The IIHS's updated rear-passenger protocol separated the field again: a rear-belt tweak lifted the Nissan Kicks from Poor to Good, while the Audi Q3, Toyota RAV4 and Chevy Trailblazer came up short — and among large SUVs, only Rivian and Volvo took Top Safety Pick+ for 2026. These scores are year- and build-specific, which is exactly the detail a customer won't catch when they're googling in your office. Know which of your model years carry the better rating and lead with it; know which don't so a phone screen doesn't blow up a deal you already worked.

A California independent is on the forums with the nightmare version of a routine deal — buyer took the title, flipped the car without ever registering it, and now nobody answers the phone. Meanwhile Porsche widened a 'do-not-drive' recall on center-lock wheels that can come loose, and the consumer channels are back out there teaching shoppers which dealer behaviors to treat as red flags. All three are worth a read for the same reason: your delivery file and your open-recall check are the two places a cheap deal turns expensive.

Volvo is swinging at BMW and Mercedes with a $599/month XC90 lease and 4.99% out to 72 months, Porsche is reportedly raising prices again, and the EV side has gone the other direction — the era of $137-a-month EV6 leases died with the incentives. Subvented luxury payments squeeze what a three-year-old German crossover is worth on your line, so appraise accordingly. The flip side: with new-EV payments back to reality, a clean used EV at a real number is an easier conversation than it was a year ago.

Stellantis is restarting Hemi V8 production at Dundee, Michigan, chasing 100,000 units in 2026 to clear a 20,000-engine backlog — the only one of today's supply stories with a near-term read. Audi's $4 billion Georgia plant won't build a car until the early 2030s, and Chery is still talking its way toward a U.S. entry it may never get. Translation: V8 Rams and Durangos on your line keep their heat while the factory catches up, and the rest is wallpaper for now.