For all of you reading this who are feeling pessimistic about 2025, there’s another person scrolling through this story on their phone who is absolutely psyched about the potential they see in the year ahead. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from helming InsideHook’s annual prognosticatory report the last couple years, it’s not that our country is going down the toilet (or, on the flip side, that we’re on the cusp of a golden age); instead, my main takeaway is that life is truly all about perspective.
Am I worried about the spread of artificial intelligence, especially as its development is far outpacing the ability of society to reckon with the fact that tech companies are making billions off of text, audio, video and images that are being scraped illegally? Yes. Am I rankled that I’m now paying more for streaming services than I did in the days of cable? Of course. (I’m even toying with getting a DVD player again.) Am I scared that for every step forward we make in the fight against climate change, we seemingly take two steps back? I’ll tell you this: it’s not the 2 p.m. espresso keeping me up at night.
But for all the troubles I see ahead in 2025, I also see opportunities, hope, joy. I bring this up because that seems to be the theme for our predictions this time around: potentially bad situations with unexpected upsides. Even the true downers here offer up avenues for change. But knowing how the internet works, I’m sure some of you will find something to be mad about in our bright-eyed trends, too.
Speaking of perspective, for those who are reading our trend outlook for the first time: Yes, these are specifically focused on the lives of American men, seeing as how that’s our area of expertise here at InsideHook. But whatever your demographic makeup, I’m confident our takeaways, compiled by our in-house experts, will help you navigate the next 12 months, no matter your current outlook.
— Alex Lauer, Features Editor
1. You’ll drink miniaturized cocktails…
I had my first mini Martini at Tales of the Cocktail in 2017, but back then, they were not a regular occurrence. But now, things like mini Martinis and Snaiquiris (tiny Daiquiris) are becoming increasingly common. A new mini cocktail menu was just rolled out at the W Philadelphia, and Beverage Director Isai Xolalpa thinks it’s a win for people who are trying to drink a little less. “We’re seeing guests mix it up — ordering an alcoholic mini for their first round and then switching to a non-alcoholic version,” he says. “It’s a fun, balanced approach to drinking that feels both indulgent and mindful.”
Mini cocktails also scratch the itch for those who want variety, which is also a welcome change from spending $18 to $25 for a drink. “There’s less commitment with a mini cocktail,” says Krissy Harris, co-owner and beverage director of Shy Shy and Jungle Bird in New York City. “It feels playful and harmless. Like, you could have one and still go to the gym or back to work.”
Mini cocktails also give bartenders a chance to flex their creative muscles. “Mini cocktail flights have long been a staple in luxury hospitality, turning drinks into storytelling moments,” says Bobby Carey, creative director for Proof Creative, a beverage consultancy. “At Charles H in Seoul, the Manhattan flight showcased the diversity of a single cocktail across New York’s boroughs, giving guests an immersive yet compact journey.” — Amanda Gabriele, Senior Editor, The Spill
2. …and sip on agave spirits made in America
We haven’t even switched presidential administrations yet and, as a drinks writer, I’m already inundated with stories about tariffs, tariffs, tariffs. If President-elect Donald Trump follows through on, say, a 25% tariff on anything coming in from Mexico or Canada, there will be aggressive retaliatory measures. For the country to our south, that means tequila, mezcal, sotol and other agave spirits will rise in cost and smaller brands may simply decide to forgo the U.S. market entirely.
It’s a terrible way to say that this might push some American producers of agave spirits to take advantage of higher-priced tequila by offering something similar crafted on U.S. soil. Because of an Appellation of Origin established in 1978, tequila must be produced in certain territories of Mexico, and the producer must follow the Official Standard for Tequila. But that doesn’t stop distilleries outside of the designated areas of Mexico from producing like-minded spirits from agave. So be ready for American sotol, or less controversially, “desert spirits” or agave spirits to make a little headway. I’m all for agave drinks crafted around the globe, but I’d rather the category find something beyond imitating what Mexican producers historically do best. — Kirk Miller, Senior Lifestyle Editor, The Spill
3. The running boom will enjoy one more year in the sun…
It gives me no pleasure to put the whammy on the running boom. I love the running boom! But I have to zag here, because how could the sport possibly sustain this level of intrigue?
