2026 Audi Q3 Overview

The Q3 slots below the Q5 (obvs) in Audi’s crossover lineup and competes directly with the BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLA, and Volvo XC40. For 2026, Audi simplified the Q3 lineup down to a single trim: the S line quattro, starting at $43,700 plus a $1,295 destination charge. S line exterior styling, quattro AWD, and Virtual Cockpit are all standard.

From there, four option packages let you build up the car to your liking. The Technology Package ($1,400) adds a head-up display and OLED taillights. The Driver Assistance Package ($1,250) brings adaptive cruise assist with lane centering, park assist plus with automatic parking, a surround-view camera system, and a heated steering wheel. The Infotainment Package ($1,000) adds the Sonos premium audio system, extra USB ports, and SiriusXM. The Black Optic Package ($750) swaps in gloss-black exterior trim, anthracite Audi rings, and black roof rails. A 20-inch wheel upgrade costs $1,800. Paint is $595 on most colors; Arkona White is no charge.

The test car arrived with Sage Green Metallic paint, the Technology Package, the Driver Assistance Package, and the Infotainment Package, bringing the as-tested total to $51,790. Under the hood is Audi’s 2.0-liter TFSI turbocharged four-cylinder, producing 255 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, routed through a 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission to all four wheels. Audi claims 0 to 60 in 5.5 seconds. Fuel economy is rated at an EPA-estimated 22 city, 29 highway, 25 combined.

• Base Price: $43,700
• As-Tested Price: $51,790
• Exterior Color: Sage Green Metallic
• Interior Color: Parchment Beige
• Engine: 2.0L TFSI Turbocharged Inline-4
• Output: 255 hp / 273 lb-ft torque
• Transmission: 7-Speed S Tronic Dual-Clutch
• Drivetrain: quattro AWD
• 0-60 mph: 5.5 seconds
• Fuel Economy: 22 city / 29 highway / 25 combined mpg
• Cargo Space: 25 cu ft behind rear seats / 50 cu ft seats folded
• Assembly: Gyor, Hungary

2026 Audi Q3 S line Quattro: Inside & Out

The test car wore Sage Green Metallic, a color that photographs quite well. It has a muted, sophisticated quality that sets it apart from the typical silver-or-white crossover sea. The S line exterior package adds more aggressive bumpers, side skirts, and 19-inch wheels, giving the Q3 a slightly more purposeful stance than the standard trim.

I’m not sure I am on board with the squinty headlight-and-taillight era we’re currently in. In this case, it takes away some personality from the Q3. Especially as grilles and such get larger.

Inside, the Parchment Beige interior brightens what could otherwise be a dark cabin. Audi has always held an advantage in material quality at this price point. The surfaces you touch feel substantial, the stitching is even, and the cabin feels solid throughout. However, the photos show the beige interior already has some worn or dirty spots. Not a great sign in such a new vehicle, maybe go for the darker interior. The Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster is crisp and configurable, and the MMI infotainment display handles navigation and media duties cleanly.

The stalk-based control layout requires an adjustment period. Audi uses steering column stalks for gear selection and wiper functions, rather than the conventional column shifter or console-mounted selector you’ll find in most competitors. It’s not difficult to use, but your hands reach for the wrong place for the first few days. By the end of the week, it feels intuitive, but the learning curve is real.

The ambient door lighting is a nice touch, adding a subtle glow that makes the cabin feel more premium at night without being distracting.

2026 Audi Q3 S line Quattro: On the Road

The Q3 is quick enough that you won’t feel like you’re missing out on performance in everyday driving. The turbocharged four-cylinder pulls confidently from low revs, and the S tronic dual-clutch is smooth in normal driving and snappy when you want it. Its size works in its favor in the city: the turning radius is genuinely good, making parking-garage maneuvers and urban U-turns less of an event than in larger crossovers.

One moment from the test period stands out. The Q3’s active safety systems triggered a hard pre-collision braking event in a spot that was very unnecessary. The intervention was abrupt and a bit startling. Without more data, it’s hard to say whether the system misread the situation or was being overly cautious, but it reminded me these systems are always running in the background.

I also had an intermittent issue with one of the windows on the first day, which would hesitate when lowering. It happened a few times and then stopped, so it may have been a one-off or related to temperature/moisture. Worth noting but not necessarily representative of the car in general since I didn’t experience the issue again.

Apple CarPlay connectivity was quite inconsistent, though. The fix I eventually found: remove the phone from the wireless charging tray before connecting. Once I started doing that, it connected a bit more reliably. This seems like something a software update could address rather than a driver workaround. Once connected, Waze integration in the Virtual Cockpit cluster display worked well.

Summary

The 2026 Audi Q3 S line quattro is a good compact luxury crossover, especially well-suited to city and suburban use, where its manageable size and tight turning circle become real advantages. The interior quality and Sage Green exterior make it easy to live with and pleasant to look at. Just skip the beige seats.

The stalk-based controls are the biggest adjustment, but they’re easy to learn. The CarPlay connectivity issue and the pre-collision braking system could use some calibration. None of these are dealbreakers, but they’re notes on an otherwise polished machine.

At $51,790 as-tested, the Q3 competes in a crowded space. If the size and Audi badge fit your brief, it earns its keep.

2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid: Overview

The 2026 Palisade lineup spans seventeen trims across two powertrains, which is a lot to process, so here is the relevant breakdown. All hybrid trims share the same 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid system producing 329 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque, paired to a six-speed automatic. Front-wheel drive is standard; AWD is available on all hybrid trims. Since we’re driving the Hybrid, we’ll break down the trim levels for you.

Hybrid Blue SEL — $43,660.

The hybrid entry point. Eight-passenger seating, 329 horsepower, premium synthetic upholstery, and all the standard Hyundai SmartSense safety tech bits. It’s a solid starting point for families who want the powertrain upgrade without climbing the full price ladder.

Hybrid SEL Premium — $47,020.

Steps up with a Harman Kardon audio system, heated and ventilated front seats, a surround-view camera, and power-adjustable second-row seats. The sweet spot for buyers who want a well-equipped hybrid without the flagship pricing.

Hybrid Limited — $51,490.

Adds Nappa leather, a head-up display, a 12-inch digital instrument cluster, a relaxation mode for the second-row seats, and a digital rearview mirror. Delivers some solid luxury for a pretty reasonable price.

Hybrid Calligraphy — $56,280 FWD / $58,280 AWD.

The range-topper and the car we’re driving here. Adds 21-inch wheels, an illuminated grille, an integrated dual-camera dashcam, dynamic welcome lighting, a deluxe sliding center console, and the UV-C air sterilization system. Seven-passenger captain’s chair seating is standard. Massaging front seats and the full Hyundai Digital Key system round out the package. At just under $60,000 for AWD, this is Hyundai’s most fully-loaded Palisade.

Let’s see how it copes with the daily commute and youth hockey practice!

