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Welcome Jill Of Many Places

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Welcome Jill Of Many Places
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This week our new co-host Jill Ciminillo joins the show and she’s been driving the Ford Ranger. Sam had the new 2026 Mazda CX-5. Our whole team converged on New York for the debut of the new Hyundai Tucson and Sam had a conversation with Eric Wood, head of product experience about the new Pleos Connect infotainment system and Gleo AI voice assistant. Links EVgo Announces Next-Generation Charging System Capable of 750kW LEXUS FULL-LINE PRICING Lexus TZ Sharply Undercuts Luxury Rivals With a $65K Starting Price – Autoblog 2027 Hyundai Tucson First Look: What Changes for Hyundai’s Best-Selling SUV? | GreenCars GM Really Isn’t Going To Build That Many Chevy Bolts: Report How the EV Business Case Shifted Away From the Chevy Bolt Ultium Cells to bring LMR prismatic battery cell production to Tennessee for future GM EVs Final Technical Support Document | NHTSA Jeep… Read More »Welcome Jill Of Many Places

Reading Comprehension

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Reading Comprehension
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This week Robbie has been driving the Kia Telluride hybrid and the GMC Sierra EV while Sam had the very impression new Kia Seltos. In the news, VW showed a new EV concept and a lot of people misread the press release. Ford is again refreshing the F-150 and adding hands-free towing capability to BlueCruise. Volvo has upgraded the XC90 and XC60 PHEVs with double the electric range. GM dropped details on the new V8s in the 2027 trucks and the updated user interface. Robotaxis without controls make problems for first responders and Sam and Robbie visit a magnet factory. Links Mission Efficiency – Volkswagen presents the world’s most efficient near-production electric car How Did Everyone Get This Wrong? VW’s New ‘Mission Efficiency’ Doesn’t Get 900 Miles Of Range Out Of A Small Battery – The Autopian TTD September 15, 2026 – Ford Adds Hands-Free… Read More »Reading Comprehension

Will Chinese Cars Be Made In America

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Will Chinese Cars Be Made In America
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Sam shares his thoughts on the Dodge Charger Six Pack Scat Pack and Robbie teases the Kia Telluride hybrid and talks about e-bikes. Honda adds more ground clearance to the Passport Trailsport, Audi fully reveals the new A2 e-tron, Volvo refreshes the XC40 and Range Rover launches an EV. Arbe gets a first production contract for its imaging radar. Donald Trump wants Chinese automakers to build cars in America, but the Senate has opposite ideas. Stellantis wants to sell its Brampton assembly plant and Xiaomi has a new EREV SUV with a popup roof. VW is looking at body-on-frame trucks and utilities for the US and Horse Powertrain opens a Detroit office. Finally, Sam sees the Kindred Bronco EV and we answer listener questions. Links Honda Passport Reaches New Heights: 2027 Passport TrailSport Gets New Lifted Suspension, Tougher Styling and More Features Audi A2 e-tron:… Read More »Will Chinese Cars Be Made In America

It’s A Lot

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It's A Lot
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This week Robbie has the GMC Hummer EV SUV and Sam has the Kia Telluride X-Pro SX Prestige. In the news, Hyundai announces at its investor day that the Santa Fe will be its first EREV and Lincoln is bringing the Corsair back as a hybrid from China. Rivian R1s are getting a software update Honda is waiting to see what happens with US trade decisions before it finallizes plans for another factory. The Ford Maverick is getting both cheaper and more expensive and Nevada is getting up to 8,000 robotaxis. McDonalds won’t serve a Benz patent motorwagen in the drive through and Aptera gets independent testing of its solar charging capability. Waking up from the Dreame Dream. Links Hyundai Motor Company Charts Profit-Driven Growth Roadmap at 2026 CEO Investor Day More for Every Drive: Inside the 2027 Lincoln Corsair Hybrid Rivian EVs Are Getting… Read More »It’s A Lot

The Outbackier Subaru

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The Outbackier Subaru
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This week Robbie and Sam are joined by Craig Cole who has his own thoughts on the 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Robbie tells us about hauling band gear in the new Subaru Outback and Sam pontificates on the BMW XM. In the news, why are some automakers using NACS only for DC charging with a J1772 port of AC? Chinese regulators are forcing a recall of millions of cars with manual door latch backups that are too hard to find. Cadillac’s midsize crossover finally gets a PHEV, but only in China for now. A recent rash of thefts from cars has Sam thinking about Faraday bags for key fobs. The next Mini cooper might ditch front wheel drive for the first time ever. Genesis launches a new 3-row electric SUV, the GV90 and puts a hybrid into the GV80 while Hyundai shows a new Tucson.… Read More »The Outbackier Subaru

