On the Headlight News podcast this week, we look at tough April new vehicle sales numbers. We also examine the latest threat of raising tariffs on EU vehicles, plus we reviewed the 2026 Mazda CX-5 and more. Check it out at Headlight.News.
Hybrids
Hybrid Sales Set Record, Propped Up Weakening U.S. Auto Market
Hybrid sales set a record in April, accounting for about one in seven new vehicles sold by U.S. dealers – in the process helping prop up an otherwise weakening overall market. By year-end that could reach one in five, and it’s not just fuel prices driving the surge in hybrid demand. Headlight.News has more.
April Brought Gloomy Auto Sales, as Well As Showers
Car sales headed downward in April as gloomy economic news spawned by rising oil prices and higher inflation took the edge off the excitement of the traditional spring buying season. More from Headlight.News.
Headlight News Podcast for the Week of 4-20-26
This week, the Headlight News podcast covers Nissan’s newest turnaround plan, the four new offerings from Infiniti, BMW cutting the iX, and a new way to find the cheapest gas prices near you. Give us a listen.
Nissan Outlines Plans for New Product Portfolio, Leaner Operations and Growth in U.S. Market
Let by CEO Ivan Espinosa, senior Nissan officials spent nearly an hour Thursday morning outlining a grand plan meant to move beyond the massive cuts it was forced to make over the last few years. It calls for a smaller, more focused product portfolio, new powertrain technologies, more tech features, a leaner product development and manufacturing system – and growth in the key markets of the U.S., Japan and China. Headlight.News has more.
Nissan Sets New Direction with New “Vision” Plan
Breaking News: Nissan will streamline its vehicle line-up, even while adding more powertrain options, CEO Ivan Espinosa announced during a Tuesday morning news conference on Tuesday morning Tokyo time. The strategy, dubbed “Mobility Intelligence for Everyday Life,” will also see the second-largest Japanese automaker put more emphasis on “AI-defined vehicles.”
Next-Gen Nissan Rogue Launching as Hybrid Only
Nissan is getting ready to roll out an all-new version of its best-selling product line. But it will be taking a big risk with the 2027 Nissan Rogue. It’s not just the fact that the compact SUV will be offered solely as a hybrid for at least the first year, but the fact that this will be Nissan’s all-new e-Power technology which takes a radically different approach from the hybrids currently on the road. Headlight.News has more.
Kia Set to Launch Electrified Body-on-Frame Pickup in U.S. by 2030
Kia will follow sibling Korean brand Hyundai in launching a midsize pickup, one in what’s expected to be a family of body-on-frame trucks bound for the U.S. market by 2030. The Kia model will be offered with various powertrain options, including a hybrid and an extended-range EV package, reports Headlight.News.
Tariffs Leave Buick Struggling
The year’s gotten off to a bad start for Buick, the automaker’s U.S. sales down by roughly a third during the first quarter. Put the blame on the Trump auto import tariffs which have crippled sales of one of the brand’s most important products. Headlight.News has more.
Chevy Reportedly Set to Revive the Camaro – But as a Sedan
Three years after sending the Chevrolet Camaro driving off into the sunset, General Motors appears ready to bring it back to life – but it could be a very different vehicle from the one muscle car fans are familiar with. More from Headlight.News.
Hybrid Sales Defy Gravity
Auto sales tumbled sharply during the first quarter and could dip further, industry insiders warn. There is a big exception, however. After roughly doubling in 2025, sales of hybrid models rose another 57% through March. Headlight.News has more.
Headlight News Podcast for the Week of 4-6-26
On this week’s podcast, we cover the tough first quarter sales numbers despite strong hybrid sales. We check out the vehicle debuts from the 2026 New York International Auto Show. Finally, Ford beat Chevy again in the ongoing battle for pickup truck sales supremacy. Give it a listen!