Detroit — The envelope, please . . .

Winners of the 2025 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year are the Honda Civic Hybrid, Ford Ranger and Volkswagen ID.Buzz. The prestigious NACTOY awards kicked off the Detroit Auto Show Media Day on Friday morning as the event returned to its traditional January slot as the first auto show of the year.

In a competitive field of nominees, the popular Honda won its fourth NACTOY trophy but the Ranger and ID.Buzz scored upsets as the Toyota Tacoma and Chevy Equinox EV were early favorites in the truck and SUV categories. Detroit brands scored four nominations, with the Ford winning for the fifth straight year in the truck category.

“With such a tremendous crop of vehicles to review, our jurors worked overtime to decide the ‘best of the best,’” said NACTOY President Jeff Gilbert, NACTOY president and WWJ Radio auto reporter, who handed out trophies to the recipients.. “This year’s winners are on the cutting edge when it comes to technology, styling and value.”

Car of the Year

Honda Zone Manager Josh Beckner with the Honda Civic Hybrid, which topped the Kia K4 and Toyota Camry to win North American Car of the Year honors at the Detroit Auto Show at Huntington Place on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025.David Guralnick, The Detroit News

In a comfortable win, the $29,845 Civic Hybrid Honda Civic Hybrid (205 votes) beat out the $23,145 Kia K4 (165 votes), and $29,535 Toyota Camry (130) for top car. The Civic has been offered as a hybrid trim in the past, but this is the first time it’s expected to be the model’s best-seller.

“It’s a tremendous honor,” said Josh Beckner, Midwest Honda Zone Manager, who accepted the award. “The hybrid is a key part of our electrification strategy as we go all-electric.”

The Civic Hybrid starts at about the same price as the bigger Camry, which is only offered with hybrid drivetrains. Though perennially the best-selling sedan in the U.S., Camry has never brought home a NACTOY trophy. The Kia is a Civic competitor in the compact segment — and the brand’s replacement for the Forte compact sedan. The K4 significantly undercuts the Civic Hybrid’s price, but jurors knocked its polarizing styling and for not offering a hybrid option like its competitors.

Truck of the Year

The truck battle between the $34,575 Ford Ranger, $42,270 Ram 1500 and $32,995 Toyota Tacoma was a nail-biter. The two mid-size segment competitors have been significantly upgraded for ‘25 with state-of-the-art electronic systems and high-flying off-road variants like the Tacoma TRD Pro and Ranger Raptor. But the Ram boasted a new inline-6 cylinder drivetrain and its range-topping, $71k RHO super truck is aimed squarely the iconic F-150 Raptor.

In the end, the Ranger won the day with 183 votes to the Ram’s 161 and the Taco’s 156. An early favorite, the best-selling-in-segment Toyota was knocked by jurors for its high price and initial quality problems.

“The Ford Ranger starts at $34,575 and the well-equipped SuperCrew 4×4 XLT has a base price of $39,646,” said juror Drew Winter, contributing editor for WardsAuto. “It’s a midsize truck that looks like a full-size F-150, has combined fuel economy of 20 mpg and can tow 7,500 pounds. It has a solid and refined chassis, a nice interior and is a good choice for budget-conscious buyers.”

Utility of the Year

Petar Danilovic, the senior vice president for product marketing and strategy for Volkswagen, with the VW ID Buzz, the North American Utility Vehicle of the Year, at the Detroit Auto Show at Huntington Place on Jan. 10, 2025.David Guralnick, The Detroit News

The $61,545 Volkswagen ID.Buzz may have been the most expensive vehicle in the field, but it was also the most distinctive — remaking the iconic VW Minibus as an EV.

In another tight race, it edged the stylish, three-row $35,615 Hyundai Santa Fe by 187 votes to 185. The $34,995 Chevrolet Equinox EV was a distant third with 128 votes.

“If you have to drive a minivan, why not drive the one everybody waves to and just wants to hug?” said juror Ken Gross. “Seriously, the ID. Buzz has a decent 230-plus mile range, beaucoup space inside, lots of useful features and it’s fun to drive.”

Compact SUVs are the biggest segment in the market and the $35k Chevy Equinox EV was the favorite with its affordable EV price. But the three-row ID.Buzz wowed jurors with its auto sliding doors and clever, removable seats.

“What an amazing way to start the year,” said Petar Danilovic, VW senior vice president for product marketing and strategy. “How many chances do we have to bring back an icon to the the USA? This is a special vote for true car lovers.”

NACTOY finalists reflected the jurors’ practical streak as the nominees offer affordable transportation in a market saturated by high-priced EVs, SUV and an average transaction price approaching $50,000. Though pricey EVs made up nearly half the 25 semifinalists that jurors considered at their October national test, only two made the final round. Manufacturers must meet onerous government EV mandates, but the market cooled in 2024 to just 8% EV sales.

NACTOY finalists average price $36,057. The most expensive finalist was the Volkswagen EV. The cheapest was the Kia at $23,145.

In its 32^nd year, NACTOY honors vehicles that excel across several criteria, including innovation, design, safety, performance, technology, user experience, driver satisfaction and value. Judged by an independent jury of 50 journalists (including the author of this article) from the U.S. and Canada, NACTOY is one of the industry’s most prestigious trophies.

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.

Sterling Heights — While my Cadillac Lyriq tester drove itself in Super Cruise at 75 mph on I-696 eastbound, I swiped through the gorgeous, curved 33-inch dash screen to show my friend, Peter, our Zmash Padel destination north of General Motors Co.’s engineering campus on Mound Road.

As we bore down on traffic, the Caddy automatically put on its left-turn signal and accelerated into the left lane to pass the car in front of us. Once past, it returned itself to the middle lane.

“This car is so smooth. So quiet,” said Peter.

Cadillac’s first electric vehicle, the Lyriq, is leading the way on a not-so-quiet transformation of GM’s storied luxury brand to battery power. GM is yelling the news from the hills, sidelining its internal-combustion SUVs, opening an EV showcase in the heart of Paris, even branding an open-wheel race car in the world’s most popular, electrified motorsport, Formula One.

Lyriq aims to redefine Caddy to take on Tesla. But it also must convince customers it is superior to its elegant, athletic, internal-combustion-engine CT5 sedans — ICEs made even more elegant because they have gained for 2025 the same digital screens and Super Cruise tech pioneered by the EV.

I first drove Lyriq in June 2022, and production has taken a winding road to get the vehicles into America’s showrooms. My friend Dicran, a past customer of the Cadillac STS and XT4, has been waiting — and waiting and waiting — for the Lyriq to arrive.

It was worth the wait.

“I like the design. It has real presence,” he said, circling the car. Leaning into Cadillac’s mid-20^th century, bling-tastic design heritage, Lyriq is a lushly styled counterpart to the iPhone simplicity of Tesla’s Model Y, which dominates the EV SUV space.

