Dodge is in the news this week with its new Charger, which will be offered with gas and electric powertrains. While the automaker’s parent company is moving toward electrification, it remains dedicated to internal combustion, announcing that it would invest billions in a new engine that runs on ethanol. The automaker said its investments in South America, specifically Brazil, show its confidence in the continent and a desire to reduce emissions with bio-hybrid technologies.

Tesla released a new Model 3 for 2024, but keen eyes immediately noticed that the automaker had only refreshed two of the car’s three previous configurations. The standard range rear-drive model remained, along with the Model 3 Long Range, but the Performance was nowhere to be found. That could be changing, though, in typical Tesla fashion, there are no official confirmations.

The Nissan Leaf was already the most affordable EV on sale, but recent changes have made it even cheaper. The automaker announced that the car has regained eligibility for federal tax credits, though for only half of the maximum $7,500.

With the 2024 Dodge Charger having finally been previewed, driving enthusiasts have been arguing about whether the all-new model is an improvement from the original or a grotesque misstep. While it looks similar to its predecessor, Stellantis opted to abandon V8 powertrains for a turbocharged I6 or 400-volt electric architecture. The car has also fully embraced all-wheel drive at the expense of rear-drive variants. Considering the above, it should be no shocker that the brand likewise snubbed manual transmissions — with Dodge having just confirmed the decision.

If you’ve rented a car in recent years, there’s a great chance you were offered a Nissan of some sort. Whether it’s the Altima or Rogue, Nissan has long relied heavily on fleet sales, and the company’s most recent sales numbers show that the habit hasn’t died yet. A whopping 44 percent of its February 2024 sales, or around 40,000 vehicles, went to fleets, so get ready to be a temporary Nissan driver the next time you rent a car.

Upstart automaker Rivian has had its ups and downs, but buyers have pretty consistently rated it highly for satisfaction. Though the company’s first two vehicles, the R1T pickup and R1S SUV, are expensive, high-end EVs, Rivian has announced smaller models riding on a new R2 platform. The first, a lower-cost electric SUV, is expected to be revealed on March 7, but we’re getting a sneak peek at the specs and pricing thanks to the internet sleuths on X/Twitter.

Honda leaned on General Motors to help get its EV program off the ground here in the U.S., and it appears that the partnership is paying off in other ways. The automaker recently announced that its upcoming Prologue EV would be eligible for federal tax credits of $7,500, meaning buyers can get around 15 percent off the SUV’s purchase price at the point of sale.

A thesis will surely be written in the future about the yo-yo behavior of EV prices which are seeming to coincide with early adopters getting their fill while everyone else needs to be talked into the things. The latest? A round of cuts at Nissan on the tongue-twisting Ariya.

Tesla might not be the most dominant EV maker in the world, but it’s on top of the market here in the United States. Legacy automakers like Ford and General Motors are in the hunt, but so far, no one has been able to topple Tesla’s top spot. BMW is hoping to take some of the shine off of Tesla’s crown with a new incentive that gives buyers a $1,000 discount to buy one of its new EVs.

Pour another one out for the eight-cylinder engine. With the configuration departing from machines like the Ram half-ton pickup truck, Dodge Charger, and comprising only a relatively slim percentage of F-150 sales, it should be no surprise it is vanishing at some other brands as well.

A whistleblower has accused FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem of abusing his authority to influence the results of the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The alleged action was attributed toward influencing the results of the Formula 1 event.

Updated European safety certifications may discourage global automakers from leaning so heavily upon touch controls in the future. While not a formal government regulator, the European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) is extremely influential in a manner similar to the United States’ Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). These are the entities testing the crash worthiness of modern automobiles, or bench-marking industry safety standards, and Euro NCAP has elected to make distracted driving a major issue moving forward. By 2026, any vehicles sold within the European market will need to include physical controls to be deemed truly safe.

Toyota may be pushing hard toward more diverse propulsion options instead of solely focusing on EVs, but that doesn’t mean it’s not looking for ways to make headway on electrification. The Japanese auto giant recently announced its acquisition of Primearth EV Energy from Panasonic, which it said would give it a significant boost toward EV battery mass production.

We’ve heard of automakers shuttering factories for production issues and parts shortages over the last few years, but Tesla’s recent shutdown is a new one. The automaker said it shut down production at its Gigafactory Berlin due to a potential sabotage attack, which left the facility without power.

Muscle cars are going electric.

Well, maybe not across the board. The internal-combustion engine Mustang seems safe, at least in the short term. That said, there will be at least one muscle-car EV on the market soon: The 2024 Dodge Charger.

