Drew Dowdell

I noticed that too, but I think for the target market, it's fine. Tariffs aside (it will be built in S. Korea), It will be cheaper than the Model-3 by a lot. It's an EV for people who mostly charge at home and it will charge as fast as a base Model-3 on the road. Kia/Hyundai already show better charging curves than Tesla on Tesla chargers, so I expect it to be the same here.

New York - Subaru released the updated 2026 Subaru Solterra this morning with significant upgrades to better serve EV buyers. The 2026 Solterra brings Subaru's first pure EV model up to popular specs. A 25-percent increase in range bring the expected range up to 285 miles in optimal conditions. Starting with this model year, the Solterra will adopt the NACS port, enabling charging at an additional 15,000 locations, including select Tesla Superchargers across North America. Charge speed has also increased, and when using pre-conditioning, the 2026 Solterra can accept power at a rate of up to 150kw, allowing for charging from 10-percent to 80-percent in roughly 35 minutes. The front and rear motors are managed with a new controller, enabling more flexible power power transfer. In base form, the front and rear motors combine to make 233 horsepower. For the first time, the Solterra will be offered in a higher-performance XT version with 338 horsepower, enough to propel the Solterra XT form 0-60 in less than 5 seconds. All Solterras are equipped with Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system with X-Mode for more off-road situations. Subaru made refinements to the suspension and drive system to predict movement and adjust power accordingly for a smoother and more predicable ride. Inside, an all-new infotainment system features a 14-inch screen with Android Auto and Apple Carplay. Dual wirelss phone chargers are standard up front with high-powered USB-C chargers for rear passengers. The front of the new 2026 Solterra debuts an all-new Subaru EV lighting signature with a six-star illuminated logo, redesigned headlamps, a new front bumper design, and newly designed 20- and 18-inch wheels. Around the back, a new rear badge, rear gate garnish, and spoiler bring a distinctive nighttime lighting presence and improve aerodynamic performance. Pricing and detailed specifications for the 2026 Subaru Solterra will be available when it goes on sale later this year. View full article

New York - Subaru unveiled the 2026 Subaru Trailseeker to a packed crowd as the New York International Auto Show this morning.  The Trailseeker is Subaru's first fully in-house electric vehicle and Subaru promises another electric SUV, likely based on this same platform, later this year. The Trailseeker come standard with Subaru's legendary Symetrical All-Wheel Drive system with dual motors placed at the front and rear of axles. With around 375 horsepower available, the Trailseeker is rated to tow 3,500 lbs. An X-Mode system allows for further off-road chops offering Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud modes, Grip control, and downhill assist. Power comes from a 74.7 kWh lithium ion pack capable of delivering at least 260 miles to a charge in optimum conditions. Subaru is moving to the NACS charge port standard, enabling a wide range of charging options, including up to 15,000 additional Tesla charging stations. The Trailseeker accepts up to 150kw charging and can charge from 10-percent to 80-percent in as little as 35 minutes when using the battery preconditioning system. Compared to Subaru's other offering, the Solterra, the Trailseeker is 6-inches longer and an inch taller than the Solterra. Inside, the open cabin is punctuated by a 14-inch touchscreen, the largest ever in a Subaru. Metallic finishes along the dash emphasize the horizontal theme, and a wide center console provides a centralized hub for devices and personal items for easy storage. The standard 14-inch Subaru Multimedia touchscreen offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility for entertainment on the go. Two wireless, 15W smartphone chargers keep devices charged, while two fast USB-C chargers keep rear-seat passengers connected. All models are equipped with a suite of EyeSight driver-assistance technologies, including Pre-Collision Braking, Front Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Monitors, Lane Departure Alert, a panoramic view monitor, Emergency Stop Assist, Traffic Jam Assist, Lane Change Assist, Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control, and more. Pricing and detailed specifications of the 2026 Trailseeker will be available closer to launch in early 2026 View full article

