This Is The Jalopnik Staff Fleet As We Head Into 2026 – Jalopnik

You did it! You survived 2025, because it’s now the very first day of 2026. Do you’re feeling any totally different? Are you excited for the yr forward? We certain are. Here at Jalopnik we made it by 2025 with at the least a few of our employees intact, and we have already advised you our favourite automobiles we drove final yr, so now it is time to inform you all precisely what we personally drive or experience when not whipping round work autos. This often is the shortest checklist we have but put collectively, provided that we could have the smallest full-time employees Jalopnik’s ever had, however at the least we nonetheless handle to maintain issues attention-grabbing. Quality of autos over amount of autos.

Someday, all of us could attain the highs of David Tracy and Bradley Brownell’s ranges of Jeep and bike hoarding. Today, although, most of us reside in main cities the place house is at a premium, and automobiles and bikes take up a whole lot of house. We do not precisely make automotive warehouse cash round right here, however we’re all making the most effective of the house and money we have got obtainable. Well, perhaps besides Andy. He may have some work. 

The sole member of my fleet is my 2017 Mini Cooper S 4-Door Hardtop, and that is a-okay with me. Working on this enterprise, individuals typically ask what my dream automotive is or what automotive I’m going to get subsequent, they usually’re shocked to search out out that I’m pleased with what I’ve. My Mini does all the pieces I want, whether or not that be a roomy, environment friendly commuter with a kickass sound system, or whether or not I resolve to take a detour and thrash on it a bit within the canyons. 

I put in a thicker 24-mm Whiteline rear sway bar a couple of years again, and the one different factor I upgraded this yr have been the all-season runflat tires, which I changed with some sticky Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 summer season tires. Those two adjustments actually carry the automotive to life within the twisties with out punishing me on extra mundane drives. I like my automotive immensely, however I did simply tick over the 100,000-mile mark and my CarMax MaxCare guarantee expired in the summertime, so I’m a bit cautious of potential bills. But it is truly been fairly rattling reliable over the course of the 60,000 miles I’ve added to its odometer. If you are in search of a zesty little automotive, I implore you to depart your poisonous masculinity at dwelling and hop behind the wheel of a Mini. It has introduced me limitless smiles, and I hope that continues for an additional 100,000 miles.

I kicked off 2025 by changing my whole fleet unexpectedly — that’s, somebody stole my BMW F800GS and the tremendous of us at Progressive purchased me a Suzuki GSX-8R to switch it. I could also be becoming bored of 270-degree parallel twins, the two.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder of bikes, however this Suzuki will serve me completely for some observe time I need to put in subsequent yr. It’s received a broad powerband, easy torque, and a driving place that is comfy sufficient to experience to the observe whereas nonetheless purposeful sufficient to experience on it. 

I additionally expanded the fleet a bit this yr, including an Orbea Terra H40 to my bed room. Sure, it overlaps my mattress slightly bit with its pedals, however my Brooklyn residence would not precisely have one million sq. toes to mess around with. I’ve appreciated taking it across the metropolis in the summertime, as a result of it is actually sooner than my bike — principally as a result of the bicycle will get its personal lane with none pesky site visitors. Plus, train is meant to be “good for you” or one thing. 

I’m nonetheless whipping round my 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS500 that I purchased in April 2024, and I nonetheless completely adore it. Actually, I like it much more now than I did once I first purchased it. It’s only a actually wonderful automotive. I’ve owned some cool automobiles in my day, however by no means have I owned one thing that received this a lot constructive consideration, and that I continuously am trying again at at any time when I park. It’s additionally the primary automotive I’ve owned that I truly care about preserving (comparatively) clear.

I put round 5,000 miles on the CLS this yr, and it has been principally flawless. I lastly placed on a much-needed set of recent tires — Michelin Pilot Sport 4 all-seasons to switch the decade-old Pilot Sport 3 all-seasons it had — and wow, are you able to consider that made a giant distinction? I additionally needed to placed on a brand new belt tensioner and spend an annoying sum of money to get an SRS warning mild cleared, which fortunately was only a wiring downside as an alternative of truly needing a driver’s seat facet airbag, however in any other case it has been flawless. It seems the automotive remains to be utilizing its unique battery from 2006, too, and it is working simply tremendous.

