Ep. 312: The BEST And WORST New Cars At The 2025 LA Auto Show!
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57:27
Car
Ford Mustang GTD
The Ford Mustang GTD is a special version of the Mustang sports car that focuses on performance and speed. It's part of Ford's efforts to create exciting cars that enthusiasts love.
Car
Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro is a sporty car that many people love for its speed and cool looks. It's been around for a long time and is often compared to other muscle cars.
Car
Ford Expeditions
The Ford Expedition is a big SUV that can fit a lot of people and stuff, perfect for long trips or carrying heavy loads.
Car
Ford Explorer
Part
tow hooks
Tow hooks are metal hooks on a vehicle that help pull it out if it gets stuck. They're important for off-road driving where you might need help getting out of tough spots.
Term
EcoBoost powertrain
EcoBoost is a type of engine made by Ford that uses turbocharging to give you more power while using less fuel. It's a way to make cars more efficient and fun to drive.
Concept
off-road capability
Off-road capability means how well a vehicle can drive on rough surfaces like dirt or rocks. Some cars are built to handle these tough conditions better than others.
Car
Ford Bronco Raptor
The Ford Bronco Raptor is a special version of the Bronco that is built for off-road driving. It has more powerful features and is designed to handle tough terrains better than the regular Bronco.
Car
Ford Bronco Sport
The Ford Bronco Sport is a smaller version of the Bronco that is easier to drive in cities but still has some off-road capabilities. It's designed for people who want a rugged look without needing a full-size off-road vehicle.
Car
Ford Bronco
The Ford Bronco is a popular SUV known for its off-road capabilities and adventurous design. It's been recently updated to attract both new buyers and fans of the original model.
Car
Jeep Wrangler
The Jeep Wrangler is a well-known SUV that is designed for off-road driving. It has a tough build and is popular for outdoor adventures.
Term
steel wheels
Steel wheels are strong wheels made of metal that are usually cheaper than other types of wheels, and they are often found on basic models of cars.
Car
Ford Maverick
The Ford F-150 is a popular pickup truck that many people use for work and everyday driving because it's strong and can carry a lot.
Car
Ford F150
Term
sticker shock
Sticker shock is when someone is surprised by how much a car costs when they see the price tag. It usually happens with expensive models that have a lot of features.
Car
Ford Mustang Mach-E
The Ford Mustang Mach-E is an electric SUV that carries the Mustang name. It's designed to be fast and fun to drive, just like the classic Mustang cars.
Concept
LA Auto Show
The LA Auto Show is a big event where car companies show off their new cars and technology. It has been happening for over a hundred years and is important for car lovers.
Car
Honda Passport
The Honda Passport TrailSport is a version of the Passport SUV that is built for off-road driving. It has special features that make it better for adventures outside of regular city driving.
Part
high clearance front bumper
A high clearance front bumper helps the car go over rocks and bumps without getting stuck or damaged.
Part
winch
A winch is a tool that helps pull heavy things, like a car that is stuck, by using a strong rope or cable.
Term
approach angle
The approach angle is how steep of a hill or rock a car can go over without getting stuck or damaging the front. A better approach angle means the car can handle rougher paths.
Term
all-wheel drive system
An all-wheel drive system helps a car use all four wheels for better grip on the road. This is especially useful when it's raining or snowing, making it easier to drive safely.
Part
roof rack
A roof rack is a frame on top of a car that helps you carry things like bags or bikes when you go on trips.
Concept
off-roaders
Off-roaders are special vehicles made to drive on rough ground, like dirt or rocks. They have features that help them handle tough conditions better than regular cars.
Concept
SEMA
SEMA is a big car show in Las Vegas where companies show off special parts and custom cars that people can buy or modify.
Car
Honda Prelude
Car
Honda Civic
The Civic Hybrid is a type of Honda Civic that uses both a gas engine and an electric motor to save fuel and be more environmentally friendly.
Car
Mazda Miata
The Mazda Miata is a small sports car that seats two people and is known for being fun to drive. It has a convertible top, so you can enjoy the fresh air while driving.
Car
Odyssey
The Honda Odyssey is a family-friendly minivan that has lots of space and features to make traveling with kids easier.
Car
Honda Ridgeline
The Honda Ridgeline is a type of pickup truck that is designed to be more comfortable and easier to drive than most trucks, thanks to its car-like design.
Car
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a well-known car that many people use for everyday driving. It's known for being reliable and comfortable.
Car
Honda Pilot
The Honda Pilot is a large SUV that can carry families and their gear. It has a new look that makes it seem tougher and more masculine.
Car
Honda Crv
Term
infotainment
Infotainment is the system in cars that combines entertainment and information, like music and GPS navigation.
Term
digital cluster
A digital cluster is a type of dashboard in cars that uses screens instead of regular dials to show information like speed and fuel level.
Car
Rivian R1T
Car
Rivian R1S
Car
Rivian R2
Car
Kia EV9
Car
Hyundai Palisade
Car
Hyundai Genesis
Car
Hyundai Ioniq 9
Car
Cadillac El
Car
Hyundai Ionic 5
Car
Genesis GV60
Car
Chevrolet Tahoe
Car
Jeep Gladiator
Car
Volvo XC60
Car
Volvo XC90
Car
Porsche Turbo Zs
Car
Nissan Leaf
Car
Nissan Sentra
Car
Toyota Rav4
Car
Toyota 4Runner
Car
Jeep Cherokee
Car
Jeep Wagoneer
Car
Jeep Recon
Car
Dodge Charger
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Everybody, welcome to the LA Auto Show 2025.
We're here standing in front of the Mustang GTD, but more importantly, boom!
What's up, guys?
Actually, I want to work with you, Tommy.
We're in LA.
So, Tommy, with me, say, sup.
Sup.
Sup.
You got to drop it down low.
That's how you say hello and goodbye in California.
And this is the brand-new Camaro.
No, wait.
It's not.
I'm kidding, guys.
But it actually on stage looks stunning.
I didn't think the GTD looked that great, honestly, like in photos.
But in yellow, here, it looks really cool.
Yeah.
And we're here with all of our media friends at Media Days.
But what we're going to do today, Nathan,
is give you guys a complete walk around of LA 2025.
Sup.
And we'll take you through the new product lines
and the new cars that you guys need to know about,
so that if you're in the LA region,
or you just want to see what's new in the industry,
we can check out what's going on.
Well, there's some good news.
The LA show has actually sort of increased in size for a while.
It was sort of dying down a little bit,
and it was getting kind of worrisome.
But there are some brands that have returned,
and we're going to see those brands.
But for now, we're going to be in the room
where Ford is pretty much dominant.
But there is quite a few things from Kia and Honda
right over my shoulder.
Ford, actually, like you said, Nathan,
they've got a huge presence here.
So they've got everything from Mustangs to Explores
to Expeditions.
Yeah, actually, I'm curious about these, Tommy,
because have you guys received these in Colorado yet?
Because this is where they belong.
I don't think we've tested the new Tremor,
but I'm excited to.
I think that this is the Explorer to get,
if you're going to get one.
You've got the Duler off-road tires.
You've got the tow hooks in the front.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It is pretty expensive, though.
And this is almost 50 grand.
But you know what?
I mean, the power on these things
has always been really good, the EcoBoost powertrain.
And the thing is, is that if you guys remember
the original Explorer, it was off-road.
It could actually go off-road.
I mean, not hardcore, but it could do it.
And then they kind of went away from that.
And I like the fact they're bringing it back.
I'm hoping that we'll be able to get it up in Colorado
so you guys can do things to it,
because in LA it doesn't make a lot of sense.
There is one thing, Nathan.
So you'll see it on the Expedition Tremor.
I just can't get past.
What they're doing is they're putting these like
gold accents in the wheels, but only on one spoke.
And this reminds me of a toddler who has just one tooth
in the front of his mouth.
So I'm not sure I'm on board with that.
Oh, but see, here's the thing.
If you pay more, then you get all of them.
Sorry, that's good.
That's a, sorry, Ford.
Some people like it.
Well, let's keep walking around here.
Now, of course, Ford big on Bronco here at LA.
