#car-buyers

#car-buyers

The key to getting the most miles out of each gallon is driving efficiently. That means smooth acceleration, soft braking and slowing down. Cars tend to be the most fuel efficient when driven at about 50 miles per hour.

Lucid delivered a remarkably small number of vehicles in Q1, at 3,903. It produced 5,500. The company blamed much of this on a supplier's lack of inventory, which cost it 29 days of disruption.

On average, fuel prices are up almost a dollar per gallon, or 25 percent, according to AAA. For a nation as addicted to the automotive as we are, that's bad news. Except, of course, for electric vehicles.

For $1,000, Tomi Mikula will do something most people dread: negotiate with a car dealer. The 33-year-old spent more than a decade selling cars and auto financing at dealerships before starting his own business doing the opposite. Now he uses dealer speak and an encyclopedic knowledge of inventory to talk down sticker prices for buyers.

The Ford F-Series, encompassing models like the F-150, F-250, F-350, and F-450, claimed the title of best-selling vehicle in 29 states. This dominance underscores the pickup truck's unbreakable appeal across much of the country, particularly in rural, Midwestern, Southern, and Western states where towing capacity, durability, and utility for work or recreation remain top priorities.

2025-model used cars sold in the fourth quarter of last year went for $6,370 less than their average new car transaction price. That's already substantial savings, but the numbers are even better for EV and PHEV shoppers. Models like the Dodge Charger Daytona and Jeep Wrangler 4XE have truly staggering discounts after less than a year on the road.

For years, car dealerships had a terrible reputation. Pushy sales tactics, confusing pricing, and long hours spent negotiating made the entire experience feel more like a battle than a purchase. Like many buyers, I assumed that avoiding dealerships altogether was the smartest way to buy a car, especially as online platforms and direct-to-consumer models gained popularity. Over time, however, my perspective began to shift.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but that's pretty demonstrably false. It's a good reminder that consumer sentiment often lags the reality on the ground. Americans don't have a damned clue who makes good EVs. That's what I took away from the January, 2026 edition of the Electric Vehicle Intelligence Report, which measures consumer sentiment toward EV brands. Surveyed consumer sentiment toward EV brands seems to be based on vibes and internal-combustion car experience, not anything resembling reality.