Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, but he has a bright red beard, rather than a snowy white one, and he began his annual trip a bit early this year, with a coterie of automotive journalists substituting for the usual elves, set to deliver 23 beagles rather than toys. I was one of those who made this year’s journey…and like the rest of my colleagues, it made for a unique and heartwarming holiday adventure.
In an unprecedented compromise, Volkswagen reached an agreement with its German labor union to cut as many as 35,000 jobs in Germany – though the automaker agreed not to order immediate layoffs or plant closures and dropped a demand for 10% wage cuts. The move avoided a mass walkout by members of the IG Metall union but is billed as a way to curb VW’s bloated labor costs, among the industry’s highest.
Honda and Nissan will merge under a new holding company, the automaker’s announced, confirming months of rumors, with the smaller of the Japanese automakers effectively taking control of the new alliance. Mitsubishi, which was rescued by Nissan in 2016, has yet to decide whether to become part of the alliance. And Renault, which bailed out Nissan in 1999, plans to determine what role it may have going forward.
There’s been a lot of focus on building up the public EV charging network but the vast majority of owners routinely charge at home. Toyota is helping secure $28 million in funding for startup WeaveGrid in a bid to make home charging easier and more affordable – while also ensuring that the nation’s electrical infrastructure can handle the addition of millions of battery-powered vehicles.
It came as far from a surprise when Kia confirmed plans to introduce a new version of its long-in-the-tooth Forte sedan at the New York Auto Show last spring. Nor were we shocked to learn the new model would get an entirely new name. But, after finally getting a chance to drive the 2025 Kia K4, we were struck by just how much better it is than the outgoing four-door model. Here’s our review.
Honda and Nissan are moving forward on talks that could move past simple collaboration. The two Japanese automotive giants may set up a joint holding company, according to a report, though they so far are denying that a merger is in the works. Here’s the latest.
Jean Jennings was a gifted storyteller who became one of the go-to authorities about the auto industry. Unfortunately, she was silenced by Alzheimer’s Disease, passing away this week at the age of 70. Headlight.News takes a look at her life.
While EV sales should end the year up about 10% from 2023, the growth rate has slowed sharply. Several factors contributed to the slowdown, starting with the price premium — averaging about $10,000 more than comparable gas models. But Ford CEO Jim Farley claims the company is working up new EVs that will deliver “game-changing” prices, in line with rock-bottom Chinese brands. And a new study shows that plunging battery costs will play a major role.
Mercedes released teaser images of what will be a new line of family-sized all-electric vans. Based on its EV-only VAN.EA platform, the German automaker is confident enough to bring it back to the U.S. market where it’s been out of the people-mover segment for some time.
Volkswagen was a latecomer to the SUV game but has been busy making up for lost time. It scored with the little Taos which made its U.S. debut four years ago. And our first drive in the 2025 model reveals it’s more than just the typical midcycle update. Here’s our review.
It’s been a big year for Korean carmaker Kia, U.S. sales set to reach a new record. To keep momentum going it’s launching plenty of new products in 2025 and looking to enter still more “white space” beyond – a pickup one opportunity under study. But planning ahead is on hold until at least “January 21,” said the brand’s U.S. marketing chief, with the incoming Trump administration poised to address such issues as EV sale mandates and incentives, as well as tariffs on foreign-made vehicles.
If you’re a muscle car fan, is there life without a big V-8? That’s the question a lot of Dodge loyalists have been wondering since the performance brand ended production of the Charger and Challenger models a year ago. The Charger is about to stage its return – but for now, at least, it will be available in just two all-electric packages. The 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack package pumps out a tire-spinning 670 horsepower. But is it a suitable replacement for the legendary Hemi-powered model it replaces? Headlight.News had a chance to check out the all-electric beast and here’s our review.