would drive the 72-kW (a.k.a., 97-hp) electric motor, which is sufficient for normal driving.

And when there’s insufficient energy to do that solo, then the gas engine (a 178-hp, 1.6-liter, turbocharged four) joins in. This provides a system horsepower is 268 hp. A solid number for a compact crossover.

You would have a compelling package.

2026 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Premium Plus

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Something you probably didn’t know about NASA—and Alabama

By Gary S. Vasilash

Although when you think of “NASA” Cape Canaveral comes to mind (or Houston, as in “we’ve got a problem”), it is actually the case there is “Rocket City,” and it isn’t in Florida or Texas.

Rather, it is Huntsville, Alabama, which is where Dr. Wernher von Braun and colleagues began work in the 1950s on rockets, like the Saturn V, which launched all Apollo missions, which were the ones that got the U.S. to the Moon.

Of course, the whole space industry is changed, with companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin gaining ground in, well, space.

Huntsville is still home to operations like the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, which is still working on extraterrestrial programs, like the Artemis II mission and the science operations on the International Space Station.

But like any city, Huntsville is diversifying.

One of the notable changes in the industrial base on Huntsville occurred in September 2021, when the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing plant went into production. (Although it is actually located in Madison, Alabama, it is in the Huntsville metro area and consequently, for geographical convenience, called the “Huntsville plant.”)

Mazda CX-50 Hybrid. Good stance. (Image: Mazda)

The first vehicle built there was the Toyota Corolla Cross. Then, a few months later, in January 2022, a Mazda went into production in the plant: the CX-50.

Here’s something to know: although both the Corolla Cross and the CX-50 are both compact crossovers, they are not based on the same platform. The Corolla Cross uses the Toyota TNGA-C platform and the CX-50 the Mazda Skyactiv-G platform.

What’s more—and it is more—the CX-50 is significantly larger (e.g., the CX-50 is 185.8 inches long and the Corolla cross 176.1 inches).

However, there is something shared between Mazda and Toyota for the hybrid version of the CX-50: the CX-50 Hybrid uses the fourth-generation Toyota hybrid system, which had been used in the previous-generation RAV4, for example. (The 2026 RAV4 moved to gen five.)

So what we have in the case of the vehicle at hand is an inside and outside executed by Mazda and a powertrain from Toyota. Which is a solid combination.

The vehicle has a good stance. While some vehicles in this category are going for a more blocky look, presumably to make them seem as they’re more capable of traveling on terrain that the owners are highly unlikely to ever even see, this Mazda, like other vehicles offered by the brand, provides a stylish appearance.

This is accentuated by the 19-inch alloy wheels. (Yes, 19-inch wheels, certainly something different for a vehicle in this category.)

On the inside, it is clear that this is a contemporary vehicle. What is refreshing, however, is that there is no pretending that this is something that would be tested at the Marshall Space Flight Center. Yes, there is a 10.25-inch infotainment screen and the gauges are in a 7-inch LCD cluster.

Good-looking interior materials and, yes, those are HVAC buttons. (Image: gsv)

And there are buttons for various functions, like controlling the HVAC. (Let’s face it, when you get into a vehicle on a cold winter morning, it is much better to make a quick stab at a button and not have to consult a screen. And speaking of winter, the trim driven here has a heated steering wheel.)

There is red stitching (which seems suited to the brand) on the trim. There is the use of metallic surrounds and accents, both bright and brushed. There is no fake wood, which is an absolute plus, as is the little bit of piano black plastic. The whole execution provides a sense of premiumness and purpose, simple and straightforward.

There are nice details, like a small light on the stalk where the windshield wipers are controlled that illuminates when the setting is for automatic wiping. Sure, this is a small thing, but it is often difficult to determine whether that is on or not. And on the subject of windshield wiping, when you activate the windshield cleaning fluid function rather than a spray on the windshield, the fluid goes through the wiper arms, an efficient approach.

You buy a vehicle for the macro. You live with the micro, like that little light on the wiper control stalk. (Image: gsv)

Another nice thing is the wireless charging pad that is tucked under the front of the arm rest covering the center console. The surface is angled back so the phone is in place better than if the surface was flat. There’s wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so there is no concern about the positioning of the phone.

