The Dodge Charger is a big car that looks sporty and has strong engines. It's part of a group of cars called muscle cars, which are known for speed and power.
Battery electric technology means cars that run only on electricity stored in batteries. They can accelerate quickly and are often better for the environment than gas-powered cars.
The Dodge Challenger is a type of car called a muscle car, which means it's designed for high performance and speed. It's also roomy enough to fit five people, making it a good choice for families.
All-wheel drive means that the car can send power to all four wheels at the same time, which helps it grip the road better, especially when it's slippery or wet.
Rear-wheel drive means that the power from the engine goes to the back wheels of the car, which can help with speed and handling, especially in sports cars.
The Chrysler Pacifica is a minivan that is very family-friendly, with lots of space and cool features. It's designed to make traveling with kids easier and more enjoyable.
eBay Motors is a website where you can buy and sell cars and car parts. It makes the process easier by helping with things like financing and registration.
Tier one tires are the best quality tires from well-known brands like Bridgestone and Michelin. They are usually more expensive but offer great performance and safety.
Rolling resistance is how much energy it takes for a tire to roll on the road. Tires that are easier to roll can help save fuel, but they might not grip the road as well in bad weather.
A manual transmission is a car's gear system that you control yourself by shifting gears with a stick and using a clutch pedal. It gives you more control over how the car drives.
Blizzak tires are special tires made for winter driving. They help cars grip the road better when it's snowy or icy, making it safer to drive in those conditions.
The Hyundai Genesis is a fancy car that feels very comfortable and has lots of high-tech features. It's a good choice if you want a luxury car without spending too much money.
The Chevrolet Blazer is a stylish SUV that looks good and is useful for everyday driving. It has enough space for passengers and cargo, making it a good choice for many people.
The Ford Bronco is a tough SUV that can handle rough roads and off-road adventures. It's popular because it's built for outdoor activities and has a strong, adventurous look.
Ground clearance is how high the bottom of a car is from the ground. Cars with higher ground clearance can go over rocks and bumps without getting stuck or damaged.
The Jeep Wrangler is a popular SUV that is great for driving on rough trails and in the wilderness. People love it because it can go almost anywhere and has a fun, boxy design.
A turbo engine is a type of engine that uses a special device to make it more powerful. It helps the engine run better and faster without needing to be bigger.
The Subaru WRX is a sporty car that is designed for speed and handling, especially on winding roads. Some people think it looks strange at first, but it has a lot of fans because it performs really well.
The Rolls-Royce Ghost is a super-luxurious car that is very expensive and made with the finest materials. It's known for being extremely comfortable and stylish, often seen as a status symbol.
The Subaru Crosstrek is a small SUV that can handle rough roads and is great for outdoor adventures. It's popular because it has a lot of space and is easy to drive.
The Dodge Ram is a big truck that is great for carrying heavy loads and doing tough jobs. Many people like it because it looks good and has a comfortable inside for driving.
The Honda Odyssey is a minivan that is perfect for families because it has lots of room and useful features. It's designed to make traveling with kids easier and more comfortable.
The Honda Passport is a spacious SUV that can fit families and their gear. It's built to be comfortable for everyday driving but also capable of handling some outdoor adventures.
LIVE
Welcome back to the AutoGuide show, presented by eBay Motors.
We have a great episode for you this week.
We're talking to Dodge CEO Matt McAleer, who explains why the charger and American muscle
cars are more relevant than ever.
Then Mike joins me to talk about his latest gear test, winter tires.
What could be more appropriate for this time of the year?
In the reviews section, Mike just got back from California and the first drive of the
2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness, while I recently spent some time testing the Ram 1500 Bighorn.
We'll close things out with the mailbag, where we discuss a potential Honda Ridgeline hybrid.
Let's get started.
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Joining me now on the AutoGuide show is Matt McAleer.
He is the CEO of the Dodge brand.
Welcome, Matt.
Thanks for joining us today.
Oh, thanks so much for having me.
I'm glad to be here.
All right, so big news for the charger and for Dodge.
You guys just won the North American Car of the Year.
That's a pretty big honor.
But also, I'd like to kind of go back to the start.
