Industry news

Road Test Review – 2024 Mercedes-AMG C63 S E-Performance

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The Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG was a rowdy symbol of high-performance fun in the C-Class model lineup. The C63 was well known for its V8 in recent years with the eight-cylinder allowing the car to have a unique identity even at a time when smaller powerplants became the new normal in the segment. However, even the C63 had to face the music when it came to tightening fuel economy regulations in Europe with the V8 feeling the squeeze from regulators and shifting priorities from buyers in the performance vehicle segment. These shifting tides inspired Mercedes-Benz to take an interesting approach to …

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Cancelled Heavy-Duty Ram EV Leads To Legal Battle

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EV pickups have made waves in recent years thanks to their combination of functionality, styling, and electrification with their large platforms being perfect rolling test beds for EV technology. However, while they look stylish cruising down your local road and can haul a good amount of payload in their beds, towing has never been a strong suit for them and when you combine that with the task of lugging heavy payloads, EVs see their range and battery power drain away with every single EV truck on the market being beaten in towing and payload by gas-powered trucks. This has caused …

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Road Test Review – 2024 Toyota Corolla FX – Compact Style

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The Toyota Corolla and the art of expressive styling have not exactly had a good relationship. The Corolla was always known as a function-focused vehicle with styling often being cast aside for conformity and practicality. Toyota is out to change that and while the GR Corolla is a recent exception to this rule, the rest of the Corolla lineup still didn’t have a true style package to appeal to younger buyers. The company is out to change that with the all-new FX package which adds bigger wheels and other minor styling touches to the Corolla sedan in an attempt to …

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Road Test Review – 2025 Mazda CX-5 Carbon Edition

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The Mazda CX-5 might feel like it’s being pushed out of the spotlight with the CX-50 and the bigger CX-90 filling the niches that it was once asked to fill by itself. However, the CX-5 is still a strong seller for Mazda and the CUV even has a strong following of customers who have stuck with the model despite broader changes in Mazda’s lineup. Mazda has decided to reward this loyalty with the 2025 Mazda CX-5 2.5 S Carbon Edition. Carbon models are typically known for injecting more style into a Mazda model but with the CX-5 potentially facing the …

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Road Test Review – 2024 Lexus NX 350h Luxury AWD

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The venerable Lexus NX has been through its fair share of ups and downs but ultimately, it always manages to come up with a good run of good fortune with the compact CUV meant to give Lexus a middle-rung player slotted between the smaller UX and the iconic RX. Some would say that the NX is starting to lose its edge and that it’s starting to get soft around the edges. But is that the case? We wanted to find out. Lexus NX is still the sharpest member of the family The Lexus NX was designed to be stylish and …

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Road Test Review – 2024 Mazda CX-50 Turbo Meridian Edition

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The Mazda CX-50 has rapidly emerged as a key player in Mazda’s SUV strategy. While the bigger CX-90 often steals the spotlight due to its bigger size and segment-blurring luxury, the smaller CX-50 stands out for its strong value game which allows it to be a near-perfect balance of luxury, value, and capability.  Mazda is hoping the CX-50 Turbo Meridian Edition will be able to deliver some of the flagship luxury that’s missing from the model but is it still missing something that prevents it from being truly perfect? We were eager to find out. Meridian Edition adds flash to …

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Road Test Update – 2025 Toyota GR Corolla Premium – It’s Still Fun

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The Toyota GR Corolla was the answer to a question that many asked, what would happen if you took an average Corolla hatchback and threw everything at it in an attempt to make it faster, sharper, and rowdier than any Corolla that came before it? The answer is the GR Corolla a spunky three-cylinder powered monster designed to slay track days and make the art of driving fun again. Toyota had a strong start in sales with the Corolla proving to be popular with the first wave of buyers who pre-ordered the hot-to-trot Toyota for their garage. However, the company …

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Road Test Review – 2025 Toyota Sienna Platinum

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Toyota’s Sienna minivan has always been a favorite among family buyers. While the van’s exterior styling continues to be controversial, there’s no denying that it still continues to offer an impressive amount of practicality to go along with its all-hybrid powertrain lineup. However, what if you’re looking to add more luxury to your family vehicle experience but don’t want to move up into a big SUV to do it? Toyota thinks it might have the answer with the 2025 Sienna Platinum which is attempting to push the envelope of luxury while maintaining the Sienna’s universal appeal. Is it all enough …

