Auto Buyers Guide Podcast

You can't talk about EVs without talking about charging, but are we thinking about it all wrong? Should we be charging at night? At home? At work? During the day? Fast, slow, medium-speed? What should we really be doing?

Alex and Travis take a deep, deep, deeeeep, almost 1.5 hour dive into the new RAM Ramcharger. RAM just gave us more details on how the PHEV system works, let's dive in. 

It seems like America is finally ready to see a hybrid revolution with more models offered than ever before, and more models going hybrid only. From an all-hybrid Mazda CX-90, to more hybrid Toyota and Hondas than you can shake a stick at, so GM's plans on resurrecting hybrid systems, hybrids seem to be reclaiming the headlines from EVs. Alex and Travis also talk about the road rules and rule brea...

Subaru is suddenly all-in on hybrids with a new Forester hybrid and a Crosstrek hybrid on sale in 2025, but they aren't stopping there. All rumors point to the upcoming redesign of the Outback also sporting a hybrid whenever it lands this year. Fuel economy improvements are more modest than in some hybrids, but Subaru retained the off-road capability the brand has become known for.  VW's ID. Buzz...

Join Travis and Alex as they dissect the RFID key card. Is Travis right that it's a sensible and slim way to lock and unlock your car if you're a 21st century person that doesn't carry a key? Or is Alex right that they should all be burnt at the stake as an example to RFID cards everywhere that change is unacceptable? (Also: proximity keys are better). They also discuss charging etiquette and why...

Toyota's popular SUV is finally all-new for 2025, but does that make it all-better? Or should shoppers look elsewhere? Also, what on earth happened with 4Runner pricing! OMG. Which new EVs still have the EV tax credit? Way fewer than before. Should owners be able to say no to software updates? Should they?

Travis and Alex attempt to get to the bottom of the mania around "software defined cars". Now, bear in mind that like *all* cars, SDCs are actually defined by their hardware which is why they can be updated. On the other hand, is this making companies lazy? Our experience with the new EX30 leads Alex to say yes. We also go over viewer questions and comments, the best cars under $40K, the best SUVs...

In this episode Alex and Travis dish about new car sales in 2024, which car companies are winning, which are losing, and why the consumer is a winner (sometimes) at the Chevy dealer because they are selling a ton of affordable new cars. If you're looking to make shopping easier, Hyundai is now selling cars on Amazon, assuming you're in the right part of the USA, and the process looks pretty solid....

Travis and Alex discuss the impending Honda-Nissan-Mitsubishi merger that should be completed next year, who's getting what in the marriage and what the conglomerate should kill off. We also talk about Travis road tripping our used C40 EV up to Washington state and more!

According to the latest Consumer Reports data, Rivian is a paradox, they are the least reliable new car brand in America but also the one the most people would buy again. This makes us wonder: is new car reliability, well, unreliable? The answer is yes, and we may never know how reliable a new car is ever again...

Travis and Alex discuss the turkeys, tofurkeys and turduckens. Then they really dive into the sauce: What will Trump do to the EV tax credit? What might happen if it changes or gets eliminated, and how the IRA has boosted domestic production of new cars. Also, cars are too expensive. No surprise there.

Travis and Alex spend way, way too much time talking about the best and worst gifts for car people, or, really anyone that owns a car. They also dive into the latest Honda and Acura SUVs, hate on the term "extended range EV" because they are just plug in hybrids, and then they talk about why PHEVs are fantastic. 

Scout Reboot, Toyota's PHEV Party, EV Winter Range & We Bought A Thing!

Toyota has had some stumbles lately. From recalling every Lexus LX, and non-hybrid Tundra for engine replacements, to the stop-sale and recall on every Grand Highlander and Lexus TX for airbags that aren't working right they have a great deal on their plate. However, like a juggling act at a carnival, Toyota seems to have all those plates up in the air and spinning for now. Interest in their produ...

It looks like China is on the brink of banning one pedal driving in new vehicles from 2026. Why? Well, it's not in the name of efficiency. Apparently China's watchdog agency says one pedal driving is less safe than having a second pedal around. 

In this episode, Travis and Alex discuss leasing versus buying, what hybrids are and what they are not, General Motors joining the Tesla supercharging network, and of course we answer a bunch of viewer questions. If you're curious about how leasing works what you need to know before you sign for a lease, and whether a lease is right for you or not hopefully we can answer that today. If after sever...

The first non-Tesla with a native J3400/NACS port is here and it's... a Hyundai? Yep, Hyundai, despite joining the NACS party later than Ford and GM is going to be the first to actually put them in customer's hands. By the end of this year Ioniq 5s built in the USA will have the new port followed shortly thereafter by the Kia EV6. In this episode we also cover the most affordable new cars in Ameri...

The ABG Pod is back and we're trying something a big different. This time we're incorporating viewer and listener feedback, so be sure to drop us your questions and thoughts!

In this episode Alex and Tim discuss the new Lexus TX three row SUV. Which trims are a good idea and where Lexus went wrong with their new family hauler. We also cover the new point of sale tax credits and what we know now.

Halo cars don't have to be angelic and they come in many forms. But... Do those forms make sense? From Viper to Challenger Hellcat, Tim and Alex say "hell yeah" but don't agree on what a halo car really is. 

GM is finally rolling out more Ultium models! Alex got to check out the new Cadillac Escalade IQ, the biggest and most insane EV SUV ever imagined, at least until we get the EV Wagoneer that Jeep has been touting with an even bigger battery. Tim and Also also discuss the death of the $20,000 car and why NACS has caused more questions than answers as N. America tries to narrow down to a single char...

For 2024 Toyota is bringing back the Land Cruiser, but it's not the Land Cruiser 300 sold elsewhere, instead we get the smaller Land Cruiser 250. Also, Tesla shoppers are shocked their EVs can't hit the advertised range figures, despite a solid decade of reporting. 

When I said our Model 3 SR+ had a real world range of 192 miles +/- about 10 miles, y'all lost your minds, but it wasn't a scandal then and it isn't now. Instead it's just a textbook example of why the "EPA range" is not a "real world" number. Newsflash: the EPA testing designed in 1978 isn't a great real world example for ANY new car, truck or SUV in America today. Join me as I pick apart the sca...

Tim and Alex are back to discuss the tough battle ahead for the all-new 2024 Toyota Tacoma, plus the validity of the EV price wars and the rising costs of new vehicles in the U.S. Podcast theme by Brian Roskelly.

In this one-on-one with Alex, the beans are spilled on the upcoming AoA Giveaway this Friday, April 21st (instructions for how to sign up in the video). This is followed by a live Q&A session with Facebook and YouTube audiences.