Little Subaru is a brand that has frequently surprised its bigger rivals and it does it again as the top-ranked marque in the 2026 Consumer Reports Auto Brand Report Card, besting manufacturers like Toyota, Honda and second-ranked BMW. That was one of the surprises in this year’s study. Headlight.News has more.
The Trump administration moved ahead with plans to gut fuel economy standards set by former Pres. Joe Biden – effectively eliminating any significant role for EVs. But the proposal is expected to face stiff challenges and may have little impact on the price of new vehicles, as Headlight.News reports.
Like its Japanese rivals, Honda Motor Co. struggled to understand how to grow in the U.S. market, a challenge that led it to set up a small research and development center in Los Angeles in 1975. A half-century later the automaker operates 21 separate R&D facilities across the U.S. where its designers and engineers are working on everything from race cars to rockets, along with some significant new vehicle programs. Headlight.News dropped into the main facility in the LA suburb of Torrance to check out what’s in the works.
The Trump administration has invited executives from the three Detroit automakers to be on hand at the White House today as details on the rollback of current corporate average fuel economy standards are announced. It’s the latest move by the president to back off of automotive emissions and safety standards set during the prior Biden administration. More from Headlight.News.
Sales of new vehicles turned downright sluggish in November amidst consumer resistance to increased prices and worsening fears about the economy. The end of EV incentives worsened the slide – though demand for hybrids continued to grow, as Headlight.News reports.
This week’s Headlight News podcast covers slumping new vehicle sales as well as moves by some automakers to cut back on their electric vehicle production and plans. However, Mercedes is charging ahead with a new all-electric supercar for next year. We talk about new talks between Nissan and Honda and review the 2026 Subaru Outback. Give it a listen!
Design chief Gerry McGovern reportedly has been fired by Jaguar Land Rover as part of a broader corporate shake-up at the troubled automaker, according to a report from India, where JLR’s parent company is headquartered. More from Headlight.News.
Toyota has frustrated performance fans, so far failing to replace the exotic Lexus LFA, even as it pulls the more mainstream Supra from production. But there’s good news coming. Soon, as in this Friday, the Japanese automaker confirming that’s when it will reveal the new GR GT supercar. More from Headlight.News.
Pony cars have come and pony cars have gone, and through it all, Ford’s Mustang is the only one to have enjoyed continuous production since its introduction back in 1964. But does the sporty Ford’s original youthful spirit still shine through? Find out if correspondent Lyndon Conrad Bell believes the 2025 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Coupe Premium does at Headlight.News.
There was a time when Kia product was less than also-ran. Of late however, the marque is cranking out hit after hit after hit. Check out this Headlight.News review by Lyndon Conrad Bell, which takes a look at the company’s latest budget-friendly compact sedan offering, the 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo, to see if its winning streak has the potential to hold.
A few years back, BMW toyed with the idea of charging car owners a subscription fee to use seat warmers. It was a monstrous flop. As automakers look for more ways to get a few more bucks out of owners, New York is considering a law that would prevent in-car subscriptions like what BMW tried. Get details at Headlight.News.
General Motors will lay off 1,140 workers at Factory Zero, its Detroit battery-electric assembly plant due to weak demand for products like the GMC Hummer EV and Chevrolet Silverado EV. The automaker also is facing pressure from Canadian authorities to come up with an alternative plan for an Ontario plant where it is ending production of all-electric Bright Drop vans. More from Headlight.News.