Question of the Day

I just finished reading a piece that's been bouncing around the Internet for a few days now.

Inside EVs sent automotive journalist Kevin Williams to the Beijing Auto Show, and Williams walked away feeling like Chinese automakers are, generally speaking, building cars that could come to the States and immediately steal plenty of buyers from American, European, Japanese, and Korean automakers.

Today our podcast went deep on which brands are the cheapest and costliest to maintain.

Now I am curious what your experiences have been.

Today has become, completely unplanned, Cadillac day around here. Sometimes one story about a brand begets another one or two. That's been the case this afternoon.

It might surprise you that the Chevrolet Malibu is still in production, but according to a The Detroit News report I found via Autoblog, the venerable mid-size sedan will finish rolling off assembly lines in November.

Formula 1, as a global racing series, is immensely popular. It is, however, generally considered to not be as popular with an American audience, though its popularity seems to be growing in the States.

Earlier today I went on a bit of a rant about why I don't think, at this point in time at least, that automatic emergency braking shouldn't be mandated to be standard in new cars. Of course, it will be starting in 2029.

We've talked about autonomous cars on the podcast twice in recent weeks.

Jeep has brought back the Tuscadero color for the Wrangler, and now added it to the Gladiator.

For those unfamiliar, it's eye-searingly pink.

Yesterday, Tesla laid off the entire team responsible for working on its Supercharger stations. Considering that so many other automakers are in the process of switching to the Tesla charging standard, how is this going to affect the EV charging landscape?

I got a press release from Aston Martin today about the opening of a high-rise condo building in Miami that bears the company's branding.

Of course, the 66-story, 391-unit building is opening in time for next week's Miami Grand Prix Forumla 1 race.

We brought you news this morning that Fisker founder and boss Henrik Fisker has apparently listed his L.A. mansion for sale for more than Fisker appears to be worth.

So, would you rather own the house or own a small automaker?

Earlier today we reported on Honda's plan to invest in EV manufacturing in Canada.

Will it pay off?

We reported this morning on Nissan's plans to roll out new versions of the Armada, Murano, and Rogue as part of a plan to revitalize the brand and generate more sales.

Will it work?

Today we covered Tesla's back-and-forth on whether it will or won't build an affordable EV.

Yesterday we reported on a Consumer Reports story listing the most expensive and least expensive car brands in terms of maintenance.

Workers at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted to unionize on Friday. But the UAW won't stop there.

Matt went long on the UAW's drive to unionize auto plants located in the American South.

Normally, when a large, well-known company moves its headquarters, it's pretty big news.

That's because in many cases, the company is moving across the country, or perhaps from the city to the suburbs.

However, General Motors announced a move earlier this week and it seems like it's been met with a shrug.

That's because in this case, GM is moving just a few blocks.

I am told spring is here, though the weather has been, shall we say, inconsistent? We've had some warm days, and some spring rain, but it's also remained chilly at times. Spring in Chicago is non-linear, and this year is no exception.

Canada Corner. The Carousel*. The Corkscrew.

If you follow racing or even just know a little bit about famous racetracks, these names are familiar to you -- they are some of the most famous corners in racing.

Today's QOTD is a weird one, I know, but my brain works in weird ways sometimes.

Today's question of the day is early because I am currently in a meeting room learning about the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. Soon I will be heading to Laguna Seca to drive it.

That headline is weird, I know. No, I didn't sniff glue or slip too much whiskey into my afternoon cup of coffee. Nor is it jet lag speaking -- though I am in California for a first drive (more on that tomorrow). No, there really is a race track selling a jar full of used racing tires.

Yesterday, we covered Tesla boss Elon Musk refuting a Reuters report that the company is canceling its affordable EV. Musk also said that Tesla will be unveiling robotaxis this summer.

Is today's question of the day a shameless attempt to tie the Mitsubishi Eclipse to the actual eclipse? Sure, why not. But that doesn't mean it's not true -- myself and at least one other TTAC'er miss the hell out of that car.

You wouldn't know it by the weather, at least in parts of the country, but it is springtime according to the calendar.

Snow tires are coming off. So are car covers. And soon, the nation's detailers will be setting to work getting people's rides summer ready.

The question is -- is it worth it to pay for professional detailing?

Vehicle launches happen all the time. But only a select few seem to be highly anticipated.

Any time the Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Corvette gets updated, for example. Or something bread and butter like the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry.

Another example -- the return of the Ford Bronco in 2021.

Last week, we asked you about the most underrated car/truck on the market. Since most of you are enthusiasts, I'd guess that some of you recommend underrated vehicles when your friends and family ask you about purchase decisions. But what are the cars/trucks you steer your friends/family away from?

Over the weekend I trekked out to my parent's house for Easter. It's an hour's drive, minimum, and the return trip took almost double that due to rain and, according to Apple Maps, an accident on the interstate.

I make the trip a fair amount, and I also visit friends or attend personal/professional appointment in the suburbs often. This, plus the airport runs for the travel this job requires, plus the occasional drive to Detroit for events, plus the fact that I can't adequately test a vehicle if it's just sitting in the garage -- this means I drive a lot.

Today is April Fool's Day, and every year some automakers and some automotive media outlets post something "funny." Sometimes the jokes actually are funny, and sometimes they create a mess.

With all the excitement of the 2024 New York Auto Show and all the related vehicle debuts, I am thinking about the state of the market.

Over the past week we've seen 2024 New York Auto show debuts from Infiniti, Nissan, Genesis, Hyundai, Mini, and Kia.

Which one has you thinking about heading to the dealer?

