Good morning! It is Thursday, September 18, 2025, and that is The Morning Shift, your day by day roundup of the highest automotive headlines from around the globe, in a single place. That is the place you will discover an important tales which can be shaping the way in which Individuals drive and get round.
On this morning’s version, Individuals are drowning in an absurd quantity of auto debt, Nissan says goodbye to the Ariya within the U.S., Polestar says 7 truly comes earlier than 6 and Toyota recollects over half one million automobiles for a gauge cluster difficulty.
1st Gear: Individuals are in auto debt to the tune of $1.66 trillion
Vehicles are nearly costlier to purchase than they ever have been, and, to be truthful, so is nearly all the things else. Nonetheless, that is not stopping individuals from ponying up the nearly-$50,000 on common it takes to purchase a brand new automobile, and that’s inflicting a hell of lots of people to enter a hell of a number of debt. This is not actually something new.
Individuals have at all times borrowed cash to purchase automobiles, however there are some worrisome traits to take a look at, and the general complete of auto-related money owed is mind-boggling in and of itself: $1.66 trillion, based on a brand new report from the Client Federation of America. From Street & Observe:
Based on the report, the common automobile cost within the States is now round $745, with common mortgage quantities totaling over $41,000; almost 20 % of patrons have discovered themselves with funds of greater than $1000 a month. Mortgage phrases are additionally creeping again to charges just like these earlier than the Nice Recession, with one in 5 patrons stretched out on a seven-year time period. We have even seen the return of the eight-year mortgage, which all however disappeared following the sub-prime lending disaster.
Talking of the Nice Recession, auto patrons are additionally defaulting of their funds in methods we’ve not seen since 2008. Delinquencies on funds are virtually on par with pre-crisis figures, and have dramatically outpaced the charges skilled throughout COVID. An evaluation of the New York Fed’s shopper credit score panel discovered that patrons in 2024 with an above-average credit score rating (620-679) had been twice as more likely to fall behind on funds than they had been previous to the pandemic. That is notably true of patrons aged 18-29, who, based on the report, are falling into severe delinquency (90 days late or longer) greater than older generations. Repossessions had been additionally up 43 % from 2022 to 2024, representing the very best charges since 2009.
Do not assume that that is simply a problem for foolish new automobile patrons, both. Used automobile costs had been up 6.3% year-over-year in June — the continuation of a development that began in the course of the Pandemic. Including to the debt difficulty is the truth that one out of each 4 trade-in automobiles has detrimental fairness connected to it, based on R&T. That is, uh, not nice.
I am undecided if there’s any simple means out of this, nevertheless it all feels somewhat bubbly to me. Maintain on to your asses, pals. It is about to get bumpy.
2nd Gear: Goodbye Nissan Ariya, we hardly knew ye
As shortly because the Nissan Ariya got here to our shores, it has left. The Japanese automaker has determined to skinny its U.S. electrical lineup because of President Trump’s import tariffs, his killing of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit score on the finish of September and the general slowing of EV gross sales.
Now, based on a memo to sellers, Nissan will pause U.S. market manufacturing of the compact electrical crossover for the 2026 mannequin yr. Who is aware of what’ll come after that? Most likely nothing, however ya by no means know, I suppose. From Automotive Information:
“This determination allows the corporate to reallocate sources and optimize its EV portfolio because the automotive panorama continues to evolve,” Nissan mentioned within the memo.
The Trump administration’s 15 % import tariff has harm the Japanese-made EV’s profitability within the U.S., an individual with data of the choice advised Automotive Information.
[…]
A Nissan spokesperson mentioned a call has not been made on whether or not the Ariya would return as a 2027 mannequin.
The Ariya was billed as Nissan’s shot at redemption after the EV pioneer misplaced its early lead within the section to Tesla and others.
Nonetheless, the crossover has struggled to face out from the competitors and has required worth reductions and incentive assist since deliveries started in 2022.
I do not need any of my Nissan LeafHeads (trademark pending) to fret for one freaking second, although. That little croupe crossover factor is not going anyplace. Certain, production is being slashed already due to a problem with a battery provider, however have a look at it! It is so cute and low cost.
third Gear: Polestar says 7 comes earlier than 6
Earlier than anybody freaks out, Polestar continues to be dedicated to bringing its 6 roadster to fruition sooner or later — it simply desires to focus on the way more sensible 7 compact crossover first. I do know. Numbers are arduous. That is why I am a author.
CEO Michael Lohscheller says the Swedish-Chinese language firm will construct the 6 sooner or later (however did not say when), including that it will share structure with the Poestar 5 sedan. The 7, which will likely be inbuilt Slovakia, is ready to go on sale within the U.S. by 2028. From Automotive Information:
The Polestar 6 dates to a 2022 debut when it was first proven because the O2 idea. Polestar confirmed manufacturing, to happen in China, later that yr and mentioned the Polestar 6 would arrive in 2026.
Nonetheless, import tariffs and the top of federal incentives have made the model’s U.S. future and lineup unsure. The Polestar 5 can even be inbuilt China.
Lohscheller advised Automotive Information Europe in July that the choice to push again the Polestar 6 in favor of the Polestar 7 was easy.
“I need to go extra shortly into the compact SUV section, the place there’s a number of quantity and some huge cash,” Lohscheller mentioned. “I like the Polestar 6, however I needed to reprioritize it when it comes to timing.”
I actually assume it is time for automakers to drop the entire numbered rollout factor. It simply does not work. It isn’t artistic, and it makes issues complicated when stuff like this occurs.
4th Gear: Even Toyota points recollects
Even Toyota and Lexus, bastions of reliability, aren’t impervious to recollects. The dual automakers are recalling about 591,000 of their automobiles fitted with 12.3-inch digital gauge clusters which have a nasty behavior of going clean. That is not precisely excellent if you wish to know what is going on on together with your automobile. From Motor Pattern:
The precise drawback reported is that on car startup, the display will likely be clean. Based on the discharge from Toyota, driving the car with out seeing the display may result in not being apprised of doubtless essential malfunction data and it may result in or in any other case trigger a crash consequently. It is unclear if the screens are going clean whereas the car is in movement.
Fashions listed embody the Toyota Venza, Crown Signia, RAV4, GR Corolla, 4Runner, Camry, Grand Highlander, Tacoma, and Highlander. Lexus fashions embody the LS, RX, and TX sequence of automobiles. No particular mannequin yr nor trim degree is talked about within the launch despatched out from Toyota, however the 12.3-inch digital dashboard was supplied as early as 2023 on many of the listed automobiles.
The issue with the digital sprint blanking does not appear to be an entirely widespread difficulty within the discipline through a quick internet search on Toyota’s security recall bulletin quantity (25TB08), however we do see mentions of it occurring on some 2023 and 2024 fashions. Turning the car on and off once more does not appear to briefly repair the difficulty, both.
To repair the difficulty, the display’s programming both must be up to date or it must be changed altogether by a Toyota tech. The service should not take quite a lot of hours, and the automaker says all impacted homeowners will likely be notified by November.
Reverse: How dare we let Canada maintain this report
Historical past.com
It’s excessive time the U.S. constructed a parking construction greater than this. It is solely proper that now we have the most important car parking zone on the planet. If you wish to study extra about this sucky Canadian mall and its large car parking zone, head over to Historical past.com.
On the radio: Blues Traveler – Hook
With regards to the pipes, John Popper could possibly be the very best to ever do it. Few dudes have even been in a position to belt like him.
