News Roundup: July 14, 2025
- Adam Bernard
- Jul 15
- 4 min read
See the video here: https://youtu.be/fNFGQyN2FkM
Bentley's New Electric Concept
Bentley's made no secret of the fact that they are working on an EV--a "luxury urban SUV" due to be revealed next year--and that a new design language will accompany this new model. After unveiling an updated (but still recognizable) logo and opening a new design studio, we've now got a look at Bentley's new aesthetic. The EXP15 is a tall, fastback three-door coupe (with a passenger-side rear door, just like the Hyundai Veloster) with an unspecified electric powertrain and an as-yet-incomplete interior.
The blunt front end features a "quilted" and illuminated grille, vertical (almost Cadillac-esque) headlamps, and leather straps on the top to access the frunk.
Inspiration is said to come from the 1930 Speed Six Gurney Nutting Sportsman coupe. Around back, you'll find twin deployable rear spoilers, a Dodge-like “racetrack” taillamp band, a split tailgate with deployable seats, and a roof-mounted hatch on the passenger side to aid entry and exit.
The interior trim includes 3D-printed titanium, wool, and silk jacquard, with both digital and physical controls (including traditional Bentley knurled controls for the HVAC). The layout is an appropriately conceptual three-seat setup with a single swiveling passenger seat that can slide fore and aft, and a dog bed that can be secured alongside the driver. The infotainment system is represented as a “Mechanical Marvel.” -- a “clock-like device with multiple movable and illuminated fingers … which can indicate the car’s direction of travel, the state of its electric charge and much more.”
WHY THIS MATTERS: Bentley has been very clear that this is a concept and not a representation of the new EV, but many of the design elements shown here are expected to show up on the new vehicle. One can't help but compare this to Jaguar's recent efforts. Unlike Jaguar, Bentley has evolved its identity with its move to a more electrified (and, perhaps, someday, fully electric) future. And, while I am not a fan of Jaguar's concept--sorry, far too brutal and cartoonish for my tastes--I do rather like the EXP15, even its monolithic, blunt design says "Rolls-Royce" more than Bentley.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Plenty of innovation and a new--but still British--design aesthetic preview Bentley's first EV.
Mazda's New CX-5
This compact SUV replaces the nine-year-old version of Mazda’s best-seller on an updated platform. Under the hood is the old CX-5's 187 hp engine with no turbo, no cylinder deactivation, no electrification—and only a 6-speed automatic (which Mazda views as proven tech). The new car is 4.5” longer, ½ inch wider, and so sits right on top of the CX-50, but Mazda claims it's positioned as more urban while the CX-50 is more rugged. The overall look is highly evolutionary, with an updated Kodo design language.
Inside is more revolutionary than evolutionary, with a new 15.6” touchscreen with Android-based infotainment and Google Gemini AI assistant replacing Mazda's traditional forward-mounted display with rotary controller. Unfortunately, there are no physical buttons on the dashboard—not even for volume. Mazda claims this is based on customer feedback, and points to voice command and steering wheel controls intended to offset lack of physical buttons.
Mazda did keep one surprise for the end: its own hybrid will launch in 2027, as something more fun to drive than the Toyota system used on the CX-50.
WHY THIS MATTERS: This is Mazda's best seller, and the fact that they kept the name--which now looks odd alongside the CX-30, CX-50, and CX-70--suggests they are counting on owner loyalty rather than innovation or any best-in-class capability to sustain sales.
THE BOTTOM LINE: This is a big segment with a lot of competitors, and it seems like Mazda has missed the mark on several fronts with an evolutionary design, a humdrum powertrain, and a too-virtual HMI setup inside. Will that leave the CX-5 struggling for sales in the wake of more innovative competitors?
Renault Boreal: A Better Bigster?
In the past, Renault has slapped its logo on Dacia products for those markets where the Renault brand had a stronger reputation than Dacia--but that's not the case with the Boreal. Renault took the new compact SUV, restyled it, gave it a new interior, and kicked it upscale. New goodies include a two-tone roof, aluminum skid plates, panoramic sunroof, and roof bars, as well as 19” wheels. The new IP features a 10” digital IP cluster and 10” touchscreen, and the interior features blue or light gray upholstery, with 48-color ambient lighting and laser-engraved accents. The Boreal will be built in Brazil and Turkey for South America, Turkey, the Middle East, Mediterranean countries, and South Korea.
WHY THIS MATTERS: Rugged is trendy these days, and the Boreal gives Renault a compact entry that offers an off-road-flavored alternative to the more civilized Austral--and the Bigster's lower-cost platform offers Renault the opportunity for higher margins.
THE BOTTOM LINE: The increased differentiation vs the Bigster cost Renault some upfront investment but could pay off down the road given the difference in market positioning between the two products.
Hyundai Ioniq 6N
Hyundai’s Performance Development Tech Unit head and ex-Porsche engineer Manfred Harrer said that the company is aware of the Ioniq 6’s limited sales success (it's selling at about 1/3 the rate of the Ioniq 5 in the US), but that the purpose of the Ioniq 6N is not to be a best-seller but a halo vehicle. To that end, it gets the 5N's 84 kWh battery and 641 hp drivetrain—going from 0-100 kmh in 3.2 sec, 0 2sec quicker than the 5N. They've updated the simulated shift, battery management and powertrain audio technology, and added two new toys:
N Ambient Shift Light is a unique interior lighting feature that visually cues precise shift points for optimal performance.
N Drift Optimizer offers control over the vehicle’s drift characteristics, with customizable parameters for drift initiation, angle, and wheel spin.
WHY IT MATTERS: When Hyundai poached the head of BMW M several years ago, the goal was to do for N what BMW had already done for M--and now the plan is to spread that goodness to EVs as well as internal combustion vehicles. These N and N-Line vehicles are not only higher-margin entries for Hyundai but also an opportunity to showcase technical innovations as well.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Hyundai's streamliner performance sedan should give the Tesla Model 3 Performance and the upcoming BMW i3M and Mercedes-AMG CLA EQ a run for their money.
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