Latest news with #Edmunds
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
2025 Subaru Forester hybrid's 35 mpg impresses despite pesky electronics
The 2025 Subaru Forester hybrid ratchets up efficiency with a 35-mpg combined city/highway fuel economy rating in a conservatively styled new model that should burnish the brand's reputation for durable practicality. The Forester is Subaru's second hybrid, following the subcompact Crosstrek. Expect the efficient drivetrain to proliferate across the automaker's lineup. In dealerships now, the Forester hybrid also has more power than the gasoline model, which also is on sale now. The Forester is new for 2025. Prices start at $29,995. Hybrids start at $36,595. I tested a nicely equipped Forester Sport hybrid that stickered at $39,595. All prices exclude $1,430 destination charges and tariffs. More: 2026 Toyota RAV4 goes all-hybrid as automaker warns tariffs threaten new-car affordability More: 2026 Honda CR-V TrailSport hybrid: Mostly show, just enough go Subaru Forester trim levels and prices Base model: $29,995 Premium: $33,385 Sport: $36,105 Wilderness: $36,285 Premium hybrid: $36,595 Sport hybrid: $39,595 Limited hybrid : $41,010 Touring: $41,595 Touring hybrid: $43,295 Source: Edmunds. Prices exclude $1,420 destination charge and tariffs. Tough competition The Forester is Subaru's top-selling model, with 95,972 sales ― up 3.4% ― so far this year. It's one of the brand's cornerstones, alongside the subcompact Crosstrek ― 90,334 YTD ― and compact Outback ― 73, 257, and about to be replaced by a new model. The five-passenger Forester competes with compact SUVs like the Chevrolet Equinox, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Nissan Rogue, Toyota RAV4 and VW Tiguan. It's a crowded class full of excellent vehicles. The Forester's 183.3-inch length is a 6.8-inch improvement from the '24 models. The 2025's length is typical of the class. The Forester's styling hews close to the upright, conservative look that has made the SUV popular for years and helps differentiate it from Subaru's larger Outback. Key features of 2025 Subaru Forester Available hybrid model New 2.5L boxer engine Standard all-wheel drive 11.6-inch touch screen 8.7 inches of ground clearance Driving impressions The Forester hybrid gets 194 hp from its combination of a 2.5L four-cylinder engine and electric motor. That's up from 180 on the gasoline Forester. Subaru doesn't provide a figure for combined torque, but the hybrid's acceleration is adequate for city and highway driving. The all-wheel drive system's features includes a faster acting center differential for torque distribution, right-to-left torque vectoring and hill descent control. The EPA rates the Forester hybrid at 34 mpg in the city, 35 on the highway and 35 combined. Thanks to a 16.6-gallon gas tank, Subaru claims the Forest hybrid can go 581 miles on a tank, topping hybrid versions of the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Hyundai Tucson by 15 to 63 miles. The Forester hybrid can tow up to 1,500 pounds. What could be better? Several of the Forester's electronic systems could use refinement. Voice recognition was inconsistent and several people I called commented on poor quality. The 11.6-inch, portrait orientation touch screen had a cluttered home screen. On the bright side, primary climate controls ― airflow, fan speed, seats ― are permanently in place at the bottom of the screen. A handful of physical switches ― the only existing ones are volume, tuning and temperature ― might help. Or a bigger screen with less blank plastic trim around it. The steering wheel alert repeatedly told me to put my hands on the wheel when they already were. Why buy a 2025 Subaru Forester hybrid? The Forester hybrid improves a model that was already a favorite with buyers. The improved fuel economy ― 21% versus a gasoline-power Forester ― will save owners about $250 a year, according to EPA figures. That's at current prices, and if there's anything we should know by now, it's that gas prices go up over time. Factor in more power and the traditional Subaru values of standard all-wheel drive and advanced safety features and the 2025 Forester should find welcome buyers, unless tariffs raise prices severely. 2025 Subaru Forester hybrid at a glance All-wheel drive five-seat compact hybrid SUV Seats five Base price: $36,595 On sale now Model tested: Sport hybrid Price as tested: $39,595 Power: 2.5L horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine, electric motor Total system output: 190 horsepower Transmission: Continuously variable automatic Wheelbase: 105.1 inches Length: 183.3 inches Width: 72 inches Height: 68.1 inches Ground clearance: 8.7 inches Passenger volume: 106.6 cubic feet Cargo volume: 27.5 cubic feet behind rear seat, 69.1 behind front seat Curb weight: 3,913 pounds Towing capacity: 1,500 pounds Assembled in Gunma, Japan Contact Mark Phelan: mmphelan@ Follow him on Twitter mark_phelan. Read more on autos and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pesky electronics undermine 2025 Subaru Forester hybrid's appeal
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Free agent Bills let leave named among NFL's 'most overpaid players'