My Opulent Blue Metallic tester sported an etched front grille that lit up as we approached with key in pocket, a dance of northern lights across its face. Past Caddies, of course, have had huge chromed and shield-like grilles to feed air to their ICE engines. With no engine behind it, Lyriq’s mug is pure decoration. The vertical headlights frame the fascia like a theater marquee.

But it’s the hindquarters that really defined Cadillacs of yore — think sweeping tail fins on the 1959 Coupe De Ville and dramatic, vertical lamps on the 2011 CTS-V Sport Wagon.

Lyric adds to this portfolio with a striking combination of vertical bumper lights and hockey-stick lights that frame the rear window. It’s not easy to distinguish the hind quarters of SUVs these days, but the Caddy is unmistakable.

Slip inside and the jewelry store continues with piano-key climate controls, encrusted silver cupholders/rotary controller, and a console that pierces the cabin like a ship’s bow. Below the bow, an open tray extends across the floor (dressed in Opulent Blue, natch) to store purses and other cargo.

The high style is a throwback to ‘50s Caddy. Lyriq is a magic carpet ride, not a tight, corner-carver like its ICE sibling.

At 4,200 pounds, the comparably-priced, gas-powered twin-turbo V-6 CT5-V is a joy to drive fast — tempting you to take the long way home with its tuned chassis. I took a detour to Hell’s twisties myself once and had a ball.

Never once on my week with the three-ton Lyriq did I get the urge to carve corners. I’d nail the throttle out of stoplights for the rush of instant torque from its 102 kWh battery — then turn things over to the liquid-smooth drivetrain on cruise control (secondary roads) and Super Cruise (divided highways).

Caddy says a high-performance Lyriq V-series model is coming, but the standard $60K model is just fine, thank you very much. It costs about the same as the CT5-V, and with its low center of gravity, Lyriq feels more like a big sedan — especially now that CT5 has been upgraded with the same 33-inch curved screen. The gas-powered $45K Caddy XT5, by contrast, has not received interior updates and will likely be kicked out the door after the XT4, which ended production last year.

Equipping CT5 with the same high tech as Lyriq is where the EV equation gets tricky.

For all its bling-tastic styling, Lyriq’s defining trait was it was first to market with Cadillac’s mega-tron screen and superb Google Built-in operating system. Now that gas models are getting the same, EV must compete with ICE on driving convenience — and, ahem, range anxiety is the bane of an EV’s existence.

Google Built-in attempts to calm the anxiety. It requires a one-time, bar code-initiated setup that linked the car to my phone’s Google account. Thereafter, the crossover operated like a rolling extension of my smartphone.

I moved avatars around on the screen just like my Android — choosing apps I used the most for my home screen: 360-degree camera (so I didn’t bump parking curbs with that majestic front end), charging (set to 80% every night on my home charger) and navigation. Navi is key.

As much as he enjoyed Lyriq, Dicran hesitated at the EV charging experience as he regularly road trips to, say, Chicago.

Google Built-in integrates charging infrastructure with trip directions. We set a mock destination to Chicago and Lyriq planned two lengthy charge stops on the way — predicting arrival with 30% of charge, which would be enough to find local charging.

Needless to say, ICE vehicles have no such delays/fueling concerns, so efficient is energy-dense gasoline. If the CT5-V has a better power-to-weight ratio, Super Cruise, and 33-inch screen, why buy the EV?

That’s why the Lyriq’s unique styling, ride experience, and “new, new thing” vibe is so critical — and why some of its choices are head-scratching.

Unlike Tesla competitors, Lyriq does not provide a front trunk. The “frunk” is a defining EV cargo advantage (see huge Silverado EV and Mustang Mach-E frunks). Yet, open the Lyriq’s hood, and you stare into a sea of electrical wiring. Caddy has also removed the $1,500 home charger installation subsidy it once offered.

While a Caddy EV is still a tough sell against a Caddy ICE, the back-to-the-future, bling-tastic Lyriq makes a strong case as a Tesla alternative.

Next week: Mainstream upstart, Hyundai Santa Fe vs. BMW X5

2025 Cadillac Lyriq

Vehicle type: Battery-powered, rear-wheel and all-wheel-drive, five-passenger SUV

Price: $60,615, including $1,395 destination fee ($80,485 Sport 3 AWD as tested)

Powerplant: 102 kWh lithium-ion battery with single rear or dual electric-motor drive

Power: 365 horsepower, 325 pound-feet torque (RWD); 515 horsepower, 450 pound-feet torque (AWD)

Transmission: Single-speed direct drive

Performance: 0-60 mph, 4.6 seconds (est.); top speed, 132 mph; towing, 3,500 pounds

Weight: 5,789 pounds (AWD as tested)

Fuel economy: EPA MPGe 89; range, 303 miles (AWD); 326 miles (RWD)

Report card

Highs: Striking design; Google Built-in navigation

Lows: No frunk; ICE peers have same tech, better range

Overall: 3 stars

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.

Las Vegas — Honda Motor Co. is going all-electric, and on Tuesday at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show it introduced the most radical-looking vehicles this side of a Cybertruck.

The first models in its so-called 0 Series electric-vehicle lineup are the Saloon Prototype sedan and SUV Prototype. Both will be made in Ohio at Honda’s new flexible EV Hub manufacturing facility and are slated for production in 2026 (with global markets to follow) meaning the prototypes are close to production form.

Along with General Motors Co., which has targeted 2035 as the end of internal combustion engine sales, Honda has been the most aggressive legacy automaker in its electrification goals. Honda aims to be all-electric by 2040. Its exotic-looking flagship EVs are meant to dramatize the fact that the Japanese automaker is changing the way it makes cars for the company’s “Second Founding” as a zero-emissions, zero-crashes automaker. It’s a stylish turn from the utilitarian, entry-level Civics that first drew Americans to Honda in the 1970s.

The 0 Series halo will be the wedge-shaped Saloon, which looks like a Lamborghini and a station wagon had a baby. With an asphalt-sniffing anteater nose and sharply raked windshield, Saloon might be mistaken for a Lambo Gallardo, save for its four doors. The SUV’s measurements are similar to a Honda CR-V, and it bears a more conventional hatchback shape. But its big, squared-off rear end looks like a “spinner” car from the “Blade Runner 2049” sci-fi movie. Its mail-slot nose reminds of a 2025 Dodge Charger or Honda’s discontinued “e” electric car.

Honda gave a first look at its 0 Series lineup at last year’s CES with the Saloon and Space-Hub concepts. The new 0 Series prototypes have advanced on those concepts with more production-ready equipment like conventional headlights (though the Saloon sports exotic sliding covers), forward-facing seats and proper greenhouse appointments.

Exotic as they look, it’s the sci-fi tech inside that inspired Honda to debut the 0 Series siblings (0 for zero emissions/crashes) at the country’s premier electronics show. 0 Series electronics are on the industry’s bleeding edge.

