Confessions of a Car Guy Who Hates Buying Cars

Welcome to autoevolution weekly, thank you for being a subscriber! If this newsletter was forwarded to you, here’s a handy link if you’d like to subscribe yourself.

Also, if you like our content and want to see autoevolution more often in your Google results/newsfeed, please follow us or add us to your preferred sources.

Don’t forget to pay a visit to “Great on Any Friday”, a section where you can find a list of excellent products for you and your car. Things that we ourselves would buy again and recommend, not because there's a “deal”, but because they're always a great choice.

Now let’s get into this issue of the newsletter!

By: Sergiu Tudose

I love cars. That goes without saying. I’ve built a career around them, and I’ve driven more cars than most people ever will. I know the difference between good, bad, and mediocre. And yet, when it comes to actually buying a car, I hate the whole process.

Not just casually. I genuinely dread the overall experience, because buying a car, especially when you care about cars, stops being about cars very quickly. It's more about psychology than anything else.

I know that at first, it might seem simple enough. You set a budget, you define your preferences, you talk yourself into being rational (more or less), and you start browsing. If we’re talking about a brand-new car, you’re mostly focusing on brand, engine, spec and price. If it’s a used car, you need to factor in its condition, mileage, previous ownership history, warranty (if it’s a dealer), plus one or two other things.

For me, that’s when the noise starts. This one here has the right engine, but the wrong color or seats. That other one might have the right spec, but it’s been sitting idle for three months in some lot and servicing is overdue, it needs new tires, etc. Then there’s that one where almost everything feels right, but the numbers don’t quite add up.

I think that’s what I hate the most – having to negotiate with myself. It’s like I’m not even choosing a car anymore, but rather a future in which I either regret not stretching out the budget, or maybe I just feel stupid for spending too much. What if there’s a better car out there? Regardless of what you choose, it just comes with some version of a path you didn’t take.

I know. The problem is me. But also, the fact that I know so much about cars, to the point where it’s making me freeze. I’m not like that with smartphones, computers, or clothes. Then again, I’m not a tech reviewer and I’m not a walking fashion statement.

I also know how small differences in specs can completely change your ownership experience. My mindset shifts from trying to find the right car to trying to avoid the wrong one, and that ends up draining all the joy out of it.

If you’re anything like me, that’s the point where you realize that reality can’t live up to the dream – and the dream is somewhere close to that baseline feeling of driving some of the best cars in the world.

t’s not about them necessarily being some of the fastest or most luxurious, but just a strong overall package that ticks all my boxes. From looks, to driving dynamics, comfort, specs, and moral value. You know I’m a big “moral value” guy, and as long as I can afford it, I will always refuse to buy a car that’s third or fourth-best in its segment. We’re rolling with either the best or second-best, which is usually more of a coin toss.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Cristian Agatie

Chinese carmakers have evolved from makers of laughable copycats of Western cars to trendsetters in a very short time. The revolution was spearheaded by a mix of factors, including adopting and refining Western technologies, hiring Western experts, and partnering with Western carmakers. In just a few years, local carmakers were not only building cheap cars but also superior to Western counterparts in terms of features, reliability, and safety. 

Anyone who has ever driven a Chinese EV can testify that it was surprisingly good. In terms of software features, only Tesla can compete. In terms of batteries and charging performance, they are unmatched, with Elon Musk's company having long since abandoned the fight. This explains the disruption Chinese carmakers caused in every market, starting with China. 

While China's superiority in electric vehicles can hardly be disputed, few know that Chinese carmakers have also become very good at building refined combustion engines. They had to, due to the particularities of their home market. Unlike plug-in hybrids sold in Western markets, Chinese plug-ins are mostly EVs with range extenders.

This means the cars have larger batteries than most PHEVs sold in Europe or North America. Moreover, the combustion engine rarely has to operate and is mostly used to charge the battery. When it does, it should be as silent and vibration-free as the electric motors that power the wheels.

This is why Chinese carmakers have invested in highly refined combustion engines, whose operation is barely noticeable. They have gone to such lengths to eliminate vibrations that you might want to rethink the entire superiority thesis of combustion engine specialists like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, or Volkswagen.

For instance, the MG S9 uses its electric motor not only to propel the car, but also to counteract vibrations generated by the combustion engine. MG's Hybrid+ system uses specialized sensors to calculate the exact torque needed to offset vibrations. This works similarly to active noise-canceling headphones, blocking out unwanted background noise.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Sergiu Tudose

It’s not often that carmakers roll out update after update for consecutive model years, but Mazda isn’t just any carmaker. They’re an extremely self-aware brand, and the passion they show for their products and overall attention to detail hasn’t gone unnoticed.