About the powertrain: there’s a 176-hp four that’s supplemented by three electric motors (one in the rear to provide AWD) so there is a system horsepower of 219. The vehicle is capable of returning 39 mpg city, 37 mpg highway and 38 mpg combined.

To be sure, the CX-50 Hybrid is in a competitive field. But it more than holds its own.

2026 Toyota RAV4 Limited AWD

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Toyota’s continuous improvement ethos means that it does mess with success—it makes it better

By Gary S. Vasilash

The first Toyota hybrid, the Prius, was introduced in the US market in 2000.

In terms of chronological time, that’s a quarter century of putting electrified vehicles on the road.

Initially that road was somewhat bumpy as while that first-gen model had some serious fans, as is the case with anything with fans, there were those who weren’t supporters. There was all sorts of grumbling about how inefficient it is to have two propulsion systems and how that was something that Toyota simply could not do. (Many of these people were the same ones who grumbled about a decade before, when Lexus was introduced: it was impossible for the LS 400 to exist with a starting price of about $35,000—Detroit had years and years of Cadillacs and Lincolns so they knew that was the case.)

But Toyota continued with the Prius, generation after generation, and in addition it began putting hybrids into other models in the Toyota showroom (as well as the Lexus facilities).

2026 Toyota RAV4 Limited. (Images: Toyota)

And it made a tremendous statement with the model year 2025 Camry, offering it only as a hybrid. Consider: it has been the best-selling car in the US for decades (with 2025 sales it has held the crown for 24 consecutive years) and Toyota had sufficient confidence in not only the hybrid tech but the market acceptance to make that switch.

Although Toyota sells a lot of Camrys—through the third quarter of 2025, 234,426—it sells a tremendous number of RAV4 crossovers:

Through Q3 2025: 358,134.

To put that in perspective, the combined sales through Q3 of the Ford Bronco Sport (103,261), Escape (114,728), and Bronco (109,921) are fewer than the RAV4 sales: 327,910.

Or the number of Chevy Equinoxes sold through Q3 (203,583) can be added to the Ford Escape sales during the same period (114,728), and that sum, 318,311, is 39,823 units shy of the RAV4 sales.

All of which is to say that the RAV4 is an awfully popular vehicle.

So what did Toyota do for the sixth-generation, all-new 2026 RAV4?

It decided every model on offer—LE, XLE Premium, Limited, Woodland, SE, XSE, GR SPORT—is powered by a hybrid system: a 183-hp four that is supplemented by electric motor(s) such that in front-drive setups there is a total 226 hp and for AWD 236 hp.*

Those models fit in three categories: “Core,” “Rugged” and “Sport.” The Woodland is the “Rugged,” the SE, XSE and GR SPORT are the “Sport,” and the remaining are “Core.”

While it might be imagined that the “Core” models, like the Limited driven for this, would be less visually rugged than, say, the Woodland, on a macro view, the exterior design of the RAV4 is more truck-like than, say, the fourth-generation RAV4—which was the first to offer a hybrid (model year 2016).

All of the 2026 models have a chiseled look.

A purposeful interior.

And that chiseled approach carries into the cabin. While there is an extensive use of polymer-based materials (e.g., while the heated steering wheel is leather-trimmed and the armrests are, too, the front seats are heated and ventilated SofTex, a synthetic leather), the execution is such that it doesn’t look “plasticky,” but the materials are used to their advantage so they look and feel (i.e., there are soft-touch surfaces were one is likely to touch) appropriate.

One nice touch is a slot in the instrument panel that contains two Qi-compatible wireless charging surfaces so the driver and the passenger each have one. (There are also two 45-W USB C ports in the front, as well as a center console media USB-C port, and two 15-W USB-C charging ports in the rear.)

There is a 12.9-inch infotainment screen that runs the Toyota Audio Multimedia system developed by Toyota’s Plano, Texas-based Connected Technology team.

There is also a 12.3-inch LCD-based digital gauge cluster. (The Limited trim comes with a head-up display, too.)

