Nissan Announces Pricing for 2024 Frontier

The Nissan Frontier finally got the overhaul it needed in 2022 and has received generally positive reviews despite the fact that it’s not as refined or advanced as its rivals. As it stares down a 2024 model year in which all of its competitors are newer and more attractive, the Frontier is getting a new Hardbody Edition that piles on nostalgia and a few feature upgrades to some trims. Nissan also released pricing, which starts at a reasonable $29,770 before destination and taxes.

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GMC Just Revealed the Larger, More Tech-Packed 2024 Acadia

Midsize SUVs are many automakers’ bread and butter, so they work hard to keep the family haulers updated to stay competitive with the increasingly crowded field of alternatives. GMC’s midsize utility vehicle is getting an update for 2024, with increased exterior dimensions, updated tech, and a harder-core AT4 model with more off-road capability. 

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Gas War: U.S. House Suggests Ending California Emissions Authority, White House Says Nope

On Tuesday, the White House voiced its opposition to a Republican bill scheduled to be voted on by the U.S. House of Representatives that would prevent California from receiving federal waivers to set standards limiting the sale of gasoline-driven automobiles.

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Jeep Gifts Wrangler Updates to Gladiator


In what’s likely the most obvious move this year other than the Blackhawks taking Connor Bedard in the NHL draft*, Jeep has announced they are applying to the Gladiator nearly all the same updates its close cousin, the Wrangler, earned a few months ago.

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Cadillac Reveals Details on the 2025 CT5

The Cadillac CT5 is getting an overhaul for 2025, bringing revised interior and exterior styling, new tech, and more standard safety features. The car’s powertrain remains unchanged, and there’s no word yet on a performance variant, but the updated sports sedan should still be compelling enough to be competitive in the new world of electrification.

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Honda Fans Can Visit the Automaker's New Museum at Its California HQ

Believe it or not, Honda’s been around in the U.S. for decades, and to Celebrate, the automaker opened the American Honda Collection Hall to show some of its most iconic models. The display will be open during regular "Cars and Coffee" events starting in October.

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First Look: 2024 Ford F-150

In Detroit, the Truck Wars never sleep. All the players enjoy nothing more than beating each other over the head with power outputs, towing capacity, and what they think is the Next Great Gadget™. For 2024, Ford is re-upping the F-150 with a midcycle refresh – and answering GM and Ram with an innovation of its own.

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Volkswagen Recalls Jetta for Ignition Problems

The feds are telling Wolfsburg to recall about 47,000 Jetta sedans in this country, all from the 2019 and 2020 model years, thanks to an issue in cars with the old-school ignition switch.

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Man Attacking Cruise AV Captured on Video

One of the autonomous test vehicles operated by Cruise in San Francisco has been attacked by a masked assailant wielding a hammer — signaling that the city’s relationship with AVs has only gotten more complicated.

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Toyota Under Pressure From Dealers to Develop a Small Pickup

Pickup trucks have been all the rage for years now, and automakers have reveled in the opportunity to make as much money as possible with new models. Ford can’t make the compact Maverick fast enough to keep pace with demand and rumors have floated for years that Ram would bring its compact 700 pickup north from Mexico. Toyota, whose Tacoma has led its segment for a while now, is hearing from its dealers that it’s time to act with a competing smaller pickup. Automotive News reported that Toyota dealers are pressuring the automaker to retake the compact truck crown it established in the U.S. back in the 1970s.

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Porsche and Audi Recall Almost 6,700 EVs for Insufficient Battery Sealant

Large automakers save money by sharing platforms and engineering designs across individual brands, but the practice means that problems affecting one model tend to impact related vehicles. Porsche and Audi recently issued a recall that illustrates that point, as the vehicles share most of their underlying engineering and could have batteries with insufficient sealant.

