The Toyota Corolla Cross Is a Little Better-Looking for 2026
To us, the hybrid is the more handsome of the two redos. It gets a color-matched grille that adds to the Corolla Cross' funky style. There are also new colors like the Cavalry Blue that typically adorns Toyota's TRD-branded trucks and SUVs. The hybrid also gets a new 18-inch wheel option for SE and XSE trim levels. The hybrid powertrain remains the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with a hybrid system (196 combined horsepower) and features the same on-demand electric all-wheel drive.
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Motor 1
27 minutes ago
- Motor 1
‘I Can't Stop Crying:' Woman is Desperate for a New Car. Then She Gets an Email with a Shocking Offer
Every day for more than two months, a determined TikTokker in need of a 'new to me' car for her family has propped up her phone, pressed record, and spoken into the void about her worn-out Toyota hatchback. The viral videos have captured the attention of one of the world's leading automakers. Now the Dalton, Georgia, mother is working to get keys in hand. Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Creator Jessica Higgs ( @jessicahiggs3 ) has been candid and open for more than 70 daily posts, letting the world know that her well-aged ride with a hole in the floorboard isn't a reliable option for her family. The posts routinely get over 100,000 views, and in a recent clip , she cried tears of joy over receiving a response. The Toyota Response: What It Really Means Higgs recently sent Toyota an offer to work for them in exchange for a vehicle, she says. She specifically offered to work with the carmaker to give away $10,000. The email Higgs received wasn't a set of keys or a signed sponsorship contract, however. She says it came from an executive office administrator who acknowledged her proposal, confirmed it was being reviewed, and asked for two more business days before delivering a decision. More on Toyota Can the Honda Passport TrailSport Keep Up With the Toyota 4Runner? The Toyota GR86 Hakone Is for the Purist on a Budget: Video Review In the high-speed world of corporate communications, even a polite 'not yet' can feel like a sign of hope. 'I'm crying, because they could have easily declined my proposal. Instead of her sending a denied letter, she said that she needs two more business days and I'm gonna take that as a win,' she says. 'I'm gonna take that as there's still a chance.' Toyota has a long history of carefully managing customer-facing interactions. Major automakers are typically cautious about one-off giveaways or sponsorships, not just because of cost, but because such gestures set precedents and can invite a flood of similar requests. Even when they want to help, corporate policy often dictates that goodwill is routed through established community outreach programs, dealership-level initiatives, or marketing campaigns rather than ad-hoc influencer arrangements. That's more or less what happened in Higgs' case. A few days after the email, she posted a follow-up video explaining that Toyota couldn't offer a direct collaboration. Instead, they pointed her toward other departments and programs that might help her secure a used vehicle. Higgs' quest for a new car continues. TikTok, Car Culture, and the Power of Persistence Higgs' approach of posting a personal update every day until the right person notices is straight out of the modern TikTok playbook. The app's algorithm rewards consistency and niche storytelling, and audiences often engage with creators who are authentic about their challenges. For car enthusiasts, the appeal is twofold: There's the mechanical intrigue of an aging, battle-scarred ride, and there's the human side of someone determined to keep their family safe and mobile. While traditional auto marketing still leans heavily on polished ads and celebrity endorsements , TikTok has become a powerful tool for connecting with younger buyers and everyday drivers alike. A 2024 report from social agency Goat found that automotive brands on TikTok see higher engagement when they highlight fan stories, behind-the-scenes content, and relatable ownership experiences, rather than purely promotional messaging. Toyota, like many major brands, maintains an official TikTok presence, but its content focuses more on heritage, model spotlights, and lifestyle branding than on spontaneous creator collaborations. That's what makes Higgs' campaign stand out: It's an unscripted grassroots pitch to a global company, built on the idea that determination, relatability, and a bit of virality might break through the corporate firewall. There's precedent for social media stories turning into automotive fairy tales, and cautionary tales as well. In early 2024, BMW appeared to promise a car to viral TikToker Reesa Teesa after her months-long video saga went mainstream. But according to The Wall Street Journal, the arrangement fell apart amid miscommunication between the automaker's marketing and PR teams. Other brands have embraced the opportunity. In one widely shared example outside the auto industry, Stanley gifted a new car to a TikTok user after her Stanley Quencher tumbler survived a vehicle fire, a clever twist that tied product durability to human resilience and generated massive goodwill. In the automotive world, local dealerships have occasionally stepped in to upgrade or replace a customer's vehicle after their story gained traction online or in local media, creating a halo effect for both the dealer and the brand. These examples underline the double-edged nature of social-media-driven outreach. When done right, they can humanize a brand, inspire loyalty, and generate the kind of viral attention money can't buy. When handled poorly or left unresolved, they risk alienating the very audience the brand hoped to reach. For Higgs, Toyota's reply may not have been the cinematic ending her followers were hoping for. But in the crowded world of TikTok, where campaigns come and go in a flash, she's already accomplished something rare: she got one of the world's largest automakers to notice, respond, and engage—and she brought thousands of strangers along for the ride. Motor1 reached out to Higgs via direct message. We'll update this if she responds. More From Motor1 'We Don't See These:' Car Dealer Surprised to See Toyota Traded In. Here's Why It's One of the Most 'Sought After' Cars Can the Honda Passport TrailSport Keep Up With the Toyota 4Runner? The Best New Cars Coming Out in 2026 'This Happens All the Time to Customers:' Man Buys Brand-New Toyota 7 Months Ago. Now He Says the Warranty's Been Voided Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Where's the NASCAR In-Season Challenge trophy? Ty Gibbs is looking for other wins
