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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
I’m 36, Single, Travel Full Time In My 2023 Toyota Tacoma, and I Spend $1,305 Per Month, I’ve Never Looked Back, But I Have One Regret 0
I Went From a 2017 Ford F-250 With 35s To This 2025 F-150, It’s So Low That It Feels Like I’m In a Car, Now I Have To Lift It 3 Inches and Run 33s 0
I Just Finished My Ford F-150 Plow Install, Now I’m Getting Grief From All You F-250, and F-350 Guys For Running a Plow on My Half Ton 0
My New 2025 Toyota RAV4 2 Months In, Has a Sunroof Leak Every Time It Rains, So, I Take It To the Dealer and They Claim It’s Normal 3
Tesla Tried To Give Me Someone’s Cybertruck Reject With 4 Major Flaws, So I Turned It Down, Then They Quickly Switched It For A Different Truck With No Issues 0
I Just Traded My 2025 Ram 10K In With Major Electrical Issues, For This 2023 Ford F-150 With 38K Miles, I Think the Older F-150 Is a More Reliable Truck 0
I Got a Great Deal On a 2016 Honda CR-V, 33K Miles, Elderly Couple, Garage Kept, But Now I Find Out It’s a Ticking Time Bomb Because It Was Rarely Driven 1
My 2022 Chevy Silverado Passed the L87 Recall With Flying Red, White and Blues, But, I'm Afraid We’re All On Borrowed Time 4
My 2024 Toyota Tundra 27K In Is Getting a Short Block and New Turbos, But the Strange Thing Is, They Removed the Cab To Do It 0
I Figured I Would Come and Upset Some of You With My Ford F-150 With a Carolina Squat 0
I Walked Into My Toyota Dealer To Check Out a 2025 Tacoma, and Found This Crazy Toyota Tax Markup Nonsense  5
 I Traded My Perfect 2016 Honda CR-V For a 2022 CR-V, and I Regret It, the Day After I Bought It, the Entire Dash Went Nuts, Now, I Have a Dealer Loaner 1
I Caught the Mansory Cyberytruck Wild In Dubai Wearing the Most Expensive License Plate In the World, The Dubai P7, Purchased in 2023 For $15M USD 0
I Walked Into My Local Ford Dealer and They Have a F-150 Raptor R On the Floor, Asking $146K, Wow, That’s an Expensive Status Grocery Getter 2
I’ve Had My 2025 Toyota Tundra SR5 Off Road Package For About 2 Months, and I’m NOT Loving the 230 Mile Range On a Full Tank 22
I Just Went From a 2024 Chevy Silverado 5.3L to a 2025 3.0L Duramax, and Now I Wish I Had Stayed With the 5.3L 50
I Bought a 2022 Tesla Model Y For My Wife, But She Doesn’t Like It, Says It’s Too Tall, and Too Fast, Guess I’ll Get Her a Step Stool and Put It In Chill Mode 2
Bittersweet Day, Toyota Bought Back My 2025 Tacoma Trailhunter 27K In, It’s Bad Ass, But Too Many Issues For a $70K Truck, I Couldn’t Depend On It Any Longer 0
I Had My 2019 Chevy Silverado Trans Flushed & New Filter at 72K For Harsh Shifting, Now at 99K It’s Doing It Again, and My Warranty Is Up at 100K 23
I Want To Trade My 2016 Ford F-150 3.5 Eco For a 2018+ F-150 5.0, But I’m Not Sure Which Transmission To Go With, I Really Want To Try a 10-Speed 1
I Just Got a Check From Tesla For My 3 Month-Old 2026 Model Y For Exactly What I Paid For It, No Trade Or Anything, I’m Keeping My Toyota 4Runner 2
I Got My 2023 Highlander’s Oil Changed, A Light Came On, and There’s No Oil On the Dipstick, Toyota Dealer Says, ‘Oh, We Forgot To Torque the Drain Plug’ 0
I Just Found Out My Toyota Tacoma Has A Cabin Air Filter, It Only Took About 12 Years Before I Found Out, Look How Dirty It Was 0
I Just Got a Crazy Dealer Quote of $1K to Do a Transmission Oil & Filter On My 2020 Chevy Silverado 6.2L, That’s Too High, I Hope This Isn't the Going Rate Now 0
I Traded My GMC Yukon For This 2024 Ford F-150, Now I Have a Bad Vibration at 75 MPH, the Dealer Performed a Road Force Balance Twice and the Seats Still Shake 0