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These Are The BEST And WORST Trucks At The 2026 New York Auto Show! | Ep. 325

These Are The BEST And WORST Trucks At The 2026 New York Auto Show! | Ep. 325

TFL Talkin' Trucks Apr 01, 2026 54 min
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About this episode

Hyundai’s Boulder concept steals the spotlight as the guys predict a body-on-frame, solid-axle mid-size pickup aimed squarely at the Jeep Wrangler/Bronco/4Runner crowd—plus possible EV/extended-range variants and a highly customizable interior concept. The discussion then pivots to Ram’s Promaster City return, focusing on cargo practicality, pricing/tariff realities, and why small vans disappeared. Truck King’s Steven Elmer joins for Ram’s TRX/SRT comeback talk and the new diesel Power Wagon’s off-road tradeoffs. They also cover Kia’s electric PV5 wheelchair-accessible taxi concept, GM’s upcoming truck refresh rumors, Ford’s RTR Bronco pricing expectations, and Nissan’s confirmed new Xterra.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Brand

Hyundai

"[37.9s] But we're starting here at the Hyundai booth. [39.7s] We want to show you the entire floor, basically, of the show. [42.8s] Tell you the best, and maybe not so best, vehicles and introductions here. [47.7s] But I think it's a lot of interesting stuff."

Hyundai is the car company behind the booth and the new concept they’re showing. The segment is basically about what Hyundai is planning to reveal next.

Concept

concept

"Well, this is a concept, so it may not translate. Yeah, most likely, a production version of this will come in different variations."

A concept truck is basically a preview of what a company might build in the future. The final production version usually changes things from the show version.

Concept

EVs

"Yeah, so on the EVs, on the Ionix, and some of the other models, you've got this pixelated design, where you've got this array of small pixels."

EVs are cars or trucks that run on electricity instead of gasoline. They often look different, and designers may show concepts and styling details before the final production specs are known.

Brand

Ford

"GM especially, and Ford Ranger. So this is quite interesting."

Ford is another big truck brand. They’re mentioned here because the concept could influence the kind of midsize pickups brands like Ford build.

Brand

Toyota

"even everybody, Toyota, Tacoma, Nizatec Norris, all those guys, GM especially, and Ford Ranger."

Toyota is one of the big truck brands. They’re mentioned here because they could potentially build a pickup based on the same underlying idea/platform.

Car

Ford Ranger

"GM especially, and Ford Ranger. So this is quite interesting."

The Ford Ranger is Ford’s midsize pickup. They’re using it as an example of the kind of truck this concept could turn into.

Concept

renderings

"Oh, they show some crazy renderings. But they show some renderings that are really cool, very customizable."

Renderings are computer-generated images that show what a vehicle might look like before it’s built or before final design is locked. They’re especially common for interiors and dashboards on concept vehicles.

Car

Ford Transit Custom

"[604.5s] I wouldn't be surprised to see Ford perhaps bring in a version of the transit custom, [609.6s] which is their mid-size van in this class."

The Ford Transit Custom is a mid-size van made for work and everyday hauling. People compare it to other vans in the same size class because it’s meant to be practical and useful.

Concept

potholes

"I was just in the Nuber this morning... And the potholes are the size of, like, swimming pools... Exactly, because I've had a lot of snow."

Potholes are big holes in the road caused by the pavement breaking apart. Cold winters can make them form faster, and they can really shake up your ride.

Brand

Ram

"I mean, let's be honest, what's old is new again at Ram, right? They're bringing everything back that they decided it was a mistake to get rid of, and this is one of those things."

Ram is a truck brand (part of the same company as Chrysler/Stellantis). They’re talking about Ram reintroducing older models and features that fans missed.

Concept

clearance

"Yes. And just from a straight off-road perspective, it's actually the worst one to buy, because it just has worse clearance."

Clearance means how high the truck sits relative to the ground. More clearance helps it avoid hitting the road/rocks underneath when you go off-road.

Term

20-inch wheel

"...it's got a 20-inch wheel. The tire profile is not very tall."

“20-inch wheel” means the wheel is 20 inches across. Bigger wheels usually go with different tire sizes, which can affect comfort and off-road traction.

Term

winch

"...Ram always said that's why they weren't going to do a diesel power wagon, because they couldn't fit the winch... And if you really want to put an aftermarket winch on there, I'm sure you could, right?"

A winch is like a heavy-duty pulling tool mounted on the front of a truck. It helps you recover yourself (or others) if you get stuck off-road.

Concept

toy hauler

"you're going to buy a massive 40-foot toy hauler, haul it out into the desert with all your toys."

