Headlight.News for the Week of 10-20-25 – Jeep and Ford Plants Idled by Shortages – Tariff Breaks — Subaru, Mazda and Toyota Plans for Tokyo Motor Show – Lexus 700h review and More.
Auto Shows
Subaru’s Hot Hatch Ready to Return – Two Very Different Concepts Set to Debut at Japan Mobility Show
Three years after Subaru sent its WRX STI speeding off into the sunset the automaker appears ready to bring a new hot hatch to market. But it has two very different concept vehicles coming to the Japan Mobility Show later this month. Which one might be ready for production? Headlight.News has more.
Mazda’s Vision Concept Could Signal Long-Awaited Change
A day after Mazda released a teaser photo of its Vision concept vehicle it plans to show off at the Japan Mobility Show later this month, speculation about what’s coming is all over the map. Headlight.News takes a closer look at the possibilities.
Toyota Takes Aim at Bentley, Rolls-Royce with New Century Brand
Toyota will show off a new super-premium luxury car concept during the Tokyo Motor Show later this month. But don’t expect to see it land in Toyota showrooms. Badged a “Century” model, it will signal the launch of an all-new brand rising above the automaker’s current Lexus division to take on some of the world’s most exclusive marques, including Bentley and Rolls-Royce. Headlight.News has more.
NACTOY Semifinalists Revealed
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.
Headlight News Podcast for the Week of 9-15-25
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.
BMW Plans 40 Models Off Neue Klasse Platform by 2027
The new BMW iX3 is the first all-electric model based on the automaker’s Neue Klasse platform – but it won’t be the last. The Bavarian automaker’s CEO said Monday that 40 new and updated products using the “new class” technology will roll out over the next two years. Up next: the i3, an all-electric version of the 3-Series, reports Headlight.News.
BMW Reveals New iX3, First of its All-Electric Neue Klasse
Setting the stage for the upcoming Munich Motor Show, hometown automaker BMW on Friday launched one of its most important product lines in decades. The new iX3 SUV is the first production version of the all-electric Neue Klasse and offers up to 400 miles range, ultra-fast charging and a new design language soon to reshape the rest of the BMW line-up. Headlight.News has more.
The Honda Prelude is Back for 2026 – and This Time It’s a Hybrid
In an industry where rumors spread like a California wildfire, Honda has long been known to be working up an all-new version of the once-popular sporty Prelude. And now it’s official, the Japanese automaker revealing the sixth-generation coupe during a Thursday event in Japan. But it still may surprise many potential buyers to learn that the 2026 Honda Prelude will be the automaker’s latest model to go hybrid.
All-Electric VW ID.Polo Debuting in Munich – and Ushers in a New, Less Confusing Naming Strategy
While it’s slowed down the pace of EV rollouts, Volkswagen isn’t giving up on all-electric power and will debut a new battery version of the Polo at the Munich Auto Show next week. The little hatchback also will mark a transition in its naming strategy that VW hopes will make it easy for shoppers to figure out which EV is which. Headlight.News has more.
Mini Brings Deus Ex Machina Concepts to the Munich Motor Show
Mini has a long history of coming up with creative concept vehicles and it isn’t letting us down as it partners with lifestyle brand Deus ex Machina to roll out a pair of one-off John Cooper Works prototypes. Headlight.News checks them out.
At “Pivotal Moment,” Nissan Prepares Product Blitz, Including Reborn Xterra, Electrified Rogue
Nissan will roll out 20 new and updated products in less than two years for the North American market, top company executives told dealers meeting in Las Vegas this week. That will bring the return of the Xterra, for one thing, as well as a hybrid version of the brand’s best-selling Rogue model. Infiniti will also benefit from the plans, top officials, including global CEO Ivan Espinosa, said. More from Headlight.News.