Superb Owl LVIII in the Books

Today, we see more diversity of thought in the industry. VW has its hands in every market with just as many strategies.

Time will tell which wins, but even now we can see it will never be one-size-fits-all.

. . .

Volkswagen in the US

VW says quitting is for quitters. They are sticking to their EV and Super Bowl ad plans and aren't embarrassed to tell people.

• The German car maker is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a Super Bowl commercial highlighting its American history.
• They also have 25 electric models planned for North America by 2030, including SUVs and the minibus.

Why leave now? Unlike some other brands and models, VW ID.4 still qualifies for the U.S. $7,500 clean energy tax credit for its U.S.-sourced battery components and Tennessee assembly.

• In 2023, the ID.4 was the fifth best-selling EV in the US.

Reliable Radios

Like the quality of fast food in the last 10 years, J.D. Power released its Vehicle Dependability Study and things are declining.

• The problems per 100 vehicles increased by 4 to 190 compared to last year.
• Infotainment systems are the most problematic category, with Android and Apple's connectivity being the most common issue.
• Plug-in vehicles (EVs and Plug-in Hybrids) had more issues than ICE and Hybrid vehicles, with BEV tire replacements accounting for a large part.

Toyota and Lexus win? The overall highest-ranking brand for dependability was Lexus for the second consecutive year, while Toyota was the mass-market brand leader.

Dependable enough to pay double? A weird headline caught our eye when we were looking for more Toyota/Lexus content. Apparently, in France, CO2 emission taxes have increased by A LOT. A Toyota GR Yaris now costs nearly $100K due to its emission levels.

• $49K is only the emission tax, so the car's cost is essentially doubled. Wow-wee. 🤑

FTC Redo

As suggested by the NADA, a member of Congress has taken up a bill to nullify the CARS Act. The bill uses language like "actual data" and seeks "adequate" public input before implementing the Act.

Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-North Dakota, introduced the FTC Redo Act, which would kill the rule NADA has decried as burdensome and redundant to auto dealers.

While the U.S. Supreme Court is predicted to uphold the constitutionality of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's funding, lawmakers are hearing dealer requests, and hope a conversation is still there.