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Make Dad Like Cars, Lots Of Civic, What’s Good At $12K? | Episode 1,030

Make Dad Like Cars, Lots Of Civic, What’s Good At $12K? | Episode 1,030

Everyday Driver Car Debate Jan 27, 2026 89 min
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About this episode

Exploring the latest automotive news, the hosts dive into comparisons of the Toyota Grand Highlander, Kia Telluride, and Rivian R1S, discussing their unique market positions. They also tackle the upcoming Toyota MR2, debating its potential specs and the importance of manual transmissions in sports cars. A listener's journey from car enthusiast in China to embracing car culture in Finland sparks a discussion on converting non-enthusiasts into car lovers. The episode wraps up with listener car debates, including a track daily crush featuring luxury performance vehicles.

Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Toyota Grand Highlander
Elise240SX (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Toyota Grand Highlander

"...we had Toyota sent us a Grand Highlander and we wanted to put the Grand Highlander with stuff..."

The Toyota Grand Highlander is a bigger SUV from Toyota that provides more room and comfort, making it great for families or long trips.

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Kia Telluride
Ghostofakina (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Kia Telluride

"...we went seeking out the Kia Telluride. We found a used one of that with a mostly new version of the Rivian R1S..."

The Kia Telluride is a family-friendly SUV that offers a lot of space and features at a good price, making it popular among buyers.

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Rivian R1S
Richard Truesdell (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Rivian R1S

"...with a mostly new version of the Rivian R1S. But the reason we pulled that..."

The Rivian R1S is a new electric SUV that is built for outdoor adventures and has a lot of space inside, appealing to people who want an eco-friendly vehicle.

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Term

configurator

"...the configurator is live. If you haven't played with it yet, here we go..."

A configurator is a website tool that lets you choose how you want your car to look and what features it should have before you buy it. You can pick colors and styles.

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Concept

roadster

"...this is an EV cool lightweight fun roadster. And I wanted you to know the configurator is live..."

A roadster is a small, sporty car that usually has two seats and no roof. They are designed for fun driving and are often very fast.

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Company

Longbow Motors

"...we have been having our eyes on Longbow Motors because this is an EV cool lightweight fun roadster. And I wanted you to know the configurator is live..."

Longbow Motors is a car company that makes electric cars, especially sporty ones called roadsters. They aim to create fun and lightweight vehicles.

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Term

two-tone paint

"...so they're two tone paint configuration is a bit odd, but there it is very odd..."

Two-tone paint means the car is painted in two different colors, usually with one color on the top and another on the bottom. It can make the car look more interesting.

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Term

EV

"...this is a 2000 pound EV. 2000 pound rear wheel drive EV and I would love for someone to actually succeed and do this."

An EV, or electric vehicle, runs on electricity instead of gas. This means it doesn't produce exhaust fumes and can be cheaper to drive.

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Tesla Cybertruck
Alexander-93 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Tesla Cybertruck

"...servation. This is like the 100 This is the $100 Cybertruck thing. Are you really? Okay. This is the Cybertr..."
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BMW F80
Matti Blume (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

BMW F80

"...does not log into the Ferrari and build your own F80. Okay, fair. Constantly. All right. Change the co..."
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Toyota MR2
TTTNIS (CC0)
Car

Toyota MR2

"...they have confirmed that the MR2 is actually coming, which is interesting. It's very, very cool that this is the case. Yes. I am showing the latest picture that we have, which is this cool orange one..."

The Toyota MR2 is a small sports car that has its engine located in the middle, which helps it handle better on the road. It's been loved by car fans for its fun driving experience.

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Term

two liter turbo

"...What they're saying so far is two liter turbo..."

A two liter turbo engine is one that has a size of two liters and uses a turbocharger to boost its power. This means it can be smaller but still very powerful.

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Term

hybrid

"...how soon and if it'll be hybrid. The discussion was it's at the beginning of their five stages..."

A hybrid car uses both a gas engine and an electric motor to run. This helps save fuel and is better for the environment.

