About this episode
Reflecting on the 10th anniversary of Dieselgate, the hosts discuss its lasting impact on the automotive industry, particularly the decline of diesel vehicles in Europe. They also review the 2025 Toyota Prius Night Shade Edition, highlighting its unique color, performance, and the persistent engine noise that detracts from the driving experience. Additionally, they explore the Genesis GV70, noting its luxurious features and impressive driving dynamics. The episode wraps up with insights into Nissan's restructuring efforts and the latest developments in EV technology, including a new battery architecture from Stellantis.
In this episode, hosts Sam Abuelsamid and Nicole Wakelin discuss their recent experiences with the 2025 Toyota Prius Nightshade Edition and the 2026 Genesis GV70. They delve into the performance, design, and driving experience of these vehicles, highlighting the Prius's hybrid technology and the Genesis's luxury features. The conversation also touches on insights from the Center for Automotive Research conference, Toyota's research on plug-in hybrid user behavior, and the automotive industry's shift back to physical controls in vehicles. Additionally, they review the latest IHS safety testing results for electric vehicles, emphasizing the importance of safety ratings in the automotive market. In this episode, the hosts discuss the evolution of vehicle safety standards, highlighting how modern cars outperform older models despite mixed crash test results. They delve into Nissan's struggles with the Aria and organizational changes, while Hyundai outlines its ambitious 2030 vision. The conversation shifts to Honda's innovative use of software in racing, reflecting on the impact of Dieselgate on the diesel market. Volkswagen's price increases and Ford's new headquarters are also covered, concluding with Stellantis' advancements in battery technology.
Links
Toyota Research Shows How Behavioral Nudges can reduce emissions
Mercedes-Benz to bring back physical buttons
Nissan to close US, Brazil design studios
Honda Software Defined Race Cars
New vehicle registrations in Europe
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Toyota Prius
"I have been driving the 2025 Toyota Prius Night Shade Edition in this color."
Honda Civic
"it was you know this and what there was a Honda Civic hybrid or something I think at one point"
Toyota Tundra
"the trucks and SUVs like the Sequoia and Tundra and Tacoma and a forerunner and then there's"
Toyota bZ4X
"instrument cluster display like they had on the bz4x and I'm guessing that"
Toyota Corolla
"you know if you get uh if you get a Corolla um you know with you know Corolla comes with a C..."
Toyota 4Runner
"same thing to the Tacoma and the 4Runner those four cylinders don't sound great"
Genesis GV70
"the 2026 genesis gv70 3.5 t sport prestige all wheel drive"
Nissan Leaf
"...did that I don't know why Nissan did that on the leaf and then they changed it because now they have t..."
Jeep Wagoneer
"we do actually, we trade off between the Wagoneer his car and if I happen to have an EV"
Toyota RAV4
"because you're going to both the RAV4 and the Prius plugins"
Chevrolet Volt
"...ntenance mode Chevy was first with this with the Volt where"
Tesla Model S
"is starting with Tesla when they did the Model S they were trying to take cost"
Tesla Model 3
"issue and then when they did the Model 3 and then the Model Y"
Tesla Model Y
"and then when they did the Model 3 and then the Model Y they wanted to take it to an extreme"
Hyundai Santa Cruz
"of the Tucson and the Santa Cruz and they went from that"
Chevrolet Blazer EV
"the Blazer EV the F-150 Lightning"
Nissan Aria
"Lightning the Nissan Aria the Cybertruck"
Tesla Cybertruck
"the Nissan Aria the Cybertruck Model 3"
Mazda MX-5 / Miata
"we didn't know what year is yours your Miata 1990 yeah so yours is ancient mine was just old"
Hyundai Ioniq 3
"last week we mentioned the IONIQ 3 which was shown in concept form at IAA"
Hyundai Ioniq 9
"an EREV version of something like either the IONIQ 9 or the Palisade"
Hyundai Palisade
"either the IONIQ 9 or the Palisade those larger vehicles"
Hyundai Genesis
"Hyundai Motor Group brands Hyundai, Kia and Genesis have been"
Volkswagen Jetta
"...ife and I bought a Volkswagen diesel we bought a Jetta TDI sport wagon and"
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