In this week’s podcast, we look at the rising prices of new vehicles in the U.S., the new trade deal between the U.S. and Japan, and we say goodbye to Subaru’s legacy, er, we mean THE Subaru Legacy as it rolls off the production line in Indiana for the final time. We also review the 2025 Toyota Corolla FX and more. Get the link at Headlight.News.
Stellantis was targeted by hackers, it revealed over the weekend, the latest in an escalating series of cyberattacks aimed at deep-pocketed automakers and their suppliers. This month alone, BMW became a target of a potential ransomware attack while Jaguar Land Rover is still reeling from a cyberattack that has effectively shut down production for the past three weeks. More from Headlight.News.
Some automakers have already raised prices or fees to help offset some of the costs associated with the Trump administration’s tariffs. The latest? Volkswagen is raising prices on most 2026 models. It’s just the beginning, analysts predict. Get details at Headlight.News.
It’s been a long run but the Subaru Legacy has reached the end of the line. The last of the once-popular sedans has rolled off the assembly line at the Subaru plant in Indiana, a victim of the ongoing market shift from sedans and coupes to SUVs and CUVs. Headlight.News has the story.
While Nissan is launching a third-generation Leaf for 2026, the Japanese automaker has decided to drop its other battery-electric vehicle, the Ariya, for the 2026 model year. More from Headlight. News.
Facing an uncertain economic environment that threatens to undermine demand for retail sales, including new vehicles, the Federal Reserve Board voted to cut interest rates. But it’s far from clear that will be enough to head off an automotive downturn worsened by anticipated tariff-driven price hikes. More from Headlight.News.
Hyundai plans to locally produce 80% of the vehicles it sells in the U.S., the automaker announced Thursday. As part of a $55 billion global investment program it will spend $2.7 billion to expand the electrified vehicle plant near Savannah, Georgia hit by an ICE raid two weeks ago, boosting its production capacity to 500,000 vehicles annually. More from Headlight.News.
Japan reached a trade deal with the Trump administration that will lower tariffs on its auto imports to 15%. That’s nearly half what the president’s trade war initially imposed on Japanese-made vehicles – but its still six times more than the duties in place before the Trump trade war – which means thousands of dollars in potential price hikes should automakers pass the tariffs on to consumers. More from Headlight.News.
A total of 30 vehicles – six cars, five trucks and 19 utility vehicles – made the cut as NACTOY revealed the semifinalists chosen by its 50 U.S. and Canadian journalists. Here’s a look at the vehicles in the running for honors as North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year.
Now it’s Toyota’s turn. The automaker is recalling nearly 600,000 vehicles sold under both the Toyota and Lexus badges because their digital instrument panels can fail. Similar problems have plagued its competitors this year, notably Ford, reports Headlight.News.
Despite what you might believe, the small car market is alive and well. Small cars aren’t so small anymore, and automakers wanting to attract young buyers are loading them up with the content they desire. The 2025 Toyota Corolla FX shows the automaker has a great handle on the segment with this slightly upmarket version of a classic nameplate. Check out our review at Headlight.News.
In this week’s Headlight News podcast, Hyundai’s South Korean workers return home, Ford issues more recalls, Toyota adds two U.S. EVs and we review the Nissan Leaf and more. Check it out at Headlight.News.