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Denis Flierl - Senior Reporter and specialized automotive journalist

Member for

14 years 2 months
Bio

Denis Flierl | Senior Reporter

Denis Flierl is a Senior Reporter at Torque News and a specialized automotive journalist with over three decades of industry expertise. Since 2012, Denis has been a mainstay of the Torque News editorial team, drawing on a deep background in high-level consulting for major global automotive brands. This unique "behind-the-scenes" experience allows him to provide readers with a wealth of insider knowledge that extends far beyond the standard spec sheet.

Based in Parker, Colorado, Denis is a prominent member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP). He utilizes the region's high-altitude terrain as a rigorous testing ground to provide "boots-on-the-ground" analysis for readers across North America. He specializes in breaking automotive news, exclusive owner perspectives, and technical deep-dives into vehicle reliability and maintenance.

Technical Specialization & Authority

  • Truck & 4WD Technology: With a focus on long-term reliability, he frequently reports on Toyota, GM, Ram, and Ford truck platforms, analyzing mechanical faults, drivetrain durability, and the transition to EV technology.
  • Data-Driven Reporting: Prioritizing a "Technical-First" structure, Denis anchors his reports in Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), official manufacturer recall data, and technical specifications to empower consumers with factual, actionable information.

Work Experience & Education

  • 2012–Present: Senior Reporter and regular contributor on Torque News, hundreds of automotive reviews on Automoblog, and a contributor to JC Whitney. 
  • Automotive Consultant: Over 13 years providing strategic, technical, and market consulting for major global car brands (Ford, GM, Ram, Toyota, Tesla).
  • Professional Test Driver: Years of hands-on vehicle evaluation, verifying real-world performance against engineering claims in Colorado's extreme high altitude environment.
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Technical Philosophy & Reporting Standards

In an era of automotive reporting often clouded by marketing hype, I adhere to a strict objective standard. My goal is to respect your time and intelligence by delivering neutral, reporting-style language. Whether I am investigating machining debris issues in a new V6 engine or detailing a Starlink software update, I prioritize technical descriptors such as "critical fault" or "thermal limit" over emotional narratives.

I see myself as a bridge between the factory's technical world and the driver's everyday world. My "education" in this industry was forged by three decades of collaborating with the engineers who build these machines and the technicians who keep them on the road.

Personal & Other Works 

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Outside of the automotive world, Denis is an accomplished writer and the author of the novel "Kingdom Runner," available on Amazon.

Connect with Denis

Visit DenisFlierl.com for technical deep-dives, vehicle testing archives, and full investigative reports.

Do you have a technical news tip, a specific DTC question, or an automotive query? Follow Denis for the latest data-backed insights:

About Torque News

Since 2010, Torque News has served as a dedicated, independent voice in the automotive world. For over 15 years, our team has focused on providing expert analysis and honest, "boots on the ground" vehicle reviews. Driven by a commitment to transparency and technical accuracy, we prioritize the reader’s needs over marketing hype to help you navigate a rapidly changing industry.

