Car Stuff Podcast

Jill and Tom open this week’s show acknowledging that Vietnamese EV startup VinFast is likely to cease U.S. operations in the very near future. The hosts also note that another EV startup, Bollinger Motors, has called it quits. 

Tom discusses his time in the Jeep Wrangler, this example powered by the available 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, instead of the popular 3.6-liter V6. Tom prefers the smaller engine. Listen in to hear why. 

T...

Jill and Tom open the show by discussing the recently rolled-back federal fuel-economy standards, and the implication for carmakers in the near term. 

Tom then shares—to his great amusement--the long, complicated, and multinational route by which the Polestar 4 crossover arrives in the United States. Hint: Five countries are involved. The hosts also discuss massive Polestar discounts currently being offered on 2025 models. 

Tom then ...

Jill and Tom open the show acknowledging a listener’s concerns regarding recent donut selections by Tom. This involves an apology to Producer Randy. (See the Car Stuff Podcast Facebook page for pictures of recent donut selections.)

Tom discusses some issues he had driving the excellent 2026 Nissan Leaf EV crossover. Tom’s issues include getting snowed in, and understanding the available charging options. 

Still in the first segment, ...

Jill and Tom open the show accepting the challenge of a listener. Tom was tasked to purchase more exciting donuts than the usual collection of double chocolates and powdered cinnamons. Listen in for this week’s expanded options list. 

Tom shares some interesting Jeep news. The updated 2026 Grand Cherokee will be optionally powered by Stellantis’ new Hurricane 4-cylinder engine. Though based on the existing 6-cylinder Hurricane engin...

Tom opens the show by recapping briefly his time in the Lucid Air Touring electric luxury sedan. Tom is impressed by the Lucid, but does have one (big) complaint. The hosts go on to discuss rumors that Tesla will be ADDING the Apple CarPlay feature to some or all of its models in the near future. 

A huge new Honda recall will affect the owners of certain late-model Civics. Listen in for details. 

Jill and Tom chat briefly about Ford ...

To celebrate the 300th episode of the Car Stuff Podcast, Jill and Tom are joined by Jennifer Newman and Damon Bell of Cars.com. Jennifer was the podcast’s first guest, and Damon was co-host for the first three years of the show. 

Jennifer and Damon share the Cars.com picks for the best vehicles under $30,000. That conversation dovetailed nicely with Jennifer’s research into new-vehicle affordability. 

In the second segment, everyone ...

Jill and Tom open the show discussing Tom’s take on the future of Apple CarPlay. You can read Tom’s recent blog post on the topic here. 

The hosts also discuss Ram’s new SUV, which is due sometime as a 2028 model. Expect the truck to be mechanically similar to the Jeep Grand Wagoneer. 

Next topic is a trio of boundary-pushing Lexus concept cars seen last week at the Japan Mobility Show. The six-wheel minivan is Tom’s favorite. 

Still ...

Paul Herrold of the Sons of Speed sits in for Jill this week. Jill will be back for next week’s show. Paul and Tom open the show by discussing consumer-battery maker Duracell’s foray into electric-vehicle charging. Duracell branded car chargers are showing up now in the U.K., and are expected to arrive in the U.S. in the not-to-distant future. 

The hosts go on to discuss two big General Motors announcements. First, GM will be launch...

Jill returns this week after a two-show absence to participate in the 2025 edition of the Rebelle Rally. After Jill wraps up her thoughts on the event, Tom shares news regarding Toyota launching a new premium brand to be positioned above Lexus in the maker’s corporate portfolio. 

Tom goes onto complain about/fawn over the new steering wheel controls in the 2025 Ford Expedition. Tom describes the new interface as “i-Pod-like,” and ap...

Paul Herrold of the Sons of Speed sits in for Jill this week. The hosts open the show by discussing the reborn Chevrolet Bolt small electric crossover. Pricing comes in about $5000 below the least-expensive Chevy Equinox EV, at around $30,000. 

Paul and Tom also discussed the new Tesla Model 3 and Model Y “Standard" models, which are both priced around $40,000, though lose some features and range to hit the new price point. 

Sti...

Brendan Appel of the Sons of Speed sits in for Jill this week. Brendan and Tom open the show discussing rumors of the Jeep Wagoneer’s demise, which would leave just the Grand Wagoneer in Jeep’s lineup. The hosts share sales numbers for large SUVs--listen in to hear which large ute is the best-selling. 

Brendan shares his thoughts on the post-federal-incentive EV sales environment. For those who don’t know, the incentives of up to $7...

Jill and Tom open the show noting that the well-regarded Hyundai Kona EV small electric crossover is only offered in a dozen states, so availability is very limited. This point comes into play as the hosts discuss the redesigned Nissan Leaf later in the show. 

Tom shares news regarding new tariffs, this time on heavy-duty trucks. Interestingly, big-truck maker Volvo (Volvo, Mack) produces almost all of its vehicles in the U.S. Liste...

Tom opens the show correcting two errors he made recently. Listen in to hear what he got wrong. Tom then shares the results of an X poll he conducted on Ferrari colors. Turns out white is NOT a popular choice for the Italian sports cars. 

The hosts also acknowledge the end of production for the Subaru Legacy midsize sedan. Jill notes that the car never had much impact on a segment ruled by the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. 

Jill and...

The show opens with a brief, and completely off-topic, conversation about whether or not Tom smells spicy. Listen in for the verdict. 

Tom shared brief impressions of the 2025 Lexus RX 500h F Sport Performance AWD, noting that the premium midsize crossover was over-named by a few syllables. That said, Tom is very impressed with the vehicles. 

The hosts went on the talk about Ram’s decision to kill—before introduction—the Ram REV elec...

Jill and Tom open the show by sharing information about a Chicago event, Electrify Chicago, coming to the area September 12-13. Next, Tom shares some news about Chinese new-car door handles, and how some of them will soon be illegal. 

The hosts also discussed the relationship between the Toyota Highlander and Grand Highlander. With the “Grand” gaining popularity, the Japanese maker is tweaking the standard Highlander’s trim-level li...

Jill and Tom open the show talking about “launch colors,” basically the color which new vehicles are initially presented in for media reveals, advertising, and promotion. Tom still remembers the copper color the redesigned Mitsubishi Eclipse was unveiled in for 2000. 

Tom shared his early impressions of the electric Volvo EX30 subcompact crossover. So far, Tom is delighted by the Volvo, and surprised by its price. 

The hosts turn the...

The hosts open the show briefly discussing Tom’s experiences car shopping with his 25-year-old daughter. After test driving five cars, and much careful consideration, a car has been purchased. Listen in for details. 

In the news, Jill and Tom talk about Audi tariff-related price increases, Chrysler’s crazy Grizzly Peak minivan concept vehicle, and the Dodge Durango going V8 only for 2026. 

Still in the first segment, Jill reviews the...

Jill and Tom open the show discussing the poor first-half financial returns of EV startups Lucid and Rivian, and the surprising impact recent emissions deregulation will have on their bottom lines. The hosts also touch on the slow sales start of Lucid’s new Gravity EV crossover. 

Still in the first segment, Jill reviews the subcompact Acura ADX crossover. Jill likes the vehicle, but questions if it's refined and powerful enough...

Jill and Tom open the show discussing today’s big Ford news, an announcement the company refers to as its “Model T Moment.” The news, delivered by Ford CEO Jim Farley, includes plans for a new electric pickup truck, new manufacturing processes, and a surprising target price point. Listen in for details. 

Still in the first segment, Jill reviews the redesigned 2026 Hyundai Palisade midsize crossover. The new vehicle is updated inside...