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Fatal Xiaomi SU7 Crash Shines Spotlight on The Safety of Self-Driving Tech

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Chinese firm Xiaomi is riding a wave of momentum and praise with the company’s EVs bringing the fight to Tesla in the Chinese market. Self-driving technology and other innovations have become two key pillars for the company but a fatal crash involving a key EV model is raising questions about some of these innovations and how the danger they could put customers in might overshadow these benefits. Crash raises troubling concerns for Xiaomi The crash in question took place back on March 29th and involved Xiamoi’s SU7 EV. The four-door was reportedly traveling on the Dezhou–Shangrao Expressway in Anhui Province …

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Road Test Review – 2025 Hyundai Palisade XRT – Holding The Fort

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When Hyundai unveiled its XRT lineup of vehicles, the brand promised that the XRT badge would signal a more aggressive personality with some light pinches of trail-ready upgrades to make these vehicles better soft roaders. While the revamped Tucson, Ioniq 5, and Santa Cruz XRTs all reflect this practice in spades, the Palisade has always felt the odd man out. Does the 2025 XRT version still have what it takes to inject the Palisade with trailready spirit? XRT still has the buff looks At first glance, the XRT appears to have the looks to match the badge’s purpose with our …

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Road Test Review – 2025 Volkswagen Taos SEL – Updated and Eager To Please

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Volkswagen’s Taos CUV had a tall order on its plate when it was asked to replace the iconic Golf in the U.S. a few years ago. The Taos was meant to appeal to urban dwellers and give VW an entry that would be a true gateway model while also allowing the Tiguan to move upmarket as well. The Taos has proven to be somewhat successful in that regard but the CUV also suffered from styling that was too bland and preferred to lurk in the shadows of the crowded CUV segment.  Volkswagen is now attempting to bring it into the …

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Tariffs Poised To Smash U.S. Auto Industry As Mexico China, and Canada Respond With Sanctions

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March 4th could go down as a historic date in U.S. history with President Donald Trump unleashing 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada while also beefing up existing tariffs on China. All three countries responded with matching trade sanctions and Canada promised the United States will regret their actions. But what will these tariffs mean for consumers and car buyers? Prices will surge The new tariffs on Mexico and Canada will cause prices to go up on a multitude of goods but while paying more for avocados or maple syrup at the grocery store will be one part of the …

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Dodge Looking For “Badassadors” To Promote Vehicle Lineup

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Dodge is out to prove that it’s still the gold standard for performance with the revamped Dodge Charger bringing the brand into the EV wars. However, in addition to its muscular performance, the brand is also known for occasionally going outside the box with some of its marketing efforts. That included 2022’s Chief Donut Maker campaign when the brand enlisted the help of skilled drivers to provide thrills and plenty of donuts for crowds at select events. This time, Dodge is looking for “badassadors” to represent the brand with Dodge officially kicking off the nationwide search at Barrett Jackson’s Scottsdale …

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Road Test Followup – 2024 Toyota Tacoma – Is It Still The Leader?

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The current generation Toyota Tacoma is one of the most pickup entries in the market today. The truck is attempting to inject fresh vigor into the Tacoma nameplate after years of stagnation despite the best efforts of models like the TRD-PRO to distract observers from the lingering sense of staleness lurking underneath the surface. The truck is proving to be a strong seller but with Toyota going on cruise control for the truck’s 2025 updates, does the model still have what it takes to cement itself as the long-reigning leader of the mid-size pickup segment? Tacoma goes on cruise control …

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Road Test Review – 2024 Subaru Outback Limited – Still The Rugged All Rounder

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Three decades ago, Subaru took a traditional station wagon, jacked up the suspension and helped create the Outback which helped breathe new life into the station wagon while also blurring the line between it and the traditional SUV. The formula has also proven to be very popular with consumers and the Outback has risen to become one of Subaru’s top sellers. But is the 2024 Subaru Outback still a top seller even as it gradually drifts more into the dark side of SUV sales and some of the negative stereotypes that often accompany them? We wanted to find out. Unchanged …

