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Today, Head Writer Chris Reeves joins the show to share how the Super Chevy Dealers of Baton Rouge and Our Lady of the Lake came together to honor Vietnam veteran and former police officer Michael King with a new 2026 Chevy Equinox RS—proof that when a community shows up, the impact goes far beyond the driveway.

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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Episode #1245: Honda unveils a brand-wide logo reboot, Tesla brings its massive Texas lithium refinery online, and U.S. workers pump the brakes on job-hopping—opting for stability and side hustles instead.

Show Notes with links:

• Honda is officially going all-in on its new, wider “H” badge. What started as an EV-only identifier will now represent Honda’s entire automotive business—from gas and hybrid vehicles to dealerships and motorsports—blending retro roots with a future-facing look.
  • Honda’s new badge, inspired by its 1960s-era logo, is wider, frameless, and intentionally more modern.
  • Originally reserved for the upcoming 0 Series EVs, the logo will now appear across all Honda vehicles, including ICE and hybrids.
  • The brand says the move unifies Honda’s identity as electrification and internal combustion will coexist longer than once expected.
  • Unlike many “flattened” rebrands, this logo leans on heritage while still fitting next-gen EV design language.
  • Honda says the badge will “represent [the] Honda automobile business as a whole, including… dealership locations, communication initiatives, and automobile motorsports activities.”

• Tesla just flipped the switch on its Texas lithium refinery, bringing battery-grade lithium hydroxide production fully online. The company says it’s the first refinery of its kind in North America—and a big step toward controlling more of its EV supply chain at home.
  • The Corpus Christi-area facility converts raw spodumene ore directly into battery-grade lithium hydroxide, skipping common intermediate steps.
  • Tesla says the simplified process is cheaper, faster, and more sustainable than traditional lithium refining methods.
  • From groundbreaking in 2023 to operation in 2026, Tesla fast-tracked the project by running design, studies, and construction in parallel.
  • Elon Musk called it “the largest lithium refinery in America” and added that it’s “the most advanced lithium refinery in the world” and “very clean.”

• After years of churn, the job market has slammed the brakes. New data shows workers are far less likely to job hunt in 2026, choosing stability and side hustles instead as hiring slows and confidence drops across the U.S. workforce.
  • Only 43% of workers plan to job search in 2026, down sharply from 93% last year, according to Monster.
  • Economists are calling 2025 a “hiring recession,” with the weakest job gains outside a recession since 2003.
  • About 75% of employees say they plan to stay put until at least 2027, a trend known as “job hugging.”
  • Instead of switching jobs, nearly two-thirds of workers are turning to side hustles or extra income streams.
  • Monster’s Vicki Salemi says workers aren’t disengaged, just cautious: “They’re basically playing the

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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Episode #1244: Today we're talking about Tesla's FSD flip to subscription-only, the continued softening of auto credit conditions, and a loyalty report that says your customers are expecting way more.

Show Notes with links:

• The Dealertrack Credit Availability Index closed out December at 99.6—its highest reading of 2025 and the strongest level since October 2022. It marks a continued return to pre-pandemic credit conditions, capping off a yearlong trend of easing lending standards.
  • Approval rates rose to 73.7%, up 90 basis points from November and 80 bps from December 2024.
  • Average contract rates dropped from 10.5% to 10.3%, while yield spreads also narrowed—making pricing more attractive for buyers.
  • Subprime lending edged down from 14.3% to 14.1% month-over-month, though still up from 11.8% a year ago.
  • Loans over 72 months grew in share, as consumers stretch payments to keep monthly costs manageable.
  • Captive lenders led the loosening, but banks, credit unions, and finance companies all showed increased flexibility.

• Starting February 14, Tesla will stop offering its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system as a one-time purchase, moving exclusively to a monthly subscription model, according to CEO Elon Musk.
  • FSD, which still requires active driver supervision, currently costs $8,000 or $99/month.
  • Tesla hasn’t said how many users pay for FSD, but Musk once admitted he was "kind of glad" not many bought the lifetime option.
  • The shift may be tied to Musk’s compensation package, which includes hitting 10 million active FSD subscriptions.
  • California regulators are still considering suspending Tesla’s sales license for 30 days over alleged misleading marketing of FSD capabilities.
  • Tesla has not disclosed how many of its customers have bought or are paying monthly subscriptions for FSD.

• In its 28th annual Customer Loyalty Engagement Index, Brand Keys found that consumer expectations jumped a record-breaking 32% year-over-year — a shift that’s shaking up brand rankings across industries and putting serious pressure on retailers to evolve.
  • Hyundai once again ranked highest among automotive brands for meeting modern consumer expectations — its 17th year holding that title.
  • Nearly 40% of product and service categories saw new leaders emerge, signaling a wave of disruption driven by more demanding buyers.
  • Loyalty continues to deliver ROI: a 5% improvement can boost lifetime customer profits by up to 88%, while a 2% lift can cut marketing costs by nearly 30%.
  • Amazon, Whole Foods, Shell, Ben & Jerry’s, and Dollar General were also among the top performers in their categories.
  • “The bottom line: loyalty moves markets.” – Robert Passikoff, President of Brand Keys

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/

JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/