All New KIA

Last week, Dodge released photos showing the new Charger without any camouflage. Now, we see it on I-75 in Michigan, not too far from the automaker's headquarters.

The clip, published on Instagram by user @connor.mink, shows the rear of the Charger, specifically the layout of its taillights. The lights resemble the old-school ones but have a blocky, pixel-like graphic.

The rear glass appears to be sharply angled, and appears to offer good rearward visibility, judging by how much of the rear seat headrests we can see. The small wing on the deck lid appears to be more of a styling feature than a functional part to improve aerodynamics.

While there have been rumors of a combustion-powered Charger, the lack of an exhaust note means this Charger prototype is likely an EV. Unfortunately, there’s no chance to hear the car’s synthetic Fratzonic exhaust note, which was first introduced in 2022, in this video.

Official photos released by Dodge (above) give a better look at the front of the new Charger. The design combines elements from the current Challenger and the 1968-1970 Charger. There are modern touches like the wing at the end of the nose.

So far, we don’t know much about the interior of the new Charger. Renders show the concept with a minimalist cabin (below), a digital instrument cluster, and a hexagonal infotainment screen. There are a few physical buttons below the screen, but otherwise the console is simple, with the gear lever being the most prominent element.

The company is tight-lipped on power figures, but rumors suggest customers will be able to choose between 455 hp and 880 hp. And if a combustion-powered version is available, all signs point to Dodge’s 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six Hurricane engine, which can produce up to 510 hp in some Jeep trims.

The Charger is expected to debut before the summer, and be available in dealerships before the end of 2024. No pricing details are available yet, though given that test cars are already on the road, more information should be available soon.

Acura is a unique brand that competes in a competitive arena. Names like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus make up the bulk of its competitors. Over the years, Acura hasn’t always been in the same conversation as those true luxury brands. But sometimes Honda’s luxury division has earned its place as a segment leader.

The slightly updated 2025 Acura MDX Type S is not that. Despite throwing the old trackpad-based infotainment system into the trash, and giving the MDX a few minor changes, the $76,900 Acura MDX Type S still feels like the fourth or fifth option in one of the hottest segments of the car market.

There’s not much to talk about, as the changes for 2025 are minimal: A new digital gauge cluster adds much-needed clarity to the instruments, new front and rear fascias make the MDX look contemporary, and a 31-speaker Bang and Olufsen system (not a typo) replaces the 25-speaker ELS Studio stereo. Plus, the aforementioned trackpad infotainment controller is finally, thankfully, long gone.

The Type S model comes with even more features: Ultra-comfortable massaging front seats that are also heated and cooled, a 31-speaker Bang and Olufsen system (again, not a typo) that doesn't sound loud but instead replicates a sonically enhanced concert hall, a panoramic sunroof, a head-up display, a full suite of driver assistance systems, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

Mechanical updates: None. This is essentially the same MDX with a few critical areas addressed. The Type S gets a 355-horsepower turbocharged V-6 and a height-adjustable air suspension—and that’s about it.

On paper, at least, the 2025 MDX Type S is impressive. It certainly has the chops to compete with the likes of the BMW X5, Mercedes GLE, Lexus RX, and Genesis GV80. However, the MDX falls short in execution. No at all flat, but lacks the refinement and elegance that a luxury product should have.

Starting with the good: On long highway trips, the MDX doesn’t disappoint. It’s quiet and comfortable and does a great job of banishing fatigue. The massaging seats are truly impressive, the best I’ve experienced in my 26-year-old Bentley Continental GT. The same goes for the stereo. The touchpoints are high-quality and generally well-placed, although the new volume knob is a little hard to reach on the center console while everything else is upright on the dash.

Pros: Wide Range of Features, Massage Chair, Great Stereo

There are a few annoying quirks in the driving experience, however, that could easily be fixed with simple adjustments. The 10-speed automatic is stupid, even in its sportiest mode. It also argues with itself about whether to start in first or second gear and gets very confused during quick stop-and-goes. Instead of engaging one gear, it chooses a strange, torque-jamming shift that sends a small jolt through the cabin. Then the brakes are touchy and nonlinear, making them prone to shaking passengers.

