Entry-level cars are disappearing, affordable EVs are getting harder to find, and buyers are being pushed toward more expensive, more complex vehicles.

Today’s episode breaks down Kia dropping Niro plug-in hybrid and EV variants, the refreshed Niro rising about $2,500 and pushing past $30,000 with destination, Ford and Jeep adjusting pricing in real time, Kia, BMW and Toyota recall pressure, Nissan cutting 20,000 jobs globally, and dealerships turning to custom AI tools to protect shrinking margins.

Today's Key Headlines

~Kia drops the Niro plug-in hybrid and fully electric variants from the lineup

~The refreshed Kia Niro starts at $29,890 before destination after a roughly $2,500 increase

~Kia recalls 21,000 EV9 SUVs while BMW recalls more than 27,000 vehicles over rollaway risk

~Toyota recalls about 500,000 Camrys over instrument gauges that can go blank while driving

~Nissan is cutting 20,000 jobs globally while exploring a potential Sunderland partnership with Chery

00:08 Affordable entry-level cars start disappearing

01:34 Kia drops Niro EV and plug-in hybrid variants

04:08 Automakers hedge across gas, hybrid and future EVs

06:31 Recall pressure exposes the cost of complex vehicle technology

10:15 Nissan’s Sunderland plant faces EV and trade-rule pressure

13:11 Dealerships fight margin compression with AI and process changes

16:14 Big takeaway: the industry is in an awkward adolescence

18:27 Outro: watch what is actually on the dealer lot

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