Like, what do you guys decided to replace the LX cars?
Kind of tell me about the origin story for this project.
What were the goals for this new generation of charger?
Well, it all starts with, in typical Dodge fashion, creating something unique.
We always say on Dodge, we win when we're different.
It's absolutely not about building a Me Too product like something else in the industry.
It's about breaking pattern, redefining what we've been and giving people something new,
unique, better than they've had before, but authentic, authentic to Dodge.
And we set out with four golden rules.
It had to look like a Dodge, it had to feel like a Dodge,
it had to sound like a Dodge, and it had to drive like a Dodge.
And those were the pillars from the beginning.
And we sat down to craft with the engineering team, with the design team,
with the product team, and really came up with something that we feel is unique in the industry.
There's nothing else quite like it.
And we're just thrilled that the Nactoid journalists thought the same thing.
I mean, when you have a group of 50 peers that vote on something like that across US and Canada,
it truly, it tells us that maybe we're not perfect, you're never perfect,
you're always evolving, but we hit it on the nail on the head and we came out with something that
we're excited to get in customers' hands and in the dealerships.
Tell me about the rationale for the multi-energy approach.
Yeah, it was part of the strategy going forward.
And battery electric technology is so superior from a performance standpoint with instant torque
and performance on stats on paper that we haven't seen before from gas engines.
And I think that was important to embrace that technology.
Obviously, when we set out four years ago, the future of battery electric technology
looked much different than we're experiencing right now in the market today.
But I'm excited for the standpoint that we have the most powerful muscle car
available in the industry.
And going forward, this multi-energy platform, we have the ability to flex with demand.
Battery technology is going to continue to evolve.
We've always had multiple power trains out in the industry from diesel and gas and hybrid and CNG.
Battery is just another quiver in our arsenal that may be experiencing a little bit of a slowdown
right now, but who knows where we go in one year, two years, three years, and four years.
And this platform and this vehicle are around for a while, and we look forward to
potentially evolving and adapting with the differences in consumer demand across the country.
I think the coasts are going to jump back into battery technology
probably sooner than the middle of the country.
And we can grow with that, and we can hit their production demands.
So it's not just multi-energy, it's actually multi-doors.
Kind of tell me about that approach, a coupe and a sedan,
and any consideration that may be rolling with the Challenger name.
One of the things that we were extremely successful with in the past generation of cars was
owning our size. We never tried to be something we weren't. We always said we weren't a pony car.
We were a muscle car. Both Charger and Challenger were capable of carrying five passengers.
Taking your friends out for the experience, being part of your family, being part of your
growing family. And that's what we really wanted to set back and do with this vehicle.
But take it from a niche vehicle, potentially a second car in some parts of the country,
with the predominantly, with the high horsepower versions being rear-wheel drive only,
maybe balancing that with an SUV. We wanted to provide something that could be everything
to everybody. This is a car that's standard all-wheel drive. This is a car that is selectable
rear-wheel drive, full muscle car, 100% of the power to the rear wheels when you want it,
but also two-door or four-door. The interior cockpit and the cabin
is identical between the two cars. Front and rear leg room is identical. It's superior to the
outgoing Challenger, and even the rear leg room with knee room is superior to the outgoing Charger.
So this is a vehicle that we continue to make it a someplace you can experience with your family
and friends. And it is a daily driver now from two-door, four-door, five-pass, all-wheel drive,
rear-wheel drive. It fills a lot of the voids that we had on the outgoing cars.
Many of your competitors, specifically in this area code, have decided that cars,
the coupes, maybe aren't really their thing. What made you decide to stay with them at Dodge?
Well, I think it's symbolic of who we are at Dodge. We always say we don't build needs cars.
We build wants cars. We build extensions of personalities. We build vehicles that represent
their buyers and their owners. They put a lot of passion behind these cars. It represents
who they are and who their friends are and how they want to be seen. I think as long as we came
out and we held true to those four pillars, look, feel, sound, and drive like a Dodge,
we knew we would have something that resonated with the Brotherhood of Muscle and continued to give
consumers something different that's not available anywhere else in any other segment.
