Lexus and Toyota headlines kick things off with a redesigned Lexus ES that drops the gas-only version in favor of hybrid and EV, plus a look at how the ES is starting to resemble the Toyota Crown. Reviews and test drives follow: a 2026 Corolla Hybrid SE AWD (nearly 39 mpg in cold weather) and the Toyota Crown Signia, praised for smooth hybrid performance and comfort but criticized for interior “not special enough” materials at around $53k. The conversation then shifts to war-driven supply shocks, pricing pressure, and why Toyota’s cautious EV strategy may be paying off, featuring guest Jamie Butters.
Jill opens this week's show with a correction. Listen in for her begrudging mea culpa. The hosts go on to discuss briefly Tom's time in the Toyota Corolla Hybrid SE AWD. Toms's review of the car is live now on ConsumerGuide.com.
Tom shares a few details of the coming redesigned Lexus ES midsize sedan. New for 2026 is an EV variant of the popular model, while other examples of the ES will be hybrid only. Listen in for details.
Still in the first segment, Jill reviews the Toyota Crown Signia. Both hosts are fans of the wagon-like midsize car, but agree that it may be slightly over promoted as a luxury vehicle.
In the second segment, Jill and Tom welcome Jamie Butters of the Butters Bureau to the show. Jamie shares his take on how the Iran conflict will impact U.S. auto sales. Jamie also talks about Toyota's counterintuitive move deeper into EV sales at a time the rest of the industry is recoiling. Listen in for details.
In the last segment Jill is subjected to Tom's "It's a Fact!" quiz, after which Tom shares some interesting Porsche sales statistics.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
"Soften your focus and visualize yourself off-roading in a Tacoma! Now engage your senses. What do you hear?"
The Toyota Tacoma is a pickup truck made by Toyota. People like it because it can handle rough roads and it’s also useful for normal driving.
The Toyota Tacoma is a midsize pickup truck known for off-road capability and everyday usability. In ads, it’s often used to evoke trail-ready features like ground clearance and four-wheel-drive options.
"[161.5s] North American Car of the Year juror and a prolific freelancer. How are you?
[167.2s] I am doing okay. The weather's a little bit colder than I want."
It’s a yearly award for new cars sold in North America. Judges look at things like how good the car is overall and whether it’s a smart buy.
“North American Car of the Year” is an annual award that recognizes standout new vehicles sold in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Jurors evaluate cars based on overall excellence, including design, engineering, and value for buyers.
"I'm not sorry. The Audi A8, we said that was going away. It's going away, b..."
The Audi A8 is a large luxury sedan. The podcast says it’s being discontinued, meaning it won’t be sold as a model going forward.
The Audi A8 is a full-size luxury sedan known for high-end comfort and a flagship positioning within Audi’s lineup. The podcast says it’s going away, indicating an end to that model’s run and a shift in what Audi will offer in the large-luxury segment. It’s discussed because model discontinuations affect what buyers can buy and what replaces it in the lineup.
"...virtually ever Lexus is now also available as a hybrid. But this is interesting to me, and what's really interesting to me is if you look at these cars..."
A hybrid uses both a gas engine and an electric motor. The goal is usually better gas mileage and lower emissions than a regular gas-only car.
A hybrid uses two power sources—typically a gasoline engine plus an electric motor—to improve efficiency and reduce fuel use. In the context of Lexus and Toyota, hybrids are a central strategy for meeting modern emissions and fuel-economy expectations.
"...ses, but they also look very much like the Toyota Crown, which they are. Basically how the ES used to be..."
The Toyota Crown is a Toyota sedan that’s meant to feel more upscale than a basic everyday model. The podcast mentions it to explain how another Toyota-related model’s role changed, and how the Crown fits that picture now.
The Toyota Crown is a long-running Toyota nameplate that’s positioned as a more premium sedan than typical mainstream models. The podcast connects it to the Lexus ES by saying the ES used to be more or less a Camry, while the Crown is now more closely aligned with the ES’s direction. It’s discussed because it helps explain how Toyota’s branding and model positioning have shifted over time.
"...hich they are. Basically how the ES used to be a Camry. Now the ES is more or less a Crown. And that's ..."
The Toyota Camry is a common, everyday car that’s built for comfortable commuting. The podcast mentions it because another Toyota-related model used to be closely tied to the Camry, and that helps explain how the lineup changed over time.
The Toyota Camry is a mainstream mid-size sedan known for practical everyday driving and strong sales. In the podcast, it’s referenced as a baseline for how the Lexus ES used to be more closely related to the Camry, before the ES moved further away in character. That makes it a useful “anchor” when discussing how Toyota’s lineup and platform relationships evolve.
"Okay. But I needed to drive a Corolla. It's one of the most popular cars in the U.S. th..."
The Toyota Corolla is a small, widely sold car that many people buy. In the podcast, it comes up because there’s a hybrid version and it’s part of Toyota’s lineup that sells in large numbers.
The Toyota Corolla is a compact car that’s one of the most popular models in the U.S. The podcast brings it up in the context of Toyota’s hybrid strategy, noting Corolla as part of the lineup that sells well and supports the brand’s profitability. It’s discussed because it’s a key volume model and a common choice for buyers looking for efficiency and practicality.
"But one of the things it didn't have and one of the things that the market sort of moved people towards was all-wheel drive. But for a few years now, you've been able to get all-wheel drive on the Corolla."
All-wheel drive means the car can send power to more than two wheels. It helps the car grip better when the road is wet or icy.
All-wheel drive (AWD) sends power to more than just the front wheels, improving traction in slippery conditions like rain or snow. The speaker notes that AWD has become available on the Corolla for a few years, reflecting changing buyer expectations.
“EPA rated” is the official fuel-economy estimate from government testing. Your real mileage can be lower or higher depending on weather and how you drive.
EPA rated refers to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s standardized fuel-economy testing and published estimates. Real-world mileage—especially in extreme cold—often differs from the EPA number.
The Nissan Sentra is a compact sedan. Here they’re saying it doesn’t offer all-wheel drive, which matters if you want better traction in snow.
The Nissan Sentra is a compact sedan that’s commonly discussed in the context of what drivetrains are available. In this segment, the host notes that the Sentra does not have all-wheel drive.
"Accord. Oh, and Civic doesn't have all-wheel drive. Does not."
The Civic is a compact Honda. In this discussion, they’re saying it doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.
The Honda Civic is a compact car, and this segment notes that it does not have all-wheel drive. That’s a practical buying consideration for shoppers who want AWD in a smaller, lower-cost car.
"And it very much replaces the Avalon in the Toyota lineup as an upscale sedan-ish vehicle."
The Toyota Avalon was an older, more upscale Toyota sedan. Mentioning it helps explain where the Crown Signia is meant to fit in Toyota’s lineup.
The Toyota Avalon was a traditional full-size-ish, upscale sedan in Toyota’s lineup. Saying the Crown Signia “replaces the Avalon” frames the Crown Signia as the brand’s new comfort-and-luxury direction for that segment.
"And so, I have mixed feelings about the Crown Signia because I really like it as a vehicle. It's comfortable and it was really funny because when I picked this vehicle up at the airport,"
The Toyota Crown Signia is a Toyota car meant to feel more upscale and comfortable than the basic sedans. The hosts are talking about how it’s supposed to replace an older model and how it drives in real life.
The Toyota Crown Signia is a new-ish Toyota model positioned as a more upscale, comfort-focused sedan-like vehicle. In this segment, the host discusses how it fits into Toyota’s lineup and how it compares to other Toyota sedans like the Camry and Avalon.
"And it's the same basic setup that's in the Sienna."
The Toyota Sienna is a minivan. They’re saying the hybrid setup is related to what you’d find in the Sienna too.
The Toyota Sienna is a minivan that’s offered with Toyota’s hybrid system. Mentioning it here highlights that the same general hybrid architecture can be tuned for different vehicle types.