Car companies have been building vehicle trims specifically for the Texan market for some spell, pandering to celebrating the Lone Star State with these special editions.

In a new recall, some members of the Grand Cherokee family will require a dealership visit to sort out a problem with upper control arm pinch bolts which may have been damaged during vehicle assembly.

Things looked promising for Fisker at first, and the automaker actually delivered on its promise to design and manufacture a new EV. Even so, the automotive market is brutal and unforgiving, and Fisker’s fortunes have turned as it has had an uphill battle getting its new Ocean SUV out the door. The company recently announced a layoff of 15 percent of its workforce and said it would pause investments until it could find a new partner.

It now appears that help could come from Nissan, who, according to Reuters, might be close to investing $400 million into the struggling EV maker.

The Honda Pilot has always been a family-friendly SUV with plenty of room, but the automaker has been pushing it toward more rugged styling and an adventurous personality in recent years. Honda recently introduced the TrailSport variant with all-terrain tires and an off-road look, and for 2025, the SUV is getting a new Black Edition that brings 20-inch wheels and dark exterior trim for an aggressive look.

Big shocker here: Inefficiency is inefficiency, and it doesn’t matter if it comes from a gas or electric powertrain. Big, heavy EVs have proven to be just as wasteful as many of their internal combustion engine counterparts, though they aren’t producing any tailpipe emissions in the process. The GMC Hummer EV SUV ranked high on the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy’s (ACEEE) list of “meanest” vehicles for the environment, placing only slightly better than the gas-powered Mercedes-Benz G 550 SUV.

Volvo is introducing a new feature that alerts drivers of accidents reported on the road ahead. With similar services available for free on select phone apps, many of which can be integrated with your vehicle’s infotainment display, Volvo’s offering doesn’t sound incredibly novel on its face. But it’s leveraging real-time data from government-operated traffic management centers via the automobile’s proprietary user interface, technically making the feature the first of its kind within the automotive industry.

On Thursday, the Biden administration announced plans to investigate the potential national security risks being confronted by American automakers and any threats posed by connected vehicle technologies controlled by foreign adversaries — including China.

Chinese automaker BYD has been seeking to build an automotive plant in Mexico, with the company’s regional chief executive confirming the plan on Wednesday. CEO Stella Li has stated that BYD has yet to decide upon a final location. But that plan is for the site to boast a production capacity of 150,000 vehicles annually, with none being slated for export to the United States.

The Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon bring a lot to like in a more maneuverable package than full-size trucks can offer. Tens of thousands of them might also bring unexpected automatic emergency braking, leading to a recall.

Ford was the first company to announce a move to Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS), and the automaker is now the first to offer access to the Supercharger network. The Blue Oval announced that its customers can now get a free Fast Charging Adapter that lets their vehicles access Tesla’s chargers.

This week, Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) is introducing legislation to increase tariffs on imported Chinese vehicles this week with the stated goal of dealing with the “existential threat posed by China.”

The bill seeks to raise the base tariff rate from 2.5 percent to 100 percent, including vehicles owned by Chinese-based automakers that are assembled in places like Mexico. With Chinese exports already under a 27.5 percent tariff, the changes would effectively make those products prohibitively expensive.

Tesla has this awesome habit of announcing a vehicle and then waiting several years to start selling it. The Cybertruck just went on sale in late 2023, four years after its reveal, but it’s not the worst offender on Tesla’s “Is it really coming?” list. That honor goes to the Tesla Roadster.

Announced in late 2017, the car was initially scheduled for release in 2020, but CEO Elon Musk pushed the date back, citing the need to focus on developing other models. Musk first set the date in 2023, but in a post on X this morning, he moved the goalpost again, this time to 2025.

The hackneyed old joke of a ‘loose nut behind the wheel’ causing a crash may be even more worn out than your author’s favorite Cole Haan loafers, but a manufacturing issue involving potential loose nuts on the axles of certain Toyota Tacoma pickup trucks is a very real problem which has led to a large recall.

Mercedes-Benz will reportedly be offering the all-electric EQS with a traditional grille lifted from the S-Class sedan. The brand’s all-electric flagship has failed to unseat the true king and the company has taken steps to try and incorporate some of the older model’s charms into the EV. Moving forward, the EQS will have a more traditional exterior as an option — perhaps signaling that the entire EQ line will soon be abandoning its overtly electric design language.

Automotive designs and engineering are rapidly evolving, and new cars today look and perform differently than models from just a few years ago. That’s especially true for heavier, much quicker electric vehicles. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety updates its crash-testing criteria to account for the changes, which can often result in poorer scores in some categories.