But I think the evolution of that was making the all-wheel drive standard to be able to appeal
to people in the Northern climates in Canada and this hidden hatch design to truly give it
cargo spaciousness. Personally, I've taken my family on road trips, six-hour road trips,
and we've loaded it up. It is such a comfortable daily driver when you want it. It's with line
lock and 550 horse to the rear wheels and you want to light them up. It instantly, it's Jekyll and
Hyde. It can turn into that muscle car that you love. We're talking to Matt McAlar. He's the CEO
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Okay, we're still here with Matt talking about the Dodge Charger. I would be remiss. You talk
about the brotherhood of muscle. Where is the hemi? You know, we always say that
if history has a way of being indicative of the future, and typically history has a way of repeating
itself, we have a lot in store for this vehicle. We were proud to bring back in the process of
bringing back the 392 on the Durango and complimenting the full V8 lineup in our three row muscle SUV.
And this vehicle has a lot in store. We're just getting started. Here in January, we just are
launching the 550 horsepower two door. In a short month, we'll be bringing out the four door version
of the scat pack with a 550 horsepower. And then we evolve into the 420 horsepower RT models,
two and four doors starting to ship in late Q one. And you know, by going into April, we'll
have a full compliment of two door four door 670 horsepower battery 550 horsepower twin turbo
six pack 420 horsepower. This is all in one year. And if you think about what we've accomplished
and bringing all this to market and everything we did with the outgoing charger and challenger
with the packages and the buzz models, and we have a lot on the plate. And we're excited
about the future with this vehicle and everything that this platform allows us to do. And I truly
mean it when I say we're just getting started. A lot of people maybe would have thought, Hey,
a muscle car like this might not work in 2026. Does it feel like you guys maybe proved some
people wrong? I think so. I think we've put people on notice and we're again, you never know quite
what to expect. But winning awards like Detroit News vehicle of the year, Detroit Free Press
vehicle of the year, Motor Week vehicle of the year, the the awards 10 best from user experience
in the powertrain. And then to cap it all off with a North American car of the year award
a couple of weeks ago was was was just incredible for the team and the recognition.
But it also validates that we have a lot more to do. And the evolutionist vehicle and the
refinement and listening to the experts and the third parties and consumers. And that's a fun part
is seeing the joy on people's faces when they get to go on a test drive or a thrill ride.
We're down at Barrett Jackson this week and the line has been phenomenal for our thrill rides and
getting behind the wheel of the professional driver. But that's what makes it worth it. And
I'm excited for these to start showing up at dealers and hearing what customers think and then
taking the next step. And you know, every model year we aim to make small and minor improvements
and just keep tweaking things. You've been with Daimler Chrysler and Stellantis for, you know,
close to 25 years, I think. You've worked on some things like Maserati, which is that's a pretty
heady brand to work for. Tell me about like the weight of, you know, being in charge of
bringing a new charger to market and also just like the feeling of like, hey, you can't screw
this up. You know, there's got to be a weight that goes along with it. You know, it's a lot of
pride. I've been extremely fortunate. I started in 2000 in the field calling on dealers and
truly understanding, you know, how we go to market with vehicles and working with our dealer body
and the end customers. And I spent about 10 years on the agency side working on dealer
sales training PR media events and came back to the company in 2013. It was part of some terrific
launches. Then the mid-cycle action on the 2015 charger got to work on the Chrysler Pacific. As
you said, went over to Maserati for a couple of years and came back. And it's, I say, you know,
we're fortunate enough to be the stewards of this brand. This is a 111-year-old brand. And
it's our job to protect it. It's our job to nurture it. It's our job to continue along the
legacy that the Dodge Brothers founded on, you know, pushing boundaries, being polarizing,
being a little different in the industry. And we have a lot of fun doing that. And I'm having a
great time. The team's having a great time. This vehicle, I think, symbolizes what we're able to
accomplish when we work well together. And we were so proud to win the award because that's a
lot of validation. Because when you set out, like you said, design a vehicle and bring a vehicle
to market that many people would say was risky when it's moving towards SUVs and trucks. But we knew
we had something special. And I'm excited to be a part of it and to, you know, be along for the
journey and the ride and lead that journey. How do you balance bringing something that
does have so much history with it, but making it resonate with all sorts of buyers today,
millennials, zillennials, geriatric millennials, all the different people from, you know, baby boomers
down to maybe people who are just getting in the cars. How do you balance all of that?
