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Nicole Wakelin

Touchscreen Vents Are Stupid

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Touchscreen Vents Are Stupid
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This week, Nicole has been driving the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus hybrid and Sam has the Toyota Highlander XSE 2.4T. Lucid held a technology day this week where they announced that the Gravity SUV will go into production in the 4th quarter complete with a J3400 charging port and a $50,000 midsize model is coming by 2026. Nicole tells us all about Heels and Wheels. At the 2024 Mobility Experience, Bosch demoed is new ABS for e-bikes, proactive vehicle dynamics control, steer by wire and more. Nuro is pivoting away from automated delivery bots and Ford wants to listen in to what is happening in your car to serve you ads on the road. NHTSA is finally starting to move toward some pedestrian protection standards. Magna has a new inner door carrier made from sustainable plant based fibers and polymers and GM and Hyundai want to… Read More »Touchscreen Vents Are Stupid

Get Your Recalls Fixed

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Get Your Recalls Fixed
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This week we drive the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe and Volvo C40 Recharge. Sam also shares thoughts on the refreshed 2025 Hyundai Tucson and the Santa Fe hybrid. We also have an interview with Michael Fischer, Project lead for the Honda EV Hub in Ohio Links 2025 Nissan ArmadaVW ID.4 Gets ChatGPTTop 10 Cars for Gen ZMazda S or Model 62025 Volvo XC90Drunk Philidelphia Women Charged with Homicide While Using BlueCruiseDefence attorney blames BlueCruise28th Takata airbag death in USCox Battery operations centerAAA driving cost survey Honda EV hubBYD Shark Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of producing and hosting it you can join at https://www.patreon.com/wheelbearingsmedia

Hyundai Is Busy

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Hyundai Is Busy
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Robbie is sick this week and his voice is shot, so it’s just Sam and Nicole. Nicole has been driving the Subaru Ascent while Sam had the Lexus RX450h+ plug-in hybrid. Hyundai made lots of news this week at its investor day as well as during a drive program in California. Its new 3-row electric crossover, the Ioniq 9 will launch production in 2025 at the new Savannah, GA factory and in 2026, Hyundai will launch an extended range EV (EREV). But before the Ioniq 9 arrives, Hyundai will be producing the Ioniq 5 at the new factory beginning in October. Along with a mild styling refresh and bigger batteries, the Ioniq 5 is getting an SAE J3400/NACS charging port. 3 weeks after the regular Ioniq 5, Hyundai will start production of the Ioniq 5 XRT for those that can’t wait for the Rivian R3.… Read More »Hyundai Is Busy

Losing the Buzz

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Losing the Buzz
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Robbie is back from Germany where he got to drive the updated Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo and he wants one. Nicole got to drive a pair of new Hyundai Santa Fes at home and at a family wedding. Meanwhile, Sam got surprisingly good efficiency from the latest edition of the VW ID4 but those window switches are still dumb. In the news, the US market version of the VW ID Buzz finally has a price and let’s just say affordability isn’t part of the formula. Ford has again pivoted on its electric vehicle plans and there won’t be anything fresh in showrooms for a few more years. GM is bringing some plug-in hybrid powertrains to its US lineup, but the new Equinox won’t be home to this system. Ford has updated the Bronco Sport for 2025 with some cool new lifestyle features. Tesla has been… Read More »Losing the Buzz

Should Have Saved The Name

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Should Have Saved The Name
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Our regular lineup is back together, after a delayed arrival from Robbie. Robbie got to spend some time with the new Toyota Prius Prime while spending a couple of days in Detroit. Sam drove the Hyundai Kona Electric and Nicole has been in the latest Subaru Impreza RS and Mazda CX-90 since she last appeared. This week Sam got to visit the Volvo Cars factory near Charleston, South Carolina where they have just added production of the Polestar 3 in addition to the Volvo EX90. JD Power continues to survey EV drivers about their satisfaction with the public charging experience and while it has ticked upward overall just a but this year, it still has a lot of room for improvement. While traditional auto shows are flagging, Monterey Car Week has become the place to launch premium and expensive machines and wild concepts. We discuss… Read More »Should Have Saved The Name

