Toyota Could Overtake GM's US Sales Lead Due to Hybrids: TDS

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      Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short, which is The Drive's morning news summary that gathers the latest automotive headlines from around the world into one convenient location.

      The Downshift condenses each story into a single sentence and includes a link for those wanting additional details. Here’s what’s happening on Thursday, June 25, 2026.

      🔊 The most recent episode of The Drivecast, The Drive’s weekly podcast, launched yesterday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.

      👑 GM may once again lose its position as the top car seller in the U.S. to Toyota, as the Japanese manufacturer leads sales due to its focus on hybrid vehicles; GM’s market share is projected to drop 16.8% in the first half of 2026, while Toyota’s is expected to rise by 15.8%.

      🧐 JD Power has released its 2026 U.S. Initial Quality Study, ranking Ford as the highest mass-market brand and third overall (with Porsche taking first place and Genesis second), despite Ford recalling 11.2 million vehicles this year.

      🚕 Amazon’s Zoox robotaxi has been revamped with additional padding on the seats and headrests as it prepares for large-scale production in Hayward, California.

      💰 The Trump Administration has requested $1 billion from Congress to enhance the pensions of former General Motors employees affected by the Delphi auto parts unit cuts during the automaker’s bankruptcy restructuring in 2009.

      🇨🇳 Chinese automakers are now optimistic about capturing 16% market share in Europe within the next four years.

      🔋 Leonard Hoornik, Chief Commercial Officer of Jaguar Land Rover, stated, “We are really trying to go against the current market trend,” as the company confirmed it will introduce five electric vehicles in the next 18 months and intends to price them higher than their gasoline counterparts.

      🏎️ Porsche has unveiled the new $375,000 GT4 race car, which for the first time is based on the 911 rather than the Cayman.

      💗 Chevrolet has revived its classic “Heartbeat of America” advertising campaign, although its “Like a Rock” campaign remains absent.

      🙌 The immense popularity of the BMW M wagons will lead the automaker's performance division to produce an M3 Touring in the Neue Klasse era.

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