You might be wondering why I’m driving a 2026 CX-60 after having already reviewed the 2025 model. Because there’s no facelift, and no significant upgrades, either. Well, even though they’re not very significant, there are indeed a few changes that were very well thought out. Mazda clearly listened to their customers, and the result is a positive one.

Let’s start with the design first – an area where not much of anything has changed. But we do get a new color in Polymetal Gray. Our test car, however, was finished in Zircon Sand Metallic, which is a very interesting shade of green most of the time. In certain lighting conditions it looks somewhat beige, but to me it’s more like a light infantry helmet type of green. It looks different in real life than it does in pictures.

There’s not much else I can tell you here that I didn’t mention during last year’s review, but I’ll give it a shot. Again, we’re dealing with the carmaker’s Kodo design language, which fits the CX-60's proportions very well. It looks solid and dignified, and while it’s by no means perfect, I also don’t think you can find any particularly bad angles. I like it. I mean, I’ve seen better, but I like it.

In terms of specs, last year’s car was the Takumi Plus variant whereas this one is the new Homura Plus specification, rocking that gorgeous Nappa Tan leather interior. It’s a relaxing place to be. Also new is the fact that you get a driver monitoring system as standard (on all grades), standard 20” wheels, standard driver emergency assist, and SBS rear/SBS front crossing systems.

Other highlights include the optional illuminated door sills, the panoramic sunroof (although this also counts as an interior highlight), a set of adaptive LED Matrix headlights, hands-free tailgate, and some black trim to go with the 20” wheels.

Back to the colorway, if I may, what’s funny is that last year Zircon Sand Metallic was a brand-new option, and I specifically said that I liked it. Do I feel the same way now that I’ve seen it up close and personal? Yes and no. It’s very easy to keep clean, but I don’t think it cracks my top 3 favorite colors available on the CX-60. Those would be Platinum Quartz, Polymetal Gray, and either Deep Crystal Blue or Rhodium White.

I’m honestly not a huge fan of either color tested so far, be it Zircon Sand or last year’s Soul Red Crystal. Then again, I’m not a fan of red/vibrant SUVs in general. Maybe something like a Cayenne Coupe or an Urus can pull off such hues, but otherwise let’s all just take one massive chill pill when it comes to unconventionally colorful family cars. Just a pet peeve of mine.

I already started telling you about the Nappa Tan leather inside, but not the fact that you get Alexa as standard, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other amenities include the two 12” displays, a head-up display, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, wireless charging for your mobile device, automatic climate control, cruise control, ambient lighting, a power-adjustable steering column, plus a wide range of active safety gizmos.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Alex Oagana

Usually, the highest level of innovation should go hand in hand with the success of a new car, but sadly that hasn’t always been the case. Ironically, there have been plenty of occasions when too much innovation is the actual reason behind the demise of a car.

It’s almost a case of uncanny valley. Sometimes, an engineer or a designer goes so far ahead with their dreams of solving a problem most people don’t even know they have yet that the general public simply responds with animosity instead of goodwill.

No matter the exact reason, or reasons, behind their demise, there are a lot of innovative cars that didn’t get a second chance, yet they are a huge part of automotive history, so they deserve the recognition. This is why I put together the following retrospective, to celebrate the cars that showed up like Marty McFly to a party where they were simply misunderstood. These are the cars that were simply too smart, too divergent, or too far ahead of their time for their own good.

Fisker Karma: When Plug-in Ambition Meets Battery Fires

I couldn’t quite pinpoint why I had a bit of an eerie feeling while chatting with legendary designer Henrik Fisker at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, where he was taking a hands-on approach marketing the Fisker Surf, a shooting brake version of the ill-fated Karma sedan. It was maybe because the Karma had just started deliveries, and things were arguably moving too fast for a company that was essentially running (sometimes literally) on fumes since its inception, yet it was unveiling one near-production concept after another.

Unveiled as a concept car in 2008 and finally reaching customers in 2011, the Fisker Karma made headlines with its design from the very beginning. It had dramatic four-door coupe proportions and lines that made a contemporary grand tourer look conservative, even with the downside of offering a cabin so small that the EPA classified it as a sub-compact. Henrik Fisker, the designer behind other gorgeous cars like the BMW Z8 and the Aston Martin DB9, had created something that looked like it was worth many times its $100,000 price tag.