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Porsche Cayman
Vauxford (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Porsche Cayman

"...ve years. Right now. Right now. Well, there's no Cayman. Some outlets are talking about they think this i..."
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Toyota Supra
Dietmar Rabich (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Toyota Supra

"...be slotted in the place in their lineup where the Supra is right now. Now, I think that's what it has to..."
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Honda Prelude
Riley from Christchurch, New Zealand (CC BY 2.0)
Car

Honda Prelude

"... Toyota avoid what's happening with Honda and the prelude. I would like Toyota to pick a spec for the MR2 ..."
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Honda CR-Z
Mytho88 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Car

Honda CR-Z

"...But Honda has proven with their CRV and pardon me, with their CRZ and with the old insight that you can do hybrid manual..."

The Honda CR-Z is a small car that uses both a gasoline engine and an electric motor to save fuel. It has a sporty look and is designed to be fun to drive while being eco-friendly.

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Honda Crv
EurovisionNim (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Honda Crv

"...But Honda has proven with their CRV and pardon me, with their CRZ and with the old insight that you can do hybrid manual..."

The Honda CR-V is a popular small SUV that is known for being reliable and having a lot of space for passengers and cargo. It's a good choice for families.

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Term

CVT

"...But CVT and no manual is going to be terrible if they do that. And we know there's people from Toyota that watch this show..."

CVT means Continuously Variable Transmission, which is a type of automatic transmission that helps the car use fuel more efficiently by changing gears smoothly without the usual steps you feel in regular automatics.

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BMW M2
Wikisympathisant (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

BMW M2

"... on stuff that relates to the MR2. Okay. The BMW M2 50% of buyers are manuals on the M2. That's great..."
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BMW Z4
Matti Blume (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

BMW Z4

"...f buyers are manuals on the M2. That's great. BMW Z4. Now, this is the last year of building, which i..."
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Cadillac Blackwing
SmackJam (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Cadillac Blackwing

"...the Blackwing Cadillacs, just about 50-50. I'll take that for that big car."

The Cadillac Blackwing is a powerful version of Cadillac cars that focuses on performance. It's designed for those who want a fast and sporty driving experience.

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Hyundai Elantra
Crisco 1492 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Hyundai Elantra

"...the Elantra N, which came out as a manual first and then has later followed with a DCT."

The Hyundai Elantra N is a sportier version of the regular Elantra. It has a more powerful engine and is designed for better performance and handling.

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Lotus Amira
Calreyn88 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Lotus Amira

"...at in mind and this stat is still 30% manual. The Amira, which I will admit came out first as a manual a..."
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Mazda Mx5 Miata
MercurySable99 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Mazda Mx5 Miata

"...the Amira. That's fantastic. It's great. Wow. The MX5 Miata, thankfully, is 70%. 70% of the buyers are manua..."
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Porsche 911
David Villarreal Fernández (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Car

Porsche 911

"Porsche Boxster Cayman, 43%, 9-11, 37%. That's not bad."

The Porsche Boxster is a sporty car that many people enjoy driving. Although fewer buyers choose the manual version, it is still a great car for those who love performance.

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Porsche Boxster
Alexander Migl (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Porsche Boxster

"...f the buyers are manuals, which is great. Porsche Boxster Cayman, 43%, 9-11, 37%. That's not bad. That's s..."
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Term

PDK

"But keep in mind how many people buy them. The PDK is brilliant and people buy them to use them as dailies."

PDK is a type of automatic transmission used in Porsche cars. It helps the car change gears quickly, making it faster and more fun to drive.

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Subaru Wrx
TTTNIS (CC0)
Car

Subaru Wrx

"...ns when you make a CVT or only other option, the Subaru WRX. It's available as a CVT or a manual. 87% of buy..."
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Nissan Z-car
TTTNIS (CC0)
Car

Nissan Z-car

"Did they cover the Z-car, the Nissan Z-car? Was that in there? I don't have that on this list."

The Nissan Z-car is a sporty car that many people enjoy. It's known for being fast and fun to drive, and it has a long history of performance.

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Chevrolet Corvette
Matti Blume (CC BY-SA)
Car

Chevrolet Corvette

"...ne I really hope is listening. Chevrolet for the Corvette C9. That's great because they have a really good ..."
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Porsche 912
Calreyn88 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Porsche 912

"...People forget the 912. You know, but the 912 was never like a 912, except for now when 911 prices are crazy and suddenly the 912..."