New York - This morning, Kia unveiled the Kia EV4 sedan at the New York Auto Show. The EV4 sedan is set to be an exciting new entry to the EV market, potentially undercutting the price of other EV sedans currently available. Built on a the e-GMP platform, the EV4 is Kia's first global EV sedan. Sales in the US are expect to start in early 2026. The EV4 will arrive in three trims, Light, Wind, and GT-Line. Two battery sizes will be offered, a 58.3 kW battery pack for the Light, and an 81.4 kW pack for the Wind and GT-Line. The longer range battery is estimated to be capable of a range of 330 miles. Light models will have a range of 235 miles. Charging the EV4 from 10-percent to 80-percent can take as little as 29 minutes (31 for the long-range). All EV4s will be equipped with an NACS charge port. All models drive with a front-mounted 150kw motor, roughly 200 horsepower. Kia didn't mention torque output, but expect it to be sufficient for this size of vehicle. Helping with drivability and range is Kia's new i-Pedal 3.0 system that intelligently handles acceleration or deceleration using only a single pedal. Tied with the regeneration system, i-Pedal 3.0 better helps maintain and extend range. On pavement, the EV4 benefits from advanced chassis engineering aimed at delivering a high level of ride comfort and refinement as well as engaging driving dynamics. The front suspension is defined by an EV-tuned MacPherson strut design and the rear suspension is a multi-link geometry. Key areas of the vehicle body were stiffened to further enhance the EV4’s agility and cornering prowess. The EV4’s nearly 30-inch total combined wide-screen display – comprised of dual 12.3-inch screens and five-inch climate display – serves as the face of Kia’s connected car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC). This tech-forward interface sets a high watermark for the in-car content experience, with connectivity and entertainment features that may be upgraded remotely with software enhancements delivered through over-the-Air (OTA) updates. Additionally, this innovative setup enables customers to apply available display themes across the cockpit, such as their favorite NBA team, for a personalized cockpit aesthetic. The EV4 also offers wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto. The driver can experience a more immersive relationship with the EV4 by way of Kia’s AI Assistant. This system utilizes machine learning to achieve a higher level of organic interaction and greater voice recognition between the driver and the vehicle. Other key comfort and convenience features include standard dual-zone automatic temperature control with rear A/C vents, acoustic windshield, and available heated/ventilated front seats with driver side memory and a heated steering wheel. Pricing and official option packing will be shared closer to the EV4's release next year. View full article

New York - Kia introduced a new hatchback option to the Kia K4 lineup today at the New York International Auto Show. Shown as a teaser at last year's New York Show, Kia said that overwhelmingly positive response has shown that the K4 Hatchback struck a cord with enthusiast and consumers. Expected to launch in late 2025, the K4 Hatch will be available in Standard, GT-Line, and GT-Line Turbo trims. While based on the K4 sedan, the Hatch draws its own lines with a floating roof design that seamlessly extends to the rear glass. Hidden rear door handles are integrated into the C-pillar to enhance its muscular profile. Styling up front carries over from the sedan with LED lighting treatments that are reminiscent of its big brother, the Kia EV9. GT-Line model upgrade the wheels and additional gloss-black trim and mirror caps. GT-Line Turbos will also get small cube LED projection headlamps, LED fog lights, 16-inch front brakes, and a standard power sunroof. The K4 hatch maintains its sedan counterpart's class leading rear room and adds another inch in headroom. The driver cockpit is dual display and spans almost 30 inches of screens. Those screens sport wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that with premium data services offer over the air updates. Heated front seats, Premium Harmon Kardon audio system, and Digital Key options are available. The infotainment system is enhanced with AI allowing the user to say "Hey Kia" and ask a question about the user manual, suggest places to eat, play digital games, and more. Powering the K4 Hatchback with be either a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder producing 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque mated to an intelligently variable transmission. Also available it a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine that produces 190 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque paired with an 8-speed automatic driving the front wheels. GT-Line and GT-Line Turbo models feature an exclusive sportier suspension for improved handling. All K4 Hatchback models come with a suite of active safety features like lane-keep-assist and automatic emergency braking, but both GT-Line models can be optioned with Evasive Steering assist that can help avoid obstacles in certain situations and Highway Driving Assist 2, a feature that maintains distance from other vehicles and centers the K4 in its lane. The K4 Hatchback goes on sale this fall with pricing and fuel economy numbers to be announced closer to the on-sale date. View full article

The tariffs definitely put Stellantis in a bit of a pickle.

While that’s true, that’s also true across the industry. So affordable is still relative to its non-sports-car showroom mates. The Jeep Renegade was under $20k when released and by the time it was canceled was $30k

Wishful thinking. I'll have an update later, but Toyota announced two new GR models for NY.

