Mountain Wheels: 2025 promises a bumpy year for the auto business

Andy Stonehouse/Courtesy photo
As we head into a precarious 2025, my 21st year doing real-world automotive reviews, I have to take a quick moment to thank TikTok for both ruining and, at the same time, vastly enhancing my car-business career. Really.
I say this because I met a budding TikTok/YouTube star this summer, close to my not-young age, who racked up literally 45 trips to national media events during 2024. Every week had a different airport shot at 5 a.m., some signature car poses and stylish captions, a wardrobe change, and then another car/airport combo. Plus, what looked like six pieces of content a day being produced.
Anyone who’s a slightly high-mileage legacy of business in the 1990s, such as I am, has probably noticed the same trends and requirements in their industries, especially since COVID-19. In automobile coverage, it’s the standard — these medium-length reviews I do are not what carmakers exactly have in mind anymore, but I certainly get a lot more rest than someone like my friend. I am totally OK with that. And … it sounds like a TikTok-based career has its own challenges in 2025, as well.
That’s all a roundabout way of thanking those of you who continue to read these stories and to the Summit Daily News for the opportunity to continue to take a slightly old-fashioned approach to the ever-changing world of automobiles.
It also may explain why a number of high-profile vehicles you absolutely should have seen written about, such as the Volkswagen id.Buzz minivan EV, the new VW-associated Scout products, the hybrid electric Corvette, or simple products like Rivian trucks … or anything made by Cadillac, Lincoln or Porsche, have all failed to appear here so far.
I do what I can, relying 100% on the grace of a couple of Denver-based media fleet managers, and that’s helped produce this year’s near-weekly crop of reviews. As mentioned, flying 45 times a year and competing with social media operatives is not my bag.
This year did bring a few unexpected joys, such as time in the Lucid Air EV, a number of outings in the new Toyota Land Cruiser/Lexus GX 550 and even the curious local event with the Kia Sorento X-Pro. I’ve got rides in vehicles ranging from the 2025 Infiniti QX80 and Nissan Armada to the Genesis GV80 on the coming horizon, so please keep reading.
As for the greater car business in 2025, wow — your guess is as good as mine. The major about-face on electric vehicles really began in earnest this summer as companies from Volvo to Porsche announced they were maybe less than committed to their former plans of full electrification. Ford lost so much money on its Lightning and Mach-e products that an EV SUV failed to materialize. And Dodge/Chrysler/Ram lost an international CEO who apparently helped deep-six the American favorite Hemi engine. Curiously the new electric Ram trucks are now going to appear as hybrids first. I’ll bet you $2 we see Hemis again, quickly. Everything is going to get a little weird.
I’ll make my final pitch for maximizing the federal credits for buying an electric vehicle, congratulate anyone who acted fast enough to get Xcel Energy support for their home charging and wish everyone the best as the tumultuous times unfurl ahead of us. Good luck.
Andy Stonehouse’s column “Mountain Wheels” publishes Saturdays in the Summit Daily News. Stonehouse has worked as an editor and writer in Colorado since 1998, focusing on automotive coverage since 2004. He lives in Golden. Contact him at summitmountainwheels@gmail.com.

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