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Rental Review: The 2023 Chevrolet Malibu, Last Domestic Midsize Standing

In its current guise since 2016, the ninth-gen Chevrolet Malibu is no spring chicken; the rumor is an all-new model will arrive in 2025. And after three days and some 700 miles behind the wheel of a 2023 example, your author has a few observations and a strong overall opinion on the very last domestic midsize sedan in production. Let’s hop in and journey east, through the Appalachian Plateau.

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What's the Deal? UAW Strike Deadline Nears With No Contracts Signed

Last week, Stellantis slid the United Auto Workers (UAW) a contract proposal that would raise hourly workers' pay by 14.5 percent over the next four years. The deal is roughly on par with the 15 percent initially offered by Ford and 16 percent from General Motors. It likewise said it would provide workers $10,500 in inflation-related bonuses while GM offered $11,000 at GM and Ford said it could swing $12,000. Though Stellantis doesn’t appear to be offering any contract ratification bonuses, whereas others manufacturers said they’d be happy to throw in another $5,500.

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Ford Teases Next F-150, Full Reveal Tomorrow

Can manufacturers tend to enjoy shrouding their upcoming vehicles in a cloud of ranchland dust or billowing tire smoke – depending on what they’re trying to keep under wraps, of course. Pickup trucks often get the former, which is exactly what was deployed for a brief teaser video for the next F-150 which popped up on Instagram just one day before the entire thing is revealed in Detroit.

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Nissan Hints at Hardbody Revival

We know there are more than a few members of the B&B who look upon the era of small trucks with no small amount of fondness. Nissan Hardbody, Toyota Pickup, Mitsu Mighty Max – they all hold a place in the minds of many.


Nissan seems to be on the cusp of reintroducing something with the Hardbody name, releasing this image just the other day and promising answers next week.

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BMW Walks Back Decision to Offer Subscription-Based Heated Seats

Automakers and companies of all types frequently survey their customers to develop ideas for new products and get feedback on existing items. But while that information is valuable and should be considered when creating new products, some companies seem to bypass the process altogether and end up rolling out something unexpected. Apple did a great job of that with the iPhone, creating a whole world of new products that people didn’t know they needed, but BMW didn’t have the same luck when it made the move to package popular vehicle features in added-cost subscription services. Though it’s not ditching the controversial practice altogether, BMW walked back the heated seat subscription after receiving scathing feedback from customers.

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Honda and Acura EVs to Join Tesla's Supercharger Network Starting in 2025

Last month, we reported that Honda and Acura would join Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS). The Japanese automakers rely on General Motors’ EV technology for some new models, and the U.S. company committed to Tesla’s standard early on, so it wasn’t a surprising development that Honda would follow suit. Yesterday, the automakers confirmed the reports and put a timeline on the commitment, stating that they would implement the plugs in new EVs starting in 2025. 

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Polestar is Cooking Up a Smartphone for the Chinese Market

China is the world’s largest auto market, with nearly 30 million cars sold there last year, and automakers of all stripes are eager to grab a piece of the action, especially with electric vehicles. Tesla, Ford, General Motors, and most luxury brands offer broad product lines in the country, and that includes Volvo and Polestar, both owned by Chinese auto giant Geely. That relationship with China gives the automakers the ability to offer unique products there, and Polestar’s latest innovation is a great example. It has developed a new smartphone that it plans to sell with its debut SUV in the country, the Polestar 4. 

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The Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally Looks Tailor-Made for Sideways Gravel Action

Electric vehicle platforms and simple powertrain components make it easy for automakers to customize and modify a model’s performance characteristics without re-engineering significant portions of their architecture. That has ushered in a new era of speed, as companies have figured out that slapping more powerful electric motors and upgraded suspension components onto existing models is an excellent way to squeeze more revenue out of each design. Ford did it with the Mustang Mach-E GT, and now The Blue Oval has another beefed-up variant on the way. 

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Satisfied? All F1 Teams Have Been Cleared of Cost Cap Malfeasance

Despite evidence that numerous Formula One teams had broken the sport’s updated financial rules during the 2022 season, the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has formally announced that all ten have since operated under the cost cap limitations. 

