The McLaren Artura Is Not Like the Others: Review
The McLaren Artura may look like other McLarens, but it’s the first McLaren to pair a hybrid powertrain with a twin-turbocharged V-6 engine. McLaren is no stranger to hybrids; hypercars like the McLaren P1, Speedtail and W1 already use electron-enhanced acceleration, but the Artura is McLaren’s first plug-in hybrid to offer a small amount of electric-only range before using a combination of gas and electric power. I spent a week driving the Artura, and the car’s electric range and electrified boost were what stood out most.
Related: 2024 McLaren 750S Review: Brain-Bender
2025 McLaren Artura Spider, profile | Cars.com photo by Corey Watts
Related: 2024 McLaren 750S Review: Brain-Bender
Related Video:https://players.brightcove.net/1578086878/HyOJ1bP6_default/index.html?videoId=6377608138112
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What I Liked About the Artura Being a Plug-in Hybrid
- The Artura’s electrified powertrain makes a combined 690 horsepower and delivers all the thrills we’ve come to expect from a McLaren; it roars from 0-62 mph in just 3 seconds. On the flip side, it can operate in a nearly silent electric mode for short distances.
- The electric motor provides 93 hp and 166 pounds-feet of torque at low engine speeds, and it’s highly evident when compared with the McLaren GT and its twin-turbocharged V-8 engine. The GT needs some good prodding before its power comes on in force, but the Artura’s electric motor fills in those power gaps. At full song, the Artura’s acceleration is completely seamless; the transmission clicks off shifts without any perceptible delay or hesitation, just the loud “brap!” out the exhaust of fuel cut at redline to help smooth shifts.
- The Artura starts in a default electric mode. Show-offs may decry that silent startup, but they can opt for a more sporting drive mode before lighting off the engine if so desired. I appreciated its silent operation during early morning departures from my suburban neighborhood.
- While the Artura’s EPA-rated electric driving range is just 11 miles, I made it 21 miles on electric power during my 35-mile commute in stop-and-go summer traffic.
- In Electric mode, the Artura is a dedicated EV, so the engine will not fire up even if the accelerator is pressed to the floor. McLaren did add in a mechanical sound of gears whirring and motors humming, which is somewhat more engaging to hear than the fake noises some EVs make.
The Artura quickly recoups battery power while driving in Sport and Track modes, which provides additional electric range when desired while maintaining optimal battery charge for the best performance.
1 / 302025 McLaren Artura Spider, interior | Cars.com photo by Corey Watts
The Artura’s electrified powertrain isn’t without its hiccups, however, and while there aren’t many plug-in hybrid supercars (the Ferrari 296 GTB PHEV is a rare direct competitor), there’s one hybrid sports car that may pose a threat to the nearly $300,000 Artura.
What I Didn’t Like About the Artura Being a Plug-in Hybrid
- Like many battery-driven vehicles, the Artura’s braking experience isn’t great, with a rock-hard brake pedal that feels more binary in its operation than a typical brake pedal; it’s incredibly hard to smoothly modulate, and my foot got fatigued at long stoplights and the car started to creep forward. The problem may have been compounded by the Artura’s ultra-high-performance carbon-ceramic brakes; the combination did not add up to a smooth street-driving experience.
- This McLaren’s power delivery isn’t as sharp as a naturally aspirated, supercharged or all-electric powertrain. Yes, there is power down low, but it’s mushy. Sometimes the car would accelerate with electric power but the engine wouldn’t rev in sync; it’s a bizarre experience for a supercar. A PHEV performance car like the 2025 BMW M5 is a shining example of how seamless a roughly 700-hp electric-and-gasoline powertrain can be; there’s no perceptible distinction between power sources in that car.
- At 3,439 pounds, the Artura Spider is 88 pounds heavier than the McLaren GTS (3,351 pounds) and 269 pounds heavier than the McLaren 750S Spider (3,170). The Artura is absolutely heavier, but it’s impressive how little extra weight there is considering the extra components of its electrified powertrain.
2025 McLaren Artura Spider, steering wheel | Cars.com photo by Corey Watts
About the make
McLaren
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McLaren is a British automaker with a long history in motorsport specializing in high-performance coupes and convertibles.
