Henry Payne, The Detroit News

Park City, Utah ― For CEO RJ Scaringe, the time has come to kick Rivian into high gear.

Telsa Inc.’s success with its premium, electric, 2013 Model S sedan inspired a new generation of startup automakers not seen in a century. New brands like Bollinger, Canoo, Faraday, Fisker, Lordstown, Lucid and Scaringe’s Rivian Automotive Inc. launched in the last two decades with high hopes of leading an EV revolution.

But after introducing intriguing, halo models gobbled up by first adopters, these companies have faced the reality of sustaining capital investment and entering mainstream segments where America’s middle class shops. Tesla was first to make the transition with its wildly popular 2017 Model 3 sedan and 2019 Model Y SUV, which have sold in comparable numbers to top gas models from legacy-makers Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co.

Now it’s Rivian’s opportunity with the R2.

After the success of the halo, $75,000 R1T pickup and $80K R1S SUV, the $45K R2 marks the Irvine, California-based brand’s entry into the mainstream market ― making Rivian only the second (after Tesla) of its startup peers to make it this far. The R2 has debuted to rave media reviews even as Scaringe faces a changed U.S. landscape with no federal sales subsidies, consumer skepticism and looming competition from new models by Slate and Chinese automakers.

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GM, GM

The available articulated center display may beg to differ.

Jump into the Sierra and, with the push of a button, the infotainment screen will rise from the dash, revealing a secret storage space behind where passengers can keep valuable items and avoid cabin clutter. The high-tech feature is part of an available MultiPro console that anchors a working interior with all the comforts of a home office.

Interior

The MultiPro console is equipped with dual wireless charging pads, sculpted cupholders and a horizontal surface that can be configured into a mobile desk.

Once on the highway, drivers can take their hands off the wheel with Sierra’s standard Super Cruise self-driving system with three-year free subscription. With their hands on their knees and the pickup automatically changing lanes, drivers can get comfortable in plush leather materials and survey 60 inches of digital displays, a panoramic roof and premium touches liked forged wood trim.

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Henry Payne, The Detroit News

Indianapolis — It’s construction season in the Midwest, and there’s no better way to navigate it than in a mega-ute. Not in a sedan (WHUMP! Those road seams are harsh). Not in a compact SUV (YIKES! Those semis are huge!). Not in a sport scar (YIKES! Those road seams are harsh and those semis are huuuuge!).

In a mega-ute. Like my 2026 Infiniti QX80 Sport tester.

With three palatial rows of seats, tons of cargo room, 38-inches of tech-tastic digital screens, and 450 horsepower in the engine room below decks, this ocean liner was the perfect family hauler for my five-hour trip to Indianapolis for a Father’s Day weekend racing cars with my two boys.

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Henry Payne, The Detroit News

Detroit — The mainstream three-row SUV class is having a moment. Sexy family haulers? You bet. Check out the rugged Chevy Traverse ZR2, Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro and rock-scaling Honda Pilot TrailSport. Or the hot-rod Dodge Durango Hellcat, Mazda CX-90 inline-6 cylinder and Ford Explorer ST.

Now comes the knockout Kia Telluride X-Pro SX-Prestige that I drove all over Detroit during Detroit Grand Prix week.

I see you staring at it.

“Now that’s my kinda color,” said a passer-by on Campus Marius of the Terrain Brown Matte paint job.

“Don’t mind me,” said another. “I’m just waiting here because I want to see if those door handles that just popped out when you parked go flush again.”

Matte paint and pop-out door handles like a Mercedes? On a three-row Kia? You bet.

As Telluride proves, the line between luxury and mainstream SUVs has been all but obliterated by modern electronics and design. Climb into my halo $60K Telluride and it echoes a halo $115K Mercedes GLS interior for half the price: hoodless digital screens, head-up display, console grab handles, twin wireless chargers (standard) and acres of leather.

The Merc looks classy, Telluride oozes character.

If Durango and Explorer lean into their brand’s sporty vibe with intimidating Hellcat and ST trims, the Telluride X-Pro takes the SUV’s signature off-road vibe to another level.

This thing looks like it rolled out of a Mad Max desert scene. Chain-fence maw, black wheels, all-terrain tires, ambient-lighting, broad shoulders. What, no cow catcher on the front? If Charlize Theron showed up in the X-Pro to pick up the kids at school with black mascara smeared across her eyes, I wouldn’t be surprised.

