Tag: Tim Stevens

Toyota’s new all-hybrid RAV4 has software you might actually want to use

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If I had a dollar for every time a vehicle manufacturer launched a new in-car software experience designed to achieve the same levels of user experience as your average tablet or smartphone, I’d probably have about enough cash for a decent lunch at a middling restaurant. It’s a common refrain, and yet after years of hearing that same story over and over, I still find myself firing up Android Auto or Apple CarPlay as soon as I get into just about every new car I evaluate.

At the launch of the 2026 Toyota RAV4, I heard that story yet again, about how they’d rewritten their in-car software to deliver an experience like that found in modern mobile devices. And I have to say, for once, they might have actually delivered. Toyota’s latest SUV has voice and touch capabilities that are not only quick and responsive but genuinely pleasant to use. And thankfully, the rest of the SUV has been upgraded to match.

The RAV4 has been in production for over 30 years now. This, the sixth generation, comes hot on the heels of its predecessor becoming the world’s best-selling car in 2024. Over 1.1 million were sold last year, which goes a long way towards explaining why you can’t kick a pebble in a grocery store parking lot without hitting a RAV4.

The overall changes for the 2026 RAV4 aren’t radical, but they are appreciated. For starters, every trim of this SUV is a hybrid, with base models powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels, offering 226 horsepower. Those wanting all-wheel drive can add another electric motor at the back, adding a little more power (10 hp) and a good bit more drive for low-grip situations.

For 2026, every trim of the RAV4 is a hybrid.

(Tim Stevens for Engadget)

From there, buyers can step up to a revised plug-in hybrid model, which now makes 324 horsepower, up 22 from before. Fuel economy is up too, up to 48 mpg depending on what trim you choose, and you can now get up to 52 miles of range from a 22.7 kWh battery pack in the plug-in.

And that’s usable range. I took a RAV4 XSE plug-in edition out for a morning drive and covered nearly 20 miles without spinning up the engine. Even at highway speeds the RAV4 was slow but perfectly manageable. With that much range and even reasonably quick DC charging (50 kW maximum), it’s easy to see this as the introduction to EVs for many.

For better or worse, that DC charging is handled on a CCS port, not the newer NACS ports that most manufacturers (even Toyota) are using on their EVs. The lack of any kind of vehicle-to-load functionality is a bummer, too, especially on the rugged-ish Wilderness edition, which would seemingly be a perfect machine for powering a campsite.

Regardless of which trim you go with, you’ll get that new software system running on either a 10.5-inch touchscreen on the lower trims or a 12.9-inch display on higher-end machines. The overall experience is the same, looking bright and crisp either way, just with more finger-friendly controls on the bigger panel.

Toyota’s revamped software is quick and responsive, especially the voice assistant.

(Tim Stevens for Engadget)

Toyota’s software layout is familiar, with a vertical column of icons on the left for toggling between major sections like media or navigation, and then a row of controls along the bottom for controlling the car’s heating, ventilation and cooling system. The rest of the display is taken up by a customizable series of panels. As you swipe from left to right, you swing through different pages, which you can move around and rearrange as you like. None of this is particularly revolutionary, but is pleasantly responsive. Swiping from page to page was quick and easy, without any annoying lag waiting for content to load.

That responsiveness continued through to the voice assistant, which is the quickest I’ve ever used in a car. Just say “Hey, Toyota” and ask for whatever you want. When asked for pizza, the voice assistant listed nearby joints, even quoted their star rating and offered navigation, all without the annoying round-trip processing lag that’s common in these systems. Some of that speed might be thanks to the addition of 5G connectivity (provided by AT&T), but there’s surely some quicker hardware running beneath the skin powering the Linux-based software.

The car’s integrated navigation was also easy to use, quick to route and re-route and features all the points of interest you could ever want. There’s even an integrated dashcam feature that will record any incidents on the road, or whatever else you feel like highlighting, while also storing the footage from the SUV’s other cameras.

Despite the quality experience through the touchscreen, Toyota didn’t take this as an opportunity to delete all the car’s buttons. You’ll still find physical controls for all the major features, including (praise be) a volume knob. It was all good enough to make me not feel compelled to reach for my phone, but of course, I did in the interest of testing. Both wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are supported, not only in the main touchscreen but also able to feed navigation details into the 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. That, too, is customizable, with a series of panels of information that hover over your phone’s map view.

