13 Of The Best Cars To Come Out In 2025 (And 3 Of The Worst)

The automotive industry is always adapting and evolving to what it believes consumers want. That means every year has automakers retiring cars out of their lineup and then replace them with new ones. Sure, there are still long-time mainstays like the Volkswagen Golf (since 1974), Honda Civic (since 1972), and the champion of longevity, the Chevy Suburban (since 1935), but very nearly every automaker has at least one or two models every year to keep things fresh. The year 2025 contained no exceptions to that rule.

Nearly every automaker had something new, and most of them had at least one thing in common. Most of the new vehicles coming out these days are hybrids or EVs, many of which are augmenting or replacing existing gas-only engines. That trend is expected to continue into 2026. An example is the Honda Zero Series, which, while delayed until 2027, was slated for launch in 2026. If you're curious about what showed up on dealership lots in 2025 that wasn't previously there in 2024, you've come to the right place.

Toyota's previous C-HR was already fairly unpopular, which led to its eventual demise. It came back again in 2025 with a new coat of paint and a new fully EV powertrain. It was released in Europe in 2025 and is expected to hit U.S. dealerships in 2026. When it launched, it was originally referred to as the C-HR+. However, the plus part was eventually dropped, and it's just the C-HR. On paper, at least, the new C-HR is a way better, if for no other reason that it's fun to drive, which fixes one of the primary complaints about the old one. 

Technically, the new C-HR is better than the old one, so this is a win for Toyota. However, reviewers aren't quite sure what to make of it. It's a fun, zippy little EV, but reviewers also note the very small cargo area and the slightly cramped backseat, making it less than ideal for families. It's not bad for what it is, but it's definitely a niche product.

The Acura ADX was launched in North America in the first quarter of 2025. It's meant to be Acura's most accessible option, starting at $35,000 and sitting below the RDX and MDX in the lineup as a subcompact SUV. Curiously, it's one of the few cars released in 2025 that isn't electrified to some extent. Instead, the little ADX gets a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine and a CVT for the sake of fuel efficiency. It's likely the same one Honda puts in the CR-V and other models.

So, the biggest complaint about this car upon its release is that it's nothing really special. It's a subcompact SUV, and those are already slow and less comfortable than their crossover brethren, and the ADX does little to separate itself from the pack. Perhaps doubly unfortunate is that Acura is a luxury brand, and it doesn't hold up well against those either. This one probably also should've been a hybrid, so at least it would have a little pep in its step. 

The Jeep Wagoneer S began arriving at dealerships in January 2025. It is the first all-electric Jeep product to exist, and it's undoubtedly one of Jeep's best-looking products. Jeep only sells it in a single trim level with a pair of electric motors that output the equivalent of 500 horsepower. Its range is rated at 294 miles, and it can scoot to 60 MPH quickly, with some reviewers noting as low as three seconds. 

Unfortunately, that's where the good news seems to end. Few reviewers were able to reach the 294-rated range with this EV, and some by as many as 10-20 miles. In addition, the ride is stiff, the handling isn't great, and the ride is surprisingly loud for a vehicle that costs north of $70,000. The one thing reviewers tend to agree on is that the Wagoneer S felt unfinished, which impacted its review scores across the board. It also had the misfortune of being born a Jeep, and so its lack of off-road prowess was also noted. 

The Kia K4 is one of the latest cars from the Korean automaker, but it's not necessarily new. It replaces the Kia Forte, which was Kia's budget option, and the K4 continued that proud tradition when it arrived at dealerships. It began its rollout in late 2024, but the final trim models didn't hit the lot until 2025, so we're still counting it. Much like its predecessor, the K4 is very inexpensive, especially for today's car market, with the spartan-base trim clocking in at $23,000 after destination charges. 

It's hard to dig up dirt on a car that's standing in the face of ever-increasing car prices, and most folks don't even try. The K4 receives good reviews all around, with the biggest praise going to its wickedly low price tag and agreeable drivability. The base engine is a little slow, however, and most reviewers recommend upgrading out of it. The top trim for this car started at $29,000 after destination, so upgrading to the better engine wasn't all that much more expensive.

The Honda Prelude is arguably the most controversial car on the 2025 list. It launched relatively late in the year to dealerships, and drivers aren't sure what to make of it. It bears resemblance to its predecessors, which were tuned for enthusiast driving. The new one shares suspension components with the Civic Type-C but uses the regular Civic Hybrid's powertrain. In other words, you can drive this thing like an animal, but it's not a straight-line speed champion. 

