Car Keys with Robin Leech and Jay de Marcken – April 13, 2026

The New York Auto Show is a major North American event where automakers debut new vehicles, concepts, and technologies. For listeners, it’s a useful context clue for why certain cars and features are being discussed—because show coverage often focuses on what’s newly announced or highlighted to the press.

Press passes are credentials that let journalists and media attend events like auto shows on designated days. They often come with access to briefings, speaker sessions, and early viewing, which can shape what information gets shared and when.

Auto shows commonly run press days before public opening, giving media time to attend organized sessions and preview vehicles. The timing matters because announcements and “first look” impressions can differ between press and public days.

Public days are the portions of an auto show open to general attendees. Compared with press days, they tend to be more crowded and less tightly controlled, which affects how people experience displays and presentations.

Subaru is a Japanese automaker known for its all-wheel-drive systems and boxer engines. In press/public events, Subaru displays often highlight new models, tech features, and driving impressions.

Hyundai is a major South Korean automaker that frequently showcases new vehicles and technology at auto events. Their presence in the segment suggests the show had multiple brand-specific display areas running on a schedule.

Kia is a South Korean automaker that commonly participates in auto show press days with model and feature presentations. The mention here is about how the event was organized across different brand displays.

Ford is an American automaker that typically uses auto events to highlight new trucks, SUVs, and technology. In this segment, Ford is one of several brands with scheduled presentations at their display.

Toyota is a major automaker that commonly participates in auto shows with model reveals and press presentations. Here, it’s mentioned as another scheduled brand stop in the speaker’s itinerary.

The Genesis G90 is a large luxury sedan from Genesis, built to deliver a high-end driving and comfort experience. It’s significant because it represents Genesis’s flagship approach to quietness, refinement, and upscale features. It may be mentioned in a discussion of the brand’s lineup, including special body styles like a shooting brake variant.

“Hyundai Genesis” refers to the Genesis luxury brand that originated under Hyundai’s umbrella. The Genesis G90 (and related variants) is part of that lineup, which is why the conversation may connect Hyundai and Genesis when listing vehicles. In a podcast, it’s often brought up as a way to describe the luxury models associated with the Genesis name.

A two-door convertible is a car with two doors and a roof that can be lowered, turning it into an open-air vehicle. Convertibles often have higher production complexity and can be more expensive to maintain than hardtop models, which can affect how brands allocate inventory and marketing.

Cadillac is General Motors’ luxury brand, and it’s often associated with large sedans and SUVs. The speaker’s point here is about which brands were represented at the show, implying Cadillac wasn’t present.

BMW is a German automaker known for performance-oriented vehicles and a strong dealer network. Mentioning BMW alongside other brands sets the context for how many different manufacturers were represented at the display.

Audi is a German automaker known for premium vehicles and Quattro all-wheel-drive systems. The speaker includes Audi in the set of brands that had multiple cars represented at the show.

Mercedes-Benz (often shortened to “Mercedes”) is a German luxury automaker. The segment uses it as part of a list of brands that were represented at the event.

The Ford Mustang is a long-running American pony car line. The speaker references multiple Mustang variations, emphasizing that even when sales volumes are small, the model lineup still attracts attention.

GM refers to General Motors, which owns brands like Chevrolet, Cadillac, and Buick. The speaker later specifically mentions Chevrolet and Cadillac, using GM as the umbrella for how the company’s brands were (or weren’t) represented.

VW is shorthand for Volkswagen, which competes across sedans, crossovers, and EVs. The speaker says Volkswagen was disappointing because it didn’t have anything new or exciting to offer at the event.

Chevrolet is GM’s mainstream brand, and the speaker says GM had a substantial display of Chevrolet vehicles. This is an example of how one GM brand showed up strongly even if other GM brands were less visible.

The Toyota Land Cruiser is a long-running, body-on-frame SUV famous for durability and off-road ability. The speaker is positioning Hyundai’s concept as a future competitor to this kind of rugged, truck-based SUV.

“Body-on-frame” describes a vehicle architecture where the body is mounted on a separate ladder frame. It’s common in rugged SUVs and trucks because it can handle towing and rough-road use well, and it often supports off-road hardware.

The Jeep Cherokee is a compact-to-midsize SUV known for its Jeep branding and available off-road-oriented trims. Here, the discussion focuses on interior components and how the newest models feel/are finished compared to expectations.

“Cigar”/“cigarette lighter” outlets are the classic 12V accessory sockets used to power devices and accessories. Even when the lighter element is gone, many cars keep the same-style outlet for charging and powering electronics.

A “dead battery” is when the vehicle’s battery can’t provide enough electrical power to start the engine or run systems. The speaker is highlighting how difficult it is to locate the battery and the correct jump-start connections in the newer Cherokee.

Jumper cables are used to jump-start a vehicle with a dead battery by connecting it to a running car or a jump starter. The speaker specifically mentions the need to find the positive and negative connection points for safe, correct jump-starting.

“Shooting break” is a British term for a sporty, often more stylish take on a wagon. It usually implies a longer-roof, fastback-like profile and a more premium or performance-oriented vibe than a typical family estate wagon.

The Hyundai Santa Fe is a mainstream midsize SUV, and the hosts use it as an example of a “square-back” design—more upright and boxy than a traditional wagon. The comparison highlights how body shape affects whether something reads as a wagon versus an SUV.

Auto shows are large public events where automakers display current models, concepts, and new technology. The discussion focuses on whether traditional auto shows are losing relevance and how they might evolve—especially in Europe and through press coverage and online clips.