Hi, I'm John Davis and this is MotorWeek !

The stars have aligned for our test of the first Subaru Forester Hybrid... Then, we're in on the ground garage floor of one slick project truck... We'll run down our list of the most affordable EV SUVs on the market today... And find our true course with the new Lincoln Navigator... So, come drive with us, next!

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JOHN: To this point, Subaru has been a relatively minor player in the hybrid game, but adding a hybrid option to their wildly popular Forester shows that's about to change.

So, let's find out what the Forester Hybrid has to offer greener-minded Subaru buyers.

♪ ♪ The Subaru Forester kicked off its 6th generation earlier this year, and in our Road Test, we praised Subaru for delivering a Forester that wasn't all that different than before, just better in all the right ways.

Now already, they're shaking things up with this first-ever 2025 Forester Hybrid.

Available in all trims except Base and Wilderness, their latest hybrid converts the standard normally-aspirated 2.5 liter flat-4 to run on Atkinson cycle, and then adds a pair of electric motors for a total output of 194 horsepower, 14 more than the standard Forester.

Both electric motors are integrated into the CVT transmission, one taking on the dual role of starter and alternator, the other feeding more go power, a healthy 199 pound-feet of torque, to speed things along.

In the process of integrating the electric motors, Subaru has also replaced the CVT's belt and pulleys with a set of actual planetary gears, leading to a big improvement in operation and feel.

So, this is not only their best hybrid powertrain to date, but Subaru's quietest and most polished powertrain ever.

Transitions are very smooth, and Subaru has also included some additional sound deadening.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 35 city, 34 highway, and 35 combined, a jump of six over the most efficient non-hybrid.

We averaged a spot-on 34.7 miles per gallon of Regular.

That makes for a much better than average Energy Impact Score using 8.5 Barrels of Oil per year, while emitting 4.2 Tons of CO2.

All-wheel-drive is, of course, included.

Though, mostly the same mechanical setup as before, it remains one of the best AWDs for getting through winter weather.

We got our first taste of Subaru's all-wheel-drive abilities in our very first season of MotorWeek with a road test of this bedazzled GL wagon, and of course, put the first Forester through its paces when it arrived 15 years later.

Just as in the original, the current Forester feels incredibly spacious inside, and not just roomy in the seats.

With all the visibility around the vehicle, and the huge sunroof, you always feel like you're in the elements, while still being protected from them.

That vibe carries over to the rear seats too.

An 11.6 inch portrait-style touchscreen is standard for multimedia with navigation, and there are a few unique features for the Hybrid, including a 12.3 inch digital gauge display.

Subaru always packs in plenty of standard safety, and you could argue that modest acceleration is one of their longest-running safety features.

There is a little more pep in the Hybrid's step on takeoff, but also more weight to move down the track.

We hit 60 in 8.1 seconds, a tenth quicker than the non-hybrid Forester Sport we tested a few months ago, and completed the quarter-mile in 16.2 seconds at 87 miles per hour.

The suspension has been retuned, not for sporty reasons, but more to manage the additional weight and provide the same soft but stable overall experience.

Brakes were strong, triggering some aggressive nosedive, but 112 foot stops from 60 we rate as good.

(SUV whooshing by) Pricing starts with Premium trim at $38,015, which is about three-grand over a non-hybrid Premium.

Even with its extra cost and heft, a 25 percent boost in fuel economy is probably reason enough to get on board with the 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid.

Now, factor in the additional features, and the extra pep, it all adds up to going hybrid being the smartest Forester choice.

♪ ♪ JOHN: The need to clean up vehicle tailpipe emissions and offer fuel choices to consumers is pushing the development of "bio" versions of a number of traditional petroleum fuels.

Here, we take a look at one renewable fuel that is gaining traction with fleets and consumers alike.

♪ ♪ Propane autogas has been a reliable alternative fuel choice for decades, and is especially beneficial for school bus and other transport fleets where lower emissions from the tailpipe translate into cleaner air for passengers inside the vehicle, especially when compared to diesel.

Renewable propane is a biofuel variant that is chemically identical to conventional LP gas, so it works as a drop-in replacement and can be blended with conventional propane to reduce the overall carbon intensity of a fleet's fuel supply.

Renewable propane is typically produced as a byproduct of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel, made from plant and vegetable oils, animal fats, or used cooking oil.

But a promising new technology is looking to create renewable propane from waste CO2.

