Stagnating demand in Western markets, the end of the ‘global car,’ and the cost of electrification present automakers and suppliers with a triple conundrum, says AlixPartners’ annual report on the state of the auto industry.
Technology
A Week With: 2026 BMW iX xDrive45
Introduced in 2020, with its first deliveries taking place in the latter part of 2021, as 2022 models, the BMW iX has now been around for over half a decade. The marque’s first purpose built all-electric SUV, the iX looked like something out of a science fiction movie when it was unveiled. Now a decade on, Headlight.News tells you just how mainstream the 2026 BMW iX xDrive45 has gotten.
At $24,950, Bezos-Backed Slate May Have Found the Roadmap to Beat China
EV start-up Slate’s little pickup will debut at a starting price of $24,950 later this year, well below any other all-electric truck now on the market. And, in its bid to change the EV price equation, the Bezos-backed automaker just might be showing the rest of the industry how to take on the “existential threat” posed by Chinese brands like BYD and Geely. But are buyers ready for what it’s offering at a time when EV sales have taken a big hit?
Depleted U.S. Weapons Stash Could Turn Detroit Into the “Arsenal of Democracy” Once Again
The Iran War has left the U.S. military with a depleted stockpile of weapons – even while revealing there’s an entirely new form of warfare. Yet that has the Pentagon reaching into its past and could see Detroit’s automakers emerge as a modern version of the “Arsenal of Democracy” that played a critical role in winning World War II. Headlight.News has more.
A Week With: 2026 Mazda CX-50 Turbo Meridian Edition
Mazda knows a good thing when it makes it. When the brand introduced the CX-50 in late 2021, it created a massive buzz. It supercharged Mazda’s transition to a crossover-dominated lineup. Four years later, nothing’s changed and it’s nearly the brand’s top-selling vehicle. More important, Mazda keeps making it better, as evidenced by the all-new 2026 Mazda CX-50 Turbo Meridian Edition. Find out why in our review at Headlight.News.
A Week With: 2026 Toyota Tacoma Limited Hybrid
For two decades, the Toyota Tacoma has been the best-selling midsize pickup in America. After a week in the Tacoma Limited, I’m not sure what could happen to change that. Toyota builds a Tacoma for everybody. That said, Headlight.News did find a small flaw in the Limited model … most people would call that “a needle in a haystack.” Check out our review of the country’s top midsize pickup.
A Week With: 2026 Subaru Solterra Premium
In the case of the 2026 Subaru Solterra, a thin line can be said to exist between refreshed and all-new. Subaru’s marketing team touts the marque’s EV using the all-new honorific, while we here at Headlight.News see it more as being significantly updated. Check out the review and find out why.
GM Takes on the Challenge of Backing Up the Struggling Electrical Grid with New Sodium Ion Batteries
Even though EV sales may be slowing down, the nation’s electrical grid faces a variety of challenges, especially with the surge in data center construction. GM plans to lend a hand through a new partnership bringing out backup technology using new sodium ion battery technology. More from Headlight.News.
Doggone: On Dog Rescues and EVs
A group of auto journalists are using a fleet of EVs to transport 16 rescue dogs on an 1,800-mile trip to their forever homes. Check out how things are going at Headlight.News.
Audi Hopes Nuvolari Puts Charge into Lagging Sales — But is it U.S.-Bound?
Things have been quiet at German automaker Audi — until now with the reveal of the Nuvolari, which will be the brand’s fastest and most powerful model ever when it hits the road. However, the big question is: Will American’s get a chance to own one? Headlight.News has insights.
A Week With: 2026 Ram 1500 Express Crew Cab 4×2
With the introduction of their ‘Big Rig” styling back in 1993, Dodge Ram pickup trucks suddenly began finding favor with consumers, having languished in the marketplace for quite some time. Check out our review of the 2026 Ram 1500 Express Crew Cab to see how now-its-own-brand Ram is looking to change that at Headlight.News.
A Festival — Of Mud: Retired Journo Puts SUVs to the Test
At this year’s Mudfest by the NorthWest Automotive Press Association, a retired automotive journalist drives an absurd range of SUVs and one pickup truck to see which one he likes best. Find out which one wins and check out other shenanigans in the story at Headlight.News.