While the new infotainment is a huge improvement, almost everything else is better than before. It’s responsive and easy to use, though some of the image choices are odd. Most of the screen is tinted a deep black to show off its excellent quality, but the permanent city blue menu bar stands out from the rest of the menu. And while the seats are visually pleasing, the rest of the cabin lacks the shock factor of its closest competitors—though that may be a positive for some customers.

It’s also not particularly sporty and feels heavy when cornering. The MDX doesn’t hide its weight—a trick almost everyone has mastered. But it also doesn’t use its weight well; with the adaptive dampers at maximum stiffness and the air suspension at its lowest stiffness, the Type S hit bump stops on hilly roads.

The MDX Type S is best served in Comfort mode rather than Sport Plus. Even then, the suspension can get overwhelmed on rough roads and introduce too much roughness into the cabin. The single-turbo V-6 has plenty of power but also feels overpowered, unlike the six-cylinders from BMW, Benz and Genesis.

Cons: Underpowered, not sporty, inconsistent ride, expensive

Execution is the key point here. Because the MDX Type S has components that can compete with the others, and could be very good with some simple tweaks and engineering. The interior is high-quality and usable, with buttons for every function. It's smooth and quiet with a transmission that's perfectly adequate, if not impressive.

However, the car also has some shortcomings that are unacceptable considering its nearly $80,000 price tag. The gearbox calibration is poor, there is no unified infotainment art style, and the brake-by-wire doesn’t work very well. Selling the experience is everything, so it doesn’t matter how many features you pack into a car.

The MDX Type S is good but not a true contender at $76,900. However, the base MDX starts at $51,500, and the mid-level trim is around $66,000. Both have most of the same features as the Type S, except you get Honda’s old but great 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V-6. That’s where the MDX makes more sense.

But frankly, when the Genesis GV80 is so well-equipped for $70,000, and the BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE come with better engine options and nicer interiors, it's hard to see the high-end MDX as a hard sell.

Okay, here we go again. The N Vision 74 refuses to die. Several reports suggest Hyundai is planning to produce a modernized version of the DeLorean, and the rumors keep coming. South Korean business newspaper Korea Economic Newspaper says the hydrogen-powered supercar is really coming. This time it's for real. The car will reportedly arrive in 2026, four years after the concept car debuted.

Hyundai’s flagship sports car is apparently known internally as the “N74” and is being developed with a rear-wheel-drive layout. The road-legal model is said to be a two-door coupe with gullwing doors and a design inspired by the 1974 Pony Coupe—the brand’s first car.

While the concept only produced 671 horsepower, the next production model will reportedly produce at least 765 horsepower. Korea Economic Newspaper—which is the largest business newspaper in the country by revenue, per Wikipedia—claims the N74 will be capable of reaching 62 mph in just three seconds.

The N74 will reportedly be chasing the Nurburgring record for a production car, which won’t be easy considering the Mercedes-AMG One laps the Green Hell in just 6 minutes and 35.183 seconds. The report also states that Hyundai’s special supercar will do two laps of the Nordschleife at full throttle before running out of power.

Hyundai will reportedly cap production at just 200 units and build the car from 2026 to 2028. Prototype testing is reportedly scheduled to begin as early as this August. The N74 will reportedly cost around 500 million won, which is equivalent to about $366,000 at current exchange rates.

The idea behind the car isn’t to simply make money, but to prove that hydrogen can be an interesting technology. It remains to be seen how many people are willing to spend this kind of money on a Hyundai. With the Ioniq 5 N, the company has proven that battery-powered electric vehicles can be interesting. If the reports are accurate, the company now wants to replicate that with a hydrogen fuel cell performance vehicle.

As usual, we received this information with a bit of skepticism. The N74 would be an interesting alternative to today's ICE sports cars, plug-in hybrids and EVs. Not only because of its unique engine, but also because of its extraordinary design.

Kia trucks have been spotted in underground parking lots, and Tesla is talking about its next-generation platform.

