This 12 months’s finalists for Motor Authority Finest Automotive To Purchase 2025 proves the electrical age is upon us: just one finalist has a tailpipe.
Beginning with almost 25 new or considerably up to date luxurious and efficiency autos, we whittled down the listing of 2025 nominees to only six contenders. We then examined the finalists each on the road and the monitor back-to-back, mentioned, argued, and took a straw ballot to hash out the winner.
Final 12 months marked the return of yet one more champion with the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 incomes Motor Authority Finest Automotive To Purchase 2024 honors. Which can take dwelling the honors this 12 months? We’ll announce the winner on Jan. 6, 2025, together with the winners from our sister websites, The Automotive Connection and Motor Authority.
Within the coming days we’ll take an in-depth have a look at every of those nominees.
2024 Acura ZDX Sort S
Acura ZDX
The primary ZDX was a considerably impractical fastback four-door crossover SUV that took purpose on the BMW X6. The new ZDX is, with none exaggeration, a reskinned Cadillac Lyriq. The ZDX is Acura’s first electrical automobile, and the Lyriq was so good it virtually received as a darkish horse contender in 2023. The brand new ZDX reskins the Cadillac fundamentals, provides air suspension together with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and affixes an Acura badge to it.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N was an instantaneous contender the second we drove it round Laguna Seca. The electrical scorching hatch–or a crossover SUV, because it’s categorized by the EPA–brings enjoyable to the electrical age. Hyundai launched faux shifting and noise to reinforce the Ioniq 5 driving expertise—and it really works, from its wings all the way down to its attention-grabbing physique package.
2024 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLE 53
Mercedes-Benz AMG CLE 53
The fire-breathing CLE 63 that may presumably bear an S E Efficiency badge and bear a hybrid drivetrain doesn’t exist, but. However the AMG-badged CLE 53 is fast, makes nice sounds from its turbo-6, and is sort of fetching to take a look at. We stated it “brings massive coupe enjoyable” upon first sliding behind the wheel. Faster, quicker, and extra agile, it’s the CLE lovers are going to decide on, for now. It additionally feels particular inside due to some AMG-specific bits like a flat-bottomed steering wheel, sport seats, and AMG-specific software program.
2025 Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Expertise
Mercedes-Benz G-Class Electrical
The official title is G 580 with EQ Expertise, however simply name it the electrical G-Class. Regardless of the title, it’s an instantaneous icon. Mercedes took its legendary off-roader that consumers not often take off-road and made it electrical. The batteries and electrical motors don’t detract from the capabilities—they make it smoother to drive, quieter in case you flip off the sound turbines, and extra exact off-road. The electrical G retains the vault-like door locks and sports activities a couple of social gathering methods distinctive to the SUV sport. It’s basically a tank-turning EV movie star that may one-up the precise celebrities who can afford one.
2024 Porsche Macan EV
Porsche Macan EV
Porsche’s bestselling nameplate now has an electrical variant. The Macan EV sticks to the script that works for the automaker, however whereas it seems evolutionary, it’s underpinned by the automaker’s next-gen PPE platform. We stated it “eases the electrical transition” due to the evolutionary design. But it surely additionally delivers on the Porsche’s signature dealing with prowess regardless of weighing over 5,000 kilos. The Turbo mannequin, which in actual fact doesn’t have turbos, is highly effective, immediately acquainted, and track-ready.
2025 Rivian R1S
Rivian R1S
Look too rapidly and also you’d marvel how the Rivian made the minimize, once more. The R1T received and was named Motor Authority Finest Automotive To Purchase 2022. The R1T and R1S duo entered their second era, generally known as G2 or Gen 2, regardless of wanting virtually no completely different. It’s what you possibly can’t see that’s been up to date. Fully new electrical architectures future-proof these EVs–it’s so good VW simply paid Rivian $5.8 billion to make use of a few of it–and hook to new electrical motors, revised battery packs, a brand new warmth pump, and dual-, tri-, and quad-motor powertrains. Appears to be like are deceiving, although the lighting parts have been tweaked as a giveaway of what lurks beneath. Retuned and returned to responsibility, the Rivian R1S seems quite a bit like the best electrical SUV lots of our editors would put of their garages.
