Street News

Toyota is investing $2 billion to expand its truck assembly plant in San Antonio, Texas, creating 2,000 new jobs in the process, public records show. According to a May 15 filing submitted to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and seen by Reuters, the site would be located in Bexar County in South Texas, right next to Toyota’s truck assembly plant in San Antonio. The existing site, which currently makes full-size Tundra pickups and Sequoia SUVs, built almost 200,000 vehicles with around 3,

Regaining its Footing Mercedes-Benz's quest for profit at the expense of volume hadn't panned out. With that, the German automaker has pivoted its focus to sell more while securing the profits it needs for a greater product push. It's a tough ask, but the company has a plan. Under the new direction, Mercedes-Benz is targeting the 'mainstream premium' segment, a market that BMW and Lexus have been focused on for quite some time already. The folks from Sindelfingen now want a greater slice of that

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has released its latest safety results for 16 new models, but only two of them achieved the authority’s Top Safety Pick+ award. Those are the 2026 Hyundai Palisade and 2026 Toyota Prius, which achieved near-perfect crashworthiness and crash-prevention scores. For the Palisade particularly, it's a much-needed stamp of approval from the IIHS after the SUV experienced reputation-damaging issues with its rear seats earlier in the year. However, the r

Rising Costs First, rising fuel prices were pushing people to the edge; now, car maintenance will tax owners. Following all the news surrounding the Iran war and its economic effects, fuel prices were the first gut punch consumers had to stomach, but now, as NBC San Diego reports, "Drivers [are] delaying car maintenance as costs rise." Higher costs of ownership and busy schedules are to blame. Apparently, it's a luxury to be able to keep up with your maintenance schedule now. The Iran War is se

The Land Cruiser FJ Goes Live in Japan Months after it made its world premiere in Japan, the compact Toyota Land Cruiser FJ has reached showrooms in its home market. Carrying a base price under $30,000, it's an affordable way to get into off-roading. As it's based on the Hilux, it's got rugged underpinnings from the get-go, and true capability off the beaten path. It's just a shame that the U.S has little to no chance of ever getting it. The Land Cruiser FJ has almost everything an old-school of

Japan has long been a closed market for foreign carmakers. Domestic giants Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Suzuki, and Daihatsu collectively gather 95 percent of new-car sales there, rightly earning the reputation as a graveyard for overseas brands. Yet Kia has decided this is precisely the moment to return to a market it retreated from 24 years ago — and it's doing so with the PV5, a record-breaking all-electric van in passenger and cargo versions that becomes the brand's first EV launched in Japan.

In 1976, the first-ever GTI appeared and would go on to set the standard for fun, affordable motoring. 50 years later, the first all-electric GTI aims to do the same. Volkswagen has revealed the ID. Polo GTI at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, where its wildest Golf yet will compete next year, and it looks like a lot of fun. On the front axle, a single electric motor produces 223 horsepower and 214 lb-ft of torque, enough to get from 0-62 mph in 6.8 seconds and up to a top speed of 109 mph. Yes, tha

In February 2026, the Supreme Court invalidated significant portions of the tariff framework imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, declaring them unlawful. The ruling invalidated much of the sweeping tariff regime the Trump administration had put in place from early 2025, including levies on Canada, Mexico, and China, and opened the door to potential refunds of up to $175 billion in tariffs already collected. For Toyota, one of the most import-dependent automakers in the

Covert Ops Whenever you park at a Home Depot, your presence is tracked on the premises using Flock Safety's automated license plate recognition cameras. These cameras capture and process data and feed it directly to a database that's accessible to law enforcement across the U.S. The issue stems from the policies the retailer has in place for operating the cameras, who gets the data, and who gets to act on the information in said data. That, and the questionable reputation of Flock Safety, a com

The 1990s were a golden age for basketball, thanks to the global explosion of NBA, which offered spectacular gameplay, iconic rivalries, and legendary star power. The main driving force behind it all was Michael Jordan, who led the Chicago Bulls to six championships in eight years and transformed the league into a global phenomenon. It may be hard to comprehend now, but Jordan’s popularity in the 1990s was unparalleled, and everywhere he went, overwhelming crowds would cause chaotic scenes. That

Chinese automaker Leapmotor is expanding its presence in Europe's largest auto market thanks to its partnership with Stellantis, with a highly competitive electric vehicle lease program. Starting at just 49 Euros, or $58, the Leapmotor T03 City Car leverages Germany's new EV subsidies to hit the market cheaper than some phones. Despite the low price tag, the vehicle comes equipped with standard perks including a rear-view camera, six airbags, and a panoramic sunroof. By combining Chinese compone

Toyota is the dominant force in the midsize pickup segment, where the Tacoma comfortably outsells rivals like the Ford Ranger and Honda Ridgeline. But there’s an opportunity for the brand to go even smaller and cheaper with a new compact pickup, something the company’s dealerships have been asking for. In an interview this week, Toyota Motor North America CEO Ted Ogawa expressed more than a passing interest in such a model, which could be a huge problem for the Ford Maverick. RAV4-Based, Unibody

Maserati could soon take a major step away from its Italian roots. According to a report from Yunjian Insight, Stellantis is currently in talks with Chinese technology giant Huawei and Chinese automaker JAC to jointly develop a new electric vehicle for the Maserati brand. This comes at a celebratory moment for Maserati, as the brand turns 100 years old. While the marque remains one of Italy’s most historic performance brands, this may be a turning point for the niche automaker. Huawei Would Hand