Both models will be equipped with hardware to deliver Level 3 self-driving capability — leapfrogging the industry’s current Level 2 driver assistance leaders, Tesla Inc., General Motors Co., and Ford Motor Co. if Honda gets regulatory approval. Current L2 systems demand driver attention and monitor the pilot’s eyes. Honda calls its Level 3, hands-free capability “Eyes-Off” and it’s supported by multi-sensor technology, including lidar. The company has been experimenting with it on Japanese roads since 2021.

Pending U.S. government approval, Honda says the first step towards zero crashes will be to apply self-driving tech on expressways during low-speed traffic jams, then expand its capabilities via over-the-air updates. Over time, the L3 system will allow drivers to conduct “second tasks on the move,” such as watching movies and holding remote meetings.

The 0 Series is a dramatic departure from Honda’s first EV in the U.S. market, the midsize 2024 Prologue. The most expensive vehicle in Honda’s lineup, the $50k-plus Prologue is also one of the most vanilla-looking vehicles in an EV segment that includes dramatic designs like the Tesla Model X and Kia EV9.

This was due, in part, to the limitations of Honda producing the car on GM’s Ultium EV platform in Mexico. The Prologue shares the footprint and Google Built-in operating system with the Chevy Blazer EV. Nevertheless, Prologue sold a healthy 33,000 copies last year — nearly 30% mor than the Chevy and fifth best for U.S. EVs. That’s well shy of sales of Honda’s similarly-sized, gas-powered $42k Pilot/Passport SUV at 175,000 units.

The 0 Series models will be clean sheet from the ground up, built on Honda’s own battery-electric platform and controlled by its in-house Asimo operating system. The OS has its roots in the Asimo robot that Honda showed at CES in 2007.

“Nothing drew a crowd like Asimo,” said Jay Joseph, Honda’s vice president for business development, of the talking robot. “So it’s meaningful to us calling the car’s OS Asimo.”

While GM’s bulky Ultium platform can weigh up to three tons for a midsize SUV, Honda says its new architecture will be “thin, light and wise.” It will be made in Ohio with six 6,000-ton high-pressure die cast machines standing over 31 feet tall — the biggest die-cast parts Honda has ever made.

The interiors of the Saloon and SUV prototypes are also a dramatic departure from previous Hondas.

They share airy cabins with full length, Tesla-like panoramic glass roofs. With its sci-fi, squared-off rear end, the Saloon has no rear window, so drivers use a camera mirror to see out the back like a Polestar 4. The SUV has a rear window.

The wide horizontal dashes contain three digital displays like a $105k Mercedes EQS: an instrument display behind the Tesla-like yoke steering wheel, a central instrument display and a right-side passenger display. “Brake-by-wire” and “steering-by-wire” are electronically controlled. The high-backed seats and materials look premium but Honda would not share plans for pricing.

In addition to its cutting-edge electronics, Honda promises robust charging software to complement the brand’s investment in the IONNA network’s 30,000 chargers by 2030. IONNA is a joint project of eight automakers in order to rival Tesla’s proprietary Superchargers. Following Tesla’s lead, the Honda 0 Series models will come equipped with a NACS charger (North American Charging Standard) connector replacing the bulkier CCS nozzle of current models. NACS will also give Honda EVs access to Tesla’s network.

Charger access will be enhanced by a partnership with Amazon Web Services, which offers generative technology like Amazon Bedrock that will help drivers find charging stations and simplify payment methods. Another partnership with semiconductor maker Renesas Electronics also promises higher computing power in future 0 Series models through a central vehicle CPU.

With an eye on a larger social agenda, Honda’s Second Founding is governed by sustainable and autonomous goals promising aggressive moves to electrification and self-driving.

Previous reception of its battery-powered products, however, has been lukewarm.

Its 1999 Insight hybrid played second fiddle to the Toyota Prius for many years before being nixed in 2022. The automaker’s first all-electric model, the aforementioned subcompact Honda e, was sold in Asia and Europe (though not the U.S.) and was discontinued due to poor sales in 2024.

Honda is resetting its hybrid/EV strategy. Hybrid versions of its Civic, Accord and CR-V models are expected to make up 50% of sales this decade — a bridge, the company says, to EVs.

The 0 Series is a major commitment of resources as part of Honda’s Ohio EV Hub — with EV manufacturing that parallels gas-model production. Honda has moved construction of its popular Accord sedan from Marysville north of Columbus to Indiana. Marysville assembly is being retooled so the Ohio complex can make gas or electric cars depending on consumer demand.

“We can’t force our customers to buy EVs,” said Lance Woefler, U.S. vice president for auto sales.

The sprawling $5 billion EV Hub is a network of four vehicle and battery manufacturing facilities. The bulk of that investment is aimed at the East Jefferson battery plant near Cincinnati, where Honda has partnered with LG Energy Solutions to produce 0 Series cells.

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.

The Detroit auto circus is back to its January roots — a new show for a new era.

After an epic, media-stuffed, celebrity-encrusted, 30-year run as the world-renowned North American International Auto Show, Motown’s auto-palooza is dropping its international marketing theme and now is simply called the Detroit Auto Show. Its Detroit Autos Dealers Association (DADA) organizers are returning to a Jan. 10-20, regional event after a detour through a pandemic, one Motor Bella, and two September shows while seeking its identity in the post-mega show world.

The last January show was in 2019 — six years and a bygone epoch ago before social media, COVID-19 and compressed vehicle development dislodged auto shows around the world as automakers’ primary venue for vehicle debuts. Stakeholders in the show believe the January dates will increase attendance because the September timeframe interfered with school schedules and the opening of football season.

“Frankly, I was never a fan of moving it. I was opposed to it,” said Claude Molinari, president and CEO of Visit Detroit. “Throughout the time, I’ve been encouraging them to rethink the January timeframe. As a spokesperson for the hospitality community, my stakeholders, the restaurant owners, the hoteliers, they all are very in favor of this. This is a great return to tradition.”

Molinari expects more than 1,000 media members for the Jan. 10 Media Day, down significantly from the show’s 1989-2019 heyday. Those glory years were part of an age when international shows — Detroit, Frankfurt/Paris, Tokyo, Geneva — dominated new car debuts.

Detroit joined the party late in 1989 but would become one of the world’s biggest circus dates, attracting at its apex more than 5,000 media, 70 new car debuts, 800,000 public attendees, and the entertainment industry’s top acts. Its jaw-dropping entertainment created indelible images, media careers, and millions of dollars in charitable dollars for Detroit children through the annual Charity Preview.

“It’s not like the auto show in Detroit has been challenged more than any other,” Molinari said. “The largest auto show in the world used to be the Frankfurt Auto Show. Now, it doesn’t exist anymore. It’s important to recognize that while this (Detroit) auto show may not reach the levels of what it was, I believe that it is still the most important auto show in the world.”

