Awesome Rides

This video is from 2009, but it’s still a fascinating watch. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) smashed a 1959 Chevy Bel-Air into a new Chevy Malibu to see how much safety had improved over 50 years. It’s incredible how much better protected the occupants of the modern car are compared to cars built before NHTSA safety regulations.

Competition for the best luxury SUV keeps intensifying. The 2025 Lexus LX comes in five grades: Premium, F Sport Handling, Luxury, Ultra Luxury, and — new for this year — Overtrail. This makes the LX the only Lexus to offer both F SPORT and Overtrail, which is available exclusively on the new hybrid LX 700h with two or three-rows.

Are you looking for a three-row SUV that can shuttle the kids to school and also take them on weekend adventures? The 2025 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek takes Nissan’s substantial family SUV and cranks up the fun factor, offering extra capability and attitude for those who like to wander off the beaten path.

Volvo’s latest electric vehicle is a 5-door sedan with fastback styling. The ES90 rides higher than most sedans, and its air suspension can increase its ground clearance in off-road mode. Available in single motor, twin-motor, and twin motor performance versions with up to 680 hp and a 106 kWh battery pack. It’s also the first Volvo with 800V tech for fast charging.

The Robotics and AI Institute (RAI) shows of its Ultra Mobile Vehicle (UMV), an agile little 2-wheeler that can balance and drive autonomously. The AI-powered e-bike can perform jumps and other tricks thanks to reinforcement learning. We’d love to see these equipped with flamethrowers in a BattleBots-style competition.

Reclaim nostalgic joy with Radio Flyer’s thoroughly modern Flyer Flex utility e-bike for commuters, errands, and family fun. Made for reluctant grownups (5’-6’ tall, up to 330 lb.), the Class 2 e-bike travels 20 to 40+ miles per charge and is one of the most versatile, safe, stylish, and smooth-riding e-bikes on the market.

What you’re looking at isn’t a video effect. Artist Joshua Vides masterfully hand painted these cars atop matte vinyl wraps to look like the black and white artwork from comic books. The three fully-drivable cars and their backdrop are part of Joshua’s solo show, Check Engine Light, recently displayed in LA and heading to NYC.

The Microlino is an ultra-compact car that’s designed for quick jaunts around the tight streets of European cities. This video offers a brief look at how these unique 2-seaters are assembled at a factory in Turin, Italy. The tiny electric cars can hold two adults (and three crates of beer) and can recharge in 4 hours using a standard household outlet.

We’re pretty comfortable driving on a race track at speeds around 130 to 140 mph. Anything more than that, and we start to get a little squirrely. Speaking of speed, Red Side put together this fun 3D animation that compares the speeds of various vehicles, from bumper cars to rocket cars and everything in between.

This special version of the Audi Q6 e-tron crossover has been equipped for challenging off-road trails and rally-style winter driving. It features a 6.3″ suspension lift, massive 33″ studded tires, unique LED lighting, a tubular roof rack, and Audi’s electric quattro all-wheel drivetrain. Unique portal axles increase torque dramatically, enabling it to climb a 45º gradient.

This tough all-terrain vehicle from Ukraine can roll from dirt to sand to snow to water. The Atlas ATV combines a low center of gravity with high ground clearance and is as easy to drive as a car. Its short wheelbase means it can fit in tight places, and its four-wheel steering allows it to turn on a dime. An integrated air system can inflate and deflate its tires.

This upcoming FIA racing series will send drivers to some of the toughest terrain on earth. The Extreme H series will feature special Pioneer 25 race cars powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and a dual-motor AWD system capable of producing up to 550 hp. These zero-emission off-roaders can zoom from 0 to 62 in 4.3 seconds, with a top speed of 127 mph.

When it comes to performance vehicles, the Hyundai Sonata isn’t the first name to come to mind. The 2025 Sonata N Line offers stellar driving dynamics, a powerful drivetrain, and sporty styling outside and in. From its bold design to its zesty engine, this Korean sports sedan is among the best new car values on the market today.

We’ve been promised flying cars since the Victorian era, yet they’re still not roaming our streets and skies. Maker Akira_OA created his own flying car that’s based on one of those tiny Kei cars. By using lightweight materials like carbon fiber and aluminum, he was able to get off the ground. Unfortunately, the car body is just for show, so it doesn’t drive.

BMW brings performance and agility to a mid-size wagon. The M3 CS Touring has a 3.0 L twin-turbo I6 engine that produces 550 hp and 479 lb-ft. of torque. It sends that power to four wheels via an 8-speed automatic and zooms from 0-to-62 mph in 3.5 seconds. The wagon also has an active rear diff, sport exhaust, and carbon fiber components outside and in.

The Polaris Slingshot heads into its 10th year with a sharp new front-end design. The 3-wheeler’s engine has been bumped to 180 hp for the S and SL, and 204 hp for SLR and R, with an improved torque curve and retuned AutoDrive transmission and suspension. There’s 1″ more ground clearance for the S, SL, and SLR, and the audio system has larger speakers.