"The review has been an intensive and thorough process, beginning with a detailed analysis of the documentation submitted by the competitors," stated the FIA. "Additionally, there has been an extensive check of any non-F1 activities undertaken by the teams, which comprised multiple on-site visits to team facilities and careful auditing procedures to assess compliance with the Financial Regulations."

Criticism has not abated, however.

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Bits & Bytes: Toyota Shutdown Caused by Insufficient Disk Space

The cause of a recent blip in production for one of the world’s largest automakers has been traced to problems with computer memory. Yes, you read that correctly.

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Toyota Revealed the Century SUV for Discerning Japanese Buyers

Though Americans love to think we’re the center of the universe, that’s far from the case, especially when we’re talking about cars. The global automotive world is packed with “forbidden fruit” vehicles that automakers sell in other countries but not here. Despite being one of the most visible and popular automakers in the U.S., Japanese auto giant Toyota has a whole universe of vehicles it doesn’t offer to Americans. The iconic Century sedan is one of them, acting as the transport vehicle of choice for Japan’s royals and dignitaries. Now, Toyota’s got an SUV version, but it looks like the larger Century vehicle won’t come here, either. 

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VW Gives ID.4 Major Power and Range Updates

The crew at Volkswagen have slung a few improvements at their all-electric ID.4, including a significant power boost and a jump in range. And, oh yeah, they seem to be listening to some of the carping about its infotainment system.

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Electric Vehicle Adoption Divide Mapped

Like everything else in the modern era, vehicles have become another polarizing issue. The populace is split between gasoline-loving Luddites, endlessly bemoaning the current regulatory landscape and smug EV adopters who proselytize battery-powered vehicles with all the zealotry of a religious fanatic.

There’s plenty of overlap between the two groups. However, they tend to diverge in terms of disposable income, political preferences, and even geography. J.D. Power looked into the latter issue, hoping to identify purchasing trends around the United States. It found that, while EV adoption rates were increasing nationwide, there are plenty of places in America that now appear to be shunning electrified automobiles. 

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The Mercedes-Benz CLA Concept Brings Electrification to Its Entry-Level Coupe

Instead of a radical transformation to EVs, Mercedes’ EQS vehicles have transitioned familiar vehicle styles to electrification. The EQS sedan mirrors the S-Class gas sedan, and so on. The automaker’s latest electric concept takes the same approach, and the near-production CLA EV that recently debuted at the Munich IAA Mobility show will bring electrification to the company’s sleek coupe-sedan body style.

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VW Design Boss: GTI Name Coming to More New EVs

Rumors of the Volkswagen GTI’s death may be overblown. Though the car is losing its manual transmission option next year, it will make the transition to electrification, and we’re now learning that VW may expand the GTI name to other electric models. 

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Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class Debuts Next Week

Mercedes-Benz plans to introduce the MMA-based (Mercedes Modular Architecture) Concept CLA Class at the IAA Mobility Show in Germany this weekend. This will preview the brand’s all-new “MB.OS” operating system and the vehicle it's putting on the front line to help draw in a new generation of customers. 

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Chrysler Slings Updates at Pacifica for 2024

While the majority of Americans have long since decamped in favor of crossovers and SUVs, there remains a dedicated cadre of buyers committed to the family minivan. For 2024, Chrysler is rewarding them with a smattering of updates to its Pacifica.

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The Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Was By Far the Most-Stolen Car of the Last Three Years

We’ve been hearing a lot about Hyundai and Kia car thefts, as some older models lack electronic immobilizers, but as it turns out, they’re nowhere near the most frequently stolen cars in America. The Insurance Insititute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) division recently released its list of the most stolen vehicles from model years 2020-2022, and the top models wear Dodge badges.

