Millions of American motorists have been rushing to buy before the Trump auto tariffs take hold. But automakers and auto dealers were already driving up transaction prices even before the sanctions went into effect on May 3, despite White House claims prices won’t rise. If anything, costs are going to continue going up, reports Headlight.News.
If you’re a luxury buyer, Trump’s auto tariffs are likely to have little more impact than raising your monthly payment. Buyers on a tight budget are likely to be driven out of the new vehicle market, industry analysts warn, while half of the entry-level models now available in U.S. showrooms are likely to vanish. Tariffs, it turns out, will impact all motorists, even those not looking for a new vehicle, by raising costs for service and repairs – and even insurance. Headlight.News reports.
Buyers worried about future price increase under Trump tariff plans kept dealers busy during April. But momentum is expected to sputter out when sanctions go into effect on May 3, potentially raising vehicle prices by thousands of dollars. Headlight.News has more.
Reports of the demise of the battery-electric vehicle have been greater exaggerated, it seems. Even as the Trump administration pulls back on Biden-era EV programs, sales have been accelerating. A flood of new products may be a factor, and that’s likely to continue, as well, with several new brands set to come to market. On Thursday, Headlight.News got a first look at the pickup coming from Slate Auto, a start-up backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. We also were on hand for a first look at the production-ready EV coming out of a partnership between Sony and Honda. Here’s what we learned about the Afeela sedan.
Tesla has long promised to deliver an “affordable” battery-electric vehicle, but the project has yet again been delayed, according to a new report. With competition coming in the under-$30,000 segment, the delay could add to Tesla’s woes as sales continue to sag, driving down both Tesla’s earnings and stock price. Headlight.News has more.
Tesla sales have fallen all over the world, much of that due to backlash against CEO Elon Musk’s political ties to the Trump administration. Now, the automaker’s share of the bellwether California EV market has dipped below 50%, as competitors draw in EV buyers with a flood of new products.
One of Honda’s iconic vehicles took another step closer to a return to the streets. The automaker showed off the latest version of its Prelude concept at an event in Japan, including the first look at the interior. Headlight.News has details.
April 2, says Pres. Donald Trump, is “Liberation Day,” claiming his new tariffs will free the U.S. from its reliance on foreign-made goods. But U.S. car buyers may see things in a very different light. Virtually all vehicles, even those assembled in the States, will see price hikes. And a number of automakers, from mainstream brands like Chevrolet, to high-line marques such as Mercedes-Benz, are weighing the prospects of pulling entry models off of the American market. More from Headlight.News.
Sales of new vehicles in the U.S. climbed sharply during March as buyers rushed to get in their orders before the tariffs clamp down on the automotive trade. The threat of a recession is also expected to weigh on an industry sensitive to economic trends going into April.
How do you show off the capabilities of your new SUV? When Honda decided to tease the capabilities of the 2026 Passport TrailSport it borrowed a page from the Hollywood stunt manual, hanging three of the light truck models end to end off a crane, 100 feet in the air. Headlight.News has more.
General Motors and Hyundai are said to be in talks that would lead to significant product sharing in the pickup and commercial EV van segments, according to a new report. Such a move would expand on the alliance the two automakers recently announced focusing on hydrogen fuel-cell technology. More from Headlight.News.
Best known as the manufacturer of Apple’s iPhone, Foxconn is reportedly locking down a deal to produce battery-electric vehicles with two Japanese automakers. Details have yet to be revealed but Mitsubishi appears to be one of the new partners and there is speculation Foxconn may be working out arrangements with either Nissan or Honda, those two Japanese automakers having failed to secure their own merger deal. More from Headlight.News.