It was a big year for the automotive industry and 2024 saw exciting new vehicles arrive for every consumer. While much ink was spilled over ridiculously opulent and incredibly powerful new models like the Ferrari F80, McLaren W1, and Bugatti Tourbillon, there were even more interesting (not to mention relevant) debuts in the segments that matter most to Canadians — that is to say, vehicles that you might actually see on the road.
These are the nine most significant vehicles that were unveiled or introduced to our roads over the past 12 months, and they tell the story of an industry in flux that is struggling to keep up with consumer demands. Despite the challenging market, the year still gave us a lot to look forward to in 2025.
Volkswagen ID. Buzz
We’ve known that the ID. Buzz was coming for years, but 2024 was the year that we actually got to drive the all-electric van and, more importantly, when we finally found out how much it would cost and what features it would come with in Canada.
After years of waiting, the news is mixed. On the one hand, AutoTrader’s Road Test Editor, Dan Ilika, liked driving it so much that he called it one of his favourite vehicles of the year. On the other hand, he had to admit that the starting price of over $77,000 puts it out of reach for many drivers.
While it seems destined to become more of a marketing vehicle for Volkswagen than a bona fide volume seller, the opportunity to see the expressively coloured and adorably designed electric vehicle (EV) on the road can only be a good thing. We just wish we could see more of them.
BMW M5 Touring
It was a banner year for big, electrified family vehicles, but BMW decided to take a different tack than Volkswagen, introducing the M5 Touring. In an even more exciting twist, the automaker decided to sell it in North America for the first time ever.
The M5 has long been the subject of daydreams from frustrated commuters who wish they could break free of the shackles of speed limits and automotive discomfort. Filled to the brim with luxurious accoutrements and, for the 2025 model year, powered by a ridiculous plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain that offers drivers over 700 hp, the Touring model adds even more practicality with its wagon body style.
Sure to be a collectors’ item as soon as it leaves the factory, the M5 Touring proves that silly, over-the-top monsters can still exist in an electrified world.
Porsche 911 GTS T-Hybrid
Speaking of electrified enthusiast machines, Porsche took a step into future with the introduction of the latest iteration of its legendary sports car, the 911. Unlike the M5 Touring, the 911 GTS T-Hybrid will likely be polarizing, as it is the first time the rear-engine legend has ever featured a hybrid powertrain.
But, as is often the case, the doubters may want to loosen up a bit, as our first test with the hybrid sports car was promising. After driving the car, AutoTrader contributor Peter Bleakney concluded that it proves that the 911 isn’t just surviving the rise of electrification; it’s thriving.
Porsche Macan EV
Indeed, it isn’t just the 911 that’s managing the electric revolution well; the entire company is. Porsche finally revealed the Macan Electric this year and, once again, the results impressed our experts.
Following his first drive of the Macan, Ilika wrote, “It’s exactly the kind of crossover expected of this brand — it just so happens to be powered by electrons. While that specialness comes at a considerable cost, it’s surely worth every penny to those who’d rather not sacrifice fun on the road to an emissions-free future.”
Hyundai Ioniq 9
It’s not just performance vehicles embracing electrified powertrains; family vehicles are, too, as Hyundai proved with the debut of the Ioniq 9. Closely related to the Kia EV9, the Ioniq 9 continues the Korean automaker’s streak of avant-garde designs. While the looks are sure to divide opinions, it’s nice to see something unique on the road — it wasn’t that long ago we were complaining about every new crossover looking like a jellybean.
While we haven’t yet had the opportunity to drive the Ioniq 9, if it’s anything like the EV9, it should be an impressively competent SUV for all of your family’s needs, and given the size of its battery pack, we imagine it will have enough range to suit even Canada’s longest-distance drivers.
Kia EV3
At the other end of the EV spectrum is the Kia EV3. While we haven’t been able to test drive this vehicle yet, the timing of its arrival may prove to be a masterstroke for Kia’s product planners. The entry-level all-electric crossover features Kia’s bold design, a handsome interior, lots of tech, and plenty of range. If Kia attaches an affordable price tag to the little crossover, it could be just the vehicle for the moment. That’s a big if, though, and if recent experience has taught us anything, it’s that making an EV with ample range affordable is extremely difficult.
2025 Toyota 4Runner
Not every SUV is going electric, as the 2025 Toyota 4Runner proves. An old-fashioned SUV, this is the model’s first generational update since 2009. That provided the automaker with many opportunities to improve and a few opportunities to upset hardcore enthusiasts (who tend to be a pretty conservative bunch). As our contributor Brendan McAleer put it when he got a sneak preview of the vehicle, “in the sense of spiritual importance to the brand, [the 4Runner is] the company’s Mazda MX-5 or Nissan GT-R.” That is to say, its fans simply don’t want Toyota to mess with it.
But Toyota did mess with it, getting rid of the old V6 and replacing it with two powertrains centred around a 2.4L turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which can be hybridized for more power. It’s not hard to understand why Toyota decided to go with that, though, as it’s ultimately more powerful and more efficient than the outgoing powertrain. Fortunately, the automaker did not get rid of the body-on-frame construction, stiffening it to make the SUV even more capable off-road. For those who yearn for the dirt, the Trailhunter trim affixes all the bells and whistles an off-roader could ever hope for to the new model.
The new recipe may upset some, but as McAleer put it, “Toyota had to change the 4Runner. But it has done so in a manner that any off-roader would approve of.”
2025 Volvo XC90/Nissan Kicks Play
To round out the list, we have a pair of new vehicles that aren’t that new despite only being announced this year. Few products better highlight the uncertainty of 2024 than the Volvo XC90 and the Nissan Kicks Play. The former a stark admission that Volvo’s plans to go all-electric by 2030 were too optimistic, while the latter was a recognition from Nissan that there isn’t much out there for buyers on a budget. One is a sign that electrification may be more complicated (and slower) than the bombastic declarations of a few years ago led us to believe, while the latter is a sign that the premium-ification of the industry is leaving many behind — as Ilika discussed in our Own the Road with AutoTrader podcast episode about the disappearance of cheap cars.
Final Thoughts
Despite the uncertainty facing the industry and the difficulties facing average buyers, this list proves that there’s plenty to look forward to in 2025, especially if you’re a fan of electrified vehicles.
