MIKESCARINFO DAILY CAR NEWS Friday, April 17, 2026
MIKESCARINFO DAILY CAR NEWS
Friday, April 17, 2026
New Car Launches & Reveals
2026 Porsche Cayenne Electric: First Drive Is In
Two variants revealed - a 435-hp base model and a 1,139-hp Turbo. Reviewers say the driving experience actually surpasses the ICE Cayenne.
Source: The Drive2026 Toyota C-HR Returns as an Entry-Level EV
The new C-HR is positioned as the "fun" small electric crossover - prioritizing style and performance over outright cargo utility.
Source: The Drive2026 Honda Prelude Drives More Civic Hybrid than Type R
The reborn Prelude looks fantastic and handles well, but first-drive reviewers stress it's a sporty hybrid coupe - not a raw sports car successor.
Source: The Drive2026 Mazda CX-5 Arrives - But No Hybrid Yet
All-new CX-5 brings a roomier cabin, upgraded tech, and sharper interior. The glaring omission at launch: no hybrid powertrain.
Source: Consumer Reports2026 Audi Q3 Fully Redesigned
New platform, new interior, and more tech. Edmunds says this Q3 finally feels worthy of the four-rings badge.
Source: Edmunds2026 Subaru Uncharted: Budget EV, But AWD Adds Up
Well-engineered and smartly styled, but the price climbs quickly once AWD is added. The FWD version is where the value lives.
Source: The DriveNew Car Technology
Solid-State Batteries Hit A-Sample Production
A GAC-backed maker rolled its first A-sample all-solid-state cells off the line, reporting 260-500 Wh/kg energy density - nearly double current packs - and passing needle penetration, extrusion, and thermal shock tests without fire.
Source: ElectrekBYD Blade Battery 2.0: 10-70% in 5 Minutes
BYD's new flash-charging platform makes a meaningful top-up roughly as fast as a gas fill. CATL announced a parallel partnership targeting 10-80% in 10 minutes.
Source: ElectrekBosch and Qualcomm Expand ADAS Partnership
The two expanded their cooperation on Snapdragon Ride-based ADAS production programs and celebrated 10 million cockpit computer deliveries. Expect more OEMs to ship on this stack.
Source: Autonomous Vehicle InternationalWayve Extends Series D with AMD, Arm, and Qualcomm
Wayve secured an additional $60M from three major silicon players to accelerate rollout of its end-to-end AI Driver across automotive compute platforms.
Source: ADAS & Autonomous Vehicle InternationalIndustry Developments & Pricing
Average New Car Price: $49,714
New-car prices are up 1.4% year-over-year. Sub-$30K vehicles are now just 13% of the market (down from 40% five years ago). Automakers are hiding hikes by killing base trims and raising destination charges.
Source: CarEdgeSteel & Aluminum Tariffs Restructured
A tiered tariff system took effect April 6 - 50% on pure metal goods and 25% on derivative products like vehicles. UK imports get lower rates. Tariffs added $30B to the industry in 2025, pushing imported-vehicle prices up $5,000-$8,900.
Source: Automotive NewsMassive Recalls Continue
GM recalled 270,000+ vehicles over rearview cameras. Ford recalled 422,000+ over windshield wipers. VW Jetta and Taos flagged for a digital cluster software bug. More than 11.6 million vehicles have been recalled in Q1 2026 alone.
Source: TestMilesQ1 2026 Sales: Market Softens
Annualized selling pace fell to 15.5M (from 16M+ in 2024 and 2025). GM deliveries down 9.6%. Toyota essentially flat. Ford F-Series still holds the #1 spot. Pricing and tariffs are squeezing buyers.
Source: CarscoopsKey Takeaways
- EV buyers, the wait may be worth it. Solid-state and 5-minute charging tech are arriving sooner than expected - a 12-18 month wait could get you a dramatically better battery.
- New car prices aren't coming down. Tariff-driven hikes are baked in and base trims are disappearing. If you need a vehicle, locking in now beats waiting for a "dip" that probably isn't coming.
- Check for recalls. With 11.6M+ recalls already in 2026, run your VIN at NHTSA.gov before assuming your car is in the clear - especially if you own a Ford, GM, Toyota, Hyundai, or VW.
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