2026 Dodge Charger SIXPACK, Subaru Outback, & Nissan Sentra First Drives
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Car
Subaru Outback
Car
Nissan Sentra
The Nissan Sentra is a small car that is often chosen for its low price and good fuel efficiency, making it a good option for everyday driving.
Car
Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger is a big car that is known for being fast and powerful, often seen as a classic American muscle car.
Term
twin-turbo
Twin-turbo means the engine has two turbochargers, which help it produce more power and run more efficiently than engines with just one turbo.
Concept
LA Auto Show
The LA Auto Show is a big event where car companies show off their latest cars and technology, and people can see what's new in the automotive world.
Car
Nissan Versa
The Nissan Versa is a small, affordable car that is great for people looking for a budget-friendly option.
Car
Nissan Altima
The Nissan Altima is a midsize car that offers a comfortable ride and is popular among families and commuters.
Car
Nissan Murano
The Nissan Murano is a type of SUV that is designed to be comfortable and stylish. It's known for its good looks and nice interior, making it a favorite for many drivers.
Car
Mercedes-Benz SL
The Mercedes-Benz SL is a fancy convertible sports car that looks great and drives really well. It's made for people who want a stylish car that's also fun to drive. People talk about it because it's a symbol of luxury and performance.
Term
LED projector headlamps
LED projector headlamps are special car lights that use tiny lights called LEDs to shine brighter and farther than regular lights. They help drivers see better at night or in bad weather.
Term
IIHS ratings
IIHS ratings are scores given to cars based on how safe they are in crashes. They test cars and give them grades to help people choose safer vehicles.
Term
2.0-liter I-4
A '2.0-liter I-4' engine is a type of car engine that has four cylinders and can hold 2.0 liters of fuel and air mixture. It's often used in smaller cars because it can be efficient while still providing enough power to drive.
Term
horsepower
Horsepower is a way to measure how powerful an engine is. The higher the horsepower number, the faster and stronger the car can go.
Term
torque
Torque is a measure of how much twisting force an engine can produce. It helps a car get moving, especially from a stop, and is important for acceleration.
Term
zero-to-60 testing
Zero-to-60 testing is a way to see how fast a car can go from a complete stop to 60 miles per hour. It's often used to compare how quickly different cars can accelerate.
Term
quarter-mile
The quarter-mile is a distance used in racing to see how fast a car can go in a straight line. It's a common way to test a car's speed.
Brand
General Motors
General Motors, or GM, is a big car company that makes many different types of cars and trucks. They are well-known in the automotive industry.
Car
Nissan Leaf
The Nissan Leaf is a small electric car made by Nissan. It's designed to be energy-efficient and is popular for city driving.
Term
digital instrument cluster
A digital instrument cluster is a screen that shows important information about the car, like speed and fuel level, instead of using traditional dials.
Term
central display
The central display is a screen in the middle of the dashboard that lets you control things like music and navigation in the car.
Term
adaptive cruise control
Adaptive cruise control helps you keep a safe distance from the car in front of you by automatically changing your speed. If the car ahead slows down, your car will slow down too, and it will speed up again when the road is clear.
Term
blind spot intervention
Blind spot intervention helps you avoid accidents by warning you if there's a car in your blind spot. If you try to change lanes while a car is there, it can even help steer your car back into your lane.
Car
Honda Civic
Car
Toyota Corolla
The Toyota Corolla is a small car that many people buy because it's reliable and doesn't use too much gas. It's a good choice for anyone looking for a simple and affordable way to get around. People often compare it to other small cars to see which one is better.
Term
MSRP
MSRP is the price that car makers suggest dealers sell their cars for. It's a starting point for negotiations when buying a car.
Car
Tesla S Model
The Tesla Model S is a fancy electric car that doesn't need gas to run. It's known for being fast and having cool technology, like being able to drive itself a little bit. People talk about it because it's changing how we think about cars and the environment.
Brand
Audi
Audi is a luxury car brand from Germany that makes high-end vehicles known for their quality and technology. They are often seen as a status symbol.
Car
Subaru Legacy
The Subaru Legacy is a car that Subaru made before the Outback. It was known for being dependable and good for driving in various weather conditions.
Concept
sport utility wagon
A sport utility wagon is a type of vehicle that mixes the characteristics of a wagon and an SUV. It usually has more space and a higher seat position than regular wagons, making it versatile for different needs.
Concept
seventh generation
Seventh generation means it's the seventh version of a car model. Each new generation usually has improvements in style and technology compared to the earlier ones.
Term
Outback styling
Outback styling means the design looks like the Subaru Outback, which is made for outdoor adventures. It usually has a tough look with higher ground clearance and protective parts.
Term
naturally aspirated
Naturally aspirated means the engine gets air from the atmosphere without any extra help from devices like turbochargers. This can make the engine feel smoother and more predictable when you press the gas pedal.
Term
CVT
A CVT is a type of car transmission that can change seamlessly through a range of gears, making driving smoother and often more fuel-efficient.
Term
turbocharged flat-four engine
A turbocharged flat-four engine has four cylinders that lay flat instead of standing up. The turbocharger helps it produce more power without making the engine bigger.
Term
level two-plus system
A level two-plus system is a type of technology in cars that helps with driving. It can change lanes on its own, but you still need to pay attention and be ready to take control if needed.
Car
Subaru WRX
The Subaru WRX is a sporty car that's great for driving fast and handling well on different types of roads. It's popular among people who love racing and want a car that can handle tough conditions. People talk about it because it's fun to drive and looks cool.
Car
Jeep Wagoneer
The Jeep Wagoneer is a big SUV that can carry a lot of people and gear, making it great for families. It has a mix of luxury and off-road features, so it's good for both city driving and adventures. People talk about it because it's a classic brand with modern upgrades.
Car
Hyundai Palisade
The Hyundai Palisade is a big family car that can fit a lot of people and their stuff. It's known for being comfortable and having lots of safety features. People like to talk about it because it's a good option for families who need space.
Car
Land Rover Range Rover
The Land Rover Range Rover is a fancy SUV that can go off-road and handle tough conditions while still being very comfortable inside. It's popular among people who want a stylish car that can also take them on adventures. People talk about it because it's seen as a luxury vehicle.
Car
Kia EV9
The Kia EV9 is a new electric SUV that's big enough for families and has lots of cool technology. It's designed to be eco-friendly and has a modern look. People are excited about it because it's part of the trend towards electric cars.
Car
Nissan Rogue
The Nissan Rogue is a small SUV that's comfortable to drive and has plenty of room for people and cargo. It's known for being good on gas and has lots of safety features. People like to talk about it because it's a practical choice for everyday use.
Car
Mitsubishi Outlander
The Mitsubishi Outlander is a small SUV that's good for families and everyday driving. It has a flexible interior that can fit a lot of stuff and is often more affordable than other SUVs. People talk about it because it's a practical choice.
Car
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is a special version of the Outlander that can run on electricity and gas. This means you can drive it using just electricity for short trips, which is better for the environment. People talk about it because it gives you the best of both worlds.
Car
Chevrolet Tahoes
The Chevrolet Tahoe is a large SUV that can carry a lot of people and things, making it great for families. It's strong enough to tow trailers and is often compared to similar SUVs like the GMC Yukon. People talk about it because it's practical and powerful.
Car
Jeep Recon
The Jeep Recon is a new electric SUV that's made for people who love off-roading. It's built to handle tough trails while being good for the environment. People are excited about it because it's a step towards electric adventure vehicles.
Car
Jeep Cherokee
The Jeep Cherokee is a small SUV that's good for both city driving and going off-road. It's built to handle rough terrain while still being comfortable for everyday use. People like to talk about it because it's a mix of adventure and practicality.
Car
Jeep Wrangler
Car
Rivian R1S
The Rivian R1S is a new electric SUV that's made for people who love the outdoors. It can go off-road and has lots of space for gear and passengers. People are excited about it because it's eco-friendly and built for adventure.
Car
Ford Bronco
The Ford Bronco is a tough SUV that's great for off-road adventures and has a classic look that many people love. It's designed to handle rough trails while still being fun to drive. People talk about it because it's a mix of old-school style and new technology.