Hyundai Motor Group bucked that trend in early testing this year, earning six Top Safety Pick + designations, the IIHS’ highest award, making it the most awarded automaker so far.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles offer a unique EV experience, and their ability to completely refuel in just a few minutes makes them more convenient than their battery-powered counterparts. That said, they’re only sold in California, and there are only two models available. Honda was a player in the hydrogen game but stopped selling the Clarity in 2022. That’s about to change, however, as the automaker recently announced the CR-V e:FCEV, the first plug-in hydrogen vehicle in the United States.

What would the automotive world be without an endless set of teasers for upcoming vehicles (and the attendant websites which report on them *looks around and shuffles feet*)? This time, Infiniti is keen on offering a few creative angles of a new variant of their upcoming jumbo SUV, the QX80.

Vehicle inventories are now approaching the highest levels seen since the summer of 2020. This is according to a report from Cox Automotive, which stated that the month of February opened with the industry seeing an average new vehicle supply of 80 days. However, the figure still doesn’t match the supply averages seen at the start of 2020.

Billed as the next steps in Fiat’s product lineup, the brand has hauled the (digital) sheets off an array of new models which are all said to share a common global platform.

Toyota is in the middle of a sizable recall relating to the 10-speed automatic transmission from Aisin used on several of its larger models. The campaign encompasses roughly 280,000 vehicles split between the 2022-2024 Toyota Tundra (including the hybrid variant), 2023-2024 Sequoia, and 2022-2024 Lexus LX 600. Concerns revolve around the possibility of the gearbox not disengaging properly when placed into neutral.

Toyota has taken an all-around beating for its decision to focus on a diverse array of alternative fuels and electrification options instead of going all-in on EVs, but that approach has started to look more prudent as other companies struggle with slower-than-expected growth. The Japanese auto giant has developed hydrogen powertrains and been a staunch supporter of hybrid technologies, and now it is testing a new engine that can remove carbon from the air.

Ford has stopped shipments of the 2024 F-150 Lightning, but not because there isn’t demand for the electric truck. The automaker said it stopped deliveries on February 9 to conduct quality inspections, but production is still rolling at the automaker’s Rouge Electric Vehicle Center.

Pursuant to federal law (we’ve always wanted to start a post in that manner), BMW is recalling approximately 80,000 machines from the 2023 and 2024 model years for vexing problems with braking systems.

The Ineos Fusilier is on its way, bringing two electrified powertrains, a skateboard chassis, and the brand’s signature old-school styling. Company chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe said the vehicle offers Ineos’ robust off-road capabilities, noting that the range extender makes a fully electric vehicle more practical for many buyers.

Love them or hate them, there are quite a few use cases in which an EV is the ideal vehicle. Public transportation, route deliveries, and school buses are great examples of vehicle types that would benefit from electrification, and New Jersey is putting money behind that thought to send electric school buses to 18 school districts.

The United States Department of Energy has confirmed plans to loan $544 million to South Korean tech conglomerate SK Group under the conditions it be used to expand semiconductor production in the Midwest. Finances have been earmarked for a facility operated by subsidiary SK Siltron CSS to expand a plant located in Bay City, Michigan, which had previously expressed plans to build more chips.

The Fiat 500e is coming to America and is expected to arrive soon, and the automaker has announced that its first round of allocated vehicles has sold out. Despite parent company Stellantis’ significant U.S. manufacturing footprint and the need to produce EVs locally to meet evolving federal tax credit rules, the 500e will roll off the line at Fiat’s factory near Turin, Italy, and production for American-spec cars has begun.

Rivian customers love their vehicles and the brand, helping it achieve a top spot among premium brand owner satisfaction, but that hasn’t saved the automaker from an overall EV market that has grown less enthusiastically than hoped. The company recently announced that it would lay off 10 percent of its workforce, citing slower-than-expected sales and rising interest rates as being significant headwinds.

When Dodge previewed its Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust for the all-electric Charger Daytona SRT concept (pictured), enthusiasts were divided. Some thought the idea of a faux exhaust system, designed to help EVs mimic the howl of a V8, was a cringe-worthy gimmick. But others felt it broke new ground in terms of vehicular sound design and would ensure electric cars could retain some of the magic of combustion vehicles. Regardless of which camp you happen to staked your tent, parent company Stellantis has continued on with the premise and has likewise patented a system that creates fake engine vibrations to further the illusion of combustion-derived propulsion.