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Despite those criticisms, the Artura Spider remains a dreamy car. Versus the McLaren GTS (formerly the GT), the Artura is aimed more at street/track use than the street-only, grand-touring approach of the GTS. Even so, I can’t get over how comfortable the Artura made me feel — both in terms of how much visibility there is for such an exotic vehicle and in the connection I felt to the car thanks to the way it steers and behaves; it’s reminiscent of the directness and steering communication you’d find in a go-kart. The fact that it does that without also beating you up with an overly firm ride is mind-blowing. There’s some brittleness to the interior, however, including creaks and rattles that just seem to be part of the experience; it was similar to the GT I’ve driven.
Oh Yeah, Spider Equals Convertible
2025 McLaren Artura Spider, front | Cars.com photo by Corey Watts
Looks may be deceiving, but this sleek supercar is the Spider retractable hard-top convertible version, which supplies an effortless top-down driving experience with quick 11-second open/close times. The Artura has a great shape with the top up or down, and when driving with the top down, the air doesn’t beat you up. It honestly feels like a classic convertible experience despite its racy, aerodynamic shape. I preferred driving the top-down Artura Spider to the top-down Chevrolet Corvette convertible, though the Corvette has an extra cargo compartment versus the McLaren. Storage in the Artura is limited to a single front trunk, with no in-car storage behind the seats, while the Corvette convertible has a front trunk and a rear trunk that’s unaffected by the convertible top.
McLaren Artura Fun Facts
- The engine will sometimes run in the electric mode to charge the battery, warm the catalytic converters or purge fuel vapor after refueling.
- There’s no Reverse gear in the transmission; Reverse is handled by the electric motor.
- The V-6 saves 110 pounds versus an equivalent V-8.
- McLaren’s first use of an electronic differential enables a variable drift mode, which allows drivers to program the level of traction control assistance they’d like to have.
- The center-mounted “exhaust” in the decklid isn’t for engine exhaust, but is rather a heat extractor for the engine compartment. It uses the engine’s fans to blow hot air out of the compartment.
- The Artura’s carbon-fiber chassis is the next-generation McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture, which is lighter than the previous structure.
- The Artura uses a 7.4-kilowatt-hour battery pack, which takes 3.5 hours to charge on Level 2.
- Efficiency is rated at 45 mpg-equivalent combined, with 11 miles of EPA-rated electric range. Once its electric-only range is depleted, the Artura is rated 19 mpg combined.
- The front-lift suspension helps in urban driving, creating extra clearance for the vulnerable front splitter.
Artura Pricing
The Artura Spider starts at $278,800, including destination, but my car’s $332,000 as-tested price certainly butts up against the roughly $337,000 it takes to get into a 750S Spider, which is more powerful, more track-oriented and more … faster, too. There’s also the pesky Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, which is Chevrolet’s electrified mid-engine sports car. It’s all-wheel drive, versus the McLaren’s rear-wheel-drive setup, and the E-Ray also has silent operation (though for only 3-4 miles and up to 45 mph) and a quicker manufacturer-estimated 0-60 mph time of 2.5 seconds. The E-Ray convertible is also criminally cheaper than the McLaren, with a starting price of $115,795. Then there’s the E-Ray’s devilish alter ego: the 1,250-hp ZR1X, which has a 0-60 time under 2 seconds, with AWD and a starting price of $217,395 for the convertible.
Will there be much cross-shopping between a McLaren and Corvette? Perhaps not given the exclusivity and race-bred pedigree of the McLaren, but the as-tested price of our Artura Spider may create sticker shock when you consider the 750S Spider’s relatively close pricing. One thing’s for sure: The Artura Spider keeps much of the coupe-only McLaren GT’s civility and comfort (but with a sharper edge) while offering a top-notch drop-top experience.
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Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
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2025 Toyota Prius Review: Big on Mileage, Small on Space
By Jennifer Geiger
August 27, 2025
2025 Toyota Prius | Cars.com photo by Corey Watts
Is the 2025 Toyota Prius a Good Car?
- Sometimes! While demand for electric vehicles fluctuates, hybrids are having a moment, and one of the best when it comes to meeting its fuel-economy mission is the Toyota Prius. But while the Prius excels at being a hybrid — and a value-minded one at that — it’s a little odd; be ready to make some comfort and ergonomic sacrifices.
What Does the 2025 Toyota Prius Compete With?
- As a hybrid hatchback, the Prius doesn’t have many direct competitors. It goes up against nonhatch hybrids such as the Honda Accord Hybrid sedan, as well as compact SUV hybrids such as the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid and Toyota’s own RAV4 Hybrid; see the models compared.