Car
Land Rover Defender
The Land Rover Defender is a strong SUV made for off-roading and adventure, with a classic look that many people recognize. It's built to handle tough conditions while still being comfortable inside. People talk about it because it's a legendary vehicle for outdoor enthusiasts.
Car
Subaru Brat
The Subaru Brat is a small pickup truck that was popular back in the 1980s because it had a fun design and could be used for many purposes. It has a unique look and is remembered fondly by fans of classic cars. People talk about it because it's a piece of automotive history.
Car
Ford Gt
The Ford GT is a super-fast sports car that's designed for racing and high performance. It's known for its sleek look and powerful engine, making it a dream car for many. People talk about it because it's a symbol of speed and engineering excellence.
LIVE
Welcome to the podcast of Motor Week.
Television's original automotive magazine.
Motor Week is made possible by AutoValue and Bumper2Bumper and TireRack.com.
Here's your Motor Week podcast host, John Davis.
Welcome to Motor Week podcast number 366.
I am indeed your host John Davis and we're glad to have you with us
as we continue to celebrate the 45th season of Motor Week.
As usual, we've got a lot to talk about today on this podcast,
including two new family entries, the Sentra from Nissan and the Outback from Subaru.
We'll drive into a hurricane with the twin-turbo Dodge Charger 6-pack
and close out with a rundown of what's making headlines as we record this podcast
at the 2025 LA Auto Show.
Joining me today are over-the-edge reporter Greg Carlos.
Hi there.
Staff writer Alex Kellum.
Howdy.
And digital producer Jessica Rae.
Hello everybody.
And Jessica, we're going to start with you with all of the negative news about Nissan
over the last two years really.
It's great to see them moving forward with new core product.
And this new Sentra compact sedan seems like that's one of them.
Tell us all about it.
Yeah.
I mean, new Sentra for 2026.
It's same platform, same engine.
Boy, it sure doesn't look the same.
It does not look the same at all.
I think Nissan has officially shed its bubble-esque design language
and we are now into a much more sleek and modern era,
which I think Nissan really needed, especially as Kia and Hyundai
have truly been just absolutely killing it in terms of design.
And that's really what, well, of course, with cost and low cost,
they've been performing incredibly well.
And sort of a segment that Nissan used to pretty much dominate.
Yeah, they certainly were up there with Honda and Toyota.
I mean, there is life left in the sedan hatchback market.
And I'm glad to see that Nissan didn't exit it like so many others did.
Yeah.
I should mention, of course, they still have a few sedans available.
The Versa, of course, slots under this.
I believe it still starts for just under $20,000.
And we had heard rumors that the Altima was supposed to be going away this year,
and that is not the case.
They said a 2026 Altima will be around,
and we'll have more details on that, I guess, soon.
But the Centra stays and remains a really important product for Nissan.
It, like I said, it gets a new exterior design.
So it's more in line with kind of like the Murano with the front end.
There's an SR model, which is like the sporty model,
and it gets this like really huge black front end
with all these black accents, because, of course,
you can't be a sporty model without black accents.
And but I will say every other model looks way better.
I think in terms of just like not in your face styling.
So the SL, so there's now an SL trim that has returned.
It's the top of the line model that has the most options.
And that one, I think, looks the best.
Like it basically my point being is like, if you look at the face of it,
there just is like a nice break of the grille and the lower fascia
with more body color instead of it just being this big black hole of a front end.
You know, the previous Centra, we liked here at Motor Week a lot.
Yeah.
And it had gotten big enough inside that, you know,
that whole argument of compacts now becoming almost as big as a midsize vehicle.
So is this, since it's on the same chassis,
do we have any idea whether it's that much larger inside?
No.
I mean, it was already pretty, it was pretty roomy for its class.
Correct.
And, you know, that's the benefit of having the Versa remaining in their lineup
as they're able to cover all of the bases with their three sedan models.
The only mention that they did say an increase of space was that they did make the trunk
opening lower and wider for ease of use,
which, I mean, as somebody who's short, I absolutely love that they did that.
Are you sure?
I might be.
But one thing to also...
Not on the audio.
Not on a podcast.
One thing I also want to note about the exterior design is that they made a point
to mention that there are now standard LED projector headlamps.
They dispersed 70% more light.
And this is important to note because overall, it performed pretty well in the IIHS ratings,
but they, for 2025, had a poor rating for the headlights.
So they seem to have made some strides here.
Obviously, the IIHS has not retested the Sentra yet, but we probably expect that to be better.
Like I said, carryover powertrain, so it's still the same 2.0-liter I-4.
149 horsepower, 146 pound-feet of torque, which seems incredibly unimpressive.
But I'm of the opinion that if you're buying a car like this, you're buying a vehicle
that needs you to get from A to B.
And while, of course, it's still pretty slow off the line.
When we do our zero-to-60 testing, those first 30 miles per hour are not fast.
That much is true.
Zero-to-30 is a legitimate measure.
Yes.
But once you kind of get past 30 miles per hour, you're gaining speed.
There is more than enough power for you to do any highway merging.
That's why I think sometimes our zero-to-60s and our quarter-miles,
they're a really great measure for us to compare vehicles, and they can be a great metric.
But they don't necessarily always reflect how you're going to use a car on the daily.
For decades and decades, and I assume they still do it,
General Motors used to focus on zero-to-30 in all of their testing.
The interior seems to be very modern, like very with it.
Yes.
It absolutely is.
They have these two new displays that they're virtually putting in every Nissan.
I think the Leaf has them.
It's like a 12.3-digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-central display.
The instrument cluster is not standard.
I'm pretty sure it's on everything but the base model.
Yeah, that's the way it was in the Leaf, too.
Yeah, it's like a cost-cutting thing.
Yeah, you can almost get it in every trim except for the base trim,
which I haven't even seen what it looks like.
They only show pictures, and I've only been in Nissan's with the upgraded screen,
so I'd be curious if anybody has a picture of their Nissan Leaf with the base screen.
I'd love to see it.
I don't even think that base leaf is coming yet.
Well, this is on the Internet.
Oh, sure.
It exists forever, so.
But yeah, really upscale.
Like I mentioned, there is now an SL trim that wasn't in the central lineup since about 2019.
It's way more plush than I ever expected it to be.
They have quilted leather seats.
Nissan seats, man.
The Zero Gravity seats are good.
Legit seats.
And what's also cool, and I think that the Leaf also had a lot of this in their design, too,
was it has a two-tone vibe with it, so the seats are light,
but the dashboard is this nice navy color, and it's just really an inviting cabin.
One thing I don't like, haptic climate controls.
Not a fan of that.
We're talking about, folks, the ultra-sensitive touch.
No buttons.
No buttons.
No physical buttons.
Sometimes the haptic stuff even works when you don't actually touch it.
Just hover your hand over it.
Crazy stuff.
They keep trying.
You can get heated seats on it, even on the base model, for an extra 500 bucks.
What I do like is that it comes standard with adaptive cruise control,
blind spot intervention, which is not just blind spot warning,
which a normal blind spot warning system would just be a light on your side mirror.
This actually keeps you from...
Is it steering or brakes through steering, probably?
Both.
I think it controls both steering and braking.
So if you tried to move over to another lane, it would stop you.
And then also it has a forward collision warning as standard.
So I want to point those out specifically because...
That's a lot of extra content for the class of vehicle.
That's huge.
And it's, like you said, a lot of extra content for the class of vehicle.
And it kind of just, I think, brings the center up to another level.
They want people to consider this over a Civic or a Corolla.
This is whenever...
There's an old saying in the car business that the cure to almost every ill is to sell more cars.
And so when you basically have a company that's gotten a lot of bad publicity
and made some big missteps on product, what do you do?
You want people to start looking at their cars more closely.
You add content to it, especially nowadays when you can add electronic content so cheaply.
And this will now affect everything else in that class.
Next year we'll be talking about something else from someone else
that will be going down the same path because they have to remain competitive.
It's kind of the great thing about this industry, how quickly these days
safety features particularly migrate down to the lowest models.
Alex, you haven't said anything.
I was just going to mention pricing before we moved on to other folks.
Pricing, it starts at just under $24,000 for a base S model.
And the top of the line I sell...
is how much?
