The BMW M2 is a sporty two-door car that is designed for performance and fun driving. It's part of BMW's special M series, which focuses on speed and handling.
An inline twin turbo six cylinder engine is a type of car engine with six cylinders in a line. It uses two turbochargers to help the engine produce more power without using more fuel.
The S58 engine is a powerful engine made by BMW that has six cylinders and uses two turbochargers to boost its performance. It's designed for cars that need to go fast.
A six speed manual means the driver can change gears manually using a stick shift, with six different options to choose from. This gives the driver more control over how the car drives.
An eight speed automatic means the car changes gears by itself without the driver needing to do anything. It can help the car drive smoother and save fuel.
A five speed means the car has a manual transmission with five different gears you can shift into. This helps the car go faster or save gas depending on how you're driving.
Carbon ceramic brakes are special brakes made from strong materials that help cars stop better and are lighter than regular brakes. They are often used in high-end sports cars.
The iDrive system is a technology in BMW cars that helps you control things like navigation and music using a screen. It also lets you choose different driving styles.
The quarter mile is a distance used in racing to see how fast a car can go. It's about 1,320 feet long, and racers often time how quickly they can complete it.
The Chevrolet Chevelle is a classic car that was made in the late 1960s and is known for its powerful engines and sporty design. The 1969 model is especially loved by collectors.
The sticker price is the price that is shown on a car when you look at it in a dealership. It's the amount the manufacturer suggests the car should be sold for.
The Chevrolet Corvette is a famous sports car from America. The 2025 version has its engine located in the middle of the car, which helps it drive better and handle turns more effectively.
A Corvette certified dealer is a special type of car dealership that is approved by Chevrolet to sell Corvettes. They know a lot about these cars and can help you with buying and servicing them.
Traction control helps a car keep its grip on the road when it's trying to go fast. It stops the wheels from spinning too much, which can happen on wet or slippery surfaces.
The Cadillac CTS-V is a fast and powerful car that combines luxury with performance. It’s designed for people who want a comfortable ride that can also go really fast.
The Cadillac CT4 is a smaller luxury car that’s fun to drive and has a lot of modern tech features. It’s made for people who want a stylish car that’s also comfortable.
The Cadillac CT5 is a stylish and comfortable car that offers a smooth ride. It has powerful engines and lots of modern features, making it a nice choice for those who want a luxury vehicle.
Adaptive cruise control helps your car keep a safe distance from the car ahead by automatically speeding up or slowing down. It makes highway driving easier and safer.
The Honda Accord is a type of car called a sedan, which means it has four doors and a trunk. It's known for being dependable and good on gas, making it a favorite for many people who need a car for everyday use.
A turbo four cylinder engine is a smaller engine that uses a special device called a turbocharger to make more power without using a lot of fuel. This helps the car go faster while still being efficient.
The Honda Civic is a smaller car that is popular for being fun to drive and saving money on gas. It's a great option for people who want a reliable vehicle that’s easy to park and maneuver.
Car
Honda That Honda
The Honda That's is a small car that’s designed to be easy to drive and park in busy city areas. It’s practical and has a unique look that makes it stand out.
The Porsche Boxster is a sporty car that you can drive with the top down. It's known for being fun to drive and has a powerful engine, making it a favorite among car enthusiasts.
The Volkswagen Golf is a small car that’s easy to drive and has a lot of space inside for passengers and cargo. It’s known for being fun to drive and comes in different versions, some of which are sportier than others.
The Lucid Air is a fancy electric car that can go really far on a single charge. It has lots of high-tech features and is designed to be very comfortable and stylish.
The Chevrolet Silverado is a big truck that can carry heavy loads and tow trailers. It’s great for people who need a strong vehicle for work or outdoor activities.
The Lucid Gravity is a new electric SUV that doesn’t use gas. It’s designed to be very comfortable and has a lot of high-tech features, making it a modern choice for families.
The Chevrolet C10 is an older model truck that many people love because of its classic look and sturdy build. It’s popular for restoration and customization projects.
LIVE
The following is a production of GearHead Media.
All right, welcome back to the all-automotive podcast.
I'm your host, Matt Clausen.
And guess what, people?
We're starting season number five.
