In this week’s podcast we cover Trump and his tariffs on automakers as well as his warning to automakers about raising prices to cover the costs, as well as a vehicle review and more.
Car Culture
Tesla Faces Biggest Protest Yet on March 29
Thousands of people are expected to gather at more than 500 showrooms, service centers and other locations on Saturday March 29 as part of “Tesla Takedown,” a loosely organized movement aimed at protesting CEO Elon Musk’s political shift to the extreme right, as well as his role heading the Trump administration’s controversial Department of Government Efficiency. The question is whether there will be any of the sort of violence that has occurred at other protests in recent weeks. Headlight.News has more.
A Week With: 2025 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD
There are more choices than ever when it comes to electric vehicles. However, one of the early arrivers, the Kia EV6, continues to evolve and improve. After three years, the newest model is surely the best one yet. Check out our review at Headlight.News.
Diners, Drive-Ins…and Elon Musk?
Charging up your EV can be a long and lonely experience when you’re on the road, public chargers often located in out-of-the-way places with nothing to do while you wait, often as long as an hour or more for the batteries to suck down their fill of electrons. So, why not let EV owners chow down, as well? That’s the idea behind the 24-hour diner and drive-in theater Tesla is setting up in Hollywood. But it’s proven more difficult than expected for CEO Elon Musk to line up the sort of celebrity chef he’s been after to run the place. More from Headlight.News.
Fading Consumer Confidence, Aggravated by New Trump Tariffs, Could Cripple Auto Industry
Consumer confidence, a key ingredient for healthy vehicle sales, is slipping, according to new polls And with buyers already wary of price hikes, New increases, triggered by President Donald Trump’s broad tariff policies could translate into a sharp market slump, report Headlight.News.
Honda Passport Gets Hang Time
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.
First Look: 2026 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante Delivers Gobs of Topless Performance
Like the feeling of wind in your hair? You’ll get plenty of it in the new Aston Martin Vanquish Volante by pushing the topless grand tourer to its limits at 214 mph. Headlight.News checks out the new British supercar.
Car Thefts Dropped 16.6% Last Year Courtesy of Kia, Hyundai Changes
Car thieves were far less successful last year, according to experts. The total number of vehicles stolen fell below the 1 million mark for the first time since 2021. In fact, the reduction ended a four-year run of increases — and Kia and Hyundai appear to be the reason. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Dodge’s New Interactive Experience Highlights Push to Gain Public Favor of New All-Electric Charger
EV adoption rates are middling, but trying to get traditional muscle car mavens to accept an all-electric model, like the new Dodge Charger Daytona, has the Dodge folks working overtime. The brand’s new Charger Virtual Experience gives them one more tool to do just that. Check out the story at Headlight.News.
Tesla Stock Plunging for 9th Straight Week: No Automaker “Has Lost so Much Value so Quickly”
It’s hard to find anything “analogous” in automotive history to the ongoing crisis at Tesla, JP Morgan warned, as the automaker’s global sales collapse, its stock price further tumbles and CEO Elon Musk’s once hero image goes up in flames. There are few signs Pres. Donald Trump’s enthusiastic endorsement of the brand last week will generate sales. If anything, Tesla itself now warns, the company could get caught up in Trump’s trade war.
Headlight News Podcast for the Week of 3-17-25
In this week’s podcast, we cover Nissan finally selecting a new CEO for the struggling automaker, IIHS toughening its testing standards, JD Power’s latest study showing consumers are happier with dealers, but dealers are still falling short in some important areas. We also offer an in-depth review of the new all-electric Cadillac Escalade IQ. Check it out at Headlight.News or Spotify.
First Drive: 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ – Bigger Really is Better When it’s All-Electric
Cadillac is betting it can electrify upscale buyers with an assortment of EVs. That includes its new range-topping Escalade IQ which Headlight.News had an opportunity to drive in San Francisco this past week. The 2026 model takes the familiar flagship to new levels of luxury while delivering plenty of range – at 460 miles – and performance. Better yet, there are both standard and extended-length options. Here’s our review of the 2026 Cadillac Escalade.