2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid Calligraphy: Inside & Out

Sitting down in the Palisade Hybrid, the interior feels immediately familiar if you’ve spent time in the IONIQ 9. Which I have, recently! The interior design language is the same, which makes sense since both share Hyundai’s latest platform and interior architecture. The curved widescreen display, the touch-sensitive button panel along the dash, the overall sense of considered space. If you liked the IONIQ 9’s cabin, you’ll like this one too. The materials are a step above what you expect at this price. Nappa leather, varied textures, solid surface quality throughout. It looks expensive in a quiet way rather than a flashy one.

The screen is large and angled slightly toward the driver, which helps it feel integrated rather than tacked on. The distance from the seat to the touchscreen is notable, though. Even with reasonably long arms, reaching the far end of the display requires leaning forward. Something to know if you use the full screen width regularly and maybe have shorter limbs.

There is a volume knob. Woot! Getting CarPlay up and running takes a couple of extra steps compared to some other press cars. The system asks you to agree to terms and press start before it loads the main menu, and then you still need to tap the CarPlay button. Clunky on the first launch, perhaps less so once you know the sequence.

The wireless charging pad has a bright orange indicator light that confirms charging without having to look twice. If your phone runs hot in the charger, there is a dedicated slot right in front of the pad where the phone can rest upright and stay visible without charging. My iPhone 17 Pro Max sits a little high in that slot and tends to slide off slightly, but the idea is right.

Storage is plentiful. The center console is fixed rather than sliding, like on the IONIQ 9, but there is plenty of space. Multiple USB-C ports are accessible front and rear. The door armrest and center console armrest sit at exactly the same height, which sounds like a detail until you’ve spent an hour in the car and realized your arm hasn’t moved. There’s also just the right amount of padding under the leather.

The UV-C air sterilization system cleans the cabin air using ultraviolet light. It is listed as a feature you activate rather than something that runs continuously, which raises the reasonable question of why you wouldn’t just leave it on. The answer is probably that Hyundai wants buyers to know it’s there.

Step-in height is great for taller drivers. Not too high, not too low. Getting in and out with a bag or kids in tow is easy, which matters more in a three-row SUV than the spec sheet suggests.

Second and third row: the captain’s chairs in the second row are genuinely comfortable and offer decent recline. The third row on a wheelbase this size is better than most.

Cargo behind the third row is 19.1 cubic feet, which is on the modest side for a vehicle this large but functional for everyday use. Of note, we got the hockey bag easily into the rear cargo area. The stick was partially up into the 3rd row though.

2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid Calligraphy: On the Road

The hybrid powertrain is the nice upgrade over the gas Palisade, and it shows. With 329 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque from the turbocharged four-cylinder, power arrives early and makes the Palisade feel considerably more willing than its predecessor. Zero to 60 comes in around 6.2 seconds, which Edmunds calls considerably quicker than the V6 gas version. It does not feel like a sports car. It feels like a very confident SUV, which is the right idea.

Sport mode is an interesting choice in a vehicle primarily designed to carry a family in comfort. The engine note firms up and the throttle response sharpens, which is entertaining for about thirty seconds, before the passenger in the second row, with the relaxation seat reclined all the way back, gives you a look. Combined fuel economy comes in at an EPA-estimated 31 mpg, and with the hybrid system’s range, the Palisade can cover over 600 miles on a full tank. That is a massively useful number for road trips.

The keyless door handle entry is a little slow to register. You reach into the handle, wait a beat, and the door unlocks. On a normal day, this is not noticeable. In the rain, it is. One morning, it did not lock on the first attempt, so pulling out the key fob to confirm it had closed was necessary. The sensors on these systems occasionally have bad days, it seems.

Ride quality is composed and comfortable, consistent with what the Palisade has always done well. The hybrid’s lower center of gravity from the battery placement helps with stability through corners without changing the vehicle’s fundamentally relaxed character.

Summary

The 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid Calligraphy comes in at $58,280 with AWD and is a well-executed premium three-row that makes a strong case for itself against the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid and the Kia Telluride Hybrid at similar prices. It has more horsepower than both, a longer warranty than the Toyota, and an interior that feels like it should cost more than it does.

The hybrid powertrain fixes the one thing the previous Palisade got consistently knocked for. The Calligraphy trim adds enough genuine comfort and convenience features to justify the flagship pricing. And if you want clean cabin air, there’s a button for that too.

2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid Calligraphy AWD

Base MSRP: $58,280 (AWD) | Engine: 2.5L Turbo 4-cyl hybrid | Output: 329 hp / 339 lb-ft | Transmission: 6-speed automatic | Drivetrain: AWD | 0-60: ~6.2 sec | Fuel Economy: 31/32/31 mpg (city/hwy/combined) | Range: 600+ miles | Cargo: 19.1 cu ft (3rd row up) / 46.3 cu ft (2nd row folded) | Seating: 7 passengers

The 2026 RAV4 is part an entirely new sixth generation (XA60), and the GR Sport is the most aggressive thing Toyota has ever done with the nameplate. Gazoo Racing-tuned suspension and steering, 324 horsepower from a plug-in hybrid system, and styling aggressive enough to confuse people who have been seeing RAV4s for years. Whether that is the right direction for the world’s best-selling compact SUV is a fair question. On the evidence of a week behind the wheel, it is at least the most interesting direction.

2026 Toyota RAV4 PHEV GR Sport: Overview

The 2026 RAV4 represents a full redesign, and one of its most consequential changes is this: the gas-only RAV4 is gone. Every 2026 RAV4 is electrified in some form, either a standard hybrid or a plug-in hybrid. There are ten trim levels across the two powertrains, organized into three design categories: Core, Rugged, and Sport.

Here is the full PHEV lineup.

RAV4 PHEV SE AWD — $41,500.

The PHEV entry point, and a pretty compelling one. The full 324-horsepower plug-in hybrid system is standard across all four PHEV trims, which means the SE makes identical power to the GR Sport at $7,000 less. Standard AWD, up to 49 miles of electric range, wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, Toyota Safety Sense 4.0. For buyers who want the PHEV powertrain without the sport package pricing, this is the rational choice.

RAV4 PHEV Woodland AWD — $45,300.

The rugged variant. Dunlop all-terrain tires, a two-inch tow hitch receiver, a roof rack, and LED fog lights. One of two PHEV trims with DC fast charging. If you actually use a RAV4 for outdoor capability rather than just the implied capability, the Woodland looks pretty solid.

RAV4 PHEV XSE AWD — $47,200

The well-rounded, sport-adjacent trim. Sportier exterior treatment and the other PHEV trim with DC fast charging, capable of 10-80% in around 30 minutes. For buyers who want visual personality and public charging flexibility, this is the middle ground.

RAV4 PHEV GR Sport AWD — $49,885 base, $51,335 as-tested.