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GM, GM

Big V-8 weapons are returning to the Detroit Truck Wars. Unshackled from government regulations, the Ram 1500 has brought back its V-8 while Ford’s F-150 is offering a 700-horsepower, supercharged V-8 on all trims.

Now it’s Chevrolet’s turn with the new, fifth-generation Silverado.

The North America-assembled truck leans into its V-8 lineup with more-powerful 5.7-liter and 6.6-liter pushrod engines to complement its trusty 2.7-liter turbo-4 cylinder and 3.0-liter diesel 6-cylinder. V-8 displacements are nearly half-a-liter bigger than those of the outgoing mills.

Read full article here.

Le Mans, Le Mans

A General Motors V-8 was on top of the podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Sunday, but it wasn’t a Cadillac.

The script flipped Sunday before 350,000 fans as Chevrolet Corvette was the shocking winner in the production-based GT3 class in the world’s most prestigious sportscar race. Cadillac, an early favorite for its first overall win in the fastest Hypercar class, fell short after dominating qualifying and leading much of the race.

While the fates smiled on Toyota Hypercars for the Japanese marque’s sixth Le Mans win, they denied victory to the No. 38 and No. 12 Herta Team JOTA Cadillac V-Series.R that were the fastest cars on track for much of the race. TF Sport Corvette’s win — a first by a customer Corvette GT3 team at Le Mans (and 10th total for the Chevy supercar) — was a huge accomplishment as it competes globally against Porsche, Ferrari, Aston Martin and other sportscar brands for GT3 racing business.

Prior to contracting with Corvette, TF Sport had raced Aston Martins at Le Mans.

Read full article here.

Honda, Honda

“Reaching 50 years as America’s best-selling car is a powerful testament to Accord’s fun-to-drive spirit, quality and value,” said American Honda Vice president of Auto Sales Lance Woelfer. “Built by American associates for generations, Accord reflects Honda’s long-standing commitment to building close to our customers. As we look ahead, Accord will continue to evolve, while staying true to the principles that have defined its success for half a century.”

Accord made history in 1989 as the first non-pickup-truck, import-brand vehicle to hit the top of the U.S. sales charts (displacing the Ford Escort). The next year, it sold 417,179 units — Accord’s high-water sales mark — part of a three-year run at No. 1. It would take the sales crown once more in 2001 with 414,718 sold, interrupting the sedan sales reign of the Taurus and Camry.

Since the SUV sales boom a decade ago (including the Honda CR-V, which has topped 400,000 annual sales the last two years), Accord buyers have steadily eroded to 150,196 in 2025.

Read full article here.

Henry Payne, The Detroit News

Memphis, Michigan — Tesla wowed the automotive word in January with news it was abandoning its Model S/X models and putting the pedal to the metal on robots. Robot rideshare cars. Humanoid robots. Humanoid robots driving robot cars. Bots bots bots.

Happily, there are still manual driver’s toys out there to cope with the dystopian robot future. Like the six-speed, 2.5-liter Mazda3 S Premium hatchback in my driveway.

WAUUUUGH! I escaped the robot headlines and headed north to rural Memphis, Michigan, for a quick road trip. This is manual country. Wide open space and empty roads where you can really row the gearbox. Can a rideshare robot do that?

Like in Mazda’s halo MX-5 Miata, the Mazda3’s six-speed is a joy. No rubbery gates here (looking at you, BMW). I never missed a shift despite flogging the Mazda3 unmercifully.

Indeed, the compact Mazda3 S Premium model (the only Mazda3 trim accessorized with a stick) is best understood as an alternative to the similarly priced Miata roadster.

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Henry Payne, The Detroit News

Park City, Utah — The view of snow-dusted, 11,750-foot Mt. Timpanogos from the trails of Wasatch National Park in the Wasatch Mountains is breathtaking. It’s a trail for hardcore, compact off-roaders — Jeep Wranglers, Ford Broncos, Chevy Colorado ZR2s. If you’re into electric vehicles, few dare venture there.

Say hello to the rugged, daring Rivian R2.

Last decade, two startup EV companies wowed us with their automotive innovation. In 2012, Tesla Inc. introduced the lightning-quick Model S and Model X SUVs oozing with tech, style and eyeball-flattening speed. In 2017, Rivian Automotive Inc. introduced off-road doppelgangers — the stylish R1T pickup and R1S SUV with room, vroom and more cargo space than a Norwegian Cruise liner.

Read full article here.