Hybrids

SEVILLE, Spain--If you remember the very first days of Lexus, you remember the clever ads: the champagne glasses on the hood of the car, the ball bearing rolling down its hood, the "relentless pursuit of perfection." Forget it all. Now Lexus is chasing after world-class luxury and performance with...

As Toyota slowly renews its fleet with cars built around its TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) modular platform unveiled in 2015, we’ll see new technologies that should dramatically improve efficiency and dynamic performance levels for the brand. Of most significance to buyers of...

When the CT6 went on sale in early 2016, it marked several firsts for Cadillac. The full-size luxury sedan was the first to use the new "CT" (Cadillac Touring) prefix for Cadillac’s car lineup. It was also the first to feature the brand’s new grille treatment, Omega rear-wheel-drive...

Acura’s RLX flagship sedan doesn’t get much attention in luxury circles but it has a lot to offer, especially for technology buffs. The RLX was introduced for the 2014 model year as the replacement for the RL, and though it isn’t on the same level of some of its German rivals when...

The dust is just starting to settle after two raucous days of new car reveals at the 2016 Los Angeles auto show. However, things are just kicking into high gear over at the 2016 Guangzhou auto show which opened its doors Friday. One of the stars is the new Buick Velite concept, an...

Cadillac's CT6 Plug-In Hybrid was first shown at the 2015 Shanghai auto show but is only now making its North American debut, appearing on Wednesday at the 2016 Los Angeles auto show. The car will go on sale in the spring of 2017 with a starting price of $76,090, including a $995 destination...

Hybrids, traditionally, have been synonymous with everything that isn't fun about driving—commutes, traffic, gas mileage, and penny pinching. In recent years, though, they've taken on a high-performance sheen, thanks mostly to the introduction of hybrid sports cars where the electrical side...

Mercedes-Benz won’t offer a diesel-powered C-Class in the United States. The automaker was to start sales of a C300d during 2016 but has since scrapped those plans. The C300d was to be powered by a turbocharged 2.1-liter inline-4 delivering 201 horsepower to all four wheels. Speaking with Car...

A new generation of the Mini Countryman is just around the corner and on Monday we received confirmation that the compact SUV will be the brand’s first hybrid. Mini says the arrival of the hybrid Countryman marks the start of a new phase for the brand, one that is electrified yet still...

Mercedes-AMG was one of the first with a high-performance electric car when it introduced the SLS AMG Electric Drive at the 2012 Paris auto show. Although it wasn’t a volume model, it was a clear demonstration of the Affalterbach tuner’s proficiency in electric car development. Even...

If you’re in the market for an electrified car that can outpace top sports cars but also take the family for a road trip come vacation time, then consider Porsche’s new Panamera 4 E-Hybrid. The fuel-efficient sedan is the plug-in hybrid model in the second-generation Panamera lineup and...

BMW’s second-generation X1 is a huge improvement over its predecessor, if you can look past its front-wheel-drive shortcomings. It’s currently offered with only one powertrain in the United States—a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4—but more are coming, including possibly a...

Audi’s A3 range receives some updates for the 2017 model year including revised styling and new technology in the cabin. The last of the updated A3 models to be announced is the A3 e-tron Sportback. The car is the only model in the A3 range offered with a hatchback body and parking one on...

BMW’s 7-Series gets a few new additions for the 2017 model year, one of which is a plug-in hybrid model in the form of the 740e xDrive i Performance. The eco-friendly luxury sedan is priced from $90,095, including a $995 destination charge, and is available in dealerships from August. The EPA...

The Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid made its U.S. debut at the 2016 New York auto show, and at the time Mitsubishi said the eco-friendly SUV would go on sale here before the end of the 2016 after multiple delays. But the launch has been pushed back once again. The Outlander Plug-In Hybrid won't...

BMW is out testing a version of its i8 plug-in hybrid sporting a few modifications on the surrounding streets of its technical center in Munich, Germany. The modifications include a vented panel replacing the rear windshield as well as lowered suspension and a set of AP Racing brakes. It’s...

The 2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e—that’s the new plug-in hybrid version of the X5 sport-utility vehicle—is going to draw you in with its numbers: 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds; 14 miles in all-electric mode; 24 mpg combined. The numbers add up to an alluring (and image-greening) idea: that you...

Buick's largest market is also now home to the brand's most fuel-efficient sedan. No, that's not the United States. It's China, where Buick took to the stage at this week's 2016 Beijing Auto Show to unveil the LaCrosse Hybrid Electric Vehicle (or HEV). CHECK OUT: Tesla's upgraded Model S is the...

Honda’s new Clarity Fuel Cell will soon be joined by plug-in hybrid and battery-electric variants. The Clarity Fuel Cell goes on sale in late 2016. It’s powered by a 174-horsepower electric motor that draws its energy from a battery that can be charged on the run by a hydrogen fuel cell...

Toyota's redesigned Prius is ready for prime time—if prime time means 22 miles of electric-only range. Replacing last year's Prius Plug-In Hybrid, the new Prius Prime is more than just a Prius with an electric charging station outlet. Those figures are supported by what Toyota anticipates...