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Tesla Reveals New Model 3 for Some Global Markets

We’ve been seeing leaks and hearing teases for the updated Tesla Model 3 for a while now, and it finally looks like the automaker has rolled out the long-awaited refresh. The new car is on sale in China now, bringing refined styling, increased range, and a fresh interior.

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Nissan Prices Murano for 2024, Drops Base Trim

As the calendar flips into 2024, Nissan is staying the course with just a few tweaks to its midsize Murano crossover, a machine that has been on sale largely unchanged for about the last 10 years.

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On Sale Now: Mercedes Announces Pricing for ESprinter Electric Van

Ford rules the electric van market in the U.S. with its E-Transit, but Mercedes won’t be far behind. Its eSprinter is launching now, and the automaker announced pricing for the electric workhorse, which starts at around $72,000. Higher-output variant will sell for $75,316.

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Fat Cars: Report Reveals What We Already Know About Vehicle Weight

Despite hearing corporate and government actors praise the merits of electrification for years, a sobering reality appears to be taking hold. Despite boasting exquisite torque delivery and the ability to benefit from at-home charging, the public is beginning to doubt their status as economical and environmentally sound transportation. EV prices haven’t fallen as promised, battery mining turned out to be rather contentious, and the vehicles themselves continue getting heavier — resulting in some record-setting curb weights that are likely serving to undermine roadway health and automotive safety.

While the weight issue may be more pronounced among EVs, it’s hardly limited to them. Just about every modern vehicle outweighs its ancestors by a staggering amount and a National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) study has claimed that an extra 1,000 pounds increases the chance of crash fatalities between vehicles by 47 percent.

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Ram Gives the TRX a Sendoff With a Limited-Production Final Edition

Stellantis has certainly gotten its money’s worth out of the Hellcat engine, but the good times appear to almost be over. We’ve known the Dodge Charger, Challenger, and Chrysler 300 were on borrowed time, taking the range of V8-powered variants with them, and now the automaker has announced that the last of its Hellcat-carrying vehicles is going away: The Ram 1500 TRX is headed for the door after the 2024 model year, though the standard truck will remain on sale. 

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Hyundai Reveals Sonata, Elantra for 2024

In a rare double feature, Hyundai threw the covers off a pair of updates today instead of choosing to drag the news cycle out over a couple of weeks. Even more rare? The rigs in question are both sedans.

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Report: LED Fog Lights Are the Most-Wanted Feature in New Vehicles

New cars come packed with all sorts of advanced tech and safety features, but buyers have gravitated toward certain amenities over others. AutoPacific recently released its 2023 Future Attribute Demand Study (FADS), which rates the 10 most-wanted vehicle features, according to buyers.

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VW Ditching Manual Transmission in GTI

Pour one out for yet another sporty car being denuded of its manual transmission. According to reps at Volkswagen, 2024 will be the final year of three-pedal production for the Golf GTI and Golf R.

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Toyota Japan Shuttered Production for a Day to Deal With System Failure

Toyota’s manufacturing processes are the stuff of legend, as the automaker’s focus on quality and efficiency is unmatched in the industry. It relies on a production philosophy known as just in time, which means its raw materials flow into factories “just in time” to be used for production. The methodology reduces costs and waste, but it leaves the automaker susceptible to disruptions if one or more parts of its supply chain or operations have issues.

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Dodge Might Not Drop Internal Combustion for Next-Gen Charger After All

Dodge is discontinuing the Charger and Challenger after the 2023 model year, but the automaker isn’t doing away with muscle cars altogether. Though a Dodge spokesperson confirmed that internal combustion would not be a part of the next Charger lineup in a 2022 conversation with Motor1, a new report from  Mopar Insiders claims that the next-gen car will get the Hurricane inline-six alongside the electric Charger Daytona.

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Oklahoma Teen Allegedly Defrauded a Car Dealership Out of Almost $100,000

Though car dealerships often get the short straw when it comes to customer trust, most are legitimate businesses that aren’t out to rip off unsuspecting customers. An Oklahoma teen recently flipped the script on that narrative and is accused of defrauding an Oklahoma City dealer out of almost $100,000.