Sam Klemet, co-executive director of the show, said in a recent interview the shift back to January “is a real natural fit. That’s where we have historically been. That’s kind of where people circle their calendars when you think about the auto show.”

The days of dawn-to-dusk auto reveals are in the rearview mirror. But Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions LLC, said shows like Detroit’s still serve an important purpose for the major automakers — converting attendees with some interest in cars into eventual buyers.

He anticipates the Detroit show can still draw big crowds, even without some of the flashiness and news-making of its past: “It’s the best way for consumers to look at a number of vehicles in one setting,” Fiorani said. “Even when you have the auto mall somewhere, it’s very difficult to cross-shop products and see which one fits our needs the best.”

Under pressure from global governments to sell EVs, brands at the Detroit Auto Show will have plenty of EVs for consumers to experience. Popular gas Jeeps, Broncos, other SUVs and pickups will be available as well.

Ford Motor Co. appears to be the only automaker planning to make product news this year. “The Detroit Auto Show is a longstanding tradition that brings the community, consumers and car enthusiasts together,” said Ford Product Communications Director Mike Levine. “We’re excited for its return, and we look forward to kicking off the show on January 9 with news and more — plus our full lineup of winning vehicles.”

General Motors Co. will not reveal any all-new vehicles but will have models making their auto show debut. Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac will all have floor displays.

“We are excited and proud to be coming to our hometown auto show with our incredible EV portfolio, that is the largest, most diverse and has the longest range, and our internal combustion powered vehicles that people know and love,” GM spokesperson Sabin Blake said in a statement.

Stellantis NV will have six of its brands on display: Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep and Ram. The transatlantic automaker is packing its indoor Camp Jeep consumer test track, but is not planning any product reveals. Among its featured models: the Dodge Charger Daytona EV, electric Jeep Wagoneer S, Ram 2500/3500 Heavy Duty pickups and 1500 RHO supertruck.

Toyota Motor Corp. will have its full North American lineup on display, including the all-new 2025 Toyota 4Runner.

All told, DADA touts 34 brands for this year’s show, including 12 ultra-luxury and exotic makes inside The Gallery. The four indoor consumer tracks include the Ford Bronco Built Wild Track and Camp Jeep’s off-road trail simulation. Outside, a Detroit Grand Prix-themed outdoor tour incorporates some of the signature elements of the street circuit and showcases gas-powered, hybrid and all-electric vehicles from Buick, Ford, Honda, Mazda and Volkswagen.

Show organizers have curated a showcase of more than 150 vehicles in partnership with Modded Detroit, a Michigan automotive enthusiast group. “Modded” or modified vehicles have a blend of high-performance tweaks and exterior cosmetic enhancements.

“There is going to be something for everyone,” co-director Klemet said. “That’s what you want it to be.”

The Big Idea

Since its founding in 1907, the Detroit show — like the New York, Chicago and Los Angeles shows — was for most of its life a local, dealer-organized event overshadowed by glitzy, manufacturer-organized exhibits in foreign metropolises like Frankfurt and Tokyo.

In the late 1980s, DADA members David Fischer, Ken Meade, Gordon Steward and Bob Thibodeau Sr. led a vision for Detroit to join their ranks as the biggest show in the richest consumer market on the planet. They circled the globe, recruited automakers and hired Orange County, California, auto show director Rod Alberts as their savvy circus ringmaster.

“Fischer and I went all over the world to learn from other shows,” remembered Meade, the now-retired president of Meade Toyota-Lexus of Southfield. “We had to do something different. People said we couldn’t do what the international shows did, but somehow, we did it.”

The 1989 show was rebranded as NAIAS. The goal? To put Detroit on the map with other international shows. “There is no place that has more auto history than Detroit,” said Doug North, who took over North Brothers Ford in Westland in 1990 and would ultimately rise to NAIAS chairman in 2020. “It came at a great time, as we kicked off a new year.”

Alberts had run regional shows from Arkansas to Orange County. “It started with a big idea to see if we could make things happen,” he said in an interview. “Chicago had been the largest show in the U.S. We traveled to Japan, Geneva, Frankfurt, Paris to learn best practices. We met with every auto manufacturer. We learned by living it.”

Meade and Fischer’s dealership connections to Toyota and Nissan proved crucial to launching the rebranded show with a bang. Both Japanese manufacturers were introducing their new luxury brands, Lexus and Infiniti, and they chose Detroit as their kickoff.

The launch of the all-new Lexus LS 400 and Infiniti Q45 flagship sedans at the 1989 show created headlines across the globe. And that instantly gave Detroit credibility as a show — not just for Detroit-based automakers — but for global brands to make their mark.

It didn’t take long before the home teams spun their own Motown hits. In 1992, Jeep debuted its new Grand Cherokee SUV by crashing it through the front window of Cobo Hall — with Chrysler Corp. Vice Chairman “Maximum Bob” Lutz at the wheel and Mayor Coleman Young riding shotgun.

“It was a brilliant demonstration of how you can use a low-cost PR stunt to far more effect at a product introduction than you could ever get from conventional advertising,” Lutz told The Detroit News in an interview. “That stunt was on every TV station, every major news media in the U.S. — and around the world.”

Part of Jeep’s 1992 planning team was communications whiz Jason Vines, a natural-born showman who marveled at the stunt’s media impact and would go on to create some of the show’s most memorable debuts for Chrysler and Nissan. As the first auto show of the year — and one of the most heavily attended media events this side of the Super Bowl — NAIAS became a linchpin of automakers’ product plans.

“We weren’t just launching a vehicle, we were launching an experience,” Vines said in an interview. And the show had to go on no matter what.

In January 1999, a blizzard buried Detroit under two feet of snow, paralyzing the city and Detroit Metro Airport. Nissan had targeted NAIAS for the launch of a rugged, off-road-focused SUV called the Xterra — the first Nissan developed entirely in the United States and a key piece of the brand’s future.

With commercial flights grounded, Vines’ Los Angeles-based team chartered a private jet to get into Detroit in time to pull off the reveal.

“In 1999, Nissan didn’t have two yen to rub together, but we had to pull off the Xterra reveal,” remembered Vines of the pricey trip from California to the Motor City. “We had created a giant backpack for the Xterra to emerge from on stage. The reveal got huge media coverage.”

The Roarin’ ’90s

From Asian to American to European brands, NAIAS steadily built an industry juggernaut.

Starting with seven to eight vehicle debuts at the beginning of the 1990s, the show introduced more than 40 new cars by 1999. Vines & Co. continued to ratchet up the entertainment factor, including the 1995 introduction of the first dual sliding-door minivans: Lutz and Chrysler Chairman Bob Eaton read giant children’s books in Mr. Rogers-style sweaters while Kermit the Frog drove a red Dodge Caravan over their heads and onto a fake pond’s lily pads, drenching media with water.

