Unnamed Automotive Podcast

What's it like to sample a fleet of museum-quality Lexus classics? Sami finds out after spending a few days in Costa Rica with the original LS, RX, SC, and more. He also pilots the refreshed 2020 Lexus RX and makes the startling discovery that its infotainment system might actually now be on par with the rest of its luxury rivals. Benjamin, on the other hand, is filled with anguish and despair aft...

It's a battle of the turbocharged V6 engines as Sami discovers something old and something new while comparing the 2019 Mercedes-Benz E-Class against the 2019 Audi A6. Benjamin discovers that a week with an old friend leaves him feeling more sad than energized after driving the DSG-equipped 2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI Rabbit edition. Has the Veloster N broken his brain?

Do you need an SUV that can bounce itself out of the snow or mud? Sami tries to answer that question, and more, with his in-depth review of the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class. Meanwhile, Benjamin counters with the one Ford Mustang model the pair had yet to drive: the GT Performance Pack 1.

Is the Autostadt the German Disneyworld for Volkswagen fans? After spending a day there, Benjamin certainly thinks so, and he goes into detail about VW's unusual theme park for gearheads. He also gets some wheel time with the 2019 Volkswagen Arteon. Sami continues his campaign for Korean supremacy as he is wow by his experience with the 2020 Kia Telluride full-size SUV.

How much do the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class and the 2019 Porsche Macan S luxury SUVs have in common? Sami travels to Germany and Newfoundland, for some reason, to sample these two refreshed models. Meanwhile, Benjamin sticks closer to home to spend a week with the 2019 Toyota CH-R - an SUV that doesn't quite live up to the anticipation.

What change have been made to the 2019 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350? Is it still the king of pony-land? Chad Kirchner guest hosts on the show to give his perspective after taking the new GT350 to the track. Sami and Benjamin discuss their time in the 2019 Ford Mustang GT Performance Pack 1 and 2 cars to see just how well they compare against the road course chops of the Shelby.

Benjamin falls in love with the rowdy 2019 Hyundai Veloster N, and is convinced it's the most fun hot hatch on the market. Sami thinks Benjamin might be crazy. The pair also discuss the future of the N Performance brand, and what vehicles might be ripe for their own N treatment.

When is a style icon just another four-door coupe? When it's the 2019 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, according to Sami after a weary week together with this in-betweener. Benjamin has a better time with the Sky One-Touch convertible version of the 2019 Jeep Wrangler, a vehicle that tries to be the best of both worlds to soft-top and hardtop lovers. Finally, Benjamin challenges Sami to a weird car name l...

Will the 2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC have what it takes to unseat the Tesla Model X, the Audi e-tron, and the Jaguar i-Pace? Sami has the scoop after spending a couple days behind the wheel of the latest German electric car under dreary Norwegian skies. Benjamin's week is a little sunnier, as he samples the 2019 Lexus UX and discovers that the Japanese automaker has been smart when shrinking down its l...

Is the 2020 Toyota Supra just as good the second time around? After a full day at Summit Motorsports Park - and a fair bit of street driving - Sami spills the beans on his Supra secrets. Benjamin goes in a family-friendly direction with the 2019 Cadillac XT5, a handsome SUV that might just be a little too expensive if you get crazy with the options.

Is the 2019 Genesis G70 the real sports sedan deal not just on the track, but in the day-to-day? Benjamin certainly thinks so after spending a week behind the wheel of the turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 model - even after having sampled the completely-redesigned BMW 3 Series the week before. Sami gets to the bottom of whether the 2019 Toyota Corolla hatchback has a chance at toppling the excellent Hond...

The 2019 BMW 3 Series has been completely redesigned in a bid to capture past driving glory. Benjamin spends a week behind the wheel of the 330i xDrive to discover what's good and what's still so-so about the German automaker's sales leader. Sami pits another all-new sedan - the 2019 Nissan Altima AWD - against a perennial favorite in the 2019 Honda Accord 1.5T and isn't nearly as impressed. The p...

Is the 2019 BMW M850i so good that it makes Benjamin take the most controversial stance in the history of the podcast? Is this luxury coupe really as good as he says it is, or does Sami have to hit him with a hard reality check? Once that's out of the way, it's time to talk about what went right, and what went wrong, with the 2019 Cadillac XT4 SUV, before sliding into a lightning round where Sami...