Volkswagen’s 2027 Lineup Starts Taking Shape Volkswagen’s plans for 2027 bring a lot of movement across the lineup. Some changes are minor – think extra standard features or tweaks to trim levels – but others go much deeper. The headline is the all-new, second-generation Atlas. It gets a fresh look, a reworked cabin, more standard kit, and a stronger version of VW’s turbocharged 2.0-liter engine. The 2027 Atlas puts out 282 horsepower from the latest evo5 EA888 engine, making it the most powerfu

Ever since the full-size Nissan Titan departed after the 2024 model year, the midsize Frontier has been Nissan’s only competitor in the pickup truck segment. Now, Nissan has handed the Frontier a few upgrades for the 2027 model year to keep pace with rivals like the Toyota Tacoma and Ford Ranger. The big news is the addition of the new Sport Edition package, a rugged upgrade that adds some Pro-4X-inspired gear to the mid-range SV trim. With this pack, the Frontier also gains some new trim and ey

Tesla is testing a new feature at five busy Supercharger locations across California and New York, and it might be the most quietly brilliant thing the company has done for the charging experience in years. Anyone who has pulled into a crowded public charger on a holiday weekend knows the misery of peak charging congestion. You circle the lot looking for a free charger, someone else is doing the same, and nobody really knows who was there first. The new waitlist feature should fix that, and the

From A First To A Seller The Jeep Avenger is an important model for the Stellantis-based brand. It was designed primarily for the European market and is the first-ever fully electric Jeep variant. Thankfully for Jeep, the Avenger has become a best seller for them in the region, and in order to keep the streak going, a new mid-cycle refreshed Avenger is now available for purchase. Stellantis

The Chinese automobile market has rejected internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. For decades, legacy Japanese automakers like Toyota and Honda stood tall in the Chinese market, leveraging long-standing reputations for reliable ICE vehicles. However, new data from April 2026 tells the story of EV dominance. According to the latest figures from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), the retail penetration rate for New Energy Vehicles (NEVs)—which includes plug-in hybrids and pure battery

Uncompromising The Porsche 911 GT3 RS is one of the best versions of one of the best sports cars ever made. It is the expression of Porsche's desire to make a 911 that's as close to racing performance on the road. It is usually a more stripped-out, lighter, tougher, and more powerful 911. For most, it would already be more than enough; however, some think more can be squeezed out of the 911 model. Talos is one of those who do, and it has dialed the hardcore 911 up to 11.

In April 2026, BYD exported 135,098 vehicles — every single one of them either fully electric or a plug-in hybrid. That number, striking on its own, becomes remarkable when you hold it up against Tesla's likely global deliveries for the same month. Tesla doesn't publish monthly figures, only quarterly ones, which means we're working with an informed estimate. But the math by CleanTechnica tells a fairly clear story. Tesla delivered 358,023 vehicles in the entire first quarter of 2026. Divide tha

Roughly two months after its debut in Thailand, where it is built for the local and global markets, the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ has launched in Japan. The compact, rugged off-road SUV has officially gone on sale in Japan today with a single engine, a single trim level and a price that makes it the most affordable Land Cruiser-badged SUV in Toyota's home market. At This Price, Is the FJ the Most Desirable Toyota or What? To

Google has announced a big makeover for Android Auto that will benefit more than 250 million cars compatible with the smartphone-mirroring app. The next generation of Android Auto brings a host of improvements, including a new visual and usability experience, premium entertainment, and better integration with the Gemini AI virtual assistant. Designed to Fit on Every Screen with Edge-to-Edge Google Maps The 2026 Android Auto refresh is immediately obvious from a graphics standpoint as Google says

The Pricing Finally Makes More Sense When Volkswagen finally launched the ID. Buzz in America, the reaction was a bit mixed. People still loved the idea of a modern electric Microbus, especially one that looked this close to the original Type 2. But once pricing entered the conversation, enthusiasm cooled off pretty quickly. The ID. Buzz started at over $60,000 in the US, which made it a tough sell for buyers expecting something more approachable from a vehicle built largely on nostalgia. That b

Constant Evolution There are classic automotive shapes that simply cannot be changed dramatically. A prime example of that is the Porsche 911. We still remember the uproar over the 'fried egg' headlights on the 996, a seemingly minor thing that led fans to raise their figurative pitchforks. Another example is Mini, and the rebirth of the car in 2001 was, thankfully, met with a strong reception. It's always risky to modernize a classic shape, but so far, the company has been doing a fine job of i

Brand Loyalty Isn’t What It Used To Be Brand loyalty used to come naturally in the car industry. Buyers would purchase a vehicle from brands like Toyota or Honda, build years of trust with the dealership, then return later for another vehicle. That cycle helped create generations of repeat customers. While those brands still rank highly in customer loyalty studies today, the reasons people stay loyal are changing quickly. Vehicle affordability is now putting pressure on customer retention across

Open Production Floor Volvo Cars is opening up its doors to other automakers in a bid to maximize its production facility in South Carolina. Volvo Cars' CEO, Hakan Samuelsson, went on record at the Future of the Car Conference that the brand can do something to help the U.S. auto industry. The move is opportune and comes at a time when other automakers are working around U.S. President Donald Trump's duties on imported cars. American brands are set to receive up to $2.3 billion in tariff refund

Another Mazda Crossover Coming Soon Mazda has no shortage of crossover offerings worldwide. If anything, most of its lineup consists of those, leaving just the 3, MX-5, and, in some markets, the 6e as its non-crossover models. From subcompact to midsize, the Hiroshima-based company has it all and is squeezing into the gaps in between to make sure all bases are covered. Now, there's another one coming, and Mazda has confirmed it. It's the next-generation CX-3, and the brand hopes to achieve highe