Caddy's Vistiq is Confusing, A Fiat Designed For Unlicensed French Drivers, & Subaru vs Toyota vs Lexus

In this Almost-Christmas episode of the Auto Buyer’s Guide Podcast, we take a deep dive into the Cadillac Vistiq and the realities of GM’s Ultium EV platform, including charging speeds, battery design, and long-term ownership implications.

We also debate whether buyers should skip the Mazda CX-70 entirely and just buy the CX-90, answer a listener question on Subaru vs Toyota vs Lexus AWD systems, and compare the Vistiq against rivals like the Volvo EX90, Hyundai Ioniq 9, Rivian R1S, Lucid Gravity, and Tesla Model X.

Along the way, we discuss:

• Why Cadillac dropped Apple CarPlay — and why it still matters

• Dolby Atmos in cars and whether artists should control the mix

• Mercedes ditching glue for screws to improve repairability

• The strange case of the Fiat Topolino, a quadricycle that isn’t really a car

• Mazda’s confusing CX-70 strategy and real-world reliability concerns

This episode blends real-world driving impressions, industry insight, and buyer-focused advice to help you decide what actually makes sense in today’s EV and SUV market.

Episode Highlights

• Cadillac Vistiq charging & Ultium limitations

• Apple CarPlay vs built-in infotainment systems

• Mazda CX-70 vs CX-90: what Mazda got wrong

• AWD differences: Subaru, Toyota, Lexus explained

• Luxury EV SUV comparison breakdown

• Auto industry news you actually need to know