Article Published Comments
“My 2025 Chevy Silverado ZR2 Engine Failed 2,500 Miles In, But GM Will Only Put In a Remanufactured Engine, It’s Insane To Drop A Reman In a Brand New Truck” 2
Top Mechanic Says 3 Popular Car Brands Are “Instant Money Pits” He Adds, “I’m Not Throwing Shade, But They Will Take a Serious Investment To Make It To 100K Miles” 0
“I Got a 2023 Tesla Model Y Dual Motor For Christmas, and I’m Buying the $2K Boost Upgrade App to Increase the Speed by 0.6 Seconds - I Think It’s Worth It!” 0
2025 Ford F-150 Lariat 3.5L Owner Says, “I Only Have 3K Miles On It, and If I Accelerate Hard, It Feels Like It’s Chugging, My Old 2015 F-150 EcoBoost Never Felt Like This” 3
2017 Nissan Titan Owner Says He’s Upgrading - “I Drove a GMC Sierra AT4 and Wasn’t Impressed, Toyota’s Tundra Engine Scares Me, So Now It’s the Ram Hemi Vs Hurricane” 4
“I Was Going To Trade My 2013 Honda Pilot With 253K Miles For a 2026 Toyota RAV4, But I Think I’ll Give Them Time To Get the Bugs Worked Out, and Hit the Resale Market” 0
"I Discovered Why the 2026 Toyota Tacoma ‘Build & Price’ Is a Lie” - How Middlemen Are Geo-Blocking Your Favorite Trims 0
Cybertruck Owner Says Tesla Charged Him $270 to Diagnose a Simple Problem, He Adds, “My Other Cars, a Porsche, Range Rover, C8 Corvette, and Urus, All FREE of Charge” 1
“My 2025 Toyota Prius Has Had 6 Tire Punctures in 17K Miles, Replaced the Toyos With Goodyear, But My Mileage Took a Hit, But It’s Worth the Peace Of Mind” 0
2025 Toyota Tundra Owner Has 35-In Nittos… Zero Rub, and Loves the Truck, He Adds, “If It Wasn’t For These Metal Shavings Shredding My Main Bearing, I Would Drive This Truck For Years!” 0
Ford F-150 Owner Says, “One Thing About Owning a New F-150 Is That You Need a Backup Vehicle So When It’s In the Shop Every Other Month, You Still Have Transportation” 0
“I Want To Trade My Wife’s 2023 Chevy Silverado 5.3L for a 2026 Silverado With a 5.3L, But I’m Hearing There Are Still Lifter Issues With the 5.3s” 11
Toyota Camry Owner Says, “I Left It For a 2026 Honda CR-V, It Drives Like A Dream, and Because Of My Financial Discipline, I Did It All Without a Co-Signer” 0
2025 Ram 1500 Owner Says One Week In, It Joined the Dead Battery Club, the Dealer Replaced 2 Batteries, He Let It Sit 2 Days, and Now DEAD Again, He Adds, “This Is Not a Journey I Want To Take” 2
2019 Toyota Tacoma Owner Says, “Goodbye Tacoma With 123K Miles, Hello Ford F-150 Raptor” - He Adds, “Good Memories, But I Had To Go Bigger & Better” 10
Tesla Cybertruck Owner Says, “I Put My Mom On the Spot - I Said Let the Truck Drive You”, She Adds, “It’s So Much More Intelligent and Smooth at Stopping" The Only Ding? “The Reroute Mixup In the Snow” 0
Hyundai Palisade Owner Is Trapped: She Says “We're $7K Upside Down on This Unreliable Palisade, So, Looking At A Honda CR-V or Toyota Venza, Leaning Toward a 2022 CR-V, But at 61K Miles It’s Out of Warranty” 7
The High Tech 2025 Ford F-150 Is a Genius on The Highway That Still Makes Me Dream of The Raw Power in The Ten Year Old Truck I Left Behind 0
Tesla Cybertruck Owner 6 Months In, Says "Zero Issues": He Adds, “I've Owned 4 Rams, and F-150s, If I Only Had One Vehicle, Without a Doubt It Would be the CT” 2
A Loyal Texas Truck Owner Says a $95,000 Tundra Should Be Illegal Because The Brand He Loves Has Finally Turned Its Back on The Working Man 0
2026 Chevy Silverado Owner Hears a Howling Noise First Thing in the Morning, He Adds, “It’s Only When It’s Cold For the First 10 Feet, Geez, It’s Only 2 Weeks Old” 3
2025 Toyota RAV4 Owner Says His Car 3K In, Puffs White Smoke After It’s Been Sitting For a Few Days, He Adds, “This Can’t Be Normal For a Car This New - It’s Alarming” 0
“I Drove the 2026 Ram Hurricane and the Returning Hemi Back-to-Back, and One Leaves the Other Feeling Like a Science Project” - Here’s Why Truck Owners Are Flocking Back to the V8 12
2024 Toyota Prius Owner Switched the 19-In OEM Rims For Smaller 16-In Wheels and Winter Tires, She Adds, “50 Miles and I Already Feel a Huge Difference, and They Fit Perfectly” 35
The Blown-Engine Tacoma Journey - He Bought His 2021 Toyota Tacoma New, and 63K In, the Engine Blew, He Adds, “3K Over Warranty, $14K For a New Engine, and Toyota Will Only Cover Half” 0