Wheel Bearings

This week all three of our crew were in Palm Springs at various times to drive a new car that we'll discuss next week. We did however discuss the Temu mid-century modern hotel with Ritz-Carlton prices that we stayed at. At home Sam drove the Toyota Crown Signia and Nicole had the Subaru Solterra.

Volvo announced a Cross Country edition of the EX30 this week. Sam took his wife to Palm Springs and rented a Polestar2 from Hertz and charged it at the Rivian outpost near Joshua Tree. Honda and Nissan called off their engagement and Honda announced pricing for the new Passport. Some Jeep owners reported pop up ads for extended warranties. Continental is adding aero-dimples to some tires. The Toyota Tacoma is getting recalled for trapping off-road mud and damaging the brakes. Sam and Jonathan supercharged a 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 and we have an update on last week's discussion of turning on headlights to warm a cold car battery and responding to listener mails.

Links

Volvo EX30 Cross Country

Renting a Polestar 2 from Hertz

Charging a Polestar 2 at a Rivian Charging Outpost

Nissan Honda merger officially dead

Honda prices new Passport

Jeep Pop up ads

Continental Aerodimples

Toyota Tacoma muddy brakes

Supercharging the Ioniq 5

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Nicole is back after driving both the Hyundai Palisade and Kia K4 GT-Line turbo. Sam did some truck stuff with Hyundai's trucklet, the 2025 Santa Cruz and Robbie has some tire feedback.

Ford has confirmed its plans to offer extened range EV powertrains in large trucks and SUVs. Someone has developed a wide-body kit for the already wide new Dodge Charger Daytona, and VW has teased a new $21,000 EV that will be revealed next month. Nissan apparently doesn't want to just be a subsidiary of Honda and is looking for other partners. Subaru has unveiled the new Forester hybrid coming this spring with 35 mpg. There's a Faraday Future FF91 on bring a trailer. Tesla sales are crashing all over the place and apparently, most of them still don't have the hardware needed for unsupervised self-driving. Finally we answer a listener question about starting a car when it's really cold and discover some very dubious advice.

Links

Ford Confirms EREV plans

Model 3 sales crash in California

Apparently the Dodge Charger Daytona wasn't widen enough

Honda-Nissan Merger might be off

VW teases new entry-level EV

2025 Subaru Forester hybrid

Faraday FF91 for $40K?

Tesla Vehicles Still Don't Have L5 Hardware

Oct 2016 Autopilot Conference call

Bridgestone Blizzak tires

Terrible cold weather advice from JD Power

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This weekend Nicole is visiting her daughters and Robbie is taking care of a family medical emergency, so Sam is joined by Perry Stern and Stephanie Brinley. Stephanie has been driving a Toyota GR Corolla on winter tires and Perry has the new GMC Terrain. Sam drove a Honda Ridgeline Trailsport to Ohio to visit Honda's new EV hub.

In the news, is there a chance that GM could sell a rebadged version of Hyundai's Korean Staria minivan? Kia is sending its more affordable EV5 electric crossover to Canada, but has no US plans for it. VW has also cancelled plans to bring the ID7 sedan to America. Polestar has put together winter rally special versions of all three of its current models. In the auctions, someone actually paid over $71,000 for a Honda CR-X. Sam and Steph drove the new Toyota 4Runner, on road and off. The Trump administration has imposed 25% tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico and vehicles are going to get way more expensive in the coming weeks. Between tariffs and moves to eliminate EV incentives, GM has already cut a shift at production at its Ramos Arizpe factory that builds the gas and electric Blazer, Equinox EV, Cadillac Optiq and Honda Prologue.

We answer some listener questions and Sam has a conversation with General Motors SVP of Software engineering Dave Richardson.

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Links

Could GM sell the Hyundai Staria?

Polestar Arctic Circle Collection

Toyota 4Runner Drive

$71K for a CR-X!?

Cars, trucks and everything about to get more expensive

Canada to get Kia EV5, not US

GM cuts shift at Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico

No VW ID7 for America

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This week, Nicole has been driving the refreshed 2025 Hyundai Tucson in the New Hampshire cold while Robbie enjoyed some unseasonably warm bay area weather with the Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet. Sam was pleasantly surprised with the efficiency and value of the new VW Jetta.

In the news, Nicole and Sam have a first drive report on the new Jeep Wagoneer S EV. Ram confirms a midsize pickup will be built in Belvidere, Ill. in 2027 and Cadillac launches its first electric V model, the Lyriq-V. The new national electrical code could be a problem for anyone that wants to install a level 2 EV charger with a plug. Clarios has an interesting new 12V battery with an integrated supercapacitor. Apple has wiped the claims that next-gen Carplay will launch in 2024 from its website and Ford has promised dealers more affordable models.

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Links

Sam's take on the Jeep Wagoneer S

Nicole's Wagoneer S 1st drive

Ram Midsize truck in Belvidere

Cadillac Lyriq-V

Could GM sell the Hyundai Staria?

Electric Code update could be problematic for EV charging

Clarios launching hybrid supercapicitor batteries

Next-gen carplay not coming in 2024

Ford to expand affordable models and trims

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This week as we prepare for our next round of driving new cars, Nicole tells us about driving the Hyundai Ioniq6, Robbie fills in the details on the BMW Z4 and Sam has the Chevrolet Blazer EV LT.

Sam had an opportunity this week for a local drive of the new Nissan Murano and Armada. Acura releases an image and name for its new electric crossover coupe. There's disscussion of what engine Scout will use as a range extender. VW plans to bring its Cupra brand to America in partnership with Penske. The Auto Alliance sues to block the new automatic braking regulations. Subaru is adopting Toyota's infotainment system. Ram is dropping plans for the big battery Ram REV and Canoo finally unplugs.