So they've got static displays of Bronco Raptor,
Bronco Sport.
This is the new Street View thing
they've been working on with Google to map
like the Transamerica trail.
So they've got that here, which is cool.
If we kind of walk our way through here,
Nathan, this is, I think, the new Bronco Sport Sasquatch.
Did you do one of these?
Yes, I have.
Have you, didn't we get one like at the studio for a while?
Yeah, we did.
And it was awesome, especially this new Sasquatch
with that little bit of additional lift.
It's really good.
I really like it.
The only problem is I had one in LA
driving it through LA traffic.
And better off with something,
perhaps without the really beefy tire
because it's, trust me, you'll be happier.
And this is kind of cool.
So we have some very expensive special edition Broncos.
But look what they brought, the little base model.
Now, here's the cool part, Tommy.
I got a chance to drive the base model, one of these,
against a Wrangler Sport 2-Door just recently
and kind of evaluating the two based on, you know,
their entry price and what they're worth.
So these start, I think around 38 in change.
And then the Wrangler, the equivalent,
starts at like 35, I think is roughly what it is, or 36.
So it is a little bit less expensive.
But here's the cool part.
It actually comes standard with that roof.
The hard top.
Yeah.
Interesting.
Yeah.
No, I mean, it's kind of funky coming to an auto show
and seeing a car with steel wheels.
I love it.
And if you're into steel wheels,
Ford is the booth for you.
So you've got the Bronco and steel wheels,
the base model F-150, the base model Maverick,
and they have a base model F-250 over there.
So I, see, I love steel wheels.
I absolutely do.
I know Andre actually is partial to them as well.
So he would be proud of us for covering that right now.
I mean, dude, I think what's happening.
Do you want to say I enjoy the show?
Thank you so much.
Thanks, man.
What's your name?
Pedro.
Pedro, nice to meet you, Pedro.
I appreciate you coming by.
We're doing a podcast right now.
But just to say hi to everybody.
Thanks, man.
So Nathan, I think what Ford's realizing here
is people are getting real tired of the sticker shock
on some of these upper-end trims.
Oh, yeah.
So I think that's why we're starting to see,
even at these auto shows where typically they
want to bring their best foot forward,
they're bringing out XL F-250s that have vinyl seats
because this is what people realistically
might be able to afford.
Think about it this way.
If you look at the working group of people out there,
the ones who actually are using trucks for their daily deal,
right, in order to haul things, in order to move things,
in order to take care of that physical things,
this is the truck they want to get,
something heavy-duty that has no frills.
And they don't want to spend $50,000 or $60,000 for it.
So something like this, I'm assuming,
would be far less expensive.
I don't know if it has a...
Does that sticker on it?
It's not $50,000.
But I mean, still...
It's starting at $45,000.
So this one very well could be $50,000.
I mean, Nathan, if you do want to experience
some more than just walking around...
This is cool.
Check this out.
Yep.
Ford's got some other Bronco off-road-io experience here.
So you can check out this Bronco going up this huge steel structure.
They've got like an elephant hole simulation there.
They've got a little bit of everything.
So you can give it a go and see if you like the off-roading.
I'm hoping they'll let the Mach-E go up that.
Because you just floor it and see what happens.
Yeah.
I think they should try to get as much air as possible off the top.
That would be what I would do.
It's actually interesting.
I didn't expect them to do this because
a lot of these auto shows are getting rid of the indoor driving
unless it's an electric vehicle.
So the fact that they're doing this with internal combustion,
I'm impressed.
Yeah, very cool.
So we're going to make our way over to some other automakers.
Now, Nathan, can you kind of explain
how the LA Auto Show works?
It's not all in one room, right?
No, it's not.
Now, first of all, LA Auto Show dates back all the way to 1907.
Since then, it hasn't been always at this venue.
It's been bounced around quite a bit.
But essentially, LA has been...
Whether you guys like it or not,
one of the mechas for automobile culture.
And it especially accelerated after World War II.
We'll go into that whole story later.
Anyway, the point is that since then,
they've expanded and expanded.
Now we're at a point to where the Auto Show
is really in two main buildings,
an east and the west wing,
but they also have a couple other smaller offshoot wings as well.
And as you heard Forrest say,
things have improved.
The show has actually grown, not shrunk,
which is something that you wouldn't expect.
So I'm happy to see that.
We're now walking into the Honda booth.
Yeah!
And let's start with this,
because what Honda's doing here,
when you first walk into the Honda booth,
you're greeted by two passports.
So both of these are passport trail sports.
And I kind of want to go show you guys this orange one.
Honda really has been pushing their off-road capabilities
in the new passport.
And this concept by Honda Racing
has some really cool features,
like this high clearance front bumper.
It's got integrated tow hooks,
and the best part is this winch.
But Nathan, what I love about this,
this is so integrated,
this might be something we could see in a future car.
This looks factory right off the bat.
And here's the cool part.
They actually took a page
out of some of the other automakers
where they've cut away this section here
to increase your approach angle for your tire,
so you can go up and over those rocks easier.
Other automakers have been doing it for a while.
Now they might be doing it.
In addition, they have the sliders.
Now these are dealer installed.
They're extruded aluminum,
and they're covered in steel.
And they need them because the ground clearance
of these things isn't quite enough.
And here's the thing,
and you guys have tested them as well.
It's got a really good all-wheel drive system,
very capable.
However, the ground clearance has always been an issue.
So by having better access in the front,
better approach angle, that's already a plus.
Yeah, and check this out.
In fact, we have a high-clear rear bumper as well
with a swinging out tire carrier.
Yeah, and this one's not up to the hitch,
which is what I was expecting.
This actually has its own dedicated mounting
here in the bumper.
That's pretty cool.
This once again looks like something
that could come from the factory.
Yeah, that's really cool.
And then up top, it's got the Honda Racing roof rack.
Yeah.
Got a high lift up there, some max track.
That says off-road like a heavy roof rack up top.
But I like the flat orange on this thing.
And I'm hoping that we actually see some of these parts
make it at least into the aftermarket catalog.
It's not in the production.
I think Honda's learned a valuable lesson
and they're starting to do better
at making vehicles more off-roading.
And the irony, of course, is the fact that
this is the same company that builds the talent
and a whole bunch of really cool off-roaders
that are dedicated.
So why not take some of that technology
and work it over towards these vehicles?
Interesting.
Tommy, if you look at these two side by side,
you can see how much higher this one is,
this Honda Racing one over the regular trail sport.
It's much, much taller.
But what's great about it is it doesn't feel
like it's hacked together.
A lot of this stuff feels like there might be prototyping
for stuff coming forward.
Well, you know, if you go to SEMA,
sometimes you could actually see cut marks and whatnot.
You know, jagged little sections of vehicles
that have just recently been cut.
Ah, but here's the big story.
Prelude.
Yeah, the polite prelude.
Yeah.
So Honda's reintroducing the prelude
into the North American market.
This has gone on sale in Japan
for quite a while now.
But here's a question, Nathan.
Starting price of $38,000,
are people going to buy it?
That's a great question.
So this is a 200 horsepower vehicle.
It basically has the same powertrain
right out of the Civic Hybrid,
which is actually pretty good.
But not exactly what I would call sporty.
So what they did to compensate for that
is they took a lot of the components
out of the Civic Type R and they put them up front.
So struts, these overall suspension geometry braking,
a lot of that does come directly from the Civic Type R,
meaning that it is built for cornering performance.
So you got 200 horsepower
and a relatively lightweight vehicle,
really good gas mileage and something that can corner.
What is missing, though, Tommy?
What do you think is missing?
A manual.
Yes.
Every single prelude has had a manual transmission option.
This does not.
Will that affect people who are trying to buy a car
that's sporty and fun?
The question goes on to Toyota.
GR86 manual transmission,
or even something like a Miata.
A one of the best manual transmissions out there.
So it's a big question,
but here's something cool, Tommy.
Come on back here.
See where that lip is right there on the roof?
Yeah.
That's actually the point of the cantilever
where it lifts up.
This whole hatch lifts upward.
