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It sounds like the setup to a bar bet: a front-wheel-drive compact sedan built on a budget platform — the kind of car you’d find in a rental lot between a minivan and a crossover — posting a Nürburgring lap time on par with one of BMW’s most celebrated M3s. Yet that’s exactly what the Chevrolet Cobalt SS did, and the story of how it got there is worth revisiting. The Chevrolet Cobalt’s reputation as a no-frills commuter and rental-fleet staple made it easy to overlook what was happening at the performance end of the range. The SS models were…

UPDATE: 2026/09/01 07:45 EST BY DAN CLOUGHER The Upcoming Hybrid Model Will Close The Performance Gap We’ve included a section that briefly covers the CX-5 Hybrid, set to arrive for the 2027 model year. Mazda rests in a middle ground between mainstream and luxury automakers. For the most part, we would call the brand “premium,” since it’s not quite on the level of a luxury brand, but its models are typically nicer on the inside than most mainstream options. That said, Mazda’s higher trim levels are built with good quality, high-end materials, have simple, but elegant layouts, and feel nicer…

The biggest car news and reviews, no BS Our free daily newsletter sends the stories that really matter directly to you, every weekday. Most people will usually advise you against meeting your heroes because, more often than not, you’ll be disappointed. A similar concept applies to cars, usually vintage ones, where people idolize them until they actually take them on the open road, only to realize they’re not all they’re hyped up to be; the brakes suck, the transmission’s slow, the suspension’s too soft, etc. Luckily, the first-generation Acura NSX was never my hero car, so I was blown away…

The 2027 Chevrolet Traverse is on dealer lots now with confirmed pricing and two genuinely useful updates that make it a stronger buy than the outgoing model. KBB listings on current 2026 inventory confirm LT configurations at $3,724 to $5,009 below sticker, an RS at $2,786 below sticker, and a Z71 at $2,462 below sticker, reflecting the discount environment that carries directly into 2027 negotiations. Edmunds confirms the 2027 Traverse starts at $40,800 before destination for the LT, with four trim levels: LT, Z71, RS, and High Country starting at $58,095. The two meaningful 2027 changes: the trailering…

Nio Inc Quarterly Revenue Q1 2020-Q2 2026 (in billion yuan) Quarter Revenue (RMB bn) Q1 2020 1.37 Q2 2020 3.72 Q3 2020 4.53 Q4 2020 6.64 Q1 2021 7.98 Q2 2021 8.45 Q3 2021 9.81 Q4 2021 9.90 Q1 2022 9.91 Q2 2022 10.29 Q3 2022 13.00 Q4 2022 16.06 Q1 2023 10.68 Q2 2023 8.77 Q3 2023 19.07 Q4 2023 17.10 Q1 2024 9.91 Q2 2024 17.45 Q3 2024 18.67 Q4 2024 19.70 Q1 2025 12.03 Q2 2025 19.01 Q3 2025 21.79 Q4 2025 34.65 Q1 2026 25.53 Q2 2026 32.14 Nio quarterly revenue in billion yuan Nio recorded…

Meta is pushing a new firmware upgrade for its smart glasses, focusing heavily on hands-free utility. The update, version 128, introduces a pair of practical upgrades aimed at reducing how often you need to reach for your phone and improving your listening experience. Voice-activated turn-by-turn navigation The headline addition in this release is support for turn-by-turn navigation triggered directly through voice commands. Ray-Ban Meta users can now start navigation on the fly by using commands like “Hey Meta, navigate to Times Square.” Up until now, navigation on the standard non-display models was a clunky affair. You had to pull out…

Kia Canada is expanding its partnership with Variablegrid Adaptive Power Inc. through a new Clean Fuel Regulation program incentive called Variablegrid Plus. According to the announcement, customers can sign up for a 3‑year subscription at EV‑certified Kia dealerships that returns $0.10 per kilowatt‑hour for at‑home charging until 2030. The release says a Kia driver travelling 20,000 kilometres a year with an EV4 could receive up to $360 annually. Customers who combine the subscription with a Variablegrid in‑home charger can also receive up to $350 in upfront savings on hardware. Elias El‑Achhab, vice‑president and chief operating officer at Kia Canada, said…

Image: Voltpost San Francisco has launched a citywide curbside EV charging program, giving companies a clear path to install public chargers in neighborhoods across the city. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is now accepting applications from charging operators, while residents can use the city’s new ChargeUp SF map to nominate streets, public facilities, and other locations where they want chargers. That’s particularly useful in a dense city where many residents live in apartments or condos and don’t have a driveway or garage. “For San Franciscans without a garage or driveway, access to charging can determine whether going electric…

Dyson is once again expanding its line of personal care products with a device that focuses on your teeth instead of your hair. As the name implies, the $499 CameraJet is the first electric toothbrush to incorporate a camera into the brush head. Available starting today in ceramic blue or ceramic pink color options, it can let you inspect the inside of your mouth by livestreaming video over Wi-Fi to your phone. But the camera also works alongside an AI algorithm to detect and blast the gaps between your teeth with mouthwash. So while you’re brushing, the CameraJet simultaneously takes…

Luxury vehicles have always promised more than transportation—they’ve sold exclusivity, prestige, and the confidence that their badge alone justified a premium price. Electric vehicles are beginning to challenge that formula. As technology becomes the primary selling point, even iconic luxury brands are discovering that heritage isn’t enough to support six-figure price tags. One recent pricing decision didn’t simply make an expensive EV more affordable; it exposed how quickly perceived value can disappear when market demand fails to match ambitious pricing. For buyers, it’s a cautionary tale about depreciation that extends far beyond a single manufacturer. Luxury EV Buyers Are Rewriting…