This week’s video is a quick roundup of some of our favorite recent road tests; including the Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack, Kia EV6 GT-Line and Chevrolet Silverado Trail Boss EV, along with a preview of our upcoing April 29 road test of the BMW M5 Touring.

Here are links to the full written road tests of the EVs referenced:

• 2026 Chevy Silverado EV Is The Real Trail Boss
• Long-Term Owner Review: Charger Daytona Scat Pack
• Kia EV6 GT-Line Checks All The Boxes

And here are the video versions:

Chevrolet Silvervado Trail Boss EV Video Road Test

Dodge Daytona Scat Pack Long-Term Owner Video Review & Road Test

Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD Video Road Test

And, for you animation fans, here are the Zappy cartoons.

EV Rider And Zappy Cartoons

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Cartoon: Zappy Races Dodge Daytona Charger EV

Zappy Previews Mustang Mach-E

EV Rider At Daytona Bike Week

Chihuahua Co-Pilot: Zappy Adds Sparks & Style

Zappy Tries To Keep Up With Kia EV6

Zappy Previews Fiat's Topolino EV

Zappy asks: What's V2G?

3D VR Cartoon: EV Rider & Zappy's Solar Adventure

Cartoon: EV Rider & Zappy's Solar Adventure

A Very Zappy Christmas

EV Rider's 1st Cartoon: Meet Zappy

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The post EV Rider Road Tests Roundup appeared first on EV Rider.

Could the Lucid Air be offered as a convertible one day?

Thanks to AI, EV Rider is can giving you a very realistic look at what an Air convertible would probably look like in the video at the top of this post.

Even the name Air lends itself to being made into a soft top. But despite how good it would look, don’t get your hopes up.

Since the Air wasn’t designed to accommodate a convertible from day one, the engineering costs alone make the video nothing more than a dream for a future generation.

Among the problems Lucid would face with the existing Air is re-engineering the A-pillars to make them thicker and stronger.

Other reinforcements would be needed to make up for the lost rigidity that the existing roof provides, which in turn would add more weight.

A convertible would also likely severely impact the Air’s ultra-low drag design. Between the extra drag and weight, drivers would likely see a significant hit in range as well as with other compromises such as the likelihood of sloppier handling along with less rear passenger space and a smaller trunk.

Perhaps the biggest barrier is the cost it would add. Since the Air is a low volume car, it would likely mean paying well over $20,000 more to purchase a convertible variant.

As an example, the last-gen Dodge Challenger convertible, which was produced by aftermarket company Droptop Customs as a Dodge-sanctioned special-order car, added $25,000 to the cost when ordered through a dealership.

But still, it’s fun to dream. And who knows, maybe Lucid will eventually grow large enough to consider a convertible variation of a next-generation Air or another future model.

Lucid Air Pure Road Test & Review Video

The post What If: Lucid Air Convertible Concept appeared first on EV Rider.

The average price of a gallon of gas as I write this now is $4.26 per gallon in my Florida county, and $5.90 in California.

That means a local 18-gallon fill-up on a 2026 Subaru Outback could cost about $76 for about 486 miles of travel based on an average 27 mpg.

By comparison, its new EV sibling – the Subaru Trailseeker – can travel about 260 miles on a charge. If you can charge at home, the fuel savings will add up pretty fast (depending on where you live).

Here in Jacksonville it costs $10.40 to charge the Trailseeker from 0-100%. That’s based on the current residential rate of 14 cents per kWh, once taxes and fees are included. Looking at the residential national average of about 17.4 kWh, it would cost $12.90 to fully charge the Trailseeker.

Join the discussion. Post your Trailseeker thoughts in the YouTube comments.

When DC charging, I got 115 miles of range, going from 36% to 81% in 25 minutes – for $17 at a commercial charger. In ideal conditions Subaru says the Trailseeker can charge from 10 to 80% in 28 minutes.

So as Subaru expands its range of EVs in 2026 (we just tested the compact Solterra crossover) there is an EV alternative that could fit the same bill as an Outback – the midsize Trailseeker.

Subaru calls the Trailseeker “our most adventurous EV,” with 375-hp and 8.5 inches of ground clearance. This Indiana-built Subaru shows an aggressive face, starting with a flat nose with body-colored “U” accent, topped with a slim gloss black nose cap along with a big Subaru star logo, dead center. Three slim LED DRL units bisected by lit accent lines flare off each side of the grille. The lower center intake for battery and motor cooling is framed in silver, some of which flows under the nose as a skid plate.

Like most macho crossovers with off-road desires, more black plastic frames front and rear tires. It has 20-inch silver alloy wheels with black aero covers clad in somewhat street-biased Bridgestone Turanza rubber.

Like most Subarus with off-road aspirations, the lower sills are geometric silver and black cladding under angular body lines that flare into slightly broad-shouldered rear fenders. The clamshell hood gets black trim ahead of the raked windshield for looks and to cut glare. The chunky black roof racks can handle 700 pounds of stuff. The black accents continue with the side window pillars and mirrors.

Slim taillights wrap around the tailgate, connected by a lit LED bar over “SUBARU” under clear plastic. The power tailgate opens high enough to clear my head. Its tinted glass is framed by a shade/spoiler. The chunky bumper is in black and silver, covering a trailer hitch, which has a towing capacity of up to 3,500 pounds.

The Trailseeker has Subaru’s familiar Outback-style SUV-like shape, with a grille-less EV face. It’s a blunter, more SUV-like visage than Subaru’s Solterra EV, which is sleeker.

Yet Trailseeker gets some sleekness in its rear fender and sloping roofline design, combined with the Outback’s new grille and headlight shape. The Trailseeker is handsome, but blends in when parked in a supermarket lot full of other Subies and crossovers.

2026 Trailseeker Limited EV Includes High-Tech Interior

That 8.5 inches of ground clearance makes it so easy to slide into the black and gray Star-Tex pleather seats, the driver getting power adjustments and dual memory presets and facing a leather-wrapped squircle steering wheel, which is a squared-off circle. That’s when you notice how high-tech the rest of the interior is with its two digital screens. There are a small number of physical controls and a funky transmission controller on a floating center console with storage space underneath.

First, the instrument display isn’t visible through the steering wheel, but above and beyond it. It’s placed roughly where a head-up display would go on the padded, textured dashtop. Its configurable to show digital speed alone; that plus a navigation map; or audio, EV status, smart cruise and safety systems. It’s right where it needs to be to be seen quickly while driving.

Then there’s the 14-inch Subaru Multimedia System with touchscreen, available cloud-based navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The big central screen keeps a handy volume knob, plus dual-zone temperature-adjust dials with integrated degree displays.

There is one significant feature missing from the Trailseeker’s native navigation system. It doesn’t include native route planning with suggested charging stops and automatic battery preconditioning. Many EVs include this feature. To achieve similar functionality Subaru owners will need to install a third party app, with A Better Route Planner being one option, and use the car’s manual precondition function to achieve the same results.

Battery preconditioning heats or cools a battery in advance of arriving at a charging station to ensure the car is at an optimal charging temperature when the driver plugs it in.

I appreciated the climate control touch-buttons in between for fan speed, heated seats and vent adjustment, as well as the left-side main menu tabs for phone, audio and the like. 

