Latest news with #compactsedan
Auto Blog
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Lexus IS 500 Climax Edition Marks End of V8 Compact Sedan
Add this to the long list of weird car names The last compact sedan with a V8 engine really is on its way out. After Mercedes-AMG killed the V8 in the C63, the Lexus IS 500 was the last sedan of this size to retain a V8, but it seems this characterful Lexus won't be around for much longer, both in America and beyond. A few weeks ago, Lexus announced the IS 500 Ultimate Edition, a run of just 500 models that will be sold in North America. Now, it's Japan's turn to say goodbye to this sedan with the IS 500 Climax Edition. As far as car names go, this one can be thrown into the same box as the Daihatsu Naked and Ford Probe. Awkward name aside, this special edition is likely to become something of a collector's item in the years ahead. 0:03 / 0:09 Thinking about buying a Toyota RAV4? These 5 rivals might change your mind Watch More Sporty Styling Upgrades Much like our own Ultimate Edition, the Climax Edition will feature 19-inch forged BBS wheels in a sinister matte black finish. These partially conceal upgraded Brembo brakes with six-piston calipers. To match the black trim, special Neutrino Gray paint has been introduced for this model, which is inspired by neutrinos. If you also had no clue what those are, they're elementary particles produced in outer space, where they move at the speed of light. Eight other colors will be available for the Climax Edition, though. Inside, Lexus Japan has hilariously added several IS 500 'Climax Edition' plaques, not that anyone owning this car would forget what it's called. A red and black color scheme adds to the raunchy look, and even the analog clock in the center of the dashboard gets a new background. Familiar Power, Epic Soundtrack Nothing has changed under the hood, not that it had to. Producing 472 horsepower and 395 lb-ft of torque, the rear-wheel-drive IS 500 can run from 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds. That time is no longer earth-shattering, but it's accompanied by a soundtrack that no rival can match. Keep your foot planted, and the fastest IS will reach 149 mph. Paddle shifters can be used to take manual control over the eight-speed automatic transmission. In Japan, the IS 500 Climax Edition goes for 9,500,000 yen, which is equivalent to around $65,000. It's set to go on sale in August, and America's own Ultimate Edition will go on sale later this fall. About the Author Karl Furlong View Profile
Car and Driver
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
View Interior Photos of the 2026 Kia EV4
read the full review | See Exterior Photos The Kia EV4 is a new electric compact sedan, and while its exterior is pretty funky, the interior keeps things pretty normal.
Car and Driver
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
View Exterior Photos of the 2026 Kia EV4
read full review | See Interior Photos The Kia EV4 is a new electric compact sedan, and we drove it in Korea ahead of its U.S. debut.
WIRED
4 days ago
- Automotive
- WIRED
Kia EV4 Review: Price, Specs, Availability
The 2026 Kia EV4 could be an important vehicle in the ongoing global EV transition. To be sold in 140 markets globally, the EV4 is a carefully calibrated shot at bringing long-range electric power into the high-volume mainstream segment of compact sedans and hatchbacks at an affordable price. US and Asian markets will get an EV4 sedan (the model I spent the day with for this review), now built in Korea. Europeans' preference for five-doors means only an EV4 hatchback will be available in that region—built in Kia's plant in Žilina, Slovakia. Asked if the hatch would come to North America, Kia execs replied with a 'hard no.' The Kia EV4 is already on sale in South Korea; it will roll out to the rest of the world over the next nine months. At the time of writing, pricing for markets outside Korea still hasn't been announced, but if the prices in its home country are anything to go by, US buyers can expect a cost somewhere between $29,000 to $36,000, depending on spec. The likelihood is, it won't be quite that simple, but anything in the low-to-mid $30,000 range would make this a very interesting EV indeed. Courtesy of Kia 400 Volts to Cut Cost Built on a new, 400-volt version of Hyundai Motor Group's shared E-GMP platform, the EV4 