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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’ve Owned Toyotas For 30 Years With No Issues, I Took A Chance On a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado, and 5K Miles In, the Problems Begin 84
"I Just Learned Something About My Toyota RAV4 That I Had Never Heard of Before, Did Ya’ll Know About This?” 38
My 2021 Hyundai Kona’s Paint Is Peeling Off In Huge Chunks, I Went to Hyundai, But They Waited Until It’s Out of Warranty and Now They Won’t Fix It 9
My Tesla Cybertruck Has Been Compared to a UFO, Refrigerator, Tank, Door Stop, and a Dumpster, I Like That It Disrupts Expectations 1
My 2025 Toyota Tundra’s Camera Angles and Backup Guidelines Stopped Working 3,000 Miles In, and the Toyota Dealer Says No Fix Is Available 5
I Won’t Ever Buy A Tesla Again, We Moved to An Apartment, It Takes Too Long To Charge, and Now Our New Model 3 Sits Most Of the Time 5
My 2025 Honda Pilot Died in the Middle Of An Intersection With My Kids in the Car, and Honda Can’t Figure Out What’s Wrong With It 0
I Bought a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado Pickup From Carvana, Here’s My Experience For Those Who Are Skeptical 7
I Sold a 2022 Tesla Model 3 With a Clean Title, Now Tesla Says It’s Salvage and It’ll Easily Go Over $12,000 For My Customer to Fix It 70
My Friend Fell Asleep Driving My Subaru Forester Wilderness Going 70 MPH, I Watched In Horror as My Perfect Car Went Off the Road and Crashed Into a Barrier 3
Ask any Tesla Cybertruck Owner What They Think About Their Truck, and "Tens of Thousands Will Tell You the Same Thing" 95
My 2024 Toyota Tundra Hybrid With 10K Miles Is Sitting At the Dealer With Engine Failure, Needless To Say I Regret My Purchase 15
My 2020 Silverado Torque Converter Was Replaced At 49K Miles Due To a Severe Shudder, Now, at 70K Miles, the Shudder Has Returned 14
I Waited 3 Years For My Tesla Cybertruck, After One Year, The Pros, Just About Everything On the Truck, Cons, Wiper Washer Smears, and the Cover Leaks 13
My Brand-New 2024 Toyota Tacoma Hybrid With Just 5,000 Miles Suddenly Wouldn’t Start, Leaving Me Stranded 10
Tesla Cybertruck Owner Says, “I Picked My Kids Up at School, and a Group of Students Ran Up To Look Screaming CYBERTRUCK! I Was Expecting the Worst 0
My GMC Yukon’s Brake Light Went Out, I Thought It Would Be About $10, But Now the Dealer Tells Me It’s $1500 For Both Sides 51
We Own a Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, We Love Our Cars But Are Becoming Increasingly Concerned About Our Safety, We Will Probably Ditch Our Teslas 43
You’re Kidding Me, I’ve Had My Toyota RAV4 for 6 Years And I Never Knew It Had a Secret Storage For My Rear Cargo Privacy Cover 18
“I’ve Seen Tesla Owners Trying To Disguise Their Model 3 and Cybertruck With Another Car Brand’s Logo, Why? They Don’t Want To Be Associated With Tesla” 10
Tesla Cybertruck Owner Says, “We Are Officially Saying Goodbye To Our Cybertruck, Tesla Is Buying It Back Because It Has So Many Problems” 20
My Mom’s Subaru Outback Was Hit, and It Rolled 3 Times With Her Husband, His 88-Year-Old Mother, and Their 5 Lb Dog Inside, and They All Walked Away 9
2024 Honda CR-V Buyer Says, “I Paid Phony Charges to the Dealer, The Manager Said Buyers Pay the Salesperson’s Commission, He Told Me It’s A New Law” 2
2021 Toyota Highlander Owner Says, “My XSE's Transmission Died at 40K, Now the Dealer Says I’ll Be Waiting 3 Months Because They Are On Back Order 14
2024 Honda CR-V Owner Says, “Every Time I Call the Dealer to Schedule My CR-V Recall, They Give Me the Same Response, They Don't Have the Parts Available” 1