It started out as a nearly invisible, “cheap and cheerful” brand. Today, Kia is one of the fastest-growing brands on the U.S. market and challenging not only competitors like Nissan but its own Korean sibling Hyundai. The redesigned 2027 Kia Seltos is a reason why.
Volkswagen is bringing back the ID.Buzz. It pulled the all-electric microbus from its 2026 lineup due to slow sales. VW isn’t yet revealing prices for the 2027 model year but plans to offer a more interesting mix of trims, including a retro-inspired Tourer. Not looking to wait? You can get some great deals on 2025 leftovers.
On the Headlight News podcast this week, we look the rise of hybrid sales and the moves by Honda and Mazda to meet demand. We also cover the looming shortage of base oils due to the conflict with Iran. Finally we review the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz SRT. Check out the podcast, give us some feedback.
Honda reported its first loss in seven decades, largely due to major cuts in its EV program. But the automaker plans a major ramp-up of its hybrid line-up, its CEO revealed. Mazda is following a similar strategy, albeit on a smaller scale, as Headlight.News reports.
The ongoing war with Iran poses plenty of automotive-related problems, including higher gas prices, but there is a looming crisis when it comes to lubricants, which will only add to the draw on the bank accounts of Americans. Get the details at Headlight.News.
Call it a “whale” of a plan. Documents filed with Texas regulators show Toyota is ready to build a new, $2 billion assembly line alongside its existing truck factory in San Antonio. But the automaker is first seeking financial support from the state for what it has codenamed “Project Orca.” More from Headlight.News.
Subaru found itself caught with nothing to offer during the initial years of the SUV boom back in the 1990s. To compensate, the marque raised the ride height of its Legacy station wagon and billed it as the Legacy Outback — the “World’s First Sport Utility Wagon.” Now the brand has a “proper” ute in the 2026 Outback Wilderness and it’s unclear if it was necessary to make the change. Get the answer in our review at Headlight.News.
President Donald Trump’s summit meeting with Chinese President Ji Xinping is expected to cover a broad range of topics straining relations between the two countries, from the future of Taiwan to trade. Few would be surprised if Xi doesn’t press his American counterpart to open the door to Chinese autos. And that has the U.S. automakers — and some key lawmakers worried. Get details at Headlight.News.
If the word, “hybrid” brings to mind an awkward little vehicle sacrificing space, comfort and anything close to the “fun-to-drive” factor for better fuel economy you might be in for a shock should you check out the latest hybrid offerings. Get the story at Headlight.News.
The city of Savannah is known for history — and, perhaps, ghosts — but low-slung, sleek industrial buildings that lay alongside a highway outside nearby Ellabell tell a more modern story. Those buildings make up Hyundai’s new Metaplant. The plant seems to represent the future of manufacturing — a future that’s even more automated than what we see now. Get the story at Headlight.News.
Kia built its first car in 1974, some 30 years after the company was founded. Nineteen years later, the company launched its first model in the United States: the Sephia. It was a decent, if something of an ordinary car — a word that cannot be applied to any of the marque’s offerings. A good example of this is the Headlight.News review this week: the 2026 Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo Hatchback.
The new Lexus TZ draws power from a pair of electric motors and a 96 kWh battery pack. But slip behind the wheel and you might think there’s a V-10 under the hood. The new crossover is the latest EV to let motorists fire up the sounds of a high-performance internal combustion engine. More from Headlight.News.