Car Stuff Podcast

The crew looks ahead to the women-only 2023 Rebelle Rally. Jill answers Tom's questions regarding the event, including logistics, challenges, and not showering for eight days. Jill will be participating in the event for the second time. Kudos to Hyundai for again providing Team Brute Squad (#TeamBruteSquad) with a specially upfitted Santa Cruz for the event.

Jill and Tom opened the show discussing the recent Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA) Spring Rally, and a couple of the vehicles Jill drove at the event held annually at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Jill was most impressed by the redesigned 2024 Chevrolet Trax, which after a one-year hiatus has returned redesigned to anchor the Chevrolet lineup. Jill also spent time with the Lucid Air premium electric sedan. Jill and Tom also briefly discussed Ford’s plan for brand EV owners to access the Tesla charging network. Jill and Tom will discuss further the ramifications of this deal at a later date. In the second segment the crew welcome Jan Hansen, Vice President of Growth at FINN Automotive to the show. FINN provides vehicle “subscription” services that work something like a lease, but offer a single monthly fee for all related vehicle-operation costs, including taxes and insurance. Jan explained how a subscription might serve vehicle shoppers better than ownership or leasing. Subscriptions can be for terms as short as six months. Segment three opened with Jill being subjected to a difficult Saturn (the car brand) quiz. Afterwards Jill and Tom discussed the all-new, 3-row, Toyota Grand Highlander. Tom also talked about his latest review, a test drive of the Toyota bZ4X electric compact crossover.

After Tom finished complaining about his experience at Burger King earlier in the day, the hosts discussed the recently announced driving range of the coming Chevrolet Silverado EV. Jill noted that the full range—an impressive 450 miles—comes at a price. Jill and Tom went on to discuss the redesigned 2024 Toyota Tacoma, which Jill recent spent time examining, though not driving. Drive opportunities come later in the year. Jill and Tom are joined in the second segment by Jeep Senior Brand Manager Brandon Girmus. Brandon gave the crew a look ahead at the significantly updated 2024 Wrangler. The new Wrangler features a number of updates, including an all-new grille, updated cabin, and more off-road hardware. In segment three, Jill is subjected to Tom’s “Corvette, Wrangler, or Fake” color quiz. Listen in to hear if Jill wins. Also, see what Jill knows about the P.F. Chang’s dessert menu. Jill and Tom wrap up the show discussing the redesigned 2023 Lexus RX, and the passing of its ultra-refined V6 engine.

Tom and guest host Brendan Appel of the Sons of Speed (Jill is traveling this week) opened the show discussing the off-road ready Ford Bronco Raptor. The hosts agreed that Raptor is pricey, and a little too wide to drive in urban environments, but found much to like about the truck. Tom and Brendan also discussed the coming 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor, the first American-market Raptor version of the midsize pickup. In the second segment the hosts are joined by Larry Nutson, Chicago Bureau Chief of The Auto Channel. Larry shared his thoughts on where the auto industry is on the path to electrification, and laid out a rough timeline for EV adoption. In the third segment Brendan was subjected to Tom’s “Maserati or Cocoa Bean” quiz. Tom also talked about the Volvo S60 Recharge, and how the S60 is a better vehicle when electrified. A review of the Volvo S60 will post at Consumer Guide later this week.

Jill and Tom opened the show talking about Jill’s recent time in Sweden driving the updated 2024 Volvo C40 and XC40 small electric sedan and crossover. Changes include significant improvements in range. Later In the first segment the hosts also discussed Tesla’s recent price cuts, and why the EV maker might be willing to settle for lower sticker prices in exchange for greater sales volume. In the second segment Toyota Manager of Vehicle Marketing and Communications Amy Chao joined the show to talk about the all-new Toyota Crown. Is the Crown a sedan or crossover? Amy answers that question. In the third segment Jill is subjected to an especially strange quiz, including an Indian-Food bonus question. Our hosts wrapped up the show by discussing recent posts on their respective sites, including a review of the all-new GMC Canyon, and a test drive of the Lexus LX 600.