The range-topper, ours came in Supersonic Red with Black two-tone. The GR Sport is the product of Toyota Gazoo Racing’s involvement and gets you unique suspension tuning with revised spring and damper rates, retuned electric power steering, a distinctive exterior package with unique front and rear fascias, a wing-type rear spoiler, 20-inch black machined alloy wheels with summer performance tires, and red GR accents throughout. Inside: mixed media and SofTex-trimmed seats, a 12.9-inch touchscreen, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, heated front seats, and paddle shifters.

Our test car adds all-season tires, premium paint, two-tone exterior paint, black chrome wheel locks, and low-profile cross bars to land at $51,335. Notably, the GR Sport does not offer DC fast charging. If you need fast public charging capability, the XSE is the one.

2026 Toyota RAV4 PHEV GR Sport: Inside & Out

It is aggressive. And using it for a RAV4 is weird, but it is the correct word. The GR Sport’s front fascia has a wide, low mouth with vertical LED accent lights, angular projector headlights, and enough visual mass to read as a different vehicle category than a standard RAV4. The wing-type rear spoiler is the statement piece, divisive in the way that statement pieces usually are, and useful, apparently, as a temporary coffee cup holder.

The 20-inch black machined wheels fill the arches nicely and the red GR accents tie the exterior together without overwhelming it. In Supersonic Red with the Black two-tone roof, the test car was not subtle. The overall effect is a vehicle that looks like it has sporting intentions rather than just sporting decals.

The colleague who did not recognize it as a RAV4 is not really a car person, but his reaction is data. Toyota has moved this vehicle far enough from its practical family crossover identity that it reads as something else entirely. That is either exciting or troubling depending on what you thought the RAV4 was for.

The inside is quite nice, and better than the exterior’s sport-forward attitude would lead you to expect in terms of everyday refinement. The GR Sport seats are SofTex-trimmed with proper side bolstering, which is unusual in this class and immediately noticeable the first time you take a corner with any real intent.

The sound system is a genuine highlight, particularly the bass response. The six-speaker setup has no right to sound as good as it does in a Toyota RAV4. The 12.9-inch touchscreen is large and sharp, running Toyota’s fully redesigned Audio Multimedia system with 5G connectivity and wireless CarPlay and Android Auto. My iPhone paired on first attempt. The wireless charging location is one of the best I have encountered in a press car. It sits angled slightly away from the driver in a dedicated slot that is easy to slide a phone into and easy to retrieve from. The angle keeps the phone secure and accessible simultaneously. It is a small ergonomic detail executed correctly.

The center console opens from either side, which is a useful feature for both front passengers. It makes a satisfying mechanical clunk when it latches, louder than you might expect. One comfort note for longer drives: the area where the right leg rests while the foot is on the accelerator has a hard plastic surface. On a short commute this is not noticeable. On a road trip it would become a potential comfort issue.

2026 Toyota RAV4 PHEV GR Sport: On the Road

With 324 horsepower in a compact SUV that weighs around 4,400 pounds, you’ll get a 0-60 in 5.3 seconds, which is what independent testing clocked on the GR Sport. That puts it in the same conversation as dedicated sport sedans from a few years ago. Off the line it is immediately, convincingly quick in a way the RAV4 nameplate has never been associated with. There is a slight plateau as speeds climb past highway entry ramp territory before the combined system continues building. The initial surge is strong enough to cause my phone, resting in the storage area adjacent to the charging spot, to launch itself across the center console under hard acceleration.

The RAV4 GR Sport handles direction changes with reasonable precision and less body roll than any previous RAV4, and the steering has enough weight and feedback to make you feel like the car is responding to your inputs rather than interpreting them. It is not a sports car, by any means. It is a compact SUV that handles better than compact SUVs normally do. The summer performance tires standard on the GR Sport contribute to it of course, though buyers in cold climates should note the all-season option on our test car swaps them out.

The PHEV system provides up to 49 miles of electric range in real-world driving, and when the gas engine supplements the electric motors the transition is seamless. Combined range with a full tank and full charge comes in around 515 miles, which reframes how you think about long trips. With 49 miles of electric range covering most daily commuting, the gas engine largely stays dormant in urban use. The efficiency story is genuinely impressive for a car that is also pretty quick.

As noted, the GR Sport does not have DC fast charging, which the XSE and Woodland trims do offer. Level 2 charging only means public fast charging stations are not useful on road trips. The hybrid’s range makes this a manageable limitation, but it is worth knowing before you build expectations around public charging infrastructure. Toyota Safety Sense 4.0 operated quietly and correctly throughout the test week, which continues to be the most positive thing I can say about a driver assistance system.

Summary

A valid question was raised during this test week: why spend $51,335 on the GR Sport when the SE PHEV delivers identical power at $42,950, and the savings could go toward something that is actually a sports car?

It is a fair point, and I have versions of it swirling around in my head most oft hetime. What I keep coming back to is this: I want a daily driver that looks interesting, sounds good, goes reasonably well, and is practical enough to live with. The GR Sport satisfies most of that list. The bolstered seats, the aggressive exterior, the suspension tuning, and the audio system together create a vehicle with more personality than the RAV4 name would suggest, at an $8,385 premium over the base PHEV when you factor in the as-tested price.

Whether that premium makes sense depends on what you are looking for. If driving dynamics and exterior character matter, the GR Sport is the one. If you want the same power and range for less money and plan to spend the difference on something genuinely fun, the SE PHEV is patiently waiting.

My colleague’s coffee sat perfectly level on the wing spoiler for the duration of the conversation. This is anecdotal evidence, but it is the most convincing demonstration of functional aerodynamics I witnessed all week.

2026 Toyota RAV4 PHEV GR Sport

Base MSRP: $49,885 | As-Tested: $51,335 | Color: Supersonic Red w/ Black | Engine: 2.5L 4-cyl + dual electric motors | Output: 324 hp combined | 0-60: 5.34 sec (tested) | Electric Range: 49 miles | Combined Range: ~515 miles | Fuel Economy: 86 MPGe / 37 mpg (gas mode) | Charging: Level 1/Level 2 only (no DC fast charge) | Drivetrain: AWD standard | Assembly: Obu, Aichi, Japan

Maybe too much. I sort of lose my mind in this video, and it’s all the car’s fault.

The 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 is not trying to be exciting. It is trying to be excellent. Those are different goals, and for most buyers in this segment, excellence is the more useful one. This is a three-row electric SUV designed to carry families comfortably, keep them connected, keep them charged, and ideally ask nothing difficult of them along the way. It does all of that pretty well. It also has a rear end that my twelve-year-old had more precise opinions about than most automotive journalists. More on that shortly.

2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9: Overview

The IONIQ 9 lineup spans six trims across three powertrain configurations, all sharing the same 110.3-kWh battery. The range is wide enough that the entry-level and top-of-range versions feel like genuinely different vehicles.

S RWD — $58,955.
The entry point and the efficiency champion. A single rear motor producing 215 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. EPA-estimated 335 miles of range, 92 MPGe combined. Seven-passenger seating with a second-row bench. Standard equipment includes wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, heated front seats, and the full suite of Hyundai driver assistance technology. For buyers who prioritize range over performance and don’t need AWD, this is the rational choice and is very well equipped for the money.