We picked April 15th because President Trump’s tariffs amount to one of the largest single increases in taxes on the American People in history. The tariffs which, if fully implemented, will raise $1.4 trillion in revenue, an increase per household of $1,900 to $7,600 per year. Trump's tariff policies change daily, sometimes hourly, so as always, this information is correct for at least 15 minutes after publication. Each Tuesday we will cover how these tariffs will impact the auto industry in specific ways and review the tariff news from the past week. Prediction: Affordable Sports Cars are Dead Sports cars, coupes, and convertibles, are already suffering from low sales as the market continues its shift towards SUV. Light and nimble, and full of fun, sports cars don’t fit into the aging American populace’s lifestyle. There have been no two-seaters built in the U.S. since the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky went out of production in 2010. The Mazda Miata, Nissan Z, Subaru BRZ, Toyota 86 all have 1% domestic parts content, meaning that if the car is not yet in the country, there will be an additional 25% tax added to the price. For the Mazda Miata, the lowest price of the group, that brings the base price from $29,530 to approximately $36,912, a more than $7,000 increase. Mazda only sold 8,103 Miatas in 2024, already a decline of more than 1,000 units from 2023. Adding $7,000 to the price is not going to positively affect those sales numbers. The scene is similarly bleak for the other models mentioned. The Toyota 86 / Subaru BRZ sell roughly 15,000 units a year combined, but will also see a $7,000+ price increase going forward. At roughly the same price point, Toyota sells 18,000 U.S.-built Toyota RAV-4s every 2 weeks. The Nissan Z, which struggled to grow last year, has finally gained momentum, catching up to the Miata in number, but with a $44,000 base price it could see a jump of $11,000, a tough pill to swallow for a car that is largely sold as a spare, fun car. Even the Ford Mustang with its 80% domestic parts content is not immune. Until the tariff drama started, the term “domestic content” included parts sourced from Canada and Mexico as part of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Even if all of the 80% domestic content is produced in the United States, the remaining content could see at least a $1600 increase in price. However, Ford doesn't fully break down which parts of the domestic content are actually built in Canada or Mexico, so additional costs could be imposed above the $1,600 increase. Ford Mustang sales cratered in Q4 of 2024, falling over 43% from the same quarter in 2023. For the full year 2024, Mustang sales fell 9% year over year and for the first time, the Mustang Mach-E EV crossover outsold its namesake. This happened all while the Mustang’s main competitors, the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger, ended production and sales dwindled out. At the higher end of the market, Porsche and Lamborghini have warned that they will have to add massive price increase to their products to remain in the U.S. market. With sales already struggling for affordable sports cars, we think it is unlikely that many will survive, leaving only high-end sports cars available to consumers. View full article

Pretty sure no pickup for this show, but there’s several other shows this year

The New York Auto Show happens opens each year during the week prior to Easter. We'll be there on Wednesday the 18th to check out the new releases. Here's a list of what we expect to see. Hyundai Hyundai will be hosting the North American debut of the next-generation Palisade crossover. The 2026 Palisade was shown in South Korea back in December, but it is coming to New York to show off any changes that might be in place for the North American market. It adopts the Pixel theme already applied to the Hyundai Santa Fe and Ioniq 5. Powertrain changes are expected to include a turbo 4-cylinder to replace the V6 and the addition of a hybrid model. KIA Kia has three reveals planned which Kia says will include "two fully electric powertrains, and one offers a sporty and versatile approach in the compact car segment". That "versatile approach to a compact car" is likely the wagon version of the Kia K4. The EVs are expected to be the EV4 sedan and EV3 compact crossover that will bring more entries to the entry level EV market. Genesis Genesis has an off-site event where they may show the G90 Grand Coupe and Convertible concepts. However, while we've seen the refreshed Genesis GV60 in other markets, it hasn't officially made its North American debut, so we think there's a good chance we will see that too. The 2026 GV60 will sport a bigger battery, more range, faster charging speeds, and more power. The GV60 also upgrades the luxury with new shock-absorber designs and a new Active Sound Design with sound proofing to give occupants a smoother and quieter ride. Subaru Subaru has two press conferences scheduled. We're expect a new SUV version of the legendary Subaru Outback, replacing the original wagon silhouette. Wagon buyers are a dwindling but fervent breed, so we expect a lot of buzz and gnashing of teeth over this one. There could also be a new Wilderness trim, a higher spec package that Subaru offers on many models that increases off-road capabilities. The second reveal will be an all-new model called the Trailseeker. All we know about the Subaru Trailseeker is that it will be an SUV and it will be fully battery powered. On the EV front, we may also see a freshened version of the Soltara. The Soltara's platform-mate, the Toyota bZ4x received some updated styling and a bigger battery a few months ago, so it may be time for the Subaru Sister to get hers. Volkswagen Volkswagen has a late-in-the-day press conference with very few details known just yet. Rumors are circulating that it could be the U.S. version of the Tayron X Coupe currently sold only in China, a fastback "Crossover-Coupe" version of the Volkswagen Tiguan. But with nothing at all coming from VW PR as of this writing, it is still anyone's guess. Toyota and Maserati also have conferences scheduled, but they will only be discussing current product and business updates. None of the U.S. domestic brands or European brands other than Volkswagen have press conferences scheduled, but there could be some off-site surprises. We will have more for you as we cover the show on Wednesday. View full article