GOING ELECTRIC

Owners are turning to their vehicles to power homes and appliances during blackouts.

The EV9 is Kia’s 3-row electric SUV. Introduced as a new model in 2024, it has a relatively low price ($54,900) for the base trim. We tested it in its top-of-the-line, dual-motor GT-Line trim.

BMW introduced its first all-electric SUV, the midsize iX, in 2022. The xDrive50 is this year's overall winner, reprising its win in the 2023 AAA Car Guide.

The sharp-looking GV60 small electric crossover, which debuted in 2023, is available in 3 trim levels: Standard, Advanced, and Performance. New in 2024, the Standard trim has a single, 225-hp electric motor at the rear axle; the Advanced and Performance trims have dual-motor, AWD setups. We tested the top-level Performance trim.

The Chrysler Pacifica minivan was introduced in 2017 and hasn’t been fully redesigned since—but it retains its original virtues. For example, it’s available in both gasoline-powered and plugin hybrid versions—the only minivan with a plug-in option. We tested the PHEV in its top-shelf Pinnacle trim.

As truck aficionados know, Ford’s iconic F-Series has been the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. for more than 4 decades—and the F-150 is now in its 14th generation. We tested the midlevel XLT trim with a 3.5-liter V6 hybrid powertrain. Its 430 hp provides plenty of power and torque and gets better gas mileage (23 mpg combined) than a standard V6 (19 mpg)