Among the Subaru lineup, the Forester SUV consistently ranks as a top seller each year — in large part due to its utility and off-road friendly design.

For 2025, something brand new has come to the Forester lineup to bring in even more interest — a hybrid offering.

This was missing in past years — as many rivals had a hybrid version to offer buyers who wanted better fuel mileage — and now will be an enticing offer to many Subaru fans who want that improved fuel economy.

Boasting higher horsepower numbers than the non-hybrid version, and roughly 40 percent better fuel economy, it should have a positive impact on the Forester’s popularity.

I recently tested a 2025 Forester hybrid (Touring trim level), and I’m back with a full report on this new offering from Subaru — which will face off against hybrid SUV offerings from Toyota, Honda, Kia, Hyundai and more.

Volkswagen’s lineup of SUVs are a bit unique among the competitors in the non-luxury SUV segment, as they bring a bit of European flair to battle the long list of Asian and U.S. entries in the segment.

I recently spent some time with one of these VW SUVs, the all-new 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan, which gets a full redesign for the new model year.

The Tiguan is VW’s most popular vehicle in the U.S., edging out the larger Atlas, so maintaining interest in this vehicle is critical for the brand in this country. 

Both the exterior and interior have been updated, and they added new technology setups and a more powerful engine. The Tiguan now comes standard with two rows across the board and no three-row option available, as it was in 2024 and prior years.

Read on to learn more about how the Tiguan holds up against other leading compact SUVs including the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Ford Escape, and Toyota RAV4.

In the competitive SUV landscape of 2025, automakers must offer a variety of choices to fit all customer needs.

So it makes sense that Volkswagen offers an alternate version of its three-row Atlas SUV, the Atlas Cross Sport, which features just two rows of seats with room for 5 passengers, and ditches the third row.

The Atlas Cross Sport, first introduced for 2020, is aimed at car buyers who want a snazzier exterior design, and don't need room for more than 5 people in their vehicle.

I recently tested a 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, and I’m back with a full report on how it holds up against key competitors such as the Honda Passport, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Mazda CX-70.

The top of the vehicle lineup from Mazda got a strong boost in 2024 with the outgoing three-row CX-9 model receiving a strong upgrade to the new three-row offering called the CX-90.

Beyond adding a zero to the name, the CX-90 was improved in just about every way, from looks to performance to tech — and after a strong debut, the CX-90 is back for year two in 2025, with few changes other than some trim level and feature shakeups.

I recently tested the 2025 CX-90 (a top-trim S Premium Plus trim-level model), which delivers one of the best driving experiences of any three-row SUV currently available.

Read on to learn how the CX-90 compares to three-row SUV rivals from competitors such as Kia (Telluride), Hyundai (Palisade), Honda (Pilot), Toyota (Grand Highlander), Ford (Explorer) and more.

While the regular version of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a solid offering, the brand was smart to realize that driving aficionados are always looking for that little bit extra, and the ultra-powerful 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N was born.

New for the 2025 model year, this all-wheel-drive electric SUV from Hyundai has the numbers to challenge everything in its class, and some contenders in classes above, and is focused purely on performance.

I recently spent some time behind the wheel of an Ioniq 5 N — with its 641 horsepower and racecar-worthy setup — and I’m back with with a full report.