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.
Hyundai
Even as Detained Workers Return Home, Korean Companies Warn Employees in U.S. More ICE Raids Could Follow
Hundreds of South Korean workers detained by an ICE raid at a Hyundai battery plant in Georgia were returned home to cheers from family and government officials. But Korean companies are worried that more immigration raids will follow, throwing into chaos Korean-owned auto, shipbuilding, steel and electrical equipment operations across the U.S. Headlight.News has more.
First Drive: Turning Over a New (Nissan) Leaf
Few vehicles have had more of an impact on the U.S. automotive market since the turn of the Millennium, even though Nissan Leaf has slipped into relative obscurity in an increasingly crowded EV segment. Can it regain its early luster? That’s what the Japanese automaker hopes as it rolls out an all-new 2026 Nissan Leaf offering a new crossover design, improved performance, substantially better range and plenty of other reasons to check it out. Add a surprisingly affordable price according to this Headlight.News review.
Hyundai Plant ICE Raid Kicks Off Diplomat Incident
South Korea’s foreign minister headed to the U.S. Monday morning to move forward with plans to release hundreds of South Korean nationals arrested last week while working on the construction of a $7.6 billion Hyundai battery plant in Georgia. The move came just days after the Korean carmaker upped investment plans for the U.S. to $26 billion — and threatens to chill relations between the U.S. and one of its staunchest allies. Headlight.News has more.
ICE Takes 100s of Workers Into Custody at Hyundai Battery Plant
Hundreds of employees of LG Energy Solution, a South Korean battery maker, were taken into custody in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant being built outside Savannah, Georgia, officials from both ICE and the South Korea’s Foreign Ministry have confirmed.
EV Buyers Race to Market Before Tax Credits End, Boosting Overall August Sales
Strong sales of electric and electrified vehicles boosted overall U.S. auto sales during August, with manufacturers including Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Toyota and Ford Motor Co. and Honda reporting solid gains and, in some cases, record sales. More from Headlight.News.
Hyundai’s Planned U.S. Investment Growing to $26 Billion
Hyundai Motor Group will invest $26 billion in the U.S. market, the automaker announced, a $5 billion increase from the figure it announced earlier this year. The increased budget will be used to expand the groups presence in the steel and robotics industries, as well as to expand its automotive operations. More from Headlight.News.
A Week With: 2025 Hyundai Sonata Limited
The shrinking number of sedans for sale only serves to call attention to the really good examples that remain, in particular, the 2025 Hyundai Sonata Limited Hybrid. With impressive exterior styling and a near-luxury cabin, the other-worldly fuel economy puts it at the top of must-drive vehicles if you’re in the market for a midsize sedan. Check out our review at Headlight.News.
First Drive: 2026 Hyundai Palisade
Six years after it made an auspicious entry into the three-row SUV market, Hyundai is giving its flagship Palisade model a major makeover, and with a first-time hybrid drivetrain, the 2026 package delivers more room, more power – and up to 629 miles range per tank. It’s also adding a “more off-road-capable” XRT Pro package. Headlight.News headed out to California wine country to put the 2026 Hyundai Palisade through its paces. Here’s our review.
EV Buyers Find More Public Chargers, Fewer Charging Failures
The lack of a robust public charging network is often cited as a key reason why EV sales have slowed down. But despite a cut in federal funding, the rollout of chargers has continued accelerating. Better yet, a new study finds that the number of times EV owners plug in, only to find the charger doesn’t work, has fallen substantially. More from Headlight.News.
2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited AWD
The rush to cater to the growing crowd calling for small pickups netted two vehicles in recent years: the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz. One of these is a small pickup and the other is the Santa Cruz — and we’re just fine with that. Find out more about the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited in our review at Headlight.News.
GM, Hyundai Plan to Develop Five Vehicles Together
General Motors and Hyundai Motor Co. will jointly develop give vehicle, including an all-electric van, the two automakers revealed, marking the first concrete steps in an alliance announced last September. The program primarily will target the Latin American market where both automakers are struggling to beat back a push by emerging Chinese competitors. But the van will be sold in the U.S. More from Headlight.News.