A decade+ ago they used to be proper automotive journalists. IDK if they sold out or there was a change in management but now they just write really shallow "radio DJ analysis of trending stuff" type content that seems designed to appeal to the terminally online segment of the market for automotive journalism.
Jalopnik's ownership history is as spotted and confusing as any web media brand out there. It was part of the Gizmodo group for years, which was bought by private equity and split into separate themed components merged with other media holding companies bought by the same private equity. Four months ago it was sold to something called Static Media, yet another media holding company that I've never heard of, but given the about us page showing a whole lot of VPs and C-suites who look about 25 or so, I'm not sure I would expect this one to last any longer than all the previous owners.
Notably the litigation-induced bankruptcy of Gawker Media (of which Jalopnik was a part) in 2016 is the reason why Jalopnik wound up owned by these private equity groups. Most of these publications are shells of their former selves, but I suppose it could be argued that a lot of written media has gone that way—Gawker-associated and otherwise.
Jalopnik greatly exceeded the level of garbage that was normal for the automotive niche at any given point in time. They had some good years early on but at some point there was a hard cut from that to "I can't tell if they're trying to satirize Reddit or if the journalists actually believes their own bullshit" content.
I argue it was about the time the GMG was recognized that quality took a major quality blow. Then it got dumped out from there and split out along with Gizmodo and the other blogs and their quality equally suffered.
"Partisanship" doesn't mean the same thing in this era where one party is run by a reality show personality. It's barely even politics to side by default with the adults.