MAMA Spring New Car Rally:
Every spring, Midwest auto writers gather their helmets and egos before snagging seat time in the latest machines from the top automakers.
For instance, this year there was something on the order of 80 new vehicles for us gearheads to zip around Road America’s four-mile circuit, its grounds and off-road track, along with surrounding roadways. All that, thanks to the Midwest Automotive Media Association Spring rally and of course the participating manufacturers.
Most brands are well represented. Shame on those who aren’t!
We get vehicle access for a day and a half, but with 100 or more media, it’s a free-for-all as to who gets what. Plus, this year, it rained hard the first full day, so we staged out of the Hagerty Garages at Road America and ran between drives.
Over the next four weeks I’ll give you some highlights and sneak peaks at various vehicles I tested along with a video or two from my videographer, friend, and website vintage car expert Paul Daniel.
This week let’s examine the EVs, the new electric vehicles we drove.
2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9
Here’s another styling gem from Hyundai that again touts its parametric jewel lighting that makes its designs so interesting. Para what?
Parametrics are known as hidden lighting that blends into this 3-row SUVs grille and running lights yet seem to disappear in daylight, but glow with a jeweled pattern at night. Main lights also are reminiscent of pixels, forming an expressive high-tech pattern. Cool!
But of course, while the exterior makes a big statement, it’s the range, power, and comfort that matter, mostly. Well, inside it’s plenty big with comfy seating for seven, like a minivan only much cooler. Plus, there’s AWD, except on the entry-level S model.
Power? OMGosh the top-level Ioniq 9 cranks up to an amazing 422 horsepower and as with other EVs, instantaneous torque for fast acceleration, even with the whole family and two dogs aboard.
Like many EVs, this one comes with two electric motors powering front and rear wheels in all but base trim. There the Ioniq 9 has 215 horsepower, while mid-trim AWD models offer 303 horsepower.
The Ioniq 9 boasts up to 335 miles of range, plus fast charging from 10% to 80% in just 24 minutes, or nearly 10 hours overnight on a 240-volt charger. Bonus too, it comes with a NACS port that makes it compatible with Tesla Superchargers, meaning you can charge at roughly 20,000 Tesla charging stations nationwide, in addition to the others slowly cropping up across the country.
Also, Hyundai is working with seven other manufacturers forming the Ionna rechargery (now a word) network, working to install convenient chargers nationwide as the government now has cut back its efforts to install a charging network. These are designed to look like old school gas stations with a lounge so folks can rest or snack while waiting for a full charge.
Currently (see what I did there?) the Ioniq 9 is still eligible for the $7,500 tax credit as it’s made in Georgia. That credit may disappear soon if Congress approves the “big beautiful bill.”
Pricing is entry-level luxury at $58,955 plus $1,600 delivery (remember when delivery was a couple hundred bucks?). There are several trims too and the upscale Performance Calligraphy that we drove was about $75,000 for starters and $77 grand as tested. Few EVs are cheap!
2025 Dodge Charger 4-door
We were among the first journalists to both see and drive the new four-door Dodge Charger EV. The two-door has had a complicated introduction with various technical issues this past year, and one hopes the bugs have been worked out so the sedan version’s launch goes smoother.
Stellantis, which owns Dodge and its associated US brands along with many others in Europe, virtually shut down its gas-powered car lineup after 2023 to put its emphasis on EVs. It has since cut back that effort with a new management team after its CEO got the axe. Hence, there are now gas-powered Chargers in the lineup.
That said, this new Charger four-door EV was a hoot with oodles of electric oomph and fake V8 engine sounds to mask its EV-ness and presumably satisfy the muscle car crowd that has been powering Dodge sales for years.
First, nearly the entire four-door uses the same body panels as the two-door, so it’s economical for Dodge to build according to its product manager, Eljay Robertson who rode along with us on our short test drive.
Power remains the same as the handsome two-door, AWD is standard, and the design remains a hatchback too. Cool!
The twin electric motors, one front and one rear, along with the 93.9-kWh nickel-cobalt-aluminum battery pack kicks out a maximum 620 horsepower in the Scat Pack model and a still awesome 496 hp in the coupe’s R/T version. There’s also a 40-horse PowerShot button on the wheel to hit those high-end numbers in a 15-second burst. Charger is a rocket sled!
Similar power is expected in the sedan, which shares the same exact dimensions as the coupe. Amazing coordination between the two design teams.
Dodge says range is 308 miles for the lower-powered models and 241 miles for the performance versions. Each offers three levels of regenerative braking controlled via a wheel-mounted paddle to help extend range.
Charging is quick too going from 20% to 80% in 27 minutes, Dodge says.