This is AM Drive, Motor1's daily review of the news you need before you get in the car.

Kia Pickup Truck Spotted Close Up

After beefing up its portfolio with a slew of SUVs, sedans and hatchbacks, Kia is set to enter the lucrative full-size pickup segment. Unlike the company’s Bongo over-cab pickup, the new model has global aspirations. Ahead of its launch, a heavily camouflaged prototype has been filmed up close.

Spotted in an underground parking lot in South Korea, Kia’s flagship has a dual-cab body style hidden beneath all its disguise. Judging by the cutouts in the camouflage, the car appears to have a Telluride-like front fascia with vertical headlights flanking a wide grille. However, the two are unlikely to share a platform as the latter is expected to adopt a ladder frame chassis while the full-size SUV has a unibody construction.

Believed to be called the Kia Tasman, the pickup rides on 17-inch alloy wheels with 265/65 R17 Kumho Crugen tires. It’s believed to be more similar in size to the Ford Ranger than the compact Maverick, though it’s honestly hard to say for sure based on these spy videos. We do get a peek inside and you can tell it’s just a prototype based on the cheap-looking plastic door panels.

There is something interesting next to the gear lever. We see switches for 2H, 4H, 4L modes. That means the prototype has selectable two-wheel drive and low-range four-wheel drive for tricky road conditions.

Australian Magazine Car sell reports a 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel engine will send power to the wheels via an automatic or manual transmission. In addition to this four-door version, the Kia Tasman will allegedly be offered as a single-cab and even as a chassis cab for commercial use. Furthermore, a pure electric configuration is said to be on the market.

The Tasman (codenamed “TK”) will be built in Korea and could be officially revealed as early as this March. Its design is said to be revealed in the fourth quarter of 2024 ahead of a market launch next year. A larger Kia electric truck built in North America is rumored to arrive before the end of the decade.

Tesla Working on Next-Generation Platform

Tesla’s fourth-quarter earnings report included some interesting tidbits culled from a lengthy, numbers-filled press release. The company is working on a next-generation platform that it says will “revolutionize the way vehicles are built.” The goal is to bring this new architecture to market soon and build electric vehicles using this hardware at its Gigafactory in Texas.

Tesla went on to say that they have made progress with the new platform, but without providing further details. However, Reuters Suppliers have reportedly been briefed on a new compact crossover codenamed “Redwood.” The crossover is reportedly scheduled to go into production in June 2025. That timeline would align with Elon Musk’s statements on a post-earnings call where he said the next-generation EV would hit the assembly line in Texas starting in the second half of 2025.

The entry-level Tesla is planned to have a tentative starting price of $25,000. This price will allow the company to better compete with gas-powered cars as well as an influx of affordable Chinese electric vehicles. Currently, the most affordable Tesla in the United States is the Model 3, which starts at $38,990 (before incentives).

After starting production in Texas in mid-2025, Tesla could also add the low-cost crossover to its upcoming Gigafactory Mexico near Monterrey. Reuters claims a decision on the location of a third factory where EVs will be assembled, outside North America, will be made later this year.

Months after introducing the updated 4 Series coupe and convertible, BMW has revealed its four-door companions, the 4 Series Gran Coupe and the electric i4. For 2025, the models get minor styling changes inside and out, laser taillights, new infotainment and updated engines for the gas-powered variants.

The 430i Gran Coupe still has a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, but now, it’s equipped with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The engine now runs on the Miller cycle, for improved efficiency, and BMW has made a number of tweaks to improve breathing. In the M440i Gran Coupe, you now have 386 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque, a nice increase from the previous 382 hp and 369 lb-ft, all thanks to the mild-hybrid system. As before, both engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

There’s no power increase for any of the i4 variants, but both the i4 and the 4 Series Gran Coupe get a number of visual changes. Most obvious are the headlights, which ditch BMW’s long-standing “Angel Eye” design in favor of a more abstract, twisted motif. Adaptive LED headlights and laser taillights taken from the M4 CSL are standard on the M440i and i4 M50 and optional on other models. There are some new wheel designs, and BMW has also changed the kidney grille trim.

