The Auto World

Nearly 30 percent of trade-ins carried negative equity in Q2 2026. Average underwater loan balance reached a record Q2 high of $6,884. Popular trucks and SUVs are now often trapped by expensive financing. Remember when choosing a vehicle that held its value was considered a smart financial move? Apparently that’s no longer enough. A new report shows that millions of Americans are trading in vehicles worth less than what they still owe , and the problem continues to grow. According to Edmunds’ second-quarter data, 29.6 percent of all trade-ins toward new vehicle purchases carried negative equity. Put another way, nearly three out of every 10 buyers walked into a dealership already owing more on their current vehicle than it was worth. The Debt Keeps Growing The amount of debt being rolled into new loans is climb...

An Audi customer says an AI camera monitored her inside a loaner car. The system can detect distractions and store hundreds of hours of video. Audi has been asked whether renters can opt out of the technology. While having to leave one’s car at the dealer for repairs is never fun, there can sometimes be a cool perk: loaner vehicles. One Audi customer felt that way too, right up until she spotted what she called the “eye of Sauron” looking back at her. Mounted on the passenger side of the windshield sat a large square unit bristling with cameras and microphones. By her account, it captures everything she does behind the wheel, and that has thrown a wrench into how she works. Whether the use of this tech came from a lone dealer or from Audi itself is unclear. The woman says the Q7 in question is beautiful, but in her eyes, the camera is “the dystopian future”. Once the car starts, the camera, a Lytx DriveCam, recor...

Ford CEO says China and Mexico plants are better at solving quality problems. Recent J.D. Power success proves Ford’s efforts to boost quality are working. Comments echo warnings from Toyota, Nissan over lower-quality US exports. Ford has spent the past few years trying to shake off its terrible reputation for recalls and quality headaches. Now, CEO Jim Farley says some of the company’s best work isn’t actually happening in America, with Ford’s plants in Mexico and China setting the benchmark everyone else is chasing. Farley told reporters that Ford’s operations south of the border and in China , which build models like the Maverick and Bronco Sport, consistently outperform the rest of the company’s manufacturing network when it comes to following production processes and solving problems on the factory floor. Related: Ford Went From Recall King To JD Power’s Top Mainstream Brand For Initial Qualit...

Ford is recalling 288,314 Explorers over roof rail covers. The components can come loose and fly off the vehicle. 47,749 Hyundai Konas may have a bad rear seat buckle. Ford is recalling 288,314 Explorers that can lose their roof rail covers while driving. This poses a danger to other road users and one accident has already been reported. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, some 2016-2019 Explorers are equipped with roof rail covers that can loosen over time. If this happens, owners may notice a visible gap between components or hear a rattle while driving. More: Ford Recalls 661,000 Explorers Over Detaching Roof Rail Covers The trim pieces have been a problem for Ford as the company initially conducted a “customer satisfaction” campaign in 2020, which sought to address roof rail covers that could become loose, show a visible gap, rattle, or detach. This was done under the guise of an extended w...

Texas spent $4.5 million on four Chevy Tahoes for its state police. Only $600,000 of that total actually paid for the four SUVs. The rest funded gear from Cognyte that sweeps nearby cellphones. Seeing a line item including four Chevrolet Tahoes for a total of $4.5 million seems like the kind of thing that triggers an audit yesterday. In reality, the SUVs in question were almost incidental. Texas taxpayers are footing the bill for these police vehicles, each of which is loaded up with Israeli surveillance technology. These aren’t simple AI cameras, either. The engineering in these SUVs allows police to gather private data en masse. According to procurement documents obtained by The Drive , the Texas Department of Public Safety approved an emergency purchase worth $4,487,500 from Cognyte, an Israeli surveillance and intelligence company that competes with U.S. analytics firm Palantir in the government and security sectors. The company dev...

The Freelander 8 will initially be launched in three First Edition colors. JLR-Chery has also confirmed an autonomous parking function for the 8. The new rugged SUV will launch in multiple markets later this year. Additional details have been announced for the new Freelander 8, unveiled earlier this year and set to go on sale soon, not only in China, but also in the UK, the Middle East, and Australia. While it follows a familiar recipe for rugged, boxy SUVs, it seems to be a compelling package. Created through Jaguar Land Rover’s joint venture with Chery , the Freelander 8 will come in eight distinctive colors, three of them reserved for the special First Edition model. That trio consists of Dancing Silver and Lucent Lime, both with satin finishes, and Immersive Purple, a deep pearlescent shade that looks classy and fun. Read: Freelanders Were Known For Cheap, Plasticky Interiors But Not Anymore The rest of the palette includes D...