This week on EV Rider, after four years and 67,000 trouble-free miles, I’m saying goodbye to my Ford Mustang Mach-E, as I welcome a new to-me EV to my home stable.

Post your ChargerDaytona or Mustang Mach-E questions or comments here

Before I talk about my just acquired used 2024 Dodge Charger Scat Pack EV, here’s a quick summary about my Mach-E.

The Mustang Mach-E has been a wonderful car. Since I just recently did a 60,000 miles review, I won’t bore you by repeating what’s in that video, but here it is for anyone that would like to watch it:

The Mach-E’s short story is that in its final 7,000 miles with me, including a seven-state road trip, everything went just as smoothly as always.

As I end my ownership experience with the Mach-E, I can heartily recommend it to anyone considering a new or used EV.

Next, let’s look at what I replaced it with.

Dodge’s Charger Daytona is one of the most controversial EVs on the road today. A good number of V8 HEMI fans are furious that the fastest 0-60 mph Dodge currently has in production is now an EV, and not many EV fans are likely to consider a two-door muscle car that by EV standards, is fairly inefficient.

Plus, early Charger EV owners have a reported a variety of issues, a good many of which required the cars to be towed. Add it all together and these cars have lost up to 50% or more of their value in under two years.

Since I absolutely love the style, comfort, handling and performance of the Charger, I decided to take a chance, given the price plummet.

For you Charger owners out there, my CarFax report shows the flashes have been performed on the car, so I’m hopeful that many of the software glitches and 12v accessory battery issues that plagued early owners might be in this car’s rear view mirror.

One nice, early surprise, the Charger is showing a 3.6 mile per kWh average since I reset the trip odometer after taking ownership.

It’s too soon to know, but when driving the Daytona in Eco mode it’s looking like it will probably match or maybe even exceed my Mach-E’s range, which if that proves to be accurate, would be a wonderful surprise.

I’m still in the honeymoon phase and learning, so I won’t begin to try to evaluate the Daytona yet.

But here’s what I will say early on, the Charger has the two-door personal luxury coupe presence I love, which is a rare find among new cars, whether gas or EV. And it’s making a strong first impression.

For you Charger owners, I’d invite you to watch the video I did on a fellow owner’s Scat Pack a few months ago and be sure to subscribe since I’ll be doing follow-ups on my Charger as I get to know it better.

More Dodge Charger Daytona Coverage

Long-Term Owner Review: Charger Daytona Scat Pack

Drop Top Customs Developing Dodge Charger EV Convertible

Production Dodge Charger EV Unveiled With Full Specs

2024 Dodge Charger Daytona EV Convertible Announced

4 EV Coupe Concepts; 2 Headed For Production

EV Muscle: Dodge Unveils ’24 Charger Daytona

More Ford Mustang Mach-E Coverage

How To: LED Car Interior Lighting Accessories

EV Vs. Gas Mustangs: Fuel Cost Difference Is Striking

60,000 Miles Later: 2022 Mustang Mach-E Review

Should Ford Build This Mustang Mach-E Convertible?

Ford Shows Off Tri-Motor Mustang Mach-E For NASCAR

Mustang Mach-E EV Sells Better Than Gas Mustang

The post EV Swap: Mustang Mach-E To Charger Daytona appeared first on EV Rider.

Fifty years ago, Cadillac entered the record books with the longest production car ever – the 252.2-inch Fleetwood 75.

This was a 9-passenger sedan powered by an 8.2-liter V-8 atop a 130.5-inch wheelbase – factory-built, not a limousine done by a coach builder. Cadillac made 7,500 of them during its 1974 – 1976 production run – quite a car, according to this cool video by HotCars.

Alas, other than Cadillac’s current CT4 and CT5, and the $300,000-plus Celestiq EV hyper-lux model, there are no long, lethally-luxurious Cadillac sedans around anymore. The last Fleetwood was made in 1996. But you can experience a modern, (almost as) long and very luxurious 7-passenger Cadillac with lots of power, prestige (look at red carpet events) and more tech than any Fleetwood 75 ever experienced with the latest Escalade.

And in this case, it’s the ultimate gas-powered luxury version of the Cadillac SUV – the Escalade Platinum Sport.

We also have had the luxury – pun intended – of testing a 2025 Escalade ESV Sport Platinum in mid-2025, right after its mid-cycle refresh. EV Rider also experienced it EV stablemate, the Escalade IQ. And late last year, we drove the most top-tier, all-wheel-drive long-wheelbase gas version – the 227-inch-long Escalade ESV Platinum Sport.

Now we have the 211.9-inch-long Escalade Platinum Sport. It gets a 6.2-liter V-8 under its bonnet, and the highest-tech interior this side of Cadillac’s CT5 V Blackwing. This fifth-generation luxury wagon has that mid-season refresh’s high-tech interior, plus some. And like the Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL, it has 4-wheel-drive.

Done in Deep Sea Metallic, our Escalade starts with familiar light blade LED DRLs flanking a big, Sport Platinum-specific black shield-shaped grille, the central Cadillac badge glowing at night. There are stacks of vertical multi-element LED headlights, living in intake-shaped inserts. There’s a low center intake on the angular blunt nose, thin black blade accents wrapping into the sides over a lower air dam.

Unlike bespoke Cadillacs of old, there’s some shared architecture – fenders and doors are basically like GM’s cousins, the GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Suburban, roof included. But inside the flat-edged fender flares are 24-inch Bridgestone Alenza rubber on 15-spoke alloy wheels. Black accents lower sill slashes, tucked-in power running boards and side window pillars.

The roofline is formally squarish, with black side trim and slim roof rack. In back, LED light blades flow into D-pillars, framing a step bumper over twin rectangular exhaust tips in gloss black. There’s steel fenders, but lighter aluminum hood and doors.

It’s an impressive looking SUV with serious glamour at night –light blades glow as you approach, Cadillac shields projected on the ground. But as edgy and chiseled as it looks, it might not be as elegant looking – in its boxy way – as the longer Escalade ESV.

I told friends what I was piloting, and one said, “Is that the one with the wide-screen dashboard?”

Why yes, it is – 55 inches wide.

There’s a configurable high-res gauge cluster visible through a power-adjustable steering wheel that’s got haptic touch buttons to handle that screen. It can range from map to safety systems, or widescreen nose camera, Night Vision image, even basic drive info.

That flows into a center touchscreen section with driver information, then infotainment – navigation, audio, blind spot cameras when a turn signal is tapped, backup/overhead view for parking, etc. And there’s only smooth black as it flows into a 20-inch front-passenger touchscreen that allows streaming and internet browsing, equipped with privacy filters so the driver can’t see it.

For comparison, the Lincoln Navigator’s widescreen measures 40 inches from dashtop speaker to speaker; the Celestiq’s is 55 inches wide; and the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV/Sedan is 6 inches in width.

