Just about everything is more expensive these days. Why, just last week, our Managing Editor was complaining about his trip to buy methylated spirits and a hammer drill as part of his planned New Year’s Eve festivities*. This is why it’s all the more remarkable when automakers essentially hold the line on pricing models for a new model year – especially when it is one of their best sellers.

Honda used CES 2024 to reveal a couple of purely conceptual automobiles and then announced that one of them would serve as the basis for its new EV line coming in 2026. They’ll even have their own logo, which the company also teased this week.

Stellantis will be working with BlackBerry on a new virtual cockpit they believe will allow for faster development and lower production costs. The system, which is part of the company’s Virtual Engineering Workbench, is designed to replicate automotive controls using Amazon Web Services’ data cloud and is supposed to reduce development turnaround cycles by “up to 100 times.” The stated goal is to ensure new infotainment tech is created and then pushed to the public quickly and efficiently.

We’ve often said that building cars is hard – and those difficulties don’t always end even after a company stops making them. It’s like bad news coming in even after one has turned off their phone. 

It certainly seemed like the fabled Honda-Sony EV would stay a rumor, but the pair announced a formal joint venture in 2022 that put the speculation to rest. Sony Honda Mobility unveiled its Afeela EV in early 2023, and at this year’s CES, the car rolled on stage, driven by a Playstation 5 controller.

Nobody’s doubting rapper will.i.am’s legacy in the music business, but his track record designing cars and working with automakers has yielded some… interesting results. Mercedes-Benz hopes to lean more on the music credentials with its will.i.am partnership, as it has recruited the musician to redesign the electric vehicle sound experience.

'Tis the time of year for buzzword-heavy press releases that tend to be word salads. Kia is no exception today with its CES news.

Still, should you take the time to dig through these things and translate them into plain English, you get a sense of what's up.

In this case, the company is showing several modular concept vehicles that are meant to help businesses do their work better.

Some of the best, or at least most memorable, Super Bowl ads of the past few years came from Stellantis or General Motors.

Remember Will Ferrell schilling for GM? Or that Bruce Springsteen Jeep ad? Or when the Soprano children were reunited, again for GM?

Yeah, well, not this year. Both companies are going to sit this one out.

Marijuana is legal in several states, and you can even order ketamine from a Facebook ad. What you do behind closed doors is, in most cases, your business, but what about if you’re the CEO of several companies with combined values in the hundreds of billions of dollars? That’s a question Tesla’s board members are facing, as CEO Elon Musk’s alleged drug use has been plastered across the internet and news stations everywhere.

The Honda Motor Company has reportedly been going over prospective plans to build a $13.83 billion facility in Canada that would focus on the production of electric vehicles. Japan's Nikkei news group broke the story over the weekend, suggesting the site could include on-site battery production that would help the manufacturer with regional content requirements tied to U.S. incentives.

Given the hype around AI, this year’s CES soirée in the Las Vegas desert is sure to be awash with such technology – most of which will likely be deployed in strange and perhaps terrifying ways. Arguably falling into the latter category is VW’s decision to present the first vehicles in which the artificial-intelligence-based chatbot ChatGPT is integrated into its IDA voice assistant.

Some good news? The feature is only being “considered for the United States” at the moment.

VinFast Auto is planning to show off several electric vehicles at CES it would like to see sold within the United States in the coming years. Despite the brand initially looking like another automotive startup doomed to failure, it’s managed to outlast much of the competition and continues to express a desire to break into the North American market. Its booth will reportedly include the VF8 compact crossover, boxy VF3 microcar, and a new pickup concept.

Smart home devices and hubs can be awesome or infuriating, depending on how you use them. Even so, Samsung hopes to keep things simple with its newest efforts, which see it partnering with two automakers to integrate EV and other functions with its SmartThings platform.

Tesla has long been accused of being, um, “overly optimistic” about its EVs’ range estimates. Its vehicles often fall further from their EPA estimates than other models, prompting an investigation by the DOJ and owner complaints. Now, the automaker has quietly reduced its advertised range estimates, with some falling by significant amounts.

A Johns Hopkins School of Public Health’s Bloomberg American Health Initiative study, published late last year, has suggested that narrow streets are safer than wider ones.

It sounds counterintuitive. But let us dig in to see how the report came together.

In a highly anticipated announcement, the North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) awards for 2024 have been declared. These prestigious awards, a highlight in the automotive industry calendar, recognize outstanding vehicles following extensive testing and evaluation. The process, involving rigorous scrutiny by automotive experts, highlights the year's most innovative and high-performing vehicles.

