Driving Audi's new and painfully quick 2025 RS e-tron GT Performance
Plus, behind the wheel of Subaru's most important car in years
Hi there. I'm checking in from home base this week, where I'm doing my damndest to keep up with deadlines despite our new puppy's increasing demands for attention. (I'll try to keep this a puppy-pic-free zone, but find me on Instagram if you want the latest on how big our little dude is getting.)
This past week was a busy one, filming with my friends at Capital One down in Texas for some upcoming videos. I also put the finishing touches on a pair of features that have been a long time in the making. I can't to share the pair of them.
But they won't hit the light of day until sometime next week. Until then, here's what lately on the Web.
Audi's new RS e-tron GT is uncomfortably quick
There are quick cars, and then there are quick cars. Audi's new high-performance EV, the 2025 RS e-tron GT Performance, is among the most brutal I've ever launched.
It officially accelerates from 0 to 60 in 2.4 seconds, which isn't quite as quick as the Rimac Nevera I drove a little while back, but someone on my launch, Jared Rosenholtz at CarBuzz, managed to do the feat in 2.1. It's a little hard to describe just what that level of acceleration feels like, but it isn't necessarily pleasant.
Here's how I described it in my write-up for Edmunds:
That's well beyond "wow" territory, enough g-forces to be genuinely uncomfortable. I felt like my eyeballs were in danger of popping backward into my skull. Pull this unannounced, and your passengers won't be impressed — they'll be terrified.
It's a big step forward compared to the old e-tron GT both in terms of range and performance. Its wild active suspension is also quite a trip, but all that comes at a substantial increase in cost. Worth it? You may find your answers in my full impressions.
2025 Audi RS e-tron GT Performance first drive at Engadget
2025 Audi RS e-tron GT Performance first drive at Edmunds
The Subaru Forester Hybrid is finally here
The Toyota RAV-4 is the best-selling small SUV in the States, and Honda's CR-V comes in not far behind, but if I had to buy one, I'd probably skip the pair of them and go with a Subaru Forester.
Why? Well, if you've been reading me for long, you know I'm a bit of a Subie nut, having owned a half-dozen WRXs and STIs over the years. (I still have two of the things in my garage at this very moment.) But, more importantly, the Forester is far and away the most car-like of the trio in terms of driving dynamic. Its roots as a tall, boxy Impreza can still be felt.
What it's been lacking is power. Does the Forester Hybrid fix that? Not so much, sadly, but it does offer slightly improved drivability, and I surprised myself by how much fun it was to wheel through the hills in and around the Bay Area. That it only costs about $1,400 more than a non-hybrid makes it a no-brainer for me.
What to do about those bright headlights
Lots of people have lots of reasons to be unhappy about lots of things these days, but I seem to hear a particularly high volume of complaints about bright headlights lately. I agree it's an increasing menace, but while most people are angry about the LEDs on new cars, to me, the worst offenders are older cars outfitted with wildly bright aftermarket lights.
But it's a complicated topic, and the good news is some solutions are coming to the market that should make our early-morning commutes and late-night cruises a little easier on our retinas.
You can catch me on Vox's Everything, Explained podcast talking about all that.
Going freemium
One final note from me this week. I'm planning to enable premium subscriptions on here. It's something I've been pondering for some time. But don't feel the need to pay up if you don't want to or can’t. These semi-weekly, vaguely coherent check-ins of what I've been up to will always be free.
For now, consider it like a Patreon thing, a place for people who want to support my work to do so. As you may or may not know, freelance life ain't getting any easier out there.
But, down the road, if there's enough interest, I hope to start writing more frequent reviews and analyses here for premium subscribers. Want to see more thoughtful thought pieces or the like? Drop me a comment (or find me on any of the twelve-dozen social networks I'm struggling to keep fed) and let me know what sorts of words and in what order you'd consider worth the premium upgrade.
But again, these rambling early-morning check-ins will stay free, and my gratitude for you just taking the time to read them will always remain. Thank you for already spending your most valuable currency on me, and I hope your week ahead is grand.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a puppy to entertain.