Well, I think a lot of it starts with the design. And if the design team was here,
they would tell you they didn't go for a retro looking car. They went for a heritage inspired car.
And when my dad looks at the car, he sees a 68 charger in the grill and in the silhouette.
When my 16 year old son that I have trouble getting the keys back from every night looks at it,
he just says, dad, this car is phenomenal. I love it. He just sees something that doesn't look like
anything else in the parking lot. And he has a blast with the power and the fun. And I feel
comfortable being all wheel drive and the safety that's built into this vehicle, letting him drive
that. So I think it's about taking something that has so much history. This is the 60th anniversary
of the charger nameplate. This is the eighth generation. A lot of people see those heritage
inspired cues and it resonates with something that they grew up with. And others just see
something that is light years ahead of anything that they've seen on the road before and they
want to be a part of it. And then it's up to us to come out with the wheel packages and the colors
and the stripes and being able to personalize it and truly make it their own and make it an
extension of their personality. Those fun colors that don't you see on any other vehicles. And
that's what makes Dodge Dodge about putting a smile on your face every time you walk out,
see your car and start your car. What haven't I asked you? Would you like to tell me about the
new charger or Dodge? You know, I think the one thing I would ask is if you're unsure,
go test drive it. Go experience it. Go see it in person. Seeing this vehicle on a website,
on your phone, on your desktop, listening to it from a third party review, hearing what the exhaust
note sounds like, doesn't do it justice through your computer speakers. I think you truly need to get
behind the wheel and go into it open-minded and make your own opinion, make your own decision
of what this car is and what it isn't. It's not for everybody. Quite frankly, if we were for
everybody, we wouldn't be Dodge. And if it's a little not quite polarizing or too polarizing
for you, that's okay. But that means it's right for somebody else. And I would just ask that
everybody goes out and visits the Dodge dealer and takes a test drive. Thanks for being with us
today, Matt. You're listening to the Auto Guide Show presented by eBay Motors.
eBay has reinvented vehicle buying. From click to curb, everything's covered. With their new
secure purchase, eBay isn't just where you find your car. It's where you buy it, start to finish.
Title, financing, registration, delivery, it's all built in. And eligible vehicle purchases are
backed up by up to $100,000 in protection. This is what modern car buying looks like. Get your
next ride on eBay. eBay, things people love. Secure purchase is powered by Carmel Dealer Services,
LLC and eBay subsidiary. All right, Mike joins us now to talk about his latest gear test. I mean,
given that it's zero degrees, there's a ton of snow on the ground, I cannot think of a better
thing to talk about besides maybe like snow, like making things for fun, like snowman things.
We're going to talk about some winter tires. These are the Salen ones, which are sounds pretty cool.
Salen Ice Blazer, that's what I'm looking for. What did you do with these things?
Yeah, so this is the Salen Ice Blazer WSTX. So Ice Blazer is their sort of subline of winter
tires, sort of like a Bridgestone as Blizzak and Michelin as X-Ice. So Salen is a company that
plays in the value tier. So those are not overly familiar tires. Basically, most companies consider
there's three tiers. There's the tier one, which is like the Bridgestones Michelins, the super
well known names with tons of money and cost more, but are usually really good quality tires. Then
there's the tier two, which are the General, the Firestone, sometimes Toyo's thrown in there,
and then tier three is the Value Tires. So this place there, and with Value Tires, I mean,
the spectrum of quality is massive. You have things that are built in a state-of-the-art facility
all around the world, like these tires, and you have things that are kind of being thrown
into a mold in some barn somewhere. So thankfully, these fit in the ladder. I've tested probably a
dozen different Salen between winter and summer tires over the last 15 years, and the quality
keeps improving, but I've always been impressed. So these tires, when it comes to snow and slush
and wet winter weather, they perform right up there with the best tires on the market.
When it comes to just absolute, I need to be safe in the snow and slush, they're there.