The Prius was redesigned from the ground up for the 2023 model year, with new styling that was much more radical-looking than the previous model’s chunky, wedgelike silhouette. For 2025, Toyota added a Nightshade version that makes the Prius look even more dramatic, with blacked-out trim, black 19-inch wheels and an exclusive, eye-popping mustard-colored exterior paint called Karashi.
Related: What Are the Best 2025 Hybrids for the Money?
What Fuel Economy Does the 2025 Toyota Prius Get?
1 / 102025 Toyota Prius | Cars.com photo by Corey Watts
The Prius does a couple of things well, primarily fuel efficiency. The base, front-wheel-drive Prius earns an EPA-rated 57 mpg combined; all-wheel drive is available, but it knocks that rating down to 54 mpg combined. XLE and Limited trims are rated 52 mpg combined (49 mpg with AWD), but even those numbers are super competitive: In their base trims, the 2025 Honda Accord Hybrid is rated 48 mpg combined, the 2025 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid is rated 38 mpg combined, and the 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is rated 39 mpg combined. For those looking for even more efficiency, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid is rated up to 52 mpg combined, with 45 miles of electric-only range. It doesn’t, however, offer AWD. The regular Prius has an EV mode, but it didn’t get me far: I was able to drive on electric-only power for just a couple of blocks at very low speeds.
The Prius’ drama-free driving dynamics are another high point. While it’s always flown its hybrid flag when it comes to styling, it has a very “normal car” driving feel — in the best of ways.
Power comes from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that’s coupled with an electric motor, good for a combined output of 194 horsepower with FWD (AWD versions get an additional electric motor for the rear wheels and make 196 hp). While I wouldn’t go so far as to call it fast or fun, the Prius has a lively quality to it. Acceleration from a stop is peppy, and it’s pretty maneuverable in around-town driving.
Drive modes add a bit more character or efficiency, depending on what you’re looking for: The Prius’ Sport mode makes for more aggressive acceleration, while Eco mode prioritizes fuel economy.
Overall, the Prius is very comfortable to drive, with suspension tuning that offers good bump absorption, natural-feeling steering and a well-integrated regenerative-braking system that lacks the odd lurchiness some other hybrids struggle with.
What Tech Does the 2025 Toyota Prius Have?
1 / 122025 Toyota Prius | Cars.com photo by Corey Watts
The Prius’ climate and infotainment controls have a straightforward design and are fairly intuitive to use. An 8-inch touchscreen multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is standard; a larger 12.3-inch screen is optional. The larger screen on my Nightshade trim was easy to use and responsive, with near-seamless connection to wireless Android Auto every time I got in the car.
Wireless phone charging is standard on the Nightshade, which sits just below the top Limited trim in the lineup. Limited-only options include a 360-degree camera system and autonomous parking. My test car came with an optional integrated dashcam that can record emergencies like accidents, but at $375, it was expensive.
In other ways, including its materials and design, the Prius’ cabin is largely forgettable. The Nightshade trim at least adds some visual drama, with black SofTex imitation-leather seats with gray contrast stitching, along with carbon-fiber paneling on the dash.
What’s Wrong With the 2025 Toyota Prius?
My biggest issues with the Prius have to do with its shape. While the 2025 Prius is definitely a lot less nerdy-looking than the previous generation, its swoopy styling comes at the cost of practicality in terms of space and visibility. It looks cool but is a pain to live with, which will become apparent as soon as you attempt to get into it: It’s difficult to get in and out of the Prius due to its short stance and low roofline.
Once you make it inside, headroom is not generous in either row, especially in models with the optional glass roof. At 5-foot-6, I had enough headroom, but taller editors struggled — especially in the backseat due to the Prius’ sloping rear roofline.
About the make
Toyota
Toyota is one of the world’s largest automakers. Its Prius helped popularize hybrids, and its diverse lineup includes many hybrid models today.
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1 / 112025 Toyota Prius | Cars.com photo by Corey Watts
In our Car Seat Check, we installed two car seats with ease thanks to the Prius’ accessible lower anchors, but taller front passengers will feel cramped when a rear-facing car seat is installed behind them.
Visibility everywhere is another struggle. From the driver’s seat, it can be tough to see out of the Prius thanks to its super-low windshield, sloped rear end and small rear window. That said, this generation’s rear visibility is actually somewhat of an improvement over the outgoing model’s odd split-window design, but it’s still not great.