“It took years of incremental growth,” Alberts said. “Auto supplier Heinz Prechter would bring us three or four aftermarket cars in the early 1990s. Then, in the mid-1990s, Volkswagen came to us with a proposal to build a huge display — a wall — to introduce the New Beetle. That started the big structures.”

The New Beetle’s 1998 introduction was a sensation, as was its on-site café. “That really jacked up the price,” laughed Vines. “Now all the manufacturers had to have cafés to entertain the media. In 2001, we opened up the historic Detroit Firehouse across the street complete with (DaimlerChrysler CEO Dieter) Zetsche tending the bar.”

Summit

With the turn of the century, the show was in full stride. Each year featured over 40 car reveals (hitting a record 79 reveals in 2004), more extravagant debuts, and a steady stream of celebrities, politicians and U.S. presidents. January 2003 would set a record public attendance of 838,066.

“We were the place to be seen. We had a constant stream of celebrities coming through,” said Alberts. “Some were here to introduce cars like David Spade and Eva Longoria. But others like Michael Strahan, Billy Joel, Mickey Rooney, Tony Danza and Michael Jordan were here just here to see the show.”

NAIAS burst at the seams to find real estate to showcase its new wares. To entertain a record 5,500 media members in 2008, General Motors took over the Detroit waterfront north of the Ren Cen with a sprawling display of concept cars accompanied by Kid Rock, Maroon 5, Mary J Blige and Jimmy Kimmel.

The show’s annual Charity Preview (aided by superstars like Celine Dion, who crooned her single “I Drove All Night” in 2008) also proved a boon to Detroit, raising millions for local children’s and police organizations.

“There was so much going on at each show,” said DADA member North. “Presidents, senators, governors were here. The Ford Dealer Group would host a big party after the Charity Preview and many of Ford’s executives would join us.”

The 2008 show was also memorable for another Chrysler stunt featuring 120 longhorn steers (plus cowboy escorts) imported from Oklahoma to accompany the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram pickup. “The video went viral around the world,” recalled Vines.

The 2009 Great Recession and the bankruptcies of GM and Chrysler proved a momentary speed bump as automakers pulled back under financial distress. But NAIAS rebounded, attracting 815,575 attendees (the largest since 2003) in 2016. The ‘16 show’s 700,000 square feet was packed with cars, stages and jumbotron LED displays. Automakers spent $200 million on exhibits — 80% of them new.

“This is transformative. It supersedes anything at a major concert or the Super Bowl,” said John Tulloch, executive producer of Auburn Hills-based George P. Johnson, which helped set up Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ stage. “Our display is at an Olympic level never seen at an auto show anywhere in the world.”

In the wilderness

Back at the top of the world, Detroit’s 2017 mega-show was starting to show cracks.

Social media was changing the media game, allowing automakers to introduce new cars on their own schedule rather than competing with rivals for attention on crowded show floors. Industry practices were also changing as vehicle development times shrunk and concept cars became less relevant.

“Concepts were expensive to build, and it cost a lot to debut them,” said Alberts. “They made up about half of our debuts, so as the industry cut back, that impacted us.”

The same digital tech that was altering the media landscape and accelerating model timelines also fueled interest in January’s Consumer Electronics Show, diverting media attention to Las Vegas. NAIAS tried to adapt — opening its own technology forum, Automobili-D, in 2017 — then moving the show out of its January time slot altogether to new June dates in 2020.

NAIAS 2020 never occurred, a casualty of the COVID pandemic.

Straining to stay relevant in a world roiled by government pandemic restrictions and changing automaker demands, NAIAS landed at Oakland County’s M1 Concourse for Motor Bella in 2021. It returned to Cobo — now Huntington Place — in the fall of 2022 and 2023, its interior transformed from giant, vertical LED displays to horizontal test tracks for electric vehicles.

“The 2025 show has come full circle to be more consumer-focused than ever before,” said Alberts, who will co-direct the show for 2025, his last. “With crisis comes opportunity, and we know that people want to get into cars more than ever before. We have four tracks this year for EVs, gas cars, hybrids.”

2025 Detroit Auto Show schedule

Friday, Jan. 10: Media day, which includes the announcement of the 2025 winners of the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) awards and EyesOn Design Awards

Friday, Jan. 10: Charity Preview to cap off the first day of the show.

Saturday, Jan. 11 through Monday, Jan. 20: Public show dates. Hours are 10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily except for 1-8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15 and Jan. 16, and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20

Wednesday, Jan. 15 and Thursday, Jan. 16: Industry days with a mobility global forum and AutoMobili-D technology showcase, and Future Innovators, a new program with 1,000-plus high school and college students invited to visit the show to learn about career opportunities.

Monday, Jan. 20: The show will have special programming for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Tickets: Adults $20, seniors 65 and older $12, kids ages 3-12, $10

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.

Staff Writer Luke Ramseth contributed.

Austin, Texas — The handsome 2025 Cadillac CT5 is here and it’s a stunner. Signature teardrop front and rear taillights, wide stance, coupe-like roofline, twin, 33-inch hoodless instrument display. Ohhhh. Alas, most buyers can’t afford its $50K-plus sticker price.

Happily, the CT5 has a $23K doppelganger called the 2025 Kia K4.

Teardrop front and rear lights, wide stance, coupe-like roofline, twin, 30-inch hoodless instrument display. Ohhhh. This is a mainstream compact the valet can park at the curb next to the premium sedans. Indeed, as I emerged from the upscale Proper Hotel in downtown Austin where the city’s beautiful people congregate, my Kia GT-Line tester was out front in the valet line — parked back-to-back with a Cadillac CT5. K4 GT-Line OMG.

What’s more, the $27,245 GT-Line trim sported cool Morning Haze paint while the Caddy was dressed in, um, plain white.

That’s not the only Motown vibe the Kia shared with GM’s finest. Personal transportation is, well, personal, and the K4 offers (for a subscription price) a downloadable NBA basketball theme to fill the dash jumbotron. Kia is an official partner with the NBA, covering 30 cities across the USA.

One of those is Detroit — so make mine a Pistons theme, please. Blue and red team colors lit up the screen icons.

The icons match the athleticism of compact sedans compared to their SUV siblings. After weathering downtown Austin traffic (the Ann Arbor of Texas, this high-tech university town is growing fast), I escaped west to the Texas twisties (good band name) and put my right foot down.

The smokin’ GT-Line offers a 190-horsepower, 1.6-liter turbo-4 option, but the standard 147-horse, 2.0-liter four banger was enough. Credit that, in part, to steering-mounted shift paddles married to a well-engineered continuously variable transmission. The CVT mimicked quick up/down shifts and the GT-Line’s planted steering and independent rear suspension did the rest. At just 2,932 pounds, the K4 go-kart is half the weight of the porky electric vehicles I tested all through 2024.

Much of that weight difference is in battery mass to help $50K EVs travel 300 miles on a single charge. Yet, the lightweight K4 has a gas range of 483 miles — 40% more than the typical electric costing 50% more. Range anxiety never crossed my mind as I wound out the engine and wound deeper into the Texas outback.

