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.
This week on the podcast, we cover news from Stellantis, Volkswagen’s revival of the ID. Buzz, Ferrari finally building an EV, the Luce, and we review the 2026 Toyota Camry SE Nightshade. Check it out.
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 and Jaguar Land Rover signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore “opportunities to collaborate on product development” – though the MOU is specifically focused on the U.S. market. The announcement comes a day before Stellantis is set to announce a broad new strategy that will focus its efforts on just four key brands, leaving some observers wondering how an alliance with JLR would fit in. Headlight.News has more.
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.
Honda reported its first loss in seven decades, largely due to major cuts in its EV program. But the automaker plans a major ramp-up of its hybrid line-up, its CEO revealed. Mazda is following a similar strategy, albeit on a smaller scale, as Headlight.News reports.
Subaru found itself caught with nothing to offer during the initial years of the SUV boom back in the 1990s. To compensate, the marque raised the ride height of its Legacy station wagon and billed it as the Legacy Outback — the “World’s First Sport Utility Wagon.” Now the brand has a “proper” ute in the 2026 Outback Wilderness and it’s unclear if it was necessary to make the change. Get the answer in our review at Headlight.News.
President Donald Trump’s summit meeting with Chinese President Ji Xinping is expected to cover a broad range of topics straining relations between the two countries, from the future of Taiwan to trade. Few would be surprised if Xi doesn’t press his American counterpart to open the door to Chinese autos. And that has the U.S. automakers — and some key lawmakers worried. Get details at Headlight.News.
If the word, “hybrid” brings to mind an awkward little vehicle sacrificing space, comfort and anything close to the “fun-to-drive” factor for better fuel economy you might be in for a shock should you check out the latest hybrid offerings. Get the story at Headlight.News.
The city of Savannah is known for history — and, perhaps, ghosts — but low-slung, sleek industrial buildings that lay alongside a highway outside nearby Ellabell tell a more modern story. Those buildings make up Hyundai’s new Metaplant. The plant seems to represent the future of manufacturing — a future that’s even more automated than what we see now. Get the story at Headlight.News.
Kia built its first car in 1974, some 30 years after the company was founded. Nineteen years later, the company launched its first model in the United States: the Sephia. It was a decent, if something of an ordinary car — a word that cannot be applied to any of the marque’s offerings. A good example of this is the Headlight.News review this week: the 2026 Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo Hatchback.
While the tight regulations and tariffs for the U.S. market are causing some Chinese automotive manufacturers to rethink their plans to stablish plants in Mexico, GAC Motors officially announced it will assemble cars south of our border, as part of its global One GAC 2.0 strategy. Details at Headlight.News.