So there is a lot of utility.
We put the seats down
and you can actually fit in,
you know, one of the treadmills your dad uses
on a daily basis with the walker.
It easily fit in there without a problem.
So that, I mean, there is a lot of space.
The irony, of course, is that the back seat,
not a lot of space.
So there's a trade-off there.
But I think people will buy it.
Honda fans will definitely buy it.
Will it be a big seller?
I think it's going to be a middle seller,
and I think it's going to have a hard time
competing against the Toyota.
So here at the Honda booth,
they have a little bit of everything.
We've got Civics.
We've got Civic Type-R.
We've got an Odyssey.
We've got a Ridgeline.
We've got an Accord.
So we've got a little bit of everything.
And if you guys are in the LA area
and you're looking at buying, for example,
like a Ridgeline or a CR-V,
you can come out here
and get hands on with the car sitting
and poke the buttons.
See if it fits you.
And that's a cool thing.
That's the best part about auto shows.
That's the only reason, in my mind,
that auto shows still have real relevance,
which is why I'm hoping they don't go away.
Because you, the audience, the listener,
you guys can actually come out here
and physically touch and play with the vehicle.
See if you fit comfortably.
See if it's something that you really like in person.
Now, recently, we're standing at the Passport now.
Sorry, the Pilot.
And the Pilot has had a major update
with the front-end design
and interior design as well.
Yeah.
So this is kind of one of the cool things
about LA is, look, even if you're not part of the media,
you'll have an access to get hands on with, like,
a pilot before most of us in some cases.
So as Nathan said, they've got this new ma on the Pilot,
this big, kind of squared-off, chunky grille.
Do you like the way it looks?
I think it's a little bit more manly,
which is what they're aiming for.
And I like the color.
Yeah.
This is called Ash Green.
This is new to the Pilot Trail Sport.
They put it on the CR-V as well,
which is right next to it.
Yeah, you can see that over there.
And then on the inside,
we've got bigger screens for 2020.
Oh, they locked it.
Yeah.
I think it's because this is a brand-new vehicle
that hasn't hit production yet,
and they don't want anybody getting in there
and stealing parts.
They're worried about Toyota Spies.
So it's got a new 12.3-inch infotainment.
Infotainment, thanks, Nathan,
and a 10.2-inch digital cluster.
But I think that this is going to be a big seller for them.
Well, it already has been.
I mean, if you look at Honda and their matrix
in terms of sales, they've managed to stay
toe-to-toe competitive with companies like Toyota,
and of course Nissan.
And part of the reason why is because
they've been very intelligent about
where they've been placing their vehicles.
Yes, of course, nothing's perfect.
I've heard stories that, you know,
perhaps reliability has dropped
with some of their vehicles.
But then I've heard different things,
which is like improvements with overall quality.
So regardless, they managed to put
really good, really good product
against a very competitive product.
Oh, and we're in Rivian.
It's a Rivian van, yeah?
Actually, this is the overland section.
So there's a whole area here full of overland vans
and jeeps and that kind of thing.
If you want to check out the latest
in off-road accessories.
And then as we make our way over here,
Rivian has a presence at the show.
Yeah, they do.
So they've got a R1T.
I think they have an R1S back there, maybe.
And then that is something brand new.
Yeah, check this out.
So we'll come right into the back.
If you want to kind of see up close and personal
what the new Rivian R2 looks like,
this is it.
And Nathan, this car's got to work for the company because...
It's kind of make or break, right?
A little bit, right?
Yeah, this one and then the baby,
which all of us agree is like the R3
is going to be like an absolute killer.
This one here though,
this slot underneath should be far less expensive.
Don't know exactly what the pricing is yet.
But there's a whole bunch of things going on
with Rivian right now business-wise.
I mean, they've got a deal going on with Volkswagen.
They are no longer making their vans, I believe.
They have a pretty good presence in Los Angeles alone,
which is, by the way,
they have a whole bunch of design and manufacturing outlets
in Los Angeles or the area surrounding it.
And this vehicle here,
I've been hearing stories that they've been running around
in certain hidden areas testing them.
So they're very serious about production.
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This isn't just a game,
it's a once in a generation event.
The Harlem Globetrotters 100-Year Tour.
Celebrate 100 years of high-flying dunks,
100 years of show-stopping moves,
and 100 years of changing the game.
Bring the whole family and be part of the legacy.
This game is once in a century.
Be there at Motor Center on January 24th.
Go to HarlemGlobetrotters.com
for your tickets to the 100-Year Tour.
You know what? It's kind of funny about this.
So this is an all-new vehicle, right?
Separate from the R1.
Right.
But it looks identical.
Just like they shrunk it.
Yeah, it's just like you can see the R1 behind it.
And I kind of feel like that whole Russian nesting doll
that BMW's been doing forever isn't really working anymore
because people want their new car to look different
from the older car.
So that I think could hold them back.
What do you think?
Yeah, I'm not 100% sure where to go with this
because I do like Rivian design.
I love the fact that they keep things
simple and they're not pushing too hard to go crazy.
But at the same time, if you're not differentiating yourself enough
from your other vehicles, some people will get bored.
Yeah, for sure.
So let us know what you think of the new R2.
It's got to work for the company.
So Nathan, let's kind of wind our way over here.
Here, let's sneak on through here.
So this is, check this out.
They actually have a way of taking the essence of CEOs
and journalists.
And then through this cord,
they're actually sucking it into the vehicle.
Look at that.
That is incredible.
Yes, that is a great way to extend your mileage.
So this is hilarious.
So I think they're showing the bi-directional charging capability.
Yes, yes, yes.
But that's so funny, Nathan.
And we're going to kind of squeak on over here
because EV9 is not necessarily all new,
but what we do have here, which is very exciting,
are two logs tied together with some string.
That is important because that is the new design principle of Kia.
Throw two logs together, see what happens.
People will buy it.
That is the brand new Telluride.
And it is physically on the outside, all new.
In the inside, all new.
It does have some carryover,
but it has a slightly longer wheelbase.
It's a slightly larger vehicle.
And there is a lot, in my mind at least,
there's a lot of Land Rover range Rover vibe going on here.
Yeah, especially like the front end's got a kind of unique flare,
but if you look at it from the back
with these very narrow.
Vertical tail lights.
If you were to eliminate this one
and then just have this, you would certainly have, yeah.
But they did take some risks.
I'll give them credit.
They decided to go a whole different direction.
And if you look over at that one over there,
look at what they did with the wheel well in that design.
Yeah, this is really funky.
So Nathan, you actually were out at the launch of this.
You saw the off-road trim, the X-Pro.
Yeah, which is basically this.
But check this out.
Now here at LA, we have our first chance
at looking at the Palsid Hybrid.
So this is the big news from the show.
So what they've done here is they've taken the
Telluride formula and they've added fuel economy.
So we learned that the standard Telluride
has a 2.4-liter Turbo 4,
which is different than the Palsid,
which is running a naturally aspirated V6.
And then this Hybrid is a 2.5-liter Turbo 4,
plus an electrical system.
Something like 329 horsepower in this Hybrid.
They're targeting 35 MPG.
And this is much more sleek, right?
It's lower to the ground, more street oriented.
It is. And that makes sense.
You want lower rolling resistance tires.
You want a little bit lower profile
so you can have better aerodynamics, less wind resistance.
That all makes sense in terms of getting that
really impressive MPG.
But if you look just at that door panel,
look at the colors they're using now.
We are way past retro.
We are looking cool.
I love the fact that they're using purple.
That is, for those of you who are into prints
and into funky, yeah, you're going to dig that.
That's pretty crazy.
They have a variety of different colors
that they're using for the interior design now.
And this is just one example of it.
Look at the perforated seats and the way they designed them.
I mean, you guys, seriously,
they are definitely punching above their weight
when it comes to the luxury level.
And I am impressed with that.
How it drives?
Well, we're going to have to wait and see.
The last telluride left me a little lukewarm.
I wasn't into the transmission,
but everything else I loved.
So I'm curious to see what they've done with the updates.
I mean, what we're looking at here,
power slide and recline, second-row seating,
heat and ventilation for second-row passengers.
