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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
I Bought a 2025 GMC Sierra and With Only 100 Miles I Had It Towed To the Dealer, The Engine Is Making A Horrible Death Rattle 3
I Lost Thousands of Dollars On My 2021 Nissan Rogue Because the Nissan Dealer Failed To Disclose Damage From Two Prior Accidents 0
Every Time I Take My Toyota 4Runner To The Dealer For An Oil Change, They Tell Me I Need A New Cabin Air Filter, They Aren’t Getting Me Again 139
Tesla Owner Says, “Charging My Cybertruck Is Unfair, There’s No Line, No Pump, Or Wasted Time. Every Morning, My Truck Is Already Full While I Slept 84
I Took My 2009 Toyota Corolla With 268K Miles To the Dealer, At First I Was Excited, But I Left Disappointed, I Didn’t Buy A 2025 Toyota RAV4 Or a Corolla Cross 51
My Customer Traded a Honda Pilot For a Tesla Model 3 and Now Wants To Return it Because of Tesla’s High Insurance and a Charger Is $5,000 26
I Would Buy a 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, But The Toyota Dealer Is Telling Me My 2018 Mercedes-Benz E300 Is Only Worth $9K 63
I Looked At the 2025 Subaru Crosstrek and Walked Away Because of the Touchscreen, I’m Test-Driving a Car, Not A Laptop 114
I Was Worried About My Tesla Cybertruck, So I Parked Away From Everyone. When I Came Out, I Was Shocked to See My CT Dwarfed By Two Ford F-150s 18
My 2019 Chevy Colorado With Only 55K Miles, Always Serviced at the Dealer, Needs Nearly $4,000 in Repairs, I Traded That Thing In and Just Took the Loss 59
I Paid $36K For My 2019 Toyota RAV4 in 2022, Now Two Years Later the Dealer Says It’s Only Worth $19K, What’s Up With Toyota? 129
I Sold A Tesla Model 3, and Now My Customer Has Buyer’s Remorse and Wants To Return It After Owning It One Day Because of Charging Issues 28
I Was Just 3 Months Away From Paying Off My Subaru Crosstrek, Then I Had A Terrifying Accident, I Never Thought My Car Would Be Put to This Test 4
My 2024 Tesla Model 3 FSD Turned Right At a Stop Light and Ignored the No Turn on Red Sign, Why Is My FSD Making Ridiculous Traffic Violations? 4
I Bought Running Boards For My 2024 Toyota Highlander, and the Dealer Said It Would Be $500 to Install Them, Now They Raised the Price To $1,200 12
Tesla Cybertruck Owner Says, “Toyota Was Once Hated In America, Buyers Were Ridiculed and Insulted For Driving a Japanese Car, Now, My Cybertruck Is In the Exact Same Situation” 0
I Bought A 2020 Toyota Camry and They Scammed Me With a $724 Per Month Car Payment, How Do Car Dealers Sleep At Night? 7
I Rented a 2022 Tesla Model 3 From Hertz For $325 Per Week to Drive For Uber, Is It Worth It? In My Opinion Yes 8
So, My 2023 Ford Bronco With Less Than 20,000 Miles, the Paint Is Melting and the Dealer Won’t Fix It Saying It’s User Error 5
I’m Shocked That A Customer Just Traded A 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander With Only 3,300 Miles For A 2025 Nissan Rogue 24
I Bought a 2018 Hyundai Tucson and After Driving It 2,000 Miles the Engine Died, Now the Dealer Refuses To Honor Their Warranty 9
My Son Bought a 2022 Tesla Model 3 From Hertz For a Ridiculous Price of $14K After Rebates, Clean CarFax and Only 5 Percent Battery Degradation 16
“I Just Put A New Engine in My 2021 Cadillac Escalade and That’s Just the Start, It Also Needed a Transmission” 4
Subaru Owner Says, “My Outback Wilderness Isn’t A Pavement Princess, Every Dirt Road, Snowy Path, and Hidden Trail Is Unrestricted Freedom” 6
My 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport With 33s Overheats When I’m Off-Road In 4HI, But the Dealer Can’t Replicate It, So Now They Say They Can’t Do Anything 14