"But it's in everything and they tune it differently for every single application."
Even if two cars use a similar hybrid system, the computer can be set up differently. That tuning changes how the car responds and how it prioritizes efficiency versus feel.
“Tuning” refers to calibrating how the hybrid system controls engine, electric motor, battery charging, and power delivery. Even with similar hardware, different vehicles (minivan vs SUV vs crossover) need different throttle feel, efficiency targets, and drivability.
"And you look at the dials and controls on any Genesis vehicle and you've got beveled edges. You have really hard touch, you know, things that are solid and they just feel good."
Beveled edges are the little slanted borders on parts of the dashboard. They make things look more finished and can make controls feel nicer to use.
Beveled edges are angled surfaces on trim pieces, dials, and control bezels that catch light and create a more refined look. They also often signal more careful design and finishing, which can make controls feel more premium.
"The powertrain is good. The powertrain is really, really good."
A powertrain is basically everything that makes the car move—like the engine and the hybrid/electric parts working together. They’re saying the Crown Signia’s setup feels strong and smooth.
The powertrain is the combination of the engine (or engines), electric motors, transmission, and how power is delivered to the wheels. When a host says the powertrain is “really, really good,” they’re usually evaluating how smoothly it accelerates, how it behaves in everyday driving, and how well the hybrid system works.
"And it costs less than the Highlander because the Highlander doesn't have the base trim anymore."
A “base trim” is the cheapest version of a car. The host is saying the Highlander’s cheapest option isn’t available anymore, which changes how the prices line up.
A “base trim” is the lowest-priced version of a model, usually with fewer features. The speaker notes the Highlander no longer has the base trim, which affects how its starting price compares to the Crown Signia.
"But it's called Finishline. Finishline Red. Yeah. It's a $475 option."
Finishline Red is just the name of a particular paint color. They’re saying you can get it for an extra $475.
Finishline Red is a specific paint color option mentioned for the Toyota model being discussed. The hosts note it costs $475 as an add-on, which is a common way automakers monetize color choices.
"So, Cygna, you mentioned this two trim levels.
[1177.9s] Exitally Unlimited, 46 grand, about, or about 50 grand."
Trim levels are like different “packages” of the same car. Some trims include more features, and that’s why the price can go up or down.
Trim levels are different versions of the same model that bundle features at various price points. Here, the discussion is about how many options you can add, and how the price changes depending on which trim and packages you choose.
"I was able to put together a collection of four cranky old white Cadillacs. Three of them were escalades."
The Cadillac Escalade is a big luxury SUV. People buy it for the comfort and “premium” feel, and it’s also a common choice for a flashy, high-end look.
The Cadillac Escalade is a full-size luxury SUV from Cadillac. It’s known for its big dimensions, upscale interior, and popularity as a status-oriented family hauler.
"What makes a car cranky? Replaced fenders. Okay."
If the fenders were replaced, it usually means the car had damage and the body shop put on new metal/plastic. It can also mean the paint or panel fit might not match perfectly.
“Replaced fenders” means the front or rear fender panels were swapped out, usually after damage or rust. It can be a clue to prior body work and may affect panel alignment and paint matching.
"Also, I found a Cadillac Seville with a vinyl roof, which is kind of like the gold standard for kind of car spotter fun."
The Cadillac Seville is a luxury car model made by Cadillac. People often get excited about certain features—like a vinyl roof—because they make the car look more “period-correct” and collectible.
The Cadillac Seville is a full-size luxury sedan from Cadillac, especially associated with late-20th-century styling. In collector talk, details like a vinyl roof can make a specific example more distinctive and desirable.
"Too much cladding. It was like, let's take one of the least popular elements of the Aztec design and carry it forward. Oh man."
Cladding is the extra outside covering/trim on a car. Too much of it can make the car look worse over time and can cost more if it gets damaged.
Cladding refers to exterior coverings—often plastic or composite—that add protection and visual styling. The hosts are arguing that too much cladding can hurt curb appeal and increase repair costs because multiple pieces may need replacement after damage.
"The basically the MSRP minus advertised discounts. So, you know, big run up after the tariffs were announced, a little bit of drawback as they were pulled back."
MSRP is the price the manufacturer lists on the car’s window sticker. Dealers may advertise discounts, so the “real” price you pay is often lower than MSRP.
MSRP is the “Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price,” essentially the sticker price automakers set for a vehicle. When the discussion says “MSRP minus advertised discounts,” it’s describing how the effective selling price is calculated from the list price after promotions.
"...focusing on what sells affordably and profitably, which for them is hybrids, you know, Prius, Corolla hybrid, Camry hybrid..."
The Toyota Prius is a hybrid car, meaning it uses both a gas engine and an electric motor. The point here is that Toyota has been selling hybrids for a long time, so they’re comfortable with electrified powertrains.
The Toyota Prius is one of the most influential hybrid cars ever, helping popularize gasoline-electric hybrid technology. In this segment, it’s used as an example of Toyota’s strategy: selling hybrids at scale while also investing in EVs.
"...I was really surprised when they revealed the 2027 Toyota Highlander as an EV only. I've had so many people being like..."
They’re saying Toyota plans to make the 2027 Highlander electric only. That means it won’t be offered as a gas-electric hybrid or a plug-in hybrid.
The segment discusses Toyota revealing the 2027 Highlander as an EV-only model. That’s a major product-policy shift because it removes the option of a conventional hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrain.
"And then, you know, they offered the Grand Highlander. What do Americans always want? They want something bigger. So the Grand Highlander drew away most of the volume."
It’s a bigger Toyota Highlander meant for people who need more room. The host is saying it became popular enough to take sales from the smaller Highlander.
The Toyota Grand Highlander is a larger, higher-capacity version of the Highlander aimed at buyers who want more space. In this segment, it’s discussed as a volume driver that pulled sales away from the smaller Highlander.
"they're really investing in solid state. They're trying to get to, you know, thousands or a few tens of thousands within a few years."
Solid-state batteries are a newer type of battery design. The idea is that they could improve performance compared to today’s batteries, and Toyota is investing heavily to get there.
Solid-state batteries replace the liquid electrolyte in conventional lithium-ion packs with a solid material. The host frames Toyota’s investment as aiming for higher performance and/or faster charging, with a target timeline of reaching meaningful production scale.
"But if the war goes on and gas prices go to unprecedented highs, GM may decide to keep that vehicle around."
If gasoline gets really expensive, people usually buy cars that use less gas. Car companies then change what they sell and how they sell it.
When gas prices spike, consumers often shift toward more fuel-efficient vehicles and away from large, less-efficient ones. Automakers may respond by adjusting production plans, pricing, and marketing to match changing demand.
"And it's, you know, inconceivable for General Motors. But there they are... Because, like I said, we were talking about Toyota and they have a plan..."
General Motors (GM) is a big car company that makes lots of different brands. The discussion here is about whether GM can change direction quickly when the market shifts, like moving toward electric cars.
General Motors (GM) is one of the largest automakers in the world, with brands like Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, and others. In the segment, the hosts are debating whether GM can quickly adapt its product strategy—especially around EVs and traditional vehicles.
"If you're a small business owner, you already know what it takes to keep everything moving... Thankfully, taxes don't have to be one more thing on that list with Intuit TurboTax."
TurboTax is a tool/service that helps people prepare and file their taxes. This part of the show is promoting it for small business taxes.
Intuit TurboTax is a tax-preparation service/product used to file taxes. The segment is an ad, but it’s relevant to the episode’s framing as a consumer guide for business owners.
Select text to request an explanation
Hi! You're listening to Meditating with Jan from Toyota.
Soften your focus and visualize yourself off-roading in a Tacoma!
Now engage your senses. What do you hear?
A donkey!
Because you're driving the kids to a farm sanctuary in a Grand Highlander!