It starts just under $30,000.
I drove an SR that was equipped with the premium package and that one stickered for $32,000.
So about $32,000 is where you can top the center.
Let me jump off there and I will go to Alex first.
Do we think, and this is the whole table,
with all the negative stuff you hear about the economy,
and it's debatable of course whether or not some of it's true or not,
but do you think that we're going to see any kind of resurgence
in sedans and hatchbacks away from SUVs
because they are continuing to come out with prices that are so reasonable?
I mean $30,000 does not buy you much in a boxy all wheel drive SUV,
but it buys you a heck of a lot of transportation still.
Any thoughts? Do you think we have any chance of going that way?
I guess that's a no, is that a no?
I don't know because then you just see everybody wants an SUV
and every person I talk to that asks me,
for my opinion, what car should I buy?
They want an SUV of some kind.
So I want more cars, but I just don't know if it'll happen.
Greg, any thought? You're a family man.
Yeah, that's the thing.
I think there's so many people,
speaking from my generation, which is the millennial generation,
if you don't have kids, you got dogs.
If you don't have dogs, you have camping equipment, stuff like that.
So everybody still wants the SUV for the perceived space
even though in use and in practice,
we know that sedans can compete with some of the small SUVs.
I think there is, in theory, a point where price could be a factor
and I'm still reading things,
reading one thing and seeing another.
I just don't really know what is true.
I think that's true.
The untrue is true.
I think, in theory, there is a point where sedans could be priced
at a point where people have no other choice but to consider them.
But I just don't, like I said, it's a theory.
I don't know if that world actually exists.
I do feel like people are comfortable with car payments
that I certainly wouldn't be comfortable with.
I think we've normalized a $500, $600, $700 car payment.
I think we're close to normalizing $1,000 a month car payment.
I'm thinking of people my age.
I think under 30 years old,
a $1,000 car payment is pretty excessive.
It's excessive when you get twice your age.
A $500 car payment for somebody who is in their first-ever job
is kind of normal and I think that's a problem.
I'm back to the centra in particular.
I'm curious to see how it does in its own class.
Take SUVs out of it.
How it does against its competition.
Because this is nothing, like Nissan took a page out of their own book.
It's like, let's just offer more tech, more safety
at a cheaper price than our competitors.
Right.
And decent size.
And good quality.
What they did differently though is they got really conservative
in recent redesigns of the centra.
I feel like they're realizing that doesn't work for them.
This one seems to directly take from Hyundai Kia.
You can see the styling and Audi.
You look at the rear end, those tail lights, the light ring.
It's almost directly taken off and Audi.
Look at the inside.
Like you said, with the two screens directly taken from Hyundai and Kia.
So it's like, if you can't beat them, join them.
So I wonder if that is going to work for them again
in that direct competition with the other compact.
Well, they need to stand out.
We've said for years on our road tests,
their vehicles are competent, but they just don't come to top of mine.
And when you see one, you hardly even notice it.
And I think that's a problem the Rogue has had.
Yeah, definitely.
Anyway, we're getting a little off subject,
but actually we're blending right into the next car
we're going to talk about.
We're going to move on to another long time family favorite.
And it's a personal favorite of mine because I used to own one,
the Subaru Outback.
It's been totally redesigned for 2026.
They might say, and I would probably say reimagined.
I think that's a good one.
Greg, give us the details and let's focus on why it might be
the biggest change for Outback in its history.
Yeah, should I just answer that right away?
Sure.
Or should I bury it and come back to it?
No, I think it's kind of like the elephant in the room.
Yeah.
So this is the first Outback that's not based on a legacy.
The legacy is gone, right?
So the way their Subaru was putting it,
it's like imagine what an Outback would be
if it didn't have to be a legacy.
Based on a sedan.
And this is what it is, which means it's definitively,
I think, finally in SUV territory.
Those last, the fifth gen and sixth gen Outbacks,
I believe Subaru was trying to tell us
they were sport utility vehicles,
which we can argue about this all day long.
And they used to say it was a sport utility wagon way back.
They wanted to get rid of the W word, right?
They don't want to call it a wagon.
I mean, I would argue like you can't tell me it's not a wagon.
I'm looking at a wagon, regardless of what you say.
So this seventh generation for 2026 is the first one.
I think you can definitively look at and say that's an SUV.
But there is still some like Outback styling
that you can notice and you could talk yourself into saying
that's just a SUV-ized wagon, if that makes sense.
If that makes sense.
So it's dimensionally, it's actually not that different
than the outgoing Outback.
It is an inch and a half almost taller,
which gives you the SUV style.
It's more upright, boxier, lengthwise and wheelbase-wise.
It's exactly the same.
Even the rake of the windshield is exactly the same as it was.
But the way Subaru styles it,
and if I can sidetrack a little bit,
the cool thing about styling those people
who draw these things up is like they can trick your eye
into thinking that you're looking at something different.
So that's kind of what they did here,
even though it's basically the same size as the old Outback,
it looks like it's bigger.
So yeah, I think that kind of answers the question, right?
It's because this is the first Outback and you're an Outback owner.
If you're an Outback owner and our family loved the low aspect
of the wagon, I have a history of wagons in my extended family,
when you see the new Outback, you think,
oh, it's not AW anymore.
And that's exactly what they wanted people to think
because they're looking to expand the market for it.
They got what they wanted.
Some other things that aren't so different,
the powertrain's still the same.
I think the 2.5-liter flat-four is naturally aspirated.
That's the base engine.
I think it might have lost the horsepower.
It's essentially the same.
Still connected to a CVT with eight simulated gears.
There's still a 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four engine.
I'm trying to not say an inline four,
because of course it's a Subaru, of course it's a flat-four.
That has 260 horsepower, again, like 277 pound-feet of torque.
So it's a torquey engine,
but again, that hasn't really changed from the last Outback.
The big change is inside,
where if you've ever driven a six-gen Outback,
that tablet-style screen that was more portrait
instead of landscape is gone.
That thing was slow.
Terrible.
If you compared it to anything else in the automotive world,
not even just its segment, it's way behind.
So now they've flipped that screen.
It's 12.3 and a little over 12 inches.
It is so much faster.
You can actually use this thing.
You can pinch to zoom.
It does everything you want.
They finally call it up to everybody else.
Even Toyota at this point had gotten better than Subaru,
but now they're right up there.
I want to say that when I got to see it,
I haven't driven it yet,
but I got to see it at the first look,
and it almost seemed like it was Toyota-based.
It was very famous and familiar.
It's more than just a part of it.
I still think it's very Subaru,
but I get what you're saying.
But my point being,
we really like the new Toyota system.
It's a marketed improvement
over the previous Toyota systems
that were also not good.
And think how much money they saved by borrowing it.
To the left of that screen,
your gauge screen is also an actual screen.
Again, about 12 inches,
a little bigger than 12 inches.
Customizable.
You can have it like a map up and adjust your speed.
You can do all kinds of cool stuff with it.
Like I said, fully digital.
The great thing about that is every Outback gets it.
You don't have to hop up into a higher trim level for it,
which is cool, right?
I think that's what Subaru is like.
I don't know.
The Everyman brand, right?
And the people that buy them,
I haven't seen surveys,
but I would be willing to say
they're probably the most faithful to that brand.
Any brand, maybe besides Toyota.
They have a great relationship with their customers,
and I think they actually listen to them
and give them what they want.
And their customers don't want anything
really drastically different.
I mean, they've been moving towards this in Outback
for a while,
and I noticed it because the step in height
kept getting a little higher.
The seating height kept getting a little higher.
All the things that sort of pushed you
towards the SUV.
And it got to the point where they basically
had to raise the roof in order to keep...
Raise the roof.
...to make sure that it was as comfortable
inside what you got there.
So, yeah, I mean, there's a lot of stuff I can touch on,
but I'm trying to just stick to the things
that really stuck out on my drive in Sedona,
which is, oh, my...
Like, it's so impossibly beautiful.
The pictures, it was gorgeous.
Literally, I thought I was walking through Disney World
because I'd been there before,
but I just forgot how beautiful it is.
Like, you can't...
You don't think that...
You don't think that anything can be that pretty.