And I'm so glad that you're all here.
It's been a great 2025.
Let's make 2026 even better.
Hope everybody had a great holiday season.
I know I did.
And I want to thank our guests from last season.
Chris Kilmer kicked it off for us,
Lake Speed with his knowledge on motor oil,
and also Richard Holland with Nations Safe Drivers.
So we're thankful that they all showed up
for the podcast this past year.
We're going to do some similar things this year.
We'll have some guests.
We're also going to give you more content about the auto shop.
And most of you know this.
If you don't, I am a auto repair shop owner
and we are starting our 20th year.
I can hardly believe that.
So we got war stories we can tell.
I got tips that I can give you.
So if you've listened to my podcast in the past,
you know that I've got a wealth of information.
I am also an ASC master technician.
So I am glad that you're all here.
Fasten your seatbelts.
Pull your belts tight one more time.
We're getting ready to go green.
And welcome back to the All Automotive podcast.
All right, in today's episode I wanted to take the opportunity
to go over with you the top 10 cars of 2025
according to Car and Driver.
So Car and Driver comes to the shop
and it's waiting room material.
So I cruise through this magazine every time it comes in
I might say some things about what they talk about
in this magazine, whether good or bad.
So in the next few minutes or so,
we are gonna go through this magazine
and you'll hear me turn the pages
as I'm talking about these cars.
And I was gonna look up some of the specifications
of these cars so I can actually tell you
what's going on.
So right out of the gate,
there's some cars in here that I didn't think
we're gonna be in here.
And I'm actually kind of shocked at a couple of them
but I'm not surprised at a couple of them as well.
I mean, Car and Driver,
those guys have got really good taste,
their editors have the opportunity
to see all these new cars and new things
and as an auto repair shop owner, we see them
but they've been used quite a bit
by the time we get to see them.
And so kicking it right off is,
I don't think these are in any specific order
but I'm just gonna go from the front of the article
to the rear of the article.
And the first one right out of the gate, cool,
cool car, it's a BMW M2.
And this is the coupe version that they made
that's got 473 horsepower out of a
inline twin turbo six cylinder.
So the S58 engine.
So 473 horsepower.
So that's awesome from a twin turbo three liter inline six.
So it's zero to 60 is right at four seconds.
It is a rear wheel drive vehicle
and it is available with the six speed manual
or an eight speed automatic,
which is the no cost option.
And if you're not into a manual,
which I would, if I got this car, it would be a six speed.
So I'm just telling you right now,
I don't, it gets old driving a stick shift sometimes
but my first car was a 1984 Chevy Chevette.
That was a five speed.
And that got me around quite a bit.
So big difference between that car and this car,
both are rear wheel drive.
And it's, you know, it's a light car.
It's about 3,700 pounds.
It does have, you know,
because of the speeds that it gets to,
it's got the M Sport calipers,
which are very Brembo-ish looking,
if you wanna say that and compare that to them.
And also the carbon ceramics are available.
So where the rotors and the pads are different.
So some notable features of the BMW M2
would be the iDrive system with customizable M modes.
And I would imagine it's probably got like a sport mode,
race car mode, and then, you know, daily driving mode.
Not too really familiar with the BMWs,
but again, this isn't my list.
This is car and drivers.
You know, it gets about 16 miles to the gallon,
23 highway depends on how you're driving.
And I think this varies based on the availability
of what you have in it.
If it's a stick shift, then obviously your mileage
would be maybe a little bit better.
It just depends on your driving habits.
So there you go.
Quarter mile, if you wanna know,
it's 11.8 or just around 12 seconds.
So it's a pretty fast car.
I mean, I had my 69 Chevelle with a 396,
was doing maybe 14, but that was a heavier car
and it was a coupe too, but I missed that car.
And you know, like I said,
they have fuel economy is not bad.
Sticker price is up there, 69,375 as tested.
Cool looking green color car they had in that they tested.
That was really cool.
So there you go.
The BMW M2, one of the top 10 cars of 2025,
according to car and driver.
Now, moving on, we get to some cars that are,
you're definitely gonna see these cars around here
where I live anyway.
So the next car is not surprising.
Car and driver, these guys have good taste
and I think that they've tested some pretty,
pretty really cool cars in this
and you're gonna see that.
