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The Hyundai Palisade had its best-ever global sales performance in 2025, fueled by the introduction of the redesigned second-generation model. Official Hyundai Motor Company figures show that the Palisade sold a record-breaking 211,215 worldwide, achieving its highest annual sales to date. That represents a 27.4% increase over the previous year, when Hyundai moved 165,745 Palisade units globally. The United States was by far the biggest market for the Palisade last year, with a total of 123,929

A Reputation That’s Hard to Shake The Hyundai Theta II 2.4-liter engine has a reputation that’s hard to ignore. Recalls, lawsuits, and owner complaints have piled up, mostly due to engine failures caused by bearing wear and oil starvation. Manufacturing debris, lubrication issues, and questions about long-term durability have all contributed to making this one of the more troublesome modern four-cylinders. This reputation was built up over the years. Across Hyundai and Kia models, the same patte

Every country that sits next to a hostile neighbour needs a credible army. South Korea has known this for seven decades, maintaining one of Asia's largest standing forces through mandatory military service. But numbers are slipping fast. Troop strength has fallen roughly 20 percent over six years, sitting at around 450,000, and that figure is projected to drop further. The reason isn't conflict or desertion. It's demographics. South Korea has the world's lowest birth rate, and that means fewer b

Hyundai’s Growth Came With a Catch Hyundai’s rise in the US has been nothing short of impressive. Over the past few years, the brand has rolled out new SUVs, EVs, and hybrids, steadily growing its lineup and pushing annual sales past 900,000 vehicles for 2025. That’s a huge leap from the 665,000 units it moved in 2017, and the company doesn’t plan to slow down. But as Hyundai’s showrooms fill up, the service side hasn’t kept pace. In fact, Hyundai has landed below the industry average in JD Powe

Hydroplaning is never a good time If you’ve ever driven through a heavy California downpour—especially on 680, 580, or 101—you know how quickly a harmless sheen of water can turn into a skid. Hydroplaning happens when your tires encounter more water than they can push aside, lifting the rubber off the pavement and causing a total loss of steering and braking control. It’s sudden, it’s terrifying, and it’s more common than most drivers realize. Especially since most Californians don’t have to pay

First Impressions Don’t Last  When it comes to BMW, first impressions are never final – take the Bangle Bimmers as an example. The brand has proven time and time again that the first (internet) impressions won’t ever dictate how well a product eventually does, or how it will factor into the cultural zeitgeist – at least that’s what I tried to tell myself while approaching the first of the “Neue Klasse” BMWs, the 2026 iX3.  Now, if you ask me, the E46 generation is the most influential modern Bim

What Is It? Originally called the Chery QQ Ice Cream, the Jetour Ice Cream is an electric city car that's built to compete against other equally pint-sized EVs in China. It's a hugely popular market over there, so it's inevitable that some of China's biggest automakers are fighting for the top spot in that segment. It's cute, cuddly, and incredibly boxy, but the most important thing about it is its price. In its home market, it retails for just under $5,000 fully-equipped, although its price abr

What Is It? The new Kicks e-Power has just landed in Thailand, and while Nissan calls it all-new, the reality sits somewhere in between. Underneath, it’s closely related to what Americans know as the Kicks Play – built in Mexico and one of the most affordable crossovers you can buy in the US. Here’s where it gets interesting. The US Kicks Play sticks with a regular 1.6-liter engine, but the Thai-market Kicks e-Power swaps that out for Nissan’s e-Power system. This setup is similar to what’s comi

What Is It? Electric performance cars are everywhere now, but electric roadsters? That list is basically empty. Tesla has been teasing its next-gen Roadster for years, but it has yet to materialize as a model anyone can buy. Right now, if you want a real, buyable, open-top EV two-seat sports car, there’s exactly one answer. This is the MG Cyberster. I spent time behind the wheel, and it’s one of the more interesting EVs I’ve driven – not because it’s perfect, but because it tries something genui

We’ve shared a couple of Joe’s great photo galleries so far, but we’ve got plenty more left! If you missed the previous galleries, use the link below to check them all out too. (Words and Photos by Joe Grippo) Here in the northeast section of the country we are in the deep freeze so most of the fun stuff moves indoors. We took a break from off season race car upgrades and maintenance, and made trip to Lebanon, Pennsylvania to check out the DragFest Indoor Drag Racing Showcase. It’s a great stat

(Words and Photos by Joe Grippo) Here in the northeast section of the country we are in the deep freeze so most of the fun stuff moves indoors. We took a break from off season race car upgrades and maintenance, and made trip to Lebanon, Pennsylvania to check out the DragFest Indoor Drag Racing Showcase. It’s a great static gathering of drag cars, show cars and more. A few area dragstrips were in attendance handing out 2026 schedules along with a few of the cars that are regulars at their facilit

A new class action lawsuit claims 2022–2023 Kia Carnival minivans still have dangerous power sliding doors, even after a recall that was supposed to fix them. Filed in federal court in Maryland, the case argues the recall didn’t address an allegedly defective pinch sensor and that every affected Carnival is now worth less because of it. Kia, for its part, has fired back with a motion to dismiss, saying the suit is built on worries, not real-world damage. It’s a sharp contrast to the value-forw