Breathe in, breathe out, and go from dreaming it to driving it today!
Dealer inventory may vary. See your participating Toyota dealer for details.
Event ends March 31st.
Toyota, let's go places!
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Lunatic in the newsroom. Listen today.
I am Tom Appel, publisher of Consumer Guide Automotive.
Thanks for joining us this week.
If you have a chance, when you get a chance, check us out at ConsumerGuide.com.
I got word that the button, the tab, the dropdown for our best buys wasn't working.
It's working now. Got it fixed. Thanks for letting me know.
Check us out at ConsumerGuide.com.
New car reviews, our best buy picks, and you can stream the podcast right there on our homepage.
Though you should just subscribe, it's easier.
Also, if you have a moment, especially our new friends, we had a lot of new listeners this past month,
do leave us a review, especially on Apple. It helps a lot.
That voice you haven't heard yet, that's Jill Siminello.
Hi.
Checking out the donuts.
I know they're all cinnamon this week.
Contributing editor here at ConsumerGuide.com.
North American Car of the Year juror and a prolific freelancer. How are you?
I am doing okay. The weather's a little bit colder than I want.
It's been weird, but it's very nice today.
But today is not as bad as yesterday. Yesterday was abysmal.
And windy.
It was incredibly windy.
Again.
I ran the Shamrock Shuffle yesterday, which is like the Chicago green Irish St. Patrick's Day race that kicks off the running season.
And the wind, the wind.
I didn't realize that the Shamrock Shuffle kicked off the running season.
Yeah. Yeah, it's kind of like the first major race of the year.
It's funny. I always associate Chicago with our Irish friends, but it's really Boston, right?
That's the really big Irish community in America.
Yeah.
That was a percent of total population, I think.
Yeah, I would agree with that.
All right. Hey, you've got a Mia Culpa.
Yeah, I can't remember what it is. What was it?
The R-Class.
Right. Oh, yes. I had my phone on Do Not Disturbless last week.
And Sam Fiorani was furiously texting us to let me know that the R-Class did not have the sliding doors.
They have open doors.
Yes. We have a new term now, a new vocabulary word. It's incorrect. Incorrecting. You incorrected me.
I incorrected you. Okay.
Yeah, I had it down.
You didn't. You were right.
Everything was good, and then you incorrected me.
I incorrected you.
So I'll accept your apology now.
I'm not sorry.
The Audi A8, we said that was going away.
It's going away, but Audi claims it's coming back.
I wonder if it's coming back electric.
I don't know. I would like to point out that Jaguar said that the XJ Sedan was coming back.
That did not happen.
Right.
So piece of news that kind of got past me, and I guess I knew this and forgot about it, but it's a really big deal.
And it's a very, very late in the season in the model year introduction, but Lexus is rolling out a redesigned ES.
Yes.
They're popular midsize Sedan. They're very good, very luxurious, very quiet, no fun to drive, Lexus ES Sedan.
It's coming back as an EV and a hybrid. There won't be a gasoline version of it.
Okay.
A regular gas version. Obviously the hybrid is gas.
So the Toyotafication is happening.
Yeah. Yeah. A big deal because virtually ever Lexus is now also available as a hybrid.
But this is interesting to me, and what's really interesting to me is if you look at these cars, they look like Lexuses, but they also look very much like the Toyota Crown, which they are.
Basically how the ES used to be a Camry. Now the ES is more or less a Crown.
And that's a very good thing. If you were to do the Lexus thing to a Crown, you'd end up with a very nice car.
We'll be talking about the Crown a little bit more in a moment.
Mm-hmm.
All right.
Well, did I get, yes, I have a lot of little subnotes here. Like, you know, when you index your things, you get the dots, and then if you tough them in, you get the hollow dots on word.
All right, that's just my notes, because see, that's what I'm talking about.
Okay, yeah.
I know I covered all the hollow dots.
I do dashes instead of hollow dots.
Oh, oh, okay. I just finished my review of an interesting car, and I requested this because I hadn't seen one in a long, long time.
And I don't usually request test cars. I just like them to come as they do.
Okay.
But I needed to drive a Corolla. It's one of the most popular cars in the U.S. that I have not driven in a long time.
My review is up now. It's the 2026 Corolla Hybrid SE all-wheel drive.
A lot going on here. And one of the interesting things about the Corolla was it was every dad's safety car, when their kids were looking for a car,
they would like steer them into Corollas because they had this reputation for reliability.
They also had a reputation for not being fast or dangerous.
All right.
But and then they got good mileage and they're easy to, you know, they were cheaper to ensure and things like that.
But one of the things it didn't have and one of the things that the market sort of moved people towards was all-wheel drive.
But for a few years now, you've been able to get all-wheel drive on the Corolla.
It's really good.
Yeah.
I actually drove it in snow. I drove it in the cold.
I did not get the killer hybrid mileage I should have just because it was intensely cold when I drove it.
But I still got almost 39 miles per gallon.
Okay.
It's EPA rated for like mid-40s.
Okay.
But nice car. My review of that is up now. There's a lot there to like.
And the most important thing was I drove an SE, which is the top trim level available with hybrid all-wheel drive.
With something called the premium package, it came to $32,000.
Now, it seems like a lot to me for a Corolla, but maybe not because you got all-wheel drive and a hybrid that's going to get you 40 miles per gallon all the time.
I think this is actually a strong deal.
Yeah.
So that's that story.
This is all Toyota today.
You know, it really is. But so before we before we go to all Toyota all the time, like when you look at the compact car segment and you think all-wheel drive, you know, you've got the Corolla, you had the Ultima, which had all-wheel drive.
Well, that's not compact.
Well, but I mean, okay, the Sentra does not have all-wheel drive.
Would you...
You've got the Mazda 3.
Yeah.
And you've got the Subaru Impreza.
And so Impreza has all-wheel drive. Does Mazda 3 and the sedan have all-wheel drive? I can't remember. I don't want to incorrect you.
I don't remember which version, but I think it's the sedan only, actually. I don't think it's the hatchback.
Okay, because I don't want to incorrect you.
That's a good-looking hatchback, by the way. I like the Mazda 3.
Oh, yeah.
But a lot of people move from that to the CX-30.
It's like five grand more, but to get a little more space, you'd get the standard all-wheel drive.
Yeah, there's not a lot of all-wheel drive options in the compact sedans.
In mid-size sedans, you've got the Camry.
What else have you got?
The legacy is gone.
Yeah, and I mean, I think the Ultima is going away.
I don't know what's the deal there.
Yeah.
They're interested in maintaining that.
I know it's around for another year, but don't know how much longer.
So, yeah.
Accord.
Oh, and Civic doesn't have all-wheel drive.
Does not.
Correct.
So, in Accord, I don't think it has all-wheel drive.
Yeah.
So, that's it.
Okay, so now we can go back to Toyota if you like.
Well, I haven't dug into this for you.
I just drove here.
I put 1.8 miles on the Toyota Land Cruiser 1958 edition.
And my initial impressions are shockingly solid.
This vehicle feels good.
It looks good.
The interior is not leather.
It's this like neoprene fiber.
It looks really stout and healthy and still kind of upscale for what it is, which is durable.
But ultimately, the power is good.
This is the hybrid max, turbo hybrid four-cylinder engine.
Okay.
That's what differentiates it basically from the four-runner.
Because the four-runner downstream a little bit in terms of price, but less stuff.
So, but that's the thing.
I drove it here.
It's a nice silver color that I normally don't say nice silver color because I'm so tired
of silver color with what I think is a very expensive aftermarket roof rack that looks
cool.
So, that's that stuff.
But you did drive this thing because I didn't check with you.
I did drive it.
You spent some time with the Toyota Crown Signia.
Yes.
A vehicle that I secretly love.
Yeah.
You know, it's an interesting vehicle.
So, I was in Dallas last week.
I think I think I can tell you that I was asked to be a new video host for Capital One Auto
Navigator.