The compact segment has come alive and just in time for a market that is out-pricing consumers. Average transaction prices are a Caddy CT5-like $50K as manufacturers struggle to make margin with suffocating regulatory costs and money-sucking EV investments. Into this void has stepped a bushel of stylish subcompact SUVs like the Chevy Trax, Buick Envista, Nissan Kicks and VW Taos.

But boxy SUVs can’t strut a fashion runway like sedans. The Korean twins of Kia and Hyundai have brought upscale car designs to the segment to challenge perennial class leaders Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Subaru Impreza and VW Jetta. Ford (Focus), Chevy (Cavalier/Cobalt/Cruze) and Dodge (Neon/Dart) once played in this sandbox but have exited.

If the K4 looks like a Caddy, then the angular Hyundai Elantra looks like a compact and a Lamborghini had a baby. Hyundai has crafted a high-performance, corner-carving N variant as well, squaring off against the Honda Civic Si, Subaru WRX and VW Golf GTI/Jetta GLI.

Kia (so far) has demurred, choosing instead to expand the K4 sedan lineup with a hatchback scheduled to cross the border (the Kia is made in Mexico) in spring 2025. Alas for enthusiasts, the manual GT model from the previous-gen Forte is gone.

It’s an important moment for Kia’s sedan lineup as the brand reaches for a more premium vibe. Just as the Optima midsize sedan was replaced by the K5, K4 gains an alphanumeric badge to replace the compact Forte after 16 years of service in the North American market. Not sure why brands change names that customers have grown accustomed to (see the multi-decade success of the Civic badge even as it’s become more premium), and Forte consistently landed six-figure sales in this brutally competitive segment.

The sexy, non-alphanumeric Stinger hatchback (an Audi A7 at 60% the cost) introduced Kia’s more upscale era. K4 follows with its hip new look, and Kia asks a healthy 2 grand more than the outgoing Forte.

K4 follows in the footsteps — not just of the K5 and Stinger — but also the Telluride SUV, aka “Sell-uride” for how quickly it turns on dealer lots.

The three-row Telluride also took fashion cues (check out its vertical front and rear lights) from Cadillac while packing in value with standard items like best-in-industry 10-year/100,000-mile warranty, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot assist and forward collision warning. Then it piled on clever details like USB ports in the seatbacks and a third-row speaker so you can ask the kiddies what they want at the drive-thru.

K4 has its own delicious details in addition to standard goodies including the 100K warranty, ACC, remote app start and wireless Android Auto. Check out the high-handle rear door opener in the C-pillar. Or query POI in the navigation screen for local restaurants. Or talk to K4’s AI Assistant if you get lonely:

Why do they call it the bat bridge in Austin?

A voice responded with a detailed answer on the 1.5 million bats that live under the famed Congress Avenue Bridge. I could even ask follow-up questions:

What’s the weather forecast?

Not bad for a sub-$30K compact. Did I say compact? My knees breathed easy in the back seat with class-leading 38 inches of legroom. Which is the same as the midsize Caddy CT5. Why do we pay $50K for a luxury cars again? Oh, yes, power.

The Cadillac will deliver 237 horsepower from its standard turbo-4 for a horsepower-to-weight (pounds) ratio of 1:15.4. But if you option the K4 GT-Line’s 190-horse mill for a still sub-$30K sticker of $29,245, you get a power-to-weight ratio of 1:15.7.

I’m not making this up. Did I mention GT-Line’s available 360-degree camera and standard two-tone steering wheel with drive modes embedded in the steering wheel like the Caddy? K4 is luxury made affordable.

2025 Kia K4

Vehicle type: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive five-passenger sedan

Price: $23,145 including $1,155 destination fee ($28,345 GT-Line with Premium package and $31,445 GT-Line Turbo as tested)

Powerplant: 2.0-liter inline-4 cylinder; 1.6-liter turbo-4 cylinder

Power: 147 horsepower, 132 pound-feet of torque (2.0L); 190 horsepower, 195 pound-feet of torque (turbo)

Transmission: Continuously variable transmission (2.0L); eight-speed automatic turbo)

Performance: 0-60 mph, 7.3 seconds (Car and Driver, GT-Line Turbo); top speed, 124 mph (2.0L), 130 mph (Turbo)

Weight: 2,932-3,285 pounds

Fuel economy: EPA, 30 mpg city/40 highway/34 combined (2.0L); EPA, 30 mpg city/40 highway/34 combined (turbo)

Report card

Highs: Stylish, tech-tastic compact; roomy interior

Lows: $2K more than the outgoing Forte; manual performance model, please

Overall: 4 stars

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.

If you’re making a New Year’s resolution to buy a new car, there will be plenty of new toys to tempt you in 2025. A flood of new battery-powered models is coming from brands as diverse as Cadillac, Alfa Romeo, Dodge and Mini. Legacy luxury automakers like Audi and BMW are filling out parallel gas and ‘lectric lineups, while some famous badges like the Porsche Boxster/Cayman are plugging in.

Most customers still prize gas-powered SUVs, and 2025 will bring remakes of popular models like Expedition, Navigator, Yukon and Tiguan. But all of that investment in premium EVs is driving up costs. The average price of the 36 cars models listed here is $62,866, with nine under $40,000 and just one under $30,000. So be sure and have resources to back your resolution.

Here are the models we expect on the horizon from each auto group.

BMW/Mini

BMW 3-series/EV: Price: $47,000 (est.)

BMW’s bread-and-butter 3-series sedan will offer parallel gas and electric models. Styling is expected to be based on the New Klasse Concept, a break from the brand’s traditional, center-mounted kidney grilles. The interior should feature fashionable, wall-to-wall screens like rivals Mercedes and Cadillac. Engines will likely be based on Bimmer’s tried-and-true, turbo-4/inline turbo-six formula.

BMW M5 and M5 Touring: Price: $123,275

After a year’s sabbatical, the BMW M5 muscle car is back for ‘25.  The wicked version of the 5-series sedan uses electrification to boost performance, marrying an electric motor to a turbo-V-8 for an eye-watering 717 horsepower. Zero-60 mph? 3.1 seconds. BMW will also bring a wagon version to the States called the M5 Touring; it’ll go paw-to-paw with the Audi RS 6 Avant superwagon.

BMW X3: Price: $50,675

BMW’s popular gas-powered X3 SUV gets major plastic surgery for its fourth generation with a remade exterior and minimalist interior. All-wheel-drive power comes from a 255-horse turbo-4 or 393-horsepower, turbocharged inline-6. Navigation instructions can be overlaid on the road ahead using an augmented-reality head-up display.

Mini Aceman: Price: $39,000 (est.)

