MIKESCARINFO DAILY CAR NEWS April 8, 2026
MikesCarInfo Daily Car News
BMW iX3 Crowned 2026 World Car of the Year
The all-electric BMW iX3 took home both World Car of the Year and World Electric Vehicle honors at the New York Auto Show, with 50,000 orders already secured and 400-plus miles of claimed range.
Hyundai Boulder Concept Targets Wrangler and Bronco Territory
Hyundai debuted the Boulder concept at the NY Auto Show — a body-on-frame SUV with 37-inch tires and long-travel suspension built to compete with the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco.
2027 Volkswagen Atlas Gets Full Redesign
VW revealed the completely redesigned 2027 Atlas at New York with styling inspired by the well-received Tiguan, featuring major interior and exterior upgrades.
Kia Redesigns the Seltos, Debuts EV3
Kia showed a redesigned Seltos borrowing Telluride styling plus the brand-new EV3 electric crossover. The Seltos arrives Q2 2026 with gas and hybrid options.
Lexus ES Electric Now On Sale — Starts at $47,500
The electrified Lexus ES is now available at dealers, priced from $47,500 to $60,195 depending on trim level.
Toyota bZ Woodland Arrives at $45,300
Toyota's rugged-styled bZ Woodland EV is now on sale in the US with a starting MSRP of $45,300.
Sodium-Ion Batteries Hit Production EVs
CATL and Changan unveiled the first mass-produced EV with a sodium-ion battery, supporting 4C ultra-fast charging — full charge in about 11 minutes with 280 miles of range.
Solid-State Batteries Getting Real
Donut Lab demoed a solid-state battery at CES that charges fully in five minutes and retains 99% capacity after 100,000 cycles. Toyota, BMW, and Hyundai target limited deployment by 2026–2028.
800+ Mile Solid-State Range Becoming Reality
Changan's "Golden Bell" all-solid-state battery claims over 930 miles of range at 400 Wh/kg energy density — a massive leap over current lithium-ion packs.
Mobileye EyeQ6H Bringing Hands-Free Driving to More Cars
Next-gen Mobileye Surround ADAS systems are entering mass-market vehicles in 2026, enabling extended hands-free highway driving with improved LiDAR-radar-camera sensor fusion.
Zoox Robotaxi Launches in Austin
Zoox has started robotaxi operations in Austin using its purpose-built autonomous vehicle, joining Las Vegas and San Francisco in its expanding market footprint.
Auto Tariffs Now in Effect — Prices Rising
Import tariffs of 15% on European, Korean, and Japanese-built cars took effect April 3, with 25% tariffs announced on all foreign-built vehicles. Audi has already raised prices $800–$4,100 across its lineup.
Toyota Takes $8 Billion Tariff Hit
Toyota reported a 25% decline in net income for the first nine months of fiscal 2026, citing roughly $8 billion in tariff-related costs impacting its bottom line.
Average New Car Price Hits $49,714
New car prices are up 1.4% year-over-year. Base MSRPs increased about $691 on average, while fully loaded trims jumped $1,126.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 Gets Massive Price Cut — Up to $9,800 Off
Bucking the trend, Hyundai slashed 2026 Ioniq 5 pricing by up to $9,800 depending on trim, making it one of the best EV deals currently available.
March US Auto Sales Down Nearly 12% Year-Over-Year
US auto sales hit about 1.4 million units in March, down 11.8% from last year. The SAAR pace of 16 million is well below March 2025's 17.9 million rate as affordability pressures mount.
Record Recall Volume in Q1 2026
11.6 million vehicles were recalled in Q1 2026 — the highest quarterly total in recent years. Ford recalled 422,000+ Expeditions, Navigators, and Super Duty trucks this week for windshield wiper arm failures.
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