The Impressive 2023 Toyota Corolla SXE Hybrid: A Perfect Combination of Style and Efficiency | #554

BJ Killeen is a well-known automotive journalist, known for her fair and balanced reporting. In recent news, Subaru of America has announced their “Share the Love” event, where they will donate $250 to charities when you purchase or lease a vehicle between November 16th and January 2nd. This annual event has raised over $256 million for charities over the past 16 years. Moving on to the latest developments in the electric vehicle world, there is a shortage of technicians to fix charging units, causing over 4,000 charging stations to be out of service. In other auto news, the labor dispute between Ford and UAW continues, with one of the main sticking points being UAW’s demand to control the new battery plants that Ford is building. Ford is not willing to let them dictate what they can do with their batteries and has started to shift production to Mexico. Before signing off, BJ shares her impressions of the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross SXE Hybrid, a small SUV available in both gas and hybrid models. The $36,600 model she test-drove was loaded with features such as a moon roof, cross bars, adaptive headlamps, and all-wheel drive. The interior is nicely laid out and high quality and the power is more than adequate. Overall, BJ is very impressed with this small compact SUV and recommends it as a great option for those in the market for one.

Brian Moody, the Executive Editor of Auto Trader.com and KBB.com, recently shared some automotive news about the Ford Super Duty strike. The Kentucky plant, which employs 8,700 workers and produces three vehicles including the Lincoln Navigator, Ford Expedition, and Ford Super Duty, has reached a point where the disagreement has become contentious. Ford was surprised by this strike, as they thought they were making progress, but not so much. Ford has made it clear that they are not going to agree to a deal that doesn’t work for them, even if the outcome could potentially mean losing 100,000 jobs. Statistics show that if Super Duty were a stand-alone company, it would generate more revenue than Southwest Airlines, Nordstrom, or Marriott International. The Kentucky plant contributes over $12 billion dollars to the local economy, and more than 600 suppliers feed into that plant. This raises an important question: will the automakers be moving south where the incentives are?

George Kennedy, co-founder of Cartender.com and Vice President of the New England Motor Press Association, spoke about the 2023 Mercedes EQS SUV, an electric SUV with a range that tops the charts. The interior of the EQS SUV is beautiful, with customizable lighting. Although it is closer in size to a midsize GLE, it is an electric vehicle. There are three tiers for this model, with the base model starting at 104k and the 580 model at 126k. The EQS SUV also has DC fast charging and is designed to be as quiet as possible with sound-deafening features. It is incredibly smooth and silent during operation. Kennedy believes that the sales of this SUV will be the proof in the pudding for automakers who want to attract Tesla shoppers and new EV buyers. The EQS SUV also comes with adaptive air suspension, which gives a confident swell during acceleration. The real treat is sitting behind the wheel, with a lavish, high-quality, world-class interior and craftsmanship, including massaging seats.

We have a special guest today, Josh Hancock, who is a well-known Hollywood car consultant, also known as JoshCAR. Josh has some international news to share about the electric vehicle (EV) market. China’s government is investing heavily in EVs and using its funds to build as many cars as possible to become the top EV manufacturer. Unfortunately, due to excess inventory, they have abandoned over 10,000 cars on an island. In contrast, TESLA, owned by the innovative entrepreneur Elon Musk, has secured $7.5 billion in subsidies for sharing its charging inf...