WardsAuto Engine, Propulsion & Tech Update


	MARCH 03, 2025

TEST DRIVES

New Powertrains Punch Up 2025 Toyota 4Runner

Toyota doesn’t stray too far from its tried-and-true recipe of consistent functionality in the 2025 4Runner, but adds a significant boost in power and fuel efficiency with new powertrains across the board.

Powertrain Clash Key Cause of Honda-Nissan Merger Collapse

Japanese newspaper claims Honda's demand that Nissan dump its e-Power hybrid system was a technology step too far.

WardsAuto Podcast: Mitsubishi’s New Outlander and Future

Mitsubishi Motors for some two decades has been a marginal player in the U.S., posting fewer than 100,000 sales a year in most years. The 2025 Outlander is a step up from the old model as Mitsubishi tries to build sales in the hotly competitive compact CUV segment.

Mercedes-Benz Testing Long-Distance Solid-State Battery

The prototype EQS sedan is powered via lithium-metal technology co-developed in the U.S.

Continental’s Technology Blitz

From “emotional” cockpits to autonomous trucks, Continental touts multiple technologies.

TEST DRIVES

2025 Kia K4: More Than Just a New Name

The 2025 Kia K4, né Forte, gets a fresh new look inside and out, big changes under the hood and attractive new tech, all at a reasonable price.

EREVs Seen As Future of Fullsize Trucks

Despite early hype around battery-electric pickups, consumer reaction and easing mandates point to extended-range electric vehicles as the preferred powertrains.

Toyota Claims Third-Gen Fuel-Cell Powertrain Matches Diesel Durability

Boasting greater fuel efficiency, increased range, compact design, robustness and lower costs of production, the automaker's latest hydrogen fuel-cell system claims to cover applications from light passenger cars to heavy-duty trucks.