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Car and Driver
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
2026 Mazda CX-5: How Does the New CX-5 Compare with the Old One?
Mazda is introducing a new CX-5 for 2026, and we're comparing the new version with the old one. The 2026 CX-5 is longer than before and promises more interior space. The optional turbocharged engine is no longer available, but there is a hybrid model coming in 2027. The Mazda CX-5 compact SUV has been around for well over a decade, and it's receiving its second major update for the 2026 model year. The latest generation of this popular crossover boasts some significant changes compared with the outgoing model, so we're detailing the differences, which include a larger footprint, a revised powertrain lineup, styling changes, and new technology features. The CX-5 Gets Stretched Mazda says it stretched the new 2026 CX-5's wheelbase by three inches and its overall length by 4.5 inches compared with the old model. It's also 0.5 inch wider than before. This should pay dividends in both rear-seat space and cargo room, though we don't yet have detailed specifications for either of these measurements. Mazda claims that rear-seat legroom, knee room, and headroom are increased, and the door openings are larger. The rear cargo floor is two inches longer and one inch deeper, with a lower liftover height that should make it easier to load heavy items. Mazda New Mazda CX-5 Andi Hedrick | Car and Driver Old Mazda CX-5 No More Turbo Engine, Hybrid Coming Soon Sadly, for 2026, Mazda is no longer offering our favorite powertrain option for the CX-5, the turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four. This optional engine produced 256 horsepower in the previous CX-5, but now the only choice is the 187-hp naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-four. The transmission remains a six-speed automatic, and all-wheel drive is standard. If you want the turbo engine in a Mazda compact SUV, the similarly sized CX-50 will still offer that powertrain combo for the time being. Later, Mazda will add a hybrid version of the CX-5 that will use a new in-house-developed hybrid system. It hasn't released specifications on this setup, but we think it's safe to assume that it will be more powerful than the 2.5-liter four Still Looks Snazzy, Bigger Screens Mazda Andi Hedrick | Car and Driver The 2026 CX-5 looks different on the outside, with more modern-looking headlights and taillights, plus new wheel designs. Its overall shape is similar, though the longer proportions are noticeable. The interior makeover includes larger screens, including a standard 12.9-inch touchscreen and an optional 15.6-inch touchscreen in the center of the dashboard, and more luxurious-looking materials. The previous car's rotary control knob in the center console is also gone, as the screen is now operated only via touch inputs. Mazda hasn't yet detailed most of the 2026 CX-5's new features nor any of its trim levels, but we expect it to offer a similar lineup as the current car, which ranges from the 2.5 S base model up to the fully loaded Signature. Pricing will be released closer to the 2026 model's on-sale date, and we expect it to rise somewhat from the current CX-5's $30,265 base price. Joey Capparella Deputy Editor, Rankings Content Despite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City. Read full bio
Car and Driver
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
2025 Toyota 4Runner Limited Test: New Dog, Some New Tricks
The existence of the Toyota 4Runner is up there with other universal constants, like the speed of light in a vacuum. It exists beyond time and space. When we all become dust in the wind, the 4Runner will still be there, offering up its anachronistic blend of truck-adjacent versatility for whatever buyers still wander about the wasteland. After an impressive 15-year run, the sun has set on the fifth-gen model. The new 2025 4Runner brings some much-needed improvements to the table, but the general formula remains the same—not always to positive effect. That's particularly true in a trim like this Limited that presumably will spend most of its days on pavement. Exterior and Interior The fifth-generation 4Runner's design wasn't bad by any stretch, but looking at it for so long got a little tiring. Since everybody likes their SUVs as macho as humanly possible, the new 4Runner's style leans heavy on the chunk. Even in our test example's mall-crawler Limited spec, the 4Runner has an imposing silhouette. The edges are a little more rounded off than on its Land Cruiser sibling, but it's clear the two are cut from the same rectilinear cloth. View Interior Photos Andi Hedrick | Car and Driver Inside, the 4Runner finally gets a cabin that was designed with modern tech in mind. The Limited sports a honkin' 14.0-inch touchscreen that dominates the dashboard, but there remains a healthy assortment of physical switchgear to manipulate. The controls are big and chunky enough to be used with gloves on. In fact, everything in here has a kind of low-polygon vibe to it, something Toyota has been relying on in recently revised models to good effect. The 4Runner is a little tall, but our model came wearing power running boards, a $1005 option that made ingress and egress a little easier, even if deployment isn't very quick. Ours also had the $1330 optional third row; these jump seats are best left to children, but they will hold adults in a pinch, both literally and figuratively. Things feeling a little cramped in the back? Don't worry, the rear window still rolls down, giving the wayback some much needed breeze. Andi Hedrick | Car and Driver View Interior Photos Andi Hedrick | Car and Driver New Powertrain The 4Runner's powertrain was also modernized, though it doesn't always feel that way. Toyota's 4.0-liter V-6 is finally free to cash its Social Security checks on a Fort Lauderdale beach. In its place is a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder producing 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, and