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Amongst fire risks, accessible chargers and hefty price tags, here’s another drawback to owning an electric vehicle: when winter hits, and you need to defrost your windshield, you’re also draining precious battery power. But traditional gas-powered cars aren’t exactly perfect either, relying on outdated HVAC systems and long engine warm-up times before you can even see the road ahead. A Canadian startup called Betterfrost Technologies is showing that there’s a smarter way forward. By using targe

Water-cooled VWs may not have the same sex appeal as a vintage air-cooled VW does, but they are still really capable and racers have been pushing them to their limits in all kinds of ways for decades. The Volkswagen 20VT is a well sorted platform that makes good power with many available upgrades, and there are plenty of racers out there who have tried to find their limits. And if you thought those limits might be the 8’s, or even 7’s, in the quarter then you would be mistaken. Watch as this be

Driverless cab operator Waymo already has fully-fledged services in several cities across the US, and has plans to drastically increase that service in multiple new locations throughout 2026. In a U-turn on legislation proposed last month, though, one of those places won’t be New York State, as Governor Kathy Hochul has hit the brakes on an initiative that would have allowed Waymo and other companies like it to operate autonomous ride-hailing services outside of New York City. Related: Waymo's Z

Paying twice for the features you already own Automakers have spent the last few years imagining a future where every car comes fully loaded — heated seats, advanced driver assistance, even extra horsepower — and drivers unlock features through monthly payments. Investors loved the idea. Drivers didn’t. Now, New York lawmakers are stepping in. A new bill, which has cleared both chambers of the state legislature, would make it illegal for automakers and dealers to charge subscription fees for fea

“Super Speeders” on the Loose  Plenty of us do it, a lot of us get a kick out of it, and perhaps quite a number of us get away with it. Regardless of intent, speeding can be dangerous — emphasis on can. However, there’s always the argument about the right place and the right time. School zones aren’t one of them, and a densely populated city isn’t either. New York City Open Data has data that Transportation Alternatives picked up, which then published a heat map report of the top 10 “Super Speed

In August last year, Ford announced that the Escape would be discontinued alongside its Lincoln Corsair cousin, and many theorized that these would be replaced by new EVs. But according to the Autoblog spies, we're looking at a new combustion Corsair undergoing testing in Sweden, and they say it will return to the U.S. market in 2027. But while the recently discontinued Corsair was produced at Ford's Louisville Assembly Plant, this one, say our spies, will be imported from China, despite tariffs

If you don’t pay attention, or haven’t watched Newbern’s channel much, you might not know that he’s gotten a few important projects in recent years that are now going to come together to make something truly special, a C50 Chevrolet Ramp Truck. Yep, after driving one for years over at Finnegan’s, he’s ready for one of his own and has put together the right combo of trucks that can now come together to be something really special. Check it out in the video below, as this is Part 1 in the Newbern

Newbern is back at it with another installment on the C50 ramp truck build. He’s taking a couple of donor vehicles and putting them together to make his dream ramp truck and we can’t wait to see this thing completed. But before we can get there, the disassembly needs to continue. Check out the progress and let us know what you think. If you don’t pay attention, or haven’t watched Newbern’s channel much, you might not know that he’s gotten a few important projects in recent years that are now go

Skipping the Facelift The second-generation Hyundai Kona only launched in 2023, so it’s still new by most standards. Normally, Hyundai would give it a mild facelift halfway through its run – just enough styling tweaks and tech updates to keep buyers interested. But a prototype spotted in Korea hints that Hyundai is taking a different route. Instead of the usual mid-cycle update, they seem to be working on a full next-generation Kona, complete with an SX3 marker. That’s pretty important as the cu

The Hyundai Tucson is getting ready for a major redesign for the 2027 model year, and recent spy shots and leaked images are offering clues as to what we should expect from the next-generation compact SUV. The transition from the fourth-generation model to the fifth-gen Tucson (codenamed NX5) will likely be as dramatic as the switch from the third-generation Tucson to the current version in 2020. At least that’s the vibe that next-generation Tucson pre-production prototypes recently spotted in S

The IS Lives On, but Maybe Not for Long The Lexus IS has survived more than a few predictions of its demise, but it’s still here. For 2026, Lexus gave it a real update instead of letting the nameplate quietly disappear. The changes are mostly visual – a tweaked spindle grille and a tidier front end. Underneath, it’s business as usual, with the same 3.5-liter V6 putting out 311 horsepower. At first glance, the facelift signals that Lexus is in it for the long haul. But recent reports from Japan p

Not Totally All-New Prior to the current model, the Nissan Z languished without a full redesign for an incredibly lengthy time. The 370Z was produced from 2008 to 2020, and some markets continued to sell it as late as 2021. Sure, it received a facelift in 2013, but there were few changes over 12 years. The Z finally got the redesign it so desperately needed in 2021 for the 2023 model year. There was new sheetmetal, an overhauled interior, more tech, a revamped chassis, and a serious boost in per

Keeping Things In the Family One benefit of having multiple brands under one corporate ownership is that each brand can share components with the others. Doing parts sharing reduces cost and boosts production efficiency, helping keep costs in check and expanding products across related brands. This practice isn't only used by affordable mass-market automakers; some higher-tier brands also share parts among themselves. Notable examples can be found everywhere, but there are times when sharing par