So, coming soon, you'll be seeing some reviews from me on their channel.
So, my prolific freelance career expands to video.
Unless you couldn't hear that, in which case you're in trouble.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Here's to hoping.
Here's to hoping I'm not in trouble.
But so, while I was there, I had the opportunity to drive the Toyota Crown Signia.
It was the limited trim.
So, top tier.
They only have like the XLE in the limited.
Yeah.
Talk about what that is relative to the regular Crown.
Yeah.
So, it's more of, okay.
So, Toyota's calling it a wagon or an SUV.
I call it a wagon because it looks more like a hatchback wagon to me.
But standard all-wheel drive, standard hybrid powertrain.
And it is, the Crown is the sedan version, the lifted sedan.
And then you have this Crown Signia, which is the wagon.
And Crown nameplate is supposed to be more of a luxury version of Toyota.
So, in many ways, more of a lexified version of the Toyota.
And it very much replaces the Avalon in the Toyota lineup as an upscale sedan-ish vehicle.
Sedan-ish, yes.
From the Camry.
Yes.
Correct.
Basically, it was a step up from the Camry.
Correct.
And so, I have mixed feelings about the Crown Signia because I really like it as a vehicle.
It's comfortable and it was really funny because when I picked this vehicle up at the airport,
it had 59 miles on it.
Total.
Yeah.
Which is actually weird.
People don't know this, but most vehicles are broken in before we drive them.
Yeah.
So, 59 miles.
To look for obvious problems.
Yeah.
But it was phenomenally smooth.
It felt like it was already broken in.
EPA estimates you should get 39 miles per gallon in the city, 37 miles per gallon on the highway,
and then 38 miles combined driving.
And I was, with mostly highway driving, I was at about 38 miles per gallon already.
And usually, before the break-in period happens, like your fuel economy to me seems a little bit lower
than what you're going to get in actual fact.
That has traditionally been true.
I think it's less and less true, especially as motor oil has gotten lighter.
Yeah.
It's been true for me, like, up until this moment.
Years and years ago, there used to actually be a heavier grade of oil that was installed in cars from the factory
that you were supposed to drain at like 500 or 1000 miles.
Those days are long gone.
But the fuel economy was bad during that break-in period.
Yeah.
But that was not the case with the Crown Signia.
I thought the seats were comfortable.
Visibility is really good.
The hybrid powertrain in the Crown Signia is phenomenal.
It is smooth.
You know, you can barely feel when the engine is shutting on and off.
You know, it is everything that you want a hybrid powertrain to be, including the fuel economy
and just the overall quietness and just comfort of it.
Interesting thing about that engine.
It's a 2.5-liter engine.
Atkinson Cycle made specifically to be made into electric motors for hybrid use.
And it's the same basic setup that's in the Sienna.
It's at the Highlander, the Grand Highlander.
I'm trying to think what else.
But it's in everything and they tune it differently for every single application.
And it works so well in every one of those.
And it's amazing how they feel quicker than their horsepower numbers suggest.
And the fuel economy is almost always outstanding.
Yeah.
So, I mean, powertrain, amazing.
But here's where I get into a little bit more of the next bag is with the interior fit and finish and materials.
Like the fit and finish is fine.
But the vehicle I drove was a $53,000 vehicle.
And to me, it just wasn't special.
Funny you would mention that.
I was looking around today at other people's reviews of that vehicle.
And people seem to rather easily be categorizing it as sort of like a Lexus light.
Yeah.
I don't know that I agree.
I think I agree with you that the interior is actually a little bit average.
Yeah.
In terms of materials.
It looks fine.
It's functional.
There's nothing wrong with it.
And it's not a deal breaker in any way.
But it's not as upscale as I think some people are suggesting.
And, you know, and for me, it's like, look at the Genesis, for example.
And you look at the dials and controls on any Genesis vehicle and you've got beveled edges.
You have really hard touch, you know, things that are solid and they just feel good.
You know, there's no real plasticky like interior accent trim pieces.
And on the crown, like, I would run my fingernails over the dash.
It was like, you know, it was like plastic and the dials were rubber and are plastic.
And it just, to me, it was fine.
It wasn't unattractive.
It had that beautiful leather like tan, like a sad little tan interior leather.
It was very attractive, but it just, it didn't, it wasn't special.
And at $53,000, I wanted it to be a little bit more special than it was.
So I have a confession.
My wife is unofficially not really sort of looking for a car.
Okay.
I really want a Crown Signia.
Okay.
Especially because she and my daughter ride horses.
So they throw a lot of crap in the back.
So it's good for that.
Amazing cargo space.
So what I'm trying to figure out is if these vehicles are going to have typical Toyota resale value,
which would bum me out, I need one year olds to be really cheap.
Right.
Good luck.
I don't think that's going to happen.
No.
But this is what I wrote in my review of the vehicle.
The great, roomy and refined, easy on gas.
The good, good power, quiet cabin, comfortable ride.
They're not so good.
Signia not offered with a more powerful hybrid max drivetrain.
Correct.
But that said, if you didn't know that that existed, I think you'd be fine with this vehicle.
You would totally be fine.
The powertrain is good.
The powertrain is really, really good.
And you know, like I said, my primary pain point with the vehicle is essentially that
I don't think the interior is worth as much as the price tag.
No, this is a good, also, this is one of those cars, and we've talked about this before,
where no one ever tells you that they're aiming a car at old people.
But in fact, the Avalon really found a lot of very mature audience.
And this vehicle more or less does that with the better hit point, because it's slightly
elevated, it's slightly crossover-ish.
And you've got the fear factor too.
Oh, we'll drive.
And if you live in Chicago, that matters to you.
A lot of good stuff here.
But I wouldn't let that stop a family from buying one of these.
It's a really good vacation car.
Yeah.
I mean, the seats are comfortable.
You've got plenty of space for luggage in the back.
I think it would be a great road trip vehicle for the spaciousness and overall comfort.
So I've got a good question for you.
You ready?
I may or may not have an answer.
But go.
You may not.
You can think on this.
I'll hum some music while you're thinking.
What is the competition for the Crown Signia?
Yeah.
See, that's just it.
That's the problem.
And I thought a lot about this during my three days with this vehicle is what exactly would
I compare this to?
And I mean, you could kind of say, OK, maybe RAV4.
Maybe RAV4.
But here's the thing.
It's priced more than the Highlander, right?
No, it's priced higher than the Grand Highlander and priced higher than the Toyota 4Runner.
And it costs less than the Highlander because the Highlander doesn't have the base trim anymore.
So it's awkwardly priced in the Toyota lineup.
And it's not quite an SUV.
Like I said at the very beginning, it's more of a wagon.
So in my mind, and it's more on the luxury side of the spectrum, so not necessarily RAV4 CR-V caliber.
So in my mind, if I were going to compare it to one vehicle, I would say it's probably in my brain more closely linked to the Mazda CX-70 than anything else.
OK.
Yeah.
Two row crossover, that makes some sense.
Yeah.
Yeah, it's hard to categorize.
And I think the Toyota is having a little bit of difficulty finding buyers for this thing.
Yeah.
It's great looking.
Yeah.
There's a blue color.
Yeah.
Oh my God.
Yeah.
That's a nice color.
The one I had was that beautiful red that we've talked about before.
And I think before it was previously called like a Soul Red or something like that.
But they've changed the name of it.
Well, the Soul Red is very specifically on Toyota's.
It's very specifically on the Corolla Cross because that's built at a Mazda factory.
Well, this is very similar to that red.
Yeah.
But it's called Finishline.
Finishline Red.
Yeah.
It's a $475 option.
It's a good color.
Yeah.
$475 or if you like a color, why not?
And that's about what I think Mazda was selling Crystal Soul Red for as an upgrade.
Also, Mazda, it has now become a spiritual thing at Mazda.
