This week’s Headlight News podcast covers the latest on Trump and his tariffs, improved new car affordability, VW cutting costs and that EV owners are a loyal group while reviewing the 2026 Toyota C-HR and looking back at this week in automotive history.
Abandoning the midsize SUV market three years ago was a mistake Jeep has been paying for ever since. Yet it also set the stage for what looks to be a triumphant return. The all-new 2026 Jeep Cherokee does more than just fill a yawning gap. With its first-ever hybrid drivetrain, the sixth-generation SUV is precisely the sort of ground-up entry the Stellantis off-road brand needs. Headlight.News has this first review.
EV owners are becoming increasingly satisfied with their vehicles and, as a result, their likelihood of trading in for another all-electric model is nearly 100%, according to a new study by J.D. Power.
Cadillac’s first EV is now also the quickest Cadillac ever offered. Meanwhile, nothing about the way it looks or sounds suggests it’s capable of accelerating from zero to 60 in just over three seconds. The 2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V may be the ultimate Q-ship. Get details at Headlight.News.
Few major automakers have been more reluctant to embrace the shift to EVs. So it was a surprise to learn that Toyota will bring three new all-electric models to market this year – even while giving the original bZ4X both a new name and an upgraded powertrain. That system is shared with the smaller 2026 Toyota C-HR, it turns out, and transforms it into a sporty, fun-to-drive – and reasonably affordable package. Here’s the Headlight,News review.
Facing the prospect of being banned from the largest EV market in the U.S., Tesla has stopped using the name, Autopilot, on the vehicles it sells in California. It’s also updated the name of its more advanced Full Self-Driving system.
Tesla this week rolled out the first version of its Cybercab with no steering wheel. And CEO Musk indicated it will be available for $30,000. But who will buy one – especially with mounting concerns about the safety of Tesla’s self-driving vehicle technology blamed for a growing number of Cybercab crashes?
Has Polestar finally turned the corner? The Swedish automaker, spun off by Volvo nearly a decade ago, had a very good year in 2025 – and is looking to keep the momentum going as it prepares to roll out a series of new products, starting later this year with the debut of the Polestar 5.
When you’re posting nearly $20 billion in write-offs on your EV program it’s probably a good time to rethink what you’re doing. And that’s precisely why Ford Motor Co. launched the skunkworks Universal EV program designed to deliver “affordable,” long-range EVs that are also “fun to drive.” While the first version is still a year away, Headlight.News got a deep dive look at how the automaker plans to pull it off.
The Headlight News Podcast for the Week of 2-16-26 covers big Ford losses, sliding EV sales, the 2027 Toyota Highlander EV, President Trump pushing to block the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, plus we review the 2026 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium Plus and look back at this Week in Auto History. Give us a listen.
Driven largely by the phase-out of federal tax credits, U.S. sales of battery-electric vehicles slid last year, with registrations down for the first time in a decade. Most experts anticipate a rebound, though how much and how fast that recovery will happen is uncertain. Headlight.News has more.
China’s BYD saw a massive surge in global sales last year. It not only topped Tesla as world’s largest seller of battery-electric vehicles but also beat Ford Motor Co. in overall global sales. More from Headlight.News.