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Iconic Lamborghini Diablo Was Almost Not Produced

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The Lamborghini Diablo is one of the most iconic Lamborghini models of the 1990s with the Diablo emerging as a 1990s icon thanks to its brash styling and powerful engine which helped to set it apart from the Countach that preceded it. While the Diablo is a classic, it almost never made it into production with internal corporate strife nearly killing the car before development even began. Chrysler throws a monkey wrench into the script The history video from Bay Area dealer OTS shows just how much the Diablo went through its development. The Diablo embodied Lamborghini’s fortunes at the …

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Jaguar Rolls The Dice On Rebrand, Can It Silence The Doubters?

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Jaguar made waves when it unveiled a bizarre teaser video that initiated a brand reset for the British luxury car company. Images of heritage, history, and performance gave way to images of abstract images, bizarre colors, and a small group of serious/sad-looking models doing strange things. So far, reactions from around the world have been negative with many critics saying that Jaguar has gone off course.  That said, is this brand reset the renewed injection of vigor that Jaguar needs, and if it is, can it help Jaguar be a viable contender in the EV segment as it attempts to …

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IIHS Vice President Shares Concerns About Growing Weight And Performance In EVs

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Modern electric vehicles are not only becoming more powerful, but also heavier with the weight gain being noticed by many in the automotive community. Among those that are raising concerns are the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety with IIHS VP Raul Arbelaez sharing his thoughts on the issue in a recent opinion piece.   More Weight Means More Crash Forces In a crash, mass is a prominent component when it comes to the ensuing crash forces that they create. The larger and heavier a vehicle is, the more damage and crash forces that they generate. This is especially true with …

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Buick Nabs Top Spot In J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, Previous Winner Ram Falls 17 Spots

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The J.D Power Initial Quality Study has emerged as a very important barometer of quality in the automotive industry and has become a potent bragging point for automakers lucky enough to win first place in the study. This year’s winner is Buick who dethroned Ram for the number one spot in this year’s study.   Buick’s Win Comes Amid Increasing Problems Overall Buick’s appearance in the top spot came as the study revealed that there was an 11 percent increase in the problems industry-wide per 100 vehicles. It’s important to note that in this study, a lower score often reflects …

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Rising dragon? How SAIC could emerge as a global powerhouse

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When it comes to hidden potential, few can hold a candle to the sheer amounts of it wielded by the Chinese automotive industry. Once a purely domestic curiosity, some of the country’s biggest automakers are now seeking to rapidly expand their presence, and perhaps be able to market their wares in other markets including the U.S. However, are some of these Chinese firms ready to make the proper investments and moves needed to transform into global players? Or are these hurdles still too much of a challenge for them to overcome? We take a deep dive and try to discover …

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Bollinger Motors: moves to bigger digs in Oak Park to expand operations

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When we last checked in with our friends at Bollinger Motors, it was in their old headquarters in Ferndale, Michigan. There, we had a chance to meet the firm’s two spearheads in the EV truck wars, the B1 SUV, and the B2 pickup, as well as learn much more about the vision of the company’s founder Robert Bollinger. But with the extra attention and growth that the company has seen recently, it was forced to seek a bigger space to enhance the levels of design and manufacturing that they were capable of doing. This resulted in a move to Oak …

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Tesla Slashes Thousands Off New Car Prices To Improve Sales Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

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In a surprise move over night, Tesla revealed that it has cut prices on all three of its electric vehicles by as much as 6% for U.S. customers. The move comes amid a string of recent developments for Tesla and Elon Musk, with the latter poised to make history with a SpaceX rocket launch that will be the first one ever to be formally manned by NASA astronauts.   As for the price cuts themselves, they will follow a two tiered structure, with the biggest cuts focused on the older Model S sedan and the Model X SUV. The Model …

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Lexus LS Could Bring Back V8 Hybrid Power, Four Cylinder Option Also Rumored

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When Lexus introduced the current generation LS flagship sedan a few years ago, it was supposed to bring some much needed aggression to one of the marque’s most iconic models. The design was sleeker, the interior was more luxurious than ever, and Lexus promised to make more of an effort at targeting segment benchmarks like the Mercedes S-Class as well as the BMW 7-Series. However, some folks were disappointed to see that a V8 option was not available, with the twin-turbocharged V6 being the only power plant offered. But according to a new report from Japanese publication Mag-X, it appears …

