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Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
Short, snappy, and simple, TDS gathers the latest automotive news from around the globe and puts it in one place. Stories are summarized in a single, sometimes long, sentence accompanied by a link for those seeking more information.
A special thanks to Senior Editor Adam Ismail for stepping in and taking over TDS last week while I spent some time recharging with the family. Hope you and yours had a meaningful, and fulfilling, Thanksgiving holiday.
I’m back. I’m caffeinated. And I’m ready to sprint to the holidays and new years. Let’s get into it.
😡 With the average transaction price of a new vehicle hovering at about $50,000 American consumers have moved past sticker shock and are drawing a line in the new car lot sand by keeping their current vehicles longer, downsizing, or buying used instead of new.
🏠 The Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 9 will soon join the Kia EV9 with the ability to power your house thanks to V2H (vehicle-to-home) functionality.
✨ The 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ EV will bring up to 374 miles of EPA-rated range for $47,250 as it hits dealers.
⌨️ Audi will bring back certain buttons and physical controls to its vehicles due to “feedback from customers.”
🏕️ The Kia EV5 WKNDR concept debuted at the Guangzhou auto show in China as a rugged-looking EV that would be right at home in American against the upcoming Rivian R2.
🦉 The quickest EV in the world, the Aspark Owl, debuted in roadster form without a roof.
‼️ Over 20,000 Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair plug-in hybrids were recalled due to a fire risk thanks to an issue with the vehicles’ high-voltage batteries that could lead to an internal short.
⛽️ Vinfast is reportedly considering adding gas-powered range-extenders to its EVs.
‼️ BYD recalled 88,981 plug-in hybrids due to a battery-related safety concern.
🏁 Weekend Race Results:
- Formula 1 – Max Verstappen took the win for Red Bull Racing at the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix
Have feedback on the formatting of TDS? Send us a note: tips@thedrive.com
As Director of Content and Product, Joel draws on over 15 years of newsroom experience and inability to actually stop working to help ensure The Drive shapes the future of automotive media. He’s also a World Car Award juror.
