PRNDL: Audio Car Reviews

This week, we're driving the 2022 Ford Maverick. It's my vehicle of the year and it's the perfect truck for a ton of people — looking for your first new car? Ford Maverick. Want to replace your sedan or small crossover with something more practical? Ford Maverick. If you want to haul stuff without wasting a ton of gas? Ford Maverick. I'm outside Las Vegas taking it for a spin in some (light) Nevada traffic.

This is the audio-only version of the podcast. The video is available on YouTube.

This week, we're driving the 2020 Volvo XC90 T8. It's the ultimate in Swedish luxury, and it can even go for almost 20 miles on electric power alone. If you want some of the most comfortable seats this side of a Mercedes S-Class along with a whole SUV-full of understated class, this is the 3-row luxury SUV for you.

This is the audio-only version of the podcast. The video is available on YouTube.

Most car reviews are done from gorgeous places like Barcelona or Santa Monica. Great for curvy roads, but that's not where most folks will really drive their new cars. Instead, you'll drive it to work in a bumper-to-bumper commute. So we decided to make a car review channel that tests new vehicles in their native environment. We're taking cars to the worst of rush hour. We call it Two Guys In Traffic.

The first thing I noticed about my 2019 Lexus UX was the color. Nori Green Pearl. Usually I don’t notice a color unless it’s a bright orange sports car or something. Car colors are usually so boring. This one is a brilliant, deep, dark green that sucks you in. Nori is a delicious type of Japanese edible seaweed and it’s perfect for this color. We’re off to a good start, little Lexus.

This is the audio-only version of the podcast. Video is available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/E58Aq40EQMI

As Deep Thought told us, forty-two is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. It's also the real-world fuel economy we managed out of the Lexus ES300h without even trying — the highest available in any plugless luxury vehicle. That, plus the quiet indulgence one gets in any Lexus, means this could be the best luxury commuter car on the market. Even with that horrid trackpad you have to use to control the infotainment system.

This is the audio-only version of the podcast. Video is available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/5tkgngYKS9g

If you're a commuter, the Nissan ProPilot advanced driving assist system is the best reason to buy the Altima. It helps keep you in your lane, makes stop-and-go traffic a breeze, and makes even a boring old sedan a pleasure to cruise in. And this one is even all-wheel drive.

This is the audio-only version of the podcast. Video is available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/aMLKN72GeGA

We're driving north to the White Mountains of New Hampshire with the (ancient) 2019 Toyota 4Runner. This unbeatable off-roader is wildly popular amongst the outdoorsy set and both Bryan and Jordan really love it — even though we can't quite explain why.

This is the audio-only version of the podcast. Video is available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/98OcfkDdMGI

The Honda Civic is one of the best commuter cars around, and we're putting it through its paces. Is it perfect? Not quite, but aside from a few weird quibbles (where's the blindspot monitoring?) we like it very much. Especially the color, which you can't see because this is a podcast. Sorry. It's really pretty.

This is the audio-only version of the podcast. Video is available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/98OcfkDdMGI

We're in Boston and Cambridge with the 2019 Volvo XC40 — one actually owned by Bryan (well, his wife anyway). It's Volvo’s smallest SUV and it’s perhaps the ultimate city car. We talk tiny fuel tanks, endless storage cubbyholes, the annoying shift knob, and much much more.

This is the audio-only version of the podcast. Video is available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/ktZ7sVettEE

We're in Banff, Alberta, Canada with the 2020 Volvo XC90. It's Volvo's biggest SUV and it's fantastically comfortable, luxurious, and very, very safe. 

Joining Jordan is Professor Lotta Jakobsson, Senior Technical Specialist for Safety at Volvo Cars Safety Centre in Gothenburg, Sweden. Dr. Jakobsson is an expert in biomechanics, automotive crashes, and how to keep us all safer when driving.

This is the audio-only version of the podcast. Video is available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy1ah23jZFY

We're in Jackson, WY with the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 Diesel. It's GMC's half-ton pickup with terrific fuel economy. If you use your truck as an everyday commuter vehicle — or even just live out in the country and drive long distances, it's definitely worth a look. Wyoming is truck country, so we're right at home.

This is the audio-only version of the podcast. Video is available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/8pc6KwqpbRQ