Wheel Bearings

Robbie at a gas station chicken sandwich and the results were predictable so it's just Sam and Nicole both driving Hondas this week with Sam in the Prologue and Nicole in the Odyssey.

In the news, automakers need to stop with electronic door switches, and while Teslas are generally safe in a crash, bad driver behavior is still leading to more fatal crashes than any other brand. Honda has revealed a new 2026 Passport and Acura has their own version of the HR-V, the new ADX. Toyota is offering a dealer installed shield to guard against catalytic converter theft on Priuses. Dodge is about to launch the electric Charger Daytona, but pulling ahead production of the gas version to mid-2025. Jaguar has released the first images of camoflaged prototypes of its new EV and Lexus is adding a cheaper front-drive RZ. Jose Munoz is being promoted to global CEO at Hyundai and GM laid off 1,000 people by email.

Links

People still being burned alive in Teslas

2026 Honda Passport

2025 Acura ADX

Tesla is deadliest car brand in America

Catalytic converter shield tested

Dodge pulling up production of gas Chargers

First images of new electric Jaguar

GM cuts 1,000 jobs

Lexus adds cheaper FWD RZ300e

Jose Munoz becomes CEO of Hyundai Motor

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Kia WKNDR concept

Mercedes-Benz CLA preview

Volvo EX30 arriving in America this year

Mazda Iconic-SP to get produced

2026 Cadillac Vistiq first look

Cadillac XT4 to give way to new Bolt

Bentley To Launch EV in 2026, delay full transition to 2035

SEMA 2024 Roundup

Mercedes-AMG Electric SUV

A2RL

Roman's New G-Wagen

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This week Robbie and Sam both spent time driving the Volkswagen ID Buzz and came away surprisingly delighted. Sam also spent a week with the Toyota Land Cruiser while Nicole got to drive the 2025 Camry.

In the news, VW is adding enhanced hazard alerts to its latest models and Polestar and Volvo finally have Supercharger access for their EVs. Ford is now shipping Lectron NACS to CCS adapters to customers instead of Tesla made adapters. Cadillac is bringing a Lyriq-V in 2025 and Lucid is about to open the order books for the Gravity SUV. Hyundai has a new fuel cell vehicle coming in 2025 with a new look for the brand and sister brand Kia is launching the Tasman pickup but it can't come to America because of the chicken tax. Rivian doesn't believe in buttons and they are wrong. FSD can't see deer at night and the Ferrari Enzo had different sized mirrors. We also have a bunch of listener questions.

Links

VW integrates enhanced hazard alerts

Enhanced Hazard Alerts

Polestar & Volvo turn on Supercharger access

Lectron NACS-CCS adapter

Cadillac Lyriq-V coming in 2025

Lucid Gravity Pricing and Orders announced

Lucid Gravity Design Tour

Peter Rawlinson on Efficiency

Hyundai Initium concept

Kia Tasman

Rivian Software Chief is Wrong about Buttons

FSD completely ignores a deer

The Ferrari Enzo's Asymetric Mirrors

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Hey everyone, we're back with a standard episode this week. Unfortunately a family emergency came up at the last moment and Robbie couldn't join us. Fortunately, our friend Perry Stern was able to step in and join Nicole and Sam. Perry was driving around in the new Subaru Forester while Nicole had the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Sam had the Kia Sorento Hybrid.

It was good to have Perry on the show, because he was the only one among the group that was able to attend the reveal event of the new Scout Terra and Traveler which are due to arrive in 2027. Stellantis has started assembly of battery modules at its new factory in Windsor, Ontario, and plans to try out semi-solid state batteries in 2027. They have also updated their Auburn Hills wind tunnel and are planning to sell their Arizona proving ground. Ford has cut prices on its F-150 Lightning Pro and Mach-E for 2025. Costco has installed its first DC fast charging station and Nicole shares some highlights from this week's semi-finalist drive for North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year.

Links

Scout Terra and Traveller

Stellantis to try semi-solid state cells in 2027 Charger

NextStar Energy Starts Battery Module Production

Ford Pro Cuts EV prices

High speed trains are awesome

2025 Mach-E gets price cut, GT look

Stellantis updates wind tunnel/Proving ground sale

Coscto gets in to fast charging

NACTOY Drive

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Hey everyone, this week's show is a bit different. Sam is on his way to South Korea for the week, Nicole is visiting her daughter in Wisconsin and Robbie is Lake Tahoe for a gig with one of his bands. But rather than leave you with no content, we've got some material from the Nissan Fast Forward event that Sam attended in Nashville this week. Nissan unveiled the new 2025 Murano and Sam has some thoughts and then we have presentations from 4 Nissan executives including chief product officer for North America, Ponz Pandikuthira, VP of sales and marketing Vinay Shahani, VP of aftersales Kim Less and SVP manufacturing David Johnson. Lots of interesting stuff in here about where Nissan is going for the rest of the decade including plug-in hybrids, e-Power, and extended range EVs. We'll back with a regular episode next week.

Links

The 2025 Nissan Murano

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Nicole is back and she drove the Honda Prologue while Robbie spent more time with the GMC Hummer EV SUV and Sam had the VW GTi.