Anyway, that aside,
so another thing Subaru does,
they offer a lot of safety.
iSight is standard.
That's their whole, like, basic suite of safety systems,
like Blind Spot Monitor,
Front Cross Traffic Alert,
Rear Cross Traffic Alert.
All your basic stuff that you essentially
assume cars have now,
they did add a...
I'm forgetting what they call it,
but it's hands-free driving on the highway
for top-trim levels,
which means on mapped roads,
they have to have been mapped by Subaru.
They have to be two-plus lanes.
You can take your hands off the wheel
as long as your eyes are on the road,
and it'll lane change for you if you signal...
So it's like Super Cruise and Blue Cruise.
Yeah, I mean, I got...
It's a level two-plus system.
I even confuse myself with the level two and plus.
Like, here's what happens.
When you get a top-trim Subaru outback,
you can drive hands-free
on certain highways that have two-plus lanes.
As long as you're looking at the road
and if you hit the turn signal,
it'll change lanes for you
without even touching your wheel.
As long as nothing is next to you.
As long as nothing's next to you.
We used it. It worked really well.
I don't tend to test these things really, really hard.
The other thing they brought up,
which, again, we're not going to test,
is in the event of an emergency situation,
you have some sort of medical situation
that keeps you from driving.
It will give you a bunch of alerts.
And if it senses you're not able to operate the vehicle
in that top trim, I believe,
it will take you to the side of the road
and get you off the road safely
and come do a complete stop.
And for those of you that have tried to keep up
with autonomous driving,
this is where we're headed.
Mapped roads that, basically,
you can do hands-free driving
with some assurances
that it's not going to take off on you
and get you off the road
if you're incapacitated.
I know there's still systems out there,
particularly from Tesla and Mercedes
that are reaching for the full autonomous on all roads,
but that's probably still quite a ways down the road.
I would love to find a way to test that.
Like, I would love to be a participant.
You have to go to California.
I think it's something we overlook,
and we probably shouldn't...
I mean, we shouldn't devote a lot of time
and a test to it,
because you just, like you said, you can't really test it,
but think about that scenario.
Something happens to you,
and that system could save your life
or multiple people's lives.
That's huge.
I did something like that,
an impromptu test
on the New Generation Supercruise,
and I basically took my hands off the wheel.
I was on a straight interstate highway
that was not a crowded day.
The vehicle was following the road fine,
and I let the warnings go off,
and it started to pull me eventually
to the right side of the road.
I intervened at that point,
but my humble, non-scientific test was,
hey, you know, this probably does work the way they say.
I'm pretty sure it even, like, calls emergency services.
Yes, it does.
And that's always the if you didn't want to call emergency people
while you're still basically, you know,
under control of the vehicle.
I should mention Subaru's not the first brand to do this.
Other brands do it, but it just felt like it struck me this time.
And it's now starting like we talked about everything else
to work its way down.
Yeah, it's not in a Mercedes, it's not in a BMW.
And Subaru has a reputation with all of their eyesight safety
of actually doing it better than almost anybody else.
They take safety very seriously.
Back to before, you know,
I don't want to take up time from Alex's cool car.
We talk about taking your hands off the wheel,
but they actually have a new steering, not new steering system.
They've adopted the WRX, where it's a double-pinion setup.
That may sound like whatever to you,
but I actually, that was the first thing I noticed
was how much better the steering feels.
It's not like a good steering feel.
It wouldn't be hard, you know.
Yeah, that's right, because it wasn't great.
But whatever they did, man, like, it feels much better.
You don't feel the road, but it's direct, it's fast.
It just, having driven lots of outbacks, it was very nice.
Useful things like a hammock in the back.
So you know the cargo cover that's typically like a firm,
sort of flexible, like a slide, which I hate.
They were like, well, why don't we just make it
like a flexible fabric thing
that you can have multiple anchor points.
So you can have it like a traditional cover
where you pull the, essentially, it's a sheet.
It's like a...
It's like a jersey sheet.
Yeah, like a flexible, like a...
A fitted sheet is kind of an idea.
So you can pull it all the way back,
cover up your cargo that you don't want people to see.
What I thought was cool, as somebody who goes
every week to the grocery store with the whole family,
you can move those points forward,
and it creates a little hammock.
So you buy all your heavy stuff.
You have like watermelons.
You have your milk and stuff on the bottom.
And you put your chips and your easily breakable things.
It's not going to get crushed if something rolls around.
Right, and it can't be like heavy heavy
because it can only hold like maybe like 12 pounds
and whatever that is.
Not heavy, but think about it.
You put all your heavy stuff down below.
You put some chips and some bread up in that little hammock
and they have a nice little ride while everything else.
I think that actually sounds really cool.
Which is, again, it's like super-oo being super-oo.
Yeah, that's really cool.
And then the seats were my last takeaway.
Well, I could keep going.
Seats really comfortable.
They anchored them to the chassis.
I don't know...
I've never heard of that before.
I don't know how common that is,
but they anchored the seats directly to the chassis.
And if that makes a difference...
I wonder what that means.
Maybe that's why I felt so good at the end of the day
because it was comfortable.
I mean, the seats are always screwed through to the floor pan,
so I wonder what that actually means.
No, but this is like directly to the...
I don't know.
I can't...
I didn't go like pulling them apart.
It must go into...
I don't know, cross members or hard point...
Yeah, yeah.
What they call hard points.
Of the frame, yeah.
Which has had left over really long screws.
Yeah.
Lots of off-roading.
X mode is their low-speed off-road mode,
essentially, with their...
It works with their symmetrical all-wheel drive system, downhill descent.
We did some really...
I thought they were taking us off trails,
and it was basically just a smooth dirt road.
And I'm like, is this all they're going to do for us?
And little did I know we were driving with one of their PR people.
And she's like, it's going to get tougher.
I'm like, yeah, sure, whatever.
And then we got to a point where I'm like,
oh, I'm surprised they don't have spotters out here.
Yeah.
Because we could have easily punctured tires
if we didn't take the right route.
And as you'd expect, I mean, 8.7 inches of ground clearance
didn't have any issues with that.
Their all-wheel drive system is so good
at putting power where it needs to be,
and the lack of slip is just incredible on some of those.
I mean, there's a reason why Subaru is known
for its all-wheel drive, because stuff like that.
There is a wilderness coming out.
There are even more off-road oriented
with a little more ground clearance.
But I don't think that's coming out until after the new year
while this outback is on sale now.
It starts at $36,000, goes all the way up to just under $50,000.
So it can get pretty expensive.
But also for $36,000, you get quite a bit.
Yeah, I remember the average price of a vehicle now,
so well over $50,000.
Well, thanks, Greg.
That was a very thorough report.
And before we move on to Alex and his cool Dodge Charger 6-pack,
I do want to take just a moment to thank the sponsors
of this podcast and of All Things Motor Week.
That's Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper,
and the folks over at TireRack.com.
We know our viewers and our listeners
and everybody on the staffs of Motor Week
appreciate your dedication to All Things Motor Week.
You know, Alex, if I was a product planner
or designer at Dodge and Stellantis,
I'd be suffering a little bit of whiplash
when it comes to muscle cars.
I mean, over the last decade, even less,
they've had to turn their attention away from Hemi V8
to being all electric and now back to ICE again,
internal combustion engines for those of you
they haven't kept up.
Fortunately, the Dodge Charger is still with us,
so that's a good thing.
And it looks like for the foreseeable future,
it's going to have a place in their lineup.
But tell us about what's going on with the Charger 6-pack.
And at the end of this discussion,
I want you to tell us a little bit
about what you think might come next.
Yeah, so you guys messed up sending me on this event
because I have a lot of thoughts on this car,
and so I could just talk about this all day.
I already don't stop talking on the podcast.
You've got about 12 minutes.
All right, start the timer.
So we've already road tested this generation of Charger,
this new one, but that was the Daytona.
That was the battery electric version of it.
You can tell I'm talking faster.
This, and we always knew this was coming.
This is almost on the table.
I'm going to start piecing around the studio.
I was just messing with you.
A fast car requires fast delivery.
Now, we always knew this was coming.
This is the 6-pack internal combustion version of it.
Stop right there.