Is the electric version of the 2020 Kia Seoul that Benjamin drove last month just as good as the gas model? Sami continues with tales from Korea, telling us all about his drive in the all-new Soul EV. Meanwhile, Benjamin spills the beans on the 2019 Nissan Kicks, which isn't really an SUV - and is all the better for it.

Does Hyundai's return to fashion-forward design have what it takes to push the all-new 2020 Hyundai Sonata back into mid-size family car contention? After a detour to the DMZ, Sami drives through the streets of Seoul, Korea, to find out. Benjamin heads to the Mediterranean to put the 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque SUV through its paces up treacherous foggy mountains and down perilous off-road...

If it looks like an SRT but packs a V6, is it still a good buy? Benjamin and Sam argue about the merits of the 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited X before veering off into Mercedes-Benz G-Class territory, which Sami opines is simple too expensive to ever take off-road. Finally, Benjamin drops the stunning revelation that he's purchased a 1987 Jeep Grand Wagoneer and made it the official UAP project...

The 2019 BMW X7 is the first full-size 3-row SUV from the German brand. Benjamin drives it from Florida to Louisiana to see if it has what it takes to compete with Land Rover et al. Meanwhile, Sami spends time with the 2019 Mazda 3 AWD, the first all-wheel drive challenger to the Subaru Impreza in the compact segment in a very long time.

When is a crossover not a crossover? When it's the 2019 BMW X2 M35i, a hot hatch contender disguised as an SUV. Benjamin and Sami each spent a week with BMW's quickest compact and have dissenting opinions on how it compares to its less-mighty xDrive28i predecessor. Things get weirder with a lightning round focused on the Geneva auto show's supercar crop, of which Benjamin becomes obssessed with ho...

Which would you rather have when fighting the supernatural: the total anonymity of a rental-counter Taurus, or the off-road cool of a convertible Blazer? We get to the bottom of the mystery on this Star Car Faceoff bonus episode.

Is the 2019 BMW X5 capable of elevating itself to the top tier of luxury SUVs? After a week behind the wheel of the twin-turbo V8 model, both Benjamin and Sami have a definite opinion on the X5's place in the performance truck pantheon. Switching gears, the two also delve into Benjamin's sub-zero session in the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace EV, a ferociously quick battery-powered crossover forced to face win...

Sami's supercar streak continues with a drive of the 2020 McLaren 720S Spider, which now holds the podcast record for 'fastest thing Sami has ever been inside of.' Benjamin races too, this time on ice in a rear-wheel drive Lexus IS 300 at the Lexus Sport Cup studded tire challenge - but he had to drive the 2019 Acura RDX SUV to get there. Which was worse: being sideways all day or getting used to...

Sami, our resident supercar expert, takes the time to explain the ins-and-outs of McLaren's nomeclature to Benjamin after driving the 2019 McLaren 600LT on a race track. Benjamin returns the favor by waxing poetic about the enduring appeal of Kia's most popular box, the 2020 Soul. Also: every version of the 2019 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, all at once!

Benjamin and Sami have their most heated debate to date when discussing Sami's time behind the wheel of the 2019 Rolls-Royce Cullinan - an SUV Benjamin views as an abomination for the distinguished automaker, despite Sami's passionate defense for its place in the world. Even more brand weirdness ensues with Sami comparing his drive in the 2019 BMW Z4 with the Toyota Supra, its platform twin. Stick...

How much can one sub-zero blizzard change things? In the case of the 2019 Honda Pilot SUV, it completely flipped Benjamin's perception of the people mover from 'blah' to 'awe.' Sami, however, has a harder time deciding whether the 2019 Dodge Charger SXT AWD V6 has a place in the full-size sedan world, regardless of what the weather's like outside. Also, sloths.

The 2019 Mazda 3 is here - but parts of it are missing in action. Benjamin drives Mazda's redesigned compact car and muses on what the absence of Skyactiv X (and the cost of going AWD) mean for the brand. Sami contributes with his time behind the wheel of the 2019 Kia Stinger GT, this time with a turbo 4 in place of the big-dog twin-turbo six. The pair also get off on a weird tangent about how to...