Like every Miata is that color.
Yeah.
And I very famously, I occasionally dye my hair random colors.
And I had dyed it.
I don't.
You don't.
You don't.
But I had dyed it red, like a very bright red.
And it was like that same, I was on a Mazda launch.
And I was like, oh, look, my hair is so red crystal metallic.
It was like the same color as the car.
Yeah.
So, Cygna, you mentioned this two trim levels.
Exitally Unlimited, 46 grand, about, or about 50 grand.
Not a lot of options, but you can get it up to about 55 grand.
Is that how much of the car you were driving on?
Well, so there was one very expensive package on my test vehicle.
It's the Advanced Technology package.
Okay.
Like the Panoramic Monitor.
People probably want that.
Yeah.
And Traffic Jam Assist, which subscription required.
And just some other like techie features.
And so the ass-tester price of my vehicle was just under $54,000.
Okay.
So that package is expensive.
Might be worth it just for the value you get out of it at retail time.
Yeah.
Around your camera.
All right.
We're going to take a break when we come back.
We talked to Jamie Butters of the Butters Bureau, LLC.
Yes.
Excited to have Jamie back on the show.
Yes.
We'll be right back.
Yeah.
Questions or comments?
Drop us a line at carstuffatconsumerguide.com.
That's carstuffatconsumerguide.com.
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Welcome back to the CarStuff Podcast.
And we're back.
This is the Consumer Guide CarStuff Podcast.
I'm Tom Sheet.
It's Jill.
Jill, throw me a bone here real quick.
Hey, Tom.
Are you on social media?
I am, Jill.
Thanks for asking.
I'm just Tom Appel on Facebook.
Okay.
And that tends to not be our goal.
And that's not Apple.
It's Appel.
It is Appel.
Yes.
Yes.
Episode 319, we clarify that.
I am Car Guy Tom on ex-Twitter and Blue Sky.
Yes.
All right.
Very active.
I find a lot of cars this weekend for my car spotter.
For your car spotter hashtag.
Activity.
I was able to put together a collection of four cranky old white Cadillacs.
Three of them.
Three of them were escalades.
One was an escalade EXT if you remember the pickup truck.
What makes a car cranky?
Replaced fenders.
Okay.
Dirty wheels.
Three wheels, one design, one wheel, another design.
I mean, I would probably go more along the lines of discombobulated.
But okay, cranky.
Got it.
All these a little bit rare.
Okay.
Also, I found a Cadillac Seville with a vinyl roof, which is kind of like the gold standard
for kind of car spotter fun.
Okay.
Yeah.
Cheap aftermarket Landau tops.
Okay.
That's the way to go.
Mm-hmm.
All right.
On our phone.
Yes.
I'm the consumer guide hotline.
Jamie Butters, founder of the Butters Bureau.
Jamie, how are you today?
Hey, I'm doing well, Tom.
I'm so touched that you are excited to find an EXT, you know, whatever is at the Detroit
Free Press.
That was one of the only vehicles that Lawrence Ulrich gave a one star review.
Because if you wanted that quirky design, you should just buy the Chevy Avalanche and
get it for, you know, $20,000 less, $30,000 less.
But you know, rock on with your bad self.
The thing is fully depreciated.
Good for you.
Proud of you, my friend.
Here's the problem.
Here's the problem with that.
The first generation of the Avalanche was really ugly.
Now, I'm not saying that the escalator is ugly.
You're not wrong.
They referred to it as body armor later when they removed it from the Avalanche.
But that lower body cladding was nasty.
And it was, it was a different, right?
It wasn't always gray.
Always gray charcoal.
Oh man.
That's.
And they put, and it was, that was the thing they were doing at the time, right?
Too much cladding.
It was like, let's take one of the least popular elements of the Aztec design and carry it forward.
Oh man.
Well, that was like the first page of the Pontiac Playbook, just a lot of cladding.
If it was called Grand Am, it had a lot of cladding.
That was, that probably drove up insurance costs.
You have to replace all the cladding.
Jamie, how are you, sir?
Hey, I'm hanging in there.
It's interesting times in the world, but I'm doing good enough.
Well, tell us a little bit about what you've been up to.
Well, unless we spoke here with Automotive News, now you are the founder of the Butters Bureau.
Tell us about what that is and what you're doing.
Yeah.
It's kind of what we, we call a modern media company.
It's doing some public speaking.
I'm doing a newsletter that's kind of aimed at the auto retail space, you know, dealers and such.
And looking to spin up a show of my own, but a lot of things cooking and it's a lot of fun, you know, smart guy for hire.
Indeed.
And speaking of the smart guy part, I deeply miss you on the Automotive News Daily News.
Daily, Daily Drive.
Daily Drive.
So worth my time and your insights were always just spot on.
I was always impressed by the things that you brought up that I had not considered.
So you're kind of a hero to me in this industry and I'm glad you're going to be doing another podcast.
Actually, yeah.
Yeah.
So that's cool.
Do we want to talk about this war?
You know.
Do we want to or do we have to?
Whether we want to or not, you know, interesting developments, right today with the president announcing that no, he's not going to blow up the energy system just yet.
That brought the price of oil down considerably.
I guess the markets were taking that threat pretty seriously.
So we'll see where it goes from here over the next five days.
But I have come across some interesting data.
See if I can open this up here on the old iPad.
So when I was at Automotive News, we started this partnership with Cloud Theory.
Now part of Catalyst IQ where we would post the price every day of the average marketed price of vehicles on dealers lots on technically on their websites.
Right.
So they might be able to advertise some stuff that's in transit and whatever.
But this is what's available for sale at dealerships.
The basically the MSRP minus advertised discounts.
So, you know, big run up after the tariffs were announced, a little bit of drawback as they were pulled back.
And of course, we saw through the last year automakers eating like $35 billion worth of tariff costs and not a whole lot of price inflation.
But lately that started to change.
We had the model year changeover that where was a good opportunity for automakers to raise prices.
And now since the war started, prices have gone up and up and up and they're now at $50,000 $323.
That is the highest since 2024, you know, before the election.
I think it was September 24 was the last time the prices were that high.
And I think, you know, it shows concerns about availability, concerns about manufacturing, especially out of Asia, you know, Korea and Japan are both going to be under a lot of pressure.
We've seen already, you know, Japan rationing airline fuel.
This closure of the Strait of Hormuz is very problematic for the global economy and including if not directly the auto industry.
One of the things I learned and I didn't realize this before, I was more or less aware that a lot of aluminum came out of the Middle East.
What I was not aware is that a lot of the base stock chemicals and material for automotive plastics come out of the region.
And then those are constrained now too.
Yeah.
And helium.
I didn't I was not aware these are the things that crises teach us, right?
I guess so.
Parts of the industrial economy that we weren't paying attention to that we didn't know about.
Oh, helium turns out to be really necessary.
And most of it's created right around there.
Yeah, it's not just the thing that you suck in and make your voice really funny at parties.
It's actually useful.
But that got more expensive too.
Yeah.
Going to parties just got more expensive.
More expensive.
Yeah.
So the interesting thing here, we've got gas prices, surging might be strong language, but they're certainly going up very quickly.
And hopefully this is temporary.
But do you think that automakers in any way think they may have rushed to start writing off EV costs?
Yeah.
I mean, well, no, I mean, the lost value of those investments is probably legit.
OK.
But did they move too fast?
Absolutely.
This has been the story of the of the EV, right?
Is overreaction by maybe by regulators, but especially by markets.
The Wall Street got super excited when Tesla became the most valuable company.
And so every time automakers would announce another EV project that was certain to add to their losses, add to their net losses.
Wall Street would bid up the stock.
And it was just there was just a mania about it that.
And so look, it gets boring to always say Toyota is right.
But but Toyota was right.
They didn't want to make promises about EVs that were going to cost them billions and billions.
