Top Stories
Maybe Quality is Job 1; After Years of Headaches, Ford Surges to the Top in 2026 JD Power IQS
Has Ford Motor Co. finally found the formula to fix its long-running quality headaches? That just might be the case based on the latest J.D. Power Initial Quality Study. The Detroit automaker had a huge drop in “things-gone-wrong” this year, handily besting its mainstream rivals and nearly reaching the top of the IQS quality chart overall. Headlight.News has more.
Jaguar’s Make-it-or-Break it EV to Debut in October
Jaguar confirmed plans to reveal its new Type 01 grand touring vehicle during a launch event in New York in October. The $150,000 all-electric model is more than just the most important Jaguar in decades. It could determine whether the brand has any future, reports...
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.
UAW Pres. Fain Fights for His Political Life – and that Could Trigger a Wave of Strikes
The UAW plans to fatten up its strike fund as it prepares for fights with big, corporate employers. But union Pres. Shawn Fain also faces a potentially explosive re-election campaign in the months to come as the union moves to fill spots on its executive board.
Podcasts
Get the Latest Auto News on the HEADLIGHT.NEWS Podcast
Headlight News Podcast for the Week of 2-16-26
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.
Headlight News Podcast for the Week of 2-9-26
On this week’s Headlight News podcast, we cover the big hit to Stellantis’ earnings, Toyota’s changes at the top as well as its new EV, plus the decline of new car sales last month. We also review the 2026 Honda Prelude and more. Give us a listen!
Headlight.News Podcast for the Week of 2-2-26
This week’s Headlight News podcast chronicles the fall of GM and Tesla earnings, Toyota setting a new sales record, Mercedes showing its new S-Class, automakers not advertising during the Super Bowl this year. Give us a listen and tell us what you think.
Headlight News Podcast for the Week of 1-26-26
On this week’s Headlight News podcast, we cover the influence China is having on the U.S. automotive market, declining Cybertruck demand and sales, Mercedes equipping its 2027 E-Class with heated seatbelts and more. Check it out at Headlight.News.
Latest Reviews
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.
A Week With: 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness
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.
A Week With: 2026 Kia K4 Hatchback GT-Line Turbo
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.
Lexus Bucks the EV Trend, New TZ Will its Third All-Electric Model for the U.S.
While most automakers are cutting back on their EV plans, Toyota Motor Co. is ramping up. And it’s taken the covers off the latest addition, the Lexus TZ set to become the luxury brand’s third all-electric model. Headlight.News has more.
A Week With: 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT AWD
A few years ago, Hyundai made waves with the debut of its car/truck, the Santa Cruz. It arrived with a natural rival, the Ford Maverick compact pickup. Fast forward to now, the Santa Cruz is on its way out — and that’s a damned shame. Find out why at Headlight.News.