Tom and guest host Paul Herrold of the Sons of Speed (Jill is traveling this week) opened the show discussing the surprising rebranding happening at Jaguar Land Rover. Tom and Paul agree that the planned updates, which include spinning Discovery off as a separate brand, foretell the demise of Jaguar in the U.S. Paul shared news regarding a personal car purchase. Paul recently took delivery of a BMW M2, a vehicle he plans to enjoy on the race track. The hosts are joined in the second segment by Sam Fiorani of AutoForecast Solutions. Sam updated the team on what’s brewing with the UAW contract negotiations coming later this summer. Sam also shared some history and background information on Polestar, the new luxury EV brand owned by Volvo parent company Geely. Sam explained how Polestar will be operating outside the traditional dealership model. In the third segment Paul is subjected to Tom’s “French Car or Asthma Drug” quiz. After the quiz Tom lamented about how small turbocharged engines lack the smoothness and progressive power delivery of old-school V6 engines. Tom used the updated Buick Enclave, which features a big V6, as an example of excellent powertrain refinement.

Jill and Tom opened the show calling back to last week’s episode during which guest James Bell of Kia instructed Jill to make use of the “GT” button in her test Kia EV6 GT. Jill did as instructed; listen in for her impressions. The hosts discussed the coming 2024 Lincoln Nautilus, and it’s move to Chinese manufacture. The conversation moved to the official list of vehicles that qualify this year for the federal EV tax credits. In the second segment Jill and Tom welcome Jane Ulitskaya of Cars.com to the show. Jane walked the hosts through the findings of Car’s first Affordability Study and Best Value New Cars list. In the third segment Jill and Tom shared their impressions of the all-new Toyota Crown. Note: Amy Chao of Toyota joins the team next week for a deep dive into the brand’s newest model. (Jill also complained about Tom’s choice of test-car music. In this case Peruvian Psychedelic Cumbia.) Jane joined Jill for Tom’s “Wagon or No Wagon” quiz, and Jill and Tom shared some of the newest content posted on Pickup Truck Plus SUV Talk, and Consumer Guide Automotive.

Jill and Tom opened the show wildly off topic, discussing Japanese Kit Kats and the bag of Sacher-torte-flavor ‘Kats Tom brought to the studio. Listen to the podcast for Jill’s review. The duo went on to discuss the BMW 840i Gran Coupe Jill recently spent time evaluating. Jill and Tom also discussed the all-new Envista small crossover, which will be replacing the Encore in Buick’s lineup. James Bell of Kia joined the show to discuss the brand’s success in working through supply-chain issues, and the brand’s coming EV9 all-electric 3-row crossover. James also broke a bit of EV9 product news. Jill is challenged by Tom’s “I Can’t Buy $55K” Sammy Hagar-tribute quiz. Jill teased some product news that she planned to share later the day this episode was recorded. Tom talked briefly about his new review of the 2023 Nissan Rogue Midnight Edition.

Jill and Tom opened the show talking about the Toyota bZ4X small electric crossover, and some of the negative reviews it has received. The hosts agreed that the EV is better overall than its media coverage suggests, but had some specific complaints of their own. Jill and Tom discussed the new-product reveals seen at this year’s New York Auto Show, and agreed that the coming Kia EV9 three-row crossover is a potential game changer. In the second segment Jill and Tom welcomed Karl Brauer of IseeCars.com to the show. Karl shared the auto-commerce site’s research regarding the vehicles currently selling for the most money over manufacturer sticker price. In segment three Jill is subjected to Tom’s “Alabama, South Carolina, or Ohio” quiz, after which the hosts discussed Tom’s poor clock-management skills and his review of the 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V. Also, because the donut shop was closed, Jill ate cannoli.

