Michigan Campaigns on Tariffs and EVs Could Shift the U.S. Senate Majority
A Michigan race for the U.S. Senate focused in part on auto industry issues may decide whether Democrats are able to regain control of the chamber for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s term. The Michigan seat is one of two that Democrats are defending in 2026 in states Trump won in 2024. The other is in Georgia, where Sen. Jon Ossoff is seeking a second term. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 seat majority in the Senate. With the margin so close, the Michigan race is one of several that could determine whether Republicans maintain their majority, reports Automotive News.Michigan’s Gary Peters announced in January that he would not seek reelection after three terms in the U.S. House and two in the Senate.If this race replicates the 2024 version, just 20,000 votes out of millions could determine the winner. Democrat Elissa Slotkin beat Republican Mike Rogers by 0.3 percentage points last year. Three prominent race-rating outlets say the current contest for Peters’ seat is a toss-up.Three Democrats are running: 2018 gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens.Rogers, a former U.S. representative, is the lone Republican. Click here for the full story.
Japanese Brands Dominate iSeeCars’ Longest-Lasting Vehicle Study – Karl Brauer | iSeeCars
According to the annual iSeeCars study, it is no surprise that Toyota once again tops the list as the longest-lasting car brand. Joining us on the latest CBT Now episode to further break down the findings of this year’s report is executive analyst Karl Brauer. During today’s discussion, Brauer explores why Japanese automakers continue to dominate when it comes to building vehicles that go the distance. First, Brauer asserts that Toyota ranked as the longest-lasting vehicle brand in the annual report, with a 17.8 chance of producing a car that reaches 250,000 miles, nearly four times the industry average of 4.8 percent. Lexus, Honda, and Acura follow closely behind, highlighting the durability of these brands and their premium counterparts. The study analyzed 174 million vehicles to predict longevity, using advanced data science to rank both brands and individual models based on the likelihood of reaching the 250,000-mile benchmark. Brand rankings were aggregated from model-level data, providing a comprehensive view of overall vehicle reliability. Click here for the full interview.
Average Down Payment on New Vehicles Lowest Since 2021, Edmunds Says
Customers brought hundreds of dollars less to auto deals during the third quarter, Edmunds said, calling the average new-vehicle down payment the lowest it has seen since the end of 2021. “In Q3, affordability in the new-car market remained stretched, with buyers putting less money down, financing more and relying on longer terms to keep monthly costs in check,” Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds head of insights, said in a statement Oct. 1.The average third-quarter new-vehicle loan in 2025 financed $42,647, up 4.8 percent from a year earlier; ran 70.1 months, up 1.3 months; and charged 7 percent, up 0.1 points, according to Edmunds. The average payment was $754, up 2.4 percent.The average new-vehicle down payment during the third quarter was $6,020, down 9.1 percent from a year earlier. It was down 6.4 percent from the second quarter of 2025. The last time new-vehicle down payments were this low, it was the fourth quarter of 2021 when buyers were facing a pandemic-era seller’s market related to a lack of vehicle inventory. The average new-vehicle down payment during the fourth quarter of 2021 was $5,921, an Edmunds spokesperson told Automotive News. Click here for the full story.
RAV4: The Phenomenon Three Decades in The Making
Back in December 1995 Toyota booked two sales for the then all-new, first-ever RAV4. Two.Thirty years later, in the first three quarters of 2025 Toyota sold 358,134 of its midsize crossover, putting it at the top of the category, reports WardsAuto.Asked whether the ’96 model-year RAV4 had anything that indicated it would lead to such a sales success, Jack Hollis, former chief operating officer of Toyota Motor North America, answered with a hint of incredulity in his voice: “You’re talking about the first-generation, with a tire on the back?”Yes, that one. The original RAV4 was something very different from today’s model, which last year racked up 475,000 deliveries in the U.S. It was a 120-hp so-called “cute ute” that truly was a compact crossover, with a length at most around 164 inches (4,166 mm), roughly 12 inches (305 mm) shorter than Toyota’s current smallest CUV retailed in the U.S., the 2025 Corolla Cross. Another big difference that the RAV4 had from other vehicles in the small SUV segment of Omdia Automotive was that it had unibody construction. Click here for the full story.
Join Dealer Teamwork at Digital Dealer | Free Expo Pass and Pre-Par-Tee!
Kick off Digital Dealer with Dealer Teamwork, AIADA’s exclusive Affinity Partner! Register for a FREE EXPO PASS — Then RSVP for a VIP Pre-PAR-TEE Monday evening, Oct 13, at Swingers: The Crazy Golf Club, Mandalay Bay for cocktails, networking, and a little fun before the show begins. Plus, one dealership will be featured on Dealer Teamwork’s Spotlight Stage at Booth #211 in a live interview with CEO & Co-Founder, Sean Stapleton. See you there!
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