So the next car up is the 2025 Chevelle Corvette.
Now this is the new style Corvette with the mid-engine
and the F1 style inspired transmission.
I mean, these cars sound cool.
I followed one during the summer
and it sounded really cool when it would shift gears
and it's really kind of neat.
So if you haven't seen one of these,
you gotta make sure that the Chevrolet dealer
that you go to is actually a Corvette dealer
and the one we buy our cars from up in Lansing
is a Corvette certified dealer
and then when, I think when we were up there
getting Danny's car, we had the opportunity
to see a few of them in their delivery showroom is a big,
it's a huge room they got in the back and that's nice.
They take you out there and show you the features
and give you the walk around
and take a picture of you for their calendar
and it's a good experience that they give at the dealership.
Anyway, there happened to be a Corvette over in the corner
that I almost instantly walked over
and wanted to take a look at
and the salesman's kind of being funny.
He's like, you know, that's for sale.
Yeah, it is.
And I just wanted to take a look at it.
And man, just the interior
and the way it's ergonomically set up,
it's just really cool
and I didn't really want to touch it
because I didn't want to be responsible for anything
but we were there just picking her blazer up.
So it was neat to be able to see
and poke around and look at underneath
and see some of the cool things
that they've done to that car.
But hey, you know, the car and driver test,
it does a zero to 60 in two and a half seconds
if you can get it to hook up.
I would assume that it's got traction control
and that would get you there.
Quarter mile, this thing's a 10 second car, 10.6.
So most drag strips, you'd need a roll cage in that thing
if you were gonna go down the drag strip with it.
According to their rules, most of them require that.
Top speed of almost 200 miles an hour.
And that's obviously what GM says.
I don't know that car and driver drove it that fast
but hey, the thing gets 19 miles to the gallon.
Pretty frickin' cool
that it gets that kind of mileage.
So it's available in the Z06 version, the ZR1
and the new ZR1X variants that power the C8.
So that's kinda cool.
So if you go to the Stingray Coupe,
you got 500 horsepower.
If you go with the Z06,
you're gonna get that 655 horsepower V8 engine
that they put in that one.
Again, you know, hey, that's a very fancy car.
But according to them, they really like it.
Ain't all the sticker price on those,
there's anywhere between 72,000,
all the way to $111,000 sticker price for those.
So get your wallet out and go test drive a Corvette.
We will be back after a short break.
Hey guys, it's Matt Clausen,
your host of the All Automotive Podcast.
I've been in the automotive industry for over 30 years.
I've owned my own repair shop for the last 15 years.
I was gonna write a book,
but I started this podcast instead.
So come join me for my take
on vehicle extended service contracts
or what to look for when purchasing used vehicle.
Like and subscribe to the All Automotive Podcast.
We're on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
or wherever you're listening now.
So the next one, another GM car can't say enough
about this car.
Boy, if this was something that I could,
you know, if they said, oh, if you could have any car,
what would you buy?
This would be it.
The 19.
You can tell I'm old.
2026 Cadillac CT5V Blackwing.
You know, the Blackwing part of it
gets you the supercharger.
If it's not a Blackwing,
you're still gonna get a 6.2
and it's still gonna be super fast.
But this one's gotta be ridiculous.
And it's a four door.
It looks really cool.
The one they got in the magazine is really sharp.
So you know, you got $101,000 to buy a Cadillac
and it's got 668 horsepower, 6.2 supercharged V8 engine.
060 time is 3.5 seconds,
which that gets you on the highway pretty quick.
Quarter mile is 11.4, 11 seconds,
four tenths at top speed of 205,
and then it gets 15 miles to the gallon.
I don't know if you probably could get more than that,
just tooling down the highway,
but why would it matter at that point, I wouldn't think.
So there you go, the Cadillac CT5V Blackwing.
And I'm sorry if I say CTSV,
because those were cool too,
those had the V8 engine in them.
And those came in a coupe, the CTSV.
So this is a CT5V Blackwing.
And its little brother is also one of the top 10 cars
is the Cadillac CT4V Blackwing
with the twin turbocharged V6
that just about goes almost as fast as the Blackwing
or the CT5.