Ice, they're pretty much there too, maybe a little bit less on the ice. And I think that
has to do with they have a very aggressive blocky tread to really perform well in the snow.
So why are they so much less money? Well, they're great when the weather is at its worst.
On just dry winter weather, they're a little loud. There's a hum you can hear. You can feel
a bit of vibration. That's sort of the trade-off you're getting for the money you save. So if
that's not a concern to you, I mean, I had them on a 2023 Crosstrek, and I could notice going from
all season to winter, but it was very minimal. And for the money you can save on these compared to
some of the top brands, if you don't mind that little bit of noise and vibration, you're going to
get the same quality. As far as longevity, I never used to test tires for their entire lifespan,
but I did a full winter and they were down about 1.32. So you're probably looking at four or five
winters with these is sort of what you'd expect anyway. So yeah, if you're looking for a value
tire that still performs well when the weather gets real messy, I recommend these. That's pretty
high praise then. Are you a winter tires guy? I'm just curious. I know we test a fair amount of these
for like in this line of work, and I know like as auto journalists, we always sort of theoretically
recommend winter tires to people. I mean, would you just like much like get winter tires? Would
you do that? I mean, especially based on where you are? Oh yeah, I recommend winter tires for
everyone. I know people like well, I've had all seasons my whole life and I've been fine or we
don't get that much snow or a million other excuses people make. The big one is oh, it's so expensive.
If you buy a set of winter tires on a vehicle that you own, maybe maybe not least, I could see
somewhat of the money question, although you could just sell them when you're done.
You're actually going to save money because a all season tire degrades faster in the winter and a
winter tire degrades faster in the summer. So if you have the right tire in the right season,
yeah, it's an initial investment, but long term, both tires should theoretically last twice as long
because you're all seasons only being used half a year and only in its optimal weather. The winter
tire is the same thing. I had cars without winters and now we're going back 20 years and things have
changed. I've got my first vehicle with winters. It was an absolute chain, like absolute revelation
of ability. I have family members with Subaru's like I do, which are fantastic in the snow to
begin with that are on winters for the first time. And I can't believe the difference. And it's not
that the vehicles are that different. It's the tires all season tires are becoming less capable
in the snow because they are prioritizing fuel economy and low rolling resistance and quiet
ness and whatnot, which makes them less capable in the bad weather. Winter tires on the flip side
are becoming better and better in the snow while not having a huge trade off in the summers. So
yeah, if you live anywhere where the temperature regularly goes below freezing, even if you only
get a bit of snow, winters are also good in the cold weather and the ice. And like I said,
it's also about the rubber compound and tire degradation. But like you and Michigan and me
in Ontario, it's an old brainer. Even if you're in the warmest areas of those provinces and states,
it's still an old brainer. No, I quite agree. I was in a WRX press car last winter with the manual
transmission naturally and it had some great winter tires on it, some blizzaks and no problem.
You know, and it's not just like the performance that it does offer. I think it's the peace of
mind, you know, that like mental confidence that you have to go out when it's three degrees and
you know, there's multiple inches of snow on the ground and maybe the plow guy got through
your neighborhood, maybe he didn't, maybe he didn't do that good of a job. But to me, it's just,
you know, if you're north of, I don't know, Cincinnati, I think it's a really good move
for most people. Yeah, and I mean, we're talking extremes, like, you know, okay, we're keeping
up Subaru's, but you know, vehicles that are good in the snow to begin with winters, obviously.
But I have a lowered Genesis coupe first year with no limited slip differential. And there
hasn't been a day I couldn't drive it around here in the last, well, I've had it for now four years,
even when there's like 10 inches of snow, I'm out there because my winter tires are good. And
yeah, I'm bottoming out, but we drive sensitively know what you're doing, you're not going to get
stuck like they really make a difference the whole you can't drive rear drive or you can't drive
performance vehicle in the snow. No, if you I mean, if there was two feet, well, yeah, but there's a
lot of other cars that get stuck in that too. So winter tires make a big difference and there'll
be a lot of them on these geared segments through the weeks ahead. I really enjoy talking tires,
I really do. And these are a steady set of sale and ice blazers. If you want to know more about
them, Mike has review on the site, check it out. It's actually one of the more popular stories of
the last couple years. Everybody really seems to like reading about winter tires. So so you're
listening to the AutoGuide show, we'll be right back after this. All right, we are going to talk
about what we've been driving. I've been in the Ram 1500 Big Horn with the Hammy V8. But the big
news of the week is the Subaru Outback Wilderness. Mike, you're just back from sunny, we'll say
California, where you got to drive the Outback Wilderness. This is a hugely important vehicle
for Subaru, redesigned for 2026. I know you have a lot of strong feelings about this.