Mazda recently revealed the CX-70, a new two-row SUV closely related to the three-row CX-90 that debuted for the 2024 model year. Like its larger counterpart, the CX-70 is available with electrified powertrains, including a plug-in hybrid option. The automaker has just released pricing for the new SUV, which starts at just over $40,000.

After a small hiatus, the Toyota Land Cruiser returns for 2024, occupying a slightly different spot on the food chain than its forebear.

General Motors hasn’t had the smoothest time with its move to “in-house” the infotainment software in its vehicles. The Chevrolet Blazer EV has seen a stop-sale in recent months while the automaker gets its ducks in a row, and now, we’re talking about the GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado. GM voluntarily paused sales of its popular midsize trucks to fix issues with their software.

Reports are circulating that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will soften vehicle emissions targets against the stringent metrics proposed by the group in 2023. This follows lackluster EV adoption rates that run counter to the plan and pushback from dealer organizations, automakers, and consumer groups. But we need to take a closer look at the story, because things are rarely as simple as initially presented.

Alphanumeric vehicle names can be confusing, especially if they’re not directly tied to a vehicle specification or feature. Volvo ran into that issue with its electric and plug-in hybrid models, leading the automaker to change their names to more clearly designate their places in its catalog.

A new recall has been issued for numerous models in the Genesis family of vehicles, stretching all the way back to 2015 when about half of the vehicles in this safety alert were still named the Hyundai Genesis.

Just short of the eight-month mark, Amazon’s expensive The Grand Tour is back for its penultimate episode. Following last summer’s “ Eurocrash,” the maturely titled “Sand Job” sends the trio of presenters to an all-new location to tread upon content ground they’ve crossed many times previously. And though the special is sparse on content, it’s certainly coming with length.

Thousands of vehicles manufactured under the umbrella of Volkswagen Group are being held at U.S. ports for allegedly violating the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). Enacted in 2021, the law is supposed to prohibit the utilization of slave labor in Western China. While the impacted automakers include Porsche, Bentley and Audi, we’ve seen plenty of brands being accused of leveraging forced labor in the Xinjiang region of China, where the country is said to have forcibly concentrated the Uyghur ethnic minority.

Despite having been quoted as confirming the BMW M5 Touring for North America, Domagoj Dukec has just recanted. Earlier statements from the brand’s design head stipulating that our market would have access to both the sedan and wagon versions of the M5 have been taken back — leaving everyone following the story more than a little perplexed.

The Lucid Air is one of the most impressive and expensive EVs on sale today. Its range and acceleration are the stuff of legend, but its price tag means that only the most privileged buyers can get behind the wheel. However, while it’s still quite pricey, the car just got significantly more affordable, and the automaker is offering credits for charging equipment.

Of all the advanced driver assistance systems in the world, reverse automatic emergency braking (AEB) is my least favorite. Something about an alarm blaring and the vehicle violently braking for an unseen danger, which often does not exist, is not my idea of a fun day out. AAA doesn’t love the feature, either, and a recent study from the organization found that reverse AEB is only successful in preventing a tiny number of potential crashes.

Ford is said to be in early stages of dumping parking assistance features on future models because drivers aren’t using the feature enough. Active Park Assist has been around for over a decade at this point. However, the computer-guided parallel parking feature is supposedly not going to be appearing in future models as a way to help the automaker cut production costs.

China’s BYD is reportedly prepared to set up a new production facility in Mexico with the alleged plan to use the locale as an export hub for the United States.

Mexico has long been a convenient venue for automakers vying to sell products within the Western Hemisphere without having to pay the kind of salaries commensurate with higher living standards. American brands love sending jobs to Mexico, as does every other company interested in moving high volume models through North and South America. With BYD having previously voiced its global aspirations, setting up shop in El Águila Real seems like an obvious play.

The Kia Stinger lived a bright but shockingly brief life, but it appears the automaker may have a replacement lined up with its move to electric vehicles. A recent report from Korea claims that Kia is working on the Stinger’s replacement, noting that the car will move to electrification with its new form.

Tesla made news on several occasions last year for cutting prices on the Model 3 sedan, but the automaker appears to have reversed course with the introduction of the car’s 2024 refresh. The Model 3 is now the same cost as the Model Y, moving it away from the impressive price point it had for much of last year.

Here’s one for all you Romeos who conveniently forgot to get their Juliet something for Valentine’s Day. Mercedes-Benz is launching a new campaign featuring 300 examples of a G 550 studded with a quartet of 0.25-carat diamonds.