From the beginning, they said there was both
going to be an EV version and an internal combustion
on this chassis.
Yes, we've always known this was coming,
and it's finally here.
Unlike the old days, where 6-pack
referred to the number of barrels in the carburetors,
you had top on your big 440 block,
this actually just refers to the cylinder count.
It's the Stellantis Group's Hurricane 3-liter twin-turbo
inline 6, which we have seen in a number of products,
and they have used it here.
And I would say, too, pretty good effect.
Those turbochargers, they build up to 30 PSI of boost,
which is pretty nuts.
Here in the scat pack, which is what I drove,
that's the high output version of this 3-liter unit.
550 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque,
which on paper is, I would say,
certainly enough power for a muscle car.
There is going to be a standard output version of it.
That is going to be the RT.
That's later availability.
420 horsepower, 468 pound-feet of torque,
which is, I would still say, plenty.
That's twice what we saw in muscle cars of the 80s.
Right, exactly.
Now, the thing with this,
they kind of talked about the engine a bit,
and then once we drove it, I should say,
I went to Knoxville, Tennessee, to drive this,
and the first thing we drove was Tail of the Dragon,
which, if you don't know, is a fabled American driving road,
11 miles, over 300 curves.
Putting a Dodge Charger on that,
like I got the invite and was like, you're deranged.
That's like bull in a China shop,
but it's really not that bad.
So I took it out there.
This engine, they talk about it where you can feel,
from 2500 RPM, you feel 88% of peak torque,
and then from 3 grand to 6 grand, you're feeling over 90.
So it's got this kind of good low-end pickup,
and then it kind of just continues the pull.
So on a road like that, where you are,
it's a big vehicle.
I'll get to that in a second.
It's a very big vehicle, so you're slowing down
for a lot of these corners,
but then you can kind of rock it right out of them.
And then we were on some longer roads
that had more sweeping curves.
That's where you can really feel it.
This inline-six does absolutely pack a punch.
Sound, probably about 65%,
maybe 75% as good as a Hemi.
It doesn't sound bad.
A lot of people were making comparisons to a BMW,
or like a B58 kind of thing.
It barks when you shift.
It's got a little bit of growl to it.
It's not quite where the Hemi's at.
So this is also tethered to an eight-speed automatic.
It's fine. It keeps up with you.
There's weird things with the charger
when it comes to ergonomics.
They do a lot of things right,
and then they kind of miss the mark a little bit,
and the transmission's one of them,
because the transmission is good.
They gave it paddle shifters, rightfully so,
but the paddles are too small.
That's always been a problem with them.
The brakes are excellent.
There are Rambo six-piston fronts,
380-millimeter discs, like lots of stopping power,
but the brake pedal feels weird if you left foot brake.
I wore big boots,
but the toe of my shoe was like clipping the pedal
every time I came off the dead pedal.
Just weird things with the ergonomics.
Seats comfortable.
Could have used more bolstering.
But again, you're probably not driving roads
like Tail of the Dragon every day, so fair enough.
The big news with the powertrain,
other than the engine, is the all-wheel drive.
So every charger you can buy now,
whether it's the gas or the BEV that's still around,
it's going to come with all-wheel drive standard.
I think that's smart.
It is smart.
And it's normal delivery.
It's a 50-50 split with a front axle disconnect
so you can save a little bit on efficiency there.
Put it in sport mode.
You get a 40 power delivery to the front,
60 to the rear,
and at the touch of a button,
or technically a couple buttons, infotainment, whatever,
you can send 100% of torque to the rear wheels,
which is perfect for burnouts,
perfect for drifting,
which they let us do in an empty parking lot.
Legally, legally.
And that was fun.
But they also let us do eighth mile runs,
and I have the slips here to prove it.
Oh, look at this.
I've got the slips.
He just pulled it out of his pocket.
We are going to ignore the first run
where my reaction time was 3.7 seconds
that of a houseplant.
They were showing me the launch control on that one.
We're going to skip ahead to this one
where my reaction time was 2 tenths of a second.
And I ran the eighth in 8 seconds flat
at 90 miles per hour.
Now, they say in the quarter that this thing
will run 3.9 seconds 0 to 60.
Eventually, it will hit 12.2 seconds for the quarter.
That's pretty fast.
Yes, it is.
I would say that's very fast,
especially considering this thing weighs 4,800 pounds.
That's a well over triple digit top speed.
Oh, yeah.
And it's top speed if you've got enough runway
is 177 miles per hour for this gap pack.
But again, this is a very heavy vehicle.
4,800 pounds.
Six cylinder twin turbo, though.
I mean, that's pretty amazing.
It is.
So it's heavy.
It's also very large and dodge,
very much prides themselves on that.
It's like 206 inches long, 121 inch wheelbase,
and about 80 inches wide.
It's big, very much harkens back to the old chargers.
But you don't necessarily feel the heft.
I mean, the weight distribution is 55 front, 45 rear.
And my Mustang, I think, is like 53 front, 47 rear.
And that car feels a little heavier in the front.
I think this is because the way you sit in it,
this leads into the body style of it,
because this is a two door.
You sit very much in the center of this.
You still have a very long hood.
But the body that you get here is the same body you will get
with a four door.
Just obviously, the four door has the four doors.
This has two doors, dimensions, and everything else is the same.
When you got in it, did you still feel that you were in a modern charger?
Was your first impression a positive one, like I'm where I want to be?
It was because they've had some problems.
I mean, the EVs have not sold that well.
And a lot of people, I'm sure, are going to poo poo this because it's just a six.
Yeah, and I will wrap up with my thoughts on that in a minute.
But I do want to just comment on the interior.
If the exterior is very retro inspired,
I think the interior is more modern with just little hints of retro,
like the pistol grip shifter that's a throwback.
But you get these large displays.
You get, like I said, for the most part, very comfortable seats
and lots of room in there.
Like even in the two door, like I climbed in the back and I could fit
and I could probably sit back there for a while.
The lift back design is very practical.
The seats fold down for the rear.
You have lots of storage.
So I think if you're just looking at it from like a car,
like we're talking about stands, obviously this isn't small, it's very large,
but like this is something that you could drive every day and fit your family in.
And a lot of cargo too.
And a lot of stuff.
Yeah, you can put a whole lot of stuff in there.
And so with regards to just in a vacuum, like sitting inside of it,
like it was cool.
But then we get to the ultimate, you know, muscle car.
Is it?
Is it not?
What is a muscle car guy like me think about it?
This thing gets so close.
It gets so close.
But I'll try and I don't know if I can do it justice,
but let me try and explain why it just barely misses the mark because it's got the power.
Like on paper, it has the horsepower and the torque to be a muscle car,
sending all the power to the rear wheels to do burnouts, very muscle car-esque.
The size, I mean, land yacht, perfect.
But when you sit in it and like, I was getting looks all day.
I mean, the paint.
Sure it wasn't the mustache.
It wasn't the aviators either.
But I was getting looks all day.
You'll be proud or maybe disappointed to know I stood in the cold
and waited for them specifically to bring an extra orange one around for me so I could drive that that day.
Getting lots of looks.
You sit there at a light and, you know, you got one hand on the wheel
and the other hand on the shifter and you're like, it feels good.
When I get in my car every day, I get a taste of that a little bit more because of the V8.
The V8 is part of the muscle car experience to me.
And when I go over my parents' house and I start up the Mach 1, we have a 70 Mach 1,
that's where like you get the full, the course, right?
The thing about a muscle car is it's such a visceral experience to me.
It's something that like innately like stirs something inside of you.
And the speedometer can read zero.
You're sitting at a stoplight.
You got one hand on the wheel.
Your other hand on the shifter.
You're, you're sunken into that bucket seat.
Your teeth are chattering.
Your head's going back and forth in your ears.
All you can hear is, it's the greatest thing on this earth.
I don't care what anyone says.
And when someone rolls up next to you, they say, nice ride.
You pet the dash.
You know what you got.
It's awesome.
It's cool.
The other day I was driving my car and a mother rolled up next to me, her kids in the back.
She's like, my son loves your car.
Can you like give it a pull?
And I'm like, yeah, sure.
I'll give it a little pull.
Nothing dangerous.
Nothing crazy.