So you're getting 475 horsepower,
zero to 60 in four seconds.
You got a 12.4 quarter mile
and a top speed of around 190.
But this thing gets like five miles to the gallon,
about a fuel mileage.
So who knows, still looks cool though.
So it's little brother, the Cadillac CT4V Blackwing
and you know, the features it's got,
it's got adaptive cruise forward collision,
avoidance, front side camera,
automatic dimming and automatic high beam,
upper and lower four wheel disc brakes.
And I would, I haven't seen one of these in person,
but I have a friend that works at the Buick dealer
or Cadillac dealer and gonna see if they got one
that I can come take a look at.
These are pretty cool.
Anyway, so the CT4V Blackwing
lists out at about $65,000.
The one they tested was 64195.
So think about that for a minute, let that sink in.
That's about how much one of them new trucks
goes for pretty much.
So, you know, you're probably, I could do that
if I just needed a car.
That would be fun to have.
Okay, so the first mid-sized sedan coming up
is the Honda Accord.
Now this is a big shocker.
You know, the Honda Accord's been a great car
for a number of years.
It's got some redesign elements
that make it look really cool.
Very affordable, down to $30,000 as tested.
Really, you know, you're not talking
about a performance vehicle,
but it does boast a 200 horsepower engine,
zero to 60 in about seven seconds, six and a half.
Does a quarter mile and 15.1.
Good old guys at the car and driver
took the Honda Accord to the drag strip.
But the cool part about this is,
this is the normal car, I think, of this particular.
There's one of the, there's a couple in here
that I think are a little out of character, I guess,
for car and driver, but maybe not.
You know, it's a great car.
You know, we talked about this the last time
I did one of these car and driver top 10, top 25 lists.
The Honda Accord was on that list as well
a couple of years ago.
I think it's one of their top 10 cars
it's been for the last five years, I think.
But hey, you know, it's got a hybrid powertrain
and it's got a turbo four cylinder,
which gives you that 192 horse.
Good things over there still at Honda.
Nice vehicle.
So the next one is it's a little brother.
The next one's it's a little brother,
it's the Honda Civic.
And again, they redesigned that Honda Civic
and their target audiences,
I believe is the younger crowd.
I mean, I think it's a cool looking car
because it's got a whale tail on it, looks cool.
But the Honda Civic is decently priced at, you know,
between 26,000 and 48,000,
depending on if you get the fancy one.
The Type R, that one's got the six speed manual
and that's the fun one.
So if you're doing power, you can get 315 horse power
type R and then you're gonna get 13.5 in the quarter mile
and gee whiz, this thing gets between 24 and 50 miles
to the gallon.
You know, I know gasoline really hasn't come down
that much and maybe we should have an episode
on that too, gasoline.
Let's talk about that.
That would be fun.
All right, next up is the Subaru BRZ and the Toyota GR86.
So this car is basically the same car.
Subaru has got most of the design features of it
and Toyota helped design this car, so they're in on it too.
So the two cars are basically the same.
It's got the Subaru's Boxster engine
but with Toyota in put on the design
and it's virtually the identical car.
So that is one and the same.
So they're using this as one of the top tens, not two of.
So basically the same car, you can get it for around $32,000.
It's got 230 horsepower, it is a coupe.
Subaru one looks kinda cool actually.
And the zero to 60 is just under six seconds
between 5.3 and 6.3, they say,
there must be difference in transmissions or who's driving it.
And the quarter mile speed is roughly 14 seconds
in a quarter mile.
Combined overall mileage between 22 and 25 miles
to the gallon, but pretty decent car for the money
if you're into a little coupe performance car.
220 horsepower, that's nothing to sneeze at
in that little of a car.
You're certainly gonna be getting to where you need to go
and be zippy in that little thing.
So coming up next, we got a German car,
Volkswagen Golf, the GTI and the Golf R.
Kinda similar to what it's looked like
for the last 10 years or so I would say.
It's got some design cues
that have been changed a little bit.
The GTI, always a sought after model
and so coming in at around 35,000, 36,000 to 50,000
depends on how optioned up you get them.
And then power is about 328 horsepower,
which is not bad for, again, for another subcompact car.
So 60 miles an hour, zero to 60 in 4.1 seconds.