The dual inductive chargers at the head of the floating center console are handy and rubberized to hold on to cellphones, yet mine slid out on a turn. The push-to-select transmission knob behind it works fine. It just takes a few taps and twists to get familiar. It’s flanked by Drive Mode and X-Mode selector buttons, plus other driving and safety systems. There are USB-C and 12-volt outlets with the storage space underneath, plus good center armrest capacity.

Back seat access is good through wide-opening doors, with great leg and head room as well as a slightly higher seating position. Those in back get rear vents and an armrest as well as heated outboard seats and more USB-C ports. Rear seatbacks split 60/40 and fold to expand a boxy rear cargo area with remote seatback drop controls. The security cover fits neatly in the under-floor storage area.

Other features in our Limited trim include a Harman Kardon audio system, heated steering wheel, hands-free foot-activated power tailgate and 120-volt cargo area power outlet. While the front hood opens, there’s motor electronics underneath – no frunk.

Comparing The Trailseeker With Subaru’s Solterra EV

The Solterra is 184.6 inches long on a 112.2-inch wheelbase, with 8.3 inches of ground clearance. It’s 4,499 lbs., with an estimated 278 miles of range and 338-hp from dual motors. Our Trailseeker is 190.8-inches long, also on a 112.2-inch wheelbase with 8.5 inches of ground clearance. It’s 4,475 lbs., with an estimated 274 miles of range and 375-hp from two motors.

As you can see from the numbers, the Trailseeker is a tad bigger, a bit lighter, and a bit less powerful. It has an integrated transaxle at front and rear axles for all wheel drive that you can monitor via a center screen, with 74.7-kWh high-capacity lithium-ion battery. And with Eco, Normal and Power drive modes, we had our choice of quick-yet-frugal, quicker-and almost frugal and quickest-and not so-frugal.

2026 Subaru Trailseeker Limited’s Power Mode Suprises Off The Line

We spent a lot of time in Eco mode, which launches slowly, then builds its power flow to keep up with traffic. It quickly hit 60 mph in a near-silent (no gearbox, just direct drive) 5.5 seconds, with all four tires putting equal power to the pavement. One annoyance – the Trailseeker doesn’t stay in Eco, but resets to Normal with each ignition off. In Normal mode, the launch is quicker. It’s my favorite mode for daily driving, with good off-the-line speed and passing power.

The real surprise was Power mode. Our 1,100-mile-old crossover leaped off the line a bit abruptly, with a hint of front wheelspin, hitting 60 mph in a quick 4.3 seconds. Those are times no Brat or Legacy ever dreamed of that. And again, near silence except for a muted electric motor whir, some tire and wind whisper, and no drama. The all-wheel-drive just grabbed and went.

We started our drive with 212 miles of range from a 90% charged battery. We drove 138 miles over two days. The last part was in windy, 50-degree temperatures, leaving us with 94 miles of range in a battery with 36% charge left. Since Subaru has adopted the North American Charging Standard (NACS) we can use V3 and higher Tesla Superchargers charger, with no adapter needed, although now drivers will need to use the included CCS or J1772 adapters at many non-Tesla stations.

We used full regenerative braking all the time. It doesn’t bring the Trailseeker to a stop, but allows the motors to turn into generators, slowing us down quickly, and nudging power back into the batteries. It worked so well that the daily work commute would put a few miles back in the battery. We stayed near 200 miles estimated range during a round trip commute. I just wish this battery could recharge to that 300-mile mark.

Four-wheel independent suspension with stabilizer bars, plus good ground clearance gave the Trailseeker a taut yet comfortable ride. It neatly handled speed bumps and potholes with no issues. But that 8.5 inches of ground clearance does reveal some body roll in cornering, although the all-wheel-drive keeps it neutral in exit ramps under power, and near neutral in basic cornering. Push it in a skid pad and there’s understeer washing out the fronts under power, but no drama.

That squircle steering wheel and electric-assist steering gave us a direct feel in Eco mode, and a bit more (slightly artificial) feel in Power mode. The four-wheel disc brakes had a precise pedal feel and good stopping power, although there was a hint of nose dive and some ABS chatter under heavier use from 60 mph. There was no fade after repeated use.

2026 Trailseeker Includes Subaru’s Famous X-MODE

OK, here’s a Subaru that echoes its Outback brother with good ground clearance, all-wheel-drive and some macho cladding, plus X-MODE that sets up drivetrain and all-wheel-drive for snow/dirt, or deep snow/mud. Fire up either mode – only possible under 15 mph – and you get a panoramic view monitor of what’s ahead from a widescreen nose camera, and side views too.

See the video at the top of this post for more Trailseeker vs. Outback comparisons

We tackled a deeply-rutted gravel road and dirt trail, and the independent suspension just ate it up with comfortable rebound. Tapping on the all-wheel-drive split screen, we saw all four tires got power as needed, and we made it through the gravel and dirt, with nothing scaping underneath.

The Trailseeker has a suite of EyeSight safety systems that includes alerts when traffic crosses in front, plus hill-start assist, dynamic radar cruise control, and a simulated overhead image of the Trailseeker when reversing that showed what’s underneath.

Our Trailseeker Limited starts at $43,995, its Daybreak Blue Pearl paint an extra $395, making a final with destination of $45,849. It was not available for sale yet as we wrote this. And FYI – the Trailseeker shares powerplant and infrastructure with Toyota’s bZ Woodland EV crossover, with nose and tail design differences, but basically the same interior.

Bottom line: A Subaru in design, function and family-friendliness, with decent EV range and good power – even does a bit of off-road.

EV Rider’s Bill Bortzfield contributed to this report.

2026 Subaru Trailseeker Limited Specifications

Vehicle type – 4-door, 5-seat all-wheel-drive EV sports utility wagon

Base price – $43,995 ($45,849 as tested)

Powertrain – Front and rear synchronous AC motors

Horsepower (combined) – 375

Battery pack – Lithium-ion

Transmission – Direct drive front and rear w/integral transaxles

Wheelbase – 112.2 inches

Height – 65.9 inches

Overall length – 190.8 inches

Overall width – 73.2 inches

Ground clearance – 8.5 inches

Front headroom – 38.8 inches

Front legroom – 42.1 inches

Rear headroom – 38 inches

Rear legroom – 35.3 inches

Cargo capacity – 31.3 cu. ft./74 w/seats folded

Towing capacity: up to 3,500 lbs.

Curb weight – 4,499 lbs.

Range: Claimed 274 miles

The post Could Subaru’s 2026 Trailseeker EV Replace Your Outback? appeared first on EV Rider.

It’s a truck I’ve waited to test since I saw the first spy shots online.

Even more than the HUMMER EV, I wanted to check out the sleek (for a pickup) Chevrolet Silverado EV, with its aerodynamic nose, seemingly lower greenhouse, flowing roofline, and Max Range battery.

It’s also the Trail Boss.

EV Chevy Trail Boss Surpasses Gas Sibling In Some Respects

This Chevrolet Silverado EV went on sale in the 2024 model year. But it’s not just a redesigned ICE Silverado. Nope – it is built on General Motors’ dedicated Ultium platform – a modular, flexible electric-only architecture used for smaller crossovers to bigger trucks, like the Cadillac Lyriq, Chevrolet Blazer/Equinox, and GMC Hummer EV. It’s also a lighter, tighter basis for a full-size pickup. Our 233-inch-long Silverado EV rides on a 145.7-inch wheelbase, while the 241.3-inch-long gas Silverado on a 157-inch wheelbase.