So they've gone pretty crazy with the luxury.
So someone said something funny once.
The new Palisade has got those fatter tail lights.
It looks like the old Range Rover.
And the new telluride is the thinner ones.
And it looks like the new Range Rover.
And that's the thing is that there's certainly some...
Here's a big thing though.
This is one of the risks they took.
This doesn't really serve a purpose.
Oh, square?
Yeah.
So this little notch right here.
And one of the things that was said
when they did the unveiling is,
this is something that'll make it immediately recognizable
from the side because nobody else is doing that.
There you go.
You can have a check inside.
Look at that.
I mean, I think those are both 12.3 inch screens
that are combined with a small four inch screen in between.
Yeah.
Look at that.
The squirtkel steering wheel, the two-tone design,
two-tone seats with this purple and white.
You get these grab hands.
Come on.
Tell me you like the purple.
Don't say you don't.
I don't know if I'd give them all for with the purple.
You would wear purple pants.
Well, I'm not that fruity.
I'm fruity if you think I am.
I've seen you with orange pants.
I had to have.
I did bring my orange pants.
I thought so.
You're in LA, you should.
But clearly they've got a little nuts
with some of the IP in this car.
It does still have physical buttons,
which was the right move.
Yes, I agree 100%.
A lot of the control surfaces
to also feel higher quality.
This door handle is wild.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
Just little things like that.
And I like the fact that they paid attention
to that detail.
So right out of the box,
they're already, once again,
punching well about their weight.
No, this is cool.
So I think that Kia is on the right move
with this tele-ride.
The old one was a huge, huge new seller
for the brand.
Oh yeah, they did really well with it.
So let's see how the new one does,
I suspect, even better.
Now Nathan, that's kind of the big news
out of this first haul.
Yeah.
So we're going to cut here
and then join you again at the next one.
All right.
We are now in the other pavilion
and this pavilion has
Hyundai, Volkswagen, Toyota,
Genesis, and Nissan, among others.
And this is the end of the test track,
which is indoors for Hyundai.
And look at this.
Yeah.
They got it cruising around.
It's like a...
Well, you'll appreciate this.
It's a T-bone style setup here
where you go around
and then go all the way back down.
They put out a IONIQ 9.
IONIQ 9, yeah.
So just to make sure that if you hit something,
you get maximum points,
which is really, it's like hockey.
So that is something that I didn't expect to see,
but it's actually very cool to see that.
And this is what I was kind of expecting to see
because electric vehicles indoors,
you can test them all you want,
don't have to worry about exhaust and whatnot.
So let's have a look at what we got here
because the big star of the show,
I think for Hyundai,
is the new Palisade.
Yeah.
So I just went on the program
for the Palisade Hybrid.
Now, we had just kind of went in depth
with the Telluride.
And this is going to be the Hyundai version of it.
So Nathan, which design do you like more?
That's a tough one.
I think I like the Telluride a little bit more
because it has more of an off-roady feel,
probably because it resembles
Range Rover, Land Rover type thing.
But this driving light thing here,
it's really cool.
It's kind of like a retro futuristic thing.
I expect to see this in movies like The Demolition Man.
Yeah.
That was a semester-stallone movie
before you were born.
Yeah.
But stuff like this is just like really cool.
Look at that flash just on Q.
You know what I really like about this car is
so you can still get it with a Natchez aspirated V6
where the Kia has gone turbo four only.
Right.
So if you want kind of that old school feel,
you can get it in the Palisade.
You know what I'm surprised about
is the fact that they didn't go plug-in hybrid
right out of the box like a lot of other companies have.
And I'm expecting to see that in the near future.
All right.
So we have a special guest.
We have a very special guest.
I'm very special there.
Very special.
Wow.
OK.
Fresh from China, my friends.
Fresh from China, yes.
Yes, that's right.
He just went in.
Actually like a couple of days ago.
Seriously, like he just got back
and drove a bunch of vehicles with Richard Hemman.
Yeah, something like that.
Yeah, he was hanging out there.
Yeah.
So what do you think?
Palisade.
I'm a huge fan.
I think the design of this magnificent granted
it's a lot of fast followers still with the like
Range Rover.
Right.
But this is where they go with something different.
I heard what you were saying.
Yeah.
I also think they've gotten to the point
that the tactile feel on the inside is unbelievable.
This and also the telluride.
Same thing.
Just like the interior design.
It's kind of ridiculous.
They're punching way above their weight.
I don't know if I like the telluride yet.
I'm not committed.
However, I'm going to say something to you.
OK.
Tom, make sure you see his face.
Because I'm going to say something.
My face.
Here we go.
OK.
The interior of this looks like what car from the 70s?
Uh, a Cadillac El Dorado.
He's saying that for the wrong reason.
Competitor.
The inside of this car.
Yeah.
You can follow it.
We'll just have no idea what he's talking about.
OK.
Look, the dash, the shape of the dash.
What does that look like?
Oh, yeah.
OK.
It does look a little bit.
Lincoln.
Yeah.
Like it does look like a link from the 70s.
Yeah.
The upper section.
The way that goes up and around.
It's exactly from the Lincoln.
Yeah.
So look at the tactile.
I mean, this is, you guys can't touch it,
but this is leathered line.
This is what the calligraphy or something like that.
Yeah.
What is old is new again.
And through their credit, I mean,
they've managed to match color, fabric, and feel.
And the other thing is that switch gear
feels fairly good as well.
It's not like super cheap.
I don't know where the hell they get in their savings
on these vehicles, to be honest with you.
I feel like they're losing money on these.
I got to ask you guys, you're both your opinions.
Yeah.
So Hyundai Kia famously has these very squared off screens.
Yeah.
But notice with this design theme,
everything is rounded, even the console.
Like it or don't like it?
I'm used to it as opposed to liking it
because everything is doing square screens
or you have a hyper screen like Mercedes,
which I don't like.
I hate that.
Yeah.
So I'm getting used to that.
And I like the fact that this one has that curve to it.
There's a specific name.
It's pretty cool, yeah.
Yeah.
So the curve is kind of cool as well.
Yeah.
What do you think, Tommy?
Here, can I grab your mic?
Yep.
So I don't love it.
I don't think this.
You don't love it.
I love the interior.
I just wish they had curved the screens
or gotten rid of the screens.
So I'm not sure I'm on board, but Moto Man.
Yes, sir.
I got to ask you.
Tell me.
What's the highlight of the show this year?
Oh, God.
That's actually, you're putting me on.
Leave it to Tommy.
Wow.
Just put you on the spot.
And don't say Porsche.
You know what, I'm going to give you
a very personal highlight of the show.
I'm going to say it is the Hyundai Crater concept.
Because number one, it's going to be a real thing.
I can't tell you how I know this.
I know this.
It's not going to be exactly like that,
but you're going to see not just
the general shape of that car,
but the details from the interior,
things like this, will actually make it inside the car.
So you're going to get less screens,
less haptic feedback,
and more real buttons like you see there.
And don't you think it's a bit of a faux pas
to name it after a natural disaster?
Kind of like Avalanche didn't last very long, did it?
Yeah.
I guess we're going back to the Chevy know it.
Right.
Exactly.
I'm just saying.
Yeah.
We're standing on the TFO classics.
Oh, there we go.
Yeah.
But it is a cool looking thing
and we're going to hit that in just a minute.
All right.
So this is something we've never seen from Hyundai before.
This is called the Crater concept.
This is what Moto Man is just talking about.
Nathan, what would you describe the exterior look
to be like?
As off-roady as you can get with a simple design,
I'm going to say that you open the doors
and it says, Anyangaseo.
It welcomes you and it's a very Hyundai-esque design.
Look at the pixeled taillight design
that they have going on over here.
This included pixels on the top for extra lighting.
That's something I think you're going to see in production.
The fact that this is standing the way it's standing,
I don't think we're going to see the exact same model like this.
But I think that they're going to shoot
for a super off-road capable vehicle,
something that could do a lot more
than their current batch of vehicles in the rough.
So I'm told that this is running on 35-inch tall tires
and it does have some real rubber and some real sidewall.