But I gave it a little, you know, because maybe you'll say like that, you know, muscle cars
are kind of childish and stuff like that.
But that's what makes them fun in this six pack.
It gets so close to that.
It's fun.
It's a riot.
It's two cylinders away from the muscle cars.
I think it needs a Hemi because when you look at it, you go, that needs a Hemi.
That's the thing.
I still love this car.
Like I would seriously consider buying one.
Like I think it looks great.
The six cylinder in today's day and age, I understand we don't necessarily need V8s.
But a muscle car is not something you buy because you need.
You buy it because you'll want it.
And I want a V8.
How much more fuel efficient is the six than the Hemi?
Greg, I was not paying attention to the fuel efficiency.
In the application of the trucks, I do remember when they threw this into the Grand Wagoneer,
it was probably about six miles per gallon more efficient.
It's substantial.
In the truck.
I don't know.
I have no idea how it's tuned in this vehicle.
It's certainly not the way I was driving.
I was dogging this thing.
I was having a ball.
I guess it's possible that you could probably get an additional five, six.
The way that these chassis are now and the Hemi is still in production, exactly how much
effort would it be for them to do that?
Well, it's funny you bring that up because the Hustle Stuff Drag Pack, which is a hyper-limited
charger that they put out for, it's not street legal, it's for NHRA racing, they crammed a
Hemi into that.
So I'm just saying.
I think it's going to happen.
We might get one.
I think it will.
It's definitely going to happen.
We saw it come back in the RAM.
They put it back in the RAM.
I think it was much easier to put in the RAM and I'm sure they're just trying to figure
out how to do it in the charger.
I want to say you did that very well.
You did about 14 minutes.
I'll take it.
I'll take it.
That was very well done.
A little over, but that's okay.
Nobody was going to stop you.
You were so charged.
You were charged up.
I'm all about the theatrics, if nothing else.
This is one podcast where I wish we did have the video on that.
Oh, yes, so everyone could see me pretending I'm at a stoplight.
Not only was you talking about the visceral experience, but watching you.
I'm a method.
I'm a drive one.
I think we're getting one in in a little bit.
We are.
And let's act.
Before we leave the car, let's talk a little bit about it.
I think this is great every time we get ready, every time I read somewhere.
The American car is dead.
The American muscle car is dead.
I said, don't count it out.
They're going to find a way to bring back that experience, and that's what these folks
are doing.
And they're not alone.
I have to commend them on that.
They are trying to do what they can to keep this segment going, and I love that.
I think it is a part of the American car culture that nobody that loves cars wants
to see go away.
And if they do, that just means we'll take something and stuff some bigger engine on
it with more power.
The fact you can get so much power with a smaller engine thanks to modern turbocharged
technology is terrific.
But sometimes there's no replacement for displacement, you know?
Amen.
Just the sound of it.
And you touched on it.
I think a lot of people buy it just for the sound of a Hemi.
So I'm really, I'm a little bit skeptical that it's going to sell better than the EV
because I think like three people bought a Daytona.
Yeah.
I saw a little bit of that.
I wonder if it's going to struggle a little bit compared to what they think, just because
of basically what you said, Alex, like I think people want a Hemi and like you can't talk
them into an inline six turbo.
And I have to wonder how many people are like me going, man, I love this.
This is super cool.
But I think they might put a Hemi in there and they will.
Oh, and I didn't say pricing really quick.
Starts at 52 with destination for the RT 57 for the Scat Pack, 62 for the Daytona
BEV, if you want it, and another two grand if you want a four door of any.
Got it. Done.
Oh, over 50 is going to be a hard sell, I feel like.
Yeah, because often this will appeal to folks that are young and basically have a little
bit more limited means.
But on the other hand, people like myself, who basically are trying to relive their
childhood every day or should say teenage years,
things they couldn't afford when they were young.
You never know.
But I do agree with you.
If they get a hint that a Hemi might come, they might wait.
I'd wait.
Thank you, sir.
And thanks for the performance.
I will make a fool out of myself in this podcast any day.
I know.
So we love.
Hey, you know, we folks, we have a staff full of hams and that's what makes this show
go so great.
We're going to wrap up our basically our the factual part, I think, of our podcast
today with a stop at the first big U.S.
Auto Show of the season, the 2025 LA Auto Show.
It is actually the media day is going on today as we are recording this.
And because of time differences between the East Coast, we don't have all the
information.
There's a few tidbits that have been held back.
So by the time you actually hear this, you may know a little bit more than we do,
but we can at least get the basics out.
Jessica, why don't you kick things off with what's new from Kia, which is arguably
the the biggest unveiling there?
Yeah, 2027 Kia Telluride.
I feel like we've all just were like, why did this take so long?
Twenty seven.
Well, they're skipping a twenty six.
OK, twenty six.
They're skipping it, which makes sense because they're unveiling it now.
I don't know.
I don't maybe it doesn't make sense.
But like, yeah, the Palisade, we've known about the Palisade since, like, I don't
know, the beginning of the year.
So for whatever reason, it took them much longer to do the tell you to unveil the
Telluride.
So right now it's it's got a lot of the same look to it, but it's even more
boxy than before.
And it kind of seems like it pulls from like the back is very Range Rover.
That's what everybody's so Range Rover.
They're going away.
They've let Hyundai with the Palisade kind of go to the a little sweeping curve,
shall we say, and they're going towards the Range Rover.
Let's stay boxy and purposeful looking.
Yeah, I mean, the front end is huge.
It the whole vehicle.
I hate to say I don't use this word, but bloated is kind of what comes to mind.
It looks like a bloated version of the one previous.
I haven't seen it in person.
So I'm going to reserve my final judgment until then.
What Alex is making.
I just saw the grill and it reminds me of like a tennis court in that the way it's
it's pretty big.
That grill is pretty big.
But what we do know is that while we've seen pictures of it already, the big news
is going to be the powertrains, which we know that it's going to get a hybrid version.
And it's still going to have a V six.
Still going to have a V six.
The big question, which they'll announce today is there are rumors that it will
maintain the older, the previous three point eight V six, while the Palisades
gone to a different engine at three point five, which
but we don't know that speculation.
Again, John and I were talking about this earlier.
The telluride is made in America.
The Palisade is made in Korea.
And they've Kia has said it will not be an identical powertrain choice.
Right. That we do know.
Also, a thing to note is that this will, the telluride also gets an X pro model.
So it's off roady thing.
That's really the vehicle that we've seen.
And I think maybe that's why I'm not vibing with its exterior so much, because
it's that the off roady ones, they're not to my taste, but maybe the gas powered
ones or in the hybrid will be a little more.
I come out of it as maybe the word.
You like it?
Yeah, I mean, I like it.
I like that color, which I'll try and describe to the listeners.
It's brown.
It's like copper.
Well, I got it wrong.
Sorry. But I like it.
It's kind of cool. Yeah.
But that's really all we know.
I mean, it gets a new interior that's actually kind of similar to the Palisade.
It's got that like couch, the sofa, sofa design.
That's a lot of the same that we've seen in some of the other key.
It looks looks a lot like the EV9 interior.
Yeah, they definitely match a bit.
So the and speaking of Hyundai, Hyundai also has something at the L.A.
show they've got in a new Ionic 6N.
So what do we know about that?
It's kind of we've seen it.
The concept has been doesn't have a hemi in it, does not have a hemi in it,
but it does get six hundred forty one horsepower with its dual motor system.
I know Greg was a big fan of the like shifting
technology that they had in the five end.
So the the six end will also get that.
They're saying Hyundai is saying a three point two second zero to sixty time.
Keep talking.
So that's pretty impressive.
For those of you who might not remember what the Ionic 6 is,
it's a very funky looking vehicle.
The electric stream liner.
It's it's it's a dam.
Yeah, it's what they called it.
That was is that right?
I'm pretty sure that's what they said.
I'm not that clever.
I've described it as it looks like a vacuum is sucking the back into it.
So like it looks like it's being pulled into a vacuum.
Yeah, but it's like more aerodynamic than the five.
So I think it'll probably be a bit better when it comes to performance.
People has had fun in the end.
I mean, and like they just make silly little fun cars
that you just can't help but have a good time.