Honestly, I believe I’m gonna maintain my CLS for a very long time. It’s simply fabulous. Looking at it makes me smile, driving it relaxes me, dwelling with it’s a dream. OK, filling it up sucks, particularly as I get round 11 mpg from its V8 round city, however then I flooring stated V8 and I’m not as mad. It’s received a six-disc CD changer, and I’ve been having fun with shopping for discs of my favourite new music and blasting it from the Harman Kardon surround-sound system. Best of all, it fulfills a childhood dream. I’ve cherished the CLS from the second the idea was revealed once I was 9 years previous, and that child could be so comfortable to understand how comfortable proudly owning one makes me.

My large fleet replace this yr is that, effectively, there isn’t any extra fleet. I’ve bought off each my 2007 BMW Z4 3.0si and 2006 Ford Explorer. Yes, I do know it is blasphemous to be an automotive journalist with out a automotive, however let me put it to you this fashion: I’ve now received extra time to check out the automobiles I’m reviewing and sharing with you. If you concentrate on it, going all in on press automobiles means my fleet as solely grown. In 2025 I drove over $10,000,000 value of automobiles, and also you examine lots of them. Sure, some have not confirmed up on the positioning but, however I’ll get to these finally, too.

Giving up my automobiles wasn’t a simple determination by any means. Well, the Explorer was. I did not actually care about that factor, however the Z4 took quite a bit out of me. First, it value a hell of quite a bit to get it into promoting situation, after which there was the entire technique of itemizing it on Cars & Bids and figuring out a cope with the vendor, however it was all value it. Honestly, I simply wasn’t driving it sufficient. In the previous two years, I drove the Z4 perhaps 200 miles. That wasn’t honest to the automotive, and it actually wasn’t honest to me, since I used to be paying for insurance coverage on a automotive that did nothing. Now, it is off at a brand new dwelling down the shore in New Jersey. The new proprietor tells me he is dailying it, which is admittedly nice to listen to. One day, I’m certain I’ll get one other automotive, however so long as the press automobiles are flowing and Zohran Mamdani’s subway system retains exhibiting up, it will not be for some time.

AD: Andy bought his Explorer and his Z4 months in the past, and he nonetheless hasn’t changed them with the Moto Guzzi he stated he wished means again when he took the MSF. I depart it to you, commenters, to inform him he wants to repair this. With sufficient of us, certainly we are able to peer stress him into shopping for one thing he needs anyway. 

The MTA’s R142 subway automobiles are the workhorses of my fleet. Living in New York City, I do not personally personal a automotive. I used to personal a 2015 Toyota Corolla for my every day driver, however stopped driving it after I began commuting to Manhattan. If I must drive wherever within the metropolis or on a visit, I simply borrow another person’s automotive. While I might purchase a automotive, it actually would not be financially accountable or well worth the effort. I actually should not be paying for insurance coverage and preventing for road parking on a automotive that I’ll drive perhaps as soon as per week at finest. I’ve the posh of getting North America’s finest public transportation system to make use of whereas I save up for a automotive I genuinely need.

I bought my trusty 2015 Volkswagen Sportwagen TDI two months in the past, and I’ll be sincere, I miss that automotive on a regular basis. But it was wanted by my sister and her massive household whereas it was simply taking on house in my storage. Plus, for some time now, I’ve felt like I want the storage house for one thing new and much more enjoyable. My husband has a boring workhorse car (a 2019 Ford Escape I had nothing to do with) for hauling groceries and canine so I’m at present on the hunt for our just-for-fun car.

I’ve thought of a variety of autos, from a 1960 Ford Thunderbird convertible to a Saturn Sky to slightly Nissan Pao. As you possibly can see, my standards is fairly extensive ranging. I simply need one thing that is enjoyable and quirky and slightly bizarre. Something that speaks to me and could be enjoyable within the solar. I do not care if it drives like a shoebox. This automotive is for cruising round city at 35 mph, not canyon carving. It’s been enjoyable buying and shortly I’ll get severe about making a name, however till then I’m carless.

It definitely would not have the longest vary or the quickest cost time, however I’m nonetheless completely pleased with my little purple 2024 Fiat 500e and principally charging it with an excellent, old style wall outlet. It additionally stays an impressive every day driver, even in a decidedly rural space. Would extra vary have been good on my summer season highway journey? Of course. But it nonetheless dealt with that drive higher than I anticipated, and now that it is winter, it handles chilly temperatures much better than its predecessor.

Speaking of the previous-gen 500e, I nonetheless have my child blue 2015 500e, however I’m at present planning to promote it this spring. Now that my girlfriend and I reside collectively, we simply do not have the house. Or at the least we can’t if we need to make room for her ‘64.5 Mustang convertible. As a lot as I like my 500es, I’d say that is a reasonably simple determination to make, even when the Mustang is an automated.