Arguments in favor of an infinite running boom (you can trace its start back to 2020, during quarantine) would point to the rise of edgy brands and grisly races, marathon race days as monocultural social media events, influencer-fication, and of course, the 360-degree ubiquity of run clubs. There is now a run club for every pace, neighborhood and relationship status. (When InsideHook launched a run club this fall, we literally called it Another Run Club.) How can you bet against the movement when the World Majors are adding new cities (shoutout Sydney), the trail running/ultra community is taking off, and creative directors have seemingly endless time and budgets to stage offbeat race ideas? (One of my favorites from recent years: the “Paul Revere Classic.” It’s what you think it is.)
That’s all well and good, but I have to imagine 2025 is it: the high point of this boom, after which the sport will start to settle down and in. As a comedian joked in a recent Reel: “Do you guys remember when someone ran a marathon and it was a big deal?” The modern hyper-fixation on wellness means that other activities — other challenges, classes, TBD lifestyle booms — will inevitably capture the imagination of eager trainees. That doesn’t mean that running itself is going anywhere. Nike will chase On for years to come and runners will never stop chasing PRs. Plus, I’m cheering for those who found their little corner of the running community over the last few years to stick with it for life. Yes, running as a lifestyle phenomenon will start to cool — that’s the life cycle of an activity in America (look at tennis, back for a boom of its own). For now, I’m just happy to know the golden years are happening while I’m in them. — Tanner Garrity, Senior Editor, The Charge
4. …and you’ll do physical therapy, even if it’s just preventative
I know this sounds like a totally pessimistic prediction, but there’s some nuance at play here. In recent years, physical therapy has been A) demystified for those who assumed it was reserved for injured elite athletes, and B) destigmatized for those who typically treat bodily pain with gritted teeth.
Physical therapy services are popping up everywhere. Look to the U.S. Labor Bureau of Statistics, which states the need for PTs will grow by 21% before 2030, or just look around your neighborhood (I had a new facility open up around the corner last July). I envision two specific groups requiring PT services in 2025 and beyond: First, of course, we have Baby Boomers, a generation that’s graying, but nonetheless still kicking. This cohort easily leads the way in instances of joint replacement. That’s a guaranteed PT pilgrimage.
And second: the highly active Millennial/Gen Z set. While I applaud this group’s embrace of workout classes and Strava activities (see my thoughts on the “running boom” above), I worry they’re doing too much — especially if they’re otherwise spending much of the day hunched over a computer. It’s difficult to exist within those poles…and if you’re not compensating with yoga, you’ll probably end up in PT at some point. My advice for those who do: don’t fret. Embrace the pause in your workout routine to get healthy again, and consider what does or doesn’t make sense in your training schedule. — T.G.
5. You’ll see more long-simmering movie sequels…
People have been lamenting the lack of original ideas and overabundance of remakes and sequels in Hollywood for at least a decade now, but 2024 offered us a relatively new twist on this phenomenon: the rise of the long-simmering sequel, with directors like Tim Burton and Ridley Scott returning with new installments of films they released more than two decades ago. Both efforts were, by and large, hugely successful: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which reunited most of its original cast (including, of course, the Ghost with the Most himself) 36 years after the original and brought in scream queen Jenna Ortega, grossed $451.1 million worldwide on a $100 million budget. Gladiator II received more mixed reviews from critics, but that didn’t stop audiences desperate to see Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal enter the arena from turning out. It has grossed $407 million worldwide so far.
So what does this mean for the year ahead? Nostalgia is hot right now, and we can expect to see more movies banking on the fact that fans may be excited to revisit a beloved classic from decades ago. There are already some slated for 2025 releases, including Avatar: Fire and Ash; Happy Gilmore 2, which will debut in July 2025 on Netflix; and Freakier Friday, which will reunite Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan 22 years after they swapped bodies in Freaky Friday. Assuming Millennials desperate to relive their youth turn out in droves for these, expect even more sequels to films from generations ago to be announced in the near future. — Bonnie Stiernberg, Managing Editor
6. …and a streaming service will shut down or go bankrupt
We predicted the streaming bubble would burst back in 2023, and that’s certainly been the trajectory that most platforms have been on in the years since, as subscribers grow increasingly frustrated with price hikes and a crowded field. Cord-cutters looking to save money by choosing streaming over a monthly cable bill now potentially find themselves paying the same amount as they would on cable by subscribing to a slew of different services. It feels like we’re closer than ever to the industry reaching a breaking point, so don’t be surprised if we see a big streamer shut down, go bankrupt or both in 2025.
