Unnamed Automotive Podcast

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Episode 68: 2018 Mazda 6 Turbo, 2018 Nissan Armada, Bear Attacks, News Round-Up Apr 21, 2018

Show notes

The Mazda 6 has always offered excellent handling, but was left in the dust by more powerful sedan peers - until now. The 2018 Mazda 6 Turbo is here, and Benjamin has the scoop after a day spent zoom-zooming through B.C.'s mountain valleys. Sami and Benjamin also discuss the excellent Nissan Armada, which impresses despite frightening fuel mileage, as well as the overland Armada Patrol bear-proof camper, which might not be nearly as ursine-ready as one would think. Also, news!

Episode 67: 2019 Chevrolet Camaro Turbo 1LE, 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, 2018 Subaru Outback, 2019 Volkswagen Jetta Apr 14, 2018

Show notes

Who, exactly, is the 2019 Chevrolet Camaro Turbo 1LE aimed at? Compact performance enthusiasts or budget-minded track fans? Benjamin gets to the bottom of that question after driving the newest Camaro at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, when he wasn't having his mind blown in the 755 horsepower 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 by pro drivers Tommy Milner and Tony Kanaan. Sami gets the chance to tell the world just how much he loves the Subaru Outback, before the two dissect Benjamin's wheel time in the all-new 2019 Volkswagen Jetta.

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2019 Volkswagen Jetta Review — While it’s true that the 2019 edition of the Jetta does deliver incremental improvements in fuel economy, interior room, features availability, and safety gear, the overall concept behind the vehicle is very nearly a dead ringer for what was available the year before. Whether this is a good or a bad thing depends on how enamored you were of what Volkswagen’s popular small car already had to offer (and if you’re comfortable with a little less choice under the hood).
2019 Chevrolet Camaro Turbo 1LE First Drive — Heralding the styling and equipment updates that have been made to the refreshed 2019 Camaro (the SS gains the 10-speed automatic gearbox that’s been slowly working its way across the GM portfolio, Chevrolet’s new Infotainment 3 system is now available, and, of course, the regular roundup of design tweaks also join the order list) comes the full 1LE treatment for the most affordable version of Chevrolet’s every-person performance car. The newest 1LE model doesn’t just allow the Bowtie to pull even with Ford, but it actually gives them something the Mustang doesn’t have: a legitimate track-ready package that’s now available with three separate drivetrains.
2018 Subaru Outback: 2 Million and 9 Reasons Why It’s So Popular — Two million buyers can’t be wrong, but in case there was any doubt, the Outback does a number of things very well. Here are a few reasons why this rugged crossover has become so popular

Episode 66: 2018 Nissan Leaf EV, 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, 2018 New York Auto Show Apr 07, 2018

Show notes

Is the Nissan Leaf DOA because of its miniscule battery range in comparison to the Chevrolet Bolt? Should Volkswagen be building 'American' cars like the full-size Atlas SUV in a bid to engage with buyers? These questions get answered this week as Benjamin and Sami try to figure out the two unusual corporate strategies behind this pair of vehicles. Sami also reports on all the good and bad vehicle debuts from the New York Auto Show.

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2018 Nissan Leaf Review — The 2018 Nissan Leaf is more than just a modest bump in EV range

Episode 65: 2018 Jeep Compass SUV, 2019 Kia Sorento SUV, Kia Stinger GT Ice Racing Mar 31, 2018

Show notes

Just how much did Kia need to change the already-outstanding Sorento SUV for the 2019 model year? Not all that much, as Benjamin explains after having driven the 2019 Kia Sorento from Montrose, Colorado to the slopes of Crested Butte. Sami wishes that Jeep had gone all-in with the 2018 Compass SUV he drove last week, lamenting the lack of polish on what should be a compelling compact entry. Benjamin finishes things off with a story about 100-mph ice racing in the Kia Stinger GT.

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2018 Jeep Compass Review — This mini-Grand Cherokee has a few drawbacks.

Episode 64: 2018 Land Rover Range Rover Velar, 2018 BMW X3 M40i, 2018 Volvo XC60 Mar 24, 2018

Show notes

Where, exactly, does the Land Rover Range Rover Velar fit in to the luxury sport-utility vehicle universe? That's what Benjamin and Sami try to figure out today, by comparing the gorgeous hauler to both the BMW X3 M40i and the Volvo XC60 - two very different, yet ostensibly competitive SUVs.

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2018 Volvo XC60 vs 2018 BMW X3 M40i — Does Volvo have what it takes to compete with the likes of BMW?

Episode 63: 2019 Ram 1500, eTorque, 2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake, Amelia Island, Ford's New SUVs Mar 17, 2018

Show notes

Can the best full-size truck on the market get any better? For the moost part yes according to Benjamin and Sami, who each drove the redesigned 2019 Ram 1500 in the Arizona desert. The pair wish there'd been an eTorque model to test out, but other than that there's plenty to talk about when discussing one of FCA's most important vehicles. Benjamin also had a chance to drive the 2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake, which might be the coolest luxury wagon on the planet, while Sami spent time with the XF sedan. Finally, hot takes on Ford's big announcements / non-announcements, and pitting Amelia island against Pebble Beach in a battle of the Concours.

