Skip to main content

BMW to debut plug-in hybrid concept and at New York Auto Show

BMW Concept Active Tourer
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Concept Active Tourer might look like BMW designers simply took the Volkswagen Golf and made it slightly more minivan-ish. But it’s more than that.

This glimpse into what the next front-wheel drive 1 Series could look like isn’t just a VW rip-off; it’s also a plug-in hybrid.

Recommended Videos

Set to debut at this month’s New York Auto Show, the Concept Active Tourer shows where BMW might be headed in terms of exterior design and also alternative drivetrain technology.

Powered by a three-cylinder gasoline engine mated to an electric motor, the Concept Active Tourer will achieve 95 miles-per-gallon. For more detailed figures, we’ll have to wait for the full unveil in a few weeks at the show. Digital Trends staff will be in attendance.

BMW 328d
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Also slated for an NYC reveal is the diesel-powered 328d, which will make its U.S. debut.

The 328d is powered by a 2.0-liter twin turbocharged diesel engine that produces 180 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. While that power output might not seem mighty, it’s enough to push the mid-size luxury sedan to 60 miles-per-hour from a dead standstill in 7.2 seconds.

BMW brags the 328d could also achieve well above 40 mpg, though official EPA fuel-economy estimates are not yet in.

Both these BMWs prove the brand is seriously looking forward to more fuel-efficient, eco-friendly models. For that, we applaud them.

Nick Jaynes
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…
Digital Trends’ Top Tech of CES 2025 Awards
Top Tech of CES

Las Vegas is overrun. Every billboard in town is shouting about AI, hotel bar tops now sport a sea of laptops, and after hours The Strip is elbow to elbow with engineers toting yard-long beers.

That means CES, the year’s biggest tech bacchanalia, has come to town, and Digital Trends editors have spent the last four days frolicking among next year’s crop of incredible TVs, computers, tablets, and EVs. We’re in heaven.

Read more
Sony and Honda’s Afeela 1 EV makes more sense at CES than in the real world
Afeela 1 front quarter view.

The Sony car is almost here. After its creation via a joint venture with Honda in 2022 and two years’ worth of prototypes, the electronics giant’s Afeela brand is finally taking reservations for its first electric vehicle, with deliveries scheduled to start in 2026.

But will it be worth the wait? Coinciding with the opening of reservations, Sony Honda Mobility brought updated prototypes of the Afeela 1 (as it’s now officially known) to CES 2025, representing what California customers (Afeela is only taking reservations in that state) who put down a $200 refundable deposit can expect when they take delivery.

Read more
Bose wants to dominate car audio, and I heard its next-gen 3D automotive speakers
Bose logo on a speaker grille

Bose’s automotive audio business is huge, and it’s set to get even bigger. The company has been making big plays in car audio for some time now. The audio company works with premium brands like Porsche, building high-end speakers that allow drivers to experience high-quality audio on the road, whether they’re carting the family around in an Escalade or weaving around the highway (don’t do that) in a Porsche Macan.

But while it has a solid selection of audio brands under its belt, the world of personal audio is also evolving. Mercedes-Benz showed off its Dolby Atmos system at CES last year, and now, a year later, plenty of other brands are joining the trend. At CES 2025, Bose walked me through its current lineup of automotive audio products, as well as a sneak peek of what’s to come.
Immersive audio
The big trend in all areas of personal audio right now essentially boils down to supporting 3D audio formats like Dolby Atmos. Consumer home theater products are increasingly offering up-firing and side-firing speakers that can bounce audio around the room to simulate height and surround effects, while headphone brands are increasingly developing spatialized audio tech that can convert stereo audio into simulated spatial audio.

Read more