Nutson's Weekly Auto News Wrapup July 20-26, 2025
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Here are Larry's top story picks from this past week's important to you, relevant, semi-secret, or snappy automotive news, opinions, and insider back stories presented as expertly crafted, easy-to-understand automotive news nuggets.
Larry' News Nuggets July 20-26, 2025* Japan tariff deal. Days before punitive tariffs were scheduled to take effect a trade deal with Japan set a tariff rate at 15%. Japanese officials said, car and auto part exports would be subject to a 15 percent tariff, lower than a separate and damaging 25 percent tariff that Mr. Trump had already imposed on the sector. But there's this! The Detroit 3 raised concerns. A group representing General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and Stellantis NA raised concerns about a trade deal that could cut tariffs on auto imports from Japan to 15 percent while leaving tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico at 25 percent. Pundits say Trump’s tariff policies are doing more harm than good to the U.S. auto sector at this point in time. More on this HERE
* Auto loan tax deduction is not so big and beautiful. Beginning on 2025 tax returns, new car buyers might qualify for an above-the-line deduction of up to $10,000 in car loan interest in a year. How much you might, or might not, benefit depends on how much money you borrow, your interest rate on the loan, and how much money you're making now and in the next few years. A general ballpark estimate suggests that tax savings could range from around $300 to $900 per year for many new car buyers, according to Patrick Anderson, CEO of the Anderson Economic Group consulting firm in East Lansing. More info HERE
* Charging infrastructure zooms ahead despite Trump attacks. Some 703 high-speed, public charging stations opened in the United States in the second quarter. There are now about 11,400 places in the country to quickly top up a car battery, including dots on the most rural swathes of the US map. As EV adoption grows beyond the coasts and urban areas, chargers are following. Nearly two out of three stations opened in the recent quarter are in states that don’t have a mandate for zero-emission vehicles. More details HERE
* Carsickness and EVs.It turns out that the smoothness of EVs might be worsening carsickness for many passengers, rather than helping it. Electric vehicles can exacerbate sensations of motion sickness in passengers, and science tells us why. Read more from The Drive. HERE
* Most wanted features. Just released are top level findings from AutoPacific's newest study, the 2025 Future Vehicle Planner. Results show some large changes in demand for many features, including higher demand for autonomous driving and advanced driver assistance features (ADAS), with 8 of these features landing in the top 15 most wanted features overall. Now in its 4th year, the study surveys licensed drivers ages 18 and older in the U.S. who intend to acquire a new, not used, vehicle within the next 3 years. The most wanted feature for 2025 with demand from 43% of new vehicle intenders is hands-off semi-autonomous driving for highway use only with driver attention required, with in-market examples including GM’s Super Cruise and Ford’s BlueCruise. Full details are HERE
* More appeal. According to the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, overall satisfaction is up. A score of 851 (on a 1,000-point scale) is an increase of 4 index points from a year ago and the highest level since the study was last redesigned in 2020. Notably, improvements in fuel economy, infotainment and interiors help drive the higher scores. Porsche and Mini are the top brands, and BMW AG has won the most model-level awards. The study notes that technology complexity remains a challenge, with owners of new models less satisfied with vehicle setup and infotainment compared with those of carryover models. HERE
* Vespa 80th birthday. In 2026, Vespa will turn 80, and will celebrate this milestone in Rome on June 25th – 28th, in what is set to be the biggest party in the history of this legendary brand. Tens of thousands of Vespa enthusiasts are expected to descend on the city from all over the world. Between the 25th and the 28th of June, Rome will play host to four days of partying and events, for Vespa fans and others. The full program will be revealed next autumn.
* 100 mph eScooter. Bo, a UK-based company, is attempting to set the record for the world's fastest scooter with an electric scooter that boasts a higher power-to-weight ratio than a Bugatti Veyron, reaching 85 mph during test runs at the Goodwood Motor Circuit. The electric scooter, developed with input from Rage Mechanics, features an 88-volt, 1.8-kilowatt-hour battery and motors that can handle 300 amps. Details HERE
* Fridays are risky. Fridays pose the highest risk for car crashes on U.S. roads according to a new report from Carfax. More crashes occur on Fridays than on any other day of the week in at least 43 states. Mississippi saw the largest share of accidents happening on Friday, with over 18%. Find your state HERE
* Jeep Recall. Stellantis is recalling 121,398 2023 and 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Grand Cherokee L vehicles because the second-row head restraints may not lock in the upright position, which may increase risk of injury in certain types of crashes, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration said.
* Brittany Force Set All-Time NHRA Speed Record. Brittany Force was not able to pull off the win in the Top Fuel class at the NHRA Northwest Nationals at Kent, Wash., last Sunday, but she left the race weekend with a new title—Fastest Person in NHRA History. Force, who lost to Shawn Langdon in the finals, set a NHRA record in the semifinals with a run of 3.659 seconds which translated to an all-time record 341.85 mph. The speed mark for the John Force Racing driver eclipses the 341.59 mph run she turned in at the Four-Wide event at Charlotte earlier this season. It also eclipsed the 341.68 turned in by Austin Prock in the Funny Car class last fall at Pomona. That mark is still tops in Funny Car.
* AMA HoF. The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame announced six inductees for its class of 2025. This year's class includes racing legends Colin Edwards, Joe Kopp, Chad Reed, and Ryan Young, Motion Pro founder Chris Carter, and motorcycle rights activist Dana Bell. The AMA Induction Ceremony will kick off AMA Hall of Fame Days, set to run Oct. 23-26, which will include an AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Bike Night and open house at the AMA Hall of Fame Museum on Saturday, Oct. 25. The AMA Induction Ceremony will be held at the Violet Township Event Center — less than a mile away from AMA headquarters — on Thursday, Oct. 23, and will be followed by a cocktail reception at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. Hall of Fame inductees are selected from eight areas of influence: Ambassadors & Industry, Design & Engineering, Dirt Track, Leadership & Motorcycle Rights, Motocross & Supercross, Off-Road, Road Racing and Specialty Competition.
* NASCAR San Diego Race. NASCAR will race on a military base next season when it holds a road course event at Naval Base Coronado, located across the bay from San Diego, according to an announcement this week. The event will fit into the schedule in a space vacated by Chicago, which confirmed last week it will not return to the 2026 schedule after three years of running a street course near Grant Park. Though the circuit layout won’t be finalized until this fall, the race will be held entirely inside the Navy base and is expected to wind its way past both aircraft carriers and fighter jets as cars race on the tarmac — all with the San Diego skyline and San Diego Bay as a backdrop. The Cup Series will be joined by the Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series on Father’s Day weekend next June. More here. HERE
Stay safe. Be Well.
Kind regards,
Larry Nutson,the Chicago Car Guy