Car Stuff Podcast

Jill and Tom open the show by acknowledging that the Subaru Outback, now less wagonlike, is reportedly selling well, despite the break with its design roots. Tom was worried it might not. The hosts turn their attention to a series of spy photographs depicting what is claimed to be the Chrysler brand’s next products, the Airflow compact crossover, and the Arrow and Arrow Cross subcompact crossovers...

Jill and Tom open the show by discussing the shocking news that the Polestar brand will be leaving the U.S. at the end of this model. Tom questions why Polestar is not pushing back against this Commerce Department security decision. Jill notes that as information regarding the all-new Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup is released, GMC has begun sharing tidbits--mostly photography--of the redesigned...

Jill and Tom open a content-packed episode by welcoming the BMW M5 Touring to Tom's driveway. Expect to hear much more about this practical super-car in future episodes. Producer Margaret then shares details of her recent interview of Chicago-based radio reporter/journalist Jennifer Keiper, a peer of Jill's and Tom's. Jennifer lost her most recent position in the radio industry as CBS News wound d...

Jill and Tom open the show sharing news of a massive Jeep recall. Jeep has issued a "park-outside" warning for owners of many late-model Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators. Listen in for details. The hosts discuss Mitsubishi's new electric crossover, the Eclipse Sportback EV. Mitsubishi's first U.S.-market electric vehicle shares its basic architecture with the Nissan Leaf. Jill reviews the M...

This week Tom opens the show clarifying the difference between mild-hybrid and full-hybrid applications. Tom notes that mild hybrid drivetrains are found mostly on European luxury vehicles. In advance of chatting with Scout Motors' Ryan Decker, Jill and Tom discuss how few all-new car brands have been launched in the past 25 years. Listen in for a list. Still in the first segment, the hosts are jo...

Tom opens the show by acknowledging the passing of jazz saxophone legend Sonny Rollins. Sonny was the last living performer to have appeared in the 1958 Esquire magazine photo A Great Day in Harlem . The image appears on the Car Stuff Podcast Facebook Page. The hosts discuss the return of the Volkswagen ID. Buzz retro-themed electric themed minivan for 2027. Though little changed mechanically, the...

This week's episode is dedicated to the 2026 Consumer Guide Best Buy picks. In total, 32 vehicles in 13 individual categories are covered. You can check out the complete 2026 Best Buy list here . For a look further back, click here for the 2025 Best Buy list .   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertisi...

The hosts open the show discussing Jill's recent interview with the head of Infiniti USA regarding--among other things--the possible comeback of the humble sedan. This conversation dovetails nicely with Tom's news regarding the likely comeback of a Buick midsize sedan--and a possible Camaro, as well. Jill shared impressions of a would-be annual Land Rover event dubbed Defender Trophy Competition ....

In this special bonus episode of the Car Stuff Podcast, Jill sits down with Vice President of INFINITI Americas Eric Ledieu for a conversation about the all-new QX65 fastback luxury crossover , Future Infiniti products, and a possible resurgence in buyer interest in sedans. How will Nissan and Infiniti differ moving forward? Listen in for details.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pc...

Sam Fiorani of AutoForecast Solutions sits in for Tom this week. Jill and Sam open this episode of the podcast touching on Sam's recent involvement with the 2026 Greenbrier Concours d'Elegance , a classic car show held in West Virginia each spring. The conversation turns to car news, with the hosts touching on Chinese car makers setting up shop in Canada, Tesla producing its last Model S sedan, an...

Paul Herrold of the Sons of Speed sits in for Jill this week, as she participates in the Trinitē Road Rally . Follow the link here for details. The hosts open the show with a number of topics, including blue-dyed diesel fuel, and Tom's one-mile test drive of the Mitsubishi Outlander SEL. Paul and Tom go on to discuss Stellantis's "Four Core Brand" strategy, which prioritizes a few of the...

Car guy Dave Piluski of RTM Engineering Consultants sits in for Jill this week. Tom opened the show by complaining about contemporary country music, especially someone named Luke Combs. This because Tom did not have time to Bluetooth connect with his new test car prior to recording. Dave and Tom discuss two major news items: Ford's constricted F-150 pickup supply, and Nissan's newly revealed turna...

The hosts open the show by discussing Tom's new refrigerator, and his inability to keep Subaru's suite of new electric vehicles straight. Jill agrees to help him remember the names of the Subaru EVs. Jill and Tom go on to cover a number of news items, including the discontinuation of the Volkswagen ID.4 electric crossover, Chinese vehicles being built in Austria, and Kia's plan to build a midsize...