Mini is rushing to an all-electric future by 2030. The five-passenger Aceman EV targets the meat of the Tesla Model Y-dominated, premium, $39,000-$50,000 electric EV compact market with two front-wheel-drive options making 184 or 218 horses. With a short-ish range of 200 miles and smaller dimensions than the gas-fed Countryman, the Aceman is on the bubble for U.S. sales.

Ford/Lincoln

Ford Expedition: Price: $63,695

The big three-row Expedition gets a redesign, adding numerous family-friendly features to its palatial interior. Goodies include a movable front console that can be shared with second-row passengers, and a split rear gate with the lower portion doubling as a pickup-like tailgate that can be used as a seat or table.

Tech features include optional BlueCruise hands-free driving and a 24-inch digital display that stretches across the bottom of the windshield. Built on the same frame as the F-150 pickup, Expedition sprouts a Tremor model with raised, 10.6-inch ground clearance and 33-inch all-terrain tires.

Ford Maverick: Price: $27,990

The Blue Oval’s popular entry-level pickup gets a number of upgrades, including all-wheel drive now available with the base hybrid model. A larger 13.2-inch infotainment display replaces the old eight-inch tablet, and standard features will include wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control and automatic high-beam headlamps.

Enthusiasts will flip over a lowered, performance-oriented AWD Lobo trim with a 238-horsepower turbo-4 and paddle shifters borrowed from Europe’s Ford Focus ST.

Ford Bronco Sport: Price: $31,490

Like Maverick, Ford’s junior Bronc gets the upgraded 13.2-inch infotainment screen and increased standard features. A new Sasquatch package joins the family. Available on the Outer Banks and Badlands models, it adds off-road goodies like skid plates, 29-inch all-terrain tires and Bilstein shocks.

Lincoln Navigator: Price: $101,990

Lincoln’s mega-ute gets many of the same upgrades as its Ford Expedition cousin, including a split-rear tailgate. BlueCruise hands-free highway driving is standard — as is the customizable 48-inch interactive display (compared to the Expedition’s 24-incher) that arcs from A-pillar to A-pillar at the base of the windshield.

General Motors

Cadillac Escalade IQ: Price: $99,000

The Escalade goes all-electric the only way an Escalade knows how: bigger and bolder. The IQ (all Caddy EV models end in “iq”) is a foot longer than its gas-powered brother and wears enormous 24-inch wheels. A 200-kWh battery powers two electric motors for 750 horsepower. The seven-seater can be outfitted with an optional, jet-worthy Executive Second-Row package with stowable tray table, 12.6-inch screens and massaging seats.

Cadillac Optiq: Price: $54,390

It’s a big year for Cadillac as it rolls out its full EV lineup, beginning with the entry-level Optiq. Sharing proportions with the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Optiq goes upscale with Caddy’s signature 33-inch curved screen and standard AWD. Expect range of about 300 miles and 300 horsepower from its 85-kWh battery. Chrome-inspired Luxury and black-trim Sport models will be offered.

Cadillac Lyriq V: Price: $70,000 (est.)

The first V-Series performance version of Caddy’s EV lineup. Expect insane 600-plus horsepower from the all-wheel-drive beast — and big Brembo brakes to bring it back to earth. Other details include a modified front fascia and V-branded button on the steering wheel, encouraging more bad behavior.

Cadillac Vistiq: Price: $78,790

Slotted between the Lyriq and huge Cadillac Escalade IQ is the three-row Vistiq. With a starting price almost 30 grand north of the gas-powered XT6, Vistiq unlocks a new world of premium family cruising. With a 102-kWh battery, the 614-horsepower Vistiq nearly doubles the XT6’s power while offering half its range at an estimated 300 miles. Vistiq gets state-of-the-art tech, including a 33-inch curved screen, standard Super Cruise drive assist and Google built-in operating system. The palatial interior sits under a standard, two-panel panoramic roof.

Chevrolet Bolt: Price: $30,000 (est.)

After ending production in 2023, Chevrolet’s first mass-market full EV is being resurrected on a newer platform shared with other battery-powered Chevys, Caddies and GMC models. Bolt 1.0 was built on GM’s BEV2 platform, and the new version should offer faster charging. The affordable Bolt is consistent with Chevy’s practice of offering an entry-level model under $30K (currently, the $35K Equinox is the brand’s lowest-priced EV offering) and will likely be standard with FWD.

GMC Terrain: Price: $31,395

The Terrain SUV is remade with a new exterior style and a big, vertical 15-inch infotainment screen. A 175-horse turbocharged 4-banger powers FWD and AWD versions.  Standard Elevation trim gives way to an off-road AT4 trim and fancy-pants Denali.

GMC Yukon: Price: $68,895

Following its Chevy Suburban and Cadillac Escalade siblings, the truck-based Yukon mega-ute gets refreshed. A 16.8-inch infotainment screen dominates the interior, and shifting gears is accomplished by a steering-wheel stalk, opening more console room. Two 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter V-8 options carry over, along with a sippier 3.0-liter inline-6 turbodiesel.

Jaguar Land Rover

Jaguar I-Type: Price: $250,000 (est.)

Jaguar rebranded itself as an ultra-luxury EV maker in late 2024 with a controversial ad featuring colorful, gender-neutral models and the reveal of a hot pink coupe concept called the Type 00. How that translates to a production car will come into focus later in 2025 when the Brit brand unveils a majestic sedan called the I-Type with similar proportions to the concept. Expect big proportions, big horsepower and a big sticker price.

Mercedes

Mercedes CLA-class: Price: $46,000 (est.)

Mercedes’ stylish, entry-level “Baby Benz” gets a major design and powertrain update. Expect design to follow the ‘23 Concept CLA sedan with its shark-like nose and lean, Coke-bottle shape. The airy interior will likely feature an expansive dash screen beneath a panoramic roof. The drivetrain will electrify with gas-hybrid and fully electric options.

Stellantis

Dodge Charger: Price: $40,000 (est.)

Dodge fills out its new muscle car lineup with the gas-fired Charger. Production of the Challenger coupe and Charger sedan ended in 2023, and Dodge has consolidated its muscle cars under a single Charger model line. Electric versions (introduced in 2024) will wear the Charger Daytona badge, and gas models will wear simply Charger when they are unveiled in mid-2025.

The gas and electric models share a platform and are both available in hatchback coupe and sedan body styles. They also share a roomy interior with features like twin hoodless displays packed with the latest tech. Charger is powered by Stellantis’ so-called Hurricane twin-turbo, inline-6 cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and AWD. The standard engine pumps out 420 horsepower; a 550-horse beast will also be available.

Ram Ramcharger: Price: $60,000 (est.)

As governments force drivetrains to go electric, automakers are getting creative in how to balance regulatory obligations with customer preference. Ram flips the script on the traditional, battered-assisted hybrid-gas engine formula with the Ramcharger, a full-size truck that is primarily powered by a 92-kWh battery pack with about 145 miles of range. When that dries up, a 3.6-liter V-6 engine comes to the rescue, providing nearly 700 miles of extended range by charging the truck’s battery.