line debuts the brand's first dedicated EV sedan. With its sibling the slightly smaller EV3 hatchback, it uses a 400-volt battery architecture to lower cost, rather than the 800-volt system of the Kia EV6 hatchback utility and EV9 three-row SUV. LG Energy Solutions nickel-cobalt-manganese cells are shared among Kia's many EVs, but the EV4 uses a new and more cost-efficient battery design, traction motor, charging gear, and power electronics. Apparently, designing the 400-volt E-GMP largely for front-wheel-drive models eliminates the weight and range disadvantages of providing for a second motor in the rear. Kia also said it will choose cell chemistries specifically tailored to maximizing range within a smaller pack volume, at the cost of slower fast charging. While Kia declined to provide WIRED examples of specific cell chemistries, it has discussed its new "highly efficient, super-compact thin HVAC system" (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning) fitted to the related EV3. The new heat-pump system is now the fourth generation; Kia says it expands front legroom by 6 mm against previous versions. However, the ultimate goal for the EV4 was 'acceptable range and charging time,' Kia execs said. The EV4 takes 30 minutes to fast-charge from 10 to 80 percent of capacity versus 18 minutes for the pricier 800-volt EV6. Those charging specs are measured under ideal circumstances: battery and ambient temperatures, a preconditioned battery, and more. Real-world charge times will of course likely be longer.
WIRED
4 days ago
- Automotive
- WIRED
Could Kia's EV4 Be the Affordable Electric Car We've Been Waiting For?
The 2026 Kia EV4 could be an important vehicle in the ongoing global EV transition. To be sold in 140 markets globally, the EV4 is a carefully calibrated shot at bringing long-range electric power into the high-volume mainstream segment of compact sedans and hatchbacks at an affordable price. US and Asian markets will get an EV4 sedan (the model I spent the day with for this review), now built in Korea. Europeans' preference for five-doors means only an EV4 hatchback will be available in that region—built in Kia's plant in Žilina, Slovakia. Asked if the hatch would come to North America, Kia execs replied with a 'hard no.' The Kia EV4 is already on sale in South Korea; it will roll out to the rest of the world over the next nine months. At the time of writing, pricing for markets outside Korea still hasn't been announced, but if the prices in its home country are anything to go by, US buyers can expect a cost somewhere between $29,000 to $36,000, depending on spec. The likelihood is, it won't be quite that simple, but anything in the low-to-mid $30,000 range would make this a very interesting EV indeed. 400 Volts to Cut Cost Built on a new, 400-volt version of Hyundai Motor Group's shared E-GMP platform, the EV4 line debuts the brand's first dedicated EV sedan. With its sibling the slightly smaller EV3 hatchback, it uses a 400-volt battery architecture to lower cost, rather than the 800-volt system of the Kia EV6 hatchback utility and EV9 three-row SUV. LG Energy Solutions nickel-cobalt-manganese cells are shared among Kia's many EVs, but the EV4 uses a new and more cost-efficient battery design, traction motor, charging gear, and power electronics. Apparently, designing the 400-volt E-GMP largely for front-wheel-drive models eliminates the weight and range disadvantages of providing for a second motor in the rear. Kia also said it will choose cell chemistries specifically tailored to maximizing range within a smaller pack volume, at the cost of slower fast charging. While Kia declined to provide WIRED examples of specific cell chemistries, it has discussed its new "highly efficient, super-compact thin HVAC system" (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning) fitted to the related EV3. The new heat-pump system is now the fourth generation; Kia says it expands front legroom by 6 mm against previous versions. However, the ultimate goal for the EV4 was 'acceptable range and charging time,' Kia execs said. The EV4 takes 30 minutes to fast-charge from 10 to 80 percent of capacity versus 18 minutes for the pricier 800-volt EV6. Those charging specs are measured under ideal circumstances: battery and ambient temperatures, a preconditioned battery, and more. Real-world charge times will of course likely be longer.