As an EV, it needs no big grille, so there’s a rounded nose with sleek wraparound light bar on top with LED DRLs. Projector headlights are on the curved corners below, while the Chevy emblem lights up – cool

The frunk opens to the front bumper line, its lower lip just above a slim intake to cool batteries and motors. There are two red tow hooks over a skid plate with a pewter center bumper accent. Flat black accents the lower corners with squared-off fender flares and side sills that include steps.

Flanks get gentle sculpting, while side windows seem shallower under a low roof with sweptback C-pillar.

Since this is not a body-on-frame design, the 5-foot-11-inch long cargo bed is flush with the body – very smooth. There are straight rear fender shoulder lines that flow into leading edges of sculpted taillights and black rear bumper.Like many big GM pickups, the MultiPro tailgate gets a dropdown upper section that becomes a work table, or unfolds a step when lowered to get in. You’ll probably use that step quite a bit since the Trail Boss’s 2-inch factory lift offers 24% higher ground clearance than the base Silverado EV.

2026 Chevy Silverado Trail Boss EV Interior

Those running boards, which do not retract, are handy to help get inside. I just wish the driver’s windshield pillar had a grab handle, like the others do. But once in the black and gray leather seats, the driver sees a big change from gas Silverados – a 17.7-inch-diagonal infotainment screen that starts with a configurable digital gauge package that flows past a big audio knob to a widescreen display that can be changed to show EV charging, navigation, audio and more.

Below the volume knob is a touch icon to access the headlight control – I wish there was a button. The majority of needed climate control buttons are icons along the bottom of the center screen. Seat heat/cooling, fan speed, dual-zone temperature and others are controlled by touch. There are also real buttons below it for fan speed, defrost and more.

The glove box gets a rubberized shelf above it under a stitched faux leather dashboard panel. Dashtop and doortops get a soft-touch textured black rubber, with padded gray inserts. The padded, stitched leather steering wheel power tilts and telescopes, the usual controls in front and one small paddle shifter behind for full regenerative braking like the old Volt used to – it brings the Silverado to a complete stop.

Front bucket seats are a bit flat, but comfortable, the driver’s getting dual memory presets. The wide center console starts with a rubberized inductive phone charger with USB ports and cup holders, then lots of room under the center armrest. The 7-speaker Bose sound system is solid, with a 5G Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, and Google built-in, but no HD Radio.

Despite a shorter wheelbase than the gas Silverado, the back seat is roomy, with good adult head and leg room and even enough space for a third in between.

Outboard positions get heat; there’s rear a/c vents and USB ports, and a panoramic fixed glass moonroof that is so well tinted that the Florida sun didn’t cause warming issues. There’s a lightweight sunshade if needed.

2026 Chevy Silverado Trail Boss EV Bed Is Very Versatile

Split 60/40 rear seat bottoms flip up, or forward for more storage, allowing seatbacks to flip forward to also hold stuff. And shades of the 2010-2013 Chevy Avalanche – the Multi-Flex Midgate under the rear window splits and folds to expand the 5-foot-11-inch (57.3-cu-ft) cargo bed (with retractable cover) to over 9 feet.

The rear window can be removed for a nice open air feel. There are cut-out steps in the rear bumper corners to get into the bed. Once you drop the tailgate, stuff over 10 feet in length can be tied down and carried with midgates down.

You can watch a demonstration of how it works in the video at the top of this post.

There’s a usable 10.7-cubic-foot frunk with power bonnet. This EV can haul up to a 12,500-lb. trailer, although experts said that cuts its spectacular driving range almost in half, to about 220 miles depending on load, aerodynamics, and speed. That is better than published reports on a Ford Lightning EV hauling the average trailer.

One Silverado EV oddity – the passenger-side mirror isn’t convex to get a wider view of traffic. But this Silverado has left and right blind-spot cameras activated by the turn signal, displayed on the center screen. The rearview mirror can also flip to become a video screen with a wide rear camera view.

This truck is so slick, literally, that my sandwich shop guy gushed about how cool it looked when I quietly rolled up. And it got some glances at a recent car show I parked at. Gas-loving as many of those folks were, they admired this EV’s all-wheel-drive from front and rear motors, 205-kWh lithium-ion battery, and 725-hp and 775 lb-ft of torque. They also loved that there’s no start/stop button – get in with the keyfob and it turns on, then lift off the brake and open the door to shut it off.

Here’s the breakdown:

The Silverado EV is aerodynamic, with a drag coefficient of approximately .331. The current 2025 Chevy Silverado 1500 (gas)  has a drag coefficient of around .38.

2026 Chevy Silverado Trail Boss EV Range, Power, Fuel Cost

A 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss with the Max Range NCMA (Nickel, Cobalt, Manganese, Aluminum) battery pack, which we had, has a GM-estimated range of up to 478 miles on a full charge from a massive 205 kWh battery pack and a 350kW charging speed. Real-world estimates seem to be 430 to 470 miles, compared to the 240 to 300 miles we have gotten in recent Lightning tests. I hear that the Ultium battery can go from 5 to 80 percent charge in under 50 minutes on a DC fast charger, and gain a GM-estimated 100 miles in 10 minutes.

There’s a NACS adapter so you can plug into a Tesla Supercharger for a recharge, giving you about 25,000 additional charging locations across the U.S. Plugging in for a 10-80% charge (about 140-160 kWh) at a commercial Level 3 station can cost up to $120, experts say. GM also estimated 37 miles of range per hour if you use a Level 2 charger, which isn’t bad.

To compare: a turbodiesel Silverado gets a claimed 600 to 700 miles on a full tank. As this was written, diesel cost $5.20 or more a gallon in Florida, or over $120 for a full tank. A Silverado with the 6.2-liter gas V-8 seems to offer 350 to 450 miles on a full 24-gallon tank of premium gas – about $112 for a full tank now.

But the real savings happens when charging at home. Here in Jacksonville, FL, a kWh costs 14 cents, meaning a full charge at home costs $28.70. Residential electric prices across the country tend to be much cheaper than gas or what Level 3 DC stations typically charge.

This 8,778-lb. truck has multiple drive modes – Normal, Off-road, Towing, Terrain, and MyMode. That last mode allows you to set the powertrain on Sport, as well as stiffening up steering feel. There’s no change in suspension height or ride quality since the Trail Boss has off-road tuned coil springs and a fixed 2-inch lift.

Set on Normal, our 4,000-mile-old truck launched quickly, hitting 60 mph in a quick 5.5 seconds. Tapped in MyMode with sport selected, this EV reared up a bit as all four tires dug in, and we hit 60 mph rapidly in 4.9 seconds. We tried a few of these rapid launches one after another, with no diminution of launch torque, nor range diminishing too quickly. And acceleration from a stoplight, or to pass, was great – no drama, it just did it.

Then there’s the W.O.W. factor – Wide Open Watts – a back-to-back lightning bolt touch icon on the drive mode page. Tap it and the speakers exude a serious electronic growl as the powertrain goes for maximum propulsion. We got front wheelspin as this big EV launched very fast to 60 mph in 4 seconds flat, the turbine soundtrack rising in intensity as you go – W.O.W.! It responds to throttle VERY quickly – but it will reduce the range, and it will not function when the vehicle battery is low.