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2019 Ram 1500 Limited First Drive — Luxury pickups are often stereotyped as the automotive equivalent of the Texas tuxedo, the ultimate expressions of Lone Star excess that marry exceptional capability and “biggest state in the lower 48” size with leather, leather, and more leather.
2019 Ram 1500 Review — The 2019 Ram 1500 completely embodies the cliche of working smarter not harder. It packs a ton of features that will make life easier for truck buyers, which will really help it stand out in this market.
2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake Review — But that’s really not the entire Sportbrake story, as I would discover again and again during my time spent driving up and down the southeastern coastline between Florida and Georgia with the leaping cat’s latest family cruiser. It seems as though somehow, only a year or so after having joined the SUV party with the F-Pace, Jaguar has managed to make wagons sexy again.
First Drive: Jaguar’s supercharged station wagon, the 2018 XF Sportbrake, is one sweet SUV alternative — Live long enough and you'll see almost anything that was once considered the epitome of uncool come roaring back into style. Witness the nascent wagon renaissance, which has seen these once-lamented family trucksters reborn almost exclusively as high-end luxury touring cars.

Episode 62: 2018 Maserati Quattroporte, 2018 Maserati Levante, 2018 Cadillac Escalade, 2018 Cadillac CT6, Cadillac Super Cruise Mar 10, 2018

Show notes

What happens when Maserati buys a town in the Italian alps? Sami gets sent there to drive the Levante SUV and the Quattroporte sedan, in a completely normal and not at all creepy or isolated setting. Benjamin, on the other hand, had the opoortunity to drive both of Cadillac's top-tier models -the Escalade and the CT6 - back to back in a bid to figure out which one best represents the brand. He also spent time with Super Cruise, which is Cadillac's take on a robot driving your car for you on the highway - as long as you pay attention to what's happening at all times, human!

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2018 Maserati Quattroporte Review — It’s not cheap, but it is an exclusive ride and one that sounds so sexy, too.
2018 Maserati Levante Review — It’s gorgeous and sounds great, but there’s more than meets the eye (and ear).

Episode 61: 2018 Audi R8 RWS, 2018 Buick Regal GS, 2019 Buick Envision, Hyundai's Sound System Takeover Mar 03, 2018

Show notes

Is it smart to sell a version of your halo car that subtracts the one factor that your brand is known for above all else? Sami pilots the rear-wheel drive 2018 Audi R8 RWS in Spain and comes back to tell Benjamin what he thinks about Audi's gambit. Benjamin, meanwhile, spends time behind the wheel of the completely redesigned 2018 Buick Regal GS and discovers that it's a lot better than anyone would expect. He also drives the 2019 Buick Envision, the 'oldest' new car in the Buick fleet. Finally, Hyundai decides that everyone's car stereos should be linked together, and then patents that idea.

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2018 Audi R8 RWS Review — This is the new Audi R8 RWS, a rear-wheel-drive model of the brand’s halo supercar. The German automaker says that this is how to properly experience the mid-engined, V10 powered marvel in its purest form (and customers have been begging for it), so we set out to Madrid to see if they got it right.
2018 Buick Regal GS Review and First Drive — The 2018 Buick Regal GS is a continuation of the company’s plan to occupy gaps in a bid accumulate cross-segment sales rather than dominate with any one particular model. The sport-oriented mid-size GS hatch serves as the third and final prong in the Regal TourX and Regal Sportback trident that aims to skewer a trio of prospective buyers with a single family of wallet-friendly options.
2019 Buick Envision Review and First Drive — Why puff up the Buick Envision now after a mere 24 months of sales? Because as young as it might have seemed to North American shoppers, the Envision was actually the oldest member of the Buick family, with models like the Enclave and the Regal having been completely redesigned within the last year.

Episode 60: 2018 Acura TLX A Spec, 2018 Honda Odyssey, Listener Questions, Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Supercars Feb 24, 2018

Show notes

Chances are you haven't driven the 2018 Acura TLX A Spec, but Sami has, and he's willing to get behind the mid-size luxury sedan's mix of performance and comfort despite Benjamin's misgivings about the Acura brand. Benjamin goes in-depth on his time spent with the 2018 Honda Odyssey, a van wandering the wilderness of SUVs and crossovers in a bid to attract families to its cavernous cabin. The two also discuss the C7 generation Chevrolet Corvette Z06 after a listener asks whether or not the model is overlooked and undermarketed as one of the top supercars of its era.

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2018 Lexus IS vs Acura TLX Comparison — AWD, V6 sedans are tough to come by these days.

Episode 59: 2018 Honda Fit Sport, 2018 Kia Niro Hybrid, Sad Toyota Supra Rumors, Korean Serial Killers Feb 17, 2018

Show notes

The 2018 Honda Fit Sport proves that no one should be buying SUVs if what they really care about is practicality - at least, that's what Benjamin has to say on this week's episode after spending serious time with the subcompact hatchback. Sami counters with the ultra-efficient, 50-mpg Kia Niro, and boldy claims it to be better than the over-styled Toyota Prius. Plus: bonus trash talk about the leaked Toyota Supra specs, and a serial killer story from Korea with an expected link to the Kia Niro.

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