Remember when there was a shortage of microchips in the automotive industry? Pepperidge Farm remembers. According to reports, images showing fields of almost-but-not-quite completed new cars awaiting One More Chip, along with manufacturers wildly deleting features like heated seats as if they were the mob deleting computer files, could be permanently in the rear-view mirror.

Ford was the most-recalled automaker in 2023, and it had one more to slide in before the new year rolled in. The company is recalling more than 100,000 F-150s for an issue with the rear axle hub bolt that could cause it to break and make a crash or rollaway more likely. Ford issued the recall on December 22.

The EV tax credit rules changed again at the beginning of 2024, and stricter requirements on battery materials sourcing cut several previously qualified models from the list. Most GM models failed to make the cut, at least temporarily, and the automaker is offering $7,500 compensatory discounts to keep sales flowing.

Croatian hypercar manufacturer Rimac Automobili has thrown the world a bit of a curveball. The business is reportedly in the middle of a plot to develop robotaxi services for Europe and making some decent headway at that.

There is no shortage of machines jumping on the off-road bandwagon as of late. Rigs like the Porsche 911 Dakar and Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato get big grins and all the ink but jacked up machines like the Wilderness line at Subaru are pushing these builds well into the mainstream. Audi is dipping a toe into these muddy waters with the all-electric Q8 e-tron Edition Dakar.

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) has recently initiated a safety recall campaign affecting a specific range of vehicles equipped with the M254 engine. The recall, identified by NHTSA Campaign Number 23V878000, addresses an issue related to the high-pressure fuel pump that could lead to potential safety hazards for vehicle owners and other road users. In this article, we provide a comprehensive overview of the recall, its implications, and the necessary steps for affected vehicle owners to ensure their safety on the road.

Stellantis pulled out of last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show and the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) trade show, stating that it was trying to save money amid the now resolved UAW strike. It likewise announced it would be skipping CES for 2024 (formerly the Consumer Electronics Show) for the same reasons.

However, it’s starting to look like the company just isn’t interested in attending the big events anymore. Reports have claimed Stellantis will continue snubbing industry shows located in North America for the foreseeable future, with the Canadian International Auto Show (CIAS) being the next on the list. Stellantis says dealers can decide if they want to make an appearance at subsequent trade events while corporate takes a pass.

Redesigning the wheel is great, as long as the thing you’re changing actually needs it. Automakers are primary offenders in this area, changing the gear selector and many other long-consistent components.

Tesla changed several things in its vehicles, the most baffling of which is the turn signal stalk, which it removed in favor of steering wheel-mounted buttons. That “update” is cause for concern for driving schools in Norway, where many instructors believe the buttons are dangerous in some situations and have banned Teslas from their lessons.

Leather has become an increasingly contentious automotive production material as automakers look to go green and many groups lobby for animal-free supply chains. While many companies have shifted to sustainable materials and plant-based alternatives to animal hides, a leather trade group is fighting back. One 4 Leather says that cow leather has a lower carbon footprint than the alternatives, but that might not be enough to change minds.

Rivian has filed a patent for a full-size spare wheel mount designed to accommodate additional components that can enhance the capabilities of the all-electric R1S SUV.

The spare mount has the wheel oriented so the cavity is facing outward, allowing Rivian to throw in cylindrical containers dedicated to specific purposes. The patent list makes mention of the space being utilized for a “first aid kit, waste can, water container, cooler, vacuum canister, compressed air system, toolbox, electrical appliance, electrical cord wound on a reel, a camera, or other types of containers.”

Zuffenhausen has knocked Tesla off its perch as king of the ‘ring, throwing down an all-electric lap time within a shout of the bonkers Rimac Nevera.

Tesla just had its best sales year ever, beating its sales target and delivering more than 484,000 vehicles in the fourth quarter. Despite that success, the company fell behind Chinese automaker BYD for the first time.

We’ve been hearing about Volkswagen’s Scout brand revival for a while now, and it finally appears we don’t have long to wait for a first look. The automaker recently released a short teaser video, and while details are scarce, the end states that the first model is due this summer.

With Toyota discussing its desire to build an automatic transmission dedicated for performance applications, driving enthusiasts around the world are eager to find out when the unit will be affixed to the GR Yaris. Meanwhile, Americans want to know when it will be adapted for the GR Corolla and prospective performance products Toyota may actually sell in the United States. There has been no shortage of rumors, with one of the most recent suggesting Toyota’s newest “Direct Automatic Transmission” (DAT) will debut during the 2024 Tokyo Auto Salon. Production is supposed to commence at roughly the same time.