But which one will it be? Certainly not Netflix or Amazon’s Prime Video, the only two services with over 200 million subscribers. Netflix added another five million in Q3 this year, bringing them to 282.7 million subscribers globally and raking in $9.8 billion during that three-month period. Prime Video will never go out of business because it’s bundled in with Amazon Prime, and people are always going to want free two-day shipping on their packages. Virtually everyone else is dealing with a far bleaker reality: they’re spending massive amounts of money on original programming in an attempt to stand out from the pack, but they don’t have enough paying subscribers to earn that money back. As the New York Times points out, Paramount+ lost $1.6 billion last year, Comcast lost a whopping $2.7 billion on Peacock and Disney lost roughly $2.6 billion on its services (Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+). Starz lost more subscribers than any other streaming service in 2024 — roughly 1.2 million. Any of these could go belly-up in the coming year, but Paramount+ seems like the likeliest candidate since they lack the same amount of popular original programming as some of the others who find themselves in equally dire situations. Eventually, a giant corporation like Paramount will decide that they can’t keep bleeding money indefinitely and shift the focus back to their broadcast channels. — B.S.
How'd we do on our predictions last year?
20 Trends That Will Define the Lives of American Men in 2024
Beware of LinkedIn, dating apps and that SUV next to you. But look forward to cocktails that taste like a three-course meal.7. You’ll attend (or plan!) a micro-wedding
After New York published a series of not-so-rosy depictions of modern-day wedding culture in early December, my presumption about the wedding industrial complex was vindicated: People have had enough. Between these reports, the debates raging on #WeddingTok and my own conversations, it appears guests and betrothed couples alike are at their wits’ (or bank account’s) end from the extortionate cost of throwing and attending weddings. The sky-high vendors, the thousand-dollar destination bachelor/bachelorette trips and the pressure for your wedding day to look “perfect” for social media are putting stress and financial strain on everyone.
Isn’t there anyone who remembers what getting married is all about? I think people are catching on, which is why 2025 will be the year of the micro-wedding: intimate gatherings of up to 50 guests, or even couples simply opting for private elopements. Whether it’s because of time or money (or apathy, let’s be real), wedding guests might also not feel the need to attend every single wedding or wedding-adjacent event they’ve been invited to. Here’s hoping that, this year, getting married will be enjoyable again, and not just a means of filling up your Instagram grid. — Logan Mahan, Commerce Editor
8. You’ll watch movies made by AI and listen to podcasts with AI hosts
A lot of people (myself not included) thought Spotify Wrapped sucked this year — it certainly lacked some stats and didn’t match listeners with cities — and some of the blame went toward AI. Honestly, I think there are two separate arguments here: Spotify was missing some fun stuff in its wrap-up, but AI was also responsible for the most interesting (and slightly cringy) aspect of the year-end review — in a generated podcast, two NPR-like hosts discussed, without judgment, your taste in music.
The music wrap-up podcast was a collaboration with NotebookLM, a clever new(ish) tool from Google that creates overviews of anything you upload — including AI-hosted podcasts, which you can now interact with. That last part feels like the start of a media ecosystem that isn’t AI-run but certainly AI-assisted or AI-co-hosted (witness the new app Monologue, which allows users to add a virtual sidekick for audio or video podcasts). With YouTube now actively pushing generative AI to help creators make six-second “Shorts” and OpenAI’s video-generation tool Sora now being used by artists and directors to create films being shown at prestigious film festivals (not without controversy), we might be at the honeymoon stage of AI, where the technology is still a tool but one that can push a few boundaries and open up some fun interactive possibilities. And with any technology, I’m sure the “enshittification” period is only a year or two away, so enjoy it now. — K.M.
9. We’ll finally come face to face with our internet usage, and it won’t be pretty
When the short-lived NFT craze took off (remember those?), there was an outcry about the exorbitant amount of energy required to create what basically amounted to digital Pokemon cards. Now that artificial intelligence is sweeping the internet, and gobbling up energy along the way, there have been hints of a similar backlash; but because AI is actually useful, people aren’t rapidly latching onto reasons to hate it, and they seem to have decided that the benefits of chatbots and magic of other AI tools outweigh the shocking energy usage, which is theoretical to most people. They haven’t seen the effects with their own eyes.