TUCKER PERKINS: Here, we have a virtually unlimited feedstock, a relatively easy chemical transition, and the final product is useful, whether it's for your grill, for a school bus or for your home.

I do believe, long term, consumers, governments around the world, are going to demand renewable fuels.

They want...they want a lower carbon solution.

JOHN: The state of Virginia encourages the use of these fuels and recently awarded a contract to provide its school districts, transit systems, and other government fleets access to propane, and renewable propane.

James Madison university in Harrisonburg, Virginia, runs 40 propane vans and trucks as part of their campus operations, and has just committed to using a 20 percent blend of renewable propane across the board.

STEVE McCOY: In the Virginia state autogas contract, uh, which many, uh, fleets are running off of currently, there is a, uh, option to purchase renewable propane.

And the adder per gallon for renewable over conventional is only 38-and-a-half cents.

So still, at $2 a gallon, uh, for renewable propane, you've got a cost-effective solution to reduce your transportation costs as well as, uh, lowering carbon intensity.

JOHN: We recently attended the ribbon-cutting for a new public-access propane station near the Richmond, Virginia, airport.

This one dispenser will support 10 new propane school buses recently purchased by Henrico county, as well as other propane vehicle fleets in the area.

Infrastructure availability and location is a key factor for many fleet managers considering a move to alternative fuels, so stations like this one open up new opportunities for companies like Park 'N Go, which operates primarily near airports.

And adding a renewable fuel to the mix of offerings gives vehicle owners the power to choose the best fuel for themselves.

STEVE: There's a great interest as far as renewable.

This site that we're at today, uh, will ultimately offer both conventional and renewable, okay.

That's our model or our end goal, I suppose, is to have, similar to the gasoline dispensers where you've got a regular unleaded and then a premium, okay.

We'll do the same with conventional, uh, propane as well as renewable propane autogas.

JOHN: At the pump, propane is typically 75 cents to a dollar cheaper per gallon than gasoline.

The fuel savings and reduced maintenance afforded by using propane versus gasoline also holds big appeal to small businesses like landscapers, for whom equipment maintenance and fuel costs have a major impact on the bottom line.

So, you could say, the environmental benefits of using a renewable fuel make the grass that much greener!

JOHN: More often than not, we see a project car when it's no longer a project; but today, we're getting a sneak-peek at a future SEMA build from our own Dan Maffett on MotorWeek's "Your Drive."

(car starts up/ engine revs) DAN MAFFETT: I think everyone has that project that they're going to get to.

It ends up in their backyard, it moves around a little bit; and that was the same story for my friend Paul.

That's his truck he's had since brand new here.

Now, he unfortunately came down with cancer and couldn't fulfill the project that he wanted to do, so he asked us to take it on and bring it to its former glory.

Well, when we went to go pick it up our dreams of restoring it were kind of shattered as we tried to pull it out of the field and it just about broke in two.

So, we decided to go the show car route and build this for SEMA 2026, and we're going to go with a 100 percent aftermarket build.

So, everything you see here next to me is 100 percent out of a catalogue.

So, as you see at the front here we have a custom hood, slant-nose style from the earlier C10s, now sitting on a '70.

The great thing about ordering these parts aftermarket is you can get custom parts.

So, I knew I wanted a cowl hood, I knew I wanted louvers in the hood for heat extraction, but I did not know, until I went to order it, that you can get them slant-nose and other variations.

Moving up to the cab, one of the most things you do when you go to a show is you see the firewalls are smooth; all the extra holes and seams are all smoothed out.

We ordered this cab with those modifications done already.

Same thing with the back seat, we got rid of the gas tank, got rid of the gas door that usually is on the sides.

So, we saved ourselves a couple weeks of metalwork and bodywork by ordering it that way.

Now, it doesn't stop there.

If you move to the back of the truck, the bed is also ordered out of a catalogue, so the entire bed floor has been narrowed 4.0 inches over the wheel tubs.

So, the wider wheel tubs allow us to run a narrow rear with bigger tires.

Now, there's always going to be a debate on restoration, customization and something like this that is a full custom aftermarket build.

It's going to draw a lot of people to think that it's not what it once was.

Well, that's really the goal.

The restoration market is always about preserving and maintaining what's there.

The customization market is always about expression, customizing what's there to make it better than it ever could be, maybe installing new ideas and making something that's even better than it was.

