Unnamed Automotive Podcast

When is weird too weird? When is weird not enough? That's what Sami attempts to discover when comparing the 2018 Kia Soul crossover to the 2018 Toyota CH-R. Benjamin jumps in with his strangely authoritative opinions on why, exactly, a whole bunch of other strange-looking SUVs failed where the Soul has succeeded. He then talks about his time driving the twin-turbo rotary-powered FD Mazda RX-7 from...

Is the 2018 GMC Sierra Denali falling behind the pack just prior to its complete redesign this fall? After towing with it this past week, Sami certainly thinks so - especially compared to the 2018 Ford F-150 that Benjamin was driving. The pair also discuss their shared time in the 2018 Volvo S90 T8, debate the merits of its battery power, and try to figure out why Sami is so in love with the red c...

The embargo has lifted and we can finally talk about the 2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo - and boy, do we have a lot to say.

Where does the redesigned 2019 Audi A6 fit into the executive sedan ecosystem? Sami drives the latest Audi in Portugal and comes back suitably impressed by what the luxury car has to offer. Meanwhile, Benjamin falls in love with the wagon version of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and delivers an impassioned soliloquy on the benefits of wagons over crossovers. Finally, Chevy's turbocharged four-cylinde...

The Eclipse Cross is the last Mitsubishi to be developed entirely in-house prior to the merger with Nissan, and Sami spends a week behind the wheel to figure out what the new SUV's lasting legacy will be for fans of the brand. Meanwhile, Benjamin has his expectations overturned by the 2018 BMW X2 sport-utility vehicle, while also sampling the similarly surprisingly - although not in a good way - 2...

The 2019 Genesis G70 turns out to be more than just a rival to the current crop of entry-level sport sedans from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi - it's a bit of a time machine back to when dialed-in steering, suspension, and a lively character were more important than outright power and multi-stage traction control. On both the street and the Mont Tremblant race track the G70 impressed Benjamin to th...

Stop the press, because Ford has decided to stop making cars! Well, almost - in the middle of recording this episode, Benjamin and Sami learn that Ford will keep building the Mustang, but kill every other sedan in a bid to focus exclusively on SUVs and trucks. The pair also talk about the all-new Mercedes-Benz A-Class, which Sami drove under the Croatian sun, and the 2018 Lincoln Navigator SUV, wh...

The Mazda 6 has always offered excellent handling, but was left in the dust by more powerful sedan peers - until now. The 2018 Mazda 6 Turbo is here, and Benjamin has the scoop after a day spent zoom-zooming through B.C.'s mountain valleys. Sami and Benjamin also discuss the excellent Nissan Armada, which impresses despite frightening fuel mileage, as well as the overland Armada Patrol bear-proof...

Who, exactly, is the 2019 Chevrolet Camaro Turbo 1LE aimed at? Compact performance enthusiasts or budget-minded track fans? Benjamin gets to the bottom of that question after driving the newest Camaro at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, when he wasn't having his mind blown in the 755 horsepower 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 by pro drivers Tommy Milner and Tony Kanaan. Sami gets the chance to tell the world...

Is the Nissan Leaf DOA because of its miniscule battery range in comparison to the Chevrolet Bolt? Should Volkswagen be building 'American' cars like the full-size Atlas SUV in a bid to engage with buyers? These questions get answered this week as Benjamin and Sami try to figure out the two unusual corporate strategies behind this pair of vehicles. Sami also reports on all the good and bad vehicle...

Just how much did Kia need to change the already-outstanding Sorento SUV for the 2019 model year? Not all that much, as Benjamin explains after having driven the 2019 Kia Sorento from Montrose, Colorado to the slopes of Crested Butte. Sami wishes that Jeep had gone all-in with the 2018 Compass SUV he drove last week, lamenting the lack of polish on what should be a compelling compact entry. Benjam...

Where, exactly, does the Land Rover Range Rover Velar fit in to the luxury sport-utility vehicle universe? That's what Benjamin and Sami try to figure out today, by comparing the gorgeous hauler to both the BMW X3 M40i and the Volvo XC60 - two very different, yet ostensibly competitive SUVs.