We may be in an SUV with Suburban infrastructure, but you’d be hard-pressed to see any Chevy here. Stitched leather and perforated alloy AKG speaker grilles accent the sweeping design, a wide polished slab of wood at the base, accented with buff silver.

Under the sweep of air vents, more stitched black leather. Door panels get wood and alloy trim, plus a unique gray tweed insert over stitched white leather – the tweed also covers the lower dash, disguising the basic plastic seen in Suburbans.

The plush white semi-aniline leather seats get quilted inserts with V-shaped alloy accents in upper seatbacks, plus cooling, heat and massage, and dual memory presets for the driver. All four doors are power operated – brush a finger on the touchscreen at the head of the center console, and they hands-free open and shut – sensors look out for cars nearby and stop them as needed.

There are no physical controls on the sweeping upper dashboard, only touchscreen controls, although some things like headlights or massage are a menu or two down.

More tweed accents the sides of the center console, where there’s a volume knob for a superb 42-speaker AKG Studio Reference audio system with front head restraint speakers. There’s a knurled steel main menu twist/tap control and basic buttons for auto-engine on/off and auto-hold braking. Then more stitched leather with a buff silver “ESCALADE” crest accents the center armrest which hides deep storage and USB ports – the phone inductive charger is next to the lower screen, which also handles climate control along with power door

That center console touchscreen also handles climate control and seat massage, as well as the power door open/close function, auto-high beam, auto-park assist, universal remotes, even the power side steps. But again, some functions require two or more dives into menus to do things, like adjusting cooled seats, or opening the glovebox.

Comfy captain’s chairs with center armrests occupy the second row of this luxury jet on wheels, facing dual 12.6-inch touchscreens with access to streaming content, games or the web, same as the front passenger screen. The Escalade has Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus Wi-Fi Hotspot , but no HD Radio. Those center row seats have heat, cooling and massage.

There’s plenty of room between them to get to a decent-size third-row bench seat with room for two, maybe three adults in a pinch. The center seats do adjust to add rear leg room. Aft of the third row is 25.5-cubic-feet of space; or use buttons back there to drop the 60/40 split third row seatbacks for 72.9 cubic feet of space; or fold second row seatbacks to get a flat 120.5 cubic feet of space. Yes, that’s less than the longer Escalade ESV’s 41.5/94.1/142.2 cubic feet space respectively – you lose an inch or so of legroom in back too. But our Escalade has a shorter (120.9- vs. 134.1-inch) wheelbase, thus is 15 inches tidier to park.

Nice news – the Escalade’s rear window pops open for quick loading of small stuff, or the whole tailgate powers up if needed.

This shorter Escalade is 6,014 lbs. of blue SUV; 174 pounds less than the ESV we tested. So with 420-hp and a healthy 460 lb-ft of torque funneled to all or rear wheels only via a 10-speed automatic, it’s quicker than its longer brother.

With drive mode set for Tour (there’s also halfway hidden buttons for Sport, Tow/Haul, Off-Road and My Mode), in rear-wheel-drive, we saw 60 mph in 6 seconds. Set to Sport, the Escalade made a mellow bellow from its exhaust en route to 60 in a quick 5.5 seconds upshifts are quick. It can handle 1,580 pounds of people and cargo, and tow 8,100 pounds of stuff. A Low Mode button on the steering wheel allows for manual paddle shifting, and it did it fine, holding gears unless you punched it hard, when it downshifted. It returned between 13 and 16 mpg, the latter on cruise-control highways.

To compare, the long ESV did 60 mph in 6.5 seconds in rear-wheel/Tour; and 5.2 seconds in Sport mode/auto AWD, netting about 16 mpg.

It has an independent suspension up front, multilink in back, plus coil-over shocks, stabilizer bars, adaptive suspension and magnetic ride control reading the road and altering shock absorber rates. The result is composed and quiet at speed, barring some tire noise. It’s smooth but just taut enough in Tour mode with quick bump control. Sport mode firmed up the steering, with nice feel, and bumps still had a comfortable edge, even with those 24-inch wheels. Only on some badly pocked pavement was there a bit of suspension jitter once – this was a quiet and composed 3,700-mile-old SUV.

More Cadillac Coverage (story continues below)

2026 Escalade ESV Platinum Sport Review

Cadillac With Corvette Heart: 2025 CT5 V Blackwing

2026 Cadillac Vistiq: Stylish 3-Row Family Hauler

2025 Cadillac Escalade Combines Pace With Grace

Why Former Rivian, Tesla Owner Switched To Escalade IQ

1st Look: 2026 Cadillac Lyriq V

Automatic load-leveling saw the Escalade drop down to help load people or stuff, or go higher if you take it off road – we did not. The brake bias controls for a trailer are on a lower-left dash panel, which is about the only interior piece that still looked basic Suburban plastic.

This big rig was well behaved in daily driving, handling corners quite well for its size and height, even in rear-wheel-drive, where we could feel a hint of power oversteer if we pushed, caught quick by stability control. Slipped into auto AWD, its electronic limited-slip differential directed torque to the wheel with the most traction for a neutral feel and no understeer in corners. Push harder in steady-state cornering – and we got almost no understeer again, which was very reassuring. There was solid traction in the rain in AWD-auto. The brake pedal has decent high-up bite with minimum nosedive and no brake fade after hard use.

Hands-free Super Cruise maintained speed and distance in highway traffic, stopping when others do. There’s full lane-keep, but it did waver in lane sometimes. And the system did shut off sometimes, only to resume a few hundred feet later. The auto-lane change can be set to happen when you want, with the tap of the turn signal, and not when it “thinks” it should, like some others. It even worked on the state highways we tried.

Other driving aids include blind spot cameras that display in the center screen; seat-bottom buzzers to alert you to things closer than they look in the mirrors; and front/rear/side camera views at the tap of a button to see what’s around you. The rear-view mirror is a wide-screen display; the gauge display shows that night vision or wide-screen nose camera image.

A base rear-wheel-drive Cadillac Escalade starts at $93,995; our 4-wheel-drive 2026 Escalade Platinum Sport started at $123,400 with so much standard. The only options: $1,800 for the 24-inch wheels, and $725 for the Deep Sea Metallic paint. Our total was $128,820.

Bottom line: If you don’t need an SUV limo, this Escalade has spacious luxury, serious tech, some cool luxury touches, and still not much to remind you there’s a Suburban under there.