Jill is back in the studio this week. Jill and Tom open the show talking a little bit about Jill’s recent travels. Her time on the road included preview access to the all-new Mazda CX-90 crossover, and the all-new Hyundai Ioniq 6 midsize EV sedan. Jill’s overview of the Ioniq 6 included a discussion of the car’s design and aerodynamics. The hosts shared information regarding Ford’s auto-technician scholarship program, and talked a little about why Tom was up until 2:00 AM learning to use QuickBooks. Jill and Tom welcome Tim Esterdahl of Pickup Truck Plus SUV talk to the show. Tim laid out the exhaustive number of changes coming to the midsize pickup-truck segment later this year. Jill was subjected to Tom’s Chevy quiz—including a bonus question about Tim Conway. Jill and Tom wrapped up the show talking about the underappreciated Cadillac CT4 small sedan.

Tom and guest host Brendan Appel of the Sons of Speed opened the show with the news that Honda is addressing issues with the engine stop/start system on some of its models. The conversation turned to Jaguar, and the British luxury carmaker’s plan to trim its dealership count by offering dealers dualled with Land Rover stores additional allocations of hot-selling Land Rover models in exchange for relinquishing their Jaguar franchises. In the second segment, guest Carly Bly of Lexus talked about the redesigned 2023 Lexus RX, and hinted at product news to come. Stay tuned. Brendan was subjected to Tom’s “1923 Ford Model T vs. 2023 Porsche 911” quiz, though Tom forgot the bonus question. (You can see the bonus question at the Car Stuff Podcast Facebook page.) To close the show, Tom recounted his time evaluating the 2023 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty Rebel pickup (almost sporty?), and Brendan discussed the Sons of Speed’s latest review, a test drive of the 2023 Nissan Z.

Jill and Tom opened the show by talking about Jill’s strange hotel room. Jill is on the road to drive the new Hyundai Ioniq 6 sedan. The conversation turned to the monthly supply of new cars in the pipeline, and a review of several vehicles which should be easy to find on dealer lots at the moment. The hosts also discussed the all-new Genesis G70 Electrified, an all-electric version of the Korean luxury maker’s compact crossover. A full review of the vehicle will be shared on an upcoming episode. Jill and Tom are joined in the second segment by industry analyst Sam Fiorani of AutoForecast Solutions. Sam shared some insight into the operation of large car-dealer chains—including Auto Nation and CarMax—and what retail consolidation means for consumers. Sam also shared insight into the slow rollouts of several electric vehicles, including the Toyota bZ4X, and the Nissan Ariya. Sam joined Jill for this week’s quiz. Quiz topic: Subaru, with a bonus question about radish varieties. Tom wrapped up the show sharing his impressions of the BMW X7 M60i large SUV.

Jill and Tom open the show talking about Jill’s recent travels. Jill’s experience with the all-new GMC Hummer SUV is under embargo, but the hosts discussed her take on the redesigned Subaru Crosstrek and all-new, electric, Lexus RZ crossover. Jill and Tom also reviewed the over-the-top Cadillac Escalade-V. In the second segment Jill and Tom welcome Time Healey of The Truth About Cars (TTAC) to the show. Tim talked about the 2023 events and stories he was following most closely, and shared some details of his experience owning—and surviving--a V8 Fox-Body Mustang. Tim joined Jill for this week’s quiz; topic: horsepower. Did Jill keep her winning streak alive? Listen in.

Tom and guest host Paul Herrold of the Sons of Speed (Jill is on assignment this week) opened the show by discussing the Sons of Speed’s new affiliation with a group of automotive journalists under the “We are Motor Driven” banner. Tom and Paul briefly discussed their favorite gasoline engines and then reviewed the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4Xe, a plug-in-hybrid version of the midsize Grand Cherokee. In the second segment, Tom and Paul welcome Toyota’s Chad Moore to the program to discuss the completely redesigned 2023 Toyota Prius. Chad shared background information on the new Prius’s evolving mission in the U.S. Toyota lineup, and talked about when we should expect the Prime—the plug-in hybrid version of the Prius—in showrooms. Paul was subjected to this week’s quiz, and Tom talked about his recent brief conversation with the driver of an Amazon Rivian EDV electric delivery van.