Can the best full-size truck on the market get any better? For the moost part yes according to Benjamin and Sami, who each drove the redesigned 2019 Ram 1500 in the Arizona desert. The pair wish there'd been an eTorque model to test out, but other than that there's plenty to talk about when discussing one of FCA's most important vehicles. Benjamin also had a chance to drive the 2018 Jaguar XF Spor...

What happens when Maserati buys a town in the Italian alps? Sami gets sent there to drive the Levante SUV and the Quattroporte sedan, in a completely normal and not at all creepy or isolated setting. Benjamin, on the other hand, had the opoortunity to drive both of Cadillac's top-tier models -the Escalade and the CT6 - back to back in a bid to figure out which one best represents the brand. He als...

Is it smart to sell a version of your halo car that subtracts the one factor that your brand is known for above all else? Sami pilots the rear-wheel drive 2018 Audi R8 RWS in Spain and comes back to tell Benjamin what he thinks about Audi's gambit. Benjamin, meanwhile, spends time behind the wheel of the completely redesigned 2018 Buick Regal GS and discovers that it's a lot better than anyone wou...

Chances are you haven't driven the 2018 Acura TLX A Spec, but Sami has, and he's willing to get behind the mid-size luxury sedan's mix of performance and comfort despite Benjamin's misgivings about the Acura brand. Benjamin goes in-depth on his time spent with the 2018 Honda Odyssey, a van wandering the wilderness of SUVs and crossovers in a bid to attract families to its cavernous cabin. The two...

The 2018 Honda Fit Sport proves that no one should be buying SUVs if what they really care about is practicality - at least, that's what Benjamin has to say on this week's episode after spending serious time with the subcompact hatchback. Sami counters with the ultra-efficient, 50-mpg Kia Niro, and boldy claims it to be better than the over-styled Toyota Prius. Plus: bonus trash talk about the lea...

How different is the new 2019 Audi A7 from the model it replaces? How strong does it stand next to the growing class of four-door luxury coupes that it once ruled? Sami has the scoop after driving the A7 for two days on the dusty streets of Johannesburg. Benjamin counters the South African sun with a week spent on snow and ince in the BMW i8, a hybrid that is surprisingly competent when the temper...

This week Benjamin drives the variable compression turbo equipped 2019 Infiniti QX50, while both Sami and Benjamin get to say the words 'compression' and 'ignition' over and over again after testing out a prototype version of Mazda's Skyactiv-X compression ignition engine. Finally, Benjamin reveals his disappointment with the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV SUV, while Sami engages him in that etern...

When is an M car not an M car? When it's an...M car? If that's confusing to you, too, then join us for an exploration of two extremely fast, very large BMWs that wear the M badge more modestly than some of their stable mates - even thought one of the features a twin-turbo V12 under the hood and is the most expensive model you can buy from the German brand. We're talking M550i and the M760Li on thi...

The North American International Auto Show in Detroit is the largest gathering of automakers in the country, and each year it brings with it a packed slate of new vehicle debuts. Benjamin and Sami hit the highlights and lowlights of this year's show, including new concepts, cars, trucks, and SUVs from Lexus, Ford, Acura, Volkswagen, Ram, Kia, Hyundai, Nissan, Infiniti, and Toyota.

New engines, new design, new interior secret storage compartments and all the other juicy, non-aluminum (and also aluminum) details of the new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado. That's all we talk about in this mini-episode of the podcast.

Which of GM's full-size crossovers would you buy: the 2018 Buick Enclave or the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse? Benjamin and Sami debate these near-twins, trying to figure out what, if anything, marks a clear dividing line between their redesigned platforms, drivetrains, and feature-sets. Or, in other words, how much are you willing to pay for QuietTuning, and how many bad decisions did Benjamin have to...

How did the 2018 Audi RS3 fare in dealing with some of the snowiest and coldest conditions Montreal has seen in years? Benjamin goes in depth about the most affordable entry point to the high performance RS line-up, with Sami offering his counterpoint after having driven the car on the sandy highways of Oman. The two also riff on the upcoming CES show, the weird technologies (including brain-to-ca...

Sami spends a week with the 2018 Subaru Forester XT and is impressed by what the turbocharged SUV has to offer in terms of fun behind the wheel, while Benjamin dishes on the redesigned 2018 Honda Accord and whether its entry-level engine is worthy of the same praise as its range-topping sibling. The pair then delve into a retrospective look at all the cars and trucks they drove in 2017 - the good,...