Yes, there are buttons for a variety of functions, like for the front defroster (something necessary to get to quickly on a Michigan winter morning), and a (smallish) knob for the audio.

The vehicle provides 98.9 cubic feet of passenger room and 70.4 cubic feet (second row folded) for cargo.

Which brings me back to the hybrid powertrain.

In this AWD model the fuel economy numbers are 44 mpg city, 39 mpg highway, and 42 mpg combined. Which is certainly nice. (As electric vehicles are always touting range, here’s something to consider: the RAV4 has a 14.5-gallon gas tank. If you drove it to empty, based on the combined range you’d go 609 miles. Yes, there are emissions involved. But fewer than if you were to drive a non-hybrid to empty.)

But the thing is, the fifth-generation Toyota Hybrid System used in the RAV4 is transparent. It just works.

Were I to be working in a dealership I might skip using the word “hybrid” and just say, “This RAV4 gets great gas mileage on regular fuel” and leave it at that.

One of the reasons the original Prius had some problems was because people wanted to know where you plugged it in. (“What do you mean it just uses gas? How do those motor-generator things get power?”)

I suspect there are more than a few people who stay away from hybrids because they can’t figure out how they work. (“Will I be stranded on the side of the road when the battery runs down?”)

So leave it at: this is a powertrain that Toyota has spent 25 years working on and it just works.

With the RAV4 it is wrapped in a nice package. Period.

*There is also a plug-in hybrid RAV4, which has a combined output of 324 hp.

2026 Toyota Corolla Hybrid SE

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It’s got nice looks and the fifth-generation Toyota hybrid system. A competent combo. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

“What kind of car is that?” my brother-in-law asked as we arrived for Thanksgiving.

“A Toyota Corolla.”

“They sure have come a long way,” he responded, shaking his head with a bit of disbelief. “Corollas didn’t look like that before.”

Yes, that’s true. Previously, Corollas had a design that indifference could be an appropriate response to. Not bad. But not the sort of thing that would cause comment like that which took place in this instance.

Now the Corolla is sporty in its styling, which is remarkable for a vehicle that, in all manifestations, has an MSRP of under $30,000 (from the Hatchback SE at $24,180 to the Hybrid XLE at $28,940).

Some people may be surprised to learn that that’s a Toyota Corolla. The style is notable, as is the fact that this model is fitted with a hybrid system that makes stops at gas stations comparatively infrequent. (Image: Toyota)

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And that there is a Corolla Hybrid makes the proposition for getting a highly fuel efficient vehicle that is sporty all the more interesting.

How efficient?

Well, here is the lineup and the EPA estimated fuel economy numbers for each:

  • LE/XLE: 53 / 46 / 50 city/highway/combined mpg
  • LE AWD: 51 / 44 / 48
  • SE: 50 / 43 / 47
  • SE AWD: 47 / 41 / 44

The Corolla Hybrid is powered by Toyota’s fifth-generation hybrid system. There is a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine as the core element. With the attendant electrification the propulsion system produces 130 hp and 105 lb-ft of torque.

While the styling might make it seem as though the Corolla Hybrid is something that goes really, really fast and gets there really, really fast, the acceleration and overall performance is more conventional compact car.

But again, it allows you to quickly go past gas stations for a longer period of time than is the case of some even bigger vehicles from other OEMs who are still working out their hybrid strategies.

And the available all-wheel drive (there is a rear-mounted electric motor that kicks in when needed, not only when the sensors determine slippery conditions, but when starting from a stop and getting on the throttle) is certainly a good feature.

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The vehicle as driven has the “SE Premium Package,” which means there is a 10.5-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia screen (the standard size is 8 inches), six audio speakers, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, and a wireless charger.

While the steering wheel is wrapped with leather, the seats are “Sport Fabric-trimmed), a.k.a. cloth.

A helpful and useful standard feature is Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, with the first part of that being helpful when driving and deciding whether to move from one lane to another and the latter when, say, backing out of a parking space at the grocery store, when you’re likely to have two full-size pickup trucks on either side of you.

After all, the overall height of the Corolla Hybrid is 56.5 inches, so you’re comparatively low.

