New off-road SUV will include a hybrid engine

2025 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro Toyota Toyota Motor revealed a new 4Runner SUV for the first time in nearly 15 years — completing a recent redesign of the automaker’s current trucks and SUVs. Aside from its new looks, which are similar to the recently redesigned Toyota Tacoma pickup, the 2025 4Runner will be offered with … Read more

Toyota Kirloskar to step up play in smaller towns

Toyota Motor Corp’s Indian subsidiary is embarking on the most aggressive sales expansion plan in its more than 25-year-old presence in the country. This will see the maker of Fortuner and Innova Hycross models establish a footprint in India’s smaller cities with select re-badged versions of comparatively affordable car models from Maruti Suzuki (India) as … Read more

Poor resale values of EVs are a problem for the industry, warn experts

Drivers charge their Teslas in Fountain Valley, California, on March 20, 2024. Jeff Gritchen | Medianews Group | Getty Images A car loses value as soon as you drive it off the lot, but electric vehicles are taking this adage to a new level. That’s becoming a major barrier to wider adoption, according to some … Read more

Why hybrid sales surge as EV sales flatten

After years of being overshadowed by flashy electric vehicles from Tesla and others, the hybrid — a gas sipper that has both an engine and an electric motor — is back in the spotlight. EV sales have slowed in the U.S., according to car website and data tracker Edmunds, with the time it takes for … Read more

China’s BYD to launch first electric pickup truck this year

BYD teased its upcoming electric pickup truck which the Chinese auto giant said it would launch in 2024. BYD BYD plans to launch its first electric pickup truck this year, as the Chinese giant steps up competition with global auto firms, from Ford to Tesla. The midsize-to-large pickup truck has been developed for the global … Read more

GM first-quarter U.S. vehicle sales fall 1.5%

The 2024 Buick Envista. GM DETROIT – General Motors on Tuesday reported a 1.5% decline in first quarter U.S. vehicle sales compared to a year ago, as the overall auto industry normalizes after years of disruptions and volatile results. The Detroit automaker said the decline to 594,233 vehicles sold during the first three months of … Read more

Toyota weighing electric, plug-in Tacoma and Tundra pickups

2024 Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter Toyota NEW YORK — Toyota Motor is evaluating an expansion of its U.S. truck lineup that could include all-electric or plug-in hybrid electric versions of its Tacoma and Tundra pickups. Jack Hollis, executive vice president of Toyota Motor North America, said the Japanese automaker is assessing its options to determine what … Read more

Autos firms say they expect limited impact from Baltimore port closure

The remains of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024 in Baltimore.  Michael A. McCoy | The Washington Post | Getty Images The Baltimore bridge collapse has prompted carmakers to assess operations after the closure of the busiest U.S. auto port. Many do not expect major disruptions so far. In a dramatic scene, … Read more

Ford, GM, Stellantis to benefit from Biden emissions rules

President Joe Biden speaks at the United Auto Workers political convention at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C., Jan. 24, 2024. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images DETROIT — The Biden administration’s decision to ease its timeline for all-electric vehicle adoption and give automakers more ways to meet new tailpipe emissions standards is expected … Read more

Why Japan’s ‘shunto’ wage negotiations are important

Akihiko Matsuura, president of UA Zensen, second left, raises his fist with members of the union during a rally for the annual wage negotiations in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. Kiyoshi Ota | Bloomberg | Getty Images Japan’s largest federation of trade union, Rengo, on Friday said that workers at the country’s biggest … Read more