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Tesla's Odd Drive-In and Diner-Equipped Supercharger Location Appears to Be Headed for Reality

Tesla builds cars, sells carbon credits, and operates an extensive EV charging network in the U.S., but its resume could be expanding. CEO Elon Musk hinted at building a diner and drive-in movie theater alongside a Tesla charging station in Southern California years ago, and it now appears the plan could become a reality, as Teslarati reported that the automaker got approval from local officials to proceed.

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Report: Dealer Claims Nissan Planning Fresh Armada and a Range of New EVs

Automakers never talk about future products with the media, but dealers often get previews of upcoming models and lineup changes. Automotive News recently reported that Nissan showed off a next-generation Armada SUV, and the changes are said to make the full-size family hauler more “Range Rover-like.”

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97 Percent of UAW Members Approve Strike Action

In news that surprises no one, members of the UAW have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike should their contracts expire in mid-September.

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Dodge Offers Exclusive Challenger Demon 170 Accessories to Lucky Buyers

The Challenger Demon 170 is Dodge’s final sendoff for the cars, and with just 3,300 units planned for the car’s last hurrah, it will be one of the most exclusive models in the expansive series. The lucky few to get their hands on the car include celebrities and automotive royalty like Jay Leno, but there are plenty of “everyday” buyers, too. To help make the experience even more special for buyers, Dodge offers a series of “after-delivery” products exclusively for the car.

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Volvo EM90 Minivan Probably Not Coming to North America

Earlier this year, Volvo teased the all-electric EM90 minivan. However, the model will reportedly be exclusive to Asian markets — disappointing dozens of North American residents who still believe it’s the most practical vehicle type.

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Massachusetts' Right to Repair Law Finally Gets Go-Ahead From Feds

Right to repair is a contentious issue for all consumer products, especially smartphones and cars. Massachusetts voters approved a measure that would require automakers to open access to their over-the-air processes and data in 2020, but the feds only recently gave the okay for it to proceed after the NHTSA pumped the brakes. 

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Toyota Adds Nightshade, Factory Lift to Tundra for 2024

The Big T is adding new trims and options to its Tundra half-ton pickup truck for the 2024 model year, including an expansion of the TRD Off-Road package to its snazzy Platinum-grade 4x4 and extending the availability of the murdered-out Nightshade trim. Of greater interest to this author? A new TRD 3-inch suspension lift kit can now be installed at the factory.

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Musk: Cybertruck Tolerances Need to Be to the "Third Decimal Place in Millimeters"

The internet is full of photos and videos of Tesla vehicles with misaligned body panels and quality control problems upon delivery. CEO Elon Musk is on guard as the automaker’s most anticipated vehicle launch in years approaches, as one of his recent emails surfaced that shows him telling engineering teams that manufacturing tolerances for the truck must be perfect.

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Confirmed: The Mercedes-AMG C63 Won't Regain a V8 in the Future

The Mercedes-AMG naming system has long defined entry-, mid-, and high-level cars, but enthusiasts had plenty to say about the brand’s move to a hybrid four-cylinder engine in one of its most iconic current models. The newest C63 dropped its fantastic V8 in favor of a complex four-cylinder plug-in hybrid powertrain, and while we reported on the rumors that have pointed to the eight-cylinder’s return, Mercedes-AMG’s CEO recently put all speculation to bed.

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Another One Bites the Dust: Kia Killing the Rio After 2023

Mitsubishi recently announced that it would discontinue the Mirage, removing one of America’s few remaining affordable new cars. Kia is now cutting another sub-$20,000 option with its announcement of the Rio’s demise after 2023.