The placement of the gauge cluster also affected my view forward. It sits in a large panel mounted high on the dash; not only was the panel partially blocked by the steering wheel, it also impacted my already limited forward view.
Other ergonomic oddities that will impact your comfort include hidden exterior handles on the rear doors that are in an awkward, higher-up position, as well as a nontraditional gear selector that takes some getting used to.
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Is the 2025 Toyota Prius a Good Value?
2025 Toyota Prius | Cars.com photo by Corey Watts
Toyota’s hybrid hatchback has long been a standard bearer when it comes to fuel efficiency for the money; it routinely makes Cars.com’s annual Best Hybrids for the Money list. The 2025 Toyota Prius starts at $29,545, and the Nightshade Edition starts at $33,755; AWD adds $1,400 (all prices include destination). Its rivals, meanwhile, start higher: The Honda Accord Hybrid and Hyundai Tucson Hybrid both start around $35,000, while the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid starts around $34,000.
The Prius is also well equipped with safety features. Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 is standard on every Prius and includes forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-centering steering assist, automatic high beams and road-sign recognition. Blind spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert and safe-exit assist are also standard.
Overall, the Prius is an excellent pick for value-minded hybrid shoppers so long as they’re ready to make some comfort and ergonomics trade-offs.
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Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
2026 Subaru Solterra Review: Necessary Improvements
By Brian Normile
August 25, 2025
2026 Subaru Solterra | Cars.com photo by Leslie Cunningham
Is the 2026 Subaru Solterra a Good Electric SUV?
- The redesigned Solterra is certainly much more competitive, with more power (including a new XT variant with 338 horsepower), significantly more range, improved charging capabilities and a new Tesla-style North American Charging Standard. Pretty much everything that could be improved was.
How Does the 2026 Subaru Solterra Compare With Other Electric SUVs?
- While its significant upgrades make the new Solterra much better than the first-generation model, they don’t do anything to raise the ceiling of the segment. Rather, they raise the floor. A Ford Mustang Mach-E is a bit sportier with longer available range, the Volkswagen ID.4 is more comfortable on-road, and the well-rounded Hyundai Ioniq 5 remains a leader in the class. But seeing a Solterra on the road will no longer elicit surprise — at least if it’s the new one.
Subaru announced the redesigned 2026 Solterra this year, and it impressed us when we first saw it in person. The second-generation Solterra, like the first, is the result of a joint venture between Subaru and Toyota, and it shares much of its improvements with its 2026 Toyota bZ cousin. Those include battery, efficiency, charging and interior tech updates that make the Solterra much more than just a vehicle that lets Subaru tick the “sells an electric vehicle” box. And the Solterra, unlike the bZ, comes exclusively with dual-motor all-wheel drive.
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To find out as much as I could about the 2026 Solterra’s improvements — and to give it something of a quick and dirty efficiency test — I headed to Denver to drive the new Solterra on twisty mountain roads both paved and unpaved, on highways and even on a light off-road course (per Cars.com’s ethics policy, we pay for all travel and lodging when attending such manufacturer-sponsored events).
Read on to learn how the Solterra performed.
What Are the 2026 Solterra’s Power, Range and Charging Stats?
Stats matter for EVs, though it’s never a guarantee that an EV will always deliver on its promises. But when the previous Solterra had less than 230 miles of EPA-estimated range in every configuration, a maximum power output of 215 horsepower and a maximum DC fast-charging rate of 100 kilowatts, it never even offered on-paper competitiveness. Compare those numbers to these:
2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium AWD Extended Range
- 370 hp
- 300 miles of range
- 150-kW max DC fast-charging rate
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 SEL AWD
- 320 hp
- 290 miles of range
- 235-kW max DC fast-charging rate
2025 Volkswagen ID.4 AWD Pro S
- 335 hp
- 263 miles of range
- 175-kW max DC fast-charging rate
Compared with its predecessor, the 2026 Solterra improves on every single one of these stats, with an estimated 288 (Premium) or 278 (Limited, Limited XT and Touring XT) miles of range, 233 or 338 (XT) hp, and a 150-kW DC fast-charging rate. Not one of those specs blows away the Ford, Hyundai or Volkswagen (if they exceed them at all), but at least they’re all competitive now.