Tens of could have cost them tens of billions of dollars with no certain payback in sight.
And they wanted to kind of look.
I mean, Toyota is still investing in EVs.
They're the ones coming out with the most this year because they invested in them.
And well, they've done all the work like you might as well offer them, right?
While others are pulling out of the market, but they've continued to invest in hybrids and fuel cells.
Like, you know, they of course, yes, they make a lot of money and they can afford to invest in everything.
Not all the automakers are in that position.
But having that approach and focusing on what sells affordably and profitably, which for them is hybrids,
you know, Prius, Corolla hybrid, Camry hybrid, RAV4, Sienna, now Highlander, I mean, on and on and on.
Like that's valuable, not just in America and in Japan, but in China and in Indonesia and in Thailand.
I mean, Toyota is historically dominant in Southeast Asia, but that is not a place where you can sell a bunch of 60 or $80,000 EVs.
Which is interesting. I was just talking before you came on the show about the Camry, I'm sorry, the Corolla hybrid,
which is such an interesting vehicle to me right now because it hits an interesting price point.
It's available with all-wheel drive and it's still right around 30 grand,
a little expensive maybe for a compact car, but it's really loaded with stuff.
And Toyota seems to just sort of secretly, carefully plot out spaces in the market that it wants to be at.
And it's always in the right place at the right time.
But you've noted that Toyota now is going to be loading out, dropping on dealers, a bunch of EVs this year.
Even as other manufacturers are recoiling from the EV segment.
What exactly is it that they're doing here? Does this seem counter-intuitive?
It definitely seems counter-intuitive.
But of course, for those of us who are intimately, painfully aware of the long cycle times of the auto industry,
they started these things, the Lexus ES as an EV, the Highlander as an EV.
They're coming out with these products that are mainstream, a little above mainstream,
but high volume segments where they're offering EVs.
I don't know what their economics are like.
If they're money-losing vehicles, they will only offer them in limited quantities while they try to learn the market
and learn the technology.
And as they work towards solid state and other potential breakthroughs that really make EVs economical.
But there are a lot of Toyota buyers, right?
You think about these loyalists who've been buying Camrys since the 80s.
And then they bought Priuses.
And they're environmentally minded, they're economically minded, they're value-minded,
and they trust this brand, right?
They're the easiest customers to sell to or Toyota loyalists.
That's why Toyota dealers have such great volume.
They just come in ready to buy.
And a lot of them have been wanting an EV, wanting an EV from Toyota, right?
And now they're going to start to get them.
We'll see how the business works out about it.
But they have some pent-up demand and they invested in the technology,
so they're going to play it out and see how it goes.
Interesting you should say that, and it's something I hadn't considered.
And this is why I'm a fan of yours, sir.
I had not considered EV buyers waiting for Toyota specifically to do an EV,
but that makes all sorts of sense.
I'd imagine there's at least a million of them.
Wow, yeah.
If you think about California, right, where Toyota has a really huge market share,
there's such a share of hybrid buyers who are EV open, right?
They're at least open to something like an EV if it works for them.
Right.
And you and I will absolutely 100% agree on the fact that Toyota is probably
the least reactive automaker out there.
They have a plan, they stick to the plan, they execute the plan,
and they move forward and then they create a new plan.
And I have to admit to you, I was really surprised when they revealed
the 2027 Toyota Highlander as an EV only.
I've had so many people being like, well, so it's also going to be,
and I'm like, nope, nope, it is EV only.
Not even a plug-in hybrid.
So I'm just wondering what your thoughts on that are,
and what do you think the play is there?
What do you think the plan is?
I don't know.
I mean, I'm confounded a little bit, but intrigued.
Yeah, I mean, we'll see if they offer more than 20 or 50,000 of them for sale.
It really shows the evolution of the Highlander brand over the decades.
I mean, I covered, I'm sorry to play the old man card here,
I covered the opening of that Princeton, Indiana plant back in 1998,
and the Highlander was on the rise.
It was Toyota's Challenger to the Explorer,
which was at the time the best-selling non-full-size pickup in the market.
Toyota is more of a crossover than the Explorer,
but it's still hit at kind of the same demographic,
solving the same problems for customers,
and it just gained so much momentum, became a juggernaut,
a multi-hundred-thousand-selling vehicle.
And then, you know, they offered the Grand Highlander.
And what do Americans always want?
They want something bigger.
So the Grand Highlander drew away most of the volume.
The Highlander is dwindled and dwindled,
I think it's under 50,000 sales last year.
So look, it's a revered name, but, you know, in a new format,
I mean, maybe it's Toyota's version of Scout sort of,
or the, you know, bringing back an old name, you know, with a strong base,
but in a new powertrain format.
And it'll be interesting to see how they play it out.
I think the big picture with Toyota and the other Japanese
is they're really investing in solid state.
They're trying to get to, you know, thousands or a few tens of thousands
within a few years.
Their timing might luck out to being perfect,
where they have an economical EV to offer about the time
that we have a new administration that might be more interested
in environmental causes.
So speaking of Toyota and EVs and new EVs,
Toyota may actually single-handedly be keeping the EV market active this year,
but I did want to ask you about one brand that's hyper-committed to EVs
and that's Cadillac.
Are you surprised by how much Cadillac is committed to EV at this point?
I think they have five EV models in their lineup.
Am I surprised?
I think if you think about, if you put on your GM hat,
think about their strategy,
they're almost going back to the original Tesla Playbook,
which is, hey, the vehicles that can afford the batteries,
the customers that can afford to pay for these batteries
are the luxury customers.
Let's start there, you know, minimize the losses,
give yourself an opportunity to break even or, you know,
I mean, GM, right, they were going to be break even on EVs
when they were building out more scale.
They've dialed things back and they've kind of said,
we'll be profitable when we're profitable,
but your best chance at that or your best chance
at minimizing your losses is to sell luxury vehicles.
You know, to people who can afford them,
people who can afford the batteries,
people who can afford margin.
And they can, whether it's the Lyric
or it's a handful of Celestics,
these are going to be really cool cars.
They're going to speak to the best of GM's technology
and, you know, hopefully not lose money
while they continue to learn how to make batteries
and make battery-electric vehicles.
So a little bit, we did two steps forward
and maybe two steps back in that we're back to premium vehicles
with EVs and trying to move those
while the tax incentive and other things
that might encourage EV buyers to buy EVs
during this administration are put to the wayside.
What do you think of the fact that the Chevrolet...
Bolt?
Bolt, thank you.
Bolt with a B?
My memory's bad.
I am under-caffeinated that the bolt's just coming back
for a single model year.
It's such a nice little car.
Yeah, I mean, we'll see how it does.
We'll see how it goes.
But yes, that is the kind of car
that America wants Chevy to be making.
Especially with this...
I mean, we'll see how long...
I hate to try to find business upside
in, you know, violence and destruction.
But if the war goes on
and gas prices go to unprecedented highs,
GM may decide to keep that vehicle around.
I don't think that's their plan.
I'm not reporting this.
Don't aggregate me.
This is not reported.
This is just my speculation.
We're quoting you and we're putting it in big headlines.
Okay, good.
But, you know, they're keeping their options open.
They're trying to keep learning.
You know, I think they saw a path
that looked like gas was going to be cheap
and Americans were going to buy big cars
and maybe don't overextend on the bolt.
If the environment changes,
I wouldn't be surprised to see GM change.
They have proven to be...
It's hard to say this.
I can't believe I'm going to use the N-word.
Not that word.
The good N-word about General Motors
that they are nimble.
But they have proven to be nimble
in their somewhat nimble.
And it's, you know, inconceivable for General Motors.
But there they are.
Yeah, and that was literally just
what I was going to ask you about.
Because, like I said, we were talking about Toyota
and they have a plan.
They stick to the plan.
They execute the plan.
They move on to the next plan.
But in my brain,
I feel like General Motors has been like...