So I think they eliminated the name,
but that's a Falcon off-road tire.
That pretty much is.
And those are suicide doors, my friends on the back,
which is cool.
Not many people implement when they do this at auto shows.
They just kind of go halfway through.
I hope they do that.
And a lot of the other stuff that's on here, super cool.
I don't think too many people are going to have to worry
about low-hanging branches.
The limb risers?
Right.
So this could have some really interesting things
that are a little gimmicky, but also pretty cool.
So these are your camera mirrors,
but they're also removable.
So they operate as either a flashlight or a camera.
Right.
Which is kind of funky.
You've got the limb risers.
Those actually display little smiley faces
because throughout the crater,
you're going to see this little guy.
You can see him up here on the roof rack.
That's called Crater Man.
Ah, Crater Man.
So he's the mascot for the Hyundai Crater.
So you see him there on the roof rack,
but he's also down here on the tow hook.
There's your little Crater Man.
And that's also a bottle opener,
so you can pop open your bottles with that thing.
Yeah, that's really important for a U.S. clientele.
The overall design,
now I don't want to start touching it and everything else.
I'm not Roman.
Yeah, touch.
No, I'm kidding.
But it looks like a lot of this
is actually using real metals, real aluminum,
extruded components underneath.
So it looks like it also has a four wheel
independent suspension.
Yeah, so.
Yes.
Sorry to interrupt.
I would guess that it might be adjustable.
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Well, what they said is that this is based,
the concept at least is based on the Ionic 5.
Oh wow.
So it's fully electric.
It's also pretty small,
so it's got really big proportions
that make it look meaty,
but the actual size of the vehicle,
they want, they call it the crater,
because a crater is formed by a compact
what, meteor, right?
That goes off.
Some sort of heavy metal that slams into the earth
and creates something below it.
So a small thing with a big impact.
That's what this is.
They also have like the lights on the roof,
which just like the old KCs are customizable,
so you can have like a little smiley display.
Which is super cool.
So listen, this is still very much a concept,
but if Motorman's right,
if they put something like this in a production,
that would be rad.
I would love it.
And they're not slowing down on their electrification.
They are mixing up the batch,
and this is a prime example of that.
And this is the IONIQ 6N.
This is something that Andre got a chance to drive in Korea.
And I'm actually rather jealous,
because the ends have proven to be awesome.
One of my favorite electric vehicles
is still the IONIQ 5N.
I love driving that.
It's one of the few fun electric cars,
and this one picks up right where that one left off.
So 640 horsepower dual motor setup,
zero to 60 in 3.2 seconds.
It's got the simulated engine sounds on the inside.
They've actually changed it over the 5,
so it's got more sound.
It's a 6-channel audio versus 2 in the 5.
It's got the same seats, same steering wheel,
a lot of carryover parts from the 5N.
But Nathan, this was a little bit lower
and a little bit sleeker.
They changed the front-end design as well
on the new 6s,
so you have a far sleeker front-end.
Looking a little less portion,
a little bit more bespoke to Hyundai.
They've also, all the aerodynamics on this vehicle,
I am told, are actually functional.
That's including that ridiculously large rear wing.
So what they told me is that this is a problem on EVs
because wings add downforce,
but at the same time, they add air to them.
The range, right? Exactly.
So this makes 200 pounds of downforce
at 160 miles an hour.
So it is functional,
but it's not going to have that big of an impact,
I don't think, on performance.
But what do you think of the look?
Is it too much?
I am not a huge fan of the Ionix 6's design to begin with.
It's very swoopy, and I'm not a swoopy guy.
That's why I like the 5.
It's blocky. I'm a blocky guy.
However, in this end livery,
you're not going to mistake it for anything else.
No, and they've updated the tail here,
with this kind of gloss black applique.
You get your little pixel design across the rear here.
They're all in pixels. You can really tell.
Dude, they're big on pixels these days.
But look, if you want to come to the LA Auto Show,
you'll be able to see,
hopefully they keep them available to the public,
the Crater and the Ionix 6N.
Yeah. So should we go over to Volkswagen,
which is right next door?
Because they've got a vehicle
that you guys actually have been talking quite a bit about.
Yeah, they sure do.
So they've got a little bit of everything here at Volkswagen.
They've got the Volkswagen Tows.
They've got Atlas Crossport.
They've got the new Tiguan.
So if you want to check that out,
watch your step there, Nathan,
and this just fell over.
But they also have some of their performance offerings.
So they've got a full GLI, GTI, and R facility here.
Tommy, look at the track right here and crowns, dude.
And slot cars? Oh my gosh.
How could this day get any better?
Half the TFL staff would love being right here right now.
So let's check out what they got.
A bunch of ID buzzes, including the self-driving one,
which has got all sorts of sensors on it.
Yeah. Yeah, this is...
Now, I do want to talk about this, Nathan.
This is pretty neat.
So...
Oh yeah, the story behind this is awesome.
This bus is called Azul,
and you want to kind of explain what happened here, Nathan?
So we recently had some horrible fires,
and what you're looking at here
is a restored survivor via Volkswagen.
And this was brought back to absolute industry standards
in terms of its interior and exterior brand new vehicle
from a collector who, sadly,
lost a majority of this vehicle in the fires.
Yeah, so this was kind of like a symbol of hope
for a lot of the LA fires,
because this bus was photographed standing, partially burnt,
but in front of all this devastation.
And it was like this little blue flower
in a sea of devastation.
So what Volkswagen has done is they actually brought it in,
and they fully restored it to its former glory,
which is kind of a nice symbol of how
the Los Angeles area is rebuilding from that devastation.
Yeah, and being that I am now an official Los Angelesian,
I am thrilled to see this,
and I'm hoping to see even more of this type of outreach
in the future, because we need it.
But what's cool about this is you can actually see
the new ID buzz next to the old bus that inspired it.
So it's really cool to kind of see that.
Especially this color thing here
that you got going on between the two-tone.
I love the fact that they're sitting next to each other,
because then you can really see what they did with this.
And honestly speaking,
I think that two-tone ID buzzes are the best.
Otherwise, I think they look a little blocky.
But I just love that.
And yes, Forrest, who is someone we like and admire,
and he's a friend, he has one of these now,
and the sales on these things, not great.
Hopefully prices come down, battery capacity goes up,
charging improves, all these things need to happen,
and then hopefully these will sell better,
because honestly, I like it.
Yeah, they're cool.
I don't hate it, right?
Yeah, they're really cool, yeah.
And look, the good thing about them not selling too well
is that on the used market,
I think there's some deals to be had.
Exactly. Oh, hey, let's have a look
and see if they've improved the one thing they've needed.
Nope, no cup holders.
So if you're in the backseat of these,
and you have the children,
the only way you're going to get a cup holder
is these little side things in the very back.
That's it.
Yeah.
God, that's infuriating.
It's a little bit of a miss.
Hans, what are you thinking?
Nine, this is niche to wood.
So, Nathan, let's keep going.
I do want to just swing by quickly by the Genesis booth.
Yes.
Because this bright orange beast is pretty cool.
This is the GV-60.
If I remember right, it's called the Magma?
Yeah.
So this is a high-performance electric crossover,
and Genesis usually has a bunch of subdued colors.
It's very classy, very elegant.
Yeah.
And this thing is nuts.
I've driven the regular GV-60,
and my wife fell in love with it.
It was a blue color, like this silver blue,
and it was a great car.
But this injects a lot of sport in it,
and good for them, good on them for doing that.
So they have really moved to another level
with the whole sport motif.
And I really like this wing here.
I think one of my buddies is filming inside.
Oh, it's Car Guy Jared.
What's going on, dude?
So orange seat belts in this thing,
this is a really high-performance electric.
Orange trim and piping as well.
Yeah.
Yeah.
This is cool.
It's a cool idea.
And I...
Genesis is in a weird spot, aren't they?
Because they are very luxurious,
and they're once again punching above their weight.
But they still, I think, slot below Mercedes-Benz,
below BMW and whatnot.