Ringbrothers debut some pretty awesome cars each and every year at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas and have been doing so for many years now. They do it right and are always pushing the envelope when it comes to fabrication and design. And while most of their cars have a theme, some of them are a bit more subtle than others. And I feel like in recent years they have embraced some of the details that some folks might miss in their builds. The 1969 Mustang that they debuted this year is one of those ca

The absence of a Hemi V8 in the new Dodge Charger is a bitter pill to swallow, no matter how good the 550-horsepower six-cylinder version is. One of the last true muscle cars has shed a big part of its character in its transition to a six-cylinder model—and let’s not even mention the electric version. But rumors of a V8 comeback for the new Charger have circulated for a good few months now, and while nothing has been confirmed by Dodge, we now know what form the V8 will take if it ever returns.

A Comeback That Actually Matters Nissan is bringing back the Xterra, but this isn’t just about nostalgia. The new Xterra is part of a bigger shift in Nissan’s body-on-frame lineup. It will be built in the US and is meant to lead a new group of rugged vehicles, showing that Nissan is serious about this segment. There have already been a few teasers. The first showed a thin amber light bar across the front and a stamped NISSAN wordmark. Then Nissan Americas Chairman Christian Meunier shared a side

I know everyone likes to bash on electric vehicles, and I’m clearly not the market they are aiming for, but there is something kind of cool about guys doing EV swaps on certain rides. Sure, I love my horsepower, but a fun little classic cruiser like this Mercury Comet wagon doesn’t need much to be a fun little ride. And I could certainly see putting my 75 year old mom behind the wheel of something like this. She’d never have to do anything but plug it in at home and then cruise around town. Neve

Fairfield, OH — The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) has officially announced the acquisition of Empire Dragway, marking a major step in our continued growth and investment in premier racing facilities across the United States. Located in Leicester, New York, Empire Dragway has long been a staple in the Northeast racing community, known for its rich history, passionate fan base, and competitive racing environment. Under IHRA ownership, the facility will undergo strategic enhancements fo

FAIRFIELD, OH — March 31, 2026 — The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) today announced the acquisition of Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School, one of the most respected and influential driver development institutions in the history of motorsports. For more than four decades, Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School has delivered world-class instruction to drag racers from across the globe. Its alumni include national event-winning drivers in both Professional and Sportsman categories, with mo

The International Hot Rod Association has been making huge waves in the drag racing community with some pretty unbelievable announcements and purchases over the past year and there is no sign of them slowing down. After announcing last week that the long abandoned Memphis Motorsports Park had been purchased, and would return to racing glory in 2025, they could have easily cruised through the end of 2025 with no trouble. But that’s not their style, so here we go with one last big announcement for

Well folks, the rumors that someone is buying Memphis are finally true! For the last 15 years I’ve heard rumor after rumor that someone was coming in to buy the race track formerly known as Memphis Motorsports Park, and Memphis International Raceway, and now it is actually true. It’s a purchase that excites many folks in the south, but that also is a head scratcher for many given the condition of the facility, the events that have previously been held, and more. With that said, the infectious en

The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) has acquired Maple Grove Raceway, securing the future of one of drag racing’s most historic venues. Founded in the early 1960s, Maple Grove Raceway is widely regarded as one of the fastest tracks in the country. Under the leadership of the Koretsky family, the facility was revitalized in recent years through modern improvements while preserving its long-standing family-focused culture. The Koretsky family will remain actively involved during the tran

It feels like forever since IHRA announced a new track purchase, but they haven’t been sitting around twiddling their thumbs. Nope, yesterday they made the announcement that they had signed a lease agreement to take over operations of The Motor Mile Speedway in Virginia and were going to use the facility as the headquarter for the IHRA Stock Car Series. It was big news and the details are below. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE IHRA ANNOUNCES THE LEASING AND OPERATIONS OF THE PULASKI COUNTY MOTORSPORTS P

Now this is some special news. While all of IHRA’s recent announcements about new series, new track associations, and new track purchases are great, this one here is truly amazing. IHRA just donated $10 MILLION Dollars to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and announced that they will work with St. Jude in the future to help raise more money and spread awareness. I love it. This is good stuff and makes all drag racers, hot rodders, circle track, tractor pull, boat racing, and automotive

Boat racing is on! It might still be winter in a lot of places, but that isn’t stopping the International Hot Rod Association from running their F1 Boat Series in Port Neches Texas this weekend. If you aren’t familiar with F1 boat racing, you’re in for a treat. This is side by side racing, “door handle to door handle” so to speak, and these drivers are giving it their all. Check out the action LIVE below and let us know what you think. Video Description: Live coverage of Saturday action from t

IHRA Names Dustin Farthing President of the International Hot Rod Association FAIRFIELD, OHIO — The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) is proud to announce the appointment of Dustin Farthing as the new President of the organization, marking a major step forward in the company’s continued expansion across multiple motorsports disciplines. Farthing brings decades of experience as both a world champion racer and successful business leader. Widely recognized as one of the most accompli