2026 Cadillac Escalade Platinum Sport Specifications

Vehicle type – 7-passenger four-wheel-drive luxury sports utility vehicle
Base price $123,400 ($128,820 as tested)
Engine type – OHV 16-valve aluminum V-8

Displacement – 6.2-liter
Horsepower (net) – 420 @ 5,600 rpm
Torque (lb-ft) – 460 @ 4,100 rpm
Transmission – 10-speed automatic
Wheelbase – 120.9 inches
Overall length – 211.9 inches
Overall width – 85 inches
Height – 76.3 inches
Front headroom – 44.5 inches
Front legroom – 38.2 inches
Second row headroom – 38.9 inches
Second row legroom – 41.7 inches
Third row headroom – 38.2 inches
Third row legroom – 34.9 inches
Cargo capacity – 25.5 cu. ft./72.9 w/3rd row folded/121 w/2nd and 3rd row folded
Towing capacity – up to 8,100 lbs.
Curb weight – 6,014 lbs.
Fuel capacity – 24 gallons
Mileage rating – 14-mpg city/18-mpg highway

The post ’26 Escalade Platinum Sport: High Tech Interior, V‑8 Punch appeared first on EV Rider.

Now that I’ve got a full year of data, let’s look at how my rooftop solar set up is performing, and most importantly, how much money it’s generating.

I had my 8.4 kW system installed in January 2025 by Jacksonville’s Synergy Solar, which installs solar, EV chargers and battery systems across the First Coast. Synergy is also a full service state certified roofing contractor. The system was turned on in February 2025 after permitting and inspections were completed.

The system cost $21,705, including taxes and fees.

In its first 12 months it generated $975 worth of electricity. That’s based on my utility’s per kWh rate, including taxes and fees. It also qualified for a 30 percent federal tax credit of $6,511, which puts the return in year one at $7,485.

But I haven’t mentioned two significant payback factors yet. First, having solar keeps us from tripping into our utility’s higher tier two rate, which we would face many months of the year without solar.

And second, we own three EVs, which means our fueling costs are running less than half of what they would be to buy an equivalent amount of gas.

Let’s look at just one of our vehicles, my 2022 Mustang Mach-E, which runs almost exclusively on solar power, except when road tripping.

If we compare it to the most fuel-efficient gas 2022 Mustang, the EcoBoost Turbo 4, the electric Mustang saves $1,140 in fuel costs over 10,000 miles, which is my best guess of how many miles I probably drove on solar power over the past year.

I’m basing that assumption on the price of regular at my neighborhood gas station, which $3.91 on the day story was written and on my home per kWh cost, which was 14 cents..

To keep my payback assumptions from potentially being overly optimistic, I’m skipping calculations on what the other two EVs saved in fuel costs, especially since one of them is primarily charged at night, using grid power. That also gives me wiggle room to account for constant fuel price variations and any other factors that might skew the true return.

So, being conservative, it’s safe to estimate that we earned back $2,115 in year one, plus the $6,511 tax credit.

Now let’s look at the grand totals. After the tax credit, our solar system cost $15,194. Assuming we keep earning $2,115 a year, the system will have completely paid for itself in 7.18 years.

But keep in mind, those numbers don’t include inflation, which is another factor that should speed up the payback.

This year alone, JEA, which is my publicly owned utility, is seeking an 8% rate hike, which if approved, will kick in this October. Based on historical trends, it’s reasonable to assume JEA will seek additional rate hikes.

While it’s impossible to precisely predict our payoff period, based on the numbers, it appears to reasonable to forecast our solar setup will earn back its total cost in under seven years. After that, it will literally be generating free electricity.

By the way, for you numbers nerds, as I record this episode, we’ve generated 15.5 MWh of power since we turned on the system in February 2025.

That equates to saving more than 10 metric tons of C02 being pumped into our atmosphere, according to Google’s Gemini AI, which estimates the savings as ranging from 10 to 11 metric tons, depending on a variety of factors.

Whether rooftop solar makes sense for you depends on a lot of factors, including: how old your roof is, how much sun you get, whether you’ll be taking out a loan, what your power use patterns are, what your utility’s net metering policy is, whether you’ll want a battery storage system and more.

If I can help answer any questions you have about solar, feel free to drop me a line in this video’s YouTube comments section.

Related: 8.4 kW Rooftop Solar Install

Editor’s Note: Synergy Solar sponsored the video at the top of this post but did not have any editorial input or say about its production.

The post Is Solar Worth It? 1 Year Update appeared first on EV Rider.

Artist Diana Brewer’s 1952 GMC pickup truck, nicknamed Pa2unia, is a stunning shapely classic design with some handcrafted touches by her.

But as we united this classic, artfully patinated 196-inch-long green pickup with its way bigger great-great grandson, one thing was for sure – it was dwarfed by this high-tech 64-year-old descendant – which does not use petrol as its motivation.

Standing a good foot taller was the 231-inch-long, 75-inch tall 2026 GMC Sierra AT4 EV, as in electric vehicle. And while Pa2unia’s 100-hp inline 6 was a sturdy workhorse then and now, it’s no match for our Summit White Sierra AT4’s 725 horsepower and 775 lb-ft of torque. But gosh, did they look happy together among some amazing stuff in the Brewer’s Towing Service yard, as family cats wandered over to check it all out.

Then we decided to leave Pa2unia and play with our EV Sierra on Northeast Florida’s roads. After all, Pa2unia looks best in the sun, not shaded by a grandchild.

OK, both the GMC Sierra AT4 EV and Chevrolet Silverado Trail Boss EV that we just tested share GM’s Ultium battery platform. So they match each other within an inch or so. There’s also basically the same silhouette.

But the Sierra EV has one thing the Silverado EV does not – a grille, or at least a neat black panel that looks like one. And that black panel makes this EV look more GMC, plus it’s got a cool backlit GMC badge dead center, framed by a lit LED accent.

Outer corners are framed by angular DRLs, while the AT4’s red tow hooks are flaked by LED headlights under a ribbed bumper with the only vent, flanked by fog lights – and over a lower skid plate. Squared-off fenders edged in black frame 18-inch AT4 wheels wearing meaty, knobby off-road Goodyear Wrangler rubber with seven inches of clearance between tread and fender flare edge.AT4’s get a 2-inch factory lift.

There are running boards under smooth doorskins. The roofline is low, with higher sills for a streamlined look aided by the sloping C-pillars flowing into cargo bed sides. LED taillights flank a multi-purpose tailgate over a meaty bumper and more silver skid plates. There’s a folding solid tonneau cover to protect what’s in the bed.

Cool fact – this Sierra EV is about 11 inches shorter than the gas Crew Cab version – it’s big but short overhangs and a cleaner body shape help visually shrink it. I also like the GMC heritage in its look.

The running board does not deploy, and there’s no grab handle for the driver. All other doors get them – so you grab the steering wheel and hoist up and into black leather seats with white piping and stitched accents. Only what’s below that looks like basic GM plastic.

Our seats were 16-way power-adjustable, the driver’s getting dual memory presets, although the lumbar control on the driver’s seat cushion did not work on our 5,100-mile-old truck.