SE AWD — $62,455.
The first AWD model adds a front motor, delivering a total of 303 horsepower and 446 lb-ft of combined torque. Range drops slightly to 320 miles (88 MPGe). Adds a power passenger seat, but is otherwise similar to the S in equipment.

SEL AWD — $66,955.
Steps up with a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen, a surround-view camera, second-row heated seats, ventilated front seats, a power-folding third row, and blind-spot monitoring. Still, 303 horsepower and 320 miles of range are solid. It’s the trim level where the IONIQ 9 starts to feel like a very well-equipped premium family vehicle.

Performance Limited AWD — $70,955.
The powertrain steps up significantly here: 422 horsepower, 516 lb-ft of torque. The range drops to 311 miles as the performance motors draw more power from the battery. Adds a head-up display, a premium audio system, and relaxation seating in the second row. The first trim to offer the captain’s chair second-row configuration for six-passenger seating.

Performance Calligraphy AWD — $74,990 base, $77,335 as-tested.
The car we are driving is the second-from-top in the lineup. Shares the 422-horsepower Performance powertrain with the Limited. Adds Nappa leather seating, a Digital Side Mirror system, a larger panoramic roof, rear-seat infotainment displays, and the sliding center console that is one of this review’s highlights. Standard H-Tex faux suede headliner, relaxation seats in the second row, a 14.5-inch central touchscreen with a 12.3-inch passenger display. Our test car in Cyber Gray adds $1,345 in options over base for a total of $77,335.

Performance Calligraphy Design AWD — $76,490.
The range-topper adds a distinctive exterior design package: unique 22-inch wheels, a panoramic rear spoiler, exclusive exterior color options, and additional interior finishing touches. It gets the same Performance AWD powertrain.

At over $77K, this is real money, but it buys a lot of Hyundai. Annual fuel cost is estimated at around $1,000, which the window sticker cheerfully points out saves you $3,500 over five years compared to the average new vehicle. It is also a CARB-certified zero-emission vehicle, built in Ellabell, Georgia, a detail I always like to point out to people who assume every EV comes from some other place. Ain’t no way that thing come from Georgia!

2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 AWD Performance Calligraphy: Inside & Out

The IONIQ 9’s design is…polarizing. The front is sleek and clean. The profile is long and substantial, appropriate for a vehicle with a 123.2-inch wheelbase. Then you get to the rear, where the roofline drops in a dramatic taper that is either dynamic or unfortunate, depending on who you ask.

My youngest, who is twelve and maybe on his way to a career in automotive design, offered the most precise critique I heard all week: if the rear didn’t slope down so much, trying to be a coupe or something it’s not, it would look better. A straighter roofline would also mean more cargo space. These are the observations delivered with the confidence of someone who has never had to worry about being wrong in public, and he is not wrong.

The IONIQ 9 reminds me of some Volvo designs from over the years. That is not an insult. There is Scandinavian restraint in the overall shape. Whether the coupe-drop rear is a hit or a misstep is an ongoing conversation in our house. One thing we are not calling it: a minivan. It does not have sliding doors. This distinction matters to some people more than it should, and it is worth making explicit. There are options over at Kia if you want one.

The cabin is genuinely spacious in a way that pics do not fully capture. The big-ole wheelbase is doing real work here, translating into legroom across all three rows that feels more like a proper lounge than a people-hauler. The overall sense of the interior is that someone thought carefully about how families actually use a vehicle over the course of a day, a week, or a road trip.

The centerpiece of the cabin is the sliding center console. In its retracted position, it creates an open pass-through between the front seats, sized well enough for a bag or a small cooler. For road trips, this is immediately useful. There is a lever to move it forward and back, meaning second-row passengers can pull it toward them to access whatever is inside. This is the kind of feature that sounds obvious in retrospect and that nobody else has done quite this cleanly. The center area also functions well as an impromptu fast-food tray when the situation calls for it. It does not have to call for it very hard for me sometimes.

The wireless charging pad may be the best I have tested recently in a press car. It is positioned immediately next to the driver, is easy to reach, and has small rubber nubs on the surface that hold the phone in place under cornering. The nubs actually echo the square pattern on the steering wheel, which is a delightful design detail. The phone stays put. It charges. These two things happening reliably and simultaneously remain rarer than they should be.

The curved touchscreen is a panoramic display, more akin to a gaming monitor than to the flat tablet bolted to most dashboards. The buttons along the dash are not entirely physical but touch-sensitive, and they produce a satisfying blue light reaction when pressed. Real physical buttons for the major functions flank the hazard light button at the center, which is where they should be.

The automatic HVAC system has three speed settings for when you do not want full fan blast, which is a thoughtful concession. Even on the lowest setting, the fan still moves a meaningful amount of air. This may be a calibration choice rather than a flaw, but it is worth noting for buyers sensitive to airflow.

Behind the third row you get just shy of 22 cubic feet, enough for a couple of real suitcases rather than the emergency-grocery-run space some three rows pretend counts as cargo capacity. Fold the third row, and that grows to about 47 cubic feet, and drop the second row too, and you’re looking at nearly 87 cubic feet, more than you’d get in an Explorer, Pathfinder, or Highlander Hybrid.

People space is just as generous: Hyundai claims class-leading second-row legroom over the Model X and R1S, and even the third row gets a genuinely usable 32 inches of legroom, which is more than the stablemate Hyundai Palisade offers. The tradeoff, and it is a real one, is that the cargo floor sits noticeably high off the ground thanks to the battery pack underneath, so loading anything heavy means a lift rather than a slide.

2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 AWD Performance Calligraphy: Driving and Usability

With 420 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque routed through AWD, the IONIQ 9 is quicker than you would expect it to be. It does not feel like a performance vehicle in daily driving, but when you ask it to go, it goes with the immediate, seamless surge that AWD electric powertrains deliver better than almost anything else currently available. The speed is there. It just arrives without ceremony.

The paddle shifters have been repurposed to control the intensity of regenerative braking. Pulling the left paddle all the way down engages maximum regeneration, the equivalent of one-pedal driving. The paddle shift settings are mostly remembered between drives. The exception is the maximum regenerative braking setting, which must be reselected each time you start driving. This is a minor daily friction, but one you notice every time.

The drive modes actively adjust the estimated range display, which is genuinely useful. Switching to Sport mode and watching the range number update to reflect the new consumption rate gives you an honest picture of the trade-off you are making. This is how range estimates should work, and it removes the guesswork from mode selection.

The startup sequence deserves its own paragraph. When you approach the car and open the door, the seat and steering wheel move in unison to their preset positions. When you settle in and pull the door closed, they move back as one. It is theatrical. It is completely unnecessary. It feels like boarding a small, well-mannered spacecraft. I enjoyed it every single time.