Ty Gibbs doesn't know the whereabouts of his NASCAR In-Season Challenge trophy. 'Honestly, I forgot about it for the last week or two or whenever Indy was,' he said with a chuckle this week. His best guess: the Joe Gibbs Racing shop in Huntersville, North Carolina. But it's not that the 22-year-old doesn't care. He just remains hyperfocused on the next few weeks. Gibbs sits 19th in the playoff standings, three spots and 87 points back of the final postseason berth ahead of the Cup Series' trip to Watkins Glen this weekend. Three weeks left in the regular season. No time to worry about anything else. Ty Gibbs reflects on NASCAR In-Season Challenge win Gibbs claimed the inaugural in-season tournament by piloting his No. 54 Toyota to 21st during the Brickyard 400 at the end of July. In the final event of the five-week bracket, he just needed to beat Ty Dillon, who ended up in 28th. 'It was very cool,' said Gibbs, who wouldn't mind seeing the challenge return for a second year. 'I think the fans liked it as well because they could bet on it a lot, too. It was cool, fun to do and fun to be a part of.' Afterward, Gibbs pledged $10,000 of his $1 million prize to a charity of Dillon's choosing. It was an impromptu thought, but one Gibbs and Dillon fully intend to work out. 'We're in the midst of talking about it right now, so just seeing where his idea is there,' Gibbs said. He has not spent any of the money yet. When asked if he plans to splurge on something fun, he said it will probably go toward racing expenses. There's that focus again. Ty Gibbs heads to Watkins Glen in search of first win Gibbs doesn't fantasize about his first win. 'I don't idolize it,' he said before clarifying. 'But I focus on it a lot and just try to go at it every week and make it an option every week.' Gibbs rose through the ranks as one of NASCAR's hottest prospects. In March of 2019, he debuted in ARCA. He scored his first victory that June. Across three ARCA seasons, he ran 47 races and settled into the top 10 in all but five of them. He scored 18 wins. Same deal in the Xfinity Series. He sped to a victory in his first race on the Daytona road course in February of 2021. In 66 races at that level, he already holds 12 wins. But in the Cup Series, he's still pursuing that first visit to Victory Lane. Gibbs has started 109 races over four years since his 2022 debut at Pocono. He's gotten close. After eight top-five finishes in 2024, he's racked up four this season. That includes a second-place mark at the Chicago Street Race last month. 'We're kind of a young team,' Gibbs said. 'A lot of our guys are new in that position, so just kind of getting a feel for that and everybody getting experience has been the biggest key.' Last fall, Gibbs received his first taste of the playoffs. He gained entry on points. This year, that looks like a tougher proposition. He probably needs a win at Watkins Glen, Richmond or Daytona. 'They're all circled,' Gibbs said. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR driver Ty Gibbs remains playoff-focused before Watkins Glen
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ford's cheaper, simpler $30K electric vehicles are how 'we can make money on EVs,' CEO says
Ford (F) revealed its plans on Tuesday to make cheaper and cost-efficient EVs, starting with a midsize four-door electric pickup. Ford has teased for some time now that its "skunkworks" team in California was working on a clean-sheet EV platform, one with software at its core — otherwise known as a "software-defined vehicle," or SDV. Switch Auto Insurance and Save Today! Great Rates and Award-Winning Service The Insurance Savings You Expect Affordable Auto Insurance, Customized for You The first product coming from that platform — dubbed the Ford Universal Platform — will be a $30,000 four-door electric pickup that Ford said will have more passenger space than a Toyota RAV4 crossover SUV, not including the frunk or truck bed. Ford said the vehicle will arrive in 2027, with more details to come at a future date. The platform will allow the company to make all kinds of form factors, such as sedans, SUVs, and vans, built at scale and with simplicity. Ford said the number of parts will be far fewer and the vehicles will be lighter. Ford CEO Jim Farley called it a "Model T" moment for the automaker, boldly claiming that this platform, as well as its production process, will revolutionize how the company makes its future EVs. "We want to start with the most universal car; this is what we think Henry Ford would have loved," Farley said to Yahoo Finance about the pickup body style, adding that "this midsize truck will really not be a truck anymore. It's more like the ultimate next generation crossover." Last year, Ford's Model e EV unit lost $5.1 billion, and the company expects losses to stay the same in 2025. The company sold 105,000 EVs, meaning the company lost around $48.5K per EV sold. Those numbers need to change, and Farley and Ford believe both the new platform and production strategy will flip the EV business into the green starting in 2027. Ford said its Universal Assembly Process will make efficiency key to building these new EVs. The process transforms the traditional single-row assembly line into an "assembly tree," where three subassemblies run in parallel before merging at a later point. Ford said the use of larger cast parts, allowing the front and rear to be assembled separately and then brought together, and the use of the structural battery in the middle of the car will make assembly faster and cheaper. "This [process] radically reduces our cost, including a 30% cheaper battery chemistry, and the battery usage is much lower than a BYD, like 20% more efficient, and we think this is the way we can make money on EVs. We've learned a lot. We've been number two to Tesla for a couple of years; we've been doing our homework for this next investment cycle, and this is the way for us to be competitive," Farley said. Ford will institute this process at its Louisville Assembly Plant. The company predicts the new truck will be built 40% faster than the vehicles currently assembled there. To that end, Ford will invest nearly $2 billion at the Louisville plant and create 2,200 jobs. Ford had previously committed $3 billion for its BlueOval Battery Park in Michigan, where the company will build cheaper prismatic LFP batteries using licensed technology from China's CATL. Ford's bet on cheaper EVs comes as the industry faces a make-or-break moment with fully electric vehicles. Thus far, Tesla (TSLA) has been the only company able to build EVs at scale and with decent profit margins. Now, the industry faces more competition and the loss of the federal EV tax credit in Q3 of this year. "It's a huge change for us. We're going to change the way we build vehicles, maybe the way the industry builds vehicles," Farley said. Pras Subramanian is the lead auto reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