While the Silverado EV gets a sweeping, almost one-piece digital gauge and infotainment display, our Sierra EV starts with a standalone 11-inch screen ahead of the driver. It offers everything from a simplified digital mph readout, to a navigation map with speed, or various gauges. Almost all add a small info screen.

The thick leather-clad steering wheel gets standard cruise and screen selection controls in front, and audio buttons in back, plus a small regenerative braking paddle. It’s adjustable too.

Stacked vertically center-stage, versus the Silverado EV’s horizontal one, is a 16.8-inch touchscreen that shows navigation, EV info and more, with a big volume knob low and center. A main menu screen handily accesses settings, Wi-Fi hotspot, phone and most other controls.

There’s a separate icon to access headlights, as well as a menu for trailering, activating the Wi-Fi hotspot, or sensitivity for regen braking/one-pedal driving. I liked the simulated overhead camera images to help back neatly into spots, plus focused nose and tail camera – great for tight spots, or just centering on a trailer hitch.

The center screen also shows big left and right blind spot camera views when you activate turn signals. Below are more touchscreen icons for climate control along with 8 physical buttons for those that would prefer to skip the touchscreen.

The wide center console is framed in more perforated leatherette, with a neat inductive phone charger atop the storage area’s sliding door. There is additional space and USB ports underneath along with storage under the padded armrest.

Back seats offer serious head and leg room for two, even three adults, with a/c vents and heated outboard positions. Seat bottoms fold up 60/40 to reveal storage options. The seatbacks flip forward to offer a platform.

GMC Sierra AT4 EV Offers Tons Of Cargo Space

Like the Chevrolet Avalanche of the early 2000’s, there’s a 60/40 midgate behind the seats that folds down to extend storage space into the cargo bed. Even the rear window can be removed for open air driving.

The Sierra EV has a long laminated clear glass roof – no sliding moonroof – tinted to block UV rays. On sunny days, the Sierra did not warm up, but I’d still want that optional $150 sunshade.

That 57.5-cubic-foot cargo bed has low wheel well intrusion, 115-volt power plugs and a folding metal cover for weatherproof stowage. The MultiPro tailgate has a mini-gate that folds to become a chest-high work table. There’s a step when the tailgate is down;- or a barrier to keep stuff in the bed when it is open. It can handle stuff over 10 feet long. There are steps carved into the outer corners of the rear bumper to ease access to its innards.

With no gas engine under the hood, there’s a frunk with 11 cubic feet of room, plus cup holders, 120-volt plug and drain plugs for picnic ice to melt away.

GM has done EVs right with its adaptable Ultium platform with lots of room for multiple liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery modules down low between electric motors, one at the front, the other in the rear – with Torque Vectoring e4WD. Tap the right icons to select Max Power, and you access 760 hp and 785 lb-ft of torque from its 205-kWh Max Range battery in the AT4 trim. It has an NACS Tesla Supercharger-style port, allowing you to add up to 120 miles of range in 10 minutes at the fastest Level DC charging stations due to its 800-volt electrical system, or a 10 to 80 percent charge in about 40 minutes. At home it can it can gain 25 to 35 miles of range per hour at a maximum rate of 19.2 kW, assuming you have an 80-amp Level 2 charger.

The result is a real truck with real range. We saw 466 miles of estimated range with a 96% charge. GMC saysits rated for 478 miles with a full charge. After 217 miles of highway and suburban driving, with full regen braking, we still had 49% of the battery left, and an estimated 237 miles of displayed range. This full-size EV truck came close (20 miles) to delivering the real range it promised. We never needed to charge it – and averaged 2.1 miles per kWh. No range anxiety here. That’s not too bad for a pickup truck that happens to be an EV. It can tow more than 12,000 pounds, and retain usable range, we are told.

There are four drive modes – Normal, Off-Road, Tow-Haul and My Mode, accessible via the main screen menu display’s Drive Modes icon. My Mode lets you customize steering, accelerator feel and motor sound, from Normal to Sport.

Oh yes – there’s a Thors Hammer icon on that screen, unleashing all 760-hp. And you can also change your one-pedal regen braking reaction from Normal, to High, or off.

We spent most of our test drive in Normal mode. It’s very responsive, with an immediate launch and 60 mph in 5.6 seconds. Tap Thor’s Hammer – the icon pulses with rippling sound effects – and the Sierra EV launched hard to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, no drama, no wheelspin. In that mode, motor noise was amplified, a great turbine-like motor noise, while steering really tightens up.

And here’s the fun part. There’s no Sport drive mode, but tap in My Mode, then adjust its settings – Sport steering, Adrenaline in the Acceleration setting, and Sport for motor sound. Tap Thor’s Hammer – this EV rears up and launches, all wheels grabbing, to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds with no drama. There was no diminution of launch torque, or much range loss when we did a succession of quick launches. And acceleration from a stoplight, or to pass, was great due to instant EV torque that stayed online through legal speed.

Chevy Silverado Trail Boss EV Video Road Test (story continues below)

For comparison, the Silverado Trail Boss EV we tested recently hit 60 mph in a quick 5.5 seconds in Normal; MyMode with sport selected did 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. In maximum power mode, 60 mph came in 4 seconds flat.

Our test truck’s fully independent coil suspension with a hydraulic rebound control smooths out rough pavement. Our ride was quite plush yet controlled, probably helped by the weight of the battery pack. Add in tall Goodyear sidewalls and this truck swallowed speed bumps with a one after-bounce. Regen braking allows you to basically “downshift brake” into turns, where this big truck was neutral with a tad of body roll in suburban cornering. Push harder and there’s some understeer, like most pickups.

Like the Silverado Trail Boss we just tested, there’s four-wheel steering. The rear wheels turn a bit opposite from the fronts to tighten turns. We did a U-turn in my neighborhood that a regular gas Sierra can’t handle. There’s also “CrabWalk” – front and rear tires turn the same way to sidestep stuff – novel, with grins from those who saw it.

The 8,844-lb. GMC’s 14.5-inch front/13.5-inch rear disc brakes had a solid pedal feel and decent stopping power with some nose dive at full stop. In daily driving, one-pedal regen invoked right as you let off the accelerator. It was a bit abrupt until I figured it out, then finessing it is easy, to stop this Sierra EV where you want.

Then we tried this 4-ton EV, with its all-wheel-drive, all-terrain tires, 2-inch off-road lift and underbody protection, on bumpy, dusty Florida woodland roads. Using Terrain mode, which turns off traction control, backs off throttle input and mimics a gas truck’s low range, its easily handled ruts and sandy verges. There was no wheelspin under acceleration.

Super Cruise (included in AT4) easily handled autonomous driving on federal and some state highways, staying on and maintaining lanes hands-free. Unlike some other hands-free systems, this one will only change lanes if you tap the stalk. This is also a very quiet truck, nothing other than a hint of wind and tire noise at highway speed.

