Car Stuff Podcast

Jill is back in the co-host seat this week for a topic-packed episode. Tom opens the show asking if $61,000 seems like a lot for a Hyundai—any Hyundai. The hosts discuss the Korean maker’s luxury/value equation, and note that Tom’s test car, a 2026 Palisade Calligraphy Hybrid is, without question, a luxury vehicle. Listen in for more of the conversation. Tom goes on to share his frustration with S...

For the first show of 2026, Paul Herrold of the Sons of Speed sits in for Jill who is traveling. Paul and Tom address a number of topics to open the show, including annoying helper AI bots on dealership websites, the death of the Karma Revero (once known as the Fisker Karma), and the return of the Hemi engine to the Ram 1500 lineup. Still in the first segment, Tom reviews the 2026 Nissan Kicks. To...

Jill and Tom open the last show of 2025 by discussing how Christmas gift expectation change with age. Tom, for example, noted how happy he was to receive a Brita water filter. The hosts went on to process the biggest auto-related stories of 2025, including tariffs, tax credits, Ford recalls, and the return of the Hemi V8 engine. In the second segment, Jill and Tom welcome Sam Fiorani, AutoForecast...

Jill and Tom open the show addressing two high-profile electric vehicle cancellations announced this past week. First the hosts discuss the end of production for the Ford F-150 Lighting, which came as something of a surprise to both Jill and Tom.  Also covered is news that Volkswagen will not be importing a 2026 edition of the spunky ID. Buzz electric minivan. Will the ID. Buzz be back for 2027? J...

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 smal...

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 bei...

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 o...

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...

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. ...

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 affordabili...

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-w...

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 ann...

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 n...

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...

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 do...

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 a...

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 Hon...

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...

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...

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 surpri...

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 i...

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 i...

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 crossove...

Jill and Tom open the show covering a few news items, including:  ·       Tesla has stopped exporting a couple of models to Europe ·       Engine stop/start may be dropped from future vehicles  ·       The Ineos Grenadier SUV is now available via the Costo car-buying service Tom also discussed his surprise at how likable the 2025 Alfa Romeo Tonale—not the plug-in hybrid—is.  Still in the first seg...

Brendan Appel of The Sons of Speed sits in for Jill this week. Brendan and Tom opened the show by complaining about the extreme heat lingering over the Chicago area. Tom then noted that Jill was correct last week when she suggested that Toyota had a 20-percent stake in Subaru. Tom had suggested a lower figure.  Still in the first segment, Brendan and Tom acknowledged the passing of the TLX, Acura’...