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Bringing Back Hybrids

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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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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

Buzz Me

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Buzz Me
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In the garage this week, Nicole has been driving two very different vehicles from the Hyundai Motor Group stable, the new Genesis G90 and refreshed Kia Telluride. Robbie has car for dog lovers, the Subaru Crosstrek and Sam was pleasantly surprised by what the Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid could do with a fully charged battery. In the news, VW revealed the longer 3 row ID Buzz that’s coming to America. Sam spent some time at the track with Honda getting a ride in an Indycar-powered hybrid CR-V, sampling electric racing go-karts and testing the LogR app with the new Civic Type-R. Lordstown’s electric pickup doesn’t have much Endurance and Tesla claims the cheapest Model 3 now qualifies for tax credits. Finally Ford changes its pricing strategy for Blue Cruise. We also answer listener questions Links Honda electric racing cartsHonda CR-V hybrid racerHonda LogR 2.0 appVW… Read More »Buzz Me

Live From the Kona Coast

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Live From the Kona Coast
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We’re all back together for a brand new show after a week away for some vacation time. We’ve got lots of rides to discuss this week. Nicole had the Mercedes-AMG G63 and Genesis GV70 Electrified. Since we last had him on the show, Robbie drove the Ford Expedition to Tahoe for a band gig, the BMW i7 and the new Mercedes-Benz GLC. Sam reviews the Chevrolet Equinox that he and his wife had as a rental in Hawaii. Sam and Nicole were both in Hawaii to drive the new Toyota Grand Highlander and get a first look at the all-new Tacoma midsize pickup including the Trailhunter overlanding version. BMW has unveiled the next-generation 5 series sedan including the electric i5. The 5 series is also the first car to get support for Airconsole game streaming. Ford has decided that it can’t rely on the likes… Read More »Live From the Kona Coast

It’s Very, Very Bad

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It's Very, Very Bad
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Robbie couldn’t make it this week so it’s just Nicole and Sam. Nicole has been driving the Rivian R1S and the Toyota Rav4, two very different SUVs. Sam had an SUV that sort of fits in the venn diagram of the previous two, with a gas engine and serious off-roadability, the Ford Bronco Heritage edition. Nicole has also recently done a couple of first drive programs with very different outcomes. The new 2023 GMC Canyon was really, really good. When Nicole had her first exposure to the Vinfast VF8 last September, she recommended it could use another 6 months of development. Well, the on-sale date was pushed back almost six months with the first examples going to customers in California recently. Unfortunately, the extra time apparently wasn’t put to good use and it’s the first vehicle in a long time that can’t be recommended to… Read More »It’s Very, Very Bad

It’s Got Sting

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It's Got Sting
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This week it’s just Nicole and Sam. Nicole had the new 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid with a third row seat that should just be left folded down. Sam got double booked and had both the Rivian R1S and the Genesis G90 with the e-Supercharger. In the news, Ford unveiled it’s first European electric vehicle for consumers, the new Explorer EV based on the Volkswagen MEB platform but it’s a completely different beast to the Explorer Americans get. The next MEB EV from Ford might be called the Capri. Ford also showed off progress on its new BlueOval City manufacturing complex in Tennessee and revealed a few things about the new electric truck to be built there that is called Project T3. Nicole got a chance to sample the new Dodge Hornet in gas turbo and plug-in hybrid variants. Hyundai’s design chief says the brand… Read More »It’s Got Sting

Just Get the XL

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Just Get the XL
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Nicole is out this week but we have Tanya Gazdik from Media Post sitting in with Robbie and Sam. Tanya has been driving the Toyota Corolla hatchback, while Sam finally discusses the Kia Soul he forgot to review last week along with the Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid. Robbie had the Ford Maverick Lariat Tremor and has thoughts. In the news, Ford creates a new subsidiary to develop hands-free driving assist systems from the remnants of Argo AI. The VW ID3 gets a mid-cycle refresh and VW Group is going to build a new factory in South Carolina to produce Scout electric trucks and SUVs. Tesla has finally started opening up its Superchargers to non-Tesla vehicles and there have been lots of unusual features in cars over the years. Finally, Sam talks with Chrysler brand chief Chris Feuell. Links VW ID3 refresh Latitude AI Charging non-Teslas… Read More »Just Get the XL

Eyes On The Road

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Eyes On The Road
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This week we have special guest Kelly Funkhouser, director of automotive technology at Consumer Reports to explain how they conducted their recent test of advanced driver assist systems. Some of the assumptions Sam made about what they actually evaluated were wrong and the results make a lot more sense now. In the garage, Nicole has been driving the 2023 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy AWD while Sam got a Cadillact CT4-V Blackwing with a manual gearbox, just ahead of an eight-inch snowfall. Fortunately the Cadillac was on winter tires and did just fine. In the news, Ford is teaming up to supply hybrid power systems for the 2026 Red Bull Formula 1 cars. The IRS has corrected its weird classifications for electric vehicles eligible for clean vehicle credits. It’s trivially easy for thieves to steal older Hyundai and Kia models equipped with a key and they want… Read More »Eyes On The Road

Top Novice

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Top Novice
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Nicole and Sam are back after a week off where everyone was travelling. Robbie is still in Japan so Nicole shares here adventure driving in the Mille Miglia warm-up where she and co-pilot Eilleen Falkenburg-Hull came in second overall in the modern vehicle class and first among novices. Upon returning home, Nicole got to spend quality time with the new Nissan Z. Meanwhile, between trips, Sam got to drive the Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobahn. Sam and Nicole also share their impressions of the new 2023 Toyota Crown. In the news, BMW announced a $1.7B investment in its Spartanburg SC factory to build EVs, GMC revealed the Sierra Denali EV Edition1 and Ford brought us the refreshed 2023 Escape. Ford and VW are pulling the plug on Argo AI, the company that was developing automated vehicles for them, and Ubers with human drivers will make fewer… Read More »Top Novice

Getting Buzzed

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Getting Buzzed
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Over the past week we’ve had an assortment of travel and gigs but we’re back in the saddle with fresh material. Now that the embargo has lifted, Robbie can finally share his thoughts on driving the VW ID Buzz, while Nicole had the new Kia Sportage. Before heading out to San Francisco, Sam had the Volvo C40 Recharge and while in the Bay area he drove a Chevrolet Bolt EV. In the news, we’ve seen a bunch of new upcoming products in the leadup to the return of the much diminished Detroit Auto Show. The week before the show, Jeep started to reveal its 2024 EVs including the all-new Recon and Wagoneer S. Chevrolet also took the wraps off the Equinox EV. The big only big reveal at the show itself was the reworked 2024 Ford Mustang that’s coming next summer. The king of designing… Read More »Getting Buzzed