And after pitting classic and new GMC nose-to-nose, what did the Brewers think of Pa2unia’s great-great? They loved the shape, technology like its crab-walk and rear-steer, and the EV range. But Pa2unia, as Diane’s pride and joy, is still the GMC to have, they say.

The 2026 GMC Sierra EV Elevation with EPA-estimated 283-mile standard battery, starts at $64,995. Our AT4 Max Range starts at $89,600, with the $2,250 folding bed cover – final price of $93,545; a few bucks less than the Silverado EV Trail Boss we just tested with similar gear.

Bottom line: The range, power, relative agility and room for everything makes this a real choice for a real EV truck – and it looks cool, even next to Pa2unia.

2026 GMC Sierra AT4 EV Max Range Specifications

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

Base price – $89,600 ($93,545 as tested)

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

Horsepower (net) – 760

Torque – 775

Transmission – 1-speed transmission

Wheelbase – 145.7 inches

Overall length – 233 inches

Overall width – 83.8 inches w/o mirrors

Height – 78.2 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/57.5 cu. ft. volume

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

Weight – 8,844 lbs.

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

The post GMC Sierra AT4 EV Goes The Distance appeared first on EV Rider.

Classic rides ranging from Mustangs and Corvettes to Chevelles, Miatas and more will be on display at the 11th annual San Jose Car and Truck Show in Jacksonville on June 6.

See the video at the top of this post for highlights from the 10th annual show.

There will be a host of prizes for classic car entries. See the flyer below for a full list of categories.

The show runs from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 6, 2026 at the Dupont Station Shopping Center at 6721 St. Augustine Road, Jacksonville, FL 32217.

Proceeds will benefit the Bishop Snyder Community Center. We hope to see you there. Here’s a flyer with additional details but keep mind the date has been updated to June 6:

The post San Jose Car & Truck Show Is June 6 appeared first on EV Rider.

If you’re looking for a few easy, inexpensive ideas to spice up your EV, this episode is for you.

Now that I’ve put more than 66,000 miles on my 2022 Mustang Mach‑E, I felt the time was right to add a bit of extra bling.

Editor’s Note: Links to all the products mentioned are at the bottom of this post

Interior LED lighting has become a big theme in new cars, making some of them absolutely stunning at night. So it’s no surprise the aftermarket has quickly caught up with cheap, do‑it‑yourself products.

I’ve added six pieces of LED lighting to my interior for less than a hundred dollars.

Let’s start with my favorite addition: an acrylic LED strip light.

It was easy to install—taking roughly an hour—with most of that time spent doing test placements.

It easily snaps into crevices and comes with tape in case the openings in your car are wide enough that a little extra securing is needed.

More Mustang Mach-E Coverage (story continues below)

EV Swap: Mustang Mach-E To Charger Daytona

EV Vs. Gas Mustangs: Fuel Cost Difference Is Striking

60,000 Miles Later: 2022 Mustang Mach-E Review

Should Ford Build This Mustang Mach-E Convertible?

Ford Shows Off Tri-Motor Mustang Mach-E For NASCAR

Mustang Mach-E EV Sells Better Than Gas Mustang

What I like about this particular kit is that no complicated wiring into a fuse box or battery is required. You can hide the wires under your dash and side panels and then plug it into your car’s USB port.

Once you’ve got it installed, it will turn on and off automatically since it’s being powered by an accessory port.

What really makes it fun is the nearly unlimited number of color combinations and patterns, so you can match or contrast it with your car’s other lighting. It also includes an app and a remote control, along with about five different brightness levels so it’s not too dim during the day or too bright at night.

One thing I don’t like is the app. It requires GPS to work, which is unnecessary and makes me wonder if some sort of tracking is enabled. It also doesn’t work with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, which pretty much defeats the purpose. So I just use the remote control if I want to change the color.

Next on the list: custom LED cup‑holder lights. You can submit whatever logo and lettering you want—the light pucks are custom‑made.

They’re powered by rechargeable batteries with USB connectors. Whenever your car is in motion at night, they illuminate, and then shut off after about 30 seconds when the car is still or during daylight hours thanks to their light and motion sensors.

They feature seven different colors, and the manufacturer claims a single charge should last a month or more with normal use.

Next up are custom door‑sill plates. Like the cup holders, they can be customized with words and logos when ordering.

They also include a light sensor so they turn off when the door is closed but illuminate when it’s open.

They come with adhesive so you can snap them into place and easily remove them for charging. In my case, I opted to put magnetic tape on the back instead. That tape, by the way, was not included. Like the acrylic LED strip, the door sills have a seemingly limitless number of available colors and patterns.

And like the cup‑holder lights, they can be customized when ordering.

One thing I don’t like about the door‑sill lights is that the LEDs aren’t evenly lit. At night they look great, but during daylight hours they only look half‑lit.

Of the three, my favorite is the acrylic LED light strips, which—if you were so inclined—could also be added to things like door panels and armrests.

LED Car Interior Lightning Accessories Product List

• Acrylic Interior Car LED Strip Light: https://amzn.to/4o4Cotz
• 2 Pcs Led Door Sills: https://amzn.to/4ua455G
• Custom Logo LED Cup Holder Lights: https://amzn.to/4vmj39L
• Thin Magnetic Tape Roll: https://amzn.to/4fTWSDk

The post How To: LED Car Interior Lighting Accessories appeared first on EV Rider.

I could make jokes about all the soccer Dads and career Moms who drive a Ford Explorer – I literally drove past dozens as I tested this one.

But in my city, and many counties around, a version of the Explorer called the Ford Police Interceptor Utility is the go-to for those in uniform, mostly in Carbonized Gray. Ours have reflective logos that sort of blend in during the daytime, so with the slimline LED light bar and no cargo rails (standard on police Explorers), they are quite invisible – they are quite invisible –civilian‑looking to other drivers. And my Explorer Tremor’s Vapor Blue Metallic – kind of metallic gray – almost looks like my local Sheriff’s Office’s.

The first Explorer in 1991 looked like what it was – a rear-wheel/four-wheel-drive SUV atop a Ranger pickup. But as of 2011’s fifth-gen, it shifted to a front-wheel/all-wheel-drive platform with turbocharged fours and sixes. Then came the fully revamped sixth-gen atop a new rear-wheel-drive based platform in 2020 – our 2026 Explorer is a 2025 refresh of that model. And one look tells you it’s an Explorer, from its sweptback, almost Range Rover silhouette that’s an evolution of its recent generations. And there’s lots out there – the Explorer has always been a top selling SUV – almost 187,000 in 2023; just over 194,000 in 2024; and almost 223,000 in 2025.

