Unnamed Automotive Podcast

Is there space for the 2021 Kia Seltos SX Turbo's top-end take on what should really be an affordable, no-frills compact SUV, or does its own brand's ultra-competitive line-up make it hard to justify spending the extra cash? Benjamin's week behind the wheel reveals the surprising answer. Next, Sami's take on the 2021 Hyundai Elantra shows just how much life is still left in the small sedan segment. Finally, the pair are puzzled by Tesla's decision to leave steering wheels and turn signals behind with the latest Model S EV refresh.

Does the 2021 Kia Niro EV deliver the kind of range and cold weather competence needed to deal with the winter's darkest depths? Benjamin wheels through sub-zero conditions to report on the surprisingly solid electric performance from Kia's battery-powered crossover. After a brief tangent about warning messages, Sami then ponders the new path Mazda has taken with the non-turbo 3's all-wheel drive model, which trades poise for a premium cabin.

Is a faster Crosstrek a better Crosstrek? Benjamin seems to think so after driving the 2021 version of the Subaru, which graduates to a 2.5-liter engine. Sami counters with the 2021 Toyota Corolla SE Apex Edition, a car he's lukewarm on before Benjamin points out all the cool upgrades he's totally downplaying. The two then discuss CES, how Benjamin hates it so much that it once sent him into a career-questioning tailspin in a Las Vegas hotel room, and how terrible it is that companies like Cadillac are bringing windowless autonomous pods to the digital-only show. The pair wrap things up with a review of TWR's Le Mans-Winning Jaguars by John Starkey.

The 2021 Porsche Taycan EV costs over $100k, has less range than the Chevrolet Bolt, and features some truly unusual ergonomic decisions inside its cabin. Everything Sami liked, and didn't like, about Porsche's first all-electric car gets mushed together with talk about off-brand batteries and just how useful a 2.5-second random 'boost' really is for driving enthusiasts. The pair then follow up with a deep look at the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, the first three-row version of the popular SUV ever built, before being distracted by all of the other, much better names Chrysler could have used to replace the boring letter tacked on to the end of the badge.

Is a plug-in hybrid edition of BMW's popular X5 SUV even better to drive than the high-horsepower M version? That's the surprising conclusion Benjamin is forced to reckon with after an extended period behind the wheel of the 2021 BMW X5 xDrive45e. Sami then attempts to solve the puzzle of the 2021 Toyota Avalon AWD, a full-size model that drops power but adds traction in a bid to appeal to...who, exactly? Finally, the pair answer their first batch of listener questions for the year.

Is the 2021 Cadillac Escalade finaly worthy of flagship status? Is it different enough from the also-good GMC Yukon Denali to justify its six-figure window sticker? Both Benjamin and Sami spend a week with Cadillac's most advanced Escalade to date and come away with a lot to talk about. Wrapping things up, the pair mention the best vehicles they've been lucky enough to drive throughout 2020.

We've waited forever, but the EcoDiesel version of the Jeep Wrangler is finally here. Is Benjamin's second-favorite FCA power plant a worthy addition to the Wrangler line-up, or does the cost of entry make the turbodiesel SUV an outlier for off-road fans? Sami follows up with a full line drive of the 2021 Lexus IS, a sport sedan that seemingly triggers Benjamin's incredulity at the Lexus portfolio of vehicles.

The Nissan Rogue might not impress on paper, but as a whole it's one of the better new compact SUVs out there, according to Benjamin, finally vaulting the popular model to the front of the pack. Sami supports Benjain's new-found Rogue appreciation before diving into his own adventures dealing with the Audi E-Tron Sportback's limited battery range and extremely high sticker price. The pair wrap things up by deciding who had the cooler cars - the heroes or the villains - in each installment of the Fast and Furious film franchise.

Does the 2021 Land Rover Defender capture the unobtanium spirit that made its predecessor such a legend in North America, or is it merely another good SUV from the British 4x4 brand? Sami spends time with the four-door Land Rover and is surprised by the impression it makes on him. Even more surprising? His newfound love for the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime, whose plug-in hybrid drivetrain erases its previous sins. Benjamin has a more confusing experience with the 2021 BMW 228i Gran Coupe. It's the most affordable BMW out there, but does it make the best introduction to the brand? And are there better choices for the same money in BMW's own showroom?

Sami tries to figure out if it's enough for the 2020 Genesis G80 to be a comfortable and luxurious sedan, or if it needs to add athleticism to its portfolio to stand against the Germans that dominate the segment?. Benjamin is puzzled by the 2020 Nissan Titan PRO-4X, which needs to be better than the full-size pickup competition to catch eyes among truck buyers, but seems determined to merely match a narrow spectrum of what customers are looking for.