The gear selector sits on the steering column stalk, which also controls park, reverse, neutral, and drive, and includes the start button. It is an unusual layout that requires a day or so to internalize. It worked well, except when I turned the wheel so far that it completely blocked the level when parked.

A few other usability notes. The rear hatch release button is not obviously positioned, which my daughter discovered firsthand. The door handles retract flush when not in use, which is aerodynamically efficient but can be a problem in tight parking situations. I had to pop mine back in at least once to avoid a pole in a tight parking space. A collision warning also activated on an empty road early one morning. No traffic, nothing approaching, nothing changing. This remains the experience across multiple press cars, and I will continue to document it. An alert that triggers on an empty road does not assist the driver. It is startling the driver.

Oh, and I tried to charge it, but I never came across a Tesla/NACS charger that was convenient.

The Bottom Line

Electric vehicles do not have a soul in the mechanical sense. There is no combustion, no exhaust note, no gear change, no connection between your foot and an engine that sounds like it is working. The IONIQ 9 does not try to simulate anything it is not. It is a family hauler, and it is a very good one.

If you are comfortable with EV life, the IONIQ 9 makes a compelling case for itself at $77,335 as-tested. The interior is genuinely well-designed. The charging speed is class-leading. The range is solid for the size. The sliding console is a feature you will miss in every other vehicle you drive afterward.

The rear end design is a compromise. The lowest fan setting still moves a buttload of air. The maximum regen mode requires reselection on every start. These are manageable complaints on a vehicle that otherwise does everything a family of five needs, quietly, quickly, and without asking for much in return.

One parting shot from my wife, delivered as the car was being returned: “The ugly Volvo-looking Hyundai is leaving.”

Specs at a Glance

2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 AWD Performance Calligraphy

The 2027 Ford Bronco Filson was revealed in June, and Ford has been touring it around the country this summer for exactly this purpose: getting journalists and enthusiasts close enough to touch it and form opinions before orders open in the fall. I attended the Washington, DC, stop thanks to the Washington Auto Press Association and came away with a few thoughts. The short version: the ambition is real, the execution is pretty solid, and whether the target customer actually exists in the numbers Ford needs is the interesting question.

What It Is

The Bronco Filson is not a special edition. Ford is positioning it as a permanent trim in the Bronco lineup, sitting above the Outer Banks and Badlands. It’s not inexpensive, targeted to start in the mid-$70,000 range when orders open this fall, with vehicles arriving at dealers in early 2027.

Under the hood is the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 from the Bronco Raptor, producing 418 horsepower. The Sasquatch Off-Road Package and Fox shocks are standard. It is a four-door-only proposition. There is a First Edition for North America, finished in an exclusive shade called Iron Sands Copper Metallic with a serialized console badge. The Filson collaboration includes a limited-edition apparel collection already available at Filson stores and online.

Filson, for context, has been making outdoor gear since 1897. They have supplied the U.S. Forest Service, outfitted hunters and prospectors, and built a reputation for making good stuff that lasts long enough to become someone else’s problem. Ford and Filson actually collaborated in 2020 on a Wildland Fire Rig concept, so this is not a cynical pairing of a car brand with whatever heritage label was available. There is a genuine shared customer here, somewhere.

I’ll admit the Filson store that hosted the event had some great stuff. My colleague and good friend Patrick Min did a “The Price Is Right” guess on the Bronco Filson hoodie at $120. He was so wrong. Based on TPIR rules, he lost!

It was $119.

First Impressions

The interior is the main event, and the Bronco Filson’s cabin makes a reasonably convincing case for itself. Double stitching, decent materials, a level of finish that reads as intentional rather than assembled from the options catalog. Filson’s signature tin cloth appears throughout, which is a nice touch. The seats feel fine, not exceptional but good, and appropriate for a vehicle that will spend time in places where the seat is the last thing you think about.

The details are where the collaboration works well. There is a small pouch on the back of the seat that looks exactly like a miniature Filson messenger bag, which is either charming or a bit much depending on how seriously you take this kind of thing. More Filson bags are strapped to the rear pillars as well. Whether you want your car’s interior to communicate the vibe is a personal question. I thought it looked pretty good.

Here, check it out for yourself.

The $70,000 Question

Back to Ford’s stated ambition to pull buyers from Land Rover and Mercedes. These are vehicles that start north of $100,000 and climb steeply from there. A Bronco Filson at mid-$70,000 is, on paper, a meaningful undercut. And yet. The buyer who is cross-shopping a G-Wagon is not primarily making a rational decision about off-road capability. They are making a statement, and the statement costs what it costs. A Bronco, however excellent, however Filson-branded, is still a Bronco. This is not a criticism of the Bronco. It is an observation about how premium badge purchases work.

The more realistic scenario, as I see it, is that the Bronco Filson becomes the thing that wealthy people buy as their outdoor vehicle, their ranch truck, their weekend machine, parked next to things that cost considerably more. The ninth car, not the primary one. That is still a viable business for Ford, and I’m sure there are customers who will appreciate what the Bronco Filson delivers.

Orders open in fall 2026. The Bronco Filson Tour continues through the summer. If you are curious, go see it in person.

2027 Ford Bronco Filson
Targeted Starting MSRP: Mid-$70,000s | Engine: 3.0L EcoBoost V6 | Output: 418 hp | Standard: Sasquatch Package, Fox Shocks | Body: 4-door only | Orders: Fall 2026 | On Sale: Early 2027 | Assembly: Michigan Assembly Plant, Wayne, MI

2026 Lexus IS 350: Overview

The 2026 IS lineup has been significantly simplified. The four-cylinder IS 300 is gone. The V8-powered IS 500 is gone. What remains is a focused, V6-only lineup in three configurations, all sharing the same 311-horsepower naturally aspirated 3.5-liter engine. In a segment where everyone else has moved to turbocharged four-cylinders chasing efficiency numbers, the IS 350 is the holdout, still doing things the old way.

IS 350 F Sport Design: $45,500.
The entry point, and honestly, the smart buy for most people. Standard equipment is substantial: NuLuxe upholstery, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the full Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 suite, and adaptive cruise control. Rear-wheel drive is standard, while AWD adds $2,000.

IS 350 F Sport — $47,950 base, $57,188 as-tested.
The car we are driving here. Steps up with heated and ventilated sport seats with driver memory, an F Sport leather-trimmed heated steering wheel, aluminum pedals, thematic ambient lighting, and access to the optional F Sport Handling Package. That package on our test car ($1,090) adds adaptive variable suspension, a Torsen limited-slip rear differential, and Sport S and Sport S+ drive modes with custom settings. Additional options on our sticker include 19-inch black BBS forged alloy wheels ($2,450), Mark Levinson Premium Audio ($1,120), triple beam LED headlights ($1,250), a panoramic moonroof ($1,100), and the Technology Package with front cross traffic alert, lane change assist, and traffic jam assist ($620). Total: $57,188.

IS 350 F Sport Special Appearance Package — limited production.
Three hundred and fifty units for North America, finished exclusively in Hakugin Matte White. Potentially a collector’s piece rather than a daily driver recommendation. If you are reading this and one is still available at your dealer, it’s probably got a pretty wild markup.