Can You Fathom It

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Can You Fathom It
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This week Robbie and Sam are joined by Stephanie Brinley. Stephanie drove the Mercedes-Benz CLA and Lexus ES350e, Robbie had the Subaru Uncharted and Sam had the Jeep Cherokee Sam also had a conversation with Dodge CEO Matt McAlear about the new new Super Bee and what’s happening with the brand. Links A2 e-tron sets new efficiency benchmark at Audi Electric Ford Fathom to Be Priced From $29,945 | GreenCars The ‘Freedom Car’ Aims The Right Idea At The Wrong Villain Mercedes Boss Says The Auto Industry Went ‘Too Far’ With Removing Buttons Grenading Ford 1.0-Liter Engines Pose ‘Unreasonable Risk To Motor Vehicle Safety,’ NHTSA Probe Finds – Jalopnik EVgo SuperchargersDodge Charger Super Bee Stellantis ARDC SRT eBoost Air The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Has A Range Problem. Smaller Wheels Helped A Lot GM, Chinese automaker extend joint venture for 20 years despite geopolitical tensions… Read More »Can You Fathom It

It’s Fantaaastically Expensive

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It's Fantaaastically Expensive
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It’s just Sam and Robbie this week and Robbie has the BMW M5 Touring while Sam drove the Rivian R1T Quad. Audi took the wraps off its new Q9 three-row SUV this week while Mercedes-Benz went for the opposite end of the scale with the new GLA crossover. Zoox got a NHTSA waiver for its robotaxi and the feds are finally going to start working on AV regulations. Nissan and Honda are expected to partner on next-generation software platforms. If a bill in congress goes through, Mercedes-Benz could get booted from the US market and Jim Farley expects the Chinese to be here within a decade anyway. BYD is launching its new Racco Kei EV in Japan and NHTSA may also try to make door handles safer. Walmart is pushing ahead with deployment of its charging network while Florida wants to use EV charging funds… Read More »It’s Fantaaastically Expensive

Bye-Bye Nicole

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Bye-Bye Nicole
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This week Sam had nothing scheduled so he drove his 1990 Miata around. Robbie joined in a bit late to tell us about the Lucid Gravity and Kia Telluride X-Pro SX Prestige while Nicole shared some thoughts on driving her spouse’s Wrangler PHEV. Jalopnik provided a reader listicle on concepts that didn’t translate well to production. Recurrent provided some data on rising prices of used EVs. Ford invited us out to Michigan Speedway to sample some products from its custom garage and see the new Bronco Desert Rising Edition. Ford also announced a partnership with GenerLink to make connecting an F-150 to the house for power backup easier. Ford is also going to be the first automaker to use Apple Maps in its upcoming Universal Electric Vehicle platform. Stellantis is adopting Mobileye’s REM maps to enhance its ADAS systems and Mobileye CEO Amnon Shashua is… Read More »Bye-Bye Nicole

What Is A Moonroof

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What Is A Moonroof
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This week Robbie has been driving the Ford Mustang Mach-e GT and Sam had the Ford F-150 Lariat PowerBoost Hybrid There’s lots of news including a Ford patent that could immobilize cars, a proposal for a VW Thing revival as an EREV and an Abarth version of the Fiat Topolino. A wagon version of the Polestar 4 has been spotted testing with a rear window and Volvo is planning to bring sedans and wagons back to the US. Horse has a range extender system with an axial flux motor and VW is considering building its China developed EVs in Germany. Sam drove the Rivian R2 and got a demo of the new interface from Wassym Bensaid. The Nissan Altima is dead in America and the Gordie Howe bridge is finally opening but Dongfeng EVs may not be allowed to cross it. GM is offering a… Read More »What Is A Moonroof

Diesels Dying

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Diesels Dying
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Sam and Robbie both had the Ford Explorer Tremor this week and Nicole rounded out the Ford fest with the F-350 King Ranch PowerStroke duallie. Diesel cars are fading away in Europe and BMW has launched the next-generation X5 including an all electric iX5. California is bringing back some EV incentives for first-time buyers and the Kia Niro is going hybrid only for 2027. Thieves have been stealing truckloads of batteries from a Tesla factory and Ferrari is bringing back a simulated manual transmission. Sam also has a conversation with Christopher Maiwald, CEO and Founder of charger manufacturer Lectron. Links Diesel’s demise nears as Volkswagen axes diesel Golf after 50 years | Autocar Why Ford’s 3.0L Power Stroke Diesel Died An Ignoble Death – Jalopnik New California Incentive Gives Some First-Time EV Buyers $3,500 Instant Discount – Jalopnik Our Readers Came Up With These Honest… Read More »Diesels Dying