A toy hauler is a trailer that’s built to haul your toys—like dirt bikes or ATVs—plus gear. They’re using it as an example of what you’d bring on an overlanding trip.

Term

four-wheel drive

"You have all that off-road know-how, the four-wheel drive. Yeah, man."

Four-wheel drive powers all four wheels. It helps you get traction on snow, mud, sand, or rough trails.

Concept

fifth wheel

"Your dad's trailer, your fifth wheel. Yeah."

A fifth wheel is a special hitch setup in the bed that connects to a large trailer. It’s often used for big RVs because it feels more stable.

Concept

pixelated mud

"[1298.2s] Not, not pixelated mud. [1300.4s] Every truck looks better dirty, man."

They’re talking about a fake-looking mud design, like a printed graphic. They prefer the truck to look like it actually got dirty in real life.

Term

headlamp

"But if you look at that RHO front end and this, they're almost identical as far as the headlamp."

Headlamps are the headlights. Car designers often use their shape to help you recognize a model, but here they’re saying the headlights look very similar.

Term

leaf springs

"Look at this. So many leaf springs. Look at this stack. I mean, that will knock your fillings out for sure."

Leaf springs are the stacked metal springs some trucks use under the suspension. They’re built to handle heavy work and bumps, especially when the truck is loaded.

Term

helper spring

"I love it. And only still just the one helper spring. Like all of those springs are active all the time."

A helper spring is an extra spring that only really helps when the truck is carrying a lot of weight. It helps keep the truck from sagging too much or hitting the bump stops.

Term

50 gallons

"They have, I think, up to almost 50 gallons in some of those configurations. Right."

“50 gallons” is how much fuel the truck can hold. More fuel usually means fewer stops to refuel, which matters a lot for work.

Term

turbocharged engine

"[1516.8s] The power on this is a turbocharged engine. [1521.4s] Yeah. [1521.5s] Pretty small displacement."

A turbocharged engine has a device that squeezes more air into the engine. More air usually means more power, even if the engine is smaller.

Term

four by eight sheet

"[1546.2s] Because you have to put a four by eight sheet of material in there. [1549.3s] Of course. [1551.3s] So, and also they have a passenger version with three rows."

A four-by-eight sheet is a standard size for materials like plywood or drywall. They’re saying the truck’s cargo space is big enough to fit that kind of material.

Concept

tariffs

"[1661.6s] But it's built in Turkey. [1662.8s] Right. [1663.0s] And so, of course there's, you know, all kinds of tariffs. [1666.5s] Right."

Tariffs are extra taxes on imported products. If a truck or van is made in one country and sold in another, those taxes can make it cost more.

Term

ATV side-by-side

"[1823.1s] If you own a truck, there's a good chance you want an ATV side-by-side or PWC."

A side-by-side is an off-road vehicle you drive on trails—usually with two seats and a roll cage. People often use trucks to haul them to the riding spot.

Brand

Jeep

"We're just walking by the Jeep booth here. So we just left Ram walking into Jeep. And actually, this Gladiator, I have on loan from Jeep right now."

Jeep is a car brand that’s especially known for off-road vehicles. Here, they’re talking about a Jeep truck they’re checking out at the show.

Term

olive drab wheels

"You guys have commented on the wheels. Yes. The olive drab wheels matching the body. Yeah, this is the new 2026 Willy's 41 edition,"

“Olive drab” is a muted military green color. They’re saying the wheels are painted that color to match the truck’s overall look.

Term

steelies

"Yeah, they do look like steelies, like old school steelies. Yeah, but actually, if I had the magnet handy,"

“Steelies” just means the truck has steel wheels instead of fancy alloy wheels. Steel wheels are usually tougher and cost less, but they can be heavier.

Term

aluminum wheels

"Yeah, but actually, if I had the magnet handy, [1897.3s] which, I mean, it's on my shirt right now, [1899.4s] but it is aluminum wheels. [1901.4s] So I think they did a good job."

Aluminum wheels are the lighter, more modern wheel type compared to steel. They can make the truck feel a bit better and are usually easier to live with day to day.

Brand

Chevrolet

"[2238.4s] and let's transfer over to General Motors [2241.0s] and Chevrolet. [2242.0s] All right, sounds good."

Chevrolet is a major car brand under General Motors. They’re about to talk about Chevrolet next.

Brand

Bentley

"[2257.2s] Yeah. [2257.5s] Why hasn't Bentley and Rolls Royce [2260.5s] built a pickup truck? [2262.7s] Because they built SUVs, right?"

Bentley is a luxury car brand that makes expensive, high-comfort vehicles. In this segment, they’re wondering why Bentley hasn’t made a pickup truck yet.

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