Carmakers are facing a decline in overall sales in 2026 as tariffs and high prices shrink the pool of consumers able to afford a new vehicle, leaving manufacturers chasing affluent customers with expensive vehicles. Headlight.News has more.
*Daily News*
Automotive Inflation Rages as Carmakers Pass on More of Trump Tariff Costs
Expect to pay more for that new Porsche next month, the German automaker advising dealers it will start passing on more of the cost of the tariffs Pres. Donald Trump has put in place on imported autos. Porsche isn’t alone, however, a growing number of brands are raising already record-high prices to cover those new duties, even on domestically made products due to the cost of imported parts and components, reports Headlight.News.
Rivian’s About to Let You Drive Pretty Much Anywhere Hands-Free
Rivian owners who like to drive hands-free will discover they can travel a lot further than they expected later this month. The EV start-up plans to increase from 150,000 to 3.5 million the number of miles its autonomous driving system can operate on. And, starting late next year, it plans to go even further with the release of the new R2 model which will be Rivian’s first to permit hands-free/eyes-off driving. According to CEO RJ Scaringe, there’s yet more to follow.
First Drive: 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid – Combining Power, Efficiency, Luxury in One Package
The Hyundai Palisade made an auspicious debut six years ago, taking things to a new level of roominess, style and features for the Korean carmaker. A second-generation version of the crossover takes things to new levels – especially with the launch of a first-ever Hyundai Palisade Hybrid. Headlight.News had a chance to check out the 3-row gas-electric package and here’s our review.
First Look: 2027 Kia Seltos Grows Bigger, Adds More Features, New Hybrid Option
Since its debut in 2019, the Kia Seltos has grown to become the Korean carmaker’s best-selling model line. But Kia has even bigger ambitions for the subcompact crossover as it gets a complete makeover that will see it grow larger, add more features and a first-time hybrid option. Headlight.News takes a first look at the 2027 Kia Seltos.
Hundreds of Russian Porsches Suddenly Shut Down – Hackers May Be Responsible
Hundreds of Porsche owners across Russia report their vehicles have suddenly “bricked,” with one dealer group suggesting the problem may be due to a deliberate hack of their satellite-based security systems. Headlight.News has more.
EU May Delay, Even Drop, Ban on Gas, Diesel-Powered Vehicles
There’s growing pressure on the European Commission to drop, or at least push back, a mandate that would see sales of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines banned by 2035. Among those calling for such a move are the leaders of Germany, Italy and Poland. Headlight.News has more.
Headlight News Podcast for the Week of 12-8-25
In this week’s episode of the Headlight News podcast, we talk about Kei cars, the Trump administration cutting fuel economy standards, the latest grades from Consumer Reports, Toyota’s new supercars, plus a review of the 2026 Infiniti QX60 Autograph as well as look back at this week in automotive history. Check it out and give us some feedback!
Nissan Rogue e-Power Delivers Many EV Benefits Without the EV Headaches
Imagine getting the benefits of a battery-electric vehicle without many of the drawbacks: a quick quiet, smooth ride and high energy efficiency – but with essentially unlimited range and no need to plug in. Those are some of the claims Nissan is making for the new e-Power system it will introduce on the Rogue crossover next year. Headlight.News checked out the new technology and here’s what we discovered.
A Week With: 2025 Kia Niro EV Wave
The electric vehicle segment took a blow at the end of September, when the federal EV tax incentives disappeared. Not only did it chill new vehicle sales overall, it may also have slowed the ongoing development of the vehicles. There may be no better example than the 2025 Kia Niro EV Wave. Check out our review to see more.
Is There a Kei Car in Your Future? Pres. Trump Thinks So – But Would Buyers Bite?
They’re some of the smallest cars in the world and make up 40% of the Japanese domestic market. But could “Kei cars” find a niche here in the United States? That’s something Pres. Don Trump suggested this week as he announced a rollback of federal fuel economy standards. More from Headlight.News.
Toyota Rolls Out Three New Supercars, Starting with All-Electric Lexus LFA “Concept”
Toyota rolled out three high-performance models on Friday, with an option seemingly for everyone with deep enough pockets. That includes an all-electric “concept” set to return in production form as the long-awaited replacement for the Lexus LFA, as well as two V-8 packages from its Gazoo Racing subsidiary. Headlight.News takes a closer look.