Latest from Edmunds
Edmunds
a day ago
- Automotive
- Edmunds
2024 Kia EV9: A Year of Testing Cemented Its Award-Winning Status
Brady added, "Love that there's a physical button to activate the 360-degree camera system. That camera view was essential when I was navigating the EV9 in and out of an especially tight spot. The only way to improve this would be to position that camera activation control on the steering wheel the way Tesla does with the current Model 3 and Cybertruck." The EV9's lightning-quick fast-charging capability was another big perk. Kaufman again recounts, "Took the family on a road trip to San Diego and only had to charge once. I found a 150-kW fast charger in a mall parking lot not too far from our hotel, and just had half an hour of quiet time in the car while it added a little over 200 miles of range. At this point, I would absolutely prioritize charging speed over range for any EV I'd buy for myself." The EV9's seating flexibility also meant that whether we needed to ferry the kids, the dog, or half of a living room, the EV9 had the space. From ample legroom across all three rows (yes, even adults could fit in the third row) to quick entry via the power second-row seats, everything about the EV9 lent itself to practicality to suit whatever we needed to move. While we never truly needed it, the EV9's vehicle-to-load feature — which allows you to power home appliances using the car's battery — provided a level of comfort to the inner doomsday prepper within us.
Edmunds
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Edmunds
Volvo EX30 vs. Tesla Model Y: A Minimalist Small SUV Battle
Bad: Software woes If you're going to move pretty much all of the controls into a single touchscreen, then that thing better be rock solid. Unfortunately, it's not, especially when compared to the Model Y. While we don't love that Tesla seems to have a button allergy and had to put a turn signal stalk back into the car kicking and screaming, it does do a great job of keeping the things you'll use commonly one or two taps away. But in the EX30, if you want to turn on the headlights, you have to go into the settings menu, find "exterior lighting," pick the setting you want, confirm that by pressing a finicky touch-sensitive control on the steering wheel, and then go back to the screen to close the pop-up so you can use the screen again. For those keeping track, that's five separate actions in two different places. Not ideal. And that's not the only annoyance. There's weirdly no Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay suffers from connectivity issues. And the safety systems are constantly beeping at you. And if you try to set the temperature with the voice commands it does it in Celsius. And the driver's attention monitor goes off if you look away for even a few seconds ... which you have to do to find things in the screen. The good news for Volvo is that these issues can be fixed via software updates, which are already starting to roll out to our vehicle. The bad news, though, is that for now it all feels like a mess. Why you'd buy it: Style points The EX30's cabin is particularly attractive; it shows that you can do minimalism without the end result feeling sterile. There are plenty of different textures and touchpoints that feel great, including the ultra-comfy front seats that are covered in a mix of synthetic leather and a knit fabric made from recycled plastic bottles. And we also understand if you don't want to drive a Model Y around because they are everywhere and start to blend into blobs when you see too many in one place. The Volvo stands out in the right way, inside and out. There is one bonus reason we have to mention: For those living in cities, the EX30's form factor might give it an advantage. It's nearly 2 feet shorter than the Tesla, so it's going to lose out on backseat and cargo room by a large margin, but that also makes the Volvo incredibly easy to maneuver in an urban environment where it can fit into tiny parking spaces with ease. Not everyone needs that extra room inside, and if you don't, the EX30 might be the baby-bear-sized SUV you've been waiting for.
Edmunds
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Edmunds
Mercedes-AMG's Wild New EV Packs 1,341 HP and Super Fast Charging
Mercedes-AMG is entering the world of high-horsepower electric vehicles and it's starting with a wild concept, the AMG GT XX. This four-door fully electric superlative on wheels is said to have a mind-bending 1,341 horsepower, a 223-mph top speed, and the ability to add 250 miles of range in just 5 minutes thanks to mega-fast charging speeds. It's just too bad that, from the front, it kinda looks like a fish. Design focused on aerodynamics The overall design is certainly … polarizing. But there are still a lot of cool details worth calling out. The wheels have electronically controlled moving blades that can open and close to maximize range or cooling as needed. All told, the overall shape is slippery enough to give the GT XX a drag coefficient of just 0.19 — a staggering number in terms of aerodynamic design.
Edmunds
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Edmunds
The Nissan Armada Nismo Takes Performance Up a (Small) Notch
The Armada Nismo is a higher-performance version of the brand's largest and toughest SUV. This is more than just an appearance package; the Nismo team has made a few meaningful changes that should make the Armada genuinely sportier to drive, if only just. What's new? The first thing you'll notice about the Armada Nismo is that body kit. The Nismo team redesigned the front and rear fascias, plus added fender flares (that look just a little too wide), exclusive side steps, a rear spoiler, and a positively massive grille. There are also red accents around the exterior, as well as unique 22-inch wheels. The look won't be for everyone, but it certainly plays into the performance image Nissan is going for, and supposedly enhances the chunky SUV's aerodynamics too. Under the hood is the same 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 you'll find in other Armadas, but it's been retuned to make 460 horsepower — 35 more ponies than other trims, and even 10 more than the Armada's more luxurious cousin, the Infiniti QX80. Nissan says the extra power was achieved through revised engine programming and fine-tuning of valve clearances. Additionally, and unlike other Armadas, the Nismo requires premium fuel to unlock maximum power. The extra 35 horsepower in a vehicle that weighs 6,102 pounds is unlikely to yield much in the way of quicker acceleration, but at least it's something.
Edmunds
22-06-2025
- Automotive
- Edmunds
The 2025 Mercedes-Benz S 580e Is Smooth and Silent, Stylish and Speedy
Not that the S 580e is a slouch, of course. Powered by a combination of a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six gas engine and an electric motor fed by a 28.6-kWh battery pack, the plug-in hybrid S-Class delivers 510 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, enough to scoot this land yacht to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds. On its own, the electric motor makes 148 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque, which is enough to get the S 580e up and moving at city speeds without needing to fire the engine, and this is truly where the electrified S-Class feels best. It makes me wish Mercedes made a proper fully electric S-Class, rather than the meh-tastic EQS sedan that looks like a used bar of soap, Apple Magic Mouse or medicinal suppository (take your pick). Riding on 20-inch wheels and a cushy adaptive air suspension, the S 580e soaks up potholes and smooths out even the most obtrusive speed bumps. It does so without being wallowy or feeling disconnected, too. Switch over to Sport mode and the S-Class hunkers down and corners with confidence, the electric motor providing ample assist for shooting out of a corner on a winding lakeside road.