Jill and Tom opened the show by discussing a factual error in last week’s show. It was determined that the error was Tom’s. Jill shared a number of ice-driving tips, as reinforced for her by a visit to the Jaguar and Land Rover Ice Academy. Chicago radio host, film critic, and podcaster Nick Digilio joined Tom and Jill in-studio to talk about cars in movies. Nick shared his list of favorite/important car-inclusive films. Nick joined Jill for this week’s Quiz.

Jill and Tom opened the show by recapping Jill’s trip to Sweden to attend the Jaguar and Land Rover Ice Academy. They also discussed the relative equity remaining in the Nissan Maxima model name, and Hyundai’s fix for the rash of Hyundai and Kia vehicle thefts plaguing product owners. In the second segment Jill and Tom are joined by green entrepreneur and Green Sense Radio host Robert Colangelo. The in-depth conversation covered the value of EV incentives, as well as the potential for a class of Americans to be excluded from the EV movement. In the third segment Jill takes Tom’s “Is it Cheaper than a RAV4” quiz, and Tom talks about new posts on the CG Daily Drive blog, including a list of the five best-selling cars (not crossovers or pickup trucks) of 2022, and a review of the 2023 Jeep Wagoneer Series II featuring the all-new Hurricane 6-cylinder engine.

Jill and Tom open the show by discussing Jill’s plans to return to the Rebelle Rally for the 2023 running of the event. The conversation turned to a brief recap of the Chicago Auto Show, and a breakdown of Hyundai’s new Evolve+ electric-vehicle subscription service, which allows consumers to live with an EV for a few months before committing a purchase or lease. Jill and Tom are joined in the second segment by Tire Rack Tire Information & Testing Manager TJ Campbell. TJ updated everyone on the Tire Rack’s EV-tire testing program, as well as the online retailer’s new mobile-installation service. Jill takes Tom’s luxury-car color quiz, and the cohosts wrap up the show talking about the newest posts at Pickup Truck Plus SUV Talk, and the Consumer Guide Daily Drive blog.

Jill and Tom open the show by discussing automotive market segments in which they see potential growth. The soon-to-be revealed Toyota Grand Highlander enters the discussion. Jill shares what she leaned about the coming 2024 Mazda CX-90, which will replace the CX-9 as the large, 3-row crossover in the Japanese maker’s lineup. Chicago radio legends Steve King and Johnnie Putman join Jill and Tom in-studio to talk about their new Saturday-evening radio show, and their recent car-shopping experience. Steve and Johnnie stick around to join Jill for this week’s Car Stuff Power Quiz. Quiz topic: car radio.

Jill and Tom opened an action-packed show by talking about cars they like, but would not recommend to someone else. Jill and Tom go on to discuss recently announced price cuts for the electric Ford Mustang Mach-E, and compare the recently revealed Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray to the newly available Corvette ZO6. Jennifer Morand of the Chicago Automobile Trade Association joins the show to talk about the coming 2023 Chicago Auto Show, and how the pandemic changed how we think about auto shows in general. Jill takes Tom’s “Forty Grand” quiz, and demonstrates what she knows about Japanese-brand cigarettes.

Jill started the show talking about how no one would want to hear Tom talk about jazz. Jill talked about test driving the all-new 2023 Lexus RX, which she noted, is no longer available with a V6 engine. The conversation turned to the updated 2023 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy, which both Jill and Tom agree is a legitimate luxury vehicle, despite the mainstream brand. Jill and Tom are joined in the second segment by the NRDC’s Britt Carmon, Senior Advocate for Vehicles and Fuels, Climate, and Clean Energy. Britt gave an overview of the NRDC’s clean-transportation efforts, and explained in detail the purpose and workings of the National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization. In the third segment, Jill takes Tom’s “Camry Time” quiz, and Jill and Tom talk about Jill’s new Toyota 4Runner video and Tom talked about his “What is a Kilowatt” blog post.