The meaner, sportier GR Sport edition.

(Tim Stevens for Engadget)

So, even if you still prefer your phone, you’re covered, and powered, too. The RAV4 has a pair of Qi wireless chargers, conveniently situated in the center stack just below the HVAC controls. You’ll also find two 45-watt USB-C ports up front, plus a pair of 15-watt ports in the back for rear-seat passengers.

The new RAV4 has a roomy, comfortable cabin with some fun touches, like a neoprene-like insert in the dash that’s pleasant to touch. The overall interior design won’t win any awards for dramatic styling or eye-catching flair, but it’s comfortable and seems like the kind of thing that’ll stand up to whatever you or your kids throw at it.

In terms of driving dynamics, the extra power offered by the RAV4 doesn’t turn it into a rocket ship, but the PHEV trim in particular feels more than quick enough. There’s also a new GR Sport edition for those who aspire to something even more engaging, but despite a more aggressive grille up front and a big wing hanging off the back, it still feels like a RAV4 from behind the wheel. That is to say: It’s not the most exciting thing on the road.

But people don’t buy RAV4s to be wowed, they buy them because they’re practical and comfortable and priced right. Price, unfortunately, is one thing we don’t know about the new model, with Toyota only saying that it’ll start somewhere in the low $30,000 range. But all the SUV’s other virtues carry forward into 2026 with upgrades. Add to that a massively improved software experience, and you have an SUV that doesn’t disappoint.

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October 22, 2025
Can-Am Origin electric motorcycle review: Good for a fun time, not a long time

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It wasn’t until your average electric car started managing 200 miles on a charge that the buying populace started getting over their range anxiety. That means electric motorcycles, with ranges often measured in double digits, remain a bit of a tough sell for mass-market buyers.

The focus, then, seems to be “for a good time, not a long time,” and that’s very much the case of the Can-Am Origin. This $14,499 battery-powered dual-sport is a fun, flickable, go-anywhere two-wheeled smile factory that I sadly managed to run dry of electrons in under 45 miles.

Thankfully, there’s a lot more to the story than just that.

Forward-looking

Can-Am has been around since the early ’70s, offering a series of two-, three-, and four-wheeled vehicles, most focusing on extreme performance over extreme terrain. Since the very beginning, Can-Am has worked with Austrian engine gurus Rotax, and that trans-Atlantic partnership enters the EV age with the Origin, a dual-sport motorcycle from Can-Am built around a powertrain developed by Rotax.

The result is an 8.9-kWh battery (about 10 percent the size of the one in a Tesla Model 3) serving as the core of a motorcycle built to be just as capable off-road as on. The Origin sits squarely in the dual-sport category of motorcycles, and its skinny, nobbily tires and wire wheels definitely fit that template, even if the single-sided swingarm with its integrated chain is a novelty in this segment.All of that is wrapped in just enough bodywork to give this thing a decidedly futuristic vibe, especially that upright fairing with the blunt, stacked headlight that makes this thing look like an escaped drone from Valve’s Portal series.

My test bike had just a bit of color, the battery pack itself providing a splash of yellow to stand out from the otherwise dark frame and fairing, but the brightest part is actually the 10.25-inch LCD that serves as the cockpit. It even supports Apple CarPlay, in case you’re into that sort of thing.

Brightness needed

The LCD display is bright and easy to use.

(Tim Stevens for Engadget)

I’ve ridden a fair few electric motorcycles over the years, and many of them are cursed with dim LCDs that make it a struggle to see how fast I’m going on a sunny day. That’s not what you’d call safe.

Thankfully, the Origin does not have that issue. The LCD here is not only massive but bright and crisp, and serves up a software interface that’s mostly intuitive and easy to use at a glance. My only complaint here is the giant warning disclaimer that pops up every single time you fire up the motorcycle. I suppose such a thing was inevitable, but it does take away some of the purity of the ride experience.

But then the Origin isn’t afraid to throw out convention. The throttle is the best example of that. It actually twists both ways. Twist it in the traditional direction, pulling your hand towards yourself, and it, of course, applies throttle to the bike and accelerates you forward.

But you can also twist the throttle away from you, which boosts the regenerative braking to the rear wheel. You can also toggle the bike into reverse mode, where that backwards throttle enables you to creep the bike backwards. That’s useful because at 412 pounds, the Origin is about 50 pounds heavier than a comparable dual-sport bike with an engine.