Tucker 48: The Car That Threatened Detroit And Lost

The Tucker 48 arguably represents one of the most ambitious but also tragic automotive projects in American history.. An entrepreneur named Preston Tucker had a vision for a post-war family sedan so far ahead of its time that it made Detroit’s Big Three cars look almost outdated. Coming from literally nowhere, the Tucker Corporation was an automotive start-up in the modern sense of the word.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Mircea Panait

What happens when you combine the internal combustion 1 Series Hatchback with the redesigned i3 sedan? While it's easy to dismiss Theophilus Chin's latest pixel work as nothing more than fiction, BMW is actually developing an electric hatchback with Neue Klasse underpinnings from the compact executive sedan. Internally referred to as NB0, the newcomer should enter production at some point in March 2028.

In a similar fashion to the rendered 2028 BMW i1, the front and rear signature lighting is expected to carry over from the i3. The proportions, however, will be different because of the shorter wheelbase. Speaking of differences, BMW could also rethink the front and rear overhangs accordingly. The interior will not surprise anyone with its lack of a traditional instrument cluster and the lack of a start button in favor of a tech-forward cockpit.

Believed to be produced at BMW's plant in Munich, the i1 could spawn a full-blooded M version with tremendous power and torque at its disposal. Internally referred to as ZB0 as opposed to NB0 for lesser specifications, the i1M – or whatever it may be called by its maker – is certain to feature all-wheel drive.

—

Caught while undergoing dynamic testing at the Nurburgring Nordschleife, the refreshed AMG GT Coupe and AMG SL Roadster are barely camouflaged nowadays. And worse still for customers who expected genuine mid-cycle updates, only the front end is noticeably different from the outgoing models.

Both the 2027 Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe and the SL Roadster flaunt new Panamericana grilles, revised front bumpers with larger intakes, and the now-trademark star motif inside their headlights. For this application, Mercedes decided on a single three-pointed star per lighting unit instead of pairs. Curiously enough, it appears that neither will get stars in their taillights.

Even more curious, the dashboard is mostly unchanged. We have already seen this in the C-Class facelift, whose only notable cabin update is the new steering wheel with more physical controls. Due to limited space, Mercedes could very well eschew MBUX Superscreen in these vehicles. Introduced by the all-new CLA, the MB.OS proprietary software stack will make its way into the GT and SL by the end of 2026.

—

Consumer electronics giant Xiaomi has been a little busy testing a new design as well, namely a high-performance crossover that slots below the SU7 Ultra sedan. Pictured in red paint with GT decals, aggressive downforce-generating trickery, ultra-sticky rubber, and no camo whatsoever on its body panels, the YU7 GT adopts the design language seen on the SU7 Ultra, including the waterdrop-style headlights.

Hidden door handles are present as well, and they will be changed for the series-production model due to new safety regulations in the People's Republic of China. Further equipped with frameless exterior mirrors, a ducktail spoiler, full-width taillights, and staggered 21-inch wheels, the Nurburgring-bound 2027 Xiaomi YU7 GT also rocks carbon-ceramic brakes and plenty of gloss-black contrasting exterior trim pieces.

MIIT filings indicate a dual-motor powertrain for this coupe-styled thriller, with its electric drive units putting out a combined 738 kilowatts (990 horsepower). That kind of muscle puts it extremely close to Porsche's most exciting Cayenne Electric to date, though Xiaomi will have a hard time besting the German automaker's far more appealing badge and sporting pedigree. A strict five-seater, the YU7 GT will soon go live with Chinese-market prices from approximately 450,000 yuan (around $65,400 at current exchange rates).

By: Bogdan Popa

Google and Apple spent millions to make AAOS and CarPlay Ultra more widely adopted in the automotive space, but Android Auto and the original CarPlay version continue to enjoy terrific success. Developers keep investing in these platforms, and OpenAI – that's right, the company behind ChatGPT – decided to do the same thing. 

The official ChatGPT app is now available on CarPlay, allowing users to start AI-powered conversations from the infotainment screens. 

Google is a big fan of CarPlay, too. The search firm brought Google Meet to Apple's system, leaving Android Auto users behind once again. An Android Auto version of Google Meet is coming "soon," Google says, but we all know what that means. 

There's a chance we might be getting YouTube before Google Meet on Android Auto. Google has unlocked playback controls for YouTube on Android Auto, so if you begin playing a video on your phone, you can pause and resume playback from the infotainment screen.

Meanwhile, we're approaching the debut of Forza Horizon 6, so Playground Games revealed 5 new BMW models coming to the game, while Colorado enabled new speed cameras that make Waze just another navigation app.

🏁 🏁 🏁 🏁 🏁

From all of us at autoevolution, a sincere thank you for reading! Feel free to reply with suggestions. Replies to these emails are monitored!

Oh, and one more thing: if you like our articles, please click the button below to add autoevolution to your preferred sources!