That’s one of the sacrifices you make for sporty styling.

2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid Calligraphy

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Some somewhat technical aspects of an immensely impressive three-row SUV. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

The 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid is the first deployment of the Hyundai next-generation hybrid system. Which is important to know simply from the standpoint that it has been offering hybrids in the U.S. market since 2011. It hasn’t stopped. And as this indicates, it has continued to work on the technology.

The Palisade Hybrid features a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.  There are two electric motors, one that has the primary function of providing power to the wheels and the other, secondary, motor that supports starting and regenerative braking and power flow. All in, the result is system horsepower of 329 and 339 lb-ft of torque. The motors—know in the technical hybrid community as P1 (the starter motor, 17 hp) and P2 (the drive motor 72 hp) are integrated with the vehicle’s familiar—at least more familiar than Honda’s transmission-free two-motor hybrid system (there is a lock-up clutch deployed when needed) or the Toyota e-CVT—six-speed automatic transmission.

’26 Palisade Hybrid Calligraphy: looks great. Drive far (564 miles FWD; 528 miles AWD). (Image: Hyundai)

There are a couple things to keep in mind about what might seem to be an usual transmission choice.

One is that it provides a more natural driving “feel.” Odds are, even if you don’t think about it, you are used to discerning when a vehicle shifts gears when you accelerate (not so much when you decelerate). And it actually feels odd when you’re driving a vehicle with a CVT (now often with programmed steps to simulate a more natural, mechanical feel). (One reason why people driving an EV become surprised when they take it out for the first few times and look at their speedometer and see a high number is because there is linear acceleration: it just goes.)

Another is that they’re taking advantage of the mechanical advantage provide by the step-gear transmission. Know that the Palisade is a big vehicle. . .

  • 116.9-inch wheelbase
  • 199.2 inches long
  • 78 inches wide
  • 69.5 inches high

. . .that offers plenty of interior space. . .

  • 159.6 cubic feet of passenger volume
  • 19.1 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row

. . .and provides the ability to tow 4,000 pounds.

As this is sort of techy with that P1 and P2, it is also worth knowing (even if it isn’t wholly understood) that the 2026 Palisade makes extensive use of third-generation steel (average strength 69.2 kgf-mm2). What this means is the structure of the vehicle is remarkably solid, which is helpful when it comes to minimizing any squeaks and rattles from the structure (they take care of things like road noise with an extensive use of sound-absorbing material and thicker glass on the windshield, front doors and tailgate).

Also, by using hot-stamped components (most stamping for vehicles is done at room temperatures, but some of the steels used in the Palisade have to be heated up to make them more ductile so they can be stamped—otherwise they might break the dies), the cage structure adds safety, which is an important thing for a people-mover.

The Palisade comes in a gas-only version. That has a 287-hp V6 and an eight-speed automatic. In the front-drive setup it provides 19/25/21 mpg city/highway/combined and 18/24/20 mpg for the AWD version.

The Palisade Hybrid provides 31/32/31 mpg in the FWD configuration and 29/30/29 mpg in AWD.

A significant difference. And a key reason why the Palisade Hybrid is a notable vehicle for today.

2025 Toyota Highlander 25th Edition AWD

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The 25th anniversary is the Silver Anniversary. This anniversary Highlander is available in Heavy Metal. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

One of the things Toyota did early on that caused many of those in Detroit to grumble was use the platform from one vehicle for another. This wasn’t a case of simply slapping new fascias on a car and using different seat fabrics and saying “Voila! something different!” but of creating something different.

This approach had several advantages. It spread engineering costs from one vehicle to another. It increased scale for a given platform. Both of these things led to better quality (focused engineering resources) and lower costs for consumers (economies of scale).

Case in point: the Toyota Highlander. The vehicle was introduced at the 2000 New York Auto Show as a model year 2001 vehicle.

It was based on the platform used for the Camry sedan, with slight modifications to accommodate things like a higher ride height.

Toyota Highlander 25th Edition. Celebrating a quarter century. (Image: Toyota)

This was not only clever, but arguably revolutionary, given that back then vehicles with that body architecture had frames, like pickup trucks. Cars like the Camry, with unibody construction, provided a more comfortable ride.

