Wheel Bearings

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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This week we drive the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe and Volvo C40 Recharge. Sam also shares thoughts on the refreshed 2025 Hyundai Tucson and the Santa Fe hybrid.

We also have an interview with Michael Fischer, Project lead for the Honda EV Hub in Ohio

Links

2025 Nissan Armada

VW ID.4 Gets ChatGPT

Top 10 Cars for Gen Z

Mazda S or Model 6

2025 Volvo XC90

Drunk Philidelphia Women Charged with Homicide While Using BlueCruise

Defence attorney blames BlueCruise

28th Takata airbag death in US

Cox Battery operations center

AAA driving cost survey

https://newsroom.aaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/YDC-Brochure-FINAL-9.2024.pdf

Honda EV hub

BYD Shark

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Robbie is sick this week and his voice is shot, so it's just Sam and Nicole. Nicole has been driving the Subaru Ascent while Sam had the Lexus RX450h+ plug-in hybrid.

Hyundai made lots of news this week at its investor day as well as during a drive program in California. Its new 3-row electric crossover, the Ioniq 9 will launch production in 2025 at the new Savannah, GA factory and in 2026, Hyundai will launch an extended range EV (EREV). But before the Ioniq 9 arrives, Hyundai will be producing the Ioniq 5 at the new factory beginning in October. Along with a mild styling refresh and bigger batteries, the Ioniq 5 is getting an SAE J3400/NACS charging port. 3 weeks after the regular Ioniq 5, Hyundai will start production of the Ioniq 5 XRT for those that can't wait for the Rivian R3. Hyundai will also build a limited production version of the N Vision 74 concept.

Sam and Nicole both drove the new Volvo EX90 electric 3-row SUV (everyone else is building 3-row EVs, why can't Ford?). Nicole also got to drive the new gas fueled Chevy Equinox. Walter Chrysler's great grandson is offering to buy the Chrysler and Dodge brands from Stellantis and we have interviews with Luminar CEO Austin Russell and Volvo's Thomas Broberg.

Links

Hyundai to Build Ioniq 9 in US, offer EREVs

Hyundai investor day

Sam's Volvo EX90 first drive

Nicole's Volvo EX90 review

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

2025 Chevrolet Equinox

Hyundai N Vision 74 production

Walter Chrysler descendant wants to buy Chrysler and Dodge

Volvo Interview Gary Kalsaria

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Sam speaks with Volvo senior technical leader about the driver understanding system in the new EX90

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Robbie is back from Germany where he got to drive the updated Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo and he wants one. Nicole got to drive a pair of new Hyundai Santa Fes at home and at a family wedding. Meanwhile, Sam got surprisingly good efficiency from the latest edition of the VW ID4 but those window switches are still dumb.

In the news, the US market version of the VW ID Buzz finally has a price and let's just say affordability isn't part of the formula. Ford has again pivoted on its electric vehicle plans and there won't be anything fresh in showrooms for a few more years. GM is bringing some plug-in hybrid powertrains to its US lineup, but the new Equinox won't be home to this system. Ford has updated the Bronco Sport for 2025 with some cool new lifestyle features. Tesla has been purging old claims about Autopilot and Full Self-Driving but the internet never forgets and Robbie visited Electrify Expo and you can too.

Links

VW ID Buzz pricing and range

Ford backs off on EV plans

Tesla purging FSD claims

Elon's 2016 Autopilot V2 conference call

The purged blog post

Chevrolet won't give us Chinese developed Equinox PHEV

2025 Ford Bronco Sport

Electrify Expo

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Our regular lineup is back together, after a delayed arrival from Robbie. Robbie got to spend some time with the new Toyota Prius Prime while spending a couple of days in Detroit. Sam drove the Hyundai Kona Electric and Nicole has been in the latest Subaru Impreza RS and Mazda CX-90 since she last appeared.

This week Sam got to visit the Volvo Cars factory near Charleston, South Carolina where they have just added production of the Polestar 3 in addition to the Volvo EX90. JD Power continues to survey EV drivers about their satisfaction with the public charging experience and while it has ticked upward overall just a but this year, it still has a lot of room for improvement. While traditional auto shows are flagging, Monterey Car Week has become the place to launch premium and expensive machines and wild concepts. We discuss the Cadillac Opulent Velocity and Acura Performance EV concepts and the production 2025 Lincoln Navigator. In China, GM like most other non-Chinese brands is struggling against surging domestic competitors. One of those competitors is Zeekr which has launched a new battery capable of some impressive charging speeds.

Links

Volvo/Polestar factory visit

Charging satisfaction improves - a bit

Cadillac Opulent Velocity concept

2025 Lincoln Navigator

GM China Layoffs

New fast charging Zeekr LFP battery

Acura Performance EV concept

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While Nicole is off enjoying a fancy brunch with friends visiting from out of town, Robbie and Sam are again joined by Stephanie Brinley. Robbie has been driving the Ford Ranger Raptor while Steph spent time with the latest Honda Civic Hybrid and Genesis G70. Sam spent the week with the Kia EV6 GT-Line.

In the news, Fiat is now integrating charging cables into the nose of EVs. Chargepoint showed off its solution for handling EVs with CCS or J3400/NACS charging ports, the new Omni Port and Robbie got to try it out. Dodge announced pricing for its e-muscle car, the Charger Daytona and we got to hear what it sounds like. Tesla has dropped the reservation system for the Cybertruck and deliveries are available almost immediately. Volvo has bumped the pricing for the new EX90 and a bunch of features missing at launch. GMC has a redesigned Terrain for 2025. Finally, Sam had an in-depth conversation with Joerg Grotendorst, SVP of Corporate R&D at Magna International (and no they didn't discuss Fisker).

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Links

Fiat to integrate charging cables

Chargepoint Omni Port

NACS and CCS on one cable

2025 GMC Terrain

2025 Dodge Charger Daytona pricing

No more Tesla Cybertruck reservations, Canada/Mexico now open

Volvo EX90 price bumped by $3300, features missing

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Nicole is on the road this week so we have Perry Stern joining us a guest. Over the past couple of weeks Perry has been driving the Porsche 718 Boxster and the new 2025 Toyota Camry which now comes exclusively with hybrid power. Robbie took a road trip in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Sam had the Honda Ridgeline Trailsport before his vacation and then the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ SUV to drive around northern California.

In the news Ford has done a mid-cycle update of the Maverick and finally has an all-wheel-drive hybrid available but the price has climbed by an average of $2,400, still modest by current truck price standards, but no longer the screaming deal it was just two years ago. Audi has launched a new electric only A6 and once popular brands Recaro and BBS have both filed for bankruptcy protection. A Tesla owner using "full-self-driving" mode has killed a motorcyclist in Seattle and Ford is offering a torque upgrade for the Mach-E GT as an OTA update. Ineos has decided to scrap plans to expand its lineup and focus on higher-marging bespoke models instead. Toyota is adding an automatic transmission option to the GR Corolla for those that want to focus on handling instead of shifting. ElectraMeccanica went bust with its single-seat Solo EV and now all of them are set to be crushed. Perry took the states with Mini and we answer listener questions.

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Links

2025 Ford Maverick, value evaporating

Audi A6 e-tron

BBS and Recaro circling the drain

Seatle motorcyclist killed by Tesla FSD

Mach-e gets an OTA performance update

Ineos to focus on margins over volume

GR Corolla gets an automatic

ElectraMeccamica Solos wait to be crushed

MINI Takes the States

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