The controls on the left grip.

(Tim Stevens for Engadget)

The motorcycle also features a bevy of controls on the left grip, starting with standard fare like headlight flasher, horn and turn signals. But there’s also a rocker switch for changing drive modes and navigating through menus, a button that cycles through various views on the display, and a back button in case you dig a little deeper in a menu than you meant.

There’s even a full series of media controls. There’s a button to toggle the voice assistant on your phone, buttons for adjusting the volume of media playback and even buttons to skip forward and backward in your current playlist.

Personally, I’m the kind of rider who likes to listen to the wind, my thoughts and the ominous sounds approaching SUVs driven by morons browsing TikTok. But if you have a riding playlist that you like to spin, you’ll have full control here.

Ride time

The saddle strikes a good balance between comfort and sport.

(Tim Stevens for Engadget)

I don’t often fit well on dual-sport machines. I stand six feet tall, but do it on disproportionately short legs. That usually leaves me tottering on tiptoes whenever riding an off-road-minded motorcycle. I cringed when the Origin rolled off a truck and into my life for the evaluation period, but I was pleasantly surprised to find I could straddle it with no problem.

A 34-inch seat height enables me to stand flat-footed without having to break out platform boots, and on the go, I found the Origin’s ergonomics to fit me just about perfectly. The pegs are wide and grippy, so standing up on them is no problem, and while I’d probably prefer it if the bar stood a fraction of an inch taller, it was close to perfect whether sitting on or standing over the saddle.That saddle is a little on the narrow side compared to your average street motorcycle, but wider than those found on many dual-sport machines, striking a good balance between narrowness for standing and comfort for sitting.

About the only complaint I had was wind buffeting. I generally prefer riding bikes without fairings, but somehow the wind coming off that big, wide display caused some awful turbulence on my helmet when seated in my usual riding position. The $175 optional windshield would be, for me, well worth it.

And what’s it like to ride? This thing is a blast. At 47 horsepower and 53 pound-feet of torque, it’s far from the quickest electric motorcycle on the market, but it has plenty enough twist to beat everything on four wheels at any light, or scrabble up a steep incline.

Can-Am’s Origin is ready for asphalt or dirt.

(Tim Stevens for Engadget)

Even more impressive is the traction control system of the Origin. It’s easy to be a little over-eager when accelerating on an EV, thanks to their instant torque, but the Origin always ensured I neither did an unintentional burnout nor tipped over backwards. It simply managed grip and power to ensure that I accelerated smoothly away, whether I was on asphalt or gravel.The bike has adjustable levels for ABS and traction control, and yes, you can turn them off if you want.

Overall, the Origin was also easy to ride. Those knobby tires do make for a loose feeling on asphalt, the bike moving around a bit thanks to the extra tread, but it’s a worthy tradeoff if you’ll find yourself hitting the dirt on a semi-regular basis.

What you probably won’t find yourself doing is going on long rides in the Origin, sadly. Though Can-Am says you can do up to 90 miles on a charge in the city, even when riding gently on rural roads using the most economical mode, I struggled to get 60 miles. Ridden more aggressively (which is to say, normally), I burned through a charge in less than 45 miles.

That’s the bad news. The good news? There’s an onboard level two charger on the Origin. L2 charging on a car usually means overnight, but since the Origin’s pack is so small, it’ll go from empty to full in under 90 minutes, and you’ll be stopped for less than an hour if you only need a partial charge.

Wrap-up

The relatively quick onboard charging of the Origin does open the door to some longer rides if you can time your meals and charging stops appropriately. And, if you’re doing lower-speed off-road riding, you could realistically go for hours and hours on a charge. Still, this sadly isn’t a long-distance high-speed cruiser.

But it’s rare for a dual-sport machine that’s comfortable enough for you to want to be in the saddle on the highway for that long anyway. For short blasts up the trail or high-speed sprints home after a long day in the office, the Origin is a real treat, and a stylish one at that

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September 16, 2025
Audi’s Concept C previews the company’s next-gen EV aspirations

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It’s a dynamic time right now in the automotive industry. Many manufacturers that previously pledged themselves to dive head-first into the wonderful world of electrification are now pumping their literal and metaphorical brakes on the idea, leaning back into hybrids, plug-ins, and various other transitional means of propulsion.