So one could say that the body-on-frame vehicles were sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and the first gen Highlander ushered in the midsize crossover utility vehicle (CUV). (The first-generation Toyota RAV4, introduced in the U.S. for the 1996 model year, was based on the Corolla platform, so it gave rise to the compact CUV segment.)

There was something else that happened with the Highlander that’s of some significance.

Model year 2006 was available with a hybrid powertrain. That made the Highlander the first Toyota after the Prius that had one. While it might have seemed that the Camry would get a hybrid after the Prius, that didn’t occur until model year 2007.

(The hybrid in the Highlander could have had something to do with the fact that also in model year 2006 the Lexus RX 400h was launched: the “h” is for “hybrid.”)

Currently, the Highlander is in its fourth generation. It is clearly a case of improvements all along the way.

For the 2025 model there is a special edition, the 25th Edition. Perhaps not the cleverest of names, but a well-appointed Highlander.

The celebration of the milestone is performed with a variety of touches, inside and out.

On the exterior view there are—yes, changes to the front and rear fascias (silver accents on the bumpers), 20-inch wheels, and side rockers.

Inside there are carpeted floor mats and an all-weather rear cargo liner. The seats have leather trim.

And in the space between inside and out there are illuminated door sills and puddle lamps (although they shine on the outside, they are meant to help you get to the inside, so we’ll put them in this intermediate space).

The powertrain (there is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine coupled with three permanent magnet motors (two front, one rear)) provides a combined output of 243 hp.

This results in EPA fuel efficiency numbers of 35 mpg city, 34 mpg highway and 35 mpg combined.

Which is most impressive for an AWD vehicle with a third row.

But about that third row. . . .

The legroom back there is 28 inches. No, not a whole lot of room.

The 25th Edition is based on the Highlander Limited Hybrid grade which provides things like a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and 11-speaker JBL audio system. Yes, there is a small volume knob for those who prefer torquing a knob rather that using the steering wheel controls.

The base MSRP for the vehicle is $52,680, which is certainly reasonable for something that (1) is so well-appointed, (2) a hybrid and (3) is limited to 2,500 units.

Toyota Unveils Sixth-Gen RAV4

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The market leader gets a wider suite of offerings. And hybrids across the board. . . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

A thing about the Toyota RAV4 is that when the company accurately describes it as “America’s best-selling compact SUV” it isn’t entirely clear just how much of a best selling compact SUV it is.

In 2024 Toyota delivered 475,193 RAV4s in the U.S. market

In the same period, the combined number of Chevy Equinoxes (207,730) and Ford Escapes (146,859) is 359,589. Well below the RAV4 number.

So Toyota really has something going for it, and for the sixth generation of the RAV4 it is, on the one hand, doing something expected, but on the other, somewhat unexpected.

As for the expected part, it is expanding the offerings within the marque.

That is, there are three styles:

  1. Core
  2. Rugged
  3. Sport

Then within the styles it is offering things like the Woodland trim (Rugged) and GR Sport (Sport).

The unexpected part—well, maybe not entirely unexpected as this is, after all, Toyota, the company that offers a model that is still synonymous with “hybrid”: Prius—it is offering the 2026 RAV4 as a hybrid-only vehicle.

But there are two variants of that, two, either a straight-up hybrid or a plug-in.

And, of course, front-wheel or all-wheel drive (AWD) variants are available.

The new RAV4 trio–Sport (the red one), Rugged (the left) and Core (in the rear—for 2026. (Image: Toyota)

Some Numbers

The hybrid versions produce 236 hp for the AWD models (up from 219 hp in the current generation system). There hadn’t been a front-drive RAV4 hybrid previously available so the comparison has to be with the ICE-only model: the hybrid produces 226 hp, whereas the current gen gas-only model produces 203 hp.

The plug-in version, AWD only, has an output of 320 hp. That’s up from the current 302 hp.

The all-electric driving range is 50 miles, up from the current 42 miles.

The PHEV system in the XSE trim and the Woodland feature DC fast charging: from 10 to 80% in ~30 minutes.

