Best of The New York Auto Show
The GAS: An American Cars And Racing Podcast
The GAS: An American Cars And Racing Podcast Apr 1, 2026
Best of The New York Auto Show

Best of The New York Auto Show

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Best of The New York Auto Show
Hyundai Boulder
Car

Hyundai Boulder

The Hyundai Boulder is a concept car, meaning it’s not necessarily for sale yet. It’s basically Hyundai showing what a future truck/SUV could look like and how it might be built.

Car

Hyundai Crater concept

Hyundai also showed another concept called the Crater last year. It’s meant to look and feel like an off-road vehicle, and it helps explain where the Boulder concept is coming from.

Concept

body on frame

Body-on-frame means the car has a sturdy “skeleton” (frame) underneath, and the body bolts to it. It’s often used for trucks and off-road vehicles because it’s tougher for rough roads.

Jeep Wrangler
Car

Jeep Wrangler

The Jeep Wrangler is an off-road SUV with a very boxy shape. It’s designed to go on rough trails, and it’s known for being popular with people who modify their vehicles. The podcast compares sizing and off-road intent to the Wrangler.

Term

powertrain

The powertrain is everything that makes the vehicle move—like the engine or electric motors and the parts that send power to the wheels. If they haven’t said it yet, you don’t know how it will drive or how efficient it will be.

Term

hybrid

A hybrid uses both a gas engine and an electric motor. The electric part can help with efficiency and sometimes makes the car feel more responsive at low speeds.

Hyundai Elantra
Car

Hyundai Elantra

The Hyundai Elantra is a compact sedan, meaning it’s a smaller car with a separate trunk. The podcast says it’s staying in the lineup for now. That’s important for people who want a sedan instead of switching to an SUV.

Hyundai Sonata
Car

Hyundai Sonata

The Hyundai Sonata is a regular sedan, meaning it’s a car with a separate trunk. The podcast says it’s expected to stop after the current generation. That matters to people who want a sedan instead of an SUV.

Hyundai Genesis
Car

Hyundai Genesis

Hyundai Genesis is Hyundai’s luxury vehicle brand. The podcast says Genesis started with two sedan models, meaning it began as a car-focused luxury lineup. They’re bringing it up to explain the brand’s beginnings and growth.

Ford Bronco
Car

Ford Bronco

The Ford Bronco is Ford’s rugged, off-road SUV. The host is saying it pulled buyers away from the Jeep Wrangler when it came back.

Toyota 4Runner
Car

Toyota 4Runner

The Toyota 4Runner is a rugged SUV that’s often chosen for off-road capability and long-term durability. The host is saying it competes for some of the same buyers as the Bronco and Wrangler.

Term

nameplates

A “nameplate” is basically the car’s model name, like Expedition. Some people really like that name and keep buying that kind of vehicle.

Concept

Bicentennial versions of everything

“Bicentennial” refers to the 1976 U.S. celebration of 200 years since the Declaration of Independence. In automotive terms, it often shows up as special edition paint, decals, and patriotic-themed trim—an old-school marketing approach that this segment contrasts with today’s more conservative color choices.

Concept

black on black

“Black on black” means the car is mostly different shades of black—like black paint with black trim. The speaker thinks it looks safe and doesn’t add much color.

Term

fascia and grille

The fascia is the front body panel area (including parts of the bumper and surrounding structure), while the grille is the opening that typically houses cooling components and styling. Together, they’re major elements of a car’s “front-end” look and are often changed during a refresh.

Term

light bar

A light bar is a long strip of lights, usually LED, that gives the car a signature look. It’s common on newer cars because it looks sleek and modern.

Brand

Subaru

Subaru is a car brand that’s especially known for cars that can drive well in bad weather thanks to all-wheel drive. Here, they’re basically saying Subaru wasn’t part of the EV momentum being discussed.

Brand

Kia

Kia is a car brand that’s working hard to add more electric vehicles and update its SUV lineup. Here, they’re talking about Kia’s new models at the auto show.

Concept

EVs

EVs are cars that use electricity stored in a battery instead of gas. The big question here is whether enough people will want one—especially based on how much distance it can go.

Concept

range

“Range” is how far an EV can drive on a full charge, usually measured in miles. The hosts argue that lower-range trims are harder to sell because buyers compare them to higher-range options and expect more than ~300 miles.

Term

buttons and knobs

Buttons and knobs are the physical controls you can feel and press without looking. The hosts are saying people didn’t love the touchscreen-only approach, so Volkswagen may add more physical controls back.

Honda Pilot
Car

Honda Pilot

The Honda Pilot is a family SUV that many people cross-shop. They’re listing it as one of the big-name competitors in the same size class.

Kia Telluride
Car

Kia Telluride

The Telluride is a midsize family SUV. The speaker is basically saying it’s one of the cars buyers compare against.

Hyundai Palisade
Car

Hyundai Palisade

The Palisade is another popular midsize family SUV. They’re listing it as a competitor in the same market.

Concept

gateway vehicle

A “gateway vehicle” is a lower-cost model that helps a brand attract new customers and build loyalty. The speaker uses the Jetta as an example of how VW brings buyers into the brand before they move up to sportier or higher-performance models.

Volkswagen GLI
Car

Volkswagen GLI

The GLI is the sportier Jetta. It’s meant to be more fun to drive, but it usually costs less than the top-tier performance VWs.

Brand

Infinity

The host is discussing Infiniti’s brand direction and how it’s perceived in the market. They mention shared platform relationships with Nissan, positioning Infiniti’s current design/feature strategy as a way to regain momentum.

Concept

car of the year type thing

“Car of the year” is a big award idea in auto media. When they say “car of the year type thing,” they mean this new car feels like it could be a standout headline.

Concept

debut

In auto-show language, a “debut” means the first major public reveal of a new vehicle or major update. The speaker notes it’s a debut even if it was previously shown privately or revealed earlier, because this is the first time the public is seeing it.

Concept

media day

“Media day” is the press-focused portion of an auto show where journalists get early access to vehicles before the general public arrives. The speaker contrasts what’s available to media versus what customers will see later, and how quickly the day can feel like it’s over.

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