Inside, there are two new steering wheel options—a two-spoke for the standard model, and a three-spoke version with a flat bottom for the M Sport cars. The curved infotainment screen now also runs BMW’s latest infotainment, iDrive 8.5, and for the i4, there’s improved EV route planning with charging stops. Other than that, there’s not much different. The design of the HVAC vents has been tweaked, but that’s about it.

So, a few improvements, nothing to be surprised about. However, the 4 Series and i4 are already great, so not much change is needed. BMW hasn’t released pricing yet, but says production will start in July.

Name: Kia GT4 Stinger
Debut: 2014 Detroit Auto Show
Engine: 2.0-Liter Turbo Four Cylinder
Power: 315 Horsepower
Drive Type: Rear Wheel Drive

Toyota debuted the Scion FR-S sports car in 2012, and it sparked a wave of potential competitors from other manufacturers. The Tru 140S concept was a front-wheel-drive alternative to Chevrolet. Nissan took it back to the 1970s with the Datsun 510-inspired IDx concept. And Kia, which touted its four-door GT concept from 2011, introduced the GT4 Stinger—a stylish, rear-wheel-drive sports car concept aimed squarely at Scion.

However, none of those cars made it to production, including Kia. Chevrolet discontinued the Tru 140S before it could go into production and Nissan did the same thing over and over again with the IDx, which didn’t pan out. The Kia GT4 Stinger, however, is the most interesting proposal of the bunch.

This is Concepts We Forgot, Motor1's deep dive into the weird and wonderful concept cars you probably don't remember.

In the mid-2000s, Kia was in the early stages of a golden age. The third-generation Optima sedan was a genuinely compelling alternative to the Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys of the world. The Kia Soul was well-received as a stylish and affordable compact SUV. And we knew the Stinger sports sedan was on the way.

Kia introduced the GT4 Stinger at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show with a striking appearance and true front-engine, rear-wheel-drive proportions. This isn’t an economy car disguised as a coupe—the GT4 Stinger has a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission and produces around 315 horsepower.

It also weighed just 2,800 pounds, the same as an FR-S or Subaru BRZ and slightly heavier than a Miata at the time. The weight distribution was nearly 50/50, with a little more weight on the front axle. It didn’t even have power steering. Kia said they wanted the concept to retain the pure sports car feel, though, it probably wouldn’t have made it to production without power assistance.

The GT4 Stinger is also larger than the BRZ/FR-S and Miata, with a wheelbase of 103.1 inches and a total length of 169.7 inches. It’s also 4.5 inches wider. That means more room inside; the back seat has more room than the Toyota’s insurance-only second row. And the liftback-style rear end means more cargo space.

The interior is designed with lightness in mind, replacing carpeted floor mats with rubber inserts and door handles with door pulls. A floating center console houses the shifter, ignition button… and not much else. Even the touchscreen in the center is small (not uncommon for 2014) and the gauge cluster is just a piece of see-through glass perched atop the steering column. Though manual, there are paddle shifters behind the steering wheel that separately control the turn signals and cruise control functions.

The GT4 concept was designed at Kia’s California studio, which has been producing concept and production cars since the early 1990s. In this case, the idea was to design a vehicle with “sports car proportions in an everyday-drivable 2+2 shape,” Kia’s American design manager, Kurt Kahl, said in 2014. The blacked-out A-pillars give the car a “wrapping sunglasses” look, and the Ignition Yellow paint is borrowed from the Kia Soul’ster concept that debuted a few years earlier.

“Driving pleasure is the number one priority,” chief designer Tom Kearns told Motor Trend. “The GT4 Stinger is a throwback to a time when driving a car was a real experience that wasn't dampened by electronic gimmicks.”

Sadly, Kia’s lightweight sports car dreams never came to fruition. Like all of Toyobaru’s other competitors—the Tru 140S and the IDx—the GT4 Stinger was just a preview of what could have been. It was shown at auto shows around the world before being retired from the circuit. Ten years later, the GR86 and BRZ still lack a true two-door competitor.