That’s all starting to change. While most Americans have been ignorant of the physical facilities needed to power our increasing internet usage — notably data centers, which house servers, storage systems, cooling equipment and other machines — the spike in demand, caused in large part by AI, means these eyesores and energy vacuums will start popping up near you. There are already skirmishes taking place across the country, especially in rural areas where the quiet life is now butting up against the ever-increasing demand for processing and power. Are normal Americans going to accept higher electricity bills and ugly, noisy blights on their communities in exchange for whatever so-called progress tech companies promise? Not without a fight. — Alex Lauer, Features Editor
10. In capital-F Fashion, new talent will get their chance to shine…
This year has been a tumultuous one in fashion. Declining sales in top markets, the threat of U.S. tariffs looming, navigating a social-first advertising environment, reported restructuring at conglomerates like LVMH and Kering…and then there’s the game of designer musical chairs that’s swept the industry into a frenzy. Piccioli, Slimane, Jones, Van Noten, Galliano — a whole generation of creative directors have departed houses they’ve helmed for years, leaving gaping holes in their wake.
Naturally, this opens up the opportunity for emerging savants to become household names. Matthieu Blazy, having successfully revamped the now wildly hot Bottega Veneta, has been blessed with the biggest job in fashion; and Louise Trotter, the lauded ex-Lacoste star, will replace him at Bottega. Meanwhile, well-planned succession at Gucci and Dries Van Noten should amount to more of the same — an opportunity for the likes of longtime deputies Sabato De Sarno and Julian Klausner, respectively, to fully step out of their venerated predecessors’ shadows. The scene is now set for mega-talented designers to take center stage via the world’s biggest fashion brands…but the big question is: who will ultimately deliver the exciting, commercially viable fashion this moment requires? Expect more big appointments — will this be the year Grace Wales Bonner finally takes over a major house? — and, granted they’re successful, a crop of new fashion names to reach even the layman’s ears. — Paolo Sandoval, Commerce Editor
11. …but the hottest brand of the year will be Gap
When Zac Posen — a seasoned red-carpet designer perhaps best known for his ball gowns or, for a slightly different crowd, his brief time as a judge on Project Runway — was tapped for the creative director position at American apparel giant Gap (as well as chief creative officer post at sister company Old Navy) in February of this year, there was a feeling of tentative apprehension, teetering on all-out anxiety. There were big question marks, as well: Was Posen the right man for the job? Given his atelier background, could he wrangle an iconic mass-market engine that pulls in annual revenue north of $15 billion while simultaneously reinventing it?
A year on, the answer seems to be a resounding yes. Built on the back of shrewd marketing, calculated celebrity endorsements and halfway decent styles, the historic brand has shown serious signs of life. In 2025, the winds are all blowing in Posen’s favor: With a decades-old archive of Americana nostalgia, oodles of recognizable IP and a rising tide of consumers weaned on mall-brand resurgence, this may just be Gap’s time to shine, especially considering that the Posen braintrust, GapStudio, is just now rolling out in earnest. — P.S.
12. You’ll take shorter, more affordable vacations to familiar locations…
After pandemic-era restrictions waned, it was all about bucket-list travel. People were taking longer vacations, taking more of them, spending more and venturing further than ever before in an attempt to really carpe diem. Expedition cruises to far-flung destinations like Svalbard have begun to feel almost as commonplace to me as water-slide-festooned boats heading to the Caribbean.
This year, we’re going to see travelers settling back into their pre-pandemic travel habits, which will extend to the destinations they visit as well. Rather than exotic locales, people will begin returning to familiar cities — places that spark nostalgia and perhaps don’t require 17 hours of flight time, or thousands of dollars, to reach. That’s not to say that the bucket-lister is set to go extinct in 2025, only that we’ll start to see a healthier mix. After all, those big, once-in-a-lifetime trips have a propensity for falling a little short of relaxing — and some people were even going into debt to afford them. That’s just not a sustainable model. For my part, I’ve spent time in destinations like Turkey, Australia, Tanzania, Nepal and India these past handful of years. This year? I can’t wait to get back to Maine. — Lindsay Rogers, Travel Editor, The Journey
13. …but when you do book that far-flung trip, it’ll be to Asia
While Japan saw a post-pandemic surge in tourism practically as soon as it reopened its borders, other parts of Asia were slower to rebound — in large part because of travel restrictions. Now, those restrictions are easing, with China expanding visa-free travel and places like Thailand introducing digital-nomad visas. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Asia-Pacific region is expected to see the fastest growth in passenger numbers over the next 15 years, contributing to over half of the global increase in passenger traffic by 2043.