As such, the conversations around the car have been mild. Some people believe that having a Honda Civic Hybrid powertrain means that it doesn't earn the Prelude badge, while others fit into the niche Honda was clearly going for and are enjoying themselves. It certainly isn't like the older models, but it's still very fun to drive in its own right. Honda sold just 30 of these bad boys the first month of release, but most of that is likely due to low dealership inventory.

Hyundai and Kia have been increasing their EV options by leaps and bounds in recent years, and the Ioniq 9 is the latest such development. It launched in spring 2025, and is basically competing with the brand's own Hyundai Palisade, except the Ioniq 9 is a full-EV SUV. It is also one of the most expensive models in Hyundai's lineup, with upper trims going for well north of $75,000. It also comes with two engines options, with the beefier motors putting up 422 horsepower and a zero to 60MPH time of 4.4 seconds. 

Honestly, this probably could've been released as a Genesis product and no one would've batted an eye. Its price is right up there with other Genesis models, and the interior looks quite nice. Other than its sky-high price tag and laggy infotainment, reviewers haven't had much to complain about here. It's a solid entrant into Hyundai's lineup, even though a hybrid Palisade is somehow more cost-effective at $58,000 for its top trim.

The Volvo EX30 is one of a few new models released by Volvo over the last couple of years, joining the EX40, EX60, and EX90. Of those, the EX30 is the one to hit dealerships in 2025, while the rest were out before the end of 2024 and the EX60 is set to be released in 2026. It's the least expensive option among Volvo's new EVs with a starting price below $35,000. It's also a subcompact SUV, but Volvo did a good job making the front seats feel roomy. 

It's far from a flawless vehicle, though. The backseats and storage area are rather small, and some reviewers took points off for that. It also doesn't have a ton of range, with an EPA rating of around 227 at the minimum and 261 miles at the maximum. That may put off some shoppers. Despite those drawbacks, the EX30 is known for being quick and fun to drive. This is probably best as a grocery getter for single people or young couples, but it probably won't be great for families.

BMW has been making the M5 Touring, which is the station wagon model, since the early 1990s. However, it has largely eluded the U.S. market, with shoppers here only being able to select from the sedan models. That all changed with the BMW M5 Touring, which hit U.S. shores for the first time in 2025. It's a spec monster, boasting a 717-horsepower engine, which may be finally enough to end America's hatred of station wagons. 

At its core, the M5 Touring, or M5 Wagon, depending on who you ask, is the same as the regular BMW M5, just with an extended back end. That includes the interior space, tech, engine, and everything else. If you've ever driven or owned a BMW M5, you know what you're getting here. It's heavy, fast, and a little stiff on the ride quality front. It makes up for it with nice front seats, more storage capacity than the sedan, and let's face facts, a station wagon getting to 60 MPH in under four seconds is pretty cool.

The Polestar 4 isn't the most popular car on the list, but it's brand-new for 2025. It went on sale in late spring of 2025, and unfortunately, for a much higher price than was originally promised. It's definitely one of the most unique cars of 2025, boasting no rear window at all. Instead, drivers get a rear-facing camera that does all the looking for them. Reviewers note that it can look grainy at night but is still perfectly serviceable. 

All told, it's a pretty good EV overall, and most reviews only had minor complaints. It's definitely an interesting design, and its quirk is part of what makes it fun. It starts at $56,400, although it has been known to go on sale on occasion, and it ticks most of the boxes. It has a strong electric motor, over 300 miles of range, and plenty of tech for the enthusiast, although some reviewers note that too many controls are relegated to the touchscreen, which is an infotainment no-no. 

Cadillac has been busy reinventing itself for the future. Its enormous Escalade IQ went on sale in the summer of 2024, and the Cadillac OPTIQ started delivering to customers in January 2025. In true Cadillac fashion, the OPTIQ is capable and expensive, with a whopping nine trim levels that span from $52,000 to $69,000. For the most part, the trims are just about whether the car comes with AWD, so while there are a lot, the overall packaging isn't terribly complicated.

In terms of drivability, the OPTIQ is pretty simple. It comes with two motor options, the faster of which gets to 60 MPH in about 3.5 seconds. Most reviewers suggest going with a lower trim, though, because the base engine is still plenty quick and gets better range. Otherwise, it has Cadillac's excellent Super Cruise and a dashboard that is well laid out and relatively easy to use. Reviewers agree that it's pretty comfortable, stable on the road, and while the range isn't the best, it's still decent. 

Audi has also been electrifying its lineup, and one of its biggest additions was the A6 Sportback e-tron in 2025. It boasts most of the same stuff as other EVs on the market. It's quick, expensive, and tech-forward. However, the big story with the A6 Sportback is the range. Audi openly boasts that the Sportback is its range leader, and it's not kidding. The EPA estimates between 333 and 392 miles on a single charge, and believe it or not, reviewers were able to attain those numbers, with the rear-wheel drive model hitting over 400 miles in some tests. 

