Aston Martin has a long history of delivering high-performance vehicles packed with classic British elegance. But with their latest Vantage coupe, Aston Martin has seriously cranked up the performance part of that formula. So, let’s hit the track and see how it all comes together.

We’re ripping through the nine high-speed turns of Savannah’s Roebling Road Raceway as fast as possible, trying to outrun an epic winter storm that’s about to shut down most of the South. And this 2025 Aston Martin Vantage seems to be enjoying it as much as we are. Quite simply, we didn’t expect the Vantage to be this inspired. After all, Aston has used the Vantage name on a variety of vehicles over the years, but this particular coupe arrived for 2019 and gets a proper and prodigious refreshing for 2025.

Visually, it’s an absolutely gorgeous piece of machinery, with the exaggerated proportions that would be borderline cartoonish if they weren’t so exquisitely executed. And despite decades of improving camera technology, our lenses simply can’t truly portray the depth and beauty of this Podium Green paint job, part of the “Racing Line” collection.

Now, it may look all British sports car outside, but it still gets its power from a German V8; AMG’s hand-assembled 4.0-liter twin-turbo unit, and for those keeping score at home its 656-horsepower output is a healthy 128 horsepower increase over last year. It sends its 590 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Somehow this European union comes out feeling more NASCAR than sports car, as the Vantage is crazy fast and a handful to drive.

For being a GT car at heart, the Vantage has a very dynamic feel to it with way more feedback than the typical Grand Tourer. And considering the last Aston Martin we drove was an SUV, it’s great to be back in a proper British sport coupe that’s willing to get down to business on a racetrack. Even with that monster motor up front, the Vantage’s bonded aluminum structure enables perfect 50:50 weight distribution, and you feel right in the middle of it.

A complete suspension overhaul includes Active Vehicle Dynamics with adaptive dampers, an electronic rear differential, and new 21-inch Michelin PS 5s. It all works through Adjustable Traction Control with eight levels of intervention, including full-off if conditions are appropriate. It does have some roll to it, but it feels very natural. Integrated Brake Slip Control modulates braking on turn-ins, and with the Carbon Disc upgrade, braking performance was exceptional once they were warmed up. ABS was quick to trigger until we got some heat into them, after which point their bite was strong and consistent.

The biggest takeaways from our track time: it feels insanely powerful and sounds incredibly ferocious, yet at the same time, it’s so smooth and refined it’s easy forget your speed. Alas, we couldn’t outrun that snowstorm which arrived before we could do any acceleration runs, but we expect the Vantage can do a mass Brexitous to 60 in 3.4 seconds, aided by a new Launch Control system.

It feels every bit as special inside. The cockpit is a little tight, but everything is within easy reach and logically placed. The Mercedes-Benz influence is much less noticeable with an all-new console and center stack. Switchgear and materials feel exquisite and purposeful, with lots of carbon fiber and leather. The 10.3-inch infotainment screen is another big change, as the Vantage gets Aston’s new in-house system first seen in the DB12.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 15 City, 22 Highway and 18 Combined.

Vantage pricing starts at $194,500, with plenty of ways to make that number climb in a hurry.

Staying true to the brand while absolutely tearing up a racetrack, well, you really can’t ask for anything more than that. That’s what makes the 2025 Aston Martin Vantage so special. It’s a great place to spend your high-performance dollars if you’re looking for something a little different, but with even more of the familiar thrills.

For 2022, Kia gave their minivan a major reboot. So much so, they changed the name to Carnival and even stopped calling it a minivan. Well, they can’t fool us though. After all, we love minivans for their all-around practicality. Well for 2025, Kia has updated its multi-purpose people mover, including adding hybrid power. So, let’s see if that makes time in the new Carnival even more festive.

With many brands no longer even competing in the minivan segment, it’s noteworthy that not only is Kia still in the game, they’ve given their multi-purpose 2025 Carnival a major update after only 3 years on the market. That update includes a first-time optional hybrid powertrain.

The Carnival Hybrid config is an extension of the Sorento SUV’s setup, pairing a 1.6-liter turbo-four engine with a larger 54-kW electric motor. Combined output of 242 horsepower, 15 more than Sorento. Total torque is a stout 271 lb-ft, getting to the front wheels through a true six-speed automatic transmission. Throw in a full 19-gallon fuel tank and you’ve got close to 600 miles of range, allowing you to keep the party going farther than before.

The V6 Carnival remains available, although it’s now listed at 287 horsepower, down from 290. But the Government Fuel Economy Ratings take a huge leap here in the Hybrid; from 18 City, 26 Highway, 21 Combined to 34 City, 31 Highway, and 33 Combined.

The Hybrid comes with a few additional tricks up its sleeve, the most noticeable being the dial-like shifter in the console. But there is also a pretty clever regen braking setup that Kia calls E-VMC. The Electrification-Vehicle Motion Control has three levels of regen, but also has an E-Handling component which adjusts regen going into corners and amounts of electric assist when coming out of them; E-Ride, which includes unique shock tuning for the Hybrid but also can engage the electric motors to mitigate harsh impacts; and E-Evasive Handling Assist, which kicks in during emergency maneuvers. All techy cool!

All Carnivals regardless of powertrain get updated styling for ’25 which includes a new face that trades the concave grille for a flatter, larger one. The headlights are no longer incorporated into the grille, and the daytime running lights are much snazzier. In back, the taillights take on a completely different look, with much larger vertical elements on the sides. The liftgate gets a chunkier SUV-like vibe and the rear bumper is more pronounced than before. Altogether, another step in Kia’s efforts of making everyone forget this MPV is actually a minivan.

There’s upgraded tech for the inside, namely Kia’s new frameless panoramic display that incorporates both the 12.3-inch driver display and 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment. It not only looks better, but processing speeds are much faster. The driver’s display gets a completely new theme with modern bar and number style speed displays instead of virtual gauges. A Full Display Mirror is also now available, which can switch from traditional mirror to camera.

The Hybrid has a bit less horsepower but 10 additional lb-ft of torque, so off to Mason Dixon Dragway for some numbers. It certainly didn’t feel underpowered, spinning up the tires off the line and even chirping on the shift into second. We hit 60 in a respectable 8.0 seconds, which is still .80 slower than the V6. Our best quarter-mile time was 16.2 seconds at 88 mph.

There was a different vibe to the handling experience, as E-Handling virtually eliminated understeer. But there was still some body roll and stability systems were eager to engage quickly. The brakes retain a natural feel, and stopping distances averaged a good 110 feet from 60.

The Carnival Hybrid is available in four of the Carnival’s five trims, all but the base LX. So, a base LXS Hybrid goes for $42,235, a $2,000 premium over the V6.

The 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid offers more than just much better fuel economy. Kia has found a way to integrate battery assistance into just about every mechanical aspect of the vehicle, delivering a driving experience that is unique from its V6 counterpart, and adding more good vibes to an already exceptional family vehicle.