an available hybrid boosts output even further but can't be combined with the third row of seats. Our three-row Limited was thus equipped with the base engine, which produces a note that lands somewhere between "coarse" and "unpalatable," though its pronounced turbo whistle is kinda fun. The eight-speed automatic may have more gears than its predecessor, but it feels no smoother. HIGHS: Modern interior, beefy looks and the capability to match, roll-down rear glass still rocks. With the base engine, motivation is ho-hum. At the test track, this 5111-pound SUV needs an unimpressive 7.5 seconds to reach 60 mph; from a 5-mph roll, it takes 8.2 seconds. Breaking into triple digit club requires 20.2 seconds. The brakes are decent, taking 170 feet to stop from 70 mph, but the pedal is squishy and builds little confidence in around-town driving. It feels like the first couple inches of pedal movement are for display purposes only. After that, you need to apply so much pressure that you might wonder if you forgot to option power brakes. View Exterior Photos Andi Hedrick | Car and Driver On-Road Driving We've taken the 4Runner off-road alongside its fancier Land Cruiser relative, and while it remains eminently capable in the dirt, the new 4Runner also remains a task to daily drive. It is large, it is heavy, and it is ponderous. While the new model does steer better than its predecessor, the steering still feels a smidge lazy. Ride quality over pockmarked pavement is mediocre at best. Even though our test example has adaptive dampers, it still suffered pronounced body-on-frame jiggle; its softest Comfort mode doesn't quell the jiggling but does allow it to wallow more. There are also two different Sport modes, both of which are uncomfortable and make precisely zero sense on a truck-based SUV. Real-deal pickup trucks with empty beds and passive dampers handle better than this thing. Unsurprisingly, the 4Runner doesn't exhibit a lot of grip, orbiting around our skidpad with 0.74 g of stick. The 20-inch Dunlop Grandtrek PT5A all-season tires might not produce a ton of grip, but they do loudly clomp over expansion joints and potholes. When the wind picks up, it slaps against the 4Runner's many flat surfaces, also contributing to the in-cabin din that seems noisier than the 69 decibels we recorded inside at 70 mph. LOWS: Uncomfortable ride, ungainly handling, rough-around-the-edges powertrain. During the fifth-gen 4Runner's extremely long life, it enjoyed a spot all to itself in the lineup. But now that the Land Cruiser has been redesigned as a smaller but no less versatile unit, there's some overlap. The $58,850 Limited is the fanciest nonhybrid 4Runner trim on offer, and our test truck tacked on a few options, bringing its total to $62,875. Its pre-options price is in line with the $58,150 base Land Cruiser 1958, and our as-tested price isn't far from the fancier Land Cruiser's $62,920 window sticker. View Exterior Photos Andi Hedrick | Car and Driver If you're willing to throw a few more dollars at your monthly car note, you do get a bit more from the Land Cruiser. A hybrid is standard there, whereas it's an extra-cost option on the 4Runner Limited and other trims. The LC might be a bit less capable off-road in certain aspects, given it can't be had in the 4Runner's available TRD Pro and Trailhunter setups, but that trade-off results in a bit more on-road placidity. Neither would be considered a bargain, though. As has been the case in the past, attempts to tame the Toyota 4Runner's rough-and-tumble nature with on-road-oriented trims like the Limited have done little to make this body-on-frame SUV feel less out of place in the Target parking lot. In that sense, the 2025 model is much like its forebears. But at least you know what you're getting into. VERDICT: A truck-based SUV that doesn't stray far from its past. Specifications Specifications 2025 Toyota 4Runner Limited 4WD Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door wagon PRICE Base/As Tested: $58,850/$62,875 Options: third-row seating, $1330; power running boards, $1005; gloss-black roof-rail cross bars, $420; Tow Tech package (trailer reverse assist, interior rearview mirror display), $400; LED liftgate light, $200; accessory-ready LED lantern, $160; retractable black cargo cover, $135; 4Runner carpeted cargo mat, $130; TRD panel air filter, $90; bright-chrome wheel locks, $90; towing-ball mount, $65 ENGINE turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port and direct fuel injection Displacement: 146 in3, 2393 cm3 Power: 278 hp @ 6000 rpm Torque: 317 lb-ft @ 1700 rpm TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic CHASSIS Suspension, F/R: control arms/live axle Brakes, F/R: 13.4-in vented disc/13.2-in vented disc Tires: Dunlop Grandtrek PT5A 265/55R-20 113V M+S DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 112.2 in Length: 194.9 in Width: 77.9 in Height: 73.1 in Passenger Volume, F/M/R: 56/44/36 ft3 Cargo Volume, Behind F/M/R: 84/45/12 ft3 Curb Weight: 5111 lb C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 7.5 sec 1/4-Mile: 15.7 sec @ 90 mph 100 mph: 20.2 sec Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec. Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 8.2 sec Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.9 sec Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 5.2 sec Top Speed (gov ltd): 115 mph Braking, 70–0 mph: 170 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.74 g C/D FUEL ECONOMY Observed: 18 mpg EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/City/Highway: 21/20/24 mpg C/D TESTING EXPLAINED Reviewed by Andrew Krok Managing Editor, Reviews Cars are Andrew Krok's jam, along with boysenberry. After graduating with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, Andrew cut his teeth writing freelance magazine features, and now he has a decade of full-time review experience under his belt. A Chicagoan by birth, he has been a Detroit resident since 2015. Maybe one day he'll do something about that half-finished engineering degree.