You say nimble.
I say running around like a chicken with its head cut off
because they're like,
oh, what, EVs are in?
We got to go with the EVs.
What, EVs are not in anymore?
Okay, bring back the big cars.
You know, build a new engine plant.
But, you know, so I just, I don't know.
I mean, do you really think that General Motors is nimble?
Well, okay.
I just disparaged the stock market's assessment of news.
But I mean, I do think, you know,
you see what's happened with their stock price.
They've generally been rewarded by shareholders.
They have responded.
Look, okay, two things.
The planning, right?
Toyota makes 50 year plans
and adjusts incrementally in the short term.
And that is absolutely the best way to operate
in this industry, in this world.
GM has had so much turbulence in American government.
I mean, that to be obvious about it,
but like Trump being elected,
losing the election, coming back into power.
The policies from Obama trying to push for 50 mile per gallon
plus average vehicles, wind aided, right?
All the regulatory aided.
But, you know, a really significant boost in CAFE
to Trump wanting to get rid of them entirely
and then, you know, being talked into just flatlining them basically.
Then Biden comes in and, you know,
the automakers say we might be able to do 40% EVs.
And he says, okay, I'm going to announce 50 to 40%
because he wanted to say 50.
And probably to get the environmental benefits,
it probably needed to be 50 by 2030.
But we're not going to get there.
We don't have the infrastructure.
We don't have the mining and refining.
All those things are missing.
So, here we are.
Now, then we have Trump and it's maybe, you know,
an overreaction to the other way
where everyone seems to be stopping investments in EVs.
Now, we know GM is still investing in future EVs.
We know Ford has the Skunk Works project
for a $30,000 electric truck.
You know, Stellantis has the Leap Motor Partnership.
You know, I don't think the doom and gloom is 100% right on.
But the cost of these regulatory swings, right?
We've seen $35 billion in tariff costs,
$70 billion in EV write downs.
You know, maybe some of those investments
that are being written down now will find value again.
In 2029 or 2030.
But, geez, that's a lot of turbulence.
And GM stock has basically continued to go up.
Their profits have held on pretty well.
And that seems to speak to something like
a nimble General Motors.
They planned ahead.
They saw where the tariffs might be coming.
They made a few tweaks here and there
to minimize the damage really better than most.
And I don't know that we all would have expected that.
You've won me over with your argument.
Thank you, Joe.
Jamie, we're out of time.
Please tell us how people can keep track of what you're working on.
Oh, hey, you know, follow me on LinkedIn.
That's probably the best place.
All the announcements will be there.
You know, might be on a few other platforms,
but LinkedIn is probably the best place to find me.
Sounds good.
We have to have you back on soon, sir.
Absolutely.
Can't wait.
All right, that's Jamie Butters.
We're going to take a break and when we come back...
Quiz time.
Quiz time. Stick around.
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So, we've had this planned for a while.
Well, that's good.
Yeah.
Yeah, I've never met the guy.
Yeah, no, I've met him several times.
But we are dear, dear friends.
And you know what? He's also a runner.
Well, his stock just fell.
You have social media stuff?
I do, I do.
Yes, so TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn.
Yeah, you can hit me and Jamie up at the same time on LinkedIn.
Twitter, X, Threads, all of the things.
You can find me at JillSiminello and use the hashtag Cartageur.
I've been trying to post a new video to YouTube and to TikTok every day.
So, you can get my daily dose of drive on those two venues.
I try not to watch anything on TikTok every day.
Yeah, which is why I also post to YouTube.
I've got to double hit it.
But my daughter constantly sends me links to Zach on Snacks.
Zach on Snacks?
Fabulous.
Okay.
Fabulous.
Okay, yeah.
A lot of little Debbie activity.
Got it.
I'm like, my husband's sending me workout videos.
I'm like, are you trying to tell me something?
I don't know what he's trying to tell me.
Are they workout videos of hot chicks?
They are actually.
Oh, we'll send those to me too.
Yeah, I can totally do that.
Yeah.
All right, today's quiz is, are you ready?
I am never ready, but it can't be worse than last week.
Fun facts.
Oh yeah.
I had like big goose egg last week.
Yeah.
Except for the bonus question.
Yeah, sucks to be you.
Okay, today's quiz is fun facts.
I'm simply going to read a statement and you have to tell me if it's true or false.
Oh, okay.
Are you ready?
Okay, I'm biting into my cinnamon roll.
Yeah, you're all cinnamon.
You can't whine about the doughnut.
No, there is no whining.
For people who don't know, we post a picture of the doughnuts on our Facebook page,
the Karstoff podcast, Facebook page every week, where Jill generally whines about the
selection of the doughnuts and for some reason seems to have public support for her whininess.
Yeah, so a huge thumbs up.
I got like a trio of cinnamon options today.
Yeah.
So thank you for that.
Yeah.
All right.
I'm just going to read you a fact.
Okay.
An alleged fact.
An alleged fact.
You have to tell me if it's true or false.
Got it.
It's that simple.
Okay.
The 2026 Kia Seltos is offered with two completely different rear suspension setups.
Ooh.
A thing.
Well, I'll elaborate after the.
You know, I don't think I've driven a Seltos since pre-pandemic.
My daughter and I test drove one when she was looking for a car.
Very nice car.
Absolutely belongs on people's test drive lists.
And Seltos has all wheel drive.
Available all wheel drive.
I'm going to say yes.
Yes.
And in fact, it does involve the all wheel drive.
Yeah.
Front drive versions employ a simple torsion beam arrangement kind of kind of cheaper,
less expensive while all wheel drive variants are treated to a more sophisticated multi-link
design.
This is true by the way of the mechanically similar Hyundai Kona.
All right.
You have one point.
You're already doing better than last week.
I know.
I'm already ahead of the game.
All right.
In fact or not.
Mm-hmm.
All 2026 Ram 1500 pickup trucks feature mild hybrid assist.
Known to the company as eTorque.
I know the Hemi has it.
Mm-hmm.
The 5.7 liter V8, which is now back in the lineup.
Yeah.
But does the hurricane also happen?
That's my question.
Um, you know what?
I'm going to say true.
No.
The 3.6 liter Pentastar base engine has it.
The Hemi has it.
The hurricane does not.
Mm-hmm.
You have one point.
True or false, the Subaru WRX.
WRX requires premium grade gas.
Ooh.
The silence is endearing.
I know.
Well, you know, I'm letting the song play out in the background.
I figure people want to hear the music just a little bit.
So I'm trying not to.
Do people want to hear that music?
Yeah.
You think so?
Yeah.
It's kind of like when you're on an elevator, you want to hear that music.
Just kidding.
Um, so WRX premium fuel.
Um, I'm going to say no.
Yes.
The 2.4 liter boxer engine churns out a healthy 271 horsepower,
more than 100 horsepower per liter, and it needs premium to get there.
You know what doesn't require premium fuel?
The new Audi Q3.
I know.
That's interesting.
That's actually interesting.
There was a time where I believe premium manufacturers, especially Europeans,
just want required premium because it made them seem cool.
Yeah.
Uh, all right.
You've only got the one point.
You went from good to not so good.
I know.
Okay.
All right.
Calling back to your previous career, the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra
will be made available with an all new 5.7 liter V8.
True or false.
5.7 being a heritage displacement.
Mm-hmm.
The old Chevy 350.
Around for decades.
Yeah, um, have to admit since I, I have not really driven any pickup trucks since I left
pickup truck plus SUV talk.
Um, so, huh, I've been focused on catching up on cars and, and SUVs.
Um, I know excuses.
I'm going to, I'm going to say no.
Yes.
Yeah.
Yeah.
All right.
The old 5.3 pushrod engine, really nice engine, very fuel efficient for its size.
Mm-hmm.
On torque output being replaced by a 5.7, the 6.2 is probably being replaced by a 6.6,
which already, that 6.6 already exists in mid medium duty trucks.
