Wheel Bearings

Latest Episodes:

Into the Wilderness Feb 01, 2022

Show notes

Nicole is back and she's been driving the 2022 Infiniti QX60 and the Subaru Outback Wilderness which arrived just in time for a couple of feet of snow to get dumped on New England. Robbie finishes his stint in the Cadillac CT5V Blackwing and Sam hits some unpaved rural roads in the 2022 Ford Explorer Timberline.

Tesla has apparently added some code designed to disable the power seat adjustment if you use it too much. Ford is going Pro with it's new EVs and Roberto got to drive the new e-Transit and ride along for a few minutes in the F-150 Lightning. Both Robbie and Nicole also got to drive the new Kia EV6 and we answer a bunch of listener questions

Links

Tesla turns off seat controls if you use them too much

Roberto drives the Ford e-Transit

Roberto rides in the F-150 Lightning

Kia EV6 first drive

Street tires for the F-150 Raptor

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Going Wide Jan 24, 2022

Show notes

This week it's just Roberto and Sam as Nicole gets some Disney time. Sam was double booked in the garage this week with the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander and Toyota Camry XSE Hybrid. Meanwhile Robbie is enjoying one of the last manual transmission high-performance sedans with the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing.

Staying with Cadillac, they released first images of the Escalade V with more to come in the next couple of months. Ford will start taking orders for the 2022 Bronco Raptor in March and they are also forming a vehicle security joint-venture with ADT called Canopy. BMW is preparing to build its final batch of V12 powered production cars with a run of 12 M760is in June. 2022 will be the last year when Lamborghini builds internal combustion models exclusively. Sam interviewed TrueCar CEO Mike Darrow about the company's new online sales platform at the LA auto show

Links

2022 Ford Bronco Raptor

2023 Cadillac Escalade V

Ford-ADT security joint venture

No More BMW V12s

Lamborghini prepares for electrification

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

And The Winner Is ... Jan 16, 2022

Show notes

Robbie's driveway was empty of loaners this week, but Nicole has been driving the Honda Civic Sport Touring hatchback with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and CVT and Sam had the new Nissan Pathfinder Platinum AWD. In the show, the Civic was misidentified as the regular Sport rather than the Sport Touring.

In the news, we discuss the North American Car Truck and Utility vehicle of the Year awards. Jason Torchinsky wrote about how they made the garbage luxury cars of the 1980s, used cars are too expensive. Bollinger pulls the plug on its electric pickup and SUV and Honda shows off the next-gen Civic Type-R.

Links

Chicken Tax

North American Car, Truck and Utility vehicle of the year

The Past was Garbage

Used cars are getting expensive

Bollinger cancels pickup and SUV

2023 Honda Civic Type-R

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Going With the Flow Jan 11, 2022

Show notes

CES 2022 is behind us and none of the team actually went to Las Vegas this year, but we did cover what was announced either in person there or virtually. Last time we covered the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado and the Chrysler Airflow concept. This time we have the Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX with its more than 600 mile range. GM also teased us with the first renders of the $30,000 Chevy Equinox EV that is coming in fall 2023, and Volvo, Zenseact and Luminar shared more on the partially automated Ride Pilot system that is planned to start testing in California this year and eventually come to production. Finally, BMW showed a concept version of the new iX covered in e-ink that can change between white, black or any shade of grey in between.

In the garage, Roberto drove the new Mercedes-AMG SL roadster, Nicole braved New Hampshire winter weather in the Ford Bronco and Sam drives the Genesis GV70.

Links

Ford Bronco filled with snow

BMW iX Flow

2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV

Mercedes-Benz EQXX

Volvo Ride Pilot

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Return of Avalanche and Airflow, Eventually Jan 05, 2022

Show notes

We're kicking off 2022 with lots of battery powered vehicles. Nicole gets a first drive in the Lucid Air Dream edition, Roberto drives the Mini SE and Sam is the outlier with the 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback.

In the news, it's CES week and while the team have all opted to stay away from Las Vegas this year thanks to Omicron, there's plenty of news. GM moved the Mary Barra keynote online but Sam got a preview look at the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV just before Christmas. Over at Stellantis, there apparently is a future for the Chrysler brand as they reveal the Airflow concept and Sam talks with brand CEO Chris Feuell. Waymo and Geely team up for a purpose-built robotaxi and we answer a bunch of listener questions.