Audi is one of those brands that has been softening its stance on the EV front lately, pledging to continue supporting internal combustion-powered machines so long as the market demands. But its new concept unveiled today in Milan gives us a striking view of a next generation of EVs — and hybrids, and others — that will wear four rings on the nose.

It’s called the Concept C, and it’s part of a movement Audi brass have called “the radical next.” It’s meant to be something of a reboot for the brand’s design efforts, a back-to-basics project that starts on the inside with a dramatically simplified interior design.

While many modern Audis feature one or two giant touchscreens that dominate the dash, in the Concept C, there’s just a pure dashboard with a subtle, illuminated vertical slot in the middle. Controls are physical and chunky, designed to have a strong sense of weight and tactility, featuring what the car’s designers describe as the “Audi click.”

It’s definitely a major departure for Audi, but there is a nod to modern sensibilities with a 10.4-inch touchscreen. It’s hidden, tucking itself behind the dashboard when not needed and quickly swiveling into view when summoned. The car also features buttons and touch-sensitive surfaces that disappear behind the dashboard, a row of backlit controls that only appear when needed.

The outside of the car is a substantial reboot, too. In this new concept, you’ll see some similarities to the brand’s last great roadster, the TT, which went out of production in 2023. But to see the key inspiration for the Concept C, you have to go back a little further, back to the Auto Union Grand Prix machines of the 1930s.

Specifically, Audi is referencing the Type C, which raced from the pre-Formula One days of 1936 to 1937. That car’s shape and upright grille definitely carry on in the Concept C, but this new road car has one feature that vintage racing machines lacked: a folding hardtop convertible.

The Concept C is actually the first Audi to sport such a top, giving it the look of a coupe but the open-air design of a roadster. The louvered rear and simple, tapered shape are dipped in a colored paint meant to emulate the subtle warmth of titanium.

One thing that tapered shape doesn’t allow is a rear window. Like the Polestar 4, the Concept C takes an extreme stance towards rearward visibility by featuring none at all. That rear-view mirror you see hanging from the glass is digital. But, the fact that this car even has a rear-view mirror, plus side mirrors and windshield wipers, hint that this thing is probably close to production-ready.

When it comes to the more practical matter of what makes it go, and for how far and how quickly, sadly, we don’t have a lot of details just yet. Again, Audi has said that this will be an EV, but that the design will influence a new generation of Audis powered by all sorts of options, including hybrid and internal combustion, “as the transition to electric mobility progresses.”

This car, though, is most definitely battery powered, though the company has yet to share any more details beyond that. Audi says it is rear-wheel drive, which would point to a single-motor at the back, but a future version with Quattro all-wheel drive seems like a sure bet.

This car’s predecessor, the TT, was actually based on the Volkswagen Golf chassis, which gave it front-wheel drive to begin with. However, if this new machine is to share its foundations with anything, it’s much more likely to be Porsche’s upcoming electric 718, as previewed in the Mission R.

But for now that’s just speculation, and again, this is just a concept. Audi isn’t saying when a car like this might see production, but it is a machine that is destined to become something you can buy. That’ll be good news to anyone who misses the dearly departed TT. If an eventual production-based Concept C still looks this good when it hits dealers, it very well might make just as many waves as its predecessor.

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Tim Stevens

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September 2, 2025
Subaru Solterra first drive: Big improvements in all the right places for 2026

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When Subaru’s first electric car launched in late 2021, the Solterra had something of a problem: It wasn’t exactly competitive in any of the major factors that EV buyers typically look for. Its 220-mile range and 215-horsepower output were middling at best when compared to vehicles like the Tesla Model Y. Its quirky styling didn’t exactly help, either.

For 2026, Subaru is giving the Solterra a significant up-do. Don’t call it a reboot, as it’s still very much the same SUV as before, but with more range, more power and better tech (though we’re still waiting on the pricing). The result is a much more compelling car. Now, with Tesla’s international appeal falling to an all-time low, which takes the Model Y off the table for many buyers, Subaru’s first EV feels like it’s finally found its time to shine.