Okay.
Those are all V8s.
They're all pushrod.
They're all direct injection.
Kind of cool engines.
You need to win all the way out.
Yeah.
I'm signs.
The magic eight ball is saying signs don't look good.
Okay.
Um, cranberry seltzer metallic is a real color available on the 2026 Buick and Vista.
Cranberry, seltzer metallic, Buick and Vista being Buick's mid-sized car, the one, our
compact crossover, which is imported from China.
Yeah.
At great expense these days.
I'm going to say no.
It is not.
Okay.
All right.
It is available in brilliant red, which doesn't sound very cranberry to me.
You have two points.
You need the bonus question.
Yeah.
I mean, Buick has not been very creative with their names.
So I was just like, that sounds like a no to me.
And Vista is sort of creative.
It's mostly irritating.
But not their color names.
No.
All right.
Burger King.
You know all about Burger King.
Because I eat there frequently.
Right.
Burger King in Taiwan.
I don't think we've ever done Taiwan before.
Okay.
We're going to be talking about the menu here.
But first, how many Burger Kings are there on the planet?
You asked me this.
Yeah.
I think I've actually asked that.
You've asked me this and I always get it wrong.
15,000.
Close-ish.
20,000.
Okay.
How many in the US?
Five.
Seven.
Okay.
Bob Park.
How many in Taiwan?
10.
Bob Park, 98.
They're not kicking ass in Taiwan.
Maybe they'll be moving in there.
I need you to tell me which of the following sandwiches is not on the Taiwan Burger King
menu.
Are you ready?
Yeah.
The spicy raw tuna whopper.
The double fish and crisp burger.
The double crispy chicken with peanut butter sandwich.
The crispy beef burger.
Or the case of the shape.
I can't even do it.
The case of the shapely librarian burger.
You had to make that one easy for me, didn't you?
Yeah.
That's not actually part of the thing.
I just wanted to say it.
Okay.
I was like, yeah.
I was going to say it's going to be that one and it's which one is not on the menu,
right?
Yeah.
And that last one is not a part of the question.
No.
I just wanted to read it.
Yeah, because...
Case of the shapely librarian burger.
Yeah.
In case you missed it, you'll have to go back and listen to the quiz last week.
Speaking of which, lots of new listeners we haven't said hello to.
Okay.
So hello.
Hi.
Last month we were really up in download.
So thank you.
Thank you.
We appreciate your attention and your time and your commutes.
Yeah.
Where I see most people listen.
I listen while I run.
Do you?
I do.
I listen to podcasts while I run or walk.
Because I work from home now, I need to go out and test drive.
And that's when I listen to podcasts.
And that's when I used to listen to Jamie.
Who's awesome?
He is.
He is very awesome.
Jake Nier.
Your good friend, Jamie.
Jake Nier has replaced him more or less at Automotive News.
He's great.
He is.
Yep.
He's really good.
Yep.
All right.
The spicy raw tuna burger, the double fish and crisp burger, the double crispy chicken
burger with peanut butter or the crispy beef burger.
Crispy beef sounds weird.
It really does.
And I was making a face at the chicken and peanut butter thing.
But I know like, I feel like peanut butter and chicken is a thing in Thai food.
I think it is.
Yeah.
There's Thai peanut stuff.
Sure.
Yeah.
Okay.
So you said, read them one more time.
Spicy raw tuna wopper, the double fish and crisp burger, the double crispy chicken with
peanut butter sandwich or the crispy beef burger.
Totally a guess here, but you said raw tuna?
Spicy raw tuna wopper.
I'm going to say no to that.
Wow.
That's right.
It was raw.
Like tuna, yeah.
Raw?
Not so much.
It's like sushi-ish?
Yeah.
No.
No.
Fast food sushi, bad idea.
Also sushi, I realize is not a Chinese, Taiwanese thing.
It's a Japanese thing, but they do the raw fish thing.
The whole basin, the whole Pacific basin.
But putting raw food in a fast food restaurant, bad, bad idea.
All the nations where Mitsubishi is popular, that's where they like the raw tuna.
I like raw tuna.
All right.
Just not from a fast food place.
We're almost out of time here, but there's something I wanted to get back to because we
talked about it.
Okay.
Oh, no.
I didn't do that with the numbers.
Didn't I?
I was sure I did.
I bet it's in one of your little bullet points that has an open hole.
Yes, it was.
We talked about the Mercedes-Benz R-Class, and we have to congratulate Mercedes for
taking a chance and trying to sell that vehicle here, but it never really caught on.
What's interesting is they built them for a long time at the retired Hummer plant in
Northwest Indiana for sale to other countries.
Just a weird little fun fact.
It was new for 2020, I'm sorry, for 2006.
They sold 18,000 of them.
It was discontinued for 2012, but they sold 1,600 then.
So there you have it.
Yeah.
So you know, I mean, speaking of the Mercedes lineup, they were going to create a whole
new like EQE, like EQ lineup of electric cars.
And it looks like, I just heard this today, the new strategy moving forward is to essentially,
and I'm going to call it, do you a toyotification, where they're essentially offering all powertrain
options with their different, so they'll have like a hybrid, plug-in hybrid.
One of the funny things that came out of this, and to try to make it look like no one got
caught off guard, is to develop vehicles that are now called multi-fuel or multi-powertrain.
So it's not gasoline only, it's gasoline powered vehicle that can be hybrid, plug-in
hybrid and or electric.
And the thing is, that's actually not a good strategy, because the things that are required
to host in gasoline engine are different from the things required to host in EV, and it
does add weight if you combine the needs of the two.
So it's not an ideal strategy.
No, but that seems to be there.
So like the E-Class, multi-powertrain options.
Yeah.
We'll see what happens over there at Mercedes.
There's one more thing I wanted to talk about real quick.
Are you ready?
Okay.
If I said Porsche, tell me what Porsche is.
Okay.
It's a company.
Yeah.
What do you mean?
What do they do?
They make cars.
This is somehow a trick question.
It is.
It is, but you didn't fall for the trick.
I thought you were going to say they make sports cars.
Okay.
Which they really don't.
No, I mean, you've got the Cayenne and you've got the, yeah, they make cars.
So I've got this here.
Last year, record year for them in the U.S. or near record year, 76,000 vehicles, a lot
of vehicles, most average over 100 grand, only 13,911s, the classic Porsche, the enduring
legend that is the modern American, modern sports car, the Cayman and the Boxster, which
have been discontinued for 2026, just 4,000 cars.
Meanwhile, the Taycan, the electric car, bummer, four grand, but meanwhile, the Cayenne, the
Panamera and the McCon crushing it.
Yeah.
So it's funny.
Porsche has done such a good job of managing this move to crossovers without compromising
their identity.
Well, and I had the opportunity last year to drive the McConny V. Thumbs up.
Yeah.
Like that was, that was amazing.
We talked about that on the show.
Yeah.
All right.
Guess what we did?
We had another excellent episode.
It was good to talk to Jamie Butters.
Big thanks to Jamie.
Check him out.
Jamie Butters at LinkedIn.
All right.
Big thanks to Jill and to producer Randy and the good folks here at TalkZone.
Let's talk more about cars again next week.
Next week.
Remember to check us out at ConsumerGuide.com.
The Car Stuff podcast is produced by J-Turn Media.
To advertise on the show, please drop us a line at carstuffatconsumerguide.com.
Right now, the NBA is heating up, March Madness is here, and MLB is almost back.
Every day there's a new headline, a new highlight, a new moment you've got to see for yourself.
That's why I stay locked in with the Bleacher Report app.
For me, it's about staying connected to my sports.
I can follow the teams I care about, get real-time scores, breaking news, and highlights all
in one place.
Download the Bleacher Report app today so you never miss a moment.
If you like the show, please take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe.
It really does help the show to grow.
Thank you for listening.
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