The Porsche 912 is a classic car that was made to be less expensive than the famous 911. It has a smaller engine, which means it's lighter and uses less fuel.

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Tesla Model
Alexander Migl (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Tesla Model

"...'s an issue. They would like. I mean, this is the Tesla model. They would really like you to make a reservatio..."
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Concept

car culture

"...he describes it as no visible car culture in China. That's where he says he was raised. He learned to drive in China. He said not only is traffic in China terrible,..."

Car culture is how people feel about and interact with cars. In some places, like the U.S., it's very popular, with events and clubs, while in others, like China, it might not be as visible or accepted.

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Term

modifying cars

"...modifying cars is essentially illegal to the point that changing from 16 inch factory wheels to 17s is not allowed, let alone wings, body kits, ECU tunes,..."

Modifying cars means changing them to make them look or perform better, like adding new wheels or changing the engine. Some places have strict rules about what you can change.

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Volvo XC60
Alexander Migl (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Volvo XC60

"...drove his parents car. We're talking Civic Volvo XC60 Lexus ES. Now they have a BYDEV. His dad, think a..."
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Toyota Camry
S5A-0043 (CC BY 2.0)
Car

Toyota Camry

"...owned a Buick, which is very popular in China, a Camry, a Civic, other stuff that he's already mentioned..."
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Part

BC racing coilovers

"His is stage one tune, BC racing coilovers. He's planning a downpipe intercooler, an intake to make more powerful, but still daily friendly."

BC Racing coilovers are parts that help improve how a car handles by allowing you to adjust the height of the car's suspension.

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Part

downpipe

"He's planning a downpipe intercooler, an intake to make more powerful, but still daily friendly."

A downpipe is a part of the exhaust system that helps the engine breathe better, which can make the car more powerful.

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Part

intake

"He's planning a downpipe intercooler, an intake to make more powerful, but still daily friendly."

An intake is the part of the car that brings air into the engine, and a better intake can help the engine perform better.

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Part

intercooler

"He's planning a downpipe intercooler, an intake to make more powerful, but still daily friendly."

An intercooler cools the air that goes into the engine, helping it run better and more efficiently.

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Mercedes-Benz SL
Matti Blume (CC BY-SA)
Car

Mercedes-Benz SL

"...at's terrifying. Does. To a $200,000 plus dollar SL 65 AMG, everything in between. So those experienc..."
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Mazda Cx5
EurovisionNim (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Mazda Cx5

"now and we almost have a third license driver, but I'm just noting we're car people around here. That's all I'm saying. Aaron's got a 2019 Mazda CX-5 with the turbo. That's his wife's daily 2015 Honda Odyssey. Aaron's daily driver and the car they often use when they haul the whole family"
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Honda Odyssey
TTTNIS (CC0)
Car

Honda Odyssey

"...th the turbo. That's his wife's daily 2015 Honda Odyssey. Aaron's daily driver and the car they often use ..."
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Genesis G70
OWS Photography (CC BY 4.0)
Car

Genesis G70

"... sweet spot. So if you're searching for a Genesis G70, my recommendation is the Sport Prestige just fr..."
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Audi Rs3
Alexander-93 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Audi Rs3

"... if we're going to talk fun Dadmobiles, the Audi RS3 has got to be on your list. That's a good one. I ..."
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Cadillac CT4
Dinkun Chen (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Cadillac CT4

"... I'm going to throw a wild card at you, Cadillac CT4, the Blackwing, my friend, because also slightly ..."
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Cadillac CT5
Elise240SX (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Cadillac CT5

"...re, but yeah, I think you could really enjoy the CT5, sorry, CT4 Blackwing. We drove that car and it ..."
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Honda Civic
MercurySable99 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Honda Civic

"... 911 gets sold now. So you are thinking about the Civic Type R, which is great. We've driven it multiple..."
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Toyota GR Corolla
TTTNIS (CC0)
Car