What did you think? Your initial impressions? Yeah, it's kind of funny. I was in Helzburg,
Northern California. It was a nice sunny weather in January where when I drove the regular Outback,
we were in Sedona, Arizona in the fall and it poured the whole time. So kind of the flip weather
because Wilderness is the one designed for that. But we went to a 80 square mile ranch
and got to drive it a lot in a lot of conditions. But the perfect Wilderness conditions, we weren't
rock crawling, we weren't, you know, three wheeling much, we weren't doing anything crazy. These were,
like I said, ranch access roads, farm roads, deep ruts, muds here and there, water over it,
sometimes steep inclines, sometimes rocky, sometimes dusty. And anyone who's driven a Wilderness product
from Subaru know they're wholly capable. This whole, it's not a body on frame, it's not 4x4.
Yeah, we're not going to go toe to toe with a Bronco Raptor or a Wrangly Rubicon, you know,
up a rock shelf. But in these conditions, using the X mode, using the brakes and the
symmetrical wheel drive, it does everything you'd ever wanted to. And the big plus is 9.5 inches
of ground clearance is what you get in the Wilderness, which is more than a lot of SUVs,
even off-road SUVs. I mean, again, you're going to Raptors, Wranglers, Land Rovers to possibly get
more ground clearance. I said it in my review, and I said it actually on a colleague's video that
had me interviewed during the event. The Outback Wilderness is the best off-road car on the market.
And I say that because I know everyone is freaking out because it looks like an SUV now,
because it does. It has a big square SUV body. But underneath, it's the same platform as the last
Outback, which really hasn't changed much since the Outback before that. Yes, they've reinforced
this to that, but wheel base, drive train, suspension component, it's all the same. So it
still drives like an Outback, even if it looks more like an SUV. It's got electronically controlled
dampers now on the Wilderness, which are new. And that makes a huge difference. So they're on the
WRX, probably when you drove the TS. But they're designed to limit body roll and cornering
and give you decent ride comfort. Here, they're actually more tuned for when you're using the
X-mode and off-roading, because as they say, the body is up here bouncing around from the suspension.
The idea is to try to keep the body level while the suspension is bouncing. And you can feel it.
There's some washboard sections and deep ruts where you're waiting for the impact or the bounce,
and it minimizes it pretty well. I mean, Subaru's have usually been pretty good at that because of
their suspension setup due to the flat semi-trail wheel drive system. There's a lot of travel and
suspension, and this just kind of takes advantage. So yeah, it really is still a car to drive,
even if it doesn't look like one anymore. Yet, it's so capable off-road. So it kind of just adds
to what it's always done with a slightly smoother ride. I mean, are there drawbacks? Well, yeah,
you get a little worse fuel economy here. The all-terrain tires on the road, they're not crazy
all-terrain tires. They've kind of done a mix between knowing that this car will go by groceries as
much as it will take the kayak to the remote pond or lake that you want to go to. So they're not
super knobby. They still do offer a little noise, but yeah, it's the one to get. Because you get
the turbo engine, you get all that capability. The looks are subjective. It kind of has a bit
of a pickup truck front end, which is interesting with the big stamped Subaru and the built-in push
bars. But it's less than the fully loaded turbo, yet not much more than the non-turbo model. So
it's the one I get. That's for sure, even with all of its cladding and bronze accents.
What do you think of the design? I actually kind of happen to like it. I think outbacks have changed
a fair amount over the years. And at this point, I mean, polarization is sort of like table stakes
for the design industry. I mean, what do you think? Thumbs up? Thumbs down? Yeah, you know,
when some people, I think it's a two-pronged hate at it is because it's not a wagony look.