The Buffalo Bills have earned some praise for a past decision from Bleacher Report, in a twist. Bleacher Report named the "most overpriced player" at each position in the NFL heading into the 2025 season. Once upon a time, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds was a first-round pick by the Bills but did not stick around in Buffalo. Prior to the 2023 season, Edmunds signed a big contact with the Chicago Bears in free agency. Since then, the Bills have not struggled at the position. Edmunds was once in one of the NFL's best linebacker duos with Matt Milano in Buffalo but Terrel Edmunds has since taken his spot there seamlessly. While Edmunds is still considered a productive player in B/R's breakdown, it's not the list he or the Bears will want to see him on. B/R's breakdown on Edmunds can be found below: Average Annual Salary: $18 million Over his seven seasons in the NFL, Tremaine Edmunds has been consistently productive. The 2018 first-round pick for the Buffalo Bills has tallied at least 100 total tackles every season he has been in the league. But as Bleacher Report's Kris Knox pointed out in calling his four-year, $72 million contract one of the NFL's 10 worst, what Edmunds has not been in Chicago is a true impact defender: "Edmunds hasn't been a complete bust for the Bears. He's topped 100 tackles in each of his two seasons with the franchise while allowing an opposing passer rating below 90.0 in coverage. He has certainly had his moments. "Edmunds has not, however, been a Pro Bowl-caliber player or helped turn Chicago's defense into a top unit. Pro Football Focus graded Edmunds as the league's 119th-best linebacker overall for the 2024 season. In other words, Edmunds has been good but not great when at his best for the Bears. In return, Chicago is paying the 27-year-old as if he was an All-Pro-level off-ball linebacker. "Among inside 'backers, only San Francisco standout Fred Warner is earning more annually than Edmunds." Annual salary is the only place you'll see Edmunds compared to Warner. Edmunds is what he is: a good-but-not-great linebacker who is wildly overpaid. His pact was a bad contract when it was signed. It hasn't aged well, either. But at least the Bears can get out of it in 2026 with a relatively minimal dead cap hit.
2 days ago
- Automotive
Edmunds three-row hybrid SUV test: Kia Sorento vs Toyota Highlander
The 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid and 2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid are two three-row SUVs with compelling attributes if you're shopping for a family-oriented vehicle. First, they're both hybrids and get excellent fuel economy. They're also smaller and less expensive than many other three-row SUVs, such as the Kia Telluride and Toyota Grand Highlander. Not everyone needs a giant vehicle with a third-row seat that can fit full-size adults — something for occasional use by bigger kids or teens can easily suffice. If any or all of that sounds like what you're looking for, the Sorento and Highlander hybrids should fit the bill. But which one should you buy? Edmunds' car experts have tested both to find out. We've already indicated that the Sorento and Highlander have less third-row legroom than bigger three-row SUVs. They also have less cargo space when you raise their third-row seats. Of these two vehicles, the Highlander is bigger on the outside, although that doesn't entirely translate to a bigger interior. It's wider and comes standard with seating for six people. You can get a Highlander Hybrid with an optional second-row bench seat that increases capacity to seven. The Sorento Hybrid only comes with second-row captain's chairs and, as a result, it has a maximum six-passenger capacity. The Highlander can also fit slightly more stuff behind its third row — think an extra duffel or big grocery bag — and its advantage increases with each row lowered. On the other hand, the Sorento has slightly more third-row legroom and headroom. That's relative since only small people can fit in the way back of each. Indeed, the Highlander's advantage isn't that significant, and the Sorento's smaller exterior size is a benefit in terms of parking and maneuverability — two reasons one can contemplate this smaller three-row subset to begin with. Advantage: Toyota Highlander Hybrid The Sorento Hybrid gets an EPA-estimated 36 mpg in combined city/highway driving in its standard front-wheel-drive configuration. Opting for all-wheel drive drops that slightly to 34 mpg combined. Every Highlander Hybrid has all-wheel drive and gets an EPA-estimated 35 mpg combined. You can pretty much consider this a tie. Performance differs, however. At the Edmunds test track, an all-wheel-drive Sorento Hybrid accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds, which is a respectable time for a three-row hybrid SUV. It feels quick, too, thanks to the ample torque provided by the turbocharged engine and electric motor. It also has a six-speed automatic transmission that shifts quickly and smoothly. Having front-wheel drive standard is also nice as it lowers the cost of entry for those who don't need the winter-ready traction of all-wheel drive. The Highlander Hybrid went from zero to 60 mph in 8.2 seconds, which is slower than non-hybrid SUVs by about a second. Power is readily available and smoothly delivered, but Toyota's more typical hybrid powertrain features a continuously variable automatic transmission that makes the engine drone under hard acceleration. That engine is also not turbocharged. Advantage: Kia Sorento Hybrid The Kia Sorento Hybrid starts at $40,105, or about $8,000 less than the $48,315 Highlander Hybrid — adding all-wheel drive to the Kia only reduces the gap by $1,800. The Highlander does come with a few extra standard features to partially offset its