Jeep's Cherokee was always a "Crossover", RAM's V8 is back, Kia's Sportage is less ugly than before
About this episode
Ram's V8 is back, and the hosts discuss its implications alongside the new Jeep Cherokee and Kia Sportage. They dive into the return of the Hemi, the hybrid capabilities of the Cherokee, and the aesthetic changes in the Sportage. The episode also covers the EV tax credit expiration and how to secure it before the deadline. With debates on towing capacities, engine choices, and the future of small trucks, this episode is packed with insights for anyone interested in the evolving automotive landscape.
In today's rambling episode, we talk about the resurrected HEMI in Ram's 1500 truck, and why it is and isn't a big deal. Tesla has a new Model Y Performance, Jeep's new Compass is starting as a hybrid-only soft-roader... And that's ok. Why? Because news flash: it's never been a Wrangler. Also: since there's a 4-door Wrangler, and a 4-door Grand Cherokee... Why does the Cherokee need to be similar to either of those? Oh, and we chat about how to get the EV tax credit if you have an EV on order but it won't arrive "on time."
Tesla Model Y
"...8 return. We're going to be talking about the new Model Y performance, what we're driving this week, and, o..."
Toyota Tacoma
"...the last couple of weeks. Right now I'm driving a Tacoma trail hunter here at home and I do feel like I'm ..."
Jeep Grand Cherokee
"...e only vehicle you own, your Durango? We have the Grand Cherokee and the Durango. Well, the Grand Cherokee is."
Chevrolet Silverado
"... tests with an F-150 hybrid, for instance, or the Silverado 2.7 liter turbo, just on highway 17, when you get..."
Kia Sportage
"... was looking at two hybrids. I was looking at the Sportage Hybrid and then a quick look at that Jeep Cheroke..."
Kia Sorento
"with the lineup. It looks a lot like a Sorento in a corner, that's for sure."
Aztek Pontiac Aztec
"...ems that solve themselves. Yeah, kind of like the Pontiac Aztec and the vibe and lots of other things."
Jeep Wrangler
"...you can now have a 2G household where one is your Wrangler, your four-door and one is your Cherokee."
Ford Bronco
"... better compared to the other things of its time, Bronco, et cetera. It was the rational, practical,"
Toyota RAV4
"... what's the best-selling thing in America? It's a RAV4 and for 2026, it is all hybrid. 2025, it was huge..."
Chrysler Pacifica
"...ctually is what we're driving this week here, the Pacifica plug-in hybrid. So it is basically the same desig..."
Chevrolet Volt
".... So it is basically the same design as the Chevy Volt and Chevy Malibu, the Ford hybrids,"
Chevrolet Malibu
"...cally the same design as the Chevy Volt and Chevy Malibu, the Ford hybrids, the small hybrids like Maveric..."
Ford Escape
"...Ford hybrids, the small hybrids like Maverick and Escape, as well as Toyota's RAV4 and the Prius,"
Ford Maverick
"... Malibu, the Ford hybrids, the small hybrids like Maverick and Escape, as well as Toyota's RAV4 and the Priu..."
Toyota Prius
"...rick and Escape, as well as Toyota's RAV4 and the Prius, basically the same general design theory of oper..."
Jeep Compass
"...nges. Let's hope that they stick, especially with Compass because once upon a time they had a really cheap ..."
Jeep Renegade
"...hey had a really cheap Compass and a pretty cheap Renegade and those days are just not here anymore."
Jeep Wagoneer
"is kind of unusual. It's the Wagoneer S, the EV. Okay, I didn't know that."
Dodge Charger
"... semi-related to STLA large longitudinal which is Charger and that whole big car platform they've got going..."
Toyota Camry
"...re's been some argument like, well, what is a new Camry? Can we say it's all new when it uses"
Volvo XC90
"...a high and a mid load path. S90 got the low path, XC90 got the higher path but the structures are very c..."
Honda Civic
"... continue on sale in the US until this generation Civic goes away. Honda has not commented yet on US or J..."
Honda Prelude
"...sh or an opportunity for something like the Honda Prelude to come in and slide in there"
Toyota Corolla
"...l thing to do since we do have an all-wheel drive Corolla, we have an all-wheel drive Mazda 3, of course,"
Toyota GR Corolla
"...e, but you have the WRX, you have things like the GR Corolla, you have Golf Rs, all of these all-wheel drive"
Ford Explorer
"... end up being about Maverick-sized. So about Ford Explorer, Dodge Durango, dimensions on the outside."
Ford Ranger
"It's gonna be more of a solid competitor to Ranger, Tacoma, et cetera. Seems like that is a no-brain..."
Dodge Dakota
"I say Dodge 1500 and that's my bad. Dodge Dakota works, Ram Dakota? Yeah, I don't know."
Toyota Corolla Cross
"...V4 or even like, you know, the Corolla truck, the Corolla Cross, something like, you know, in that realm, which i..."
Delorean DMC-12
"... I think so, you know, the futuristic retro coupe DeLorean, probably too close to a Cybertruck for my liking..."
Tesla Cybertruck
"...tic retro coupe DeLorean, probably too close to a Cybertruck for my liking at this point, but that's Cybertruc..."
Tesla Model 3
"Yeah, so very similar to what we saw on the Model 3 performance changes, which is what it was always ..."
Mitsubishi Outlander
"...tion sort of would be, this is sort of Mitsubishi Outlander 3-row kind of thing. If you're gonna buy a Model ..."
Tesla Model X
"...p. No, can't be cheap, but it has to undercut the Model X for sure. Does it?"
Tesla Model Xs
"and has a third row that's not really very competitive and Model X's issue in that space is that it was the only three-row for a while,"
Rivian R1S
"...s not great, great. And compared to an Onyc 9 EV9 R1S, like it's a lot smaller."
Volvo EX90
"...get the Kia or the Hyundai. Or from the drive and EX90, you know those lines. EX90's third row is not hu..."
Volkswagen Id Buzz
"...zed, but cheaper third rows. And don't forget the ID Buzz. Yeah, ID Buzz has a ginormous third row."
Chevrolet Blazer
"...you place the order for your whatever, your Chevy Blazer. And you put, I don't know,"
Cadillac Escalade
"Right, and some of those trucks in the Cadillac Escalade IQ, those are gonna be close. I think there are a..."
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