Today is the first business day of the new year. So with 2025 now fully in the rearview mirror and the world returning back to work, I am wondering what will happen in the automotive industry over the next 365 days.
Hyundai’s global boss says that it will be a rough year for the industry, but isn’t every year rough? In 2025, the industry dealt with tariffs, consumers being priced out of the new-car market, flip-flops on fuel-economy regs, and all sorts of other issues. And that’s just in North America!
Chinese car makers are still lurking, AI (really, large language models) may or may not have a place in the industry, and now the U.S. has just removed the leader of Venezuela. Some parts of the world are still trying to push for higher levels of electric-vehicle adoption by 2030.
And so on, and so forth. There’s a lot to follow — and for us to cover — going into 2026.
So, what’s your prediction? Please do keep it realistic, and sound off below.
[Image: Rahayu footage/Shutterstock.com]
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