Porsche engineers insist that the new 911 doesn’t feel like a hybrid. But how could it not? The new 911 Carrera GTS has an electric motor attached to the crankshaft of its flat-six engine, plus a big electric turbocharger. It took me a little time behind the wheel to understand what they meant—Porsche’s new 911 hybrid does feel like a hybrid, but it’s not like any hybrid before it.

Long rumored, Porsche is introducing its new hybrid powertrain with the updated 2025 911 Carrera GTS. It uses a 1.9-kilowatt-hour, 400-volt lithium-ion battery under the hood to power a 53.6-horsepower motor paired with a new 3.6-liter flat-six engine with an electric turbocharger. The turbo has a 14.7-hp motor located on the shaft connecting the turbine and compressor wheel, which can speed things up or slow them down as needed. That means the turbo can limit boost pressure and feed electrical energy back into the system. There’s no wastegate.

It’s not a plug-in system like other European performance cars these days, and there’s no clutch between the engine and the electric traction motor, so there’s no all-electric drivetrain. In total, you get 532 horsepower and 449 pound-feet of torque, which goes through an eight-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission to the rear wheels, or all four wheels.

The goal here was twofold. Design a system that was as light as possible—the target curb weight for the new GTS is just over 3,500 pounds, and the U.S.-spec car is 103 pounds heavier than its predecessor—and one that would allow the engine to run at its ideal 14.7:1 air-fuel ratio at all speeds to comply with stricter European regulations. And, of course, it had to offer a meaningful performance boost.

We head to southern Spain to try the new 992 in the Andalusian mountains and on the Ascari racetrack. At first, there’s little indication that the GTS is a hybrid. The engine fires up instantly, the traction motor taking over the traditional starter duties and the distinctive chuga-chuga-chuga-whump; and from low revs into high gear, there’s sometimes an instant sensation of torque that you don’t get in a non-hybrid 911. I spent the first few minutes trying to find a point where the car does something that makes you say, “Ah! That’s not normal!” Except for brief moments, it’s not there.

Pros: Well-Integrated Hybrid System, Excellent Handling, Feels Like a 911

In reality, it’s very hard to tell what the system is doing because it’s almost always moving electric power between the traction motor, turbo, and battery. There’s a display on the infotainment screen that shows the power flow, though it’s nearly impossible to follow how fast the power is moving.

It’s fascinating, but it also feels a bit ordinary. If you turn off the part of your brain that’s trying to figure out what the hybrid system is doing, you’ll notice the incredible throttle response, and, well, the incredible speed. We started the day in a Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, and it was a blast. There’s no electric torque like you get in other performance hybrids, but the power delivery is smooth, wonderful, and instantaneous.

I can’t say it feels naturally aspirated, because the Carrera GTS is overpowered. But it doesn’t feel turbocharged either, because the engine’s response is so good. It’s somewhere in between, and really comes into its own. The traction motor also works hard at high engine speeds, kicking in around 5,000rpm to make the GTS’s flat-six fire like a great naturally aspirated engine, counterbalancing the turbocharger when it starts to run out of steam.

What really makes this game interesting is the sound of the turbochargers. In Sport Plus mode, the car revs the turbos more aggressively when off the gas and when braking, and makes all sorts of weird noises. Hit the brakes hard while downshifting into a corner, and you can hear the whistling sound increase as the motor revs the turbos to a maximum speed of 120,000 rpm. Plus, the car will whine and groan as you step on and off the gas.

Chassis-wise, the car feels very similar to the last Carrera GTS, which is what it was all about. Porsche widened the rear tires by 10 millimeters to 315 millimeters, the same size as the Turbo, and changed some of the suspension components accordingly. The new engine is slightly narrower, allowing Porsche to fit larger tires under the narrower body, and the extra power and torque demand it. Porsche’s optional Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) active anti-roll bars now also operate from a 400-volt system, so they work more quickly and precisely.