Also helping Asia’s travel pitch? The uptick in “set-jetting” over the course of the past year or so — a term for trips inspired by movies or TV shows. Black Tomato, curators of custom, luxury travel experiences, now even has a whole category of offerings inspired by the trend: “A Hard Man to Find,” for example, will take you to Italy for a vacation inspired by Andrew Scott’s turn in Ripley. Based on how popular the Four Seasons hotel in Sicily became after the second season of The White Lotus was filmed there, and seeing as the newest season of that hit show is being filmed at the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, as well as locations in Phuket and Bangkok, I have to believe we’ll see a Thailand tourism bump over the course of the coming year. And no one will be happier to see it than Europe. — L.R.
14. You’ll dust off your digital camera and refuse to upgrade your iPhone…
We’ve already started to see tech downgrades in small doses: people reverting back to wired headphones instead of buying the newest AirPods; the resurgence of flip phones and digital cameras even in the face of ever-better smartphones. In the era of “de-influencing,” it’s not that surprising.
The technological difference between the iPhone 5 and iPhone 6 was astronomical. Now at most it seems like an iPhone upgrade nets you a more advanced camera and an extra button that will become outdated in a year. Many of my friends have started buying older-generation iPhones because they’re less expensive and almost as good as the newest thing, and the film cameras and record players (with special-edition vinyl that continues to be a regular part of album releases) are, in lots of ways, even better than the newest thing. There’s a nostalgic pull to revert back to more analog ways of living, for younger and older generations alike; expect that to get even stronger as our world continues to hurtle toward an artificial future. — Hanna Agro, Associate Editor
15. …and buy more physical books at your local bookstore
Between the book bans spreading across the country and the concerns over AI’s impact on writing and storytelling in general — whether it be through news articles, college essays or in the publishing industry — you’re going to want actual, physical books written by real people on your bookshelves now more than ever. Also, let’s be honest: your daily screen time right now is out of control. Adults in the U.S. are reportedly spending over seven hours a day looking at screens, with two and a half of those hours spent on social media. Our addiction to screens — I could go on and on and on — makes reading a tactile, paper book the perfect escape from it all. And on a lighter note, there are good things happening in the book world too: Book sales are on the rise in the U.S. — especially physical copies. I think this calls for a visit to your favorite local bookstore, which is still probably hanging in there, despite the odds. — Joanna Sommer, Editorial Assistant
16. You’ll dine out with a group of six, eight, even 12 of your friends
OpenTable recently released their 2025 dining predictions, and one, in particular, really hit home: “Group dining is having a moment: parties of 6+ are up 8% YoY. 55% plan to group dine over the holidays and a further 43% plan to do it more frequently in 2025.”
I know that 8% doesn’t seem like a lot, but an increase in group dining is something I’ve witnessed firsthand at restaurants this year. It’s not uncommon to see groups of 10 or 12, and many restaurants have added large format sections to their menus. At Ariel Arce’s Heroes, dry-aged turbot and bone-in ribeye are meant to be shared. Mesiba’s “mesiba” (meaning “party” in Hebrew) section of their dinner menu features things like lamb neck and a crispy whole fish for the table. The list goes on.
“Group dining is more than just a trend for us, it’s become a core part of what we do,” says Meghan Knall, co-owner of Birch in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “We’ve seen firsthand how it fosters a sense of community, deepens the dining experience and allows us to create dishes that really shine when shared.”
While I typically prefer an intimate dining experience over something big and boisterous, it’s difficult to deny how fun a big group dinner can be, especially when it expands the number of dishes you’re able to try. “There is something profoundly human about gathering around a table,” says Martha Sanders Hoover, founder of Won’t Stop Hospitality. “It is one of the oldest rituals we know, a practice as essential as it is joyful. People crave connection in an increasingly disconnected world, and restaurants, ever adaptive, are rising to meet that need.” — A.G.
The 24 Style Moments That Defined 2024
From the Oscars to the Olympics, this year was full of massive ‘fits. Here are the ones that really mattered.17. You’ll follow your favorite TikTok and IG creators to Spotify and YouTube…
With the TikTok ban set to go into effect almost immediately into the new year (on January 19, if no one intervenes), content creators are already gearing up for a pivot. Influencers are asking their followers to keep up with them on Instagram, where they’ll still be able to post short-form video content on the app’s TikTok knockoff, Reels. But many TikTok users are taking this opportunity to try something different: that is, kickstarting their YouTube careers and delving into long-form video.