That's it. Yeah, we don't really nothing.
Not just a few little changes to the interior.
And for the most part, I think it keeps a lot of the
like battery size that the normal six gets.
So expect this to probably have not the greatest range, but.
But more more fun, more fun, definitely more fun.
And the Nissan Rogue PHEV 2026.
I'm not what people not what people are expecting.
Probably in a rogue, Alex, if you want to kind of take it.
Do you like the Mitsubishi Outlander that we love? Exactly.
It's that's the thing. OK.
All right. The joke, it's an outlander with Nissan badging.
But we like the Outlander a lot.
I like the Outlander. Yes, we all do.
And we liked the plug in when we had it.
Yep. I would say if I can borrow the headline I wrote,
it's a not so outlandish approach.
It is roguishly handsome. All right, I'm done.
But no, it's we need to stop and tell people what we're we're
talking about a vehicle.
Mitsubishi is in partnership with Nissan has been for a while.
We we are and the Mitsubishi Outlander is based on the Rogue
chassis. Correct. Yes.
But this time, but they look very different.
But this time, Nissan has adapted almost the entire look,
feel, interior, everything of the Outlander for this PHEV.
Yes, folks, if you're thinking badge engineering,
that is probably what we're seeing here.
I think it's so they could get it to the market very rapidly.
And and give their dealer something their dealers need.
Yeah, and I mean, there's nothing wrong with that.
Yeah, I mean, like we keep saying it, like we really enjoyed our
Outlander or our Outlander PHEV.
We have an Outlander right now that we also really enjoy.
And like one of the things that I kind of take away from that
is for its segment, I mean, there's a lot of volume in there.
There's a lot of room. It's very comfortable.
You can fit adults in there in both rows.
And there's the third row and they call it a compact.
But yeah, I mean, that's stretching it a bit.
But it is like it's it is like a very competent package.
So we've really liked specifically the plug in, too.
I mean, it's 38 miles of all electric range.
We felt like even if you weren't using the electric range, it was very
had plenty of power.
It was still pretty efficient.
We thought the CVT was pretty good on it.
I took it on long trips that I normally would never take anything that small on.
Very good comfort.
And I think, like, you know, at a time where Nissan is putting haptics and things,
I think this retains a lot of like the physical controls for climate and stuff like that.
So I think people will like that.
More importantly, there are a lot more Nissan dealers than there are Mitsubishi.
I was just going to say, if you wanted a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV,
but couldn't find one, now you have it because you can actually go to a Nissan dealership.
Chances are you don't have a Mitsubishi dealership near you.
What's interesting now that we should make note of is that this is just
for the plug-in hybrid version of the Rogue.
Any other Rogue, a gas Rogue, is the same.
Like, that's the same similar body style.
It's a Rogue.
It's a Rogue.
It's what we've seen for, what, two years now.
But it is a little silly thinking.
The Outlander took from the Rogue.
Just because it hasn't happened in a while.
I mean, like, look at like Chevy.
Do you remember, like, Tahoe's and Yukon are identical, identical for a long time.
The only difference is a grille, literally.
And from a manufacturing standpoint, you've got a factory that's set up to
build the Mitsubishi Outlander.
Now, basically, you put a different grille on it and a couple of badges.
You get efficiencies.
You keep costs down and you're going to have a bigger dealer network to distribute it.
It's really a win-win all the way around.
Looking forward to the Nismo version.
Wouldn't that be something that could make a real impact in a good way.
Finally, from LA, the 2026 Jeep Recon.
And I'm going to actually, who would like to take that?
I mean, I saw it.
She Jessica is a Jeep lady and she saw it.
So give us the low down.
It is what I think is kind of like a cross between a Wrangler and a Grand Cherokee.
So it has a lot of the vibe that you want from a Wrangler that like open air
experienced, the doors can come off.
And also the rear glass can come off of like the behind the behind the sea
pillar and the and stuff.
There's a rear quarter glass.
Yes, the rear quarter glass can call come off.
And it does have like a Sky One touch available power top that you can get on it.
Because while the top isn't removable, you can kind of basically make it as close as possible.
But it's not quite as full throttle as a Wrangler would be.
It kind of like, you know, how the Grand Cherokee has it's got a standard four by four system,
but they have like drive modes in it, you know, like a rock mode.
And, you know, the Wrangler is just pure, like low or, you know, higher, higher low
in in the Grand Cherokee, you know, have some delineation between that.
So it's a lot more electronics.
And it's a bit more, let's say, friendly to like a beginner, stuff like that.
So it's a lot of that.
I didn't mention its most important aspect, which is that it's all electric,
which is kind of like the we just saw a lot of people go honky.
Yeah, it's it's specs are odd.
I think this is the second EV Jeep.
Second EV Jeep. Total EV Jeep.
Correct. The Wagoneer S, which was really like a street.
It's really a street EV.
I mean, you could probably do some very like a gravel trail on it.
But you know, not trail rated, not trail rated at all.
So this one is actually trail rated.
So you could take it to Moab, which that is one of the trims.
And that's the launching trim.
It's called the Jeep Recon Moab.
650 horsepower, 620 pound feet of torque.
It just feels excessive.
Seems like a lot in this trim.
It goes up to 230 miles on a single charge.
Other trims coming later, we'll see up to 250 miles.
It's a 100 kilowatt hour battery pack, which, you know, we've all talked about it.
If you're going, say you're in California and you're going to go out
to the desert to do some real offroading, you know, what do you do when you get there?
They better be some high speed charging along the way.
I do hope that like the power is compensating for like maybe the electric
motors aren't working as hard as they would be.
So like you could go off road, not it would be maybe a little bit more efficient
and so that you could like be able to go somewhere off road, then drive.
I feel like they should they should rate range on the trail.
Like they should have to run Moab and be like, how far, how many times can you run
this trail on one charge?
Well, you know, a lot of off road trails are not very long.
Not long. They just feel long because they're going three miles an hour.
Exactly. So, you know, it might be thoroughly enough.
And there was a plan to put from Solantis to put chargers at trail heads.
Yes, they're still, I think, well, how that went.
I don't know if they're still doing that.
But maybe they are with the release of the recon.
Hopefully when we go drive it for the first time, we get to at least fuel it up to.
But here in the east, where you have more chargers, you know, in the crowded areas
and you have access to things in our like the Appalachian Mountains
and the Smoky Mountains, where there are some off roading places you can go.
You want to be out of the PA or something.
You know, there's off road, I keep, I want to say camps,
but that's you get what I mean, trails that you can pay to go into.
This would be fine because you probably got a Costco 15 miles or a Walmart,
you know, 10 miles down the road.
This got chargers. So yeah.
And I would be very interested to see what the charging curve is on this
because they said five to 80 percent in 28 minutes.
Wow. If you've got a fast enough charger.
Yeah. But it's a 400 volt architecture.
So I don't know.
Sounds like maybe the battery tech in it is pretty decent.
But what did you think about the rest of the vehicle?
You like the exterior?
Like the fact it's kind of a good.
Yeah. Very boxy.
It's different than what anything else they've done before.
Yeah. And like I said, like it pulls a lot of stuff from the Wrangler.
Like the front bumper is protrudes.
So, you know, if you were to off-road it, you would be protecting a lot
of the front grill area, which I think less so in something like a grand
Cherokee, which is still incredibly capable.
They, I mean, I think if you're looking at like who you're competing against,
like, I don't know, if somebody's like Jeep Recon or Rivian R1S.
I mean, granted, the R1S is a three row.
But this is also pretty spacious, even though it doesn't have a third row.
Like this second row had plenty of room and the cargo area had a lot of room, too.
I'm sorry. I would not take a Rivian off-road.
I just wouldn't. It's too big.
But like, I mean, I think it's interesting.
I think it's a hard. I do think it's a hard sell.
But I do think at least the Moab trim, it's $65,000, but it's pretty plush.
You know, globally, though, it could be a very smart vehicle, a very good vehicle,
globally, because go ahead, $100 a horsepower.
But yeah, it's yeah, I mean, like, first, I'll say something snarky.
One of the bliss of EV driving is that they're very quiet.
So if you've wanted to ruin that by putting big off-road tires on it
and then taking the doors off so you can really hear them, you can do that with this.
