Although it’s often stated that the auto industry leads the public by the nose via clever marketing campaigns, in fact consumers are in the driver’s seat—and their changing tastes led to the now near-total SUV dominance we’re now seeing. But the difference between a sedan and an SUV these days amounts to little other than a few body panels, as witness Toyota’s Prius and Corolla Cross hybrids.
A small SUV is often more efficient and fuel-friendly than a big sedan. And that’s why it makes sense to figure out which current market entry really floats your boat—and then downscale from there. Small is still beautiful! Here are some new models, illustrating my various points:
2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid AWD Sport Touring. Now here is an entirely reasonable automobile that represents an excellent choice for a small family that—in most cases—buys something larger. As a parent who raised two kids with nothing larger than a Honda Fit, I say it isn’t really necessary to buy an Expedition when the first kid arrives. Honda didn’t have an as-tested price for an example with $455 added for Urban Gray paint, but this hybrid Touring model starts at $42,450.
The CR-V is never going to be a white-knuckle sports car that you exploit at the limit. It’s a very, very useful appliance that delivers 37 mpg combined. And it’s probably the most reliable appliance you can buy. Yes, it’s a car for people who read Consumer Reports, but there’s nothing at all wrong with that. There’s really no reason not to chose the hybrid variants that are being offered on an increasing number of automotive product lines.
2024 Toyota Prius Limited. If you’ve been using the excuse that “the Prius is ugly” for buying a lesser vehicle, it’s time to rethink. The current fifth-generation Prius is downright pretty. It was first shown in 2022. The shape of the earlier versions were dictated by practicality and aerodynamics, so the styling win here has yields a slightly higher drag co-efficient and minor losses in cargo volume. But it was worth it!
The Hybrid Synergy Drive in this Prius offers 198 horsepower, and a two-liter inline four gas engine that’s also used in the recently tested (and quite nice) Corolla Cross hybrid crossover that’s also worth considering. In high-end Limited trim, the Prius yields 49 mpg combined, saving the owner $4,250 annually in fuel costs compared to the average new vehicle. For $37,999, the buyer gets a loaded Prius with features like AWD, a full safety suite, LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers and eight-speaker JBL infotainment. It’s hard to imagine a better buy, especially when the average car sells for $48,401.
2025 Genesis G80 AWD 3.5T Sport Prestige. The G80 slots in between the G70 and the G90, but it’s the top dog in some international markets. It’s certainly no compromise, coming as it does fully equipped with the top-of-the-line B&O stereo, AWD, a huge safety suite, heated and ventilated front seats, a smart auto-open trunk, and the 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 that makes 375 horsepower (versus the 300 horses of the 2.5-liter turbo alternative). The car shifts through an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Beyond these tangibles there’s the intangible just-feels-right about this car. It’s very comfortable, quiet and effortless on the road, and offers plenty of storage. The bottom line as-tested wasn’t offered, but the model starts at a not-cheap $78,250. Also check out the 2025 Genesis G80 Electrified, offered in just one “Luxury” trim. We recently drove one on a round-trip to Washington, DC with Michelin, and a good time was had by all except for some charging issues on the New Jersey Turnpike. The 94.5-kilowatt-hour battery gives the G80 Electrified just under 300 miles of range.
2025 Mazda CX-70 Turbo S Premium Plus. The CX-70 is a new mid-sized entry going after popular vehicles like the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It’s very similar to the CX-90, albeit with two rows (and five-passenger seating) instead of three rows and room for eight. You can get into a CX-70 for $41,900, but this top-range model is an eye-opening $57,405, in part because this is the hopped-up S version of the 3.3-liter inline-six engine seen in the CX-90. It produces 340 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Mazdas tend to handle better than the average Japanese product, and that was the case with this fairly large automobile, which is also very tastefully appointed. But this is among the most crowded SUV segment, so it’s tough for Mazda to really stand out in it.
The zero to 60 time of 6.2 seconds is relatively sprightly, but any electric SUV would blow it away. Fuel economy of 25 combined/23 city/28 highway isn’t horrible but isn’t great, either. Also consider the CX-50 Hybrid Premium Plus, with a much better 38 mpg combined (39 in the city and 37 on the highway). The bottom line of $42,065 is also easier to swallow. And you can live with 219 horsepower.
2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI 2.0T. The Simeone Museum in Philadelphia collaborated with Volkswagen of America on the current exhibit (through January 12). Highlights include the Woodstock Microbus, Herbie, Karmann Ghias, a 1949 Bug—and several GTIs.
The GTI was launched in 1976 with 1.6-liter inline four adapted from Audi. That power output doesn’t seem like a lot now, but it turned the lightweight Golf into a prototype hot hatch capable of more than 112 mph. Obviously, the GTI has gained some weight and power since then. There’s still an inline four, but now it’s a 16-valve turbo producing 241 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The 2024 GTI offers zero to 60 in as little as 5.5 seconds, and fuel economy of 27 mpg combined (24 city, 33 highway). It’s a fun car to drive, graced with a six-speed manual transmission (one of the last?), but suffers from controls that should be simple and knob-based, but are complex and on the screen.
2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1. OK, it’s here, an all-electric Denali pickup with formidable specs—zero to 60 in four seconds! They call this a “light-duty” truck but it weighs 8,800 pounds. To move all that weight, GMC has equipped it with a huge 205-kilowatt-hour battery. That provides a stellar 440 miles of range. But the big battery is a major reason the Denali has a $99,495 price as-tested.
The crew-cab truck was luxurious inside, and quiet in operation, with a huge vertical screen. But this is one EV that just feels big, especially in parking lots. In terms of practicality, the truck with the cumbersome name did prove useful for some dump and Goodwill runs. The powered tailgate, which folds in half, is nice, but the dealer-installed soft roll-up tonneau was cumbersome to use, especially in the cold. And the load height is pretty high.
Is there a market for this kind of heroically sized EV? Probably, yes, since Rivian is moving them, and GM itself sold 14,039 Hummer EVs through October 2024. It’s not clear how many of those were pickups. Scout is also going after the EV pickup market, and we should see the Ram electric pickup soon. GM has a history of producing its “green” vehicles from its largest platforms, and in some cases that leads to a distinctly compromised product, such as the Silverado hybrid that went from 17 mpg to 19. But to its credit the company is now offering downsized and very credible vehicles such as the Chevy Bolt, Equinox and Blazer EVs.
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