higher price, but we don't think they fully justify the price premium. Moreover, the Highlander continues to be similarly more expensive when you compare each vehicle's more well-equipped trim levels. The Sorento also has a better infotainment system as standard, with a 10.25-inch touchscreen packing integrated navigation. The Highlander's standard unit is only 8 inches and lacks navigation. You can, however, add the 12.3-inch touchscreen that's standard on upper trims to the base trim as a stand-alone option. Feature content within the infotainment systems is comparable, but the Kia has multiple USB ports in each row whereas the Highlander has none in the third row. In terms of functionality, we score both the Toyota and Kia tech interfaces similarly strong in terms of usability. Safety technology content is similarly robust in both SUVs, but the Sorento's are superior in terms of performance, especially the adaptive cruise control system. The Sorento and Highlander hybrids are similar in concept, but our testing team ultimately scores the Kia higher. Moreover, the Toyota is so much more expensive regardless of trim level that it makes the Kia look like that much stronger of a choice.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Automotive
- San Francisco Chronicle
Edmunds three-row hybrid SUV test: Kia Sorento vs Toyota Highlander
The 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid and 2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid are two three-row SUVs with compelling attributes if you're shopping for a family-oriented vehicle. First, they're both hybrids and get excellent fuel economy. They're also smaller and less expensive than many other three-row SUVs, such as the Kia Telluride and Toyota Grand Highlander. Not everyone needs a giant vehicle with a third-row seat that can fit full-size adults — something for occasional use by bigger kids or teens can easily suffice. If any or all of that sounds like what you're looking for, the Sorento and Highlander hybrids should fit the bill. But which one should you buy? Edmunds' car experts have tested both to find out. Interior space We've already indicated that the Sorento and Highlander have less third-row legroom than bigger three-row SUVs. They also have less cargo space when you raise their third-row seats. Of these two vehicles, the Highlander is bigger on the outside, although that doesn't entirely translate to a bigger interior. It's wider and comes standard with seating for six people. You can get a Highlander Hybrid with an optional second-row bench seat that increases capacity to seven. The Sorento Hybrid only comes with second-row captain's chairs and, as a result, it has a maximum six-passenger capacity. The Highlander can also fit slightly more stuff behind its third row — think an extra duffel or big grocery bag — and its advantage increases with each row lowered. On the other hand, the Sorento has slightly more third-row legroom and headroom. That's relative since only small people can fit in the way back of each. Indeed, the Highlander's advantage isn't that significant, and the Sorento's smaller exterior size is a benefit in terms of parking and maneuverability — two reasons one can contemplate this smaller three-row subset to begin with. Fuel economy and performance The Sorento Hybrid gets an EPA-estimated 36 mpg in combined city/highway driving in its standard front-wheel-drive configuration. Opting for all-wheel drive drops that slightly to 34 mpg combined. Every Highlander Hybrid has all-wheel drive and gets an EPA-estimated 35 mpg combined. You can pretty much consider this a tie. Performance differs, however. At the Edmunds test track, an all-wheel-drive Sorento Hybrid accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds, which is a respectable time for a three-row hybrid SUV. It feels quick, too, thanks to the ample torque provided by the turbocharged engine and electric motor. It also has a six-speed automatic transmission that shifts quickly and smoothly. Having front-wheel drive standard is also nice as it lowers the cost of entry for those who don't need the winter-ready traction of all-wheel drive. The Highlander Hybrid went from zero to 60 mph in 8.2 seconds, which is slower than non-hybrid SUVs by about a second. Power is readily available and smoothly delivered, but Toyota's more typical hybrid powertrain features a continuously variable automatic transmission that makes the engine drone under hard acceleration. That engine is also not turbocharged. Advantage: Kia Sorento Hybrid Value and Technology The Kia Sorento Hybrid starts at $40,105, or about $8,000 less than the $48,315 Highlander Hybrid — adding all-wheel drive to the Kia only reduces the gap by $1,800. The Highlander does come with a few extra standard features to partially offset its higher price, but we don't think they fully justify the price premium. Moreover, the Highlander continues to be similarly more expensive when you compare each vehicle's more well-equipped trim levels. The Sorento also has a better infotainment system as standard, with a 10.25-inch touchscreen packing integrated navigation. The Highlander's standard unit is only 8 inches and lacks navigation. You can, however, add the 12.3-inch touchscreen that's standard on upper trims to the base trim as a stand-alone option. Feature content within the infotainment systems is comparable, but the Kia has multiple USB ports in each row whereas the Highlander has none in the third row. In terms of functionality, we score both the Toyota and Kia tech interfaces similarly strong in terms of usability. Safety technology content is similarly robust in both SUVs, but the Sorento's are superior in terms of performance, especially the adaptive cruise control system. Edmunds says The Sorento and Highlander hybrids are similar in concept, but our testing team ultimately scores the Kia higher. Moreover, the Toyota is so much more expensive regardless of trim level that it makes the Kia look like that much stronger of a choice. _____