And having the creativity and freedom to do something like this is unmatched to me.

It's where I really love to dive into.

So, be sure to look at this on the show circuit at SEMA 2026, and if you have any questions or comments, hit us up, right here at MotorWeek .

JOHN: One of the biggest remaining obstacles that full battery-electric vehicles need to overcome is bringing costs down.

Well, that's actually been happening quicker than most of us realize, especially when it comes to sport utility vehicles.

Not convinced?

Well, here's our list of EV SUVs that sticker for less than 50-grand.

♪ ♪ Even, we were surprised at just how many moderately priced fully electric SUVs are currently on the market.

So, we had to narrow things down a bit, and have included only the fully electric utilities, at the time this goes on the air, that come with all-wheel-drive for under $50,000, including destination but excluding any remaining government incentives.

That left us with 11 choices.

Our alphabetical rundown begins with the Chevrolet Blazer EV, starting at $49,095.

For that money, you get a 283 mile range, and one of the sportiest looking sport Utes regardless of power.

And that's not the only Chevy on our list with the all-wheel-drive Equinox EV starting at just $38,295, the least expensive ride in this roundup.

It actually travels even farther than the Blazer on a full charge, rated for 307 miles, one of the big reasons why it is MotorWeek's 2025 Drivers' Choice Best of the Year winner.

Ford's Mustang Mach-E was one of the first all-electric utilities to come in under $50,000, and just $42,990 gets you 240 miles of range.

Even that base e-'Stang packs plenty of performance, as well as ensures the Mustang name will carry on no matter where the auto industry is headed.

A luxury brand has even made our list, the $48,795 Lexus RZ, getting 220 miles of range.

Their first full EV may be more of a "toe in the water" approach than a full plunge into the pool, but it certainly gives Lexus buyers an option that won't disappoint.

The MINI Countryman SE ALL4 is only available with all-wheel drive, starts at $46,375, and delivers 212 miles of range.

Everyone will know it's a MINI when they see it coming, and it'll put a smile on your face every time you drive it.

Nissan, the brand that brought EVs mainstream with the LEAF, has announced that U.S.

sales of their funky-looking ARIYA utility will soon end.

But in the meantime, $45,265 will get you an all-wheel-drive version with 205 miles of range, along with a very premium feel.

As you may expect, all-wheel-drive comes standard in the Subaru Solterra for the starting price of just $39,915, with a rating of 227 miles.

Subaru got to EV-land with the help of partner Toyota, and that means only good things for this rugged runabout.

Tesla's Model Y is not only a great-selling EV, it has been one of the best-selling vehicles in the U.S.

over the last few years, and remains available with all-wheel-drive for $48,990.

It's also the range champ of our rundown, rated for 311 miles.

Toyota's lone EV SUV has only been on sale for 2.0 years but has already gone through an identity crisis.

Arriving for 2023 as the bZ4X, it's now known as just the bZ.

But the good news is, you can still pick up an all-wheel-drive version for $41,350 and drive 228 miles before charging.

Vinfast may be an unfamiliar name to many of you, but this up-and-coming Vietnamese brand has big plans for the U.S.

market, and their $41,100 VF8 is a big part of it.

All-wheel-drive is standard with a rating of 256 miles.

Finally, Volvo, no stranger to electric vehicles, offers the EX30 with a 253 mile range for $46,195.

It may be a compact Ute, but it packs a full cargo of Swedish style and sensibilities, along with a much greater than expected quotient of performance.

So, while it is true the push to force the auto industry to go full battery-electric has now become more of a prod, be aware that there are many more affordable family-friendly EV SUV options arriving quickly.

JOHN: If there's been one constant over the 27 years that the Lincoln Navigator has been strutting the streets, it's that no matter how much luxury Lincoln packs into it, there always seems to be room for more.

So, time to find out if Lincoln's latest sanctuary on wheels truly delivers a flagship's level of lavishness.

♪ ♪ 2025 marks the beginning of a 5th generation for the Lincoln Navigator, and we've come a long way from the 1998 original, which was a near-luxury barely disguised version of the Ford Expedition.

We've progressed from there to this ultra-luxe getaway machine that Lincoln considers the ultimate road-going sanctuary.

It certainly looks like a place that can protect you from some of life's harsh realities, though it's not all that different from last year.