Tomorrow is the press/media day for the 2024 New York Auto Show. My rear end is currently parked behind a desk in my Midtown/Times Square hotel, which means I will be at the Jacob Javits Center tomorrow.

Today's QOTD won't apply to those of you in the so-called "smile" states, at least not for the most part -- obviously some parts of California see snow, and Texas experiences the white stuff on occasion.

Once again, I am going to borrow today's question of the day from one of our earlier posts. I like to do this because it gives you all another forum to give your opinion about any given topic, and sometimes we can pick a particular question from a certain story and really dig in.

Today, Matt wrote about presidential candidate/former president Donald Trump's rhetoric involving tariffs and the automotive industry.

Matt wrote today about a mystery corner that seems to flummox drivers. A conveniently placed camera made me giggle a little as I read it -- we can laugh at that sort of stuff as long as no one is hurt.

We had a piece on Bentley owners feeling just a wee bit guilty about conspicuous consumption today. I found myself giggling a bit at the concept as I edited it -- aren't people who buy Bentleys showing off? At the very least, don't they not care what others think?

Chris wrote as much in his lede.

Matt wrote earlier about 15-minute cities by featuring plans being made in Cleveland. The purpose of these cities is basically to set up neighborhoods so that anything residents want or need is within a 15-minute walk -- thus reducing automobile traffic.

We all know there are certain Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) cars you cannot buy in the United States or Canada. So today's question of the day is a simple one -- which piece of forbidden fruit would you like?

I’ve been on a bender of buying and selling cars lately, which, in combination with my regular testing, has put me behind the wheel of a great number of new vehicles in a shorter time than usual. And, because of the seasonal influx of drivers from New York, New Jersey, and several southern states here in Maine, I’ve had the opportunity to use the horn in several of them. That has led me to an interesting question: Which car horns sound the most out of place?

Did you, like myself, once carry a stereo faceplate around because you felt like you had to remove it each time you parked or risk theft?

I am currently in Napa, California on business and while myself and some other media members rode in a Ford Expedition from the airport to the hotel, we kept spotting some pretty cool rides.

Today's QOTD is an easy one: We mentioned that Nissan might kill the GT-R.

So the question is: Should it?

We, along with Quaker State, gave away some oil this month.

That got me thinking about something -- not what oil you use (that might be a future QOTD), but where you get it changed.

I've been in the automotive media since late in 2007, and over the course of all that time, I've seen EV-focused startups come and go. Some went and came back, even.

Obviously, not everyone reading this site has worked in the automotive industry. That said, common sense suggests that at least some percentage of car enthusiasts reading an automotive-focused Web site have worked in the industry in one way or another.

Anecdotal evidence from the comments I read also shows that some of you have turned a wrench or sold whitewalls.

Today's Dodge Charger launch is going to drive a lot of conversations.

Including this question of the day.

I build and price new cars using manufacturer's Web sites a lot.

Sometimes it's for this job -- working on pricing for reviews or news. Sometimes it's for fun during downtime -- it's nice to daydream.

My question to you is this: How often do you, the car enthusiasts, do this?

Wide swaths of the motoring public tend to dislike spending money on new tires, thinking them little more than rubber circles which are all the same. As gearheads, we know the difference of course, and often dive into the purchase with zealous amounts of comparison and opinion. If only we could transfer this enthusiasm to everyone.

Until now, the specter of all-weather tires has been somewhat nebulous. Purported to be a bridge between all-seasons and winters, they used to be derided by some as ‘good at everything but great at nothing.’ But tire tech has come a great distance in a short amount of time, particularly from brands like Nokian which plow cubic acres of dollars into their R&D departments.

There's been a lot of snow all over the country, including where I live, today. Which leads me to one of the most timeless of all QOTDs -- how do you handle the white stuff?

Over the long holiday weekend I had a conversation about muscle cars from the late '60s/early '70s -- and also saw a bunch of them being posted on the Twitter/X account of a famous performance-car builder.

I enjoyed seeing the Camaros and Chevelle SSs and whatever else. It helped put a smile on my face after the weird year that was 2023. When gazing at a particularly lovely restored Chevelle SS, I thought to myself "man that's what a '60s/'70s muscle car looks like."

Then I realized there were several models that could be the primary representative of that era.

Rumors are sometimes way off the mark, but they’re fun to discuss even then. Earlier this year, the internet started buzzing about the Nissan Altima and its “upcoming” discontinuation. That got me thinking: If the Altima’s gone, which car will carry the torch for bad drivers everywhere?

Over the holiday break I saw some sort of minor Twitter/X spat between automotive journalists -- apparently one posted a picture of themselves driving and another took issue with hand placement -- and I got to wondering: Where on the steering wheel do you put your hands?

Today's QOTD is quite simple -- would you, if you have the dough, buy a Tesla Cybertruck?

Today's QOTD is an easy one -- what, to you, would be a fair deal between the UAW and the automakers?

After yesterday's post about the Brits delaying their plan to stop the sale of new gasoline-powered cars, I started to wonder -- will any automakers slow their own plans?

Not stop -- EVs are definitely coming in greater numbers, like or not -- but slow.

Two days ago we wrote about a study that tried to ascertain which cities had the best -- and worst -- drivers.

We reported yesterday that research/analysis firm AutoPacific found that the most wanted new-car feature among consumers is fog lamps.

The Gran Turismo movie, appropriately named Gran Turismo, opened on Friday.

Did you see it? If not, do you plan to?

We covered Hertz expanding its EV offerings yesterday. As I think it over, I have a couple of questions.