Nutson's Weekly Auto News Wrapup July 19-25, 2026

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Nutson's Weekly Auto News Wrapup July 19-25, 2026

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Here are Larry’s Top Auto Story Picks of the Week of July 19-25, 2026; Larry picked these as important, relevant, interesting and sometimes semi-secret stories you need to know—served up as snappy, opinionated, and insider-sharp, these are expertly crafted, easy-to-understand news nuggets that cut through the noise and get right to what matters to you in the automotive world.

Nutson's Weekly Auto News Wrapup July 19-25, 2026

* JD Power APEAL. The JD Power 2026 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study has been released. Overall satisfaction among new-vehicle owners reached 858 (on a 1,000-point scale), rising 7 index points for a third consecutive annual increase. This year’s gain is the largest since 2018 and the fifth largest in study history, highlighting how improvements in quality and vehicle experience are translating into stronger owner enthusiasm. Premium brands no longer hold clear advantage in key ownership attributes. Learn who's on top here

* Carfax used car report. The August CARFAX Used Car Index shows prices leveling off and even dropping slightly — with one key exception--Pickup Trucks. The prices for used trucks on Carfax rose by nearly $400 last month. See how to save here

* Gas prices. AAA reports the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has risen to $4.01. Gas prices across the country have surged recently—jumping by more than 10 cents in a single week—due to escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and related disruptions to global oil supply and refining capacity

* Long Live the EV. Wall Street Journal columnist and editorial board member Holman W. Jenkins Jr. expresses "Now that the U.S. isn’t killing it with ‘help,’ the electric vehicle has a chance."  Give it a read here

* EVs can power your home. A new Massachusetts pilot program will pay 60 homeowners to put power from their electric car batteries back into the grid, testing the 'vehicle-to-grid' technology already available in other countries. A typical home battery stores 10 to 15 kilowatt-hours, while an EV battery can store 70 to 100 kilowatt-hours, making them a potentially powerful backup for conventional power sources. More on this here

* The stick shift is almost gone. The extinction of the manual transmission is accelerating rapidly, with recent market data showing that stick shifts now account for well under 1% (projected to be around 0.6%) of all new vehicles produced for U.S. customers. This marks a precipitous drop from 1980, when manuals made up nearly 35% of the market. The modern auto industry is quietly phasing out the clutch pedal in favor of dual-clutch automatics and electric powertrains. According to surveys from auto parts retailer AmericanMuscle, only about 60% of Americans know how to drive a manual transmission. That number plunges to just 39% for Gen Z, meaning the new driver pool heavily defaults to automatics. While overall availability is disappearing, a few dedicated die-hards are holding on to the third pedal. Brands like Ford (Mustang), Honda (Civic Si, Type R), and Toyota (GR86, Supra) continue to offer manual configurations as niche, performance-focused options. However, other manufacturers like Volkswagen and BMW have continued to pare down their manual lineups.  

* Fiat Topolino pop-up store tour. Fiat is showing off its little piece of dolce vita in a pop-up store tour at various resort and lifestyle locations. See where here

* Nissan brake caliper colors. Many automakers offer a choice of different color disc brake calipers. This is especially the case with performance models. Some customers like them and some don't. Nissan's brake caliper colors are an intentional way to signal performance, both for the enthusiast and the average driver. Each finish reflects a distinct level of braking performance, whether it's everyday confidence or track-focused engineering. Learn about this here

* Hyundai recall. Hyundai is recalling almost 48,000 Kona subcompact crossovers due to a rear seatbelt issue. The rear center seat belt buckle assemblies in the subject vehicles may have been manufactured outside of specification, which could adversely affect seat belt performance during a crash, according to NHTSA. Hyundai recommends not use this seating position until the seatbelt is repaired.  The recall affects 47,733 2026 Hyundai Kona vehicles and 16 of the 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric.

* Ford recall. Ford is recalling 565,691 of its 2021-2026 Bronco and Bronco Raptor models for exposed circuits in an engine compartment wiring harness that could short circuit, spark, and potentially result in a fire depending on surrounding conditions. 

* Husqvarna and GasGas recall. KTM North America is recalling multiple GasGas and Husqvarna off-road and dual-sport models because of a risk of their rear brake calipers breaking. The recall specifically affects J.Juan/Braktec calipers. The 2022-2024 Husqvarna FE 501s and FE 350s as well as the 2024 GasGas ES 350 and ES 500 dual-sports are affected by the recall. Equivalent KTM models that use Brembo components are not part of the recall. 

* VW and the DoJ. The U.S. Department of Justice has charged two Volkswagen engineers with securities fraud for an alleged insider-trading scheme connected to the German automaker’s joint venture with Rivian. The indictment, unsealed by the U.S. District Attorney for the Southern District of New York, alleges that Michael Stamp and Marcus Plank made more than $300,000 by using confidential insider information. Stamp and Plank allegedly bought Rivian stock and options after learning that the EV maker and Volkswagen planned to form a joint venture — internally codenamed “Project Climb” — but before the companies made any public announcements. More here

Stay safe. Be Well.

Kind regards, 
Larry Nutson, 
The Chicago Car Guy
The Auto Channel