General Motors’ Cruise has had an exceptionally tough 2023, but the company isn’t going down without a fight or, in this case, a massive lawsuit against the city of San Francisco. GM has paid San Francisco $108 million in taxes and $13 million in interest since 2016 and now wants it back.

Rather than taxing GM and Cruise separately, as the automaker claims it should, the city lumped them together, resulting in higher tax bills.

Tesla recently began rolling out its refreshed Model 3 sedan in some global markets, and the automaker is now gearing up for an update to its best-selling model. Bloomberg broke the story, which claims that the Model Y is due for a thorough update next year.

Today, most EVs use lithium-ion batteries, just like the phone in your pocket. While the battery chemistry is well-known and thoroughly tested at this point in time, the setup has weaknesses that could be addressed by alternative designs. A Volkswagen-funded Chinese automaker has a new type of battery that offers some benefits over lithium-ion batteries, namely cost and cold weather performance, but it’s unclear if we’ll see them in the United States.

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?

Next year will mark five decades since Volkswagen presented its first Golf, showing up with front-wheel drive and its engine ahead of the driver unlike the loaded-diaper Beetle. The model, currently in its eighth generation (or Mk8 as forum dweebs like to say) will receive some freshening for the big party in 2024 – and VW has decided to mark the occasion with a few retro photos.

Most of us know that even the most efficient, long-range EVs generate emissions during the raw materials extraction and production phases, and that’s before we count the logistics required to move everything around the world a few times in the process. The Washington Post recently reported on some of the “dirty parts” of EV manufacturing, and it paints a picture of challenges ahead as more people look to make the shift to electrics.

Building cars is hard, and it turns out that building electric cars may be even harder. According to number posted by eggheads at tony consulting firm PwC, roughly a third of new vehicles had their launches skewered in 2023 – with EVs not helping matters in the slightest.

Hagerty recently released the seventh installment of its annual Bull Market List, and while this year’s picks are mostly predictable, there are a few interesting surprises. The company’s list highlights cars that it feels are set to grow in value over the next few years, with some exotics and classics and a growing number of “Rad Era” cars every year.

We've slowly been saying goodbye to the Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300, and Dodge Challenger -- now we can officially wave goodbye to the platform, including the Hemi.

General Motors has issued a stop-sale order for the all-electric Chevrolet Blazer. As previously reported, the model has been criticized for presenting reviewers with electrical problems. That’s not what you want to see from any vehicle and absolutely intolerable on an EV. Even worse is the fact that the Blazer EV uses the Ultium platform GM claims is about to underpin its future lineup.

Despite looking roughly the same as it has for decades, the Porsche 911 we have today has gone through several refinements. It’s expected to get further improvements for the 2025 model year, with a new 992.2 model debuting sometime in 2024.

The United States Department of Justice has accused Cummins of installing emissions defeating devices on diesel motors and decided to fine the company $1.67 billion for violating the Clean Air Act. Cummins has agreed to pay the fine in principle, which Attorney General Merrick Garland said would resolve any allegations that the "company unlawfully altered hundreds of thousands of engines” to circumvent emissions regulations.

Volkswagen has trimmed its Golf lineup in the U.S. to just the GTI and Golf R, but the car is moving ahead with a facelift in 2024 ahead of a planned switch to electric. VW CEO Thomas Schafer recently shared a year-end recap for the automaker, giving us a teaser for the revised car before signing off for 2023.

New research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is claiming that forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking are less successful at identifying trucks and motorcycles. In a study that comprised more than 160,000 accidents, the IIHS asserted that these systems prevented accidents with regular passenger vehicles 53 percent of the time. However, motorcycles only benefited 41 percent of the time and trucks 38 percent.

Adding the nesting doll approach more than one brand is taking with certain examples of their wares, Subaru will offer the 2024 WRX in no fewer than five different trims. This phenomenon of expanding the line of what used to constitute a single trim isn’t unique to the Exploding Galaxy – witness the VW GTI, for starters.

In any event, it’ll now cost ya $32,735 to get in the door of a WRX, up from $30,605 last year. Thanks, inflation.