More of what you want

I’m the first person to tell a potential EV buyer that range is not the first criterion they should be considering when EV shopping. There are many more important factors that impact your quality of life on a daily basis than how many charging stops you’ll need to make on your annual road trip. Still, when the original Solterra was doing 220 miles on a charge, while the Tesla Model Y did well over 300, that made the thing a bit of a hard sell.

Thankfully, the 2026 Solterra gets a big bump in that department, up to 288 miles on a charge. It’s not class-leading by any means, but as someone who’s lived with EVs for years, I can confidently say that’s plenty of juice to eliminate range anxiety for most.

Impressively, the new Subaru does that on a battery pack that’s barely any bigger: 74.7 kWh vs. 72.8 before. Where does the extra range come from, then? Subaru and Toyota engineers (this car is mechanically identical to the 2026 Toyota bZ) deployed a raft of subtle improvements that result in substantial efficiency, everything from aerodynamic tweaks to updated electronics and new motors.

When it’s time to plug in, the Solterra and the Model Y can now use the same chargers. For 2026, the Solterra switches over to a Tesla-style NACS port, though the car comes with adapters for using J1772 and CCS ports. Outright charging speed is up by 50 percent over last year’s car, but that only equates to a maximum charging rate of 150 kW. Again, it’s a big improvement, but not class-leading.

It can at least burn those electrons more quickly. Outright power is up, with the Solterra now putting down 338 horsepower through all four wheels on the XT trims, a nice boost from the old car’s 215.

Big display, big safety

All those updates are nice, but potential buyers will be more immediately wooed by a completely rethought dashboard layout that’s still quirky but significantly less awkward than before. A new, 14-inch touchscreen dominates proceedings, giving you quick and easy access to everything from navigation to media playback. It serves as a generous canvas for either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, both of which are offered wirelessly.

There’s not one but two wireless charging pads to keep your devices juiced while slinging tunes and navigation, plus a pair of USB-C ports in the second row for passengers. With 60 watts of output, back-seat productivity hounds can keep happily typing away even if they forgot their adapter.

They’ll be comfortable, too. There’s a good amount of headroom and legroom in the rear seat, plus 23.8 cubic feet of cargo space in the rear.

When it comes to keeping everyone safe, the new Solterra offers Subaru’s EyeSight system standard, including automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and a lane-centering system. I got a good chance to sample these systems in the increasingly heavy traffic in and around Denver, Colorado. The adaptive cruise brought the car to a complete stop and resumed on its own when traffic came to a crawl, while the active lane-keep system ensured the Solterra stayed centered.

The drive

For my day behind the wheel of the new Solterra, Subaru provided me with a model in top-shelf Touring XT trim, the highest performance. That meant I got to sample the car’s full 338 horsepower, but I have to admit that in terms of acceleration, the thing still isn’t a rocket ship. It has the instant torque of an EV and is certainly quick, but the power is delivered in a somewhat more relaxed way than many of the peppier EVs on the market today.

That character continues throughout the Solterra drive experience. Steering is quite sharp and responsive, but the suspension doesn’t really encourage any overly dramatic cornering antics. The traction and stability control systems quickly and abruptly kill all power at the first hint of loss of grip. For many Subaru enthusiasts, that’s just when things start getting fun.

It won’t be a terror on your favorite gravel road, but the Solterra is reasonably competent when the asphalt ends. Subaru set up a short dirt course, which was more meander through the trees than proper expedition. Still, it proved the SUV capable on the sorts of terrain a mass-market machine like this is liable to see.

In terms of comfort and ride quality, the Solterra handled most road imperfections and bumps without issue, but felt a little harsh over bigger stuff. There’s no real wind noise or the like, making it a quiet and calm highway cruiser, but a fair bit of road noise did come up through the suspension on rougher stretches of asphalt.

Wrap-up

In many ways, this improved Solterra feels like the electric SUV that the brand should have launched in the first place. Better late than never. The big boost in range and performance, plus all the other tech and feature upgrades, make for a significantly improved car. It still comes up a little short of the competition from Hyundai or Tesla in terms of key metrics that EV shoppers tend to hyper-fixate on — particularly range — but it’s close enough now to be judged on its other merits. Thankfully, those merits are good.

Update, August 25, 2025, 11:14AM ET: This story was originally published with a placeholder for the Solterra’s price, which hasn’t yet been announced. When Subaru reveals the 2026 Solterra’s price, we’ll update this story.

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Tim Stevens

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August 25, 2025