This is the first EV I’ve tested that never gave me range anxiety. Starting with 451 miles estimated range and 93% battery charge, I went about my business for three days and still had 365 miles of estimated range left, and a 76% battery charge. And we still had about 260 miles when the week ended with 4,150 miles on the clock and 59% charge. Regenerative braking gained a few miles of range on the fly, via that small paddle on the steering wheel, or one-pedal driving. You can adjust the regen amount off a center display menu. Both bring you to a stop.

This truck has a fully independent coil suspension with a hydraulic rebound control system. Add in tall sidewalls and the on-road ride is very comfortable, swallowing speed bumps with a one after-bounce.

With all-wheel-drive, this EV was neutral around exit ramps, with minimal lean and not a lot of feel that we were cornering in a 4-ton EV with 2-inch lift. The electric power steering loaded up nicely, if feeling a bit artificial. The big guy was more agile in commuting than a gas Silverado. Just like a gas truck, it had a bit of understeer in our skidpad, all-wheel-drive not aiding much. And with 14-inch discs all-round, the Silverado EV had a nice initial bite to the pedal, not too abrupt, with decent stops with plenty of ABS action and a bit of nose dive. There was no fade after repeated hard stops.

Having Trail Boss trim offers more ground clearance and off-road rubber, plus Terrain and Off-road drive modes. I tapped in Off-road and hit a grassy lakefront slope, and the EV absorbed bumps beautifully, with great wet grass traction, all-wheel-steering giving us a very tight (42.2-foot) turning radius to turn on a tight shoreline. I dove into a lumpy, mowed grass field with lots of ruts and bumps – and it also did fine. It clawed its way up and down hillocks and divots with no issues. Rear-wheel-steer helped get around stuff easily.

The EV Trail Boss has a solid 10 inches of ground clearance, vs. the gas version’s 11 inches. But the gas version has gnarlier Goodyear Wrangler off-road rubber and front underbody, oil pan, and transfer case skid plates, vs. the EV’s all-season, all-terrain light truck/SUV rubber, its only underside protection from one front skid plate.

When the Silverado EV was in that bumpy, grassy field, it wasn’t as sure-footed as I’d hoped, with some wheelspin as a front tire spun under power in Offroad mode. It got through it all, but not as well as the GMC Sierra 1500 4WD Crew Cab AT4X AEV I just tested, the sister to the gas Chevrolet Silverado Trail Boss.

Four-wheel steering effectively shortens this Silverado’s wheelbase, making turning corners easier to tackle, and U-turns almost within its own length.

Then there’s Sidewinder (Think Hummer EV CrabWalk) mode – rear tires turn with the fronts, and you “slide” around a root or rock on a trail. But it does take a dedicated tap or two in a screen menu to activate, and one time it did not shut off quickly.

Super Cruise gave us autonomous driving on many federal and state highway. It stayed mostly in lane hands-free. This is also a very quiet truck. The only time I heard the motors (outside of the W.O.W. setting) was when the midgate was open and the rear motor’s turbine sound came through.

How much? A gas-powered 5,421-lb. Silverado Trail Boss is about $61,000. It can tow up to 13,000 pounds, and hits 60 mph in just under 5.5 seconds. A base Silverado EV Work Truck, with 286 miles estimated range from a standard 205-kWh battery pack battery pack, 22-kW charging speed and 510 hp, starts at $54,895. Our 8,900-lb. Silverado EV Trail Boss can tow 12,500 pounds, and hit 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. Our Silverado EV Trail Boss added $5,285 in options, from $1,950 folding bed cover; $1,500 panoramic glass roof; $995 pearl white paint, and a few more items for a total $93,980.

Bottom line: Quick, agile on-road and acceptable off, with a slick look and a really well-developed EV platform with great range – but a tad expensive to buy and commercially charge, and biggish.

2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss Specifications

Vehicle type – full-size 5-passenger crew cab all-wheel-drive electric pickup

Base price – $86,600 ($93,980  as tested)

Powertrain type – dual-motor w/electronic 4WD and torque vectoring, and 205 kWh battery pack

Horsepower (net) – 725

Torque – 775

Transmission – 1-speed transmission

Wheelbase – 146.7 inches

Overall length – 233 inches

Overall width – 83.8 inches w/o mirrors

Height – 79.9 inches

Front headroom – 43.9 inches

Front leg room – 44.8 inches

Rear headroom – 38.7 inches

Rear legroom – 44.3 inches

Cargo bed – 5-foot, 11-inches/57.3 cu. ft. volume

Payload/towing – up to 2,100 pounds/12,500 pounds

Weight – 8,778 lbs.

Range – 478 miles (GM-estimated w/Max Range battery)

The post 2026 Chevy Silverado EV Is The Real Trail Boss appeared first on EV Rider.

Way back in the dark ages, Subaru decided to make its all-wheel-drive station wagon a bit more macho, and voila. Some body cladding made it the Outback in 1995.

Fast forward 31 years later, and cladding on a Subaru denotes a far more serious offroad-capable model, as the boxier new 2026 Outback shows.

But now Subaru ups the ante with its latest Forester Wilderness, which has more than just some angular cladding. It gets some copper jewelry to jazz up the chunky design.

2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness Has 9.3 Inches Of Ground Clearance

This is the sixth-generation Forester, specifically what Subaru calls “the most rugged Forester Wilderness yet.” It lives at the top of the 2026 Subaru Forester food chain, which starts with the Base and Premium trim levels.

Immediately evident is its 9.3 inches of ground clearance, a bit more than the fifth-gen predecessor. The same bold black grille remains on our pearl white warrior, but with a bit more angular sculpting and less honeycomb. It digs deeper into the chunky bumper cladding, with copper accents.

The headlights and DRL shape is slimmer than before, above LED fog lights indented into faux side vents in chunky black. Below the slim lower center intake lives a serious looking silver skid plate. The angular black fender flare accents are thinner, with functional rear vents for aerodynamics on the front set. There’s a big hands-width of room between flare and treads on the 17-inch Yokohama Geolander A/T rubber on matte black spoked alloy wheels. The added ground clearance is due to suspension mods and taller off-road rubber.

There are “Subaru Wilderness” badges with mountain range on each front door, and a bronze badge proclaiming “FORESTER” on each sculpted black sill accent. The rear of the Wilderness gets the same attitude as the face, including black bands flowing from smoother, bigger taillights to a slim lower bumper with more bronze accents and a buffer lower skid plate in silver under imprinted “SUBARU.” The hatchback window gets a long white and black spoiler/shade. There’s a chunky, usable roof rack. And let’s not forget the matte black hood decal, a nod to rally and race cars to reduce glare.

The latest Wilderness has improved approach, departure, and breakover angles, compared to the rest of the sixth-generation Forester lineup. The approach angle has been extended to 23.5 degrees compared to 19 degrees. The ramp breakover improves up to 21 degrees compared to 19.6 degrees; and the departure angle edges up to 25.5 degrees compared to 24.6 degrees.

2026 Subaru Forester’s Interior Headlined By 11.6-Inch Touchscreen

Our sixth-gen Forester lives atop the Subaru Global Platform that underlies most of its car-like, and more SUV-like siblings, such as the Outback.

It’s easy to slide into the Forester Wilderness’ dark gray buckets seats, done in supple StarTex pleather with heat and power adjustments for the driver. There are embossed “Subaru Wilderness” logos on head restraints. The dark interior is made up of lots of hard plastic, with some pleather accents edged in bright copper stitching. There’s also a carbon fiber-like copper accent under the faceted plastic passenger dash, also edged in stitched pleather. The adjustable steering wheel has a thick stitched leather rim, with copper accent on the lower spoke. Small plastic paddle shifters in back work eight simulated gears on the CVT, while a button up front shifts drive modes. 