The new grille gets wider, a copper bar accent across the Tremor model’s black honeycomb mesh between LED headlights with strip DRLs. Fog lights live in deep sculpted side vents, while the lower center intake gets copper-colored tow hooks and a silver skid plate. The flanks don’t change from 2020 – gently flared fenders framed in black over gloss black alloy wheels, one spoke done in – yes, copper – wearing off-road oriented 18-inch Bridgestone Dueller A/T rubber.

The familiar rising accent line across the doors is there over prominent black sill accents. Slim roof racks are black. In back, large taillights now get a gloss black bar connecting them over a black bumper with silver skid plate-like accents, a hint of copper in there.

And gaze underneath – there’s a real skid plate behind that bumper, in case you run over a sunken palm tree. And off-road lights flank the Ford emblem – really bright LEDs – but they can only be activated with high beams on, and only after diving two steps into a screen menu.

The 2025 refresh of the Explorer eliminated a lot of physical controls inside, and expanded its digital content. And with our Tremor model, there’s some subtle upscaling going on as well.

Under the padded black dashtop lives a total redesign of what faces the driver and passenger. It does away with the original 2020 model’s multiple buttons. There’s a fine mesh black cloth, then silver trim over textured gray facing the dashboard, with copper thread underneath. Perforated aluminum Bang & Olufsen speaker grills accent doors over more stitched armrests.

Dash center is a wider touchscreen that handles almost every infotainment function you wish, albeit some a menu tap or two down. Only a volume knob remains under that screen and next to some basic safety system buttons over a very handy mini-shelf. That said, our Tremor did not have what I’d expect right on that shelf – inductive phone chargers.

The copper-stitched leather steering wheel rim is thick and grippable, small plastic paddle shifters in back, familiar Ford audio and digital gauge screen controls in front. And that gauge package can go from simple – digital speed – to navigation map, or gauges with info displays that include climb and lean angle, since Tremor models aim for some off-roading.

The plush leather and suede seats get heat, cooling and massage, plus more copper stitching and “TREMOR” embroidered in the seat uppers. They were comfortable and supportive on trips on and off-road. There’s good storage room at the head of the wide center console, trimmed in leatherette with copper stitching, with a rotary gear selector and cup holders, with more space under the – you guessed it – copper stitch-accented center armrest.

Captain’s chairs in the second row have great head and leg room, living under a fixed-glass moonroof with retractable cover, also with “TREMOR” embroidering, plus heat. There’s rear climate control, and USB/12-volt power ports. And there’s room in between to access a usable if low rear 2-person bench seat. The second and third rows fold flat to really expand space – and the last row power drops or lifts. The power tailgate climbs high to clear my head, as well.

2026 Ford Explorer Tremor 4WD Has 5,000 Pounds Of Towing Muscle

The Tremor, and the Police Interceptor can have one of two engines – a 3.3-liter hybrid with 318 hp, or a 3-liter EcoBoost V-6 with 400 hp. I got lucky – my Tremor has that twin-turbo V-6. And while most civilian Ford Explorers play family SUV and never play with in the rough, I opted to run the Tremor up and down a muddy, pot-holed mud path next to a salt marsh, usually home to folks in 4×4’s going fishing.

The Explorer Tremor gets an off-road suspension with an extra inch of ground clearance over family Explorers – 8.6 inches of it. There’s more steel underbody skid plates, revised bumpers with better approach and departure angles, and those knobbier tires to help. Along with the 400-hp V-6, we had a 10-speed automatic transmission, limited-slip rear differential for improved traction, plus a dedicated off-road drive mode with selectable Rock Crawl, Mud/Ruts, Tow/Haul, and Slippery condition selections.

2026 Ford Explorer Tremor 4WD Handles Light Off Roading Well

We activated off-road mode, which backs off throttle input to help limit wheelspin, and move out. The mud road heads downhill through deep puddles pocked with coral-based rocks. Our 4,457-lb. SUV’s multi-link suspension with off road-spec dampers just absorbed those splashing dips without any head toss or harshness. And the tires grabbed and pulled us through the slimy route with no issues. In off-road mode, the main screen shows what’s right in front of that new grille, with tire tracks to show where you are headed – and there’s a 360-degree overhead image of what’s around, plus a big screen image of that tree in back as you reverse. FYI – rubber floor mats kept the muddy footprints contained.

The 40-foot turning radius make it somewhat easier to turn around at the end of the trail – didn’t hurt that the Tremor’s rear axle gets brake-based torque vectoring that locks its inside rear wheel during slow off-road maneuvering. That can cut the turning radius by up to 25%.

Call the Tremor a pretty legit off-roader for the basic stuff like a dirt trail, forest road or rainy beach – no mountain roads to test in Florida, though.

Back on the asphalt again and set in rear-wheel-drive, we checked how the Tremor handles commuting and shopping duties.

In Eco mode – you have to select it each time you fire this Explorer up, since it reverts to Normal mode – the 7,000-mile-old SUV moves out well, rearing up a bit as it gains turbo boost to hit 60 mph in a 5.3 seconds with a subtle exhaust growl. Tap in Sport mode, and as the steering loads up with a bit more feel, the Explorer seems to pull out of the hole quicker en route to 60 mph in a quick 4.8 seconds, its exhaust a bit meatier. Paddle shifters respond well, a l’il throttle blip on downshifts.

With the V-6, it can tow up to 5,000 pounds of trailer. Auto-engine shutoff was transparent when it refired – no lurch. And driven mostly in Eco mode, we averaged up to 25 mpg.

Our test of a 2020 Explorer SVT with twin-turbo, DOHC 3-liter V-6 giving 400-hp (w/premium) and 415 lb.-ft. of torque took 6.5 seconds to hit 60 mph in Sport mode. Observed mileage was 20 mpg.

The chassis is designed with rear-wheel-biased all-wheel-drive unless you select Sport or an off-road mode, with MacPherson strut in front, and multi-link rear. Yet even with it being a bit taller in the saddle, and with more offroad-specific rubber, the Explorer Tremor had a taut yet nicely supple ride that handled bumps quickly, good buffering at compression on all but the sharpest potholes, and a fairly quiet ride at speed.

Set in Sport, power steering stiffens up with a nice direct feel, if a bit artificial. The Tremor also invokes all-wheel-drive in Sport mode, adjusting power distribution to the wheels as needed. So it stayed neutral with a little body roll around corners, powering nicely out. Power harder in a turn and we got a bit of understeer, but the handling remained predictable. And in steady-state cornering, understeer was more evident, but it did not plow off course. The brake pedal on our test vehicle had a nice bite early, good control and decent stopping power.

We had BlueCruise autonomous driving, which maintained speed, distance and the lane (with a bit of hunting) just fine on interstates and many state highways. I still don’t like auto-lane change – it activates if someone ahead is slower than preset speed – and it takes a steering jerk to shut it off.