Boxer. Turbo. All-Wheel Drive If you combine those three words together, it can only be one car. For those who still need a hint, that's none other than the Subaru WRX. Okay, the Forester was available with a turbo, but the WRX is the definitive car that has those key ingredients. The WRX, then known as the Impreza WRX, was born out of necessity. Subaru wanted to mount an even more serious challenge in the World Rally Championship, and the larger Legacy wasn't cutting it anymore. So, the company

The winter testing season has begun, and several automakers have made the trek to northern Sweden to start evaluating their upcoming cars in some of the coldest weather on the planet, ensuring they're reliable in all conditions. One of those automakers is BMW, with its all-new, all-electric i3 sedan. Unlike the last model to wear that badge, which was a carbon fiber-infused supermini effectively used as a test bed for EV technology, this i3, like the iX3 that has already made waves, is BMW's pro

Alpine, the sports car brand owned by France’s Renault Group, first announced plans to enter the US market in June 2023 with a duo of performance luxury EVs. As the EV market has changed dramatically since then in the United States, which canceled the EV federal tax credit last year and rolled back stricter fuel economy standards that favored EVs, Alpine was forced to rethink its strategy. While the initial plan was to start selling vehicles in the US from 2027, tariffs and regulatory hurdles ha

An Icon May Be Rewritten A report from GM Authority states that General Motors has approved a replacement for the Chevrolet Camaro. Few details have been disclosed, but the next-generation model is reportedly expected to ride on the Alpha platform, which also underpins the Cadillac CT5 and other rear-drive sedans. With that said, the Camaro, if the reports are accurate, would enter its seventh generation and likely avoid returning as a crossover, a body type some may expect, given the strong dem

Next Silverado Arriving Soon The next Chevrolet Silverado and its premium cousin, the GMC Sierra, are both set to arrive this year. These are GM’s most important full-size pickups, and the new generation is coming at a time when the segment is more competitive than ever. All eyes are on how these trucks will move the game forward. Chevrolet and GMC haven’t released official images yet, but patent sketches were unearthed last year, giving us an early preview. As usual, it didn’t take long for dig

Finally, a Glimpse of the Cabin Hyundai has been working on the next Tucson since last year, with camouflaged test mules popping up overseas for a while now. We’ve seen hints of the new exterior, but the cabin has remained a mystery – until these latest images surfaced. The new spy shots, courtesy of Korean Car Blog, finally pull back the curtain on the Tucson’s interior. The centerpiece is a massive screen that dominates the dashboard. There’s also a new steering wheel, redesigned seats, and up

The Crossover Corolla Getting Ready for Its Next Step The Toyota Corolla Cross only showed up in the US in 2022, but it’s been on sale elsewhere since 2020. That means it’s still a fresh face in automaker’s lineup, but it’s already closing in on the usual window for a full model change. Now, there’s a clearer idea of when the next step is coming. According to the latest issue of Japan’s Best Car magazine, the all-new Corolla Cross is penciled in for 2028. They’ve also dropped some early hints ab

The second-generation Toyota GR86 first went into production back in 2021, which means a successor can’t be too far off. Toyota’s most affordable sports car, the current GR86 shares a platform and engine with the equally fun Subaru BRZ. While concrete information about the next GR86 has been scarce until now, a Japanese publication called Best Car magazine recently shared new details about the next GR86’s powertrain. If you’re expecting a big boost in power, you may be disappointed—but the rumor

The National Hot Rod Association is celebrating 75 years of drag racing in 2026 and that means some special NHRA 75th Classics for the YouTube channel. One of the greats is this 1976 edition of the Gator Nationals which you can watch in its entirety below. Snake, Mongoose, and more! Check it all out here. Video Description: Step back into drag racing history with this full broadcast of the 1976 NHRA Gatornationals from Gainesville Raceway! Whether you’re a longtime fan or discovering this NHRA

The National Hot Rod Association is celebrating 75 years of drag racing in 2026 and that means some special NHRA 75th Classics for the YouTube channel. One of the greats is this 1986 edition of the Gator Nationals which you can watch in its entirety below. And if you want to watch Snake, Mongoose, and more from the 1970’s, use the link below to check it all out here. CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE 1976 NHRA GATORNATIONALS FROM GAINESVILLE FLORIDA Video Description: Step back into drag racing history

(Photos by Darr Hawthorne and Kim Fuller) • NHRA has finally rolled out the 2026 Hot Rod Heritage Series schedule, and it’s a lineup that’s just right for vintage nitro drag racing fans. With NHRA celebrating its 75th Anniversary, the series once again puts classic nitro cars on legendary tracks, stretching from the desert Southwest to the Pacific Northwest, the Midwest, and all the way into Alberta Canada. Overheard at the PRI Show this week in Indy, that there are negotiations underway to b

(Words by Darr Hawthorne) • The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) announced today that U.S. 131 Motorsports Park will host a Mission Foods Drag Racing Series event in 2026, with the inaugural NHRA Great Lakes Nationals opening the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. The new event, scheduled for Sept. 18–20 in Martin, Michigan, will serve as the 15th of 20 races during NHRA’s 75th anniversary season and the first of six playoff rounds. Tickets go on sale February 1, 2026. U.S. 131 Motorspo