Links

2025 Jeep Compass

2025 Bronco Free Wheeling

2025 Chevy Silverado EV Updates

Volkswagen Tayron

MCity 2.0

CyberCab

2-seat robotaxis

Carlos Tavares to retire in early 2026

Stellantis EV price parity

More cheap EU EVs

Fisker reaches bankruptcy deal

https://carbuzz.com/fisker-faces-new-government-probe/

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Nicole's Saturday morning flight home from Venice was cancelled so she'll be back next week. In the meantime, Chad Kirchner joins us to talk about what's going on. Robbie has been driving the GMC Hummer EV SUV and Sam had the Mazda CX-70 and a weekend with the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato.

In the news, Mazda has launched a new electric sedan in China that goes for just under $23,000 but we can't have it. Lots of charging news this week with Enel X Way shutting down it's US operations, but Ford is offering EV buyers free chargers and installation. Ionna has started construction on its first charging station with just 29,990 chargers to go. Ford had cut pricing on BlueCruise and launched a somewhat-new Expedition. Our pals at TFL finally got FSD Supervised on their Cybertruck and Toyota pushed back the launch of their 3-row electric SUV by 6 months. Rivian cut its 2024 production forecast but an R1T survived the Hurricane Helene flooding with flying colors.

Speaking of the hurricane, if you have a few extra dollars, send some to Feeding America for TacoTober to help out those affected by the disaster. Also check out The Kirchner Report and buy a copy of Racecar by the Drastic Cats

Links

Mazda EZ-6

Ford Home charging

Enel X Way shuts down

Ionna breaks ground on first rechargery

Ford cuts BlueCruise pricing

TFL tries FSD on their Cybertruck

2025 Ford Expedition

Toyota delays 3-row EV

Rivian cuts production forecast

Rivian R1T survives Helene

The Kirchner Report

tacotober

Hummer HX Concept

Noodoe

Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato

Chargelab

Drastic Cats - Racecar

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Nicole is still riding the rails in Europe so Stephanie Brinley joins Robbie and Sam again. Stephanie has been driving the 2025 Lincoln Aviator and the Toyota Crown Signia. Robbie got to try out the new electric motorcycles from Can Am and Sam got some quality time with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.

Sam also got to sample the new 2025 Nissan Kicks which is bigger, more powerful and more expensive than the original. Ontario premier Doug Ford has a crazy scheme to build a 34 mile tunnel under Toronto to fix congestion on highway 401 and it probably won't work. Stellantis has begun the search for a successor to CEO Carlos Tavares while Jeep and VW are planning to add hybrids to their North American lineups. Honda is developing a new hybrid Prelude coupe and there are reports it could be offered with a manual transmission. Finally, ACMI has tested Tesla FSD and it was to say the least, problematic.

Links

Can-Am Origin / Pulse

2025 Nissan Kicks

34 mile tunnel to fix Toronto traffic, or not

Stellantis searching for new CEO

Jeep looking at adding hybrids to lineup

VW likely to add hybrids to US within 2 years

Audi prices US Q6 e-tron, adds RWD model

The New Hybrid Honda Prelude Could Have a Manual

ACMI Tests FSD, It's Not Good

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As Nicole and her spouse are riding the rails in Europe, Tanya Gazdik is back with the Land Rover Defender 130 and the Mercedes-AMG SL63. Sam has thoughts about Ineos Grenadier and Robbie has something he can't discuss until next week.

Tanya and Sam drove the Polestar 3 this week and share their first impressions. Elektrobit's Dr. Mortiz Neukirchner has developed a taxonomy for software defined vehicles. More vehicles are getting in-cabin radar sensors to make sure no one is left behind. The IIHS says ADAS is leading to driver complacency. Maserati needs marketing help and Waymo may be turning to Hyundai for its next robotaxi.

Links

Software defined vehicle levels

In-cabin radar for rear seat detection

IIHS study says drivers more distracted using ADAS

IIHS ADAS safety ratings

Polestar 3 first drive

Maserati Marketing, does it exist?

Waymo and Hyundai may collaborate on robotaxis

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This week, Nicole has been driving the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus hybrid and Sam has the Toyota Highlander XSE 2.4T.

Lucid held a technology day this week where they announced that the Gravity SUV will go into production in the 4th quarter complete with a J3400 charging port and a $50,000 midsize model is coming by 2026. Nicole tells us all about Heels and Wheels. At the 2024 Mobility Experience, Bosch demoed is new ABS for e-bikes, proactive vehicle dynamics control, steer by wire and more. Nuro is pivoting away from automated delivery bots and Ford wants to listen in to what is happening in your car to serve you ads on the road. NHTSA is finally starting to move toward some pedestrian protection standards. Magna has a new inner door carrier made from sustainable plant based fibers and polymers and GM and Hyundai want to partner up to save money on next-generation vehicles.

Links

Lucid updates

Ford Eavesdropping Patent

NHTSA finally proposes pedestrian protection

Bosch e-Bike ABS

Nuro pivots from delivery bots to licensing software

Bosch mobility experience

Magna Sustainable door carrier

GM-Hyundai deal

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