The ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada got a little more … targeted Monday. The city of Toronto announced Tesla vehicles will no longer be eligible for the city’s EV incentives for taxis. Get details at Headlight.News.
Month: March 2025
How to Avoid Toll Road “Smishing” Scam
Remember that trip you took a few months back? Well, you didn’t pay your toll and if you don’t pay up soon you could run up late fees or worse. Or so goes the latest Internet scam. It seems like most of us have been receiving these seemingly innocuous alerts by text or e-mail and all too many folks have fallen for a scam the FBI has now issued a warning about. Headlight.News has more.
Headlight News Podcast for the Week of 3-17-25
In this week’s podcast, we cover Nissan finally selecting a new CEO for the struggling automaker, IIHS toughening its testing standards, JD Power’s latest study showing consumers are happier with dealers, but dealers are still falling short in some important areas. We also offer an in-depth review of the new all-electric Cadillac Escalade IQ. Check it out at Headlight.News or Spotify.
First Drive: 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ – Bigger Really is Better When it’s All-Electric
Cadillac is betting it can electrify upscale buyers with an assortment of EVs. That includes its new range-topping Escalade IQ which Headlight.News had an opportunity to drive in San Francisco this past week. The 2026 model takes the familiar flagship to new levels of luxury while delivering plenty of range – at 460 miles – and performance. Better yet, there are both standard and extended-length options. Here’s our review of the 2026 Cadillac Escalade.
Used Car Sales Rising as Tax Season Begins
Consumers getting tax refunds help drive the used car market early in the year and since tax refunds are up 7% compared to last year, it follows that used car sales are up during the same period. However, sales were up 16% in February, which is well ahead of the year-ago results. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Mercedes Reveals New CLA – and it Promises to Be a Game Changer
Mercedes-Benz has offered up the first look at its next-generation CLA. And while the design of the little sedan is intriguing in itself, its what we’ll find underneath the skin that delivers the real surprise. Set to arrive in both all-electric and hybrid form, the next-generation CLA will deliver potentially groundbreaking technology, including new “axial flux” electric motors in the AMG package.
BMW Teases All-Electric 2026 3 Series
BMW is set to continue its rollout of the Neue Klasse battery-electric technology and will start bringing it to market later this year in the form of the first-ever all-electric X3 and 3 Series models. The automaker has offered a hint of what’s coming with the sedan version with images of a barely disguised prototype undergoing winter testing.
Study: Owner Satisfaction with Service Departments Rise, But Dealers Still Missing Opportunities
The latest J.D. Power U.S. Customer Service Index revealed customers were happier with dealer service departments for the second straight year. However, the results also show that dealers are missing chances to improve the experience and engender more loyalty from vehicle owners. Headlight.News has details.
Buyers Catch a Break – Temporarily – as BMW Set to Absorb Tariffs on Mexican-Made Models
President Donald Trump’s new tariffs threaten to shake up the auto industry, threatening to add thousands of dollars to the cost of even U.S.-made vehicles. For now, though, BMW will give buyers a break, the automaker saying it will absorb the added tariff costs on vehicles it imports from Mexico. Whether BMW can maintain that strategy – and whether other manufacturers will follow – is unclear.
A Week With the Nissan Versa SR – An Impressive Small Car for the Money
I’ve given back cars ten times as expensive and not given them a second thought, but the Versa offered so much value and enjoyment, it’s only been gone a couple of hours and I miss it already. HeadlightNews.com has this review.
Trump Buys a Tesla Then Moves to End Pro-EV Rules
The day after President Donald Trump and adviser/Tesla CEO Elon Musk showed off the president’s just-purchased Tesla Model S, the Trump administration took the next step in eliminating the Biden administration’s push to increase electric vehicle production. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Fewer Vehicles Qualify for This Year’s IIHS Top Safety Pick and Pick+ Awards
Nearly a third fewer vehicles qualified for awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety this year, compared to 2024. This reflects toughening crash test guidelines meant to protect rear-seat occupants. Headlight.News looks at which vehicles took IIHS’s coveted Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards this time around.