Much has been made of our increasingly short attention spans spurred on by an onslaught of 30-second videos, but audiences seem to be craving long-form storytelling. (There’s a reason every TikToker, despite their credentials, has a podcast). Long-form video content on YouTube significantly increased in 2024, with the number of videos over 20 minutes long uploaded on the platform each month increasing from 1.3 million in July 2022 to 8.5 million in June 2024. And despite its identity as a short-form platform, TikTok videos have been leaning longer as well (part of the reason could be monetary incentive for posters; TikTok videos longer than a minute are eligible for the app’s Creator Fund, where users earn money based on their video performance). This year we saw the beginning of long-form video’s takeover, and whether or not the TikTok ban actually comes to pass, we’ll see long-form content solidify its dominance in 2025. — L.M.
18. …while your new social media obsession will be a Norm Bro
I’m sure you’ve stumbled upon a few of them already: Timm Chiusano, Hubs Life, Jake. They are your average American men working 9-to-5 jobs who just so happen to be vlogging day-in-the-lives. We follow them as they commute to the office, visit in-laws on weekends and watch football at home with their wives. Norm Bro creators offer me and many others a much-needed respite from the overstimulating, clickbait-y content that fuels social media. The influencer landscape is oversaturated, and so creators have to go niche. It may seem counterintuitive to social media’s design, but an honest picture of a “normal” life is rarer to find online than, say, luxurious vacations and flashy mansions. Norm Bros have in some instances even opened up mental health conversations for men, helping to destigmatize that discourse for a demographic that’s been late to the game. Coupled with the female gaze approving of the dad bod, 2025 will be the year of the Norm Bro. — Zoe de Leon, Social Content Coordinator
19. Every automaker will delay or scrap their EV promises…
Around this time a year ago, after the numbers were crunched on car-buying in 2023, certain sectors of the media (I’ll let you guess which ones!) started ranting and raving about how Americans don’t like EVs — which, as I reported on, is a completely bogus conclusion. What the numbers really tell us is that EV demand isn’t growing as fast as certain projections predicted. Add to that the truly astronomical cost of building out EV production, from separate assembly lines to batteries, and automakers are stuck in an impossible position: swallow the increasingly large losses now to be a leader in the future, or cut back on EV plans?
Well, this is a business, so of course most are opting for the latter option. Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Ford, GM, Aston Martin, Volvo and others all cut back on their electrification plans in various ways in 2024, from repurposing EV factories for gas-powered cars to moving the goal posts for when full electrification will happen (some even rebranded their “all-EV” goals to be “all-electrified,” which includes hybrids). Expect more of this again in 2025 as year-end EV losses are tabulated, and especially as the incoming Trump administration is projected to be much less friendly to electric vehicle production than President Biden, with one notable exception. — A.L.
20. …and your shiny new car will get a recall notice
In 2016, automakers in the U.S. reached a shocking milestone that had many drivers and industry folk alike worried: car manufacturers issued over 1,000 safety recalls on vehicles for the first time ever. Eight years later, that headline-grabbing statistic is par for the course: 2021, 2022 and 2023 all saw 1,000 recalls or more, per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and there’s no end to the glut in sight.
Is this another case of “they don’t make ‘em like they used to”? Not exactly. There are a few things going on here: passenger vehicles are more complicated than they’ve ever been, packed full of tech and the extra electrical systems to go along with it (that’s all cars, trucks and SUVs, by the way, not just EVs, though it’s certainly more pronounced in the latter); and the NHTSA is increasingly vigilant about catching problems early (which is a good thing, as automakers have a history of trying to downplay recall-worthy issues). Then there’s the fact that “recall” is a bit of a misnomer in the modern era: a sizable chunk of these issues can be remedied by over-the-air software updates, so the cars never have to go into the dealer for a fix. But from where I’m sitting (in the driver’s seat), modern cars have simply become too complicated — to the point where automakers seem to be adding features that no one wants, just so they can stand out in the crowd. Personally, I’d take a boring, reliable car with no screens any day over an AI-powered gadget on wheels that has five recalls before it even leaves the dealer lot. — A.L.
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