Basically, the 911 GTS stops and turns as well as it always has. Even the all-wheel-drive Cabriolet feels eager to corner, and the grip is as good as any 911 should be. There’s not a lot of suspension travel, but the damping is excellent. The car instantly gets you going, which gives you confidence to drive it up a mountain road. Unlike most hybrids, the 911 Carrera GTS uses a conventional braking system, where the pedal is directly connected to the brakes. But when braking, the traction motors do some regeneration, which you can’t feel.

Driving on a track has a wonderful way of focusing the mind. There’s no time to think about how the hybrid system works when concentrating on hitting a target, especially on an unfamiliar circuit. Ascari is also interesting, a long, narrow and technical track with almost every kind of corner, and here we had the benefit of following an instructor in the 911 Turbo S.

In situations like this, you want a car that is predictable. Its output should match your input. Despite its complexity, the Carrera GTS is never slow. It does what you want it to do when you want it to do.

I spent the first few minutes trying to find a point where the car does something that makes you say, “Ah! That's not normal!” Except for a few brief moments, it doesn't exist.

The hybrid system never crosses your mind here, which is a remarkable achievement. When you step on the accelerator, it doesn’t just send a signal to the throttle body to open a certain amount. In an instant, the car has to make a bunch of decisions about how to use the engine and the hybrid components, and every time you step on the accelerator—or let go—the calculations change. As a driver, though, you don’t feel it. You just get torque when you want it.

Sure, the extra power of the system lets you use third gear to exit tight corners where you might need second, but there’s no penalty for revving the engine. Just drive it like you would any other 911.

Cons: Expensive, Digital Cluster Not As Cool As Analog Tachometer

And as ever, the 992-generation 911 is a superb race car. The well-balanced handling, agile chassis and strong brakes inspire confidence, and the car feels ready to go all day long. We tried both the rear-wheel-drive Carrera GTS and the all-wheel-drive Carrera 4 GTS, and frankly, it was hard to tell the difference at times.

The rear-wheel-drive version may have a slightly sweeter steering feel. But on corner entry and mid-corner, the cars behave almost identically. The all-wheel-drive system feels very smooth, the car obediently pushing the nose down when lifting off the throttle, but providing better traction to pull the car straight on the way out. Jorg Bergmeister, the Porsche factory driver who helped develop the new car, says the big difference between the two only really becomes apparent when you’re well beyond the limits of grip.

All race cars have the optional $9,780 carbon ceramic brakes, which Porsche has enlarged for extra power. The front brakes and 10-piston(!) calipers come from the 911 Turbo, while the rears are unique to this car. In great Porsche tradition, these brakes are unfailing, stopping the car repeatedly without the slightest hint of fade and with smooth ABS engagement. Pedal feel is also excellent, helping the driver gauge exactly how much pressure you need on initial application and when to ease off as you turn in.

On the track, we also got a chance to take the base, non-hybrid 992 Carrera for a few laps. It certainly feels lighter than the GTS, and yes, you’ll notice the lack of power. Still, with 388 hp from its revised 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat-six, the Carrera is still plenty quick, and for a much lower price than the GTS, you get most of the 911’s goodness. It’s a damn cool car.

The other changes to the updated 992 are minor. The digital gauge cluster offers more functionality, but is far less elegant than the analog tachometer on the previous model. The look is a little different, but integrating all the lighting functions into one unit helps to tidy up the front end. And there’s a push-button start button, which doesn’t have the same feel as a key. Things that Porsche people might notice a bit too much, but ultimately they don’t matter.

What’s harder to swallow is the price. Porsche is quick to point out the standard equipment and performance extras, but the Carrera GTS coupe starts at $166,895. Even the base Carrera, which isn’t much different from last year’s model, is up nearly $8,000 to $122,095. And all of the GTS models we drove were specced above the $200,000 mark.

In fact, this facelift is all about the hybrid. Porsche is proud of it. Its engineers are fiercely protective of the 911, and they feel this is the best solution for a sports car. Porsche's hybrid system is much lighter than its competitors' systems, and effectively meets the need for increased performance and response while facing stricter regulations.

I still think this car feels like a hybrid because it feels different from the previous Carrera GTS. But I understand what the engineers are saying. This car feels like the first truly uncompromising hybrid.

More importantly, it feels like a 911.