More Cracks Are Forming In Europe's Plan To Kill Combustion Engines

For decades, one of the biggest debates among off-road enthusiasts has been whether gas or diesel trucks make for the better off-roader. There are plenty of good reasons to run both types of vehicles on your favorite trails, but gas and diesel enjoyers alike have a new issue to worry about. That would be the new kid on the block: electric SUVs with purported off-road chops for days. While it might've once been inconceivable that an electric vehicle could even come close to matching the performance of off-road all-stars like the Toyota Tundra, the Subaru Forester Wilderness, and even the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the introduction of the Rivian R1S and R1T in 2021 turned the off-roading world upside down. As it turns out, modern EVs aren't just highly capable on pavement; they can also be tuned for seriously impressive rock crawling, and they even have some significant benefits over their competitors with traditional internal combustion engines. For one, many EVs have excellent ground clearance, and they need fewer pieces of specialized gear to excel on even the most challenging wilderness trails.

Like many of us, Toyota wants Europe to leave room in new car dealerships for internal-combustion engines, and it has a fairly bold suggestion for how to do it: cars running exclusively on qualifying renewable fuels, the company announced Friday, should count as zero-emission vehicles. Yes, even with an engine burning fuel under the hood. Toyota calls this a request for "partnership and pragmatism. " Specifically, it wants European regulators to accept the idea under a common definition aligned with the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive. The important word here is “exclusively.” This isn’t a request to give every gasoline car a green badge because its owner occasionally buys a different kind of gas; it's asking if cars that only ever run on eligible fuels could get that zero-emission tag. The timing is key, because Europe is already reconsidering its combustion-engine endgame. Current rules call for a 100-percent reduction in fleet CO2 emissions for new cars and vans from 2035 onward, but the European Commission has alternatively proposed a 90-percent reduction, with the remaining emissions compensated through qualifying fuels or European low-carbon steel.

Sean is a JDM and off-road enthusiast of many years, and an automotive photographer. He holds a B. A. in Literature and Writing Studies, an A. A. in Communications, and an A. A. in English. He is published in multiple print and digital publications, including SoCal's own Beer Paper LA, Avalon Fantasy Magazine, and CSU San Marcos' 318 Journal. He has been creating automotive content since 2019 after buying his first barely-running car (a 2008 Audi A4 S-Line), then took five years to modify his daily driver into a less daily-able driver: his 2008 Infiniti G37 coupe. His current focus lies in off-roading his 2000 4Runner SR5. We love finding budget off-road trucks and SUVs, since the cheaper the car, the less you mind beating it up on a trail. However, some models are inexpensive for a reason. In the case of 2000s Nissan models, including the Frontier, Xterra, and Pathfinder, buyers should be wary of one massive problem that keeps their price tags in check: the dreaded Strawberry Milkshake of Death (SMOD). One bad seal can cripple these otherwise reliable body-on-frame 4x4s.

It's hard to imagine today, but when the Lexus LFA landed early last decade, buyers weren't exactly breaking down the door to get one, even with production capped at just 500 units – a number that's exclusive even by Ferrari standards. With an original MSRP of $375,000 and performance a step behind rivals at the same price level, some dealers had LFAs sitting unsold for years. Fast-forward to today, and downsized turbocharged engines, electrification, and noise and emissions regulations are pretty much standard. Buyers have recognized that a car like the LFA, with its naturally aspirated V10 and Formula 1-like wail, may never come again, and prices have shot up accordingly. You'll be hard-pressed to find an LFA in good condition for less than $1 million, but fans of Lexus' overbuilt engineering and penchant for doing things differently can still snag one of the brand's high-performance cars packing a V8 for a lot less. We've rounded up some of the best to check out before their prices also rocket higher. The Lexus LC 500 is the closest you can get to an LFA from Lexus without actually buying an LFA.

The heavy-duty TY85 six-speed manual has been revived for a mass-produced WRX version in Japan. Japanese enthusiasts craving a manual transmission in the latest generation of the Subaru WRX were left with the limited-production WRX STI Sport♯, which was only available for 600 lucky buyers through a lottery system. However, the automaker is finally answering their calls for 2027, announcing that a manual WRX will join the standard-production catalog as a permanent model.

Gerhard started his career in automotive journalism in 2010, after finishing degrees in Communication, English, and Politics, and diplomas in Film and Art Appreciation and Graphic Design. He's currently a senior editor with experience in local and global coverage, and more than 1,000 test cars driven. He started his career at CarBuzz in January 2021. Few used cars make a stronger case for themselves than the third-generation Cadillac CTS Vsport. Twin-turbo V6 power, a curb weight under 4,000 lbs, genuinely athletic handling, and a cabin that oozes American luxury — and today, clean examples regularly trade for what you'd spend on a new Toyota Corolla, sometimes less. The Cadillac CTS was eventually phased out in favor of the CT5, but before it went, the Vsport trim represented the sweet spot of the lineup: serious performance without the full-on drama of the supercharged CTS-V. That combination of depreciated price and genuine capability makes this one of the most compelling bargains on the used market right now. If you've been sleeping on this car, here's why it deserves a second look.