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Links

Acura RSX

How big a range extender does Scout need?

VW to bring Cupra brand to US with Penske

Auto Alliance Sues NHTSA over AEB rule

2026 Subaru Outback to get Toyota Infotainment

Ram cancels long-range REV

Canoo Files For Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

Bob Broderdorf

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We're all back from CES in one piece. Nicole finally got to swap out the Buick Enclave and got a Land Rover Defender 110 while Sam discusses the GMC Sierra EV and how good it is to be able to pre-condition the cabin of an EV on cold winter mornings. Robby has a manual transmission BMW Z4 that he's barely driven yet.

At CES Sam and Nicole got a briefing from Faraday X and learned very little and have little more confidence than we had 8 years ago when we first saw the FF91. Honda showed us prototypes of its first two new EVs coming in 2026 in the 0 Series line and Sam got a close look at the half-Honda/half-Sony Afeela 1. Chevrolet has priced the new Corvette ZR1 and it is both really expensive and a bargain. The Detroit Auto Show continues its retreat into a regional dealer show which is not a bad thing, but we did get to find out the winners of the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicles of the year. Sam also stumbled across a cool electric RV based on the Brightdrop delivery van. While at CES Sam also had a conversation with Anders Bell, head of global engineering for Volvo Cars.

Links

Faraday X

Honda 0 Series

Afeela 1 Preview

Corvette ZR1 pricing

2025 NACTOY Winners

Grounded electric camper van

The "end" of the Detroit Auto Show

Tommy and Roman Check out the Lexus LM

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This week, all 3 members of our crew are in Las Vegas from CES recording from separate hotel rooms with terrible wifi. Nicole finished her stint with the Buick Envoy, Robbie had the Land Rover Defender 130 and Sam had the new Infiniti QX80.

In the news Faraday Future is still not dead somehow and it's going to be unveiling new lower cost EVs at CES that we'll see and talk more about next week. Over at TFL, our pal Andre has been re-engining his Soviet era Buhanka van with an LS V8 and chronicling the multi-month effort on video. Nicole wrote about whether the construction of the Cybertruck might have helped mitigate the damage from the New Years Day explosion in Las Vegas. Q4 2024 sales numbers are coming out and contrary to all the naysayers, EVs aren't quite dead yet. At CES, Toyota is giving an update on its Woven City project in Japan.

Toyota Completes First Phase Of Experimental Woven City In Japan

Links

Why is Faraday still alive?

Andre's Buhanka LS-swap

Did the Cybertruck structure prevent more damage in explosion?

Toyota Woven City Update

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For the final show of 2024, Nicole shares more on her ongoing experience hauling her family around in the new Buick Enclave. Robbie and his wife drove their Hyundai Ioniq 5 to southern California and he tells us about their charging experience. Sam had the new Nissan Kicks and Kia K4 GT-Line.

In the news, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi have signed an MOU that may end up with them merging by 2026. Our friends at TFL had some speculation on the upcoming Ram 1500 Ramcharger and Sam offers a rebuttal. Our entrepid crew shares what their favorite drives of 2024 were and what they are looking forward to in 2025. Toyota and Subaru have seen the light and slashed the prices on the bZ4X and Solterra for 2025 and Chinese battery maker has an interesting new EV skateboard chassis design that is claimed to be much safer than anything currently offered.

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Links

Nissan-Honda Merger

Rebutting TFL's Ramcharger comments

favorites of 2024

What we're looking forward to in 2025

Toyota slashes bZ4X pricing

CATL Bedrock Chassis

CATL Bedrock Chassis crash test

CATL Bedrock skateboard

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We're catching up on some reviews this week with Nicole starting a 3 week stint in the Buick Enclave and Sam driving the Chevy Equinox EV and Rivian R1S.

Last week Sam participated in Operation Frodo, where 20 journalists transported rescue beagles from Nebraska to the Pacific Northwest. Along the way, he drove the Kia Carnival and Genesis GV70. The amazing Jean Jennings passed this week after battling Alzheimers for several years. Friend of the show Tommy Mica leased a Fiat 500e for no monthly payment. Stellantis is shifting plans with the Ram REV pushed to 2026 and the extended range Ramcharger coming in the first part of 2025. The Hemi is also living on for another year in the Durango.

Hyundai Motor Group is going to adopt Android Automotive but before that, Kia will include Google Maps points of interest data. Honda has confirmed that the new hybrid Prelude is definitely coming in 2025. Nicole drove the new Nissan Armada and Murano.

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Links

Buick Enclave Sport Touring

operation frodo - Kia Carnival/Genesis GV70

Jean Jennings

Free Fiat 500e

Ram Rev Delayed, Ramcharger first

Durango Hemi lives on into 2025

Edmunds Tests the Base Equinox EV

HMG to go Android Automotive

Honda Prelude in 2025

Sam rants about vent controls

Nissan Murano First Drive

Nissan Armada First Drive

Robbie's Giant Nintendo controller

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This weeks show is a bit different. Robbie is dealing with some family stuff, Nicole is at DisneyWorld wedding and Sam is headed to Omaha for Operation Frodo so no regular review section until next week.

Instead, Sam and Robbie recorded a discussion on the death of Cruise and the future of automated driving. Sam also had a conversation with Chad Kirchner about our first drive experiences of the new Dodge Charger Daytona. Sam also interviewed Dodge CEO Matt McAlear and Charger chief engineer Audrey Moore.

Links

Sam's initial review of the Dodge Charger Daytona

The Kirchner Report

RIP Cruise

Operation Frodo

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