The sixth-gen Forester’s comprehensive interior redesign is centered around a big 11.6-inch touchscreen as part of a higher-mounted dashboard for increased space. The fifth-gen’s climate control knobs, plus some other physical switches, are now integrated as touchscreen controls into the tall display with mixed results.

Audio tuning and volume knobs remain, as do dual-zone temperature and defroster buttons. Fan speed, seat heat and a/c controls are now touchscreen icons. To activate safety systems like lane-keep, you need to tap the “car” icon, then work that menu. X-Mode, which activates off-road and snow settings, can be accessed by sliding the main screen’s upper info screens. Or by tapping the “car” icon again, you can select Snow/Dirt or Deep Snow/Mud on the screen. That’s twice as much to do as with a dedicated button. But really handy – the center screen can show a nose camera video of what you are driving over, or you can switch it to show all-wheel-drive status, roll and dive angle and steering articulation, with climate controls still active below.

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As nice and concise as that center screen is, it took up to a minute to boot up all functions like navigation and audio when we started it. And voice-recognition didn’t always understand our instructions. That said, we had HD Radio, plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto technology to run functions through my smartphone. And we had an inductive charger for phones, although mine slid a bit when driving.

The digital revolution continues inside a hooded gauge. Its screen has an 8,000-rpm tach display (configurable info inset) paired with a 160-mph speedometer. In the middle, a digital speedo joined by the EyeSight safety system screen showing vehicles in front, behind and in the blind spots, plus posted speed and other safety info. You can also pop the navigation map in the middle, or just cue up turn-by-turn directions in the tachometer info window. 

The center console gets USB slots over that phone charger, cup holders, copper-accented shifter and a button to pop on surround-view cameras. The padded center armrest hides some decent storage.

Head aft, and while the rear wheel-wells do intrude a bit, the back doors open to a roomy bench seat within a 104.9-inch wheelbase. It sits high, with lots of leg and head room, air vents and more USB points.

The rear cargo area is under a power hatch that rises high. It’s boxy and very usable with textured rubber mat. The floor mats are spill-catching rubber. There are outboard grocery bag hooks and a remote mechanism to drop the 60/40 rear seatbacks. All in all, practical and comfy.

Subaru Forester Boxer Engine Continues For 2026

Subaru has long adopted a different mode of propulsion for its vehicles, namely a horizontally-opposed Boxer (like an old VW Beetle, only water-cooled). For 2026, the familiar 2.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 180 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque feeds power through a continuously-variable automatic (belts and pulley vs. gears), with an 8-speed “manual” mode that you can “shift” via paddle shifters. An uprated transmission cooler offers an increased towing capacity of 3,500 pounds, up 500 from the past and the highest towing capacity ever offered on a Forester, Subaru said.

It is all-wheel-drive, with Intelligent (fuel efficient) and Sport modes for pavement driving.

Our 7,500-mile-old Boxer four gives off a sweet chuffing exhaust note under load, and is sprightly in response, more than enough power for commuting purposes. The CVT does a nice job of mimicking an 8-speed automatic most times, up- and down-shifting as demand ebbs and flows. But when we launched hard from a stop in Intelligent mode, the engine revved to 5,800 rpm, then mostly held there as the CVT’s belt and pulley changed ratios – we hit 60 mph in 8.5 seconds. In Sport mode, it launched a bit quicker, with a sportier exhaust snarl. But as speed climbed, the CVT hit about 6,000 rpm as it again worked its ratios, 60 mph in 8.5 seconds. In mixed driving modes, we saw just about 21 mpg on regular.

With taller off-road rubber and fully independent coil spring suspension (double wishbone in back) retuned in 2025 for a nicer ride, the Forester Wilderness’ all-wheel-drive system now has a faster center differential lockup and reduced wheelspin when off-roading, and incorporates steering angle data for better stability at turn-in and cornering on higher-speed roads, Subaru says. It also has Dual-Function X-MODE – Snow/Dirt for slippery surfaces like gravel or snow, or Deep Snow/Mud for that stuff, allowing more wheelspin to maintain momentum. Subaru also installs underside skid plates for when you cruise off-road.

So we went off road, tackling a grassy lakefront shoreline, where we found the suspension nicely handled bumps and divots with no harsh rebound or head tossing. Set in X-Mode Snow/Dirt – you can only do that up to about 20 mph – traction was solid in slippery areas, and if there had been any branches or ant hills, the skid plates would have helped. It also remained sure-footed in dirt and gravel, and we liked the 180-degree view nose-mounted camera to see where we were headed.

On the highway, speed bumps were handled quickly, suspension just taut enough in response to bumps and again, no rebound afterward. The overall ride was quiet and composed, the steering direct in Intelligent, a bit tighter with more feel in Sport. When we tackled some corners it was nimble enough for a slightly tall wagon. It was neutral in an arcing turn with a decent turning radius too.

There’s a bit of understeer when we pushed it harder in our skid pad, but controllable. Our 12.4-inch front/11.8-inch rear disc brakes had a solid pedal feel and decent bite. The auto-engine off does refire the Boxer four with a slight wiggle, but it doesn’t transmit into a drivetrain lurch at a stop.

The new Forester Wilderness looks like it can get into the weeds, and can to a point. But it also does very well as a daily commuter, agile and quick enough to make the drive on- and off-road fine.

The sixth-generation Forester starts at $29,995. Our Wilderness model based at $38,385 with the $2,200 digital gauge display/11.6-inch center display, harmon-kardon audio and power tailgate options. Final price: $42,035.

Bottom line: The Subaru Forester Wilderness is a right size for handling a family, commuting and some gentle off-roading. It’s also got great grip on and off-road, and fairly nimble when it needs to be. I’d love to try it in the snow.

2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness Specifications

Vehicle type – 5-passenger 4-door compact all-wheel-drive SUV

Base price – $38,385 (As tested – 42,035)

Engine type –DOHC, 16-valve Boxer four

Displacement – 2.5 liters

Horsepower (net) – 180 @ 5,800 rpm

Torque (lb-ft) – 178 @ 3,700 rpm

Transmission – 8-speed CVT

Wheelbase – 104.9 inches

Overall length – 182.9 inches

Overall width – 81.2 inches w/mirrors

Height – 69.3 inches

Front headroom – 40 inches

Front legroom – 43.3 inches

Rear headroom – 37.7 inches

Rear legroom – 39.4 inches

Cargo capacity – 27.5 cu. ft./69.1 w/rear seat down

Curb weight – 3,675 lbs.

Fuel capacity – 16.6 gallons

Mileage rating – 24-mpg city/28-mpg highway

The post 2026 Subaru Forester Ups Its Game With Wilderness Trim appeared first on EV Rider.

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]]> 4875 https://evrider.tv/2026-buick-enclave-avenir-awd-road-test-and-review/ Sun, 15 Mar 2026 20:10:01 +0000 https://evrider.tv/?p=6121 Way back in the 1930s, the 126-year-old company behind our latest test vehicle proclaimed that “When Better Automobiles are Built, Buick Will Build Them.” And in 1959, the Flint, Michigan-based GM subsidiary said “You’re Better Off with a Buick!” So...