Manila Vanilla, It’s Yellow

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Manila Vanilla, It's Yellow
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This week, Sam is enjoying a much-deserved vacation, so we have Jill Ciminillo, managing editor for Pickup Truck + SUV Talk as a special guest. Jill drove the Acura TLX while Robbie had some time with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, which he can drive but can’t pronounce. Nicole was in the Toyota bZ4X which she loved, aside from one rather large issue. In the news, the Cadillac Sollei concept made its debut as a 2-door convertible in a color we all question, but with stunning design details. Rivian opened a COutpost outside Yosemite with free coffee (yes!) and the Honda Civic Si is back with a manual transmission only (yes again!). Acura is ditching Sirius XM, which isn’t’ as big a deal as it seems, but Stellantis may cut underperforming brands from its portfolio, which definitely is a big deal. Volvo is the latest… Read More »Manila Vanilla, It’s Yellow

Basically A Fast Economy Car

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Wheel Bearings
Basically A Fast Economy Car
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This week, Nicole is driving the refreshed Genesis GV80, Robbie had the Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan and BMW XM and Sam got to play with the Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally. In the news, Sam spotted Hyundai and Kia testing NACS/J3400 charging ports on an Ioniq 5 and EV6 at a Supercharger. Cadillac is putting a 55-inch screen in the gas Escalade. Honda is working on a new generation Passport that might be more off-road capable. Ford is using its Oakville, Ont. assembly plant to build Super Duty trucks that will get electrified and Nicole and Sam drive the refreshed Explorer. Nicole went to Germany to see the new Audi A5 and Lexus is offering a fancier version of the GR Corolla Morizo, but in Japan only. Wheel Bearings listeners get an extra 3 months for free when they sign up for ExpressVPN at https://www.expressvpn.com/wheelbearings Links Hyundai/Kia testing… Read More »Basically A Fast Economy Car

No Real Safety Benefit

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
No Real Safety Benefit
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This week Sam has been driving the 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor. Nicole had the Mazda CX-70 and Robbie has just started on the Mercedes-Benz EQS For 2024, Toyota has improved the abysmal charging performance of the AWD bZ4X and Electrify America is piloting an 85% charge limit. Nissan has launched an off-roady-ish Rogue that now has hands-free driving assist. Ford unveils its 2025 Dakar challenger and Mazda is putting a Rav4 hybrid system into the CX-50. Ford has launched a new EV in Europe that looks like the Polestar 2 and bears the name of a 1970s sports coupe. Tesla’s market share continues to decline and partial automation systems don’t seem to help safety. Wheel Bearings listeners get an extra 3 months for free when they sign up for ExpressVPN at https://www.expressvpn.com/wheelbearings Links Toyota Improves bZ4X chargingNissan Rogue Rock CreekFord Raptor T1+EA pilots 85% charging limitEarly… Read More »No Real Safety Benefit

It’s An Electric Flex

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Wheel Bearings
It's An Electric Flex
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This week Robbie takes a road trip to southern California in the BMW i7, Nicole gets an unexpectedly eye-catching Ford Bronco Sport and Sam belatedly comes to the realization that the awesome Kia EV9 is basically an electric Ford Flex. Sam provides a follow-up on the 2025 Ram 1500 and its batteries. GM got a fine from the EPA over excess CO2 emissions and had to give up a bunch of C02 credits. Small car sales are picking up and Jim Farley want’s people to buy more of them, even though Ford doesn’t actually offer any right now. Land Rover launches a high performance Defender and Ineos indefinitely delays the electric Fusilier. BMW is working on a new coupe based on the electric Neue Klasse platform and the Supreme Court may have made it way harder to introduce any new regulations. Finally, make sure to… Read More »It’s An Electric Flex

It’s About The Style

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
It's About The Style
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This week Nicole is driving the Ford Maverick and Sam has the new Fiat 500e Nicole went to the Busan Motor Show in Korea last week to deliver an award to Kia. While there she got to see the new Kia EV3 and the little Hyundai Casper EV. GM Design has been posting images from the design archives on Instagram including a concept for a second-generation G8 that sadly never made it to production. Cox Automotive gave a mid-year update and EV leasing is growing dramatically. Automakers are pushing back on NHTSA’s new automatic emergency braking rules. VW is turning to Rivian to try to solve it’s software problems and BMW has a new plug-in hybrid M5. While someone that owns the rights to the Delorean brand has shown an electric concept, a UK company is restomodding original examples. Rimac has shifted from electric supercars… Read More »It’s About The Style