The car accomplishes this task with a dual-motor setup that delivers 543 horsepower, propelling the Sportback to 60 MPH in under five seconds. There is a performance model that is even stronger, but the range isn't quite as good. The interior is classic Audi, and overall, the car appears to check almost every box. Whatever Audi did here, people seem to like it quite a lot, even if it is expensive.

The Subaru Forester Hybrid isn't necessarily a brand-new car since the regular Forester already exists, but the hybrid model arrived at dealerships for the first time in 2025. It picks up where the regular gas Forester leaves off, and the two are almost identical except for the powertrain options. The hybrid model comes in four trims, each one stepping up the features, but they all use the same hybrid engine. As such, it gets better fuel economy than the gas-only model, although it does lag behind segment leaders.

Other than the powertrain, which isn't the fastest hybrid on the block, it is otherwise virtually identical to the gas-only model, which can be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it. This is for buyers who enjoy Subaru's quiet predictability but want to get some extra fuel efficiency for their efforts. It's a grocery getter and child transporter, and that's perfectly okay since that's what Subaru loyalists like about it. Not everything needs to be a sports car. 

The Lucid Gravity made quite a splash when it debuted because it's the second model that Lucid sells behind the impressive (and expensive) Lucid Air. It technically started shipping to customers at the end of 2024, but ramped up significantly enough in 2025 that it might as well have been released in 2025. It is every bit as expensive as its stablemate, starting at over $80,000 and topping $140,000 for the top trim. This is not a vehicle for the everyday driver, and its specs prove it. On the high end, the strongest motor in the Gravity can do over 1,200 horsepower. 

This is a luxury vehicle through and through. It's fast, the interior materials are magnificent, and it's actually big enough to fit a whole family. You probably won't see many of these on the road, but the inclusion of an SUV in the lineup definitely gives Lucid much more variability than it had with its single sedan previously. Reportedly, Lucid's next model will be an electric crossover that'll start under $50,000.

The Lamborghini Temerario keeps Lamborghini's tradition of having names that are tough to type on a keyboard. It was announced in 2024 and went on sale in 2025, but buyers had to wait until 2026 to actually receive delivery. This monster of a car replaces the V10 Huracán in Lamborghini's lineup, and as is the case with modern cars, is electrified. It comes with a V8 engine and a hybrid motor to boost things even further. It makes over 900 horsepower and can scoot to 60 MPH in about 2.7 seconds. 

All told, it's actually a more usable car than the Huracán. It has regular doors, more interior space, and a quieter engine. Despite that, it actually includes 276 more horsepower than the outgoing Huracán and is faster off the line thanks to the hybrid engines. It's also technically a plug-in hybrid that gets five miles. Yeah, that's a chuckle-worthy stat. In any case, this thing flies just like a Lamborghini should, and ultimately, it's a good replacement for the Huracán.

Dodge discontinued the original Charger a few years ago and promised that eventually, an EV successor would be born. Well, it was born and started showing up at dealerships in January 2025. In terms of pure looks, the Charger Daytona EV looks enough like its predecessors to give that American muscle car look and feel. Under the hood, though, is a no-emissions electric motor, and it was super important that Dodge get that part right. 

With a zero-to-60 MPH time of 3.3 seconds, it seems Dodge nailed the performance marks. For reference, the 2023 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, with its 717 horsepower, 6.2-liter V8, made the same sprint in 3.8 seconds. Thus, while it may not grant the same visceral experience you get with a roaring V8, you still get the speed and performance of a high-end Charger, and somewhat surprisingly, you can get it for nearly $20,000 less. The 2023 Charger SRT Hellcat started at $86,000, and the 2025 Charger Daytona EV maxes out at $69,000.

The Kia Carnival Hybrid is Kia's first hybrid minivan, and it launched to the public in late 2024 and early 2025. It essentially took the existing formula of the Carnival and replaced the V6 with a 1.6-liter turbo engine with an electric motor to help things out. It makes similar power and gets to 60 MPH in a similar time but boasts a ridiculous 60% increase to fuel economy, based on testing from Edmunds. There are some detriments, though, as some reviews (including SlashGear's) found the turbo-four to be a bit loud when pushed, and the V6's power delivery was a bit smoother overall. 

Even so, having a minivan with over 30 MPG has its perks. You can haul so many kids in this thing to and from their various sporting and school events, and it'll cost less in the long run. This vehicle was made for suburban driving, and it nails it for the most part. You could do a lot worse in the minivan segment, so Kia did well here.