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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

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

1.6 Miles Of Copper

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1.6 Miles Of Copper
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This week in the garage, Nicole has been driving two cars that are basically the same but oh so different, the Buick Envista Avenir and the Porsche Cayenne GTS while Sam tries out some hands-off highway driving in the new 2025 Ram 1500 Limited. In th news, Lexus should soon be launching a successor to the LFA that will form the basis of its next GT3 race car. Uber and Lyft are adopting the Toyota bZ4X. 15 years ago, we expected to see light duty pickups from Detroit with diesel V8s but they all got cancelled. However, some prototypes of the GM 4.5L Duramax has occasionally popped up. That engine was specifically designed to fit in the suprisingly compact package envelope of the classic GM small block. One of the places that small block V8s occasionally show up is in Miatas, and friend of the… Read More »1.6 Miles Of Copper

Plug-in Hybrids Are Or Are Not Fine

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Wheel Bearings
Plug-in Hybrids Are Or Are Not Fine
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Robbie has the updated the Ford Mustang Mach-E with a lithium iron phosphate battery, Nicole has the Hyundai Sonata and Elantra N-Line and Sam has the 2024 Ford Ranger XLT. Ford is attacking the Pikes Peak Hillclimb with another EV, this time the Lightning Supertruck. Rivian has done its first major update the R1 series with new motors, battery packs and electronics. Nicole spoke with some Fisker employees about the s**tshow in Manhattan Beach. Two three-row, electric SUVs started production in the US, the Kia EV9 and Volvo EX90. IIHS crash tested full-size SUVs and the results were not great. Friend of the show Jonny Lieberman wrote a rant against plug-in hybrids and Robbie made a video about them. Finally, Sam has a conversation with Michigan’s chief mobility officer Justine Johnson Wheel Bearings listeners get an extra 3 months for free when they sign up… Read More »Plug-in Hybrids Are Or Are Not Fine

The Best EV Value

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Wheel Bearings
The Best EV Value
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This week Robbie was carless but Nicole has to vehicles to tell us about, the Lexus TX 550h+ plug-in hybrid and the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison. Meanwhile Sam describes his disappointment with the Nissan Z Nismo, at least as a sports car for the street. We also have a first drive review of the new Chevrolet Equinox EV, which despite GM’s claims is most definitely not a compact but it is very good. We have first looks at the production Jeep Wagoneer S and Cadillac Optiq. With all of the safety issues we have on the road, some regulators and politicians have decided to set their sights on a tiny niche of a niche, the Japanese Kei car. For those tired of weeding out all the automatic transmission cars on Bring a Trailer, there is now a manual only auction site. 14 years after racing… Read More »The Best EV Value

Too Heavy

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Wheel Bearings
Too Heavy
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Nicole is traveling again this week so it’s just the boys. Robbie had nothing to drive, but Sam hit the road to the MAMA Spring Rally at Road America #MAMA24SR in the Nissan Rogue AWD Platinum. We have a first drive review of the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST First Edition and Sam shares some thoughts on some of the vehicles he drove at the Rally including the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, Kia EV6 GT, Ineos Grenadier, Polaris Slingshot, Volvo EX30, Hummer EV SUV and Mustang Dark Horse. Kia unveiled the new EV3, hopefully coming to America in 2025. Honda showed off the updated Civic, now with hybrid power. Apple wants to make it easier to read a phone in the car without getting sick. California wants automatic speeding warnings and BMW unveils the new Skytop concept. Wheel Bearings listeners get an extra 3 months… Read More »Too Heavy

Still Too Much

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Wheel Bearings
Still Too Much
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This week Nicole and her husband compare the 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4XE to their 2022 model that they own. Robbie takes the Kia EV9 on a snowboarding trip and is unimpressed by the new Lincoln Nautilus. Sam drives the 2024 Polestar 2 dual motor performance model. Nicole shares her impressions of driving the updated Jeep Gladiator in Moab and Hyundai has unveiled a race version of the Ioniq 5 N. Friend of the show Alex Dykes shares his impressions of a Fisker Ocean he rented on Turo. Chevrolet officially prices the Silverado EV RST first edition and cuts the price by $10K from what was originally announced while JerryRigEverything goes 460 miles on a charge. Tesla kills its $25K car to focus on a robotaxi and Ford delays its next EVs by up to 2 years. Our friend Tommy Mica from TFL decides to driving… Read More »Still Too Much

Return of the Gremlin

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Wheel Bearings
Return of the Gremlin
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This week Sam has been driving the Genesis Electrified G80. Robbie was picking speakers for his band in the Land Rover Defender 130 and Nicole has the Infiniti QX60. The core of Henrik Fisker’s original design for the Karma continues to live on, now as part of the Karma Automotive and the Chinese-owned company has just launched a refreshed version that ditches the plug-in series hybrid for a full electric powertrain. Nissan has addressed one of the biggest complaints about the Ariya EV by cutting the price. There are currently no EVs that will charge at 500 kW, but Gravity Mobility has installed just such a charger in New York. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is still relatively new, but it’s already getting an update. We frequently complain about automakers putting controls into the touchscreen and now EuroNCAP is going to cut their safety ratings if… Read More »Return of the Gremlin

Bringing Back Hybrids

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Wheel Bearings
Bringing Back Hybrids
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This week Sam is driving a very luxurious and pricey version of the J300 Land Cruiser in the form of the Lexus LX600. Robbie has been trying out the 2024 Ford Mustang Premium Ecoboost and Nicole had Toyota Prius. Nicole has first thoughts on driving the new Lexus GX. Ford and Lincoln have finally gotten around to updating the Explorer and Aviator and they both lose their hybrid variants. Mazda is adding another plug-in hybrid with the new CX-70, basically a two-row version of the CX-90. GM is also bringing plug-in hybrids back to the US market, eventually. Honda is reportedly working on an electric next-gen NSX. Kyle Conner tries to buy a Vinfast VF8 and Volvo is pausing deliveries of the EX30 because of software problems. Early Cybertruck owners are having issues with tires and suspensions and Elon wants protection from China. Links 2024… Read More »Bringing Back Hybrids

Dealers be Dealering

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Wheel Bearings
Dealers be Dealering
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This week, Nicole has the Mazda CX-50 in a disappointing color, Robbie has the Range Rover Velar in one of the 8 available non-colors and Sam is driving the Chevrolet Trailblazer in Cacti Green. In the news, Jeep teases the upcoming Wagoneer S EV with too much power. Stellantis also launches the Ram Promaster EV and confirms the STLA Large EV platform will also support hybrid powertrains. JerryRigEverything tries towing with the Cybertruck and comes up short. For some reason, BMW has decided to put some humanoid robots into the Spartanburg assembly plant, what could go wrong? Mazda has launched a development program for a new rotary sports car, will it ever be built? Ford and Lincoln are launching an all-new infotainment system based on Android with a 48-inch full-width screen. Sam also spoke with friend of the show, Andrey Smirnov for an episode of… Read More »Dealers be Dealering