Earlier this week we named the five Best Car Reports to Buy in 2025.
The Chevrolet Equinox EV, Hyundai Kona Electric, Porsche Macan Electric, Rivian R1S, and Volkswagen ID.Buzz all made it to the final round.
One of these will win an award of the year, and next week we'll take a closer look at why each made the shortlist. But before that we take a brief look here at what's not on that list, and why.
First, Best Car To Buy is an award given to cars that are completely new or significantly redesigned in the calendar year leading up to the event, and because they will be widely available in the calendar year following the award.
2025 Volvo EX90
To earn a spot in our final round, we needed access to a model for our editorial team to test in October—and that eliminated at least two models we expected to have as finalists: the Volvo EX90 and the Polestar 3. Both of these South Carolina-made EVs are among the most important new cars. of the year.
That also means the Tesla Model 3 Highland didn't make the cut. Delivery of this heavily redesigned version of one of the most popular EVs ever began in January, and it definitely checks all the boxes, with a refined ride, quieter interior, and better fit and finish than original Model 3 examples. 2024, we found this model to offer all the efficiency and easy charging of its predecessor while being easy to live with.
2024 Dodge Charger Daytona
For some models, it's just a matter of time. Dodge's 2024 Charger Daytona EV and its V-8 sounds likely to arrive before the end of the year, but we've only had limited access to prototypes (and we can't tell you all about that yet). And the Jeep Wagoneer S electric SUV and Ram 1500 REV electric pickup just won't arrive in time for installation. Neither will the Cadillac Escalade IQ and Cadillac Optiq.
2025 Lucid Gravity Grand Touring
Particularly similar is the case with Lucid Gravity, which is manufactured in Arizona and is likely to be delivered in small quantities before the end of the year. But our time with this model was limited to a brief preview drive of the Gravity prototype, so it's moving on to next year's lineup, unfortunately.
2025 Volvo EX30
Another worthy contender next year will be the Volvo EX30, which the Swedish company says it will begin bringing to the US before the end of the year, after a false start and almost a year of market delays.