General Motors’ fortunes are tied heavily to its new Ultium EV technology. It underpins several existing and upcoming models and is the basis of the automaker’s EV efforts, costing billions of dollars and years of development. A few Ultium-based models have already gone on sale without too many issues, including the GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq, but the most recent release hasn’t gone so smoothly. The Chevrolet Blazer EV has recently failed in two high-profile tests by automotive publications, raising questions about its electrical system and software.

Despite having been around for decades, vehicle airbags are not infallible or immune to manufacturing defects. There was the massive and ongoing Takata airbag recall, and automaker continue issuing recall actions to correct or prevent failures of airbag sensor systems. Toyota is the latest, as its most recent action involves around 1.1 million vehicles from between 2020 and 2022 for malfunctioning airbag sensors.

Chrysler’s vehicle lineup has dwindled to the point that the automaker is left with a single horse in its stable: The Pacifica minivan. However, despite the contraction in its product offerings, the automaker isn’t going away, and neither is its van. The minivan pioneer has big plans for its family hauler, and company CEO Christine Feuell recently told journalists that it would roll out a mid-cycle update for the vehicle soon.

The Ford F-150 Raptor is an impressive truck, but it spent a few sad years without a V8 option as the automaker opted for a less exciting but still powerful V6. That changed in recent years with the introduction of the new F-150 Raptor R, which sports a supercharged V8, and the truck is getting more power for 2024.

Buick reportedly spent 2023 closing a lot of dealerships. The brand lost 47 percent of its American retail locations through the year, which has been attributed to General Motors buying out storefronts that refused to invest in the necessary changes required to sell all-electric vehicles.

In what may be described as a ‘sky is blue’ moment, eagle-eyed fans of the Mazda brand have uncovered some filings with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) indicating the snazzy new CX-70 is going to share greasy bits with the tony CX-90.

Tesla earns a lot of bad press for its semi-autonomous driving features and misbehaving drivers, but the automaker’s charging network is rarely a target of criticism. Other companies have jumped on board with Tesla’s Superchargers, vowing to adopt the standard for new EVs, and now Tesla has a handful of new automakers joining the fray. Audi, Porsche, Scout, and Volkswagen will all move to Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) starting in 2025.

Lamborghini is working on a novel automotive technology that would allow vehicles’ to adjust camber and toe settings while moving. It’s something that the brand’s corporate parent, Volkswagen Group, has been struggling with for a while. But the potential benefits could result in major performance advantages and redefine how future suspension systems function.

Reports from South Korea are claiming that Hyundai will build a limited number of the N Vision 74, pegging the production figure at just 100 units. This comes after the company filed a trademark for the “N74” moniker, Till Wartenberg (vice president Hyundai’s N performance division) expressed interest in seeing the concept become a production model, and sustained rumors that the automaker was on the cusp of approving the model.

Nissan hailed its variable compression engines as great for performance and fuel economy, though the real-world benefits of the advanced mills haven’t completely lived up to the hype. They also appear to have issues that could cause a loss of power, knocking sounds, and engine failure in the most extreme cases, leading the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to open an investigation.

Tesla is famously non-union, but it’s not immune to the effects of a well-negotiated UAW contract. The automaker is significantly boosting pay for workers at its factory in Sparks, Nevada, by as much as ten percent, bringing it closer in line with the wage increases seen by union auto workers.

Following 10 months and over 18,000 miles of driving, a pair of explorers have completed an epic drive from our planet’s North Pole to its South Pole. That’s a helluva drive no matter the vehicle or conditions, but the team of Chris and Julie Ramsey chose to take it on in an all-electric Nissan Ariya.

On Monday, Japan's Nippon Steel expressed its intention to purchase the United States Steel Corporation. The iconic American business supplies numerous industries, with the automotive sector being one of the largest.

Nippon Steel is reportedly offering a deal worth $14.9 billion and the assumption of any debt. However, the United Steel Workers don’t seem pleased with the arrangement and were said to have backed an earlier offer from domestic rival Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. totaling $7.25 billion.

It’s the end of the line (again) for the Chevy Camaro. According to reports, the brand has wrapped up production of the model entirely, a few weeks past its best-before date thanks to delays partially brought on by UAW strike action earlier this year.

Mercedes-Benz is teasing the next generation of its user experience ahead of the official reveal it has scheduled for CES 2024. The proprietary Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) is said to boast a voice assistant that uses artificial intelligence and more space for screens than ever before.

Details are limited before the official premiere. But the company has promised a new visual interface, developed with game-engine graphics from Unity, that is supposed to help drivers communicate with the new voice assistant. It’s also going to feature a “selfie camera” installed in the cabin.