The post 2026 Buick Enclave Avenir Moved By Turbo 4 appeared first on EV Rider.

]]>

Way back in the 1930s, the 126-year-old company behind our latest test vehicle proclaimed that “When Better Automobiles are Built, Buick Will Build Them.”

And in 1959, the Flint, Michigan-based GM subsidiary said “You’re Better Off with a Buick!”

So I guess I’m doing pretty good when I have my second2026 Buick Enclave Avenir to test in the same season – except it seems to have a better fuel mileage rating.

Let’s see if I’m better off.

Buick Becomes The SUV-Only Division

The Enclave is an SUV – one of four – from a company that used to be known for some pretty interesting sedans, coupes and convertibles, but makes none of those any more. Under the Enclave’s skin lives the same front-wheel-drive platform that makes up the gas Chevrolet Equinox, Traverse, and GMC Acadia. It’s sleek compared to the first-gen version from 17 years ago, with a nice profile for a 3-row crossover with the flagship trim.

We pointed our Buick’s smoked chrome honeycombed grille, slit LED DRLs and stacked headlights toward the historic waterfront town of Fernandina Beach for some cruising. That’s when I noticed its pointed prow over that tall grille, and the chrome accenting its lower intake and framing the honeycomb; gave it some of the sleekness seen in Buick’s compact Evista CUV.

Our Ocean Blue Metallic crossover lives on a relatively long 120.9-inch wheelbase. The 18-spoke silver alloy wheels are shod in 22-inch Continental CrossContact rubber connected by chrome sill spears. The flanks get a gentle tuck for some definition, aided by flattened flares in each fender.

The roofline’s got a gentle dip as it heads aft, with chrome side window trim that rises over gentle rear fender shoulders. In back, LED taillights with clear lenses thin to a lit red line under a high rear window, with rectangular steel exhaust tips framed by the rear bumper,. It’s a handsome design, but does not stand out in the crowd.

2026 Buick Enclave Avenir Has Lush Interior

Ah, but everyone who looked or sat inside its nautically-inspired blue-over-dove gray interior with bronze accents and glowing ambient lighting liked it. Almost every visible surface, from the stitched blue leatherette atop the dash, to the sculpted alloy accent edging more dove gray with dotted decorations, felt and looked plush. There are ash gray wood door accents and perforated alloy Bose speaker grilles that add a British feel here too.

I tested a 7,000-mile-old version of this Buick in January with the same lush interior color scheme. The leather seats, dashboard surfaces and doors showed no smudging after so many miles. But the white carpet mats and flooring underfoot showed some dirt – and so did our sub-400-mile-old test vehicle last week. So maybe this is not the color scheme if you have lots of kids, dogs, or wet/snowy weather to drive in.

The comfy leather-clad steering wheel has tiny plastic paddle shifters in back that are only usable when you select low range, and look a bit cheap – radio controls are integrated with them, a big – and handy volume knob on the center console. The buckets are comfortable if a bit flat, with heat, cooling and very gentle massage. You tap a screen icon to get heat or cooling, and fiddle with the seats’ power-adjust buttons to get the massage active and adjusted – a main screen display showcases that. We also had dual memory preset for the driver.

The sweeping 30-inch gauge/infotainment display atop the dashboard’s centerpiece continues to impress. Multi-configurable, it’s concise. I like the digital speedometer with sweep-hand needle over a bar graph 7,000-rpm tachometer and gas gauge, plus 2-wheel/4-wheel-drive indicator. Day, date, time and temperature are to the left, your media choice to the right, with cellphone status nearby. You can pop up a navigation map with digital mph for simplicity; simpler still is just speed and basic driver info, all doable from steering wheel buttons.

Head to starboard (right) a bit and you’ve got time and temp, then tap icons for functions like navigation, audio, phone and main menus. The navigation screen quickly showed traffic jams, or a (slightly small) backup camera with 360-degree view overhead. I liked that. There’s wireless Apple Car Play and Android Auto. HD Radio has to be enabled via a screen menu. The 16-speaker Bose audio system was solid as well.

Praise be, there’s real fan and temperature controls above big center vents, with vent position, seat heat/cool and others relegated to touchscreen icons nearby. Headlight controls are activated on that display after tapping the light icon on the screen – tapping another menu icon next to it allows changes in vehicle operation, including traction control. I wish instead it had distinct, direct-action buttons. That said, drive mode and front- to all-wheel-drive changes get a button to the left of the steering wheel. Visually the change is confirmed on the center-screen.

Another fave remains the floating gloss black center console. Yes, it attracts fingerprints, but a big volume knob is next to an inductive phone charge slot and a small rubber padded storage nook and cup holders. There is huge rubberized storage space underneath, and a 12-volt port. More space is under the center armrest, plus there are dual USB ports nearby.

Twin captain’s chairs recline and slide in the second row, with center armrests and solid adult head and leg room. Overhead vents keep them cool or warm, with more USB ports. There’s enough room between the white leather seats, with the same blue piping as in front, to slide into a usable 3-person bench seat in back. There’s just enough head and leg room for adults if the second row slides a touch forward.

And what’s a family SUV without rear cargo space? The rear power hatch rises high, and folding the 60/40 rear seatbacks expands stowage, plus some storage under the floor. Remote buttons on the aft bulkhead let you drop third- and second-row seatbacks, while second rows slide when folded down via seatback buttons. 

It’s a richly appointed interior, if a bit bright, and prone to showing dirt.

2026 Buick Enclave Avenir 0-60 MPH: 7.5 Seconds

Buick’s used to mean a powerful V-6 or V-8 under the bonnet – think 401-cu. in. Nailhead with 325-hp, or the 1987 GNX’s 300-hp turbocharged V-6. Well, the Enclave has a respectable 328 hp and 326 lb.-ft. of torque – from a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. But it sounds a bit coarse when pushed, although it is quick to respond when asked.

There are many driving modes: Tour, Sport, Snow/Ice, Off-Road and Tow/Haul. There’s also switchable front-/all-wheel-drive.

Auto-engine off works unobtrusively, refiring without a lurch as you tap the gas pedal to move out. It can tow up to 5,000 lbs.

The last Avenir we tested was comfortably used, with 7,200 miles on it. This, our second go-round tester, had less than 800 miles, just getting comfy in its own skin.

We did our usual tests. Set in front-wheel-drive and Normal mode, the Buick launched strong, turbo boost coming in smoothly to hit 60 mph in 7.5 seconds. That’s a tenth-of-a-second more than the one we tested in early 2026. Same as before, no wheelspin on launch, but the exhaust note was a bit hard-working 4-cylinder.

In Sport mode and all-wheel-drive, our test Buick hit 60 mph in 7.9 seconds with smooth upshifts and seemingly a slightly sportier exhaust note. That’s compared to 7.2 seconds in Sport/all-wheel-drive in the early, higher-mileage version.

Fuel mileage on regular was better than the last one, seeing an average 28 mpg vs. 24 mpg on the earlier model. And while that earlier tester had an EPA average of 19-mpg city/24-mpg highway, this one was listed as 20-mpg city/24-mpg highway – a magic extra mile meaning better testing?

Enclave Avenir’s four-wheel independent suspension delivers a very comfortable ride. It’s quiet and composed with a bit of float after some bumps. On a concrete bridge with some slight sag to each segment, the Avenir had a tightly-controlled bounce on each, but quickly settled. In other words, it gave what I would expect a well-suspended Buick CUV to give in many miles of highway and 2-lane country road driving.