The base rear-wheel-drive Explorer Active 100A with turbocharged 4-cylinder engine starts at $38,465; our four-wheel-drive Tremor 4WD started at $48,465 with a $11,850 Ultimate package with fixed moonroof, ambient accent lighting, B&O Sound System and a few more goodies, plus $495 Vapor Blue paint, $455 entry keypad and some other items for a final price of $64,495.

Bottom line: Seriously powerful with solid handling on-road; capable on moderate off-roading, and real roomy in its nicely lux interior – looks cool too.

2026 Ford Explorer Tremor Specifications

Vehicle type – 5-door, 3-row/six-passenger all-wheel-drive off-roadable SUV

Base price – $48,465 ($64,495 as tested)

Engine type – aluminum block 24-valve, dual-turbocharged DOHC V-6

Displacement – 3-liter

Horsepower (net) – 400

Torque (lb-ft) – 415

Transmission – 10-speed automatic w/paddle shifters

Wheelbase – 119.1 inches

Overall length – 198.8 199.3 inches

Overall width – 89.3 inches w/mirrors

Height – 69.6 70.2 inches

Front headroom – 40.7 inches

Front legroom – 43 inches

Middle headroom – 40.5 inches

Middle legroom – 39 inches

Rear headroom – 38.9 inches

Rear legroom – 32.2 inches

Cargo capacity – 18.2 cu. ft./47.9 w/3rd row folded/87.8 with 2nd and 3rd row folded

Towing capacity – up to 5,600 lbs.

Curb weight – 4,631 lbs.

Fuel capacity – 20.2 gallons

Mileage rating – 17 mpg city/22 mpg highway

The post 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor 4WD Is Powerful appeared first on EV Rider.

This week on EV Rider we’ve got a video-only edition as we drive Porsche’s 2022 Taycan Cross Turismo 4 and talk with the owner about its strengths and weaknesses over the years.

A big thanks goes to Josh Giebel for letting EV Rider drive and produce a video on his Taycan. Josh previously owned a Tesla Model S and his wife owns a Tesla Model X. Josh also owns a Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet with a 6-speed manual.

Editor’s Note: A transcript of the video is available on YouTube.

Taycan Competitor Videos

The post Long-Term Review: ’22 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo appeared first on EV Rider.

Google Maps, in-car video streaming and widgets are about to get a big overhaul in most EV brands.

Google has announced a major Android Auto update is coming that will do a better job of seamlessly integrating your car’s screen.

At the top of the list is a new auto-adapting feature that will allow Android auto to nicely fill the growing number of screen shapes cars are debuting.

For example, the electric MINI Countryman SE ALL4 that EV Rider tested comes with a circular display. The new Android Auto will now adapt to the circle’s shape rather than just being a rectangle in the middle of the screen.

The same thing applies to the Lucid Air’s curved display, or the new BMW iX3’s trapezoidal screen shape.

Google Maps will now be able to wrap edge-to-edge.  And speaking of Google Maps, it’s being updated with a redesigned 3D view that shows three dimensional things like buildings, overpasses and terrain.

Here’s a list of brands that Google has so far confirmed will be will be receiving the update:

For those that don’t already know, Google has also been in the process of rolling out native EV route planning. For example, in the Ford Mustang Mach-E Android Auto’s Google maps will suggest charging stops and precondition the battery as the car approaches the charging stop.

For EV owners that choose to stay in their cars while charging, perhaps the most important update is high-definition video streaming. Video apps are coming to Android Auto with up to 60 frames-per-second of full HD.

When you’re done charging and put the car in drive the stream will keep playing. Android Auto will automatically transition the video to an audio-only stream so you can keep listening without interruption. You can see how it works in the video at the top of this post.

Widgets are also coming, allowing you to put overlays on top of Google Maps. Gemini is also being fully integrated, meaning you’ll have one of the best large language AI models in your car.

While you might think that’s overkill, its going to have a lot or practical applications as it integrates with services. For example, you’ll be able to tell Gemini to order your usual Doordash meal right from your car and have it waiting for you the second you get home.

Cars with high-end audio systems will also be getting a boost with Dolby Atmos support being added. One thing that wasn’t mentioned is whether the Chrome browser might finally be allowed on Android Auto.

For General Motors brands and other car makers using Google’s built-in Android Automotive operating system, a similar host of improvements is coming.

The major upgrade is expected to roll out later this year although a specific month wasn’t announced.

The post New Android Auto With Improved Maps, Video To Debut appeared first on EV Rider.

What’s in a name?

A proper question as we test this 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness – not too long after we trod the pavement, and some grassy fields, in the new Outback Premium.

Yes, the sheet metal is the same, but this Subie’s different – more attitude, 80 more horsepower, and a bit more off-road.

Do not forget, the 2026 Outback has been moved into a more SUV-like shape by designers at what was formerly Fuji Heavy Industries. So let’s see what’s in a name – and a design.

In the beginning the Outback started as a gently-cladded version of the Subaru Legacy sedan and wagon decades ago. Over time it gained ride height and more serious fittings so it could handle what many other folks’ crossovers and SUVs did. Think things like fields and beaches. So the first thing we see with the Outback Wilderness, other than that boxier, chunkier shape; is a far more serious set of body cladding front, center and rear.

Subaru sold almost 169,000 Outbacks in 2024, its highest since 2019. Outback sales dipped to just under 158,000 in 2025, while the factory says it sold 37,626 as of April this year, versus 51,435 in the same 4-month period in 2025, down 26.9%.

More Subaru Coverage (story continues below)

2026 Subaru Forester Ups Its Game With Wilderness Trim

Subaru Solterra Gets Substancial Overhaul For 2026

Subaru Outback Premium Updated For 2026

2025 Subaru BRZ tS Keeps The Manual Flame Alive

The Outback Premium has its share of angular black plastic in its lower air intake and side fog light pods. The Wilderness gets a more serious dose. The black grille gets “SUBARU” written large as its center bar over larger honeycomb and accent pieces. There’s no Subaru star emblem here. It’s flanked by thick black bars that go from the slit LED DRLs that live under the hood’s corner edges, right down to the lower cladding where they flank the intake and skid plate accent. Big, round fog lights get Wilderness-specific copper rings for a serious standout look. The real headlights live below the DRLs’ black trim.

Geometric black fender flares with real rear venting frame slightly chunkier, all-terrain 17-inch Bridgestone Dueller rubber on semi-gloss black 10-spoke alloys. Lower side cladding is deeper, taller, more willing to take a beating when you sling dirt.

The roof rack is chunky as well. It’s able to handle 220 pounds of stuff, and almost four times more when parked, if you want to mount a rooftop tent. A copper-colored Wilderness badge is affixed to accent panels on each C-pillar.

Most of this body is aluminum. Only the rear quarters are steel. And to make sure you know it’s an off-roader, the center of that alloy hood is done in matte black to lessen reflections on the trail. The new Outback Wilderness sure looks more the part of an off-roader, and less a family station wagon.