Tom opens the show with news regarding Stellantis' joint venture with China's Leapmotor. Stellantis currently distributes Chinese Leapmotor-built electric vehicles in Europe, and may be looking to build Leapmotor models in its idle Brampton, Ontario factory. Listen in for more details. Jill gives a quick rundown of the new-product reveals seen at this week's New York Auto Show. A number of notewor...

The hosts open the show noting that the power-seat recall affecting the Hyundai Palisade has expanded to include the mechanically similar Kia Telluride. Listen in for details. As predicted in a previous episode, Tom shares news of the dissolution of the Afeela electric-vehicle brand. Afeela was a Honda/Sony joint venture nearing production of a premium midsize sedan built in the U.S. Tom also disc...

Jill opens this week's show with a correction. Listen in for her begrudging mea culpa. The hosts go on to discuss briefly Tom's time in the Toyota Corolla Hybrid SE AWD . Toms's review of the car is live now on ConsumerGuide.com. Tom shares a few details of the coming redesigned Lexus ES midsize sedan. New for 2026 is an EV variant of the popular model, while other examples of the ES will be hybri...

Jill and Tom open the show again sharing word of electric-vehicle cancellations. This time EVs from Honda and Volvo are being dropped. Tom discusses a new Texas DMV law which makes it difficult for undocumented shoppers to register a new or used vehicle. Though the regulations are relatively new, some area dealers are reporting small but measurable downturns in sales. Tom notes having recently rev...

Jill and Tom open the show discussing the sudden resignation of Chrysler CEO Chris Feuell . Tom thinks Feuell's departure prefaces the end of the Chrysler brand. Jill is not so sure. Listen in for details. The hosts go on to share news of two car models that will disappear after the 2026 model year. One is no surprise, the other a little bit sad. Still in the first segment, Jill and Tom review the...

Jill is back in the co-host seat this week, having spent some time in Canada intentionally driving Volvo vehicles in snow and on ice. Tom opens the show with a mea culpa. Listen in to see what he got wrong last week. The hosts discuss a number of news items, including some reported delays in the delivery of Tesla's newly discounted Cybertruck , Lamborghini backing away from electric vehicles, and...

Brendan Appel of the Sons of Speed sits in for Jill this week. Brendan and Tom open the show talking about the changing character of car engines, and how small turbocharged examples lack the character—especially exhaust note—of older, larger engines. Tom shares news regarding deep price cuts on the Tesla Cybertruck . Per Elon Musk, the new, cheaper Tesla pickup may not be available for long, so in...

No donuts today as Jill isn't feeling well (listen to her voice) and Tom says he's on a diet. The hosts open the show by discussing big Toyota news: The Highlander is going EV only for 2027. Listen in for Jill and Tom's take on this announcement. Also discussed is Jeep's new lower-cost V8 Wrangler model. Next, Tom shares a brief take on the very-affordable Chevrolet Trax in topline Activ trim. Sho...

Jim Obrill of the Chicago Auto Show drops by for a quick update on the show. The show includes a number of surprise displays including the $400,000 Cadillac Celestiq electric sedan. Tom owns up to an error in last week's show, listen in to find out what he got wrong. Jill and Tom continue to share several news items, including the return of the rugged Nissan Xterra SUV. Still in the first segment,...

Jill and Tom sift through an enormous amount of news this week, including the announced deaths of four car models, including two from Tesla. Other news items covered include a name for Ford’s new electric small truck, BMW’s new electric-car architecture, and the unexpected comeback of the minivan. Still in the first segment, Jill reviews the 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander small crossover. Listen in for...

Jill and Tom open the show acknowledging a few foreign cities in which there are Car Stuff Podcast listeners. Listen in for the list. Stories this week include news that Mercedes-Benz is dropping its Drive Pilot semi-autonomous driving system in the U.S., and Buick is moving production of the U.S.-market Envision small crossover out of China. Tom also shares the results of his very unscientific “M...

Jill and Tom open a topic-packed show acknowledging the winners of the 2026 North American Car of the Year voting. Listen in for complete list. Moving on, Tom noted that General Motors CEO Mary Barra said publicly something he had long feared regarding plug-in hybrids. Barra suggests the news will impact future product development. Subsequent to last week’s Zeekr conversation, Tom shared some inte...