On curves, set in front-wheel-drive, this Buick neutrally tackled sweeping turns and expressway ramps under power with a bit of body roll and no understeer when pushed harder through a corner. Tighter turns in all-wheel-drive saw it corner with just a hint of understeer and a hint of traction control, but no drama. Even when pushed in our skidpad, it was easy to handle as traction  control nudged in more.

Steering is direct if a bit over-boosted in Tour mode, but firms up noticeably in Sport mode, a bit artificial in feel. We applaud a 3-row CUV with a tight turning circle. The Avenir’s 17-inch front/rear disc brakes’ pedal had a decent bite on initial tap, then gave solid control, and minimal nose dive on hard stops. We had a touch of fade after a few hard hits from 65 mph.

As with many higher-end GM vehicles, we had Super Cruise, a hands-free autonomous driving system with auto-lane changing if something slower is sensed ahead – and that greenlight bar when it’s on. During our brief stints on interstate and state highways that were in its map/cloud database, the system maintained lane control with only occasional wiggling, usually over bad pavement. It was a lifesaver during a half-hour slowdown due to a crash ahead, holding speeds as low as 10 mph, stopping when needed, then resuming. Just keep your eyes on the road. The sensors read wandering pupils and it shuts the system off.

The auto-lane changes were done safely and smoothly, or the move could be triggered with a steering wheel touch. Super Cruise shut off once after we hit a pothole on an interstate. On some stretches of federal and state highway, it would shut off sometimes for no obvious reason. It would flash the steering wheel light bar red and buzzing seat buzzers when it did. Once it did shut off on a state highway bridge in a curve, and we had to steer.

The Lansing, Mich.-built Enclave Avenir’s base version starts at $48,395 with front-wheel-drive; Our Avenir starts at $59,600 with lots standard except: the $3,015 Super Cruise package with auto-parking assist, $2,000 all-wheel-drive and $825 Illumination package – add destination and total price is $67,335.

Bottom line: The Enclave Avenir is handsome, quick enough, comfortably roomy and very well-equipped. A more refined powerplant presence and a slightly sportier ride would be nice.

2026 Buick Enclave Avenir AWD Specifications

Vehicle type – mid-size luxury all-wheel-drive 5-passenger crossover

Base price – $59,600 ($67,335as tested)

Engine type – turbocharged 16-valve DOHC in-line four

Displacement – 2.5 liter

Horsepower (net) – 328 @ 5,500 rpm

Torque (lb-ft) – 326 @ 3,500 rpm

Transmission – 8-speed automatic

Wheelbase – 120.9 inches

Overall length – 207.6 inches

Overall width – 79.6 inches

Height – 71 inches

Front headroom – 42.6 inches

Front legroom – 44.3 inches

Center headroom – 39.9 inches

Center legroom – 41.4 inches

Rear headroom – 38.2 inches

Rear legroom – 32.1 inches

Cargo capacity – 22.9 cu.ft./57.1 w/rear seats folded/97.5 w/2nd & 3rd row folded

Curb weight – 4,537 lbs.

Fuel capacity – 18.4 gallons

Mileage rating – 20-mpg city/24-mpg highway

The post 2026 Buick Enclave Avenir Moved By Turbo 4 appeared first on EV Rider.

]]> 6121 https://evrider.tv/2026-amelia-island-concours-d-elegance-savannah-college-of-art-and-design-scad-ev-and-the-classics-at-the-ritz-carlton-florida/ Wed, 11 Mar 2026 10:31:00 +0000 https://evrider.tv/?p=6111 Get a look at many of the classics on display at the 2026 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance at the Ritz-Carlton and meet one of the designers behind the Red Dot Award winning SCAD Aether EV from the Savannah College of...

The post 2026 Amelia Concours: SCAD EV & The Classics appeared first on EV Rider.

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Get a look at many of the classics on display at the 2026 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance at the Ritz-Carlton and meet one of the designers behind the Red Dot Award winning SCAD Aether EV from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

More Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Coverage (section page)

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The post 2026 Amelia Concours: SCAD EV & The Classics appeared first on EV Rider.

]]> 6111 https://evrider.tv/2026-amelia-island-concours-preview/ Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:24:08 +0000 https://evrider.tv/?p=6032 The cars pictured in this video short and photo gallery are just a taste of Saturday’s March 7, 2026 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, with some of the classics pictured available to bid on at The Amelia Auction 2026, while the...

The post 2026 Amelia Island Concours Preview appeared first on EV Rider.

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The cars pictured in this video short and photo gallery are just a taste of Saturday’s March 7, 2026 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, with some of the classics pictured available to bid on at The Amelia Auction 2026, while the Polestars EVs pictured are among the brands being showcased at The Amelia. For a complete preview of The Amelia see this jaxtoday.com story from EV Rider contributor Dan Scanlan and look for a full video here on evrider.tv on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | More coverage from The Amelia.

Friday Photo Gallery (click to enlarge images)

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]]> 6032 https://evrider.tv/2026-kia-k4-hatchback-gt-line-turbo-road-test-and-review/ Wed, 04 Mar 2026 16:03:48 +0000 https://evrider.tv/?p=5992 I have been mourning the loss of the station wagon from many major carmaker lineups for years, replaced by cookie-cutter crossovers that look alike. Sure, there’s a few still left. Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW and Volvo make some snazzy wagons. Heck,...

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I have been mourning the loss of the station wagon from many major carmaker lineups for years, replaced by cookie-cutter crossovers that look alike.

Sure, there’s a few still left. Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW and Volvo make some snazzy wagons. Heck, even Ferrari had a shooting brake – that’s station wagon in our lingo – in the 2016 GTC4Lusso.

But all of those cost $50,000 or more for the luxury of hauling four adults and a tall dog – until now.

Hot on the heels of the 2026 Dodge Charger – yes, it’s a full-size 6-cylinder fastback sedan with a hatchback – comes a very sexy shooting brake from Kia. And mine had Star Wars lightspeed animation on startup, then Darth Vader and his red lightsaber as part of the main display’s themed graphics.

Yes, the Force is with this golden rocket.

Kia’s Global Design Center Jazzes Things Up With K4 Hatchback

A year ago, Kia’s Global Design Center really spiced things up when it replaced its midsize Forte with the angular K4. Now comes what the South Korean company calls its K4 Hatchback – “the athletic counterpart to the K4 sedan, featuring a distinctive floating roof design and versatile cargo space.” 

Our long, sleek press car retains the 2025 K4’s redesign of the company’s trademark “Tiger Grille,” with its slim center section that flows outward, with inverted amber “Ls” framing vertically with LED projector headlights and smaller staggered double stacked elements at each end. The lower grille gets very aggressive with an air dam and gloss black side inlets. The glossy black air dam continues aft to frame the slightly flare wheel arches as well as the doors’ lower sill. Its visually long 107.1-inch wheelbase is capped with 10-spoke black alloy wheels shod in 18-inch Kumho Majesty rubber.

The hatchback’s design differs from the B-pillar aft, with a shapely long roof (with dark glass moonroof up front) whose horizontality tapers just a tad down to a more upright rear window under a shade/spoiler. The flared D-pillar gets mid-level black slashes for a semi-floating roof look over squared-shoulder rear fenders. The short tail gets a squared-off edge under the window, while angular rear light clusters have slim LED elements that echo the headlight design and help with a nice broad-shouldered look. The wide rubber underneath gives it a squat, sporty look. A bold lower black fascia gets aero finlets and a dual exhaust in one corner.