Car and Driver
03-06-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
2025 Acura ADX Tested: Not Exactly a Taller Teg
Small SUVs are replacing small cars as the entry point for more and more automotive brands, but the differences between them can extend beyond their form factors. At Acura, the Integra, currently $34,195 to $39,195 (not counting the $50K-plus Type S), has served as the brand's entry point. But now it's joined by the ADX, a new subcompact SUV, whose three-level lineup runs from $36,350 to $45,350. Just as the Integra shares its platform with the Honda Civic, the ADX is related to the Honda HR-V. The ADX rides on the same 104.5-inch wheelbase as the HR-V but gets its own suit of sheetmetal, sharing no body panels with its Honda sibling. It's also some six inches longer, putting it within spitting distance (1.6 inches) of Acura's larger RDX. View Exterior Photos Andi Hedrick | Car and Driver All ADX models can be had with front- or all-wheel drive—our test car, a top-spec A-Spec Advance model, had the latter. And all are powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder paired with a CVT. This is the same engine you'll find in the Integra, and while the ADX's 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque are a bit less than the Integra's 200 horses and 192 pound-feet, the output substantially betters the HR-V's 158-hp 2.0-liter four. Look outside the Honda family, though, and 190 horses looks less impressive. The Audi Q3 musters 228 horsepower, the BMW X1 xDrive28i proffers 241, the Volvo XC40 manages 247, the Lexus NX350 corrals 275, and the X1 M35i boasts 312 horsepower. HIGHS: Looks nothing like its Honda relation, nicely finished interior, well-tuned chassis. Lo and behold, the little Acura trails every one of those competitors in the sprint to 60 mph. Its 8.7-second time may be better than the glacial 9.4 seconds we measured with the all-wheel-drive HR-V, but it's well in arrears of the Acura's premium-brand rivals. Even the slowest of that aforementioned group, the Q3, buries the ADX with a 7.4-second time, and it's probably best not to talk about the X1 M35i and its 4.7-second blitz. View Interior Photos Andi Hedrick | Car and Driver The ADX also trails well behind its sedan sibling, which in our testing of an automatic-equipped model scooted to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds. The ADX had the off-the-line traction benefit of all-wheel drive, but it carries 457 pounds more mass than the Integra. Therein, we surmise, lies the issue. The ADX's modest 179 pound-feet of torque is available at a low 1700 rpm, so calls for a bit more speed don't necessarily send the tach needle soaring. But when the 1.5-liter is giving its all, the ADX's slow climb up to speed is accompanied by a nasal honk of an engine note. And whether the engine is in the standard drive mode or (with a slightly different pitch) in Sport, it's vocal. We measured 78 decibels under wide-open throttle—significantly louder than the 74 decibels for the XC40 or the NX350. View Interior Photos Andi Hedrick | Car and Driver If power is wanting, fuel economy is more in line with segment norms—although here again it's well short of the Integra's numbers. The all-wheel-drive ADX carries EPA estimates of 25 mpg city and 30 on the highway (front-wheel drive bumps those up by 1 mpg). Those numbers exceed the Audi's or the Lexus's and are similar to the Volvo's—the BMWs do a bit better on the highway. In our own 75-mph highway testing, the ADX returned 29 mpg. LOWS: Honking engine note, plodding acceleration, uncomfortable rear seat. The ADX's all-wheel-drive system does not shuffle torque across the rear axle, as in the RDX and MDX. Nor can adaptive dampers be had, as in the Integra. Despite lacking that sophisticated gear, the ADX corners eagerly, guided by quick steering (2.4 turns lock to lock) with spot-on weighting. This car also erases bumps and traverses bad pavement with minimal fuss. No, it's not a funster in the manner of the low-slung, canyon-slaying Integra Type S—note the modest 0.82 g of skidpad grip from the A-Spec-specific 235/45R-19 tires. But for a compact crossover, the ADX's ride and handling should please its audience. Some small degree of customization is possible via the ADX's drive modes (which alter engine response, steering effort, engine sound, and the cluster appearance), and the Advance adds an Individual setting to mix and match. View Interior Photos Andi Hedrick | Car and Driver Inside, the ADX has a clear Acura family resemblance. Our A-Spec Advance test car was decked out in a lively red and black color scheme; an interesting off-white (Orchid) and blue two-tone combo is