Links

Waymo and Geely partner for a custom robotaxi

Chrysler Airflow Concept

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Great In Principle Dec 26, 2021

Show notes

On the morning after XMas, it's just Nicole and Sam. Nicole has been testing out the updated 2022 Jeep Compass Trailhawk in New Hampshire while Sam has had dissappointing fuel efficiency from the 2022 Lexus RX450h.

In the news, a threat from NHTSA got Tesla to turn off game play while driving, we now know the battery sizes for the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning, we discuss whether solar panels on cars make sense, GM wants to sell some of its EV parts to other companies and charging on the VW ID EVs gets faster with an OTA software update. We also answer a bunch of questions.

Links

Tesla turns off in motion game play

Ford F-150 Lightning battery sizes

Lightyear One solar panels

GM wants to sell EV parts

VW ID vehicles get faster charging thanks to OTA software update

How American electricity is generated

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

I See Pixels Dec 19, 2021

Show notes

This week we've got multiple opinions on a couple of cars. All three of the hosts drove the new Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV while both Nicole and Sam had 2022 Genesis GV70s. Nicole got a rear driver while Sam had all-wheel-drive, both with the 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6. Roberto had something completely different, the Arcimoto Roadster, an electric three-wheeler.

In the news, Rivian reports its first quarterly earnings and loses big on a small number of deliveries but already has plans for a second factory. GM has first deliveries of its two newest EVs, the GMC Hummer and BrightDrop EV600. Sam also has an interview with Trevor Lai, director of product planning for EVs at Hyundai of America and we answer some questions.

Links

Sam's first impressions of the Ioniq 5

Roberto's video review of the Ioniq 5

GMC Hummer and BrightDrop EV600 deliveries

What happened to Chanje

Rivian loses money

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

That's a Giant Wiper Dec 12, 2021

Show notes

This week Nicole is taking some time off and flying out to meet her daughter for a long drive back home for the holidays so it's just the boys without supervision so we start off with a tangent about pies. Roberto has only had a brief time with the BMW X5 plug-in hybrid so the garage is mostly the 2022 Hyundai Kona electric that Sam has been driving. In the news, Ford will be moving production of the electric Explorer and Lincoln Aviator somewhere other the Mexican plant where the Mustang Mach-E is built so they can more than triple production of the Mach-E.

If congress manages to pass the Build Back Better act, it should include some expanded EV tax incentives but because Elon Musk hates unions and competitors, he thinks the incentives should be abolished all together. VW confirmed that it will build a pop up camper version of the new electric ID Buzz and a new Tesla Cybertruck prototype has been spotted with a single giant windshield wiper. We also have Sam's interview with Rob Filipovic, director of product planning for Jaguar Land Rover North America

Links

Ford to Triple Mustang Mach-E production

Elon opposes EV incentives

How the propsed new EV incentive structure works

Transitioning connected cars from 3G to 4G

VW ID.Buzz California camper is coming

Jason Torchinsky's review of the VW T6 California

Giant Cybertruck windshield wiper

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hauling Anything But Ass Dec 05, 2021

Show notes

This week Nicole has been having fun blasting around in the 2022 Honda Civic Si with a six-speed manual gearbox. Roberto has been hauling cement turtles in the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder and Sam has been avoiding making eye contact with the Toyota Prius Prime.

In the news, BMW released a concept version of a new M-only model codenamed "RockStar" and badged as XM. Anyone that wants a Toyota GR86 in Europe will have to hurry before new emissions regulations kill it there and Polestar gives a preview of what's coming next.

Links

Polestar 3,4 and 5

Short EU Run for Toyota GR86

BMW XM Concept

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Perfect Mulch Hauler Nov 30, 2021

Show notes

Lots of stuff in the garage in this week as Nicole gets to spend more time with the 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness. On the opposite coast, Robbie has one of his two ideal cars, the Audi RS6 Avant and also shares some thoughts on the BMW 330e plug-in hybrid. Sticking with the PHEV theme, Sam had a first drive in the new Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring and also got to try out GM's new Android Automotive based infotainment system in the 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe.

In the news, GM and Ford are both doing deals with chip makers to try to avoid future shortages, Genesis shows the exterior of the next generation G90 luxury sedan and Nissan announces some of its electrification plans between now and 2030. We also have an interview that Sam recorded in LA with Aditya Jairaj, director of EV marketing and sales strategy at Nissan

Links

New Genesis G90

Ford and GlobalFoundries

GM and its chip plans

Nissan Ambition 2030

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy