Here's What We Think About Some of the Cars in Our One-Year Road Test Fleet

• The Edmunds One-Year Road Test fleet is our way of living with a car just like an owner would.
• We have 15-20 cars at a time that we keep for a year and put at least 20,000 miles on the clock.
• Here's an update on some of our cars, including a few new ones we just picked up.

Our Dodge Charger EV likes to cause trouble

We were one of the early (and ... brave) adopters of Dodge's first electric muscle car, the Charger Daytona. We bought this shiny red example in early 2025, and ever since, it's been quite the troublemaker. 

We've had to take the car to the dealer — once on a tow truck — to address a few software issues. One of our editors experienced the car driving forward on its own, even though the accelerator pedal wasn't functioning. He pulled over safely using the brakes and reset the car by turning it on and off again. 

Dodge issued a statement after we told the company about the incident, stating that, "In the rare event of an accelerator pedal fault, Stellantis has implemented a 'drive-by-brake' safety feature, which allows the driver to control speed through the brake pedal. In this instance, the feature worked as intended, and the driver was able to safely maneuver the vehicle off the road. This feature has been in Stellantis' internal combustion engine vehicles for many years and has been carried over to battery electric vehicles."

But a few months after this software freakout, the Charger struck again, stranding another staff member on the side of the road until a tow truck came and got him. This time around, the dealer couldn't replicate the issue and replaced the 12-volt battery.

Some members of our team like the Charger more than others, but the collective thought is that this car delivers more misses than it does hits. Maybe the six-cylinder Charger will alleviate some of those qualms?

We bought the wrong Toyota 4Runner

The TRD Pro is the 4Runner we'd planned to buy all along. But after a few thousand miles, many of the Edmunds crew would prefer a different trim level. Our TRD Pro looks amazing; nobody can deny that. But its big knobby tires and off-road-ready suspension make it a real pain to drive on the street — literally.

Several team members have commented on how bad the Toyota feels going over bumps and potholes. It's a bit surprising when you consider the intense off-road obstacles that this thing is set up to tackle. If you're not going to constantly take your 4Runner to the dirt, we think the TRD Pro is too stiff and uncomfortable for everyday road use.

The Ford Maverick Hybrid is winning us over already

Even as one of our most recent additions to the Edmunds garage, the Ford Maverick is quickly putting on a charm offensive. We bought a hybrid all-wheel-drive model — a newly available combination — and love what this truck has to offer. One of our staffers commented that this might be the best combination of capability and fuel economy in our entire fleet of cars.

The truck has averaged between 35 mpg and 40 mpg so far, in a variety of conditions. It also drives more like a car than a pickup, which we've found very likable. We do wish that the seats were comfier, though, especially on long drives. But the early verdict on the Maverick is a good one, with many more miles left to drive.

The Mini Countryman is cute but annoying

We're about halfway through our time with the Mini Countryman, and the experience has been a mix of good and bad. The highest praise we can pay this SUV is that we love the way it looks inside and out. In true Mini fashion, the Countryman is overflowing with personality, mostly thanks to its colorful interior and quirky circular center screen.

But the problem is that all of the controls are annoying to use, especially the screen. Everything is buried in menus that are difficult to find, and the Apple CarPlay display is tiny because it can't take up the circular real estate. This is a case where style outweighs function, and we wish it were the other way around. 

At least the Countryman drives well. Its BMW-sourced engine packs a great punch, and the suspension is comfortable over long drives. We have all our road trip impressions on it here.

Is the Subaru Forester Hybrid the one to buy?

With hybrid vehicles at their all-time most relevant, we decided to add a potentially popular one to our garage with the new Subaru Forester Hybrid. We've had this one for only a couple of months, but already opinions on staff are starting to form — and they're not all positive.

Our experience in the car has been muddled by the really poor infotainment system. I have gone on record saying that it is the worst in the industry, and others on the team agree. The terrible graphics and slow reaction make the system feel substantially behind its competition. Also, the Forester Hybrid has so far been shy of its claimed 35 mpg average, though we're still at the start of our testing period.