Ram is also promising a fully-electric Ram REV to compete with the Chevy Silverado EV and Ford Lightning EV, but Ram has moved up its Ramcharger solution due to consumer demand. It’s a new toy for truckers who want to experience the benefits of twin electric motors — think 663 horsepower, a 0-60 mph sprint of 4.4 seconds, and 14,000 pounds of towing — but with the security that gas engine-assist provides.

Alfa Guilia EV: Price: $50,000 (est.)

After the Dodge Charger, Stellantis’ premium Alfa Romeo Giulia is next in line to electrify. The Alfa will share the STLA Large platform that underpins the Chargers, and will likely also offer battery and inline-6 engine options.

Where the Charger Daytona Scat Pack produces 670 ponies, expect the Alfa to push 1,000 horsepower in performance, Quadrifoglio spec.

Chrysler Airflow, Price: $50,000 (est.)

The Stellantis EVs keep coming. A Chrysler crossover based on the Airflow Concept shown at CES in 2022 is expected to challenge the likes of the Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E and VW ID.4. The stylish electric promises a driving range of over 400 miles.

Jeep Wagoneer S: Price: $71,995

Jeep’s first EV is called the Wagoneer S — S for ‘small” compared to its much larger truck-based, gas-powered sibling. The compact S will come with a big $70K price tag, however, and Charger Daytona-like performance numbers with twin electric motors packing 600 ponies and a 0-60 mph time of 3.4 seconds.

Jeep Recon: Price: $60,000 (est.)

The Wagoneer S will be complemented by the Recon, an all-electric dirt-kicker like the gas-fired Wrangler. It’ll feature a power-folding top and removable doors to get closer to nature. Signature features include an illuminated seven-slot front grille, meaty all-terrain rubber and rubberized, washable flooring.

Volvo/Polestar

Polestar 5 sedan: Price: $100,000 (est.)

Volvo’s EV brand will add a sedan to its lineup advertising some gaudy numbers: 884 horsepower, a full recharge in as little as 10 minutes, and $100,000 price tag.

Honda/Acura

Honda Passport: Price: $45,000 (est.)

The boxy Passport is the grizzled off-road companion to the three-row family Pilot. They share a 285-horse V-6 engine, but the muscular Passport will be AWD standard.

Honda Prelude: Price: $35,000 (est.)

The sporty Honda Prelude returns to U.S. shores for the first time since 2001. The new model promises the edgy handling and stylish looks enthusiasts craved in previous generations — and this time, the sixth-gen model will feature a hybrid engine as Honda creeps toward an electric future.

Acura ADX: Price: $36,000 (est.)

Acura’s sporty, compact Integra sedan gets an entry-level SUV mate. The ADX promises nimble SUV performance with a sport-tuned suspension and the same 1.5-liter turbo-4 mill found in Integra. FWD and AWD will be available with a quiet cabin wrapped in Acura’s signature design.

Hyundai

Hyundai Ioniq 9: Price: $62,000 (est.)

The Ioniq 9 wowed the 2024 LA Auto Show with its sleek looks, and the three-row EV joins the Kia EV9 and Cadillac Vistiq in a growing three-row electric SUV segment. Sitting on Hyundai’s 800-volt platform, the SUV comes in RWD and AWD and is outfitted with a NACS port so it can charge at Tesla Superchargers without an adapter.

Kia

Kia EV3: Price: $35,000 (est.)

While most EVs target higher-income buyers, EV3 is a funky, youth-oriented compact slotted below the upscale EV6 and EV9 models. Its smaller 58.3-kWh battery should made the FWD vehicle more affordable, while a larger, more conventional 82-kWh unit will push range to 300 miles. The interior is signature Kia with a pair of 12.3-inch touchscreens.

Lucid

Lucid Gravity: Price: $81,550

The Silicon Valley startup follows up its gorgeous Air sedan with the Gravity SUV. Gravity defies the average EV with a 900-volt platform that can add 200 miles of range in 10 minutes at a fast charger. Stuff in seven passengers and the SUV promises 440 miles of range and a neck-snapping 0-60 mph run in under 3.5 seconds.

Nissan

Nissan Murano: Price: $41,860

Finally updated after 10 years in the wilderness, Murano is gas-powered but features the futuristic design cues of the all-electric Ariya. Murano’s V-6 is gone, replaced by a more regulation-friendly turbocharged 4-cylinder. The trendy Murano promises advanced adaptive cruise control, panoramic roof and colorful LED ambient lighting inside.

Toyota

Toyota 4Runner: Price: $42,220

The popular truck-based 4Runner SUV gets its turn at major chassis, design and drivetrain upgrades previewed on its Toyota Tacoma pickup, Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus GX peers. A 278-horse, 2.4-liter turbo-4 engine is standard with a beefier hybrid, i-Force Max turbo-4 offering 326 ponies also available. For all it upgrades, the rear window still powers up and down. Vintage 4Runner.

Volkswagen-Porsche-Audi

VW Tiguan: Price: $31,000 (est.)

Following upgrades to the subcompact Taos SUV, Tiggy gets its own remake. The optional third row is gone and 201-horsepower turbo-4 on offer. Taos is plenty roomy, but the Tiguan offers upgrades like a head-up display, massaging front seats and heated rear seats.

Audi A6 E-Tron: Price: $80,000 (est.)

Audi continues to build its electric E-Tron lineup in parallel to its gas-powered vehicles. The midsize A6 joins the A5 and A7 Sportback models. Three powertrains will be offered on Audi’s familiar 800-volt platform: 1) A base, RWD, 362-horse model, 2) AWD E-Tron Quattro with 422 horsepower, and 3) a high-performance, AWD S6 version with 496-543 horses.

Audi Q5: Price: $50,000 (est.)

On the gas side, the Q5 SUV gets a major update with a screen-tastic interior featuring a curved, 11.9-inch instrument display and 14.5-inch center touchscreen. The passenger can also be outfitted with a 10.9-inch display. Electronics include driver-assist options, and if the driver wants to take the wheel, a turbo-4 is standard with a powerful 362-horse turbo-V-6 on offer.

Porsche Boxster/Cayman EV: Price: $78,000 (est.)

The Boxster coupe and Cayman convertible are going electric. While the iconic 911 carries on as a hybrid, its junior brother will offer battery power only. Porsche promises a lightweight, 800-volt EV platform capable of quick charging times. The lightweight bod is key to maintaining the sports car’s reputation for quick changes of direction.

Volvo

Volvo EX30 Price: 36,245

The Swede’s EV lineup gets an entry-level crossover that competes head-to-head with the Tesla Model 3 —  and starts under $40K. The EX30 even reminds of the Model 3 with its distinctive exterior styling and minimalist interior anchored around a single center screen. Unlike Tesla, the EX30 will be powered by Google built-in, which will sync with your favorite phone apps.