It does 12.7 in the quarter mile
and it's got a top speed of 130 miles an hour.
So gas mileage on this baby is gonna be pretty good too
because it's a little turbo four cylinder.
We got a 25 to 27 miles to the gallon.
So keeping things interesting
with the Volkswagen Golf GTI and the Golf R,
they won the editors over at Car and Driver
and that made the top 10 for last year.
Up next we got an all electric vehicle.
It's called the Lucid Air.
The model that they tested was the Lucid Air Pure
and they make it in a couple of different styles.
And I was actually kind of looking
at the grand touring version of it.
And man, this thing looks cool
as far as an electric vehicle is concerned.
I mean, Tesla's have been out there for a while.
They have had their own little unique look.
This one, oh man, it's reminiscent of like
what the Honda Accord looks like a little bit in the front
but it's kind of neat, all electric vehicle.
It's its third appearance in the top 10 for Car and Driver.
The price though, I mean, it's up there.
It's 72,400 for the Pure
and then the luxury one is 81.4
and then this grand touring one that I'm looking at
on my laptop here is very nice looking
and also it is tipping the scales at $111,000.
So electric vehicle, all electric vehicle
and it's got a range of up to 512 miles.
So just to put that into perspective for you,
you know, when I fill up my truck
and it's using the average mile per gallon
which is roughly around 17-ish,
I can get 400 miles out of a tank of fuel
on my Silverado with a V8 engine.
So keep that in mind.
This thing goes 512 miles comfortably.
I would say maybe 400 miles would be comfortable for me.
I don't know that I would wanna be dead on the road
somewhere with this expensive of a vehicle
but so it also boasts a 12 minute charge option.
You can charge it for 12 minutes and get 200 miles.
So that's pretty darn good.
And then the maximum horsepower
on the one I'm looking at,
the grand touring model is 800 and 19 horsepower
and it's got a zero to 60
in just about three seconds.
It says 3.0 on the nose.
So check them out, lucidmotors.com.
Ah man, these are cool looking.
They got SUVs too.
The gravity is available
and I don't know that I know of a Lucid dealer
that's close to me so I could actually go
and check out this vehicle
and see how innovative it is
as far as being electric, all electric vehicles.
So there you have it.
An electric vehicle makes the top 10.
The next one is the Mercedes-Benz E450.
So a little SUV 450 has 375 horsepower
at a zero to 60 at 4.4 seconds, 13 second quarter mile
and it tops out at about 130
and combined the thing gets 25 miles to the gallon.
So nice little car there from Mercedes-Benz
expect nothing less than a luxury performance sport SUV
that is really, really good.
So there you have it folks.
The top 10 vehicles according to Car and Driver
the 10 best annual reward that they give out
to these cars and this is for 2025.
So man, lots of nice cars in there.
I can see myself driving quite a few of them.
There's a few that I don't, but I mean that Lucid air
it's a really cool looking car.
I mean, go to their website, check that out.
You know, I like Chevrolet's, the Corvette.
Hey, those are, those are cool too
but if I would pick one of these cars in here
it would be that CT5 V Blackwing.
Absolutely without any question.
I am a speed freak, if you will.
And that car would fit my personality just right.
Just right.
All right, that's gonna do it for another episode
of the all automotive podcast.
I'm your host, Matt Clossen.
And stay tuned for our next episode.
I'm done to try and get Danny on here
so we can talk about the C10.
Either way, I'm gonna talk about the progress
I've made on my 1968 C10 build.
And we got a lot of other good things coming up
this year, I'm so glad that you guys were all here.
Thanks for listening to the all automotive podcast.
And until next time,
hey, keep that greasy side down, would ya?
About this episode
A dive into the top 10 cars of 2025 as ranked by Car and Driver, featuring a mix of performance and everyday vehicles. Host Matt Clausen shares insights on standout models like the BMW M2, Chevrolet Corvette, and Cadillac CT5V Blackwing, highlighting their specs, pricing, and unique features. The episode also touches on the Honda Accord, Honda Civic, and the all-electric Lucid Air, showcasing the diversity in the automotive landscape. With personal anecdotes and a wealth of automotive knowledge, Clausen provides an engaging overview for car enthusiasts.
