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The biggest car news and reviews, no BS Our free daily newsletter sends the stories that really matter directly to you, every weekday. Welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short, The Drive’s morning news roundup bringing you the biggest automotive headlines from around the world. The Downshift quickly recaps the news, with links to full stories for those seeking more info. Hope you had a great weekend—here’s your bulletin for Monday, June 1, 2026. 💰 BYD has announced it will assume all financial responsibility for any crash that happens during proper use of its City Navigation autonomous driving system within one year of…

Buyers can save almost £4,000 off the price of a new Kia EV4. That’s because the Korean brand’s electric family hatchback now qualifies for the top rung of the Government’s Electric Car Grant (ECG), bringing the Kia’s starting price down to a fiver under £31,000. Three versions of the EV4 are eligible for the grant: the Air in either standard or long-range form, or the more generously equipped Motion long-range model. The Kia EV4 Air SR starts from £30,995 and gets a 58.3kWh battery, providing it with an official WLTP range of 273 miles. For an extra £2,250, buyers can step up…

In 2021 the Vauxhall Corsa finally became Britain’s best-selling car after more than 30 years of trying, and it remains a consistent fixture of the top five to this day.It thoroughly deserves its commercial success too, because it’s well-rounded, pleasant to drive, decently equipped and available with a broad mix of powertrains.

Snap-on released the Apollo Gen 4 scan tool, designed to support professional technicians with advanced diagnostics and intelligent insights. It’s built to handle everything from routine maintenance to complex troubleshooting. The tool features a wireless scan module that provides a fast, reliable connection throughout the shop. At its core is Fast-Track intelligent diagnostics, a patented Snap-on workflow that filters out unnecessary data and highlights the most relevant information for the repair at hand. It’s powered by a continuously expanding database of billions of repair records and hundreds of billions of diagnostic sessions. “With more vehicles on the road, ever-advancing complexity…

A Denza Z9GT on display at the Beijing Auto Show in April 2026. Credit: CnEVPost Based on the data released so far, most automakers saw a rebound in sales in May, gradually emerging from the off-season that began at the start of the year. Both BYD and Geely saw slight increases in sales, with strong growth in overseas sales offsetting weakness in the domestic market. Deliveries by major automakers in China (May 2026) 0 80K 160K 240K 320K 400K Deliveries by major automakers in China (May 2026) Rank Automaker Type Value 1 BYD Sales 383,453 2 Geely Auto Sales 237,637…

BYD Seagull EV testing with God’s Eye C smart driving system (Source: BYD) BYD says it will assume full financial liability for at-fault accidents that happen while its “God’s Eye” urban driving system is active in China — with no cap on the payout. It’s a commitment Tesla has never made for “Full Self-Driving,” and it flips the industry’s standard liability model on its head. What BYD actually committed to BYD announced the policy on May 28 at its vehicle intelligence strategy event, the same showcase where it revealed China’s first in-house 4nm smart driving chip. Under the new guarantee,…

Apple’s long-rumored foldable iPhone may have just taken another step closer to reality – or at least another step closer to the internet’s imagination. A newly leaked replica model, believed to represent Apple’s upcoming “iPhone Ultra” foldable device, is now circulating online, revealing what could be one of the company’s boldest design shifts in years. According to a report from Notebookcheck, the replica showcases a foldable phone with curved edges, a slim profile, and a surprisingly familiar design language that many users are already comparing to existing Android foldables. If the leak turns out to be accurate, Apple’s first foldable…

The Kia EV4 hatchback has qualified for the upper tier of the UK government’s Electric Car Grant (ECG), making it cheaper than the smaller EV3. The upgrade to the full Band 1 grant of £3750, up from the previous Band 2 grant of £1500, means the EV4 in entry-level Air trim now starts at £30,995. It offers 201bhp and a range of 273 miles between charges. That’s £560 less than the equivalent EV3, despite the EV4 being a larger car – and despite the two models being closely related in their technical make-up, sharing batteries and motors. The EV4 is now cheaper because…

We’re always on the hunt for affordable cars that don’t cost much to maintain, and aren’t too boring. There may not be too many vehicles that meet all of those criteria, but it’s not impossible. Every segment has a model or two that get away with being affordable and fun. For example, the 3rd-generation Toyota 4Runner is a relatively cheap SUV that’s easy to maintain and can be fun off-road. On the sports car side of things, buyers have the Mazda Miata, or Infiniti G37. There are even some luxury cars that won’t break the bank as much as others,…

A large luxury sedan, such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, often sits near the top of a premium brand’s lineup. These vehicles blend the latest technology and ultimate luxury into a complete package. However, with the rising demand for SUVs and the introduction of new luxury SUVs, the importance of the luxury sedan has diminished over the past few years. While other brands have removed flagship sedans from their product lineups, Volvo has taken a different approach to the segment. The brand-new Volvo ES90 is the company’s first fully electric luxury sedan, a bold statement by the Swedish carmaker to a…