The 10 best vehicles Ars Technica drove in 2025

Of all the cars we've driven and reviewed this year, these are our picks.

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[Readercathead]

“Revanchists” really is the word of the year, isn’t it? People who thought Jim Crow, slavery, or before women were allowed to vote and own property were the good old days for good ole boys.

 

[Readercathead]

It would be nice to see reviews include whether the car supports V2L, V2H, and V2G technologies which is the most difficult thing to find on websites or reviews. I have solar and I'm waiting for a small car that supports at least V2H and doesn't require a proprietary home solar/energy setup...like GM. If you've priced out battery backup you quickly realize that a car is just as cheap, or cheaper on a KWh basis.

I too would love read more about this, and have it mentioned and tested in reviews. But no for-profit utility company run by a billionaire is going to get my support for a virtual power plant made by reaching into our homes to control our own cars and battery backups. Not the guys who did the stock buybacks instead of keeping staff during COVID or catching up on much-needed maintenance. Not Xcel which already got caught locking Denverites out of their thermostats on a 100-degree day for a $25 credit several years prior.

 

[Readercathead]

Still driving our volt 2017 with the two rear-facing kid seats and a dog in the middle seat (with a seatbelt harness). Personally, I’m really hoping for a toyota phev minivan option to replace it, but it’s great to hear the perspectives of former volt owners on newer vehicles!

We have a Mach-E and generally I love it… but I do have a few pet leaves. It is a fantastic upgrade and I would not trade it for anything short of a brand-new Porsche Cayenne EV. The back seats are so much more comfortable! We’ve kept the old 2014 Volt, it’s still a great back-up car for our adult child to borrow when visiting or for trips to charging deserts like Wyoming.

It would be a royal pain if it auto locked in the garage. A lot of the time I need something out of the car I don't have the FOB with me since I don't drive that one much.

OMG, my Mach-E does this every time. It’s an incredible pain. I go out to the car all the time for one thing or another. It also wants to turn on the alarms every time we get out, including in the garage! It’s incredibly sensitive to anyone just walking around. I like to keep my fob tucked away in my purse but thank goodness my husband is fine with keeping his fob right next to the interior garage door so at least it’s handy.