People don't like it, and then it's interesting. But Subaru's are always kind of interesting. I'm
one ever likes a new look Subaru outside of the BRZ because something was great. And then in about
five years, when it's time for the next gen, everyone is all nostalgic about this one. It's
because people modify Subarus and take them places and you just kind of get used to it. This is
something I've been saying for decades with the WRX. Every WRX has been ugly when it first comes
out. Yet by the time that one's done, everyone thinks it was the greatest design ever made,
and everyone gets all teary-eyed about the old one, and then repeat, repeat. And it's because
everyone owns it and they, you know, you get attached to it or they're modified or you see
these really cool versions. The Outback hasn't been a real wagon since the mid-2000s. I know it's
still been wagony, but that was the last time it looked like a wagon with cladding. Ever since then,
it's just been a long-roof SUV, and now the Subaru's just kind of gone all in. And I miss the wagon
look myself, but I'm just thankful it still is the same Outback underneath. It could have just made
a stretch forester platform, and it would have driven a lot different. To quote the great philosophers,
the Count and Crows, dreams are like movies and memories are films about ghosts. And I think that's
how a lot of people look at cars from the past and even like the deeper past. It's like how you
think they looked in your mind's eye, into your point. It's been a while since the Outback has
really been anything close to a wagon, like a true wagon. So I'm excited to drive this thing.
I think it's, I had it on my short list of things I was pretty excited to drive this year. I drove
the last one and liked it. I wrote a review for the site. I did have some very light off-roading
with it, and I think, you know, I think this thing's going to win for them. This is what, it might
annoy their base a little bit right out of the gates, but I think this is also going to make
the Outback more competitive, bringing in maybe some new customers. So, I mean, we'll see. And
then another thing I'd be remiss if I didn't mention, the wilderness, I think, trim, model,
whatever you want to call it. I mean, I think we're really seeing this thing gain some like
resonance in the marketplace. I think people know what it is. I think it looks good. I think
it offers the right blend of like what like equipment that people, I think, want in this
segment. The pricing seems pretty reasonable. I mean, are you a wilderness man? What do you think?
Yeah, no, I like the wilderness in all three trims. The Crosstrek's a little
out there style-wise, but I'm warming up to it. I like the Crosstrek wilderness. I took that out
of Golf Trip last year, and it was like the most popular thing there. Oh yeah, it's great to drive,
but the giant Crosstrek on the side is a bit much. But again, I think even with the wilderness
outback, the looks are kind of that people are going to like stylize the stamped
Subaru and outback on it, and they're going to do stuff to it. And then people will be like,
Oh, that looks cool. But they're definitely the ones to get and the ones to drive.
Yeah, I think, I think that sort of sub brand has really done a lot. And it's all,
I'm surprised it took so long for Subaru to do it because like this is taking Subaru and turning
it up two levels. Like it's what people want. So yeah, and another thing that's always surprised
me with the previous gen, and this one is the same is this thing's almost 4,000 pounds. And it
has a 260 horsepower turbo four, so not impressive stats, but the acceleration is so smooth and quick.
And that has a lot to do with throttle mapping and the way the CBT operates at the low end.
But like you'd easily think it's more powerful, like it's just so quick and smooth. Whereas
there's more powerful vehicles out there that don't provide that same sort of feel.
All right. For more, check out Mike's review. Just went up this Friday. It's the 2026 Subaru
Outback Wilderness. I can't wait to drive this thing. I recently spent some time in the Ram 1500
Bighorn with the Hemi V8. And that really was the sort of the star of the show here is getting that
5.7 liter Hemi V8 back under the hood of the Ram. The CEO, Tim Kaniscus, likes to say it's all about
offering people choice. You know, he seemed to think that, hey, by not having a V8 in the segment,
Ram was less competitive. And I think I agree with that actually.
I actually, having driven it somewhat back to back with the Hurricane Strait 6,
I kind of like the Hurricane just a little bit more. It's more powerful. It's more efficient. It's a
better newer engine. Like if you look at the specs, there really isn't much of a comparison. The
Hurricane is better. And I also happen to really like the driving dynamics of a Strait 6 engine.