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Edmunds three-row hybrid SUV test: Kia Sorento vs Toyota Highlander
The 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid and 2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid are two three-row SUVs with compelling attributes if you're shopping for a family-oriented vehicle. First, they're both hybrids and get excellent fuel economy. They're also smaller and less expensive than many other three-row SUVs, such as the Kia Telluride and Toyota Grand Highlander. Not everyone needs a giant vehicle with a third-row seat that can fit full-size adults — something for occasional use by bigger kids or teens can easily suffice. If any or all of that sounds like what you're looking for, the Sorento and Highlander hybrids should fit the bill. But which one should you buy? Edmunds' car experts have tested both to find out. Interior space We've already indicated that the Sorento and Highlander have less third-row legroom than bigger three-row SUVs. They also have less cargo space when you raise their third-row seats. Of these two vehicles, the Highlander is bigger on the outside, although that doesn't entirely translate to a bigger interior. It's wider and comes standard with seating for six people. You can get a Highlander Hybrid with an optional second-row bench seat that increases capacity to seven. The Sorento Hybrid only comes with second-row captain's chairs and, as a result, it has a maximum six-passenger capacity. The Highlander can also fit slightly more stuff behind its third row — think an extra duffel or big grocery bag — and its advantage increases with each row lowered. On the other hand, the Sorento has slightly more third-row legroom and headroom. That's relative since only small people can fit in the way back of each. Indeed, the Highlander's advantage isn't that significant, and the Sorento's smaller exterior size is a benefit in terms of parking and maneuverability — two reasons one can contemplate this smaller three-row subset to begin with. Advantage: Toyota Highlander Hybrid Fuel economy and performance The Sorento Hybrid gets an EPA-estimated 36 mpg in combined city/highway driving in its standard front-wheel-drive configuration. Opting for all-wheel drive drops that slightly to 34 mpg combined. Every Highlander Hybrid has all-wheel drive and gets an EPA-estimated 35 mpg combined. You can pretty much consider this a tie. Performance differs, however. At the Edmunds test track, an all-wheel-drive Sorento Hybrid accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds, which is a respectable time for a three-row hybrid SUV. It feels quick, too, thanks to the ample torque provided by the turbocharged engine and electric motor. It also has a six-speed automatic transmission that shifts quickly and smoothly. Having front-wheel drive standard is also nice as it lowers the cost of entry for those who don't need the winter-ready traction of all-wheel drive. The Highlander Hybrid went from zero to 60 mph in 8.2 seconds, which is slower than non-hybrid SUVs by about a second. Power is readily available and smoothly delivered, but Toyota's more typical hybrid powertrain features a continuously variable automatic transmission that makes the engine drone under hard acceleration. That engine is also not turbocharged. Advantage: Kia Sorento Hybrid Value and Technology The Kia Sorento Hybrid starts at $40,105, or about $8,000 less than the $48,315 Highlander Hybrid — adding all-wheel drive to the Kia only reduces the gap by $1,800. The Highlander does come with a few extra standard features to partially offset its higher price, but we don't think they fully justify the price premium. Moreover, the Highlander continues to be similarly more expensive when you compare each vehicle's more well-equipped trim levels. The Sorento also has a better infotainment system as standard, with a 10.25-inch touchscreen packing integrated navigation. The Highlander's standard unit is only 8 inches and lacks navigation. You can, however, add the 12.3-inch touchscreen that's standard on upper trims to the base trim as a stand-alone option. Feature content within the infotainment systems is comparable, but the Kia has multiple USB ports in each row whereas the Highlander has none in the third row. In terms of functionality, we score both the Toyota and Kia tech interfaces similarly strong in terms of usability. Safety technology content is similarly robust in both SUVs, but the Sorento's are superior in terms of performance, especially the adaptive cruise control system. Advantage: Kia Edmunds says The Sorento and Highlander hybrids are similar in concept, but our testing team ultimately scores the Kia higher. Moreover, the Toyota is so much more expensive regardless of trim level that it makes the Kia look like that much stronger of a choice. _____ This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds. James Riswick is a contributor at Edmunds. James Riswick, The Associated Press