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Hertz to Buy Cadillac Lyriqs and Chevy Silverado EVs to Bolster Electric Rental Fleet

Automakers are going electric, which means that all the companies that rely on them will have to adapt. Car rental companies have long pledged to make the transition alongside their auto industry partners, and Hertz recently announced that it would be adding the Cadillac Lyriq and Chevy Silverado EV

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NHTSA Opens Investigation Into 2022 Mustang Mach-E Recall

We hear about vehicle recalls all the time, but it’s not often that we hear about a recall being investigated for not going far enough. That’s the case with a 2022 Ford recall of the Mustang Mach-E, in which the automaker pulled back almost 49,000 units for battery overheating concerns during charging. 

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Can-Am Unleashes 240-horsepower Maverick

While the side-by-side world isn’t our standard fare, the latest bonkers creation from Can-Am is too good not to share. For 2024, the Maverick will be available with a gobsmacking 240 horsepower from its 999cc turbocharged triple.

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Cruise Robotaxi Drives Into Wet Cement, More Mishaps With Fire Trucks

The robotaxi situation in California continues to get more ridiculous after additional reports of autonomous test vehicles doing something incredibly stupid. One of the driverless Chevrolet Bolts operated by Cruise apparently drove through a construction zone last week, stranding itself in wet cement. This was followed by news of yet another unsavory encounter involving a Cruise AV and an emergency response vehicle just days later.

Saying the company is fighting an uphill public relations battle would be putting it mildly.

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Nissan Sentra Under Recall for Steering Issues

Late last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a letter to Nissan requesting they recall a batch of Sentra sedans thanks to tie rods that may bend and cause steering issues. A total of 236,238 units may be affected, ranging from the 2020 – 2022 model year.

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Report: Honda and Acura to Join Tesla's NACS Standard

Honda and Acura leaned on General Motors’ Ultium technology to accelerate electric vehicle development, so it’s unsurprising to see the Japanese automakers following their American counterpart’s lead in some areas. GM announced that its new EVs would move to Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS), and American Honda Motor Company’s CEO recently confirmed that the Japanese automaker would follow suit.

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Former Tesla Employees Leak Data From More Than 75,000 Individuals

Tesla often makes news for misbehaving drivers and how they use its technology, but now the automaker is the subject of a different story. Automotive News reported that a data breach impacted the company in May, affecting more than 75,000 people, and was the result of “insider wrongdoing.”

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Acura Debuts Performance Electric Vision Design Concept

While Acura recently unveiled its first production EV, the 2024 ZDX crossover, during Monterey Car Week, the model didn’t quite reach the ridiculous levels of extravagance the event is known for. Fortunately, the company had something in its back pocket with the “Performance Electric Vision Design” concept it teased in tandem with the all-electric ZDX. 

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Nissan Dealership Handed Over 400 Charges

On this Friday afternoon, we find ourselves adding yet another post to our ‘Dealers Behaving Badly’ tag. This time, some former employees at a Nissan dealer in North Carolina are on the hook for more than 400 charges.

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The QX Monograph Concept is Infiniti's Take on the Range Rover

Infiniti’s sales numbers are improving, but the brand is still behind many rivals. It’s working on transforming itself, however, and the automaker recently showed off a new concept that previews the changes. The QX Monograph SUV marks a significant departure from Infiniti’s current design language, and it bears a striking resemblance to a certain iconic British luxury SUV brand.

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  • Arthur Dailey Good. Whatever upsets the Chinese government is fine with me. And yes they are probably monitoring this thread/site.
  • Jalop1991 WTO--the BBB of the international trade world.
  • Dukeisduke If this is really a supplier issue (Dana-Spicer? American Axle?), Kia should step up and say they're going to repair the vehicles (the electronic parking brake change is a temporary fix) and lean on or sue the supplier to force them to reimburse Kia Motors for the cost of the recall.Neglecting the shaft repairs are just going to make for some expensive repairs for the owners down the road.
  • MaintenanceCosts But we were all told that Joe Biden does whatever China commands him to!
  • Rick T. If we really cared that much about climate change, shouldn't we letting in as many EV's as possible as cheaply as possible?