That being said, I really like the Recon.
I think it looks pretty rad.
And like we're talking about, I'll tell you why in a second.
Is it because it's big and boxy?
I'll tell you, just keep going.
All right, OK, here we go.
Ready for this.
I almost don't want to say.
I know exactly what you're going to say.
No, I mean, I think it's cool.
It doesn't really have a lot of competitors.
And like, I'm not really sold on the whole like taking it off-road thing.
The most reconnaissance this will probably do is a Walmart parking lot.
Probably all.
That and you'll look really cool.
That's fine.
I mean, like there's a lot of Jeep Wranglers out there doing the same.
Right, exactly.
Like, I just I want to see a more like I don't understand why they put out
like the $65,000 one first.
If this was $40,000, I'd be like, this is awesome.
Like, sweet.
It seems to be the way manufacturers do it.
They want to put out the one with all the bells and whistles first.
That's really my only right.
I do think it's kind of rad.
Yeah. All right.
So here's the reveal.
Look at a picture of it on your phone and then put your thumb over the grill.
Is it because and I made a comparison the other day to what I thought it looked
like I spelled Jeep wrong in my phone.
I should just turn in my automotive.
Well, I'm going to save you time.
It looks like a Bronco.
Oh, OK. Yeah. Oh, yeah.
No, it does.
It looks much closer to a Bronco than a Wrangler.
I wanted an EV Wrangler.
Like I'm not a huge Wrangler fan and I've always wanted after driving the four by
E, I'm like, you know what, like driving around silently in a Wrangler kind of
makes sense to me like a two door that would be sneaking up on nature.
And like this doesn't look like a like I truly think the boxy shape of it
looks more like a Bronco, like a Ford Bronco than a Jeep.
I see. I didn't think you were right about that.
That's why I'm bringing your subconscious.
It's I was going to say subconscious because consciously I said,
I look at the rear quarter and I kind of think like Defender and I really like the
Defender. It's got Defender vibes, too, for sure.
How many SUVs are we comparing to like, oh, it's just like a Land Rover now.
What's cool?
It has the spare tire mounted on the back, which is great.
So does the Bronco.
So does the Bronco.
So does the Wrangler.
What the Bronco doesn't have a seven slot grill.
And it's aluminum.
That's what I said. Put your phone.
Yeah. It's aluminum.
Well, you know, one thing I will also mention about the Recon
that also has to do with the 2026 Wrangler is that they've redesigned
the hinges on the doors so that now for both the Recon and the Wrangler,
you can remove them without using any tools.
So no, there's no bolts in the hinge anymore.
So what's kind of cool?
I like using my tools for things.
But apparently you just like unplug it on under the safety strap.
And you just, you know, I think tilt, you know, open it completely
and you can just pull it right up and the glass is the same way.
The glass just literally pops out.
It's all very simple.
So I do appreciate the effort that Jeep has made to make that experience
the easiest as possible, because as a Jeep owner, there is nothing worse.
I have not taken my doors off in years because mine also aren't
the aluminum ones that they have now that are super lightweight.
But they're they're such a pain. It's such a pain.
But boy, do you see a lot of people driving around with just a net or nothing.
Yeah, there.
But then they also did not, which I do think is odd.
And Alex and I talked about this.
This is what the Bronco does correctly.
The Bronco mounts the side mirrors to the body.
So you take off the doors, you no longer have side mirrors.
And in many states, I would argue most states that is against the law.
So you'd have to clip something else on anyway.
So did you know on that phone out there?
Right. Yeah.
Put your camera around.
Yeah, that's perfect dangling out with your glass anyway.
So I might as well use it for good.
I think this we have we're getting off track here,
so it's probably a good time to wrap this up.
And like I said, by the time you actually hear this podcast,
you'll probably get a few more details of what happened
today at the 2025 LA Auto Show.
But right now I'm going to wrap things up and remind everyone listening
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And it would not be a motor week podcast without time for a rant and rave.
And we were sort of doing that.
I don't know that we need one, John.
I think I can always pop off.
But you know, we've been gone for quite a minute now.
Give me 30 seconds. OK, all right.
Can we stop with all the like, is this the first look of the 2026
Subaru brat? And it's like, no, it's not.
It's a rendering someone came up with because I got four.
Well, it was before AI.
And now we've got AI making it worse.
I saw one today. Is this the 2026 Mustang
dark horse and it looks like a Ford GT.
And I'm like, it's not the dude from the Simpsons.
Worst worst thing ever.
Yeah, I don't want to be. Yeah, I guess.
Worst rant ever.
It's just it's it's a lazy and it's like it's fun to imagine.
No, no, it's confusing.
It's fun to imagine.
It would be so cool if Subaru made the Baja again.
I would buy one in a heartbeat.
Don't quote me on that.
But like, stop with the fake stuff.
It's all over.
Stop all.
It's not just that it's movie trailers.
I even got sucked into one of the one about the next double oh seven.
Oh, that's.
It's all.
Yeah, this is a.
The believe and it looks so it sounded so smart.
No, it's so convincing.
This is why we should mention to our people before we finish off.
We are on his AI, actually.
We should mention that for five years.
Oh, the secret is out.
We we don't do AI.
We don't use AI.
We will never report if if you don't see it on our site,
it's probably not real.
Yeah, I think that literally never even tried.
I think that's because my wife talks about it all the time.
And I'm like so philosophically against it that I I like I'm curious.
Don't get me wrong, but I'm sorry.
But we're we pride ourselves not only in the visuals
that we take so much painstaking time to record,
but in the written word that goes with them.
And we are journalists.
I sometimes don't like to use that word
because we are such enthusiasts about cars.
But we are journalists.
We write everything that we speak and we videotape everything that we show.
And that's our mantra.
And that's the way it's going to be because we like it.
Yeah. And also, it is weak.
I mean, we do have like PBS rules against.
Yeah, now, you know, and PBS is great about a whole podcast.
Things for AI could actually benefit.
I got that. We're not going to do that.
OK, thank you, Greg Carlos.
Thank you, Alex Kellum.
Thank you, Jessica Ray.
Thank you, everybody out there for listening today.
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I'm John Davis.
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About this episode
The latest MotorWeek podcast dives into first drives of the 2026 Dodge Charger SIXPACK, Subaru Outback, and Nissan Sentra. The team discusses the Sentra's sleek redesign and improved features, including enhanced safety tech and a more spacious interior. The Outback is reimagined as a true SUV, boasting a modern interior and advanced safety systems. The Charger SIXPACK showcases a powerful twin-turbo inline-six engine, delivering impressive performance on iconic roads like Tail of the Dragon. The episode also covers highlights from the 2025 LA Auto Show, including new models from Kia and Jeep.
2.0-liter I-4
adaptive cruise control
Audi
blind spot intervention
central display
CVT
digital instrument cluster
General Motors
horsepower
IIHS ratings
Chevrolet Tahoe
Dodge Charger
Ford Bronco
Ford GT
Honda Civic
Hyundai Palisade
Jeep Cherokee
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep Grand Wagoneer
Jeep Recon
Jeep Wagoneer
Jeep Wrangler
Kia EV9
Land Rover Defender
Land Rover Range Rover
Mercedes-Benz SL
Mitsubishi Outlander
Nissan Altima
Nissan Leaf
Nissan Murano
Nissan Rogue
Nissan Sentra
Nissan Versa
Rivian R1S
Subaru Brat
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Subaru WRX
Tesla Model S
Toyota Corolla
Original notes
In Podcast #366, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew dive into some very recent first drives with some very important new models. Greg starts things off with a west-coast adventure in the all-new 2026 Subaru Outback, which officially leaves it’s wagon identity behind. Then Jessica recalls her recent time in Nissan’s longest running nameplate, the Sentra. And Alex gets passionate about his time on the Tail of the Dragon driving the Hurricane-powered Dodge Charger. Does it really need a HEMI now? Then we recap what we know of the 2025 Los Angeles Auto Show.
(This episode was recorded before the LA Auto Show announcements, so we want to correct that the 2027 Kia Telluride’s standard powertrain is a 2.5L Turbo-4.)
MotorWeek
Television's Original Automotive Magazine
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