also available, as is a more boring all-black. The cabin features a nice mix of materials, plentiful storage, and gimmick-free physical controls. The infotainment screen isn't the biggest out there, but wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are on hand. Seating comfort is fine for those up front, less so for those in back. The issue isn't headroom or legroom—both are adequate, if not generous—it's a low seat cushion. The cargo hold is par for the course in this class. Its 23 cubic feet behind the rear seats (24 in lesser trims) places it neatly between the measurements for the BMW X1 M35i and the Volvo XC40. Same for the 54 cubic feet (or 55 in the base and mid-tier versions) with the rear seatbacks folded. View Interior Photos Andi Hedrick | Car and Driver We'll grant that subcompact-SUV form factor gives the ADX more interior room than the Integra, and its available all-wheel drive (a $2000 option on all trim levels) is something the Integra does not offer. But there are clear trade-offs in performance and fuel economy. We're glad that—for now, at least—the ADX isn't the only choice at the affordable end of the Acura spectrum. VERDICT: The entry-level Acura for those not in a hurry. Specifications Specifications 2025 Acura ADX A-Spec Advance AWD Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon PRICE Base/As Tested: $45,350/$45,950 Options: Urban Gray Pearl paint, $600 ENGINE turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection Displacement: 91 in3, 1498 cm3 Power: 190 hp @ 6000 rpm Torque: 179 lb-ft @ 1700 rpm TRANSMISSION continuously variable automatic CHASSIS Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink Brakes, F/R: 12.3-in vented disc/12.2-in disc Tires: Continental ProContact TX 235/45R-19 95H M+S DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 104.5 in Length: 185.8 in Width: 72.5 in Height: 63.8 in Passenger Volume, F/R: 53/43 ft3 Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 54/23 ft3 Curb Weight: 3601 lb C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 8.7 sec 1/4-Mile: 16.9 sec @ 86 mph 100 mph: 24.0 sec 120 mph: 44.6 sec Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.4 sec. Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 9.3 sec Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 4.6 sec Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 6.0 sec Top Speed (C/D est): 125 mph Braking, 70–0 mph: 176 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.82 g C/D FUEL ECONOMY Observed: 23 mpg 75-mph Highway Driving: 29 mpg 75-mph Highway Range: 400 mi EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/City/Highway: 27/25/30 mpg C/D TESTING EXPLAINED Joe Lorio Deputy Editor, Reviews and Features Joe Lorio has been obsessed with cars since his Matchbox days, and he got his first subscription to Car and Driver at age 11. Joe started his career at Automobile Magazine under David E. Davis Jr., and his work has also appeared on websites including Amazon Autos, Autoblog, AutoTrader, Hagerty, Hemmings, KBB, and TrueCar.
Car and Driver
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
Volkswagen Promises Not to Raise Prices Through At Least June
Volkswagen says it won't raise prices on its new cars from now through June. VW says the pricing freeze applies to the company's entire lineup, from the sub-$30K Taos to the $62K-plus For now, Volkswagen is prepared to eat the cost of the current 25 percent tariffs on vehicles imported into the United States. Volkswagen has an important announcement to make: It's not raising new-car prices! At least not until after the month of June. The move comes as most consumers wait with bated breath to find out how much the tariffs implemented by the Trump administration will cause the cost of buying a new car, truck, or SUV to climb. Volkswagen Andi Hedrick | Car and Driver VW says that even though it's spending more money to import certain models, it's willing to eat those costs for the time being. That means it's freezing the MSRP for all of its models, from the entry-level Taos SUV and Jetta sedan to the three-row Atlas SUV and the Microbus-inspired EV. The latter is the brand's most expensive model, with prices that range from about $62K to over $72K. View Exterior Photos Volkswagen Volkswagen also just introduced refreshed versions of the sporty Golf GTI and Golf R, which start at $33,670 and $48,325, respectively. Like the rest of the lineup, their prices are also set in stone through at least June. Eric Stafford Managing Editor, News Eric Stafford's automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual '97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a '90 Honda CRX Si. Read full bio