So, the better part of $60,000. Let’s see if it’s worth it.

2026 Lexus IS 350 F SPORT: Inside & Out

The IS 350 still looks good. This is genuinely surprising given that the design dates back to 2014 and has been refreshed rather than replaced. The spindle grille is…confident (much improved over the years), the proportions are right for a compact sport sedan, and in Wind paint, it looks good.

The 2026 refresh brings revised front-end styling and triple-beam LED headlights, which help the front efnd feel a bit more current even if the underlying architecture is not. The 19-inch BBS forged alloys on our test car are excellent. BBS is one of the few wheel brands where the name on the spokes actually means something.

Red interior. Not for everyone. Very much for someone. If you are that someone, you know it the moment you see it through the window, and you will order exactly this way.

However, the interior is where thirteen years on the same platform starts to show. The interior is starting to feel its age. The infotainment interface, even with the 2026 revisions, lacks the freshness of a BMW 3 Series or a Genesis G70. The screen size is respectable, the 12.3-inch display does what it needs to do, and CarPlay takes over cleanly once it connects. On the first attempt, it did not actually connect. On the second attempt, it did. Not a crisis, just a note. Didn’t have any issues after that.

And now, the things the IS does genuinely well. The sport seats on this F Sport trim are deeply bolstered, heated and ventilated, and shaped in a way that makes long drives considerably more comfortable than the Supra’s cabin I spent the previous week in. The heated steering wheel, leather-trimmed and F Sport-specific, is excellent. The HVAC controls are physical buttons styled to match the vents on either side of the dashboard. Cooling seat activation is a single button press. No menu required. My wife noticed this immediately and approved. Good marks for the IS.

There is a volume roller rather than a knob, which works fine. Immediately next to it is a large, round drive mode button. They are close enough together that reaching for the volume roller and accidentally pressing the mode button can happen. The IS is otherwise a car that rewards familiarity, and this is probably one of those rough edges that rounds off after a few weeks of ownership. The wireless charging pad works consistently and sits in a location that is genuinely easy to reach. Better than the Supra from last week by a significant margin. The phone does not slide around. It simply charges. This is all anyone asks.

Ergonomically, the shifter sits at exactly the right height and angle, perfectly aligned with the armrest, and angled slightly toward the driver’s hand. Every time I touched it, I thought the same thing: this would make a tremendous location for a manual shifter. Of course, the IS 350 is not available with a manual. This is a shame. I owned an IS 300 manual, and it was fun. Thus, I will continue to bring it up until someone at Lexus reads car reviews on Hooniverse. The windows roll up and down very quickly. This is a trivial observation. I am including it because it is the kind of thing that, in a new car, signals that details matter to the people who built it, and it is the kind of thing you notice every time you open and close it.

Going from two seats to four doors after a week in the Supra is one of those transitions that reminds you why you actually own the cars you own rather than the ones you dream about owning. Putting a bag in the back seat, rather than trying to toss it onto a passenger seat or negotiate with a 2+2 shelf, is a quiet but consistent daily pleasure. The IS has a decently sized boot, 10.8 cubic feet, which is modestly sized for the class but entirely functional.

2026 Lexus IS 350 F SPORT: On the Road

The IS 350 F Sport is not fast. Let’s establish that clearly and without embarrassment. With 311 horsepower from a naturally aspirated V6 in a car that weighs around 3,700 pounds in RWD configuration, it results in a 0-60 time somewhere around 5.6 seconds, which in 2026 puts it squarely in the territory of mildly quick rather than properly quick. The BMW 330, the Genesis G70, and the Cadillac CT4 all convey a better sense of urgency.

The upside is that it puts on a good show with its 311 horsepower. Putting it in Sport S mode makes the IS louder. Genuinely, perceptibly louder, not the theatrical speaker-augmented exhaust note that a surprising number of sport modes deploy these days. Sport S+ makes it louder still, and at that point the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 sounds, it must be said, genuinely excellent. Whether it sounds better than the Supra is a close call. It might. The Supra has BMW’s B58 inline-six, which is a tremendous engine. The Lexus has a naturally aspirated V6 that has been refined for over a decade and knows exactly what it is. I suppose they are different pleasures.

Sport S+ mode also activates a horizontal tachometer bar across the top of the driver display. It is a small thing, a purely cosmetic feature that communicates nothing that the main display does not already show. It reminded me immediately of the Honda S2000’s high-revving display. It is completely unnecessary, and I liked it every single time it appeared.

The Handling Package’s adaptive variable suspension is the other reason to opt for the F Sport trim. Normal mode is compliant and comfortable, notably better over speed bumps than the Supra was. Sport S mode firms things up in a way that feels taut rather than punishing. Sport S+ is not quite track-oriented, but it is noticeable on public roads. The Torsen rear differential helps plant the power cleanly out of corners, and the rear-wheel drive balance is fundamentally more entertaining than the AWD version’s safer composure.

On the safety front, I had no false alarms from the driver-assistance systems to report this week, which is a relief after the Supra’s memorable highway incident. The IS 350’s Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 operated quietly and correctly throughout the test. This is the baseline expectation, and it is worth mentioning when it is actually met.

Summary

The 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport, as tested at $57,188, is a thirteen-year-old platform wearing its age honestly. It is slower than its competitors. Its interior is less current. Its infotainment is not best-in-class. It also sounds spectacular in Sport S+. It rides comfortably in Normal. It has physical HVAC buttons, a wireless charger that actually works, a shifter positioned as though it were waiting for a manual transmission, and a solid naturally aspirated V6.

At the end of the week, I found myself thinking about something. Maybe I do not actually need a massive amount of power to be happy. That is a strange thought for someone who has owned forty-four cars. But perhaps what I actually need is something that sounds good, looks good, goes pretty well, and is relatively comfortable to live with. Something with four doors and somewhere to put a bag, perhaps a child. Maybe that is why they sell so many Chargers, Challengers, and Durangos. They never had the best handling, the best interior, or the freshest platform either. They just have character, and character turns out to go a long way.

The IS 350 has character. When the exit interview is this enjoyable, you start to regret that the position is being eliminated.

2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport
Base MSRP: $47,950 | As-Tested: $57,188 | Engine: 3.5L Naturally Aspirated V6 | Output: 311 hp / 280 lb-ft | Transmission: 8-speed automatic | Drivetrain: RWD | 0-60: ~5.6 sec | Fuel Economy: 19/27/22 mpg (city/hwy/combined) | Cargo: 10.8 cu ft | Assembly: Tahara, Aichi, Japan

Unlike the original DC2R, this one is not lighter than its pedestrian version. It’s actually heavier by about 70 pounds. But that weight buys a lot of good: a 320-horsepower engine, wider tracks, huge Brembo brakes, adaptive dampers, and a center exit triple-tipped exhaust that lets us enjoy the silence of old age or scream like we’re seventeen again.