So building these specialty, faster vehicles,
they have to be able to beat everybody
who builds an electric vehicle performance-wise
if they're going to put this out.
Well, Nathan, let's kind of...
We're going to wrap away around here.
We're going to stop by GM.
You're right about the size of this place, Nathan.
It's gotten pretty big.
Yeah, it's...
This is not the largest auto show.
That would be Chicago.
Are these labubus?
No, the free keys.
You just grab a bear and then you get a key.
Do you know anyone into labubus?
Is your daughter into labubus?
Is that like furries?
No, it's not like furries.
Okay, I don't know then.
I honestly don't know.
She just ran up to step animals.
I don't know what to tell you, Tom.
All right, let's see what she ends up to.
Wow, this is a massive haul.
This is a really big haul.
GM is right up there with Ford.
Actually, not quite so much.
GM actually has a small area.
It's Jeep that has the big area.
So Lincoln's got some stuff over there.
They've got some new models.
This is interesting, Nathan.
You actually had a chance to go hands-on with this guy.
I did briefly.
So it was a funky story, Tommy.
They brought us to the Backlot at Universal Studios,
which is someplace I used to work at when I was in high school.
To check out the bolt.
This is the brand new bolt.
Yeah.
It is very similar to the old bolt.
They re-styled it.
It does have a different battery.
It's different battery tech in the whole nine yards.
So this is a different vehicle.
It's not using Altium either.
It's its own thing, according to them.
For some reason, I don't know why it's...
Lock it?
Maybe.
Which is weird.
Oh, no, that's unlocked.
I guess they just put the seat down to show
its capacity.
So Nathan, it is fairly similar to the old one, though.
Right.
And in pricing, they aimed for it to be under 30 grand.
Yeah.
It lets you get the RS, and then you go a little over that.
Performance is on par with what it was before.
Okay.
Range is, I think, around 250 miles or even higher.
So here we go.
Pricing from $28,995 for the LT, $33 for the RS.
The bolt was a car.
We actually owned one briefly, and I loved it.
It's just the right size.
It's got the right amount of technology.
It's slightly larger than before.
And I think because this is more like the EUV, if you recall,
that was like the last two years of the bolt production before.
It's about that size, even though it looks like a regular bolt.
Charging is different now.
Charging speeds are finally faster.
Because the old one charged terribly.
It was 50 kilowatt, which is really like 49 on a good day.
This one is far better.
All together.
Yeah, this one charges 150 kilowatts on DC fast charging.
And it's using NACS Tesla style.
Yeah.
And so overall, the setup on this vehicle is just a far more logical one.
But here's the thing, Tommy, and here's the crazy part.
Don't expect to see this for very long.
Rumor has it that maybe two years,
they're going to replace the entire bolt line
with an all new line that may or may not be called bolt.
So that was the LT.
This is the RS.
Oops, sorry.
No, you're good.
Norris.
So this is kind of the sporty trim.
Yeah, it's sport with a little SCH in there too.
Small SH, yeah.
And then we've got a whole line of electric Chevy's.
We've got the Blazer.
If you hate that, we also have a Duramax back there.
Yeah.
And then over here is the Corvette stand.
So Nathan, if you want to go hands-on with a Z06,
they've got one here.
They've got this.
I think TFL has gone hands-on enough with Corvettes.
Come on.
We've got the CX concept here.
And then this is the one that's kind of the showstopper
if you're a Corvette guy.
Over here is the ZR1X, which is the insane 1,000-plus horsepower
all-wheel-drive hypercar.
Yeah, yeah.
This is just, the numbers are insane.
And it's irony, the minute Ford comes out with something
like the GTD, General Motors counters with this.
Yeah.
So this is a ZR1, but with the e-ray powertrain in it.
And ZR1 already insane.
1,250 horsepower.
Yeah, God, what the heck.
Right.
So this is a true hypercar killer for less than you
spend for Ferrari or McLaren.
And it's cool to see one in person.
You know, a lot of people have been hyping this thing up
and seeing how it just nuts a lot of the wings and spats
are on this car is pretty unreal.
Yeah, they went to a whole another level with wings.
You know, look, some people really like this design.
I think your dad likes this design.
Not me, but I can give it up to General Motors.
I know that everything that we're looking at here
is functional, meant to make this super fast.
Now let's keep going, Nathan.
So we also have the full lineup of Chevy SUVs here.
We've got Traverse.
We've got Tahoe.
We've got Suburban.
We've got Equinox here.
We also have some trucks and some little guys,
like if you want to go hands on with the Trailblazer.
Which is selling really well right now, by the way.
Trailblazer is a popular.
This is doing really well.
Here's the thing.
Remember we are at the Ford booth.
Well, over here, they're only showing
in their top of the line vehicles.
True. Good point, Nathan.
You know, it's interesting to say so.
If you open the wrong hood,
Mary Barra pops out and scolds you for pointing that out.
So we just saw that the Ford guys had a little booth going.
Jeep is taking it farther.
So they've got their Camp Jeep here.
But they've got a lot more in terms of obstacles.
So we've got the hail, but we also have this
crazy wooden structure.
That is cool looking.
We've got the side slope over here.
Look at that, Nathan.
This should be in the backyard at the TFL Ranch,
to be honest with you.
I don't know why it's not, Tommy.
I've heard like every time Jeep needs to set this up,
it's well over a million dollars.
Oh, easily.
Because it's not just the setup.
It's taking the people who need to set it up.
Yeah.
And it's not just the people driving.
It's also the vehicles brought in.
All of that stuff has to be taken into account.
Plus, they have to rest in space.
If you're here at the LA Auto Show,
check out Camp Jeep.
They'll take you for a spin around some cool obstacles.
Look at the color.
I love that green.
Yeah, on the gladiator.
Yeah.
That's a really cool green, right?
So I'm actually out here today, thanks to Volvo.
They invited me out.
And they have a booth here at the 2025.
Is it mobility show now?
Are they going with the mobility?
Yeah, on the mobility show.
And everybody's calling.
Like Tokyo calls it mobility too, yeah?
Yeah, they're big in mobility.
Just forget that.
It's an auto show.
Come on, guys.
So Volvo has some cool things that they're showing off here.
So they've got pretty much their whole lineup as well.
You've got XC90, XC60.
But this is what I want to show you, Nathan.
This is the new little guy.
This is the EX30 Cross Country.
Which I drove the other day.
And you just drove probably yesterday.
I did, yeah.
So this is their new, slightly lifted, small crossover,
fully electric all-wheel drive.
And look, they even gave it real all-terrain.
They did indeed.
So 422 horsepower, 400 foot-pounds of torque.
That's combined.
And it is a rocket.
The thing about it is that once you start driving these,
like all the EX30s, you have to deal with that center screen.
That is where your miles per hour is.
That's where your turn signal indication is.
Everything is up there on the top.
And honestly, it takes your eyes a little bit off the road.
And for the safety company, I'm a little surprised about that.
But you do get used to it.
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That's a really good point, Nathan.
They also have a bunch of weird quirks in this car.
Yeah, that ejects.
This does.
Yeah, you can eject the cup holders.
It also has the rear window thing that doesn't make a lot of sense to me,
but you know it's a Volkswagen thing too, right?
Yeah, so you got your two windows switches for your front
and you got a cycle to rear to put the rear windows down.
But the interior design is actually very smart the way they did it.
You can hold two bottles in the door, I've already done it.
Seat, I like their seat design.
Yeah, they've got this weird little square for everything to move around.
It works, yeah.
If you want to adjust things like the mirrors,
you have to actually go into the center infotainment screen
and then the secondary controls on the steering wheel.
So things like that can be a little trying for some people,
but once again, these are things that you won't need very often,
so it's not an habit of a deal.
You know, Nathan, I do have to say,
look at this topo map.
Like a topo map on the front end.
I really appreciate that this thing is weird and different.
Every car I drive has become so same as these
and the EX30, even though it's got some things
they don't like like the window switch.
It also has some cool things like the integrated soundbar,
like the metal door pulls feel really nice.
So it feels like a really high quality item
and they're introducing a single motor to the US
which is going to start under 39 grand.
That's right. So it's a 38 and change.