Sami splits between the 2021 Hyundai Elantra and the 2021 Hyundai Sonata N. Is the Elantra finally Civic-level in terms of its broad appeal? Can Benjamin be convinced that someone out there actually wants to pay that much more for a front-wheel drive, high performance family sedan? Next up are a pair of platform-mates from Mazda, the new 3 Turbo and the CX-30 SUV. Is Mazda's compact star a true luxury player now that it's left its MazdaSPEED days behind? Is there really any reason to choose the CX-30 over the almost-identical 3 hatchback?

Did Genesis hit one out of the park on the first try with the 2021 Genesis GV80? Sami certainly thinks so, as his time with the all-new SUV has him convinced it's got the German competition by the throat. The pair compare their back -to-back experiences in the 2021 BMW M8 Gran Coupe before wrapping things up with Benjamin's almost-complete 1987 Jeep Grand Wagoneer LS engine swap.

The Nissan Rogue has always done big business, but much of that was based on price and incentives. Sami's drive of the 2021 redesign reveals that Nissan's new investment in the Rogue elevates it to a new level among other compact SUVs and gives you reasons to buy it other than simply getting a great deal. Benjamin spends a week with the 2020 Honda Civic Si Coupe, a sporty compact that's among the last of its breed - and a car that is discontinued at the end of this year. How does the Si stack up against the dwindling crop of two-door offerings at the $25,000 mark?

Is the 2021 Mini John Cooper Works GP a logical track star step for fans of the brand, or are its real-world shortcomings too much of a liability? Sami puts it on a road course alongside the 2021 BMW 440i and the enormous 2021 Alpina XB7 SUV to figure out which of BMW's latest performers is the most fun to drive fast. Benjamin heads in the other direction with the 2020 Honda Clarity plug-in hybrid, which is perhaps the biggest surprise of the year for him. The pair wrap things up with listener questions, including clearing up a few more fake movie cars and digging in to the Fiat 500 Abarth.

Is the 2021 Cadillac CT5-V a marked improvement over the CT4-V in terms of driving feel, even though the two cars are surpisingly close in price? Benjamin gets his turn behind the wheel of the latest V Series and discovers what works, and what doesn't, about the quickest performance sedan from Caddy outside of a Blackwing. Sami re-acquaints himself with a perennial favorite, the everything to everyone 2020 Ford Escape SUV. The pair wrap things up with a look at the fake movie cars that Hollywood churns out to feed our need for speed.

The 2021 Acura TLX comes out of the gate strong with a redesigned platfrom a new turbo base engine that offers 100 lb-ft more torque than the model it replaces. Sami spends time with the sport sedan to see if it's enough to make people care about the four-door passenger car segment in a world where SUV's reign supreme. Benjamin plunges back into the world of pickups with the 2021 GMC Canyon AT4, a new sub-brand from the truck manufacturer that attempts to deliver off-road capability without edging too far onto the hardcore side of the spectrum. The pair wrap things up with a discussion of the coolest electric cars pulled straight from science-fiction.

Benjamin makes a case for the 2020 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 bring the most innovative off-road truck in the mid-size segment, while Sami puzzles over the lack of a 2020 Kia Soul EV for American electric car fans. What pushes the ZR2 above the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro? How much better is the Soul EV over the Chevrolet Bolt? The pair answer these questions, and more, on this week's episode.

The 2021 GMC Yukon Denali makes major changes to a decades-old formula. Is it enough to bring the model back to the top of the full-size American SUV segment? Benjamin spends a hot 24 hours inside GM's biggest sport-utility vehicle to find out, before trading it in for a longer stretch in the (still-underachieving) Chevrolet Silverado LT Trail Boss. How hard does the Bowtie's Rebel response take it to Ram's champion? Sami wraps up the show by reminding us all how good the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV really is, how cheap it is to own one, and the late-night secrets of what really happens at the local charging station after dark.

Is the 2020 Aston Martin DB 11 ultra-luxury grand touring car any less enjoyable with an AMG-sourced V8 under the hood versus a British V12? Benjamin puts hundreds of miles on a bright yellow version of the coupe to find the answer. Sami goes in a different direction with the Polestar 2, the Volvo-owned EV brand's attempt to prove it can build a reasonable everyday electric car alongside the Polestar 1 high performance exotic. The duo also discuss the Cadillac XT6, a luxury crossover that can't seem to live up to its stately appearance. Surprisingly, this may not be its fault.

V, M, AMG, S, it all gets dissected on this week's episode thanks to the nightmare world of branding and Cadillac's ultra-confusing nomenclature, kicked off by Benjamin driving the 2020 Cadillac CT4-V sedan. The pair then discuss the Nissan Z Proto, which has Sami excited about the turbocharged sports car's potential to continue the Z legacy into the future with its clutch pedal intact.