The Insides

Pop the hood and you will find a small turbo mounted directly to a cylinder head with an integrated exhaust manifold. This is designed to reduce boost lag and let the turbo spool instantly. Honda ditched the beloved old-school two-stage VTEC crossover of the B18C noise for continuously variable valve timing; it works better, if less dramatically. You get a flat torque curve that pulls right from idle. They even threw in a BMW-style dual-mass flywheel to make the engine feel shockingly civilized. This also means that there are many opportunities to ruin it with cheap aftermarket parts.

Inside, the six-speed shifter remains a masterclass in mechanical precision. It is the best shifter on the market. Acura mercifully kept three physical knobs for climate control, a revolutionary concept in 2026. They also ditched the rear middle seat, turning the back row into a two-person lounge wrapped in hard leather. Out on the road, the dual-axis front suspension works pure dark magic to prevent the front tires from wrestling the steering wheel out of your hands every time the tach clears 5000rpm.

The Drive

Throw it into a corner and… it will turn. Really, it will just grip and grip until you power out, tipping your hat to a proper mechanical limited-slip differential. Between the magic of this front-end geometry and the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, the cornering limits of this Teggy vastly surpass my skills and cajones.

Is it faster off the line than a generic electric blob with four wheels?

Absolutely not. But if you care about human connection, three pedals, and mechanical feedback, this thing delivers in spades. Check out the video above of me yapping about this amazing car for fifteen minutes. If your left knee can still handle a clutch pedal in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Acura built this masterpiece just for you.

Specs:

Engine: 2.0L Turbocharged Inline-4
Power: 320 hp @ 6500 RPM
Torque: 310 lb-ft @ 2600-4000 RPM
Transmission: 6-speed manual with Helical LSD
Drivetrain: Front-wheel drive
Weight: 3219 lbs
Length: 186.0 inches
Width: 74.8 inches
Height: 55.4 inches
Wheelbase: 107.7 inches
Track (Front/Rear): 64.0 / 63.5 inches
Wheels: 19 x 9.5 inches
Tires: 265/30ZR19 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
Brakes (Front): 13.8-inch ventilated discs with 4-piston Brembo calipers
Brakes (Rear): 12.0-inch solid discs
Cargo Space: 24.3 cu ft
Fuel Tank: 12.4 gal
EPA MPG: 21 City / 28 Highway / 24 Combined

Above this sits the Scat Pack with its high-output 550-horsepower setup. The R/T makes 420 horsepower and 468 lb-ft of torque, pushing 22 pounds of boost. Dodge claims 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and a 12.9-second quarter-mile. For an entry-level powertrain in a full-size vehicle, it hauls.

The background on the vehicle’s development is obvious: Dodge engineered an EV platform, realized market demand shifted, and adapted the architecture to accommodate a twin-turbo gasoline engine. The result is a massive vehicle, 80 inches wide and nearly as long as a full-size pickup. Despite the footprint, it drives remarkably well, and there is surprisingly little to complain about.

Power goes to an all-wheel-drive system. Dodge claims the front axle disconnects, but on the R/T, you cannot select rear-wheel drive manually; the car manages the distribution automatically based on drive modes.

The active exhaust features two volume levels. It barks at cold start and sounds strong under load, but there is no manual quiet mode. If you are trying to slide out of a driveway unnoticed early in the morning, the cold start will alert the entire neighborhood. Plan accordingly.

Does it need a V8?

No, but also yes. Fundamentally, a so-call muscle car should have a V8. But the inline-six provides more than enough power. This thing feels fast and the power delivery is almost instant. Whether someone at Dodge can package a 6.4-liter engine into this bay remains to be seen.

Dodge went with a liftback design for this vehicle. Because the platform was designed around EV battery packs, the trunk floor sits high. While the interior space expands with the rear seats folded down, the shallow floor limits vertical cargo height.

Inside, driver visibility to both displays over the squared-off steering wheel is clear. The cabin retains physical knobs for volume and tuning, alongside hard climate controls. The fixed panoramic glass roof lacks a mechanical shade, but heat rejection is adequate. The infotainment system is responsive, though the unit in this test vehicle froze twice over four days. The frameless doors are very cool though the rear side windows do not roll all the way down into the doors.

Ultimately, the Charger R/T Plus is a pleasant surprise. It preserves the classic American muscle car presence, delivers serious straight-line speed, great ride and handling, and provides a distinct drive in a market that has largely abandoned big cars.

After the 2026 model year, the GR Supra is done. This is it. There are only 1300 units for the US market in the MkV Final Edition spec, and then the curtain comes down on a nameplate that has meant something to a lot of people for a very long time. Let’s see what’s what on this finale.

2026 Toyota GR Supra: Overview

The 2026 GR Supra lineup is three trims, one engine, and your choice of transmission.

GR Supra 3.0 — $56,900.
The entry point. It’s got 382 horsepower from the BMW B58 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six, with an eight-speed automatic standard and a six-speed manual available at no additional cost. Standard features include adaptive variable suspension, an electronically controlled rear differential, Brembo brakes, and a ten-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay. For most people who want a Supra and are not concerned about collecting the final chapter version, this is the rational choice.

GR Supra 3.0 Premium — $62,510.
Adds red Brembo brake calipers with the Supra logo, a head-up display, launch control, a 12-speaker JBL audio system, heated and ventilated front seats, and a wireless charger. The Premium is likely the model to get. If you run out of budget before the MkV Final Edition, start here.

GR Supra MkV Final Edition — $68,550 base, $73,300 as-tested.
The car we’re driving here is a tribute to the last Supra you will be able to buy new. For now. Hardware upgrades over the Premium are real, not cosmetic: larger 14.7-inch front Brembo rotors (up from 13.7 inches), revised suspension bushings, additional underbody bracing, retuned adaptive dampers, retuned electronically controlled rear differential, more camber at all corners, and revised power steering calibration. The chassis is genuinely sharper than the standard car. Exterior treatments include matte-black 19-inch forged wheels, a gloss-carbon-fiber ducktail spoiler, and carbon-fiber mirror housings. Inside: GR-embroidered headrests, red seatbelts, red stitching, Alcantara on the driver seat with the GR logo, and a MkV Final Edition numbered plaque. A GR car cover comes standard, because of course it does.

The GT4 Style Pack on our test car adds $2,995 and has the Undercover matte paint, Toyota Gazoo Racing red-painted carbon fiber mirror caps, GT4 exterior graphics, and a wind-buffeting kit. It also has the Driver Assistance Package ($1,195) for a grand total of $73,300.

One note worth making: there is a more hardcore Final Edition that Toyota built for Europe and Japan. That version gets 429 horsepower, KW suspension, a swan-neck rear wing, GT4-sourced subframe components, and skeletonized carbon seats. American buyers are not getting that car. Still, this one seems pretty good. Let’s check it out.