Toyota GR Corolla

"...nd the stuff you want with still powerful. Okay. GR Corolla should be considered. I've got it here with the t..."
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Bmw X1
Vauxford (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Bmw X1

"...ith one. Okay. The current garage includes a 2021 BMW X1 that is his wife's car. Okay. 1990 Miata. All ri..."
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Ford Ranger
Alexander-93 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Ford Ranger

"...his wife's car. Okay. 1990 Miata. All right. 1994 Ranger and a 1990 Nissan 240SX. Okay. The X1 and the Mi..."
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Nissan 240SX
Bull-Doser (Public domain)
Car

Nissan 240SX

"...0 Miata. All right. 1994 Ranger and a 1990 Nissan 240SX. Okay. The X1 and the Miata are not going anywhe..."
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Toyota Crown
Autosdeprimera (CC BY 3.0)
Car

Toyota Crown

"... sorry, but that's plenty. Oh, you've had a Ford Crown Victoria. He did. Yes. Wow. He sends his car hist..."
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Ford Crown
OWS Photography (CC BY 4.0)
Car

Ford Crown

".... I'm sorry, but that's plenty. Oh, you've had a Ford Crown Victoria. He did. Yes. Wow. He sends his car hist..."
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Chevrolet Blazer
ArildV (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Chevrolet Blazer

"... his wife has a long car history, including a K5 Blazer. A Corrado is in there. Wow. A 1978 Volkswagen C..."
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BMW E36
Dinkun Chen (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

BMW E36

"...k. That's the sentence I haven't seen in forever. E36 convertible. She's had a lot of cool stuff. Yeah..."
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Volkswagen Caddy
Dinkun Chen (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Volkswagen Caddy

"...r. A Corrado is in there. Wow. A 1978 Volkswagen Caddy truck. That's the sentence I haven't seen in fore..."
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Porsche Cayenne
Alexander-93 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Porsche Cayenne

"...ing in, Mike, with choices here. And I love your Cayenne suggestion. You suggested, why don't I just go ge..."
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Audi S5
Dinkun Chen (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Audi S5

"...ke it work. And we steered him away from the Audi S5. Okay. So we did homework. He tore out an Audi S..."
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Alfa Romeo Giulia
Alexander Migl (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Alfa Romeo Giulia

"...e did homework. He tore out an Audi S5, an Alpha Giulia, non quad, Genesis G70. He wanted to drive the M2..."
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Hyundai Genesis
Calreyn88 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Hyundai Genesis

"...e tore out an Audi S5, an Alpha Giulia, non quad, Genesis G70. He wanted to drive the M2 in an M340i, but ..."
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Porsche Taycan
Alexander Migl (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Porsche Taycan

"...tt Farah talking about the fact that the Porsche Taycan is worth nothing. There's no second buyer. They'v..."
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Audi Etron
Alexander Migl (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Audi Etron

"That got him looking at used Porsche. Seriously, got him looking at used Porsche Taycans. And in the process, he stumbled across the Audi e-tron, which is the same chassis. He likes the styling better. I think that is an actual possibility case. We actually love the e-tron that we drove"
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BMW G22
多多123 (CC BY 4.0)
Car

BMW G22

"...d questions. I'm going to start here with Thomas G22. If money was not an issue, it always is. But if ..."
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Mercedes-Benz Sclass
Dinkun Chen (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Mercedes-Benz Sclass

"And he feels like they left fun cars a long time ago. Ooh. Well, fun is, I guess, a relative term, Preston. Because when you're ensconced in an S-class and you're enjoying all the power, cool everything, or you're feeling the power of an AMG and you're suddenly realizing,"
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Cadillac XLR
MercurySable99 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Cadillac XLR

"...ack or name it something else? Well, they had the XLR that was the Corvette XLR. But that was the fron..."
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Ferrari F40
Alexander Migl (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Ferrari F40

"... flip the other side of the equation. The Ferrari F40 is carbon fiber and they talk when you can see t..."
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Maserati Gran Turismo
Calreyn88 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Maserati Gran Turismo

"... rid of the SL. Yep. Okay. What was it Maserati? Maserati Gran Turismo. Let's assume the new one. Let's assume the I wo..."
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