Sales of new vehicles remained steady in May. But despite conventional wisdom that the battery-electric market is dying, buyers showed renewed interest in electrified models, including EVs and hybrids. Headlight.News has more.
Green Power
Toyota Scraps Plans For All-Electric LF-ZC Flagship
Toyota’s scrapped plans for the LF-ZC, the sedan that was set to serve as the new Lexus flagship. The move, Toyota said, reflects “fluctuations in market demand and the workload associated with vehicle planning and manufacturing,” and marks a sharp turnaround in EV strategy by the Japanese automaker’s new CEO. More from Headlight.News.
First Drive: 2026 Lexus ES sedans
Lexus arrived on the scene in 1989 with two new vehicles ready to compete in the luxury world: the LS and the ES. Flash forward nearly four decades and the ES not only survives, it thrives and the brand is making sure it continues to do so with the new model for 2026. Headlight.News got some time behind the wheel and can confirm it’s still among the best offerings in the segment in our First Drive.
Ferrari Luce: Is This the “Destruction of a Legend”?
Ferrari officially pulled the covers off the Luce, its first-ever battery electric vehicle. Despite some kind words from Pope Leo, however, the reaction to the $640,000 was largely unflattering. Is this the product that brings the house of the “prancing pony” crashing down? Headlight.News has more.
Iran War Oil Crisis May be Adding $700 or More to Your Annual Fuel Bill
Three months after the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, fuel prices are hovering in the mid-$4.00-a-gallon range. And that’s hitting the average American motorist hard in the pocketbook. Tthose driving gas-powered vehicles can expect to pay an extra $706 a year for fuel should the war drag on and gas prices hold at current levels. Headlight.News has more.
A Week With: 2026 Toyota Camry SE Nightshade
Toyota’s decision to stick with sedans a decade ago when other makers fled the segment didn’t guarantee a better version of its mainstay Camry — it was the brand’s history of constant improvement that ensured the 2026 Camry would be excellent. A week in the Camry SE Nightshade confirmed that to be true. Go to Headlight.News to check out our review.
Stellantis in the Fastlane: Who Were the Winners and Losers?
Being bigger isn’t always better. Stellantis has 14 separate auto brands which can be difficult to support after last year’s big losses. Under the new Fastlane 2030 turnaround plan, the automakers is keeping them all – but some brands fare better than others. Headlight.News looks at the winners and losers.
Stellantis Lays Our Global, $70 Bil Turnaround Plan – But It’s the U.S. it’s Betting Big On
Aiming to reverse a series of setbacks to sales and earnings, Stellantis Thursday unveiled a $70 billion turnaround plan that will see it launch more than 60 new vehicles by decade’s end. But while markets from Europe to Africa to Asia should benefit, the Fastlane 2030 program depends disproportionately on two U.S. brands: Jeep and Ram. Headlight.News has more.
Review: 2027 Kia Seltos is a Little Wonder
Since its rolled into the market in 2019, the Kia Seltos has become one of the Korean carmaker’s major product lines. But, in a highly competitive segment, it needed some major updates to keep momentum building. As Headlight.News discovered during a drive adventure in South Korea, the second-generation 2027 Kia Seltos comes through. Here’s our review.
No Longer Locked in the Bargain Basement, the New Seltos Shows Why Kia is a Brand to Reckon With
It started out as a nearly invisible, “cheap and cheerful” brand. Today, Kia is one of the fastest-growing brands on the U.S. market and challenging not only competitors like Nissan but its own Korean sibling Hyundai. The redesigned 2027 Kia Seltos is a reason why.
VW Bringing Back ID.Buzz in 2027 Including Tourer Model – But You Can Get Great Deal on 2025 Leftovers
Volkswagen is bringing back the ID.Buzz. It pulled the all-electric microbus from its 2026 lineup due to slow sales. VW isn’t yet revealing prices for the 2027 model year but plans to offer a more interesting mix of trims, including a retro-inspired Tourer. Not looking to wait? You can get some great deals on 2025 leftovers.
Headlight News Podcast for the Week of 5-18-26
On the Headlight News podcast this week, we look the rise of hybrid sales and the moves by Honda and Mazda to meet demand. We also cover the looming shortage of base oils due to the conflict with Iran. Finally we review the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz SRT. Check out the podcast, give us some feedback.