Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis will be the first mainstream marques to adopt Apple’s new CarPlay Ultra system, which is more deeply integrated into a car’s systems than regular CarPlay. The core advantage is providing full access to all the car’s features, including climate control, from a single interface. The first company to use CarPlay Ultra … Read more
GM just announced details on the EV versions of its GMC Sierra. The Sierra is a pickup truck, while the Jeep Wagoneer is a luxury sport wagon; but the Wagoneer was based on the Ram 1500 pickup. The Ram 1500 currently uses the same powertrain as the Wagoneer, too. To be fair, we will include … Read more
Stellantis was not the only automaker to lose U.S. sales in the first quarter. Ford saw a 1.3% drop, to 501,291, far over Stellantis’ 293,225 sales. According to the Detroit Free Press, this was mostly because they dropped the Edge and Transit Connect, and changed rental-fleet sales timing. GM saw sales rise by 17%, beating … Read more
Once again Ford has a fire-related recall, this time on the 2020-22 Escape and 2021-23 Bronco Sport; cracked fuel injectors may cause a gasoline-fed fire. Around 34,000 vehicles sold in the United States are being recalled, presumably along with others around the world. This recall is only for vehicles fixed under one of two earlier … Read more
This week, the NHTSA announced numerous Ford recalls and none from Stellantis or General Motors. The 2015-17 Lincoln Navigator’s exterior mirror lights may cause fires, while Ford Mavericks may have dark instrument panels (2022-23), have the brake lights go on when they should not (2022), or lose power because their battery voltage dropped (2022). In … Read more
Ram is expected to start racing in the NASCAR truck series next year—coincidentally the same year Cadillacs, a General Motors marque, will join Formula One (F1) racing. GM will ironically buy Ferrari engines until their own engines, developed in the United States, are approved by the FIA, F1’s governing body. TWG Motorsports and General Motors … Read more
While it’s smaller and less luxurious than the Jeep Wagoneer S, the Chevrolet Blazer SS will be at dealerships soon, fostering comparisons. Buyers can find 303 miles of range with the new GM, which sports an Ultium battery that can be repaired after a crash. Acceleration using the “Wide Open Watts” mode is similar to … Read more
The NHTSA announced two Toyota recalls last week, one for leaking rear brake hoses on the 2024-25 Tacoma and one for damaged second-row seat belts on the 2025 Camry Hybrid, 2025 Lexus NX, and 2024-25 Lexus RX. In addition, those who had Vantage Mobility convert their 2023-24 Siennas may not have enough welds on the … Read more
Recently, GM’s Mary Barra told shareholders that GM had increased its full-year revenue by 9%, leading the United States in total, retail, and fleet deliveries alike. GM was not the only company to make profits off Stellantis’ sales drop, though; Ford has just weighed in with high profits from 2024. Ford’s adjusted earnings before interest … Read more
Toyota was by far the largest automaker in the world by production in 2024, with 11.4 million vehicles made. They were followed by Volkswagen, which includes Audi, Skoda, Seat, and other marques, at 8.8 million, then by Hyundai, which includes Kia, at 7.4 million. Stellantis was in fourth place, with 5.7 million global sales, followed … Read more
GM’s chief executive, Mary Barra, sent a letter to shareholders in advance of the shareholder meeting. She noted that the company increased its full-year revenue by 9%, leading the United States in total, retail, and fleet deliveries alike. GM’s market share increased partly at the cost of Stellantis. The company’s market share in electric vehicles … Read more
Most of the recalls this week came from Ford, which like seemingly every automaker in the world is recalling cars for rear-view camera images that don’t show up. This week, it’s Ford’s turn with the 2019 Fiesta, Flex, and Lincoln MKT, and Land Rover’s turn with the 2022-23 Range Rover. Ford adds to that with … Read more
GM and Ford both gained sales in 2024, quite possibly at Stellantis’ expense. So far, Stellantis (FCA US) has not released U.S. sales figures. GM sold 2.7 million vehicles, its highest number since 2019, resulting in an estimated market share of 16.5%; its inventory was quite low for an American company, at 54 days. Every … Read more
Hyundai and Kia, which quietly invested in hybrid and electric-car technologies while maintaining their conventional engines, both announced record sales. The two companies sell essentially the same cars, with Kia acting as the cheaper value brand and Hyundai as a somewhat higher-end value brand. Stellantis has not yet announced its sales, but nobody expects them … Read more
While Chevrolet made pickup trucks before the Silverado, yesterday General Motors celebrated the half-century anniversary of the nameplate. The first Chevrolet Silverado was the top of the line pickup for Chevrolet, whose other models simply used letter/number codes (like F150, but starting with a C for rear wheel drive or a K for four wheel … Read more
Jeep has recalled two sets of vehicles for two different problems. 2021-2024 Jeep Grand Cherokees may have front seat airbags that do not work in a crash, because of an improperly secured connector. The solution is obvious, and every affected vehicle has already been fixed, making the paperwork seem superfluous; and only 14 vehicles sold … Read more