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Denis Flierl - Senior Reporter and specialized automotive journalist

Member for

14 years 3 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
I Got Rid Of My Chevy Silverado’s Nitto Trail Grappler M/T’s and Put On Some BFGoodrich KO2 A/T Tires, the On-Road Difference Is Huge 5
I Was a Tesla Hater Saying It’s a Microwave, Has No Soul, and It’s Boring, But I Just Picked Up a Model 3 Performance, and Man I’ve Been Missing Out 1
I Took My 2024 Chevy Silverado In For the 6.2L Recall, and the Dealer Put My Oil Change at 3K Instead of 5K, Is This the New Oil Change Maintenance? 0
I Love My Tacoma But, the Toyota Dealer Just Ruined My Owner Experience, and It Makes Me Wonder If I Can Ever Trust Them 0
New Tesla Model 3 Owner Says, “I Was a Life Long Toyota Dude, But My Wife Getting the Model Y Changed My Worldview, and Now My Tundra Is In the Wind” 1
The Toyota Dealer Quoted Me $1,500 to ‘Refresh’ My 2021 RAV4 Hybrid System, and Now, I’m Glad I Turned It Down Because It Was a Scam 1
Tesla Model 3 Owner Says, “Tesla Insurance is By Far the Cheapest, But I'm Getting Scammed With Excessive Speeding While Barely Going 40 MPH” 0
I Traded My 2023 GMC Canyon AT4 For This 2025 Toyota Tacoma Limited, the Canyon’s Road Noise Drove Me Crazy, But This Tacoma Is a Lot Quieter 16
“Well, it's Official, 1,800 Miles In, and My 2025 Toyota 4Runner is Getting a New Transmission, Ugh, I’m So Disappointed, It’s Exactly Why I Leased Though” 2
2022 Chevy Silverado ZR2 Owner Says, “I Can’t Feel the Power of the New 0W-40 Oil in my 6.2L, My ECM Update Failed, and Now the Truck Won’t Start, You Can't Make This Stuff Up” 6
I Just Had a 48-Hour Tesla Cybertruck Demo, Now I’m Thinking Of Selling My Ford F-150 To Get A Cybertruck, But I Have Questions 2
I Leased a Lucid Air Touring After Replacing My Tesla Model Y Due To the Elon Issues, Now I’m Sitting In My Lucid On the Side of the Road With a Flat Tire 2
Meet My $1,000 Per Month 2025 Toyota Tacoma iForce Max TRD Off Road, and No, I’m Not Worried About the Payment  3
My 2025 VW Atlas Going 65 MPH Made a Noise Like Dragging Paint Cans, After Being Towed In, the Dealer Said the Rear Axle Wasn’t Even Bolted To the Differential 2
2025 Chevy Silverado LT Trail Boss Owner Says, “Man, I’m Just Not 100 Percent On My Decision To Go ‘Different’ With These Fuel Rebels In Bronze” 17
I Got A Great Deal On a 2023 Toyota Highlander, and Then Found Out Why the Deal Was So Good Because the Dealer Sold Me a FWD Car 1
Yesterday I Traded My 2024 GMC Sierra 2.7L For This 2025 GMC Sierra 5.3L, I Already Feel the Difference In Power 32
I Put My Daughter In a Reliable 2015 Toyota RAV4, Ford, Never Again, the 2014 Escape Is a Money Pit and the Turbo Is Garbage 3
When My BMW i3 Died In Spectacular Fashion, ChatGPT Led Me To Buy a Tesla Model 3, Now I’m Considering Trading My Always Angry BMW X4M For a Model Y 1
2025 Mazda CX-50 Owner Says, “I’m Furious, I Went For My Free 5K Dealer Service, Said They Rotated My Tires, Got It Back, and They Hadn’t Rotated a Darn Thing” 0
2022 Chevy Silverado Z71 Owner With 118K Says, “New Transmission and Tires This Week, It’s Like a New Truck Again, At Least That’s What I Keep Telling Myself” 39
I Test Drove a 2025 Honda Accord Sport and a 2025 Tesla Model 3 Long Range, Just to Compare, But Honestly, the Accord Isn’t Even In the Same League 30
I Know I’ll Trigger Some People Here But I Just Paid $37K For My 2025 Toyota Tacoma, The Best Part Is, I Paid Cash, and Have No Monthly Payments 0
Chevy Silverado Z71 Owner Says, “I Should Have Listened To My Buddy, When He Told Me To Get On It In This Georgia Clay, No Street Princess Here" 24
“So, This Hyundai Ioniq 5 Owner Tries to Charge His Car, Can’t Figure it Out, and His Wife Asks,” ‘Do Charging Stations Need to Be Charged Before You Can Charge Your Car?’ 1