Mercedes Benz

Volvo XC40 2021 review: Recharge PHEV – How does the plug-in hybrid go around town?    CarsGuide

The 3-series Plug-in Hybrid is BMW’s current eco-friendly offering in its sporty luxury sedan range. It has been on sale since 2016 and whereas its predecessor, the ActiveHybrid 3 was based on the performance oriented 335i, this model shares some of its running gear with the more efficient base 320i. The 330e iPerformance Plug-in Hybrid has received the same updates for 2018 along with the rest of the 3-series range which means an update infotainment system and minor trim changes. What’s it like inside? Stepping into this hybrid it is clear that BMW is using a different approach from its stylistically futuristic i3 and i8 sub-brands. Save for a few additional dashboard dials, the interior of the Plug-in 3-series looks very much like the rest of the range. The quality levels are up there with the best in class, minor controls and buttons are laid out in the usual logical BMW manner. The battery pack is situated beneath the trunk so passenger space is identical to the gasoline powered ca...

People really love these plug-in hybrids and electric models. Electric vehicles and plug-ins are becoming more and more mainstream, while the incoming wave of luxury EVs from Audi, Jaguar, Porsche, and others will bolster electric sales even more. EV sales may falter when the $7,500 tax credit runs out, but that remains to be seen. For now, plug-in hybrid and EV sales have been increasing, and Inside EVs has been keeping score. The electric-focused publication has tallied up plug-in and EV sales now that we are more than halfway through the year, to find the 10 best sellers of 2018 (so far). It is worth noting that GM and Tesla don't provide monthly sales figures, so these numbers were estimated. There should be no surprises at number one, where the Tesla Model 3 slots in as the best seller. Tesla moved 18,305 Model 3 sedans through May of 2018, and has finally reached its production goal of building 5,000 cars per week. At number two, the Toyota Prius Prime sits as one of only th...

The BMW 5-series has only recently been fully redesigned and offers some of the latest technology in the segment. For 2018 it adds to the existing model range with the introduction of the hybrid 530e iPerformance. With performance levels equaling its gasoline powered counterpart but the potential for much improved fuel efficiency, the 530e may be just what economy-minded shoppers have been looking for. What’s it like inside? The interior of the 530e follows the rest of the revised 5-series range with a modern minimalist dashboard design, large infotainment screen and top-quality materials throughout. The only hint that there is an electric drivetrain attached to the conventional gasoline motor are some additional cockpit instruments. The seats are firm but offer good support for the front occupants while the rear row will seat three in comfort, although it helps to have the smallest passenger seated in the middle. The trunk is slightly smaller thanks to the placement of the battery pac...

Those in the market for a BMW 7 Series are hardly the ones looking to rack up fuel savings by means of electric augmentation. So the 7 Series Plug-in Hybrid, dubbed the 740e xDrive, forming part of the PHEV ‘iPerformance range’ from BMW would seem to be more about bragging rights – pairing electrified performance with bold efficiency claims and the premise that, though you may be wealthy, you still care for the environment. Pairing a 9.2kWh battery pack with a 2.0-liter turbo combustion engine, this is perhaps best described as luxury with a clean conscience. Interior Electrified or not, this is still a BMW 7 Series. That means it includes all the luxury appointments you’d expect from BMW’s halo model luxury sedan. Plush leathers and a variety of inlays such as wood and aluminum adorn the cabin’s surfaces, with a definitive lack of harsh plastics. The cabin is light and airy and affords massive amounts of space for all occupants. The 14-way power adjustable heated leather seats are sup...

The 2015 Sedona now looks like a proper Kia, complete with the company鈥檚 now famous 鈥榯iger-nose鈥?grille. They are now only one point from safety in what looks like a very tight finale to the season. However, for whom the more prestigious 5 or 7 series vehicles are financially out of reach. If Mercedes had completed gutted the car for performance purposes (Porsche 911 GT3 RS-style), I would have understood why, but since that's not the AMG way, I would have expected more than a standard-fare C-Class interior. Either way, Volvo has created a prototype diesel hybrid wagon that aims to revolutionize sport wagons (and a lot of segments for that matter). When the driver presses this switch briefly, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) switches to the "ESC Sport" mode. Upon request, Audi will equip all quattro versions with the sport differential, which distributes the power in continuously variable proportions between the rear wheels. Navigation - reversing camera - blind spot as...