Both hybrid systems include a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine.

Some Platform Mates

The first-gen RAV4 in the U.S.—model year 1996—shared a platform with the Corolla.

This sixth-gen RAV4 has literally gone up in the world, as it is based on the TNGA-K platform, which also underpins vehicles including the Camry, Highlander, and Crown.

David Christ, group vp and general manager, Toyota Div., TMNA—a virtual one at the Cosm Dallas—introducing the 2026 RAV4. As you can see, they’ve sold a lot of the vehicles over the years. (Image: gsv)

Woven

Toyota has a company named Woven by Toyota.

Woven is undertaking some huge projects, like the creation of Woven City, a municipal testbed in Japan for things ranging from autonomous mobility to advanced logistics for goods and services.

No less notable but certainly on a smaller scale, Woven personnel have developed “Arene,” a software development program for vehicles. It facilitates things like advanced safety, connectivity and multimedia features. It allows Toyota and its suppliers to develop software that can be readily integrated into vehicles.

As the company describes it:

“Arene is built on the concept of kaizen, or continuous improvement. Rather than traditional linear development, the Arene platform is designed to make use of the latest iterative development methodologies. And Arene’s vehicle data capabilities allow these improvements to continue after-market based on in-market insights, extending the value of the vehicle.”

So it is not one-and-done.

There is the wherewithal for additions.

The 2026 RAV4 is the first vehicle deploying Arene.

A Thought

Now there will be a set of RAV4s for varying tastes: straightforward, utile and sporty.

One could argue that the Ford Escape sales numbers in 2024 were as low as they were because some customers opted for the Ford Bronco Sport, which is based on the Escape platform. That would add 124,701 units to the 146,859, which is a solid 271,560, but still far south of the 475,193 of the RAV4. . .and now there is something like the RAV4 Woodland.

And what other company is offering—in the mainstream market—a sporty crossover like the GR SPORT?

Although there are certainly externalities—like the tariffs—that could completely distort things, but odds are that the RAV4 is going to stay at the top of shopping lists in U.S. households with this sixth generation.

2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Limited

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This is an impressive package, especially for those who like to not frequent gas stations

By Gary S. Vasilash

The current-generation Hyundai Elantra, the seventh, is not what one might think of when pondering the sedan.

That is, you might think “Compact car,” with the bigger Sonata being “midsize car.”

But it turns out the Elantra, which measures:

  • Length:                            185.4
  • Width:                              71.9
  • Height:                            55.7
  • Wheelbase:                  107.1

is actually in the EPA “Midsize” segment. (And, yes, Sonata “Full-size.”)

The Elantra is a sizeable sedan (comparatively speaking, of course) and there’s plenty of interior room—as in 99.4 cubic feet in the passenger compartment—as well as adequate cargo-carrying capacity—14.2 cubic feet.

2025 Elantra Hybrid: stylish and with ~500 miles on a tank of gas, it is quite a compelling package (Image: Hyundai)

The exterior sheet metal has an array of creases and facets that make the car continue to have a distinctive appearance, even though model year 2021 is when the body styling first appeared on the car. Making something look fresh for that many years is no mean feat.

The interior has a clean look. Meaning that it is not overwrought. There are a 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster and a 10.25-inch infotainment screen. It is hard to imagine anyone needing any more digital real estate than that in a car. There are actual buttons to control the HVAC. There is a Drive Mode button that allows the selection of Eco, Smart or Sport; when making a selection the colors on the gauge cluster change (e.g., go Sport and there’s, of course, red).

The seats, covered with a simulated leather (H-Tex), are comfortable. The rear seats can accommodate adults, but odds are if you’re taking some colleagues, say, out to lunch, they’re going to be calling “Shotgun.”

One of my quibbles is the drive mode defaults to Eco. I would have liked it to stay in Smart because that adjusts the throttle and the transmission based on driving conditions.

“Sport?” you wonder.

Yes, there is a discernable difference in performance when making that selection.

But we’re talking about a hybrid here. It has a 1.6-liter Atkinson Cycle engine that produces 104 hp and 109 lb-ft of torque; with the 32-kW electric motor supplement the output is increased to 139 hp and 195 lb-ft. The Elantra Hybrid has a six-speed dual-clutch transmission (a transmission type that is becoming increasingly rare).