I don't think they have one here,
but that one is still plenty powerful.
This one's a rocket, but the single motor moves quick
and it is meant to compete with vehicles like the leaf
and the new bolt we just saw.
So Nathan, this is a car you just had
or now in the Nissan booth?
Now, this is actually exactly like the one I had.
Check it, look how weird that green and then purple is.
Whoa, it's got like a color change.
Isn't this awesome?
This totally harks back to the old 300
and then prior to that, the turbo Zs.
And the gold, I just think this is a fabulous looking car.
You have to be up close to really see it.
And I'm not into gold or bronze wheels very much,
but they really pulled it off here.
The interior design is not too bad.
Yeah, Heritage Edition Z with the manual transmission
is the way to go.
It was so much fun.
And I really, I know a lot of people
are screaming about the price and you're right,
the price is just way, way too much.
57.5 for this one.
Yeah, it's going to be more, but the good news
is that the design of the vehicle,
the fact that it has plenty of power
means that you don't need the Nismo.
You really don't unless you're serious about track.
And the good news is I hear that Nissan
will be introducing a manual transmission
on their Nismo Z maybe next year.
So we've got a couple things, updated 2026 Pathfinder.
If you want to check that out, that'll be here.
What do you think of the new design, Tommy?
I'm curious about your take on it.
I think it's up, it's pretty mild in terms of,
you know, these these crossovers.
It looks like a big road to me.
It looks fine.
Yeah, looks like a road.
So we do a Pathfinder.
We also have over here Nissan Leaf.
That I think is the big deal.
It is such a smart design.
Yeah. Oh, Nathan.
Probably the most controversial car of the year.
Oh, there's Travis from Auto Buyer's Guide.
Yeah, yeah, don't interrupt him.
Nissan Sentra here at New Sentra.
Yeah, I drove one of these recently.
All the way down to San Juan Capistrano,
which I by the way recommend the drive.
And this is the SR version.
Pretty sharp looking.
Yeah, I prefer actually this one,
the white, see how the grills are different?
This one has a painted grille.
Which makes it a little,
Yeah, which is a little less potent.
Then the all black setup here.
So, you know, it depends on your taste.
But in terms of ride,
now that is something that you guys need to experience
because if you're looking for something
that has those memory foam seats,
which are what are the zero gravity seats?
Zero gravity seats.
This has it.
Okay.
There's something to think about.
Yeah, very cool.
And then this, Nathan,
I'm going to scoot past everybody here.
This is the most controversial car here.
This is the plug-in hybrid Rogue.
Or is it Outlander?
Wow.
They really didn't bother hiding the fact
that it's an Outlander, did they?
No.
So, this has got the Mitsubishi engine.
It's got the Mitsubishi powertrain.
Which is good, by the way.
I think it's a pretty good setup.
It charges faster than I'll thank God.
But they almost did nothing to the outside design.
So, you still have those crazy Mitsubishi-style headlights
and running lights.
It's got a different grille.
It's got the Nissan grille.
And then on the inside,
let's go ahead and poke it open.
You are going to find the Mitsubishi interior,
including the shifter and the old screen.
This still gets the old screen from Mitsubishi.
And then you get your Nissan badging.
So, it's a kind of an inception here situation.
It is.
But I'm going to give Nissan and Mitsubishi some credit.
And you know I'm a Mitsubishi fanboy
when it comes to the Montero.
That company, Mitsubishi, said that they're bringing
in a whole bunch of new product
to the United States soon.
Many of which will be off-road capable.
I'm looking forward to that.
This, now if you think about it,
there have been a bunch of other rogues in the past.
We've had a rogue sport at the same time
as a regular rogue and whatnot.
So, you could say that this is another spin-off
of the rogue name.
Is this a good idea?
I think they'll sell a few.
Because some people want to stick with the Nissan name
and for some reason don't want the Mitsubishi name.
The question is, will this cost more
than its Mitsubishi cousin?
That's a big question.
Yes.
Yeah.
So, if you want to check that out,
that'll be here.
Toyota's got a huge booth,
but not a lot of news.
However, the big thing here at Toyota
is if you want to go hands-on
with the new RAV4, they have them here.
So, that's of course the best-selling car in the USA.
So, if you want to come and experience that
before it's at your dealer,
come to the LA Auto Show.
They'll be here.
If you are a Lakers fan,
then you're going to be thrilled with Toyota
because they've got something interesting here.
Golden basketballs.
Each one solid gold.
For the taking, you can just take one.
You grab one.
No, grab one.
Anyway, the funny thing is that
I've been seeing a lot of this,
but nobody's putting up Dodger stuff.
Rumor has it they won some sort of big game.
I don't know.
Allegedly.
Yeah, allegedly.
But check this out, like,
okay, let's say you're,
this is what's cool about auto shows.
Let's say you want to buy a 4Runner.
Uh-huh.
You've got Tierdy Pro,
Tierdy Off-Road, Platinum,
all in a two-foot radius, all unlocked.
So, you can just go poke around to your heart's desire.
You know what the problem with this, Tommy, is?
What?
You.
Because you went to Tokyo,
because you went to Tokyo,
and what did you see?
Oh, the new Baby Lancer.
Yes.
That's not going to be here.
Oh, come on.
You've got to make it happen.
We've got to make some phone calls.
Please, please, just bring it.
We want it.
So, we're now entering the Stalantis area here at the Auto Show.
So, this is the Ram booth here at Ram.
Lots of changes here.
Yeah, we've got the new V8s back in the 1500.
Yeah, these are the little.
We've got RHO.
I was really hoping they'd bring back the TRX this year.
It's going to happen soon.
Yeah.
It's got it.
No, no news on that.
So, we've got RHO.
We've got some full-size stuff here,
if you want to look at the full-size trucks.
I was driving the RHO through LA traffic.
It was about the funniest damn thing you've ever seen.
Was it?
It was.
It's just, it's laughing at other cars near it
and scaring others.
And then, over here, Nathan, this is a new Cherokee,
which is very controversial online.
Yeah.
No comments.
I have such a hard time with this vehicle,
and I'll tell you why,
because I know that overseas,
they've had their own 4xE design plug-in hybrid system
for a while with Jeep.
And they didn't bring that system here.
I don't exactly know why.
And then, bringing this out,
guys, does this look like it's off-road capable
with a nose like that?
Yeah.
This is not, look, they've got this big thing
where they're like, they brought LL Cool J out
and they said, the return of,
we're back from whatever.
Don't call it a comeback.
Yeah.
I'm not sure that this is the comeback
they're hoping it would be.
This is not, yeah.
And you know, what happened was,
this came out shortly after the Wagoneer S.
Yeah.
Which I think Tommy and I both agree was, yeah.
Yeah.
The good news is, standard hybrid,
makes good power, so it's pretty powerful.
Yeah.
We've got the car confections guys here.
Yeah.
What's going on?
You want to be my podcast for a sec?
Sure.
I just want to ask you one question.
Actually, I have a question too,
but it's about drinking age.
They actually are old enough too, but no, it's great.
Oh my God, Nathan.
What? I'm just asking questions.
What's been the highlight of the show for you guys?
Don't say the LA weather.
Come on.
We've been getting dashed.
Hey, the Sunset Drive on PCI yesterday was a highlight,
that's for sure.
We looked at the new pilot.
They made the changes they needed to on that.
And the prelude, I think, looks really good.
What do you guys think of the recall?
Solid?
Yeah.
I think the range and the price is going to be a challenge.
But it looks great.
Okay.
I don't know.
If folks want to find your stuff, where you at?
Car confections on YouTube.
So yeah, youtube.com slash car confections.
Yeah.
Well, I'm going to stay out of your way,
because these guys are making high quality videos.
Yeah.
Unlike us over here.
High quality is your own.
Oh, stop.
Yeah.
Yeah, they need it.
Unlike people that are walking through ours,
Mason and Drew, they make sure nobody's walking through there.
So check them out.
Oh yeah, knock them out.
See you guys.
See you guys.
So yeah, Nathan, this is a big vehicle for Jeep here.
So this is what they call the recon, right, dude?
