Latest News from Edmunds
Edmunds
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- Edmunds
Tested: The 2025 Porsche Macan Turbo Electric Does Its Badge Justice
Getting into the aforementioned launch control is relatively easy. As our test driver explains, "Select either Sport or Sport Plus driving mode, hold the brake pedal down, mash the throttle, wait for the launch control message to appear on the dash and let it fly. Doing that shaves about half a second off the already fast time, and the Macan Turbo picks up even more steam." Our tester adds, "Other EVs can go quicker still, but the Macan's compact dimensions and general lack of theater make the speed just a bit more shocking. Even with all this power, all-wheel drive and our test car's super-sticky tires, traction was never an issue; the Macan Turbo simply goes. Power is wonderfully linear and never seems to taper off considerably, even over 100 mph. Unlike the Porsche Taycan, which uses a two-speed gearbox, the Macan Turbo sticks with the more conventional (for an EV) single-speed unit." Tires make a big difference Our test vehicle was equipped with the optional "Performance Summer Tires for 22-inch wheels" option, which in our case were Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires with a ridiculously low treadwear rating of 80. This number refers to the tire's expected durability, or how long it will last. The higher the number, the longer it should last. For context, a common treadwear for an SUV is usually over 500, whereas an ultra-high-performance summer tire, like a Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2, is 200. The Macan's tires are 80, meaning they should last less than half as long as those Michelins, especially if you use them as their manufacturer intended. In short, these tires are sticky and deliver a ton of grip.
Edmunds
a day ago
- Automotive
- Edmunds
Our Dodge Charger Daytona EV Had a Curious Case of Unintended Acceleration
There are certain things in my life that I simply expect to work the same every time. Water coming out of my kitchen faucet when I turn it on, for example, or the repetitive banality of a Hallmark holiday movie. A vehicle's accelerator and brake pedals would be on that list, too. Yet disappointingly, Edmunds' all-electric 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona couldn't get that right recently. Let's call this the curious case of a Dodge Charger's unintended acceleration. I'll get into it, but some background first. This Dodge Charger is part of Edmunds' One-Year Road Test fleet. These are vehicles that Edmunds' editorial team drives and lives with for a year (sometimes more), so we can better report on what the ownership experience is actually like. We bought our 670-horsepower Charger for $85,965 a few months ago, and I had been driving it for about a week in late May when the following situation occurred.
Edmunds
a day ago
- Automotive
- Edmunds
The Toyota 4Runner, Land Cruiser and Tacoma Turned Hell's Revenge Into a Piece of Cake
Three Toyota off-roaders vs. one challenging trail Despite being fairly new to off-roading, I was able to safely traverse all the obstacles and different terrains I encountered in all three Toyotas I drove. The Land Cruiser and the 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium are the two vehicles that can be pitted directly against each other. Both vehicles are SUVs and ride on Toyota's TNGA-F platform with the same suspension setup and hybrid powertrain. I also drove the Tacoma TRD Pro, which bears many similarities to its siblings but in truck form. Hell's Revenge hits you with a stunning challenge right off the bat: a narrow uphill path — also called a fin — that welcomes you at the trailhead. From the parking lot, the hill looks intimidating, but once you initiate the climb, you instantly begin to enjoy the ride and appreciate your surroundings. Every obstacle we encountered shouldn't be taken lightly because the consequences can be severe. Soon after descending, we came across uneven ground with rocks and boulders on both sides and a narrow path that served as the ideal route to avoid damage. All three trucks put their suspension systems to work and wheeled through this without any fuss. As we kept motoring along, we came across boulders and steep hills we had to carefully climb to reach higher points and continue. The Toyotas once again got up and over with ease. The Land Cruiser's 32-degree approach angle came in handy in these instances because it avoided hitting most obstacles altogether. The 4Runner's significantly lower approach angle — 19 degrees — was noticeable as I tapped the front skid plate more than once. Departure angles on all three vehicles were sufficient, but one thing that irked me was the rear mud flaps on the Land Cruiser. Every single time we had a steep descent and came to flat ground, the mud flaps would make contact. Of course, those can be removed, and I highly suggest you do so if you plan on taking it off-roading. The Tacoma is longer than its SUV siblings, but it still managed to get through tight spaces and turns with the only issue being the trailer hitch that kept scraping on steep drops.
Edmunds
a day ago
- Automotive
- Edmunds
The 2025 Chevy Corvette ZR1 Is a 1,064-HP, $200K Bargain
That incredible power makes the ZR1 brutally quick, of course. For context, in a Z06, we recorded 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 10.6 seconds. For the ZR1, Chevy is claiming 2.3 seconds to 60 mph and 9.6 seconds through the quarter mile, but that's with rollout, a drag-racing relic that reduces the time but doesn't make much sense in the real world. Much more startling and significant is the Corvette ZR1's performance in third and fourth gear, where its 828 lb-ft of torque is felt most keenly. The Circuit of the Americas is a huge, flowing racetrack designed for Formula 1, and this tends to minimize the sensation of speed. Thankfully, the Corvette's built-in data recorder doesn't lie. At the end of the main straightaway, I'm braking from 177 mph. At the end of the start-finish straight, which includes a sharp incline, I'm cresting 155 mph. Last time I drove this circuit, I was at the wheel of a McLaren 720S and the Chevy feels appreciably faster in a straight line. If you're going to enjoy this car as its engineers intended, you're going to need to join the track day community. To extract the best from the ZR1, you need a lot of circuit to match a lot of car.
Edmunds
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Edmunds
2025 Mini Countryman S: What's It Like to Live With?
Why did we get it? We have a habit of taking on Minis here at Edmunds. Not too long ago we added a similarly green Mini Cooper S to our garage. A lot more of Mini's legacy rode on the shoulders of that car because of its more traditional size and shape, and frankly, there was only the faintest whiff of that old magic in that car's bones. But the question here is largely the same. Does Mini still have the juice? The entire lineup has been reborn since then — all Cooper and Countryman models are new. So does the Countryman offer an exciting, more whimsical alternative to the bland malaise of two-row crossovers you see everywhere? Is it the antidote to the relentless slog of boring, uninspired, bad-to-drive, not-so-cute utes that have taken over our roads? A year of evaluation is going to help us figure out that and much, much more. What's happened so far? We've spent a lot of time behind the wheel of our Mini already. A round-trip drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco and back revealed a lot about its credentials as a long-distance cruiser (and just how fuel-efficient it can be). We also already need to take it in for a service. Look for updates about all that (and more) in the coming months. Something tells us it's going to be an interesting year.