Inside, the screens are huge and there’s trim lighting across the dash and doors for a thoroughly modern appearance. That’s aided by a squared-circular steering wheel that Robertson says they’re calling a Squircle. Not sure that’s a word, but frunk wasn’t a few years ago either. Dodge goes retro though with a pistol-grip shifter on the console, again a nod to long-time Dodge buyers.
Gotta address the fake engine sounds too. Those are generated through a synthetic exhaust system and actually sound believably realistic inside the car. Outside it sounds like someone is blasting V8 exhaust noise though a loudspeaker. Neighbors may object!
No pricing has been set yet for the 4-door but the coupe Charger Daytona lists at $61,590 and the more powerful Scat Pack at $75,185. Remember, EVs are rarely cheap.
2025 Chevrolet Blazer SS
Chevy is now seriously moving into the EV world with both an EV Blazer and Equinox, the Blazer riding on GM’s Ultium EV platform that is shares with Honda’s new Prologue. Haven’t been able to get into the Honda yet.
But during monsoon-like rains rain we hopped in the handsome Blazer for a quick ride and were surprised at its stylish interior and exterior. Anyone who has seen the Chevy Trax interior can imagine a similar wow factor in Blazer. There’s red trim everywhere and a prominent, nearly overwhelming 17.7-inch info screen along with bulging jet-like air vents to create a true cockpit feel. The look definitely creates an impression.
Blazer, unlike the Honda, comes in rear-drive, front-drive and AWD trims, but this was the high-end SS model with AWD. So many choices.
Power was exceptional with 615 horses coming from two electric motors to power front and rear wheels. While no Boost button is offered, one really isn’t needed. Press the pedal and whoosh, away the Blazer blasts and again noting it was pouring rain during our short run, the traction was perfect even under heavy acceleration.
All the choices here mean a wide range of pricing and EV range too.
The SS has 303 miles of range and lists at $67,095. Ouch, for a Chevy! But the single-motor front-drive LT lists at just $46,095 and offers 312 miles of range. Move up to the twin-motor RS rear-drive and power is 365 horses while range dips to 283 miles, still more than many competitors.
To get AWD at the most economical price there’s an LT trim starting at $49,095.
Charging time is similar to other EVs, Chevy touting that its Blazer can get 78 miles of range in just a 10-minute charge on a 190kW charger. Basically, that means 160 miles of range with 20 minutes of charging, a more likely scenario.
We liked Blazer’s performance and looks as Chevy continues to impress with its styling and build quality of late. EVs may help them recharge (sorry) their sales.
2025 Volvo EX90 Performance Ultra
Another big surprise was Volvo’s new EX90, an electric version of a restyled XC90, its family-oriented 3-row SUV. Volvo has upped the luxury level feel and sporty ride and handling of its top SUV.
Naturally the EV powertrain is the big news, but in addition to its quickness we were impressed with how this one handled and rode. Very sporty, although I must note this was the absolute tippy top Performance Ultra model. That led to a bigger surprise, the price, starting at $90k and ending up at nearly $98k. Luxury should be stressed at that price point.
The EX90 rides on the same platform as Volvo’s Polestar 3 SUV. Polestar is Volvo’s EV-only lineup and traditionally has pushed a more stylish, modern exterior design, whereas the EX90 remains pretty boxy, like many other Volvo SUVs and the wagons that preceded them.
Note the EX90 has no grille, so sort of resembles Ford’s Mustang MACH-E and a few other EVs that go with a smooth non-descript nose piece.
Power ranges from 402 horsepower to 510 for performance models like the one we drove. As usual, the EV jumps quickly away from a stop, but again, it was the handling and supple ride that made this SUV seem special.
Range is 300 to 310 miles, this time the performance model being on the lower end. AWD is standard on all models. Charging time is a bit slower than the other EVs discussed here, but just a bit. Volvo estimates a 10% to 80% charge will take about 30 minutes, and like the Hyundai discussed above there’s a NACS fast charging port/adaptor to allow the Volvo to be charged at Tesla superchargers. Win!
Inside, the Scandinavian love of minimalism takes charge (sorry again) with a clean dash design that incorporates a vertical nearly 15-inch touchscreen. Looks fine, but virtually all functions work through that screen, just one knob on the console, which may create a major learning curve when trying to figure out heated seats, steering wheels, radio station and sound adjustments, etc. Looks over functionality, not always a win.
For those concerned about the creamy looking leather seats, worry not. These are made of what the industry is now calling vegan leather, meaning man-made fake leather. But these did have a massaging function, which one might expect in any vehicle at this price point. Plus it’s designed in Sweden.
Note too that like Polestar and a few other makes, the Volvo knows when you are within range of the vehicle and wakes up, turning on lights and unlocking doors as you approach. Nice feature in winter, which will be here before you know it.
Coming next: A look at the upcoming 2027 Scout Traveler EV from Volkswagen
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