Along with the “OUTBACK” name embossed on lots of the black cladding, there’s a real skid plate behind the front bumper to help with off-road travels.

Copper Accents Adorn 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness Interior

The copper accents outside continue inside the Outback Wilderness, as driver and passengers easily slide into the faux leather seats due to the increased ride height. And since this is the Wilderness model, the gauge and navigation screen show off welcome animations of a mountain range, sunrise and all.

The boxier shape sits atop the same 108.1-inch wheelbase as the more sedan-shaped predecessor. That does seem to translate into a bit more room, particularly above our heads. The StarTex (waterproof faux leather) seats feel supple, with heat up front and nice copper stitching, as feet rest on swirl-patterned black rubber mats, and hairdos have “Wilderness”-embossed head restraints.

The chunky leather-wrapped steering wheel is copper stitched inside. It gains a copper bottom spoke accent, small paddle shifters behind, and the usual buttons in front. Manually adjustable, it offers a clear view of a configurable digital display that can show a 160-mph speedometer and 8,000-rpm tach, or map with speed display, or other streamlined options.

It also displays Subaru’s safety systems, like blind spot sensing that shows when something’s ahead or beside you, or if you are drifting out of a lane. The EyeSight safety system monitors where the driver’s eyes go. If you glance away too long at the audio system or car beside you, it garners a “Hands on Wheel” flashing red alert.

The 12.1-inch navigation touchscreen has a volume knob with all other systems attached to menus accessed by a left-side row of icons. The system is a bit slow to fully warm up when you start, and some items are a menu or two down. But I liked that many needs can be accessed by a simple “Hi Subaru” voice command, then asking for the function.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and there’s HD Radio as well. And while you can adjust climate control via the screen, there are dual zone temperature knobs and real buttons below to handle the basic stuff. 

More copper accents the gearshift next to cup holders and there is an inductive charger for your cellphone along with USB ports. The 360-degree/overhead/side camera button is there, as are other driving controls. I really liked the flannel-like cloth lining the door map pockets, to keep water bottles from rattling.

The rear seats have decent leg room, and good headroom, perfect for two adults with a/c vents. They fold fairly flat to access a larger (32.6- to 34.6-cu.ft) cargo area. If you drop both second row seatbacks there is 80.5-cu.ft. of space. There’s a soft, washable security cover as well that can be set up like a hammock to hold wet clothing. The power rear hatch opens high enough to clear my forehead, which is appreciated.

Overall, there’s a sense of sturdy richness here. We have tested an Outback Premium recently with 8.7 inches of ground clearance and a normally-aspirated 2.5-liter BOXER (opposed-four) engine with 180-hp and 178 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,800 rpm. But this is the G.O.A.T. Outback. It has 9.5 inches of ground clearance and a turbocharged 2.4-liter BOXER with 260-hp and 277 lb.-ft. of torque at 2,000-4,800 rpm. Both get power funneled through a Lineartronic CVT, this one with 10 simulated speeds vs. 8, plus paddle shifters and all-wheel-drive. There are no drive modes, just an X-MODE mud and snow option.

Extra Subaru Outback Wilderness Horsepower Makes A Difference

That added power revealed itself at launch. Our 3,973-lb. (232-lb. more than the Premium) Outback Wilderness, on all-terrain rubber, grabbed and got to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds. The engine revved to between 5,000- and 6,000-rpm as the CVT’s belt and pulley did its thing. That compares to 7.9 seconds for the lighter, less powerful Outback Premium.

The continuously-variable transmission did a decent job of simulating up- and downshifts in regular driving, and even as it varied between rpms under harder acceleration, it remained fairly quiet doing so. We averaged about 21 mpg, which is a tad less than the Outback Premium. The auto-engine off system was clean enough shutting the engine off at stops, but lurched a bit re-firing as I went from brake to gas.

The Outback Wilderness’s electronically controlled dampers allow for firmer or softer suspension tuning depending on road, or off-road surfaces, based on sensor inputs. The result was a supple yet taut ride over bumps, with no harshness on any speed bump except for sharp little ones, where the rear suspension thumped a bit on rebound. The other result was minimal body roll despite the added height in turns. The Outback Wilderness was quite neutral in corners, and well-mannered in steady-state turns under power in roundabouts. There was almost no understeer in tight, twisty two-lanes.

All-wheel-drive not only showed its ability in the dry, but in a 30-minute Florida gullywasher. On slick, fresh, very wet asphalt, traction was solid straight and curved.

And with X-Mode, when sat-nav put us on a narrow dirt road in a downpour to get from one road to another, traction in the mud was fine. Each wheel did its job. The ride over holes and lumps was controlled and comfortable. The two X-Modes cut out at 25 mph. But there’s also a hill-descent control.

Steering was a tight 2.3 turns lock-to-lock, with decent feel and acceptable power assist. It had better feel than the Premium. The 12.4-inch front/11.8-inch rear disc brakes had a decent pedal feel, and a tad of travel before bite on our 4,700-mile-old test car. They stopped the car straight and drama-free. There was a tad of nose-dive and ABS at full stop, but no fade after hard repeated use.

We also had a bit more time to get used to the EyeSight Driver Assist, which looks at the driver’s eyes to make sure they are looking at the driving world. It is hyper-sensitive, beeping if I looked too long at a merging car or my gearshift. The adaptive cruise control offers a sometimes firm lane centering and steering wheel feedback. But it does alert you to those in the left and right rear blind spots – and can be backed off via the in-screen menu, albeit one a layer or so down.

The base Subaru Outback starts at $34,995; Our top-line Outback Wilderness gets all we had standard for a final MSRP of $44,490.

Bottom line: A very complete, all-weather mini-SUV, for a price.

2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness Edition Specifications

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

Base price – $34,995 ($44,490 as tested)

Engine type – turbocharged 2.4-liter 16-valve DOHC aluminum boxer 4-cylinder

Displacement – 2.4 liters

Horsepower (net) – 260 @ 5,600 rpm

Torque (lb-ft) – 277 @ 2,000 – 4,800 rpm

Transmission – CVT automatic with 10-speed – manual mode and paddle shifters

Wheelbase – 108.1 inches

Height – 67.5 inches

Overall length – 191.7 inches

Overall width – 74 inches w/mirrors

Ground clearance – 8.7 inches

Front headroom – 40.5 inches

Front legroom – 43 inches

Rear headroom – 40.5 inches

Rear legroom – 39.5 inches

Cargo capacity – 34.6 cu. ft./80.5 w/seats folded

Towing capacity: up to 3,500 (800 more) lbs.

Curb weight – 3,973 lbs.

Fuel capacity – 18.5 gallons

Mileage rating – 21 mpg city/27 mpg highway

The post 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness Adds More Horsepower appeared first on EV Rider.