The Drive with Alan Taylor

Welcome back to, “The Drive” with Alan Taylor. His first contributor is friend, Lauren Fix, Editor-in-Chief of Car Coach Reports. Lauren stressed the importance of AM radio for local news, sports, weather, and emergency updates. There’s a bipartisan effort to require AM radio in vehicles by 2024 to ensure crucial information reaches a wide audience. In the 2021 infrastructure bill, a law was introduced requiring vehicles to have kill switches to prevent drunk driving. However, concerns have been raised about the reliability of these kill switches due to potential false positives from everyday substances and questions about the practicality and effectiveness of this technology, as well as skepticism about the data collection capabilities of vehicles. Toyota’s new line of vehicles, including the 2025 Crown sedan, which Lauren is currently test driving, and the Sienna SUV, aims to offer a luxurious driving experience with premium features such as heated seats, panoramic glass roofs, and modern technology like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All models come with all-wheel drive and electronically controlled CVT. The SUV version provides ample storage, is larger than the Venza, and includes air-cooled seats, heated seats, and standard safety features.

George Kennedy III, co-founder of Cartender.com and Vice President of the New England Motor Press Association, recently test-droved the 2024 BMW Z4 Convertible. He found it to be a great cruiser and a fun car to drive, particularly liking the heated seats, steering wheels, and the clever features for driving with the top down in colder weather. The Z4 Convertible starts at $53k for the four-cylinder turbo model and can go from 0 to 60 in 5.2 seconds. Customers can also opt for the dynamic chassis package for a few thousand

Karl Brauer, an automotive industry analyst, discussed Hertz’s decision to sell off a large portion of their EV fleet due to higher upfront costs, maintenance expenses, and increased accidents. The move aims to cut costs and boost profits. According to Karl, EVs were less reliable than expected. He also shared the top 25 cheapest cars that last the longest, with the Mitsubishi Mirage, Toyota Corolla, Subaru Impreza, and Honda Accord topping the list. Alan shared news about his 2023 Dodge Demon 170, with Karl also expecting delivery soon. The car offers 1020 horsepower and exceptional performance.

Brian Moody, the Executive Editor of Auto Trader.com and KBB.com, talked about Henrik Fisker’s career as a designer at BMW, Audi, and Volkswagen. He highlighted the struggle for new companies like Fisker Automotive to become well-known in the auto industry, especially compared to established companies like Ford. Brian also mentioned the challenges faced by startups like Koda, Aptera, and Better Place. He expressed doubt about Fisker’s efforts to restructure and mentioned the unsuccessful history of Better Place, an Israeli company that converted Renaults into electric cars. Brian also discussed the declining popularity of full-size pickups, possibly due to high prices, and the rising interest in smaller options like the Ford Maverick. He mentioned that despite this, the Ford F series and fleet sales remain popular. Brian also highlighted the shift towards small crossovers like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, and the continued success of quality sedans like the Toyota Camry and Honda Civic. Brian and Alan also talked about the updated electric Fiat 500, describing it as a cute city car with nice design details, such as the rose gold color option and embroidered “Fiat” on the seats. They mentioned its estimated 175-mile range and the pricing for the base and premium models. Lastly, they shared a story about a friend benefitting from owning a small electric car for city driving and mentioned the upcoming feature of the rose gold Fiat 500 on AutoTrader.com.

[00:00:00] – Contributor Lauren Fix
[00:06:36] – Kill switch Concerns
[00:13:00] – 2025 Toyota Crown
[00:20:50] – Contributor Brian Moody
[00:29:46] – Full Size Pickups Declining in Popularity
[00:37:20] – 2025 Fiat 500e
[00:44:10] – Contributor George Kennedy Best of Show
[00:50:02] – 2024 BMW Z4 Convertible
[00:57:10] – How To Weather The Cold
[01:05:00] – Contributor Karl Bauer Best of Show
[01:15:07] – Cheapest Car with the Longest Life
[01:21:30] – What’s Old Is New Again

Host: Alan Taylor
Producer: Dave Milligan
Copy Editor: Colleen Mahi

Contributor: Lauren Fix

Contributor: Brian Moody

Contributor: George Kennedy III

Contributor: Karl Brauer

Vehicles Discussed:

2025 Toyota Crown, 2023 Dodge Demon 170, Mitsubishi Mirage, Toyota Corolla, Subaru Impreza, Honda Accord, 2024 BMW Z4 Convertible,  2024 BMW M40i, 2025 Toyota Sienna, 2025 Fiat 5003, Ford Maverick, Honda CRV, Toyota Rav4, Toyota Camry, Ford Taurus

• Austin Hatcher Foundation
• AutoTempest.com
• Brembo
• Dodge
• Foundation of Human Understanding
• Shell
• Subaru

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