2026 Toyota GR Supra MkV Final Edition: Inside & Out

Most matte black cars look like primer. This one looks intentional, finished, like the color was chosen with care rather than applied as an afterthought. The GT4 graphics running down the sill and lower body strike me as a bit…much for my personal taste. I felt a little like a yobbo in it, to borrow a term I have been picking up from too many Top Gear reruns. Do I feel comfortable in a Supra? Yes, absolutely. In a Supra with extra “GR” livery and red mirror caps? Not so much. At almost 50, it looks like I’m trying too hard. Your results may vary.

The carbon fiber ducktail spoiler is one of my favorite exterior details. It looks great and ties the matte black aesthetic together with the gloss carbon contrast in a way that works. The matte black 19-inch forged wheels complete the look, though something brighter might be more interesting.

The proportions of the GR Supra remain a point of ongoing discussion among enthusiasts, and I will not settle that debate here. What I will say is that, in person and in this color, the car stops traffic. Not metaphorically, I had people doing solid double-takes and a couple of photos taken. They may have posted “look at the yobbo old guy in the sports car.”

This is where the practicality conversation begins, and the answer to “is it practical” is: it depends on what you consider practical. First, trim specific stuff. There is an Alcantara driver seat, a GR logo stitched into the headrest, red seatbelts, and red stitching throughout. These details are not subtle, and they are not trying to be.

Storage is minimal. There are two cupholders positioned slightly behind the driver, a small cubby behind that, and the wireless charging area. That is essentially the full and complete list of places to put things in the front of this car. If you are accustomed to a crossover’s cubbies, door pockets, and center console systems, the Supra’s cabin will feel like a studio apartment after a house. You just have to bring less.

The wireless charging pad fits a current large-format phone, but only just. After a day or so of watching it smoosh my iPhone 17 Max into the charging area, I stopped using it and started using the cupholder as a phone holder instead. Less elegant, completely functional. CarPlay connected immediately on the first pairing. Returning to CarPlay after the car starts requires navigating a few button presses rather than launching automatically. Three or four inputs are not a crisis, but they could create a daily friction that the car should handle on its own.

Physical HVAC buttons. A volume knob. These are good decisions, easy to reach on the center stack, accessible without menu navigation. After several weeks of reviewing press cars with touch-sensitive buttons and sliders, I want to be clear: buttons are correct. The Supra has buttons. The main touchscreen is on the smaller side by current standards, but it does everything it needs to do without feeling cramped. The driver display clearly shows your current gear in manual mode, which matters when you are driving quickly.

You get 10.2 cubic feet of storage. Good news, though, the hockey bag fits! With the cargo cover removed, my youngest’s hockey bag went in. I was very clear that failure was not an option, because if it did not fit, he was going to have it in his lap for the ride home. Top Gear has documented worse fates. The bag fit. This is now canon. I also got BBQ supplies pretty easily on a trip to the grocery store.

2026 Toyota GR Supra MkV Final Edition: Driving and Usability

The part everyone already knows, and that still needs to be said: 382 horsepower through the rear wheels with a six-speed manual is excellent. The B58 engine, which BMW has been developing and refining for years across multiple platforms, is one of the best inline-sixes currently in production by anyone. It sounds great. It pulls hard. Fun.

The rev-matched downshifts on the manual are the best I have encountered in a press car. Rev-matching on automatics is common and often fairly well done. Rev-matching on a manual transmission, where the system has to read your inputs and blip the throttle on downshift without making you feel like it is doing the driving for you, is genuinely harder to get right. Toyota (OK, BMW) got it right. Each downshift blip is immediate, accurate, and satisfying in a way that makes you want to find a reason to downshift again. The engine sound on that blip is particularly good, as are the little burbles on the overrun. Quite fun.

The Sport mode on the adaptive suspension allows individual setting adjustments, which is how you do it. I ran softer suspension with sportier throttle response and steering weight. The car lets me do that rather than bundling everything into one preset. The ride quality is good, but not exceptional. The Final Edition’s revised suspension tuning finds a workable daily-driving balance, but this is a sports car, and it rides like one. On smooth roads, it is composed and satisfying. On rough urban surfaces, it communicates imperfections. Not unpleasant, just honest.

Stoplight visibility is limited when you are very close to the signal. The low roofline and high door sills mean that the light directly above and in front of you disappears from your sightline. You learn to position accordingly. It is a minor adjustment that sports car drivers have been making for decades, but worth mentioning for buyers coming from higher-seating vehicles.

Speaking of moisture, the driver assistance systems are not available in heavy rain. I know, because the car told me this while I was in heavy rain, which is when I would most want them available and when an unexpected alert is least welcome. I understand the technical constraints. The notification still arrives as a distraction rather than reassurance.

I’ll close this section with this. Everyone in a remotely quick car wants to race you. I assume that happens in regular Supras, but even more in matte black with GR on the side. It’s flattering, if annoying. Buyer beware.

Wait, one more usability item. There has been a lot written about the wonky wind noise coming from the mirrors on previous Supras. This one needs a bit of a warning about water intrusion: with any moisture on the windows, whether from rain, wiper fluid, or morning condensation, water finds its way inside when the window is open. On a morning with heavy dew, I got moving, rolled the window down briefly, and subsequently had water dripping onto my left arm for the next several minutes. The window also produces an audible creak when closed in wet weather. This a bit unideal on a $73,000 car, and it is worth knowing before you take delivery in a wet climate.

Summary

This is the last one. For now.

After this, Toyota has confirmed the Supra nameplate is going away, at least in this form. The next generation, when and if it comes, is expected to be Toyota going it alone without BMW’s involvement. The working assumption is a turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid system. Whether it carries the Supra name, whether it delivers anything close to this car’s character, whether it comes with a manual transmission option, all of that is speculation.

What is not speculation is the car that exists right now. The GR Supra MkV Final Edition in Undercover with the GT4 pack and the six-speed manual is a specific, limited, cool thing. It is quick and precise, it makes the right sounds, and it will fit a hockey bag if you remove the cargo cover. The water leak issue is annoying. The interior space is genuinely minimal. CarPlay takes too many button presses to reconnect.

Would I buy one? Not in this spec, if I am being honest. The Undercover matte and the GT4 livery are a look that requires a certain kind of vibe to drive daily. I am more of a manual Stratosphere blue person, personally.

But the car underneath the graphics and the matte paint? Yes. Without question. The GR Supra MkV Final Edition is a remarkable machine and a genuinely sad goodbye. I hope whatever comes next remembers what this one was, and what the four generations that preceeded it were about.

2026 Toyota GR Supra MkV Final Edition
As-Tested MSRP: $73,300 | Engine: 3.0L Twin-Turbo Inline-6 (BMW B58) | Output: 382 hp / 368 lb-ft | Transmission: 6-speed manual | Drivetrain: RWD | 0-60: 4.2 sec (manual) | Fuel Economy: 19/26/21 mpg (city/hwy/combined) | US Production: 900 units total | Color: Undercover (GT4 Style Pack exclusive)