I like the fastback shape of the sedan, but I love the leaner, more aggressive look of this hatchback, which says continental tourer more than plain Jane station wagon. And I love the back door handles hidden in the black C-pillars. I wasn’t the only one. I took it to a Euro-centric cruise-in near me. It garnered some interest as the only golden (officially Sparkling Yellow) station wagon GT among a row of import hatchbacks, and a cool red Kei pickup truck. Some construction workers circled it, smiling as they looked it over.

Slide into the K4 Hatchback, and the black over off-white pleather bucket seats are low-slug like a sports sedan, comfortable and decently supportive.

There’s the sweeping digital infotainment display, 28 inches wide and about 5 inches tall. It’s inset into the padded gray dashtop. There’s a neat color-variable accent light strip splitting top and bottom on either side. The squircle (squared-circle) steering wheel gets simple function buttons in front, plus scrolling audio volume, a Sport/Normal drive mode button on the bottom spoke and small paddle shifters behind.

Dead ahead through the thick leather-clad wheel is a simple digital speedometer and tachometer display framing a center screen that can show trip info, navigation and more, with basic temp and gas level/distance-to-empty always there. A now-Kia standard – the tach or speedometer switch to that side’s blind-spot camera when the turn signal is flipped, while one center screen display shows icons of cars behind, in your blind spot and ahead..

That said, the steering wheel’s right rim pretty much eclipsed the central climate control screen and its touchscreen buttons for defrost, vent position and recirculate. There’s real buttons along the display’s base for Home screen, navigation, audio and the like, framing a thumbwheel for audio volume. And glory be – real buttons below center air vents for dual-mode fan, temperature and vent position.

The widescreen navigation map can be “Home Screen”-ed into segments you can swipe left or right for map, audio, phone. And the Force is with you – each of those menu items gets a Star Wars character as its icon – Darth Vader for Phone Projection, Gen. Grievous for Entertainment, or a lightning-firing Emperor for Voice Memo – go figure.

And as part of the overhead surround-view camera system, Kia gives us a simulated K4 Hatchback with live camera views all-round, which you can circle the view.

The 2-tone front seats get heat and cooling, plus dual memory presets and a bit of power lumbar for the driver. They are comfy and fairly supportive, a softly-embossed “GT-Line” in the upper seatbacks.

Again, like the sedan, the wide center console’s has size-adjustable cup holders, a wireless inductive phone charger slot in a padded below-dash nook, and USB ports. Digital Key 2.0 allows use of compatible Apple and Android smart devices as virtual vehicle keys. And the center armrest hides decent storage room.

The shooting brake’s sloping roofline means I had to duck a bit to get into a roomy rear bench seat with good head and leg room behind the hard-shelled front seatbacks. There’s vents and more USB ports. Then comes the added benefit of wagoning versus sedan-ing – 22.2-cu.-ft. of squared-off space (expands to 59.3-cu-ft.) behind the split and fold rear seatbacks inside a hatchback that opens high enough to clear my head, versus the sedan’s 14.6-cu. ft. trunk. A space-saving spare takes up most of the under-floor space, and the rear seats trio of head restraints does slim down rearward vision.

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Overall, this is a quiet, roomy space for four adults and more stuff – actually a tad more headroom than the sedan. There’s just a hint of tire noise at speed. And along with HD Radio, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, there’s decent Harmon Kardon sound, although it took a while to boot up audio.

Kia K4 Hatchback GT-Line Turbo Offers Good Gas Mileage

Under the bonnet of our GT-Line Turbo is a turbocharged aluminum 1.6-liter four. No serous GT here – it’s got 190-hp at 6,000 rpm, and 195 lb-ft or torque at 1,700-4,500 rpm. Its front-wheel-drive, with an 8-speed automatic transmission and small, but usable alloy paddle shifters. There’s a Normal and Sport drive mode, the latter juicing throttle response and tightening steering feel.

That said, the 3,338-lb. Hatchback K4 is just 73 pounds heavier than the sedan version I last tested, so was there any difference?

In Normal drive mode, we had a moderate launch before the turbo kicked in, a hint of wheelspin in the first-second shift en route to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds. In Sport mode, a bit quicker launch, a nice exhaust snarl, and 60 mph in 6.7 – quicker upshifts and a bit more urge in passing. The paddle shifters gave us quick downshifts as we entered corners, but I didn’t use them much. Fuel mileage on our 2,200-mile-old hatchback was almost 30 mpg.

For comparison, the 3,265-lb. K4 Sedan we tested a year ago with the same drivetrain hit 60 mph in 7.3 seconds, while Sport mode saw a slight touch of torque steer and sharper shifts en route to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds. It delivered about 26 mpg. And a 2024 201-hp Kia Forte I tested for a since-retired website, with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four, hit 60 mph in about 6.8 seconds.

Our golden wagon has MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension, hydraulic twin tube shock absorbers all-round. The ride was just taut enough, absorbing bumps with minimal bounce after a speed bump. Handling was solid, a neutral and flat feel on expressway ramps under power. We had a tight steering feel in Sport mode that mixed well with near-neutral cornering in most corners. Push harder, and front wheel drive shows with some understeer, more evident in our skidpad, but easy to handle with throttle.

The power steering had a direct feel in Sport, tightening up nicely in a curve with some solid feedback, versus a bit artificially over-boosted feel in Normal Mode. With 2.4-turns lock-to-lock, we found a tight turning radius for U-turns. And with 11.3-inch ventilated front/10.3-inch solid rear disc brakes, there was a nice bite after depression, then straight stops and some nose dive on hard stops – no noticeable fade.

The K4 had safety gear like smart cruise and those great blind-spot cameras that display on the left or right side depending on what you signal for. Lane-keep assist works smoothly, if a bit firmly to keep you in lane.

The base Kia K4 EX Hatchback starts at $24,990. Our GT-Line Turbo starts at $28,790 with almost all we had standard except a $2,300 tech option with safety systems, ambient lighting, surround-view cameras, smartphone digital key, memory driver’s seat, ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel; $395 golden paint; and $190 carpeted floor mats for a final price of $32,670.

Bottom line: Even more stylish and almost exotic in looks; roomy and comfy; and decent performance. A Kia K4 hatchback is the one I’d get to haul a dog, ladder and friends.

2025 Kia K4 Hatchback GT-Line Turbo Specifications

Vehicle type – 4-door, front-wheel-drive compact station wagon

Base price – $28,790 ($32,670 as tested)

Engine type – Turbocharged aluminum DOHC, C-VVT in-line four-cylinder

Displacement – 1.6-liter

Horsepower (net) – 190 @ 6,000 rpm

Torque (lb-ft) – 195 @ 1,700- 4,500 rpm

Transmission – 8-speed automatic with manual and paddle shifting

Wheelbase – 107.1 inches

Overall length – 174.4 inches

Overall width- 72.8 inches

Height – 56.3 inches

Front headroom – 39 inches

Front legroom – 42.3 inches

Rear headroom – 38.3 inches

Rear legroom – 38 inches

Cargo capacity – 22.2/59.3 cu.ft.

Curb weight – – 3,338 lbs.

Fuel capacity – 12.4 gallons

Mileage rating – 26 mpg city/36 mpg highway

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