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When I started driving, the Solterra Touring XT’s battery was at 100%, and it was showing 280 miles of range — slightly more than its estimated 278 miles. After 121.3 miles of extremely mixed-use driving (including heavy climate-control use, various driving modes and even an off-road course), I’d used 42% of the battery’s charge. The range estimate was now 149 miles, meaning I’d used 131 miles of range — fairly accurate, but not perfect.
I did not, however, get to test the new Solterra’s charging capabilities during my time with it. We’ll have to wait until we have one at our home offices in Chicago for a more thorough evaluation.
How Does the 2026 Subaru Solterra Drive?
1 / 212026 Subaru Solterra, rear badge | Cars.com photo by Leslie Cunningham
The Solterra’s driving experience is fairly pedestrian for an EV. I drove a Touring XT, which Subaru says can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds. That makes it the quickest model in the automaker’s lineup, but it’s not all that quick in the world of EVs. While there’s far more power than in the last Solterra, flooring the accelerator pedal hardly pushes you into your seat. The added power is more noticeable on the highway, where there is now enough reserve power for worry-free passing and merging.
Ride comfort is adequate, even with my test vehicle’s 20-inch wheels and tires (18s are standard on the Premium). Washboard gravel roads made the Solterra shudder, but it never felt out of control. The standard dual-motor AWD system — retuned for 2026 for better power distribution and control — and the car’s driver-assist features made getting sideways even on dirt hairpins difficult.
Braking feel is solid and linear enough, and while there are five regenerative-braking settings (four if you don’t count “none” as a setting), there is no true one-pedal driving mode. Fortunately, Subaru has tuned the regen admirably, and it’s easy to seamlessly transition from the strongest setting to braking to a full stop with the brake pedal without stopping short and throwing everyone and everything in the car forward. Annoyingly, Subaru has not figured out that drivers might like to keep their regen-braking setting from drive to drive; when the Solterra is turned on again after stopping, it reverts to the weakest “on” setting.
About the make
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Standard all-wheel drive made Subaru popular with drivers in cold climates and outdoorsy types alike. The company is also known for its boxer engines.
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How Does the 2026 Subaru Solterra Drive Off-Road?
Subaru is quick to point out the 2026 Solterra has 8.3 inches of ground clearance, and with its standard AWD and dual-mode X-Mode terrain settings, it’s more than capable of tackling the average owner’s off-roading needs — and then some. The course we drove was narrow but not especially challenging, based on my experience, and the Solterra had no issues with the uneven, undulating and loose terrain. The Solterra is not a dedicated off-road rig, but it is a Subaru.
More Subaru Solterra News From Cars.com:
- 2026 Subaru Solterra Up Close: Meaningfully Updated, Nearly Competitive
- Is the 2025 Subaru Solterra a Good EV? 5 Pros, 3 Cons
- 2025 Subaru Solterra Gets Significantly Lower Starting Price, New Trim
- 2024 Subaru Solterra Review: A bZ4X by Another Name?
- Subaru Latest Brand to Adopt Tesla Charging Standard
How Good Is the 2026 Subaru Solterra’s Interior?
1 / 482026 Subaru Solterra, cargo outlet | Cars.com photo by Leslie Cunningham
Inside the Solterra, improvements include a new 14-inch touchscreen — Subaru’s biggest ever and vastly superior to the portrait-oriented displays found in many other current Subaru models. If it’s different from Toyota’s 14-inch infotainment display in any meaningful way, I couldn’t tell. It’s responsive and intuitive enough, and the graphics are crisp.
A new, wider center console now houses two wireless device chargers. It’s a nice design, but over the course of my driving, I found it irritated my right knee. I’m 6-foot-1, and taller drivers may find this even more annoying. Backseat room was good for someone of my height even behind my preferred driving position. Cargo space should be more than adequate for smaller families or folks with pets, but I’m looking forward to measuring the cargo area ourselves to see how it compares with other SUVs.
Should You Buy the 2026 Subaru Solterra?
With a competitive feature set and spec sheet — and assuming competitive pricing (it wasn’t available as of publication) — the 2026 Subaru Solterra is definitely worth your consideration if you’re shopping for an electric compact SUV. If it can deliver on its improved charging and range in the real world — and currently we have no reason to believe it won’t — it’s better than its predecessor in every conceivable way. While it’s not necessarily vastly better than any of its chief competitors, there’s a chance it could be a relative bargain.
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