Down the side, the upper and lower body lines are still there, the fender badge is now more of a door badge; but, like most new vehicles, the big changes are up front where we have, of course, a wider grille, smaller headlight housings, and there's a new crossbar that cuts across the grille to tie it all together.

ALEXANDER KELLUM: And out here on the road, this Lincoln Navigator rides with a certain amount of sturdiness.

Certainly, a truck-like feel, no doubt contributed to its F-Series pickup truck foundation.

And yet, despite that, well, it is a Lincoln after all, so it needs to ride with a certain amount of comfort.

Powering this on-road opulence is a 3.5 liter, twin-turbo V6 rated at 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque.

Now, that's actually repeat performance, as this is the same unit that powered the last Navigator.

And we should mention those performance stats, that's all engine.

No electric motors have been added into this mix.

No complaints from us in that regard, as this V6 offers V8-like performance, with a little bit of a growl to match, getting this big barge down the boulevards with ease.

And it handled acceleration duties at our Mason Dixon test track just as easily, performing the 0-60 task in 5.5 seconds and clocking out at the end of the quarter in 14.2 seconds at 96 miles per hour.

Acceleration out of this navigator is surprisingly quick.

It's not as, uh, gut-punching as a proper sports car, but it's shocking how quick it is off the line.

Now, I say that in the context of a vehicle that isn't really built for the quarter mile, this is built for proper highway cruising and with a 0 to 60 time like that, you should be able to merge onto any highway stress free.

Now, moving on to our slalom test, this is where we're really going to feel that truck foundation comes into play.

Oh yeah, there's a lot of body roll.

There's a lot of weight transfer.

And if I'm not careful with the accelerator and my steering inputs, I'm getting quite a bit of understeer and the intervention system is coming in.

Big 13 inch rotors and twin-piston front calipers do a great job of stopping all 6,000 pounds of Navigator.

We averaged 123 feet from 60 with lots of forward weight transfer and very little ABS pulsing through the pedal.

But what's most likely to stop people in their tracks is what it's like inside this new Navigator.

GREG CARLOSS: Much like the Nautilus we tested last year, the first thing you notice inside is this massive 48 inch screen that spans almost across the entire dash.

This centerpiece for Lincoln's Digital Experience has so many configurations and features it's hard to cover them all; but our favorite aspects are the blind spot camera view, and that you can basically have whatever info you want easily within' your line of sight without having to look down or over at the center stack.

Though, there is still an 11 inch touchscreen in front of the dash, which is essentially how you control it all.

It's a lot of screen space and a lot of tech, but somehow it doesn't look or feel like it's too much.

Lincoln loves to boast about how many ways you can adjust their seats, and we're up to 24 in the standard Navigator, as many as 30 in Black Label.

Black Label is available in various themes, all upgrading interior materials over this standard Reserve trim.

And if you haven't felt pampered enough yet, initiate Rejuvenate, which is essentially an automotive spa session, it uses the seat heat and massaging functions, special audio and video programming, even soothing fragrances.

Ah, that was nice.

Now, where was I?

Oh-yeah, the oval-shaped steering wheel.

It's kind of weird looking, but it does help with screen visibility.

And you've got these track pads here on either side that you actually use to change the steering wheel tilt, tele and position.

In the second row a bench is standard, though we suspect most people will opt for these captain's chairs.

They're heated and massaging.

A three-place bench is also standard in the third row and is plenty roomy, even for adults.

Cargo space is up over last year, but how you access that cargo is an even bigger deal.

In back, there's a new Split Gate which not only helps when loading those bulky items, but it's also a tailgate, so you can, you know, tailgate.

Though, we're thinking more Ivy League football than NASCAR.

Alright, let's go sports!

Pricing starts with this Reserve trim at $102,190; Black Labels at $119,190; and as before, an extended wheelbase Navigator L is also available.

Lincoln is hoping this 2025 Navigator will chart a course that leads to an increase in sales.

And voyaging into the vast sea of big SUVs with this much luxury, technology, capability, and style is certainly a good way to inspire more people to seek refuge in this sanctuary on wheels.

Well, that's our show, I hope you enjoyed it.

Now, for more MotorWeek , including daily news updates, podcasts, and even complete episodes, cruise on over to PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

And I hope you'll join us next time when we unlatch two Volkswagen hot hatches, the Golf GTI and Golf R, followed by an unassumingly fast Volvo, the EX30.

Until next time, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

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