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Lincoln Axes The MKZ, Will Not Return For 2021 Model Year

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With its Ford stablemate, the Fusion being axed after the 2020 model year, it was only inevitable that the MKZ would go to the chopping block as well especially after a recently announced partnership between Lincoln and Rivian. Lincoln revealed that MKZ production will end after the 2020 model year at the Hermosillio Assembly Plant in Mexico with no successor planned. Like the Fusion’s demise, the MKZ’s is due to the explosion in SUV and CUV demand, with the MKZ being consistently outsold by not only the Navigator, but also the smaller Aviator and Corsair. This follows up a batch …

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Ford and Volkswagen Announce Global Alliance, Will Not Involve Cross Ownership

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In a landmark announcement that is currently breaking as we speak, Ford and Volkswagen have agreed to a global alliance that aims to enhance capabilities for both companies, while also enhancing overall levels of scale at the same time in a period where more and more unlikely alliances are being formed to combat the increasing levels of cost and engineering involved in producing vehicles for a new generation of buyers. Ford and Volkswagen also revealed that the two are exploring joint development of mobility services, EV and autonomous vehicles with this particular move designed to help save both companies billions …

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Hyundai Confirms Palisade Name For New Three Row SUV Ahead of LA Auto Show Debut

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Hyundai has so far kept a very tight veil of secrecy surrounding its new 3-row flagship SUV with only a few light teasers, and a preceding concept hinting at its existence, but with LA fast approaching, the Korean car giant has finally confirmed a small slice of information, and revealed the official name for this very important utility offering, Palisade.   Depending on who you ask, the Palisade moniker is derived from a whole swath of inspiration. According to Hyundai, the name is inspired not only by a series of coastal cliffs, but also the strength of an ancient fortress. …

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Toyota Considers Axing Slow Selling Models Amid Uncertain Economic Future

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With the trade war between the U.S. and China still squeezing the broader economy as a whole, the resulting pressure has forced automakers to prepare for a possible weakening in the global market scene. General Motors recently offered some of its salaried employees buyouts, and amid the cloud of uncertainty generated by this move, it appears things have shifted into another gear, with Toyota perhaps axing dead weight from its U.S. model lineup.   While crucial nameplates such as the Camry, Avalon, and RAV4 will avoid the gulliotine thanks to their high sales figures, and their impressive reputations among various …

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Hyundai and Kia Unveil Solar Panel Boosted EV Charging Solution, Expected To Appear In 2020

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Once limited to experimental vehicles and ultra luxury hybrids, roof mounted solar panels are seeing a resurgence as EVs slowly become a more focal piece of the automotive landscape. Hyundai and Kia aim to take them to production reality by unveiling their plans to put them on production cars in a move that could have big ramifications for the broader automotive market as a whole.   Of course, a key caveat is that they will not be on all production vehicles, with Hyundai and Kia claiming that only “selected vehicles” will be able to be outfitted with them. When the …

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Toyota Opens Expanded R&D Facility In Ann Arbor

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In a milestone that celebrated just how much Toyota’s North American operations have grown since their humble beginnings in a small garage back in 1972, the Japanese auto giant formally unveiled its all new expanded Research and Development complex in York Township, Michigan. The new facility is the automaker’s largest research complex outside of its home Japanese market, and it aims to be a key pillar in the company’s North American operations, especially in the state of Michigan which is becoming a key region for many automakers including Toyota. More than 400 officials from Toyota as well as state officials …

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9-3 EV

NEVS To Build Electric 9-3s In China

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In an announcement released earlier today, National Electric Vehicles Sweden (NEVS) has revealed that it will be building an electric version of the 9-3 in China over the next few months. For those not familiar with NEVS, it is the company that bought out the remnants of Saab following the brand’s last gasp under the ownership of Spyker. While NEVS currently has the rights to continue building the aging and increasingly obsolete 9-3 sedan, it could not purchase the Swedish firm’s iconic Griffin logo, and actually lost the rights to the Saab name itself in 2014 after entering bankruptcy. According …

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