Right.
So this is a fully electric.
With 650 horsepower.
You got it.
0 to 63.6 seconds.
Topless and doorless all-wheel drive off-road.
That does come with the doors.
We just don't have to put that out there for a legal disclaimer.
The doors do come on the vehicle,
but they can come off the vehicle.
Also, you can remove the upper quad section.
That actually all pops off.
The rear section pops off as well.
The roof has its own retractable, like large, what do they call that?
My Sky.
My Sky, right.
So it's getting pretty close to what you could do with a Wrangler.
And that's kind of the point, that this is the electric Wrangler, but not a Wrangler.
But this is a full independent suspension vehicle, fully electric.
I mean, the big problem for me, Nathan, starts at over $65,000.
And the range on this Moab is just 230 miles.
So I think that's going to be a tough sell for some of the GP people out there.
But the good news is, it does have a rear locking differential.
Mechanical lockers, I understand.
33-inch tall off-road tires.
The doors do fully come off, as you can see in this one.
So there's a lot to like.
There is a lot to like, especially for EV fans.
And I know that the market is slowing down, but it's not dead.
I know some people say that just to get clicks.
It's not dead at all, especially out here in LA.
So the question is, of course, the range.
Now I think that there's a way to fix that.
I think that they have to get some gas tanks and a generator.
And then they put it back there.
And then you've got power on the trail.
It's a good idea.
Yeah.
And call it the not harvester.
That's another one.
We're not going to make it out there because it started pouring rain.
But Scout is here.
Yeah, Scout is here.
But they don't have anything new to show us.
And we've already shown everything before.
But honestly, this is an idea.
And this has been a couple of years in the brewing, right?
But we've been hearing about this, what, two, three years now?
Yeah.
And finally, we now just now get to see it.
Yeah.
There's a lot of like about it.
I love that they maintain that open air freedom.
I don't love the price for the range.
You want to take a look at the interior real quick
while nobody is there?
Sure.
I'll pop my head in there.
Let's see what we got.
I'm ruining the shot of many people.
Oh, sorry about that, guys.
Sorry.
Are you shooting right now?
Are you shooting right now?
Guys.
Oh, OK.
Cool.
So here you can see that square, squirkel steering wheel.
It does have different upper moves.
I like to call them squiggle.
A squirkel?
Squirkel.
Yeah, it's like a bagel that's square, squirkel.
It's a comedian who put that in.
I'll say it's trail rated.
So it has that whole little badge right there,
which means that it should be able to handle the Rubicon
trail without destroying itself.
That was initially the point.
Massive screens here, which is cool.
And then, you know, as we kind of make our way
to the back here.
It comes with your own tech guy, too.
We'll make sure that you can get into things.
Yeah.
These are pre-production prototypes here, Nathan.
They are indeed.
But look in the back here.
So the storage area is a little compromised.
If you look how high it is, I noticed that before.
Is that a Jeep thing?
There's no solid axle going through the back here.
So it's battery thing.
Yeah, that's a good point.
I do like this kind of coffee colored interior.
It's really nice.
Yeah.
And I do, like I said, I like that one touch
mice guy top.
So there's some cool stuff here, Nathan.
There is indeed.
And another thing to point out is that, you know,
this is definitely aiming towards a premium audience.
And it's using, I believe, the STLA large platform.
Yeah, you got it.
Yeah, you got it.
Yeah.
So those are now somewhat proven because they've
been putting them on other vehicles, which, you know,
have had some teething issues, but now they're
starting to work better.
So hopefully by the time this hits showing floors,
it will be OK.
We also have the new grand wagon near here.
So if you want to check that out a lot.
Waggoner's dead now.
It's just grand waggoner, right?
It's just grand, yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
New front end design.
New front end design, yeah.
Which I think he looks really good in person.
I'm glad they did this.
It separates it from looking too much
like some of the other vehicles out there
because I used to think that this looked too much
like a grand Cherokee.
Right.
I think this looks better.
Well, folks, let us know what you guys think of the LA show
this year.
A little bit of everything here.
Yeah.
The brands that are missing are a lot of the German luxury
brands.
A lot of them.
Now, there is a Porsche pavilion downstairs,
but it is done by a particular odd,
sorry, a dealer.
Dealer group.
Dealer groups, yeah.
Hey, can I show you guys one more thing before we end?
Yeah.
Because it is my favorite new car
that we'll never, ever, ever drive.
And we'll be lucky if we can point at it
without anybody coming out and slapping us.
And it's from Alfa Romeo.
And here we go.
Right.
Whoa.
Yes, 33.
Beautiful.
Now, my very favorite car, Tommy, ever was,
it was built between 1968 and 1971 or two.
It's the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradeo.
And this is sort of the grandchild of that.
This is just extraordinary.
That's beautiful.
Every angle of this thing is just, mm.
But yeah, this is as close as we're going to get.
I guarantee it.
They also have Tonale here, Julia.
Dodge is here if you want to see a new Charger 6-pack.
Yeah.
Which you had a chance to play with.
Yeah.
If you want to hop in a Durango, that's here too.
Fiat's here.
Woo.
I mean, a lot of the Americans are here.
But like I said, Mercedes, BMW,
if you want to see those, you're
going to have to go elsewhere.
Yeah, sorry about that.
They're not doing too many auto shows in general.
So guys, let us know what you think of the show this year.
This has been Tommy.
And Nathan.
We'll see you on the next podcast.
We're going to go get a snack.
Thanks for watching.
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About this episode
The 2025 LA Auto Show showcased a variety of new and exciting vehicles, with highlights including the Mustang GTD, revamped Ford Explorers, and Honda's new Passport Trail Sport. The hosts provided insights on the return of brands and the growing size of the show. Discussions included the new Honda Prelude, the electric Rivian R2, and the unique designs from Kia and Hyundai. The episode also featured debates on pricing, performance, and the practicality of new models, making it a comprehensive overview of the latest automotive trends and innovations.
all wheel drive system
approach angle
digital clusters
EcoBoost powertrain
high clearance front bumper
infotainment
LA Auto Show
off-road capability
off‑roader
roof rack
Alfa Romeo Tonale
Cadillac Eldorado
Chevrolet Camaro
Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet Equinox
Chevrolet Suburban
Chevrolet Tahoe
Dodge Charger
Ford Bronco
Ford Bronco Sport
Ford Expedition
Ford Explorer
Ford F-150
Ford Maverick
Ford Mustang GTD
Ford Mustang Mach-E
Genesis GV60
Honda Accord
Honda Civic
Honda CR-V
Honda Odyssey
Honda Passport
Honda Pilot
Honda Prelude
Honda Ridgeline
Hyundai Genesis
Hyundai Ioniq 5
Hyundai Ioniq 9
Hyundai Palisade
Jeep Cherokee
Jeep Gladiator
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep Recon
Jeep Wagoneer
Jeep Wrangler
Kia EV9
Land Rover Range Rover
Mazda MX-5 / Miata
Mitsubishi Lancer
Mitsubishi Outlander
Nissan Leaf
Nissan Pathfinder
Nissan Rogue Sport
Nissan Sentra
Porsche 911
Rivian R1S
Rivian R1T
Rivian R2
Toyota 4Runner
Toyota RAV4
Volkswagen Golf
Volkswagen ID. Buzz
Volkswagen Tiguan
Volvo XC60
Volvo XC90
Original notes
( https://www.alltfl.com/ ) Check out our new spot to find ALL our content, from news to videos and our podcasts! In this episode of TFL Car Chat, Tommy and Nathan take you straight to the floor of the 2025 LA Auto Show to reveal the very best — and the very worst — new cars debuting this year. From exciting new models with real potential to the head-scratchers that left them wondering “why?”, they give honest first impressions, design takes, and all the details car fans actually care about.
They also share behind-the-scenes moments from the show, talk about the trends shaping the industry, and highlight the cars that stood out for all the right (and wrong) reasons. If you want a full, unfiltered tour of the 2025 LA Auto Show, this episode has you covered.
( http://www.patreon.com/tflcar ) Visit our Patreon page to support the TFL team!
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