The point is, this is about fuel efficiency, not leaving the other vehicles behind when the light turns green.

And on the subject of fuel economy, the sticker says 49 mpg city, 52 mpg highway, and 50 mpg combined. I found my driving experience to be closer to the 49 mpg overall than the 50, though I did switch drive modes every now and then—yes, including Sport, which was handy in freeway driving.

The MSRP for the this top-trim hybrid is $29,450, It is quite an impressive package for the price for at least a couple of reasons.

First, there is the fuel efficiency that the hybrid provides. Consider that with its 11-gallon fuel tank it is good for about 500 miles before having to go to the local Shell station.

Second there’s the MSRP. For a not-very-large car payment, with the Elentra Hybrid you can get a lot of car. What’s not to like about that?

2025 Toyota RAV4 XSE Hybrid

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An increasingly popular vehicle. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

When it comes to compact crossovers, the Toyota RAV4 is a pioneer, having made its way to U.S. showrooms in January 1996.

The acronymic designator is said to stand for “Recreation Active Vehicle with 4-wheel drive.”

That “4” bit has morphed somewhat as (1) you can get a RAV4 with “all-drive,” not four-wheel drive (a primary difference being a transfer case, which the ute doesn’t have) and (2) the vehicle is available with front-wheel drive (though all-wheel is an option).

The vehicle is now in its fifth generation.

What is somewhat astonishing is the vehicle’s market performance in the U.S. in 2024. It became the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. To get to the top it had to supplant the Ford F-150 pickup, which had been #1 for so long that were someone to have an oversized foam finger with the Ford logo on it from when the F-150 got there it would now be crumbly.

Who would have thought that a compact SUV would supplant a full-size pickup in the U.S. market? Not me.

Through the years the exterior design of the vehicle has gone from boxy and functional (presumably as in “utility”) to softer to sharper to where it is now, which is fairly truck-influenced.

Maybe this is why it is doing so well in the market against trucks.

Even on the inside there are things like rubber-wrapped knobs that allow good grip and there are even buttons that are used, for example, to activate the heated steering wheel (this is an upper grade XSE model, incidentally). It has a wonderful simplicity compared to so many vehicles in this category (and others) that are focusing on doing things through screens and capacitive interfaces rather than, well, knobs and buttons.

Look: Real knobs and buttons!

(“But wait!” you say. “There aren’t any knobs or buttons on my phone, and that works just fine, thank you very much.” Yes, that is true, but consider this: you are holding your phone and staring at it in order to do something. A vehicle that weighs nearly two tons (in this case 3,775 pounds) and is traveling at, say, 70 mph is not the same thing: you’re eyes need to be on the road not trying to get to the right position on a surface to adjust the temperature.)

Oh, there is a 10.5 inch screen for infotainment. Toyota offers “Connected Services Drive Connect” that includes an “Intelligent Assistant” that is accessed via a “Hey Toyota.” Using that you don’t need to use any knobs or buttons or screens or surfaces. Just your voice.

The vehicle driven here is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that is orchestrated with two motor generators and a continuously variable transmission. There is one motor in the front and one in the rear which provides the all-wheel drive capability. The rear motor operates as needed and without a torque distribution system. Otherwise, the vehicle operates as a front-wheel drive vehicle, thereby helping optimize fuel economy.

And on that subject, the estimated fuel economy is 41/38/39 mpg (city, highway, combined). So with a 14.5-gallon fuel tank, you’ve got a considerable range.

The vehicle isn’t going to throw you back into your seat when you mash the accelerator—but then why would you? This is not engineered for that.

As for the “utility” aspect, there’s 37.5 cubic feet of cargo volume with the second row in position and 69.8 cubic feet when that seat is folded.

Seems like people who don’t haul things like gravel or equipment on a regular basis and so need a pickup have figured that that is enough volume to make that Costco run with a RAV4.

Fifth-gen RAV4. Exterior design is biased toward the “utility” rather than the “sport” in the SUV. (Image: Toyota)