I think that's something that is continuing to gain popularity in the marketplace again. I
think it's kind of a prestige thing. But we're talking Hemi here. And the one I drove and all
of these come with the GT sort of package, which gives you the sport exhaust. So it sounds good.
Sounds like a Hemi. It's funny. A lot of people did notice that it had a Hemi. It has that sort of
Hemi badge, the new one that they've rolled out for the return of the Hemi. It's like an engine with
like kind of like pipes coming out of it. It's almost looks like a bit like a dinosaur. It's
not subtle nor would you expect it to be. If somebody pulled up and wanted to know if this
thing had a Hemi, well, you could just look on the front fenders and there's your answer.
But it does sound a little bit better than the Hurricane. Part of me wonders just how much
that is is just the GT exhaust being put on it. You know, I do think a V8 is going to sound better
than a straight six though. Big horn trim was nicely equipped. I think I'd be interested here
what you think Mike, but I think Rams have the best interiors in the segment. I think they have
very nice materials. I like Uconnect. It's easy to use. The screens keep getting taller and bigger
and more colorful, but they were early to the segment and I think they got it right. I think
it keeps getting better. I had no issues with that. I put a lot of miles on this thing too.
I had this thing in the fall actually. Boy, time really flies. And it was a great daily driver.
I think I even took it out of some dirt and gravel for a little bit. It looked good. It was
the big horn package. I think is the right trim for a lot of folks.
And again, you know, very comfortable interior, strong engine. I think I would still again probably
go with the Hurricane six, but I mean the Hemi is there for people who definitely want it. I think
that makes sense just to have that stratification of your lineup. I think it also gives, I think it
makes Ram more competitive in the next couple of years because there were some people who maybe
wanted this engine, couldn't get it, and well now they can. And then I suspect, but I could be wrong,
that the Hurricane is going to end up really being more of a volume play over time. I think
the demand, the pent-up demand such as it is for the Hemi will maybe be kind of met and then people
will start to look at the other options, which makes sense. And really, the Hemi was only gone
for like a year and a half. They pulled it out and then they brought it back. So it really wasn't
that much of a Hemi drought such as it is. But overall, very strong truck, strong execution.
Design is subjective, but I tend to think the Ram is the best looking truck in the segment.
I think it's just a little more distinctive. I'll say Chevy is right up in there. I think Ford's
the one that's kind of more nebulous at this point. Again, great interior and the Hemi's fun.
That's what you want, more power to you, quite literally. Do you have any Ram thoughts, Mike?
Just before I get into the Ram thoughts, we were talking about design. It's so funny. I saw
old comparison from a magazine from almost 30 years ago. It was sort of when, yeah,
it was about 30 years ago. It was when the Ram first sort of went big rigged style.
And it's funny how the design philosophies haven't changed, where the Ram still does that same sort
of lights fenders lower than the hood big rig look. Back then, Chevy still had the flat out
squared look with the stacked headlights. And they're still the squares of the bunch still
having stacked headlights. And that was when Ford first did their sort of rounded, no more sealed
beam headlight like the single big pod that kind of swooped around around 95. And they're still,
yeah, the least square of the bunch. So it's just, I guess it's their custom base is what
what they want. But as far as the Ram, I mean, I love a V8 too. I love the sound.
It's just so funny. Only in America will people pay more money for a less powerful, less efficient
engine just because it's tradition and sound. You're right, like the hurricane is better in
every possible way, except for sound. And people are just like, no, America got a got a V8, you
know, got off the freedom engine, the one that says heavy, I'm surprised they don't have heavy in
like two foot high letters down the side of the bed or something to really that people know what
or at least have that as an option. But I had the Etor Kami, which is the one that came back
a couple years ago in a Ram limited. And the limited had the valve exhaust. And yeah, when
it opens up, it's not like Hellcat Challenger loud, but it gives a nice little rumble that you
can notice. And of course, it has the heavy cold start that has sort of become the trademark of
these engines for the last decade where you fire it up and everyone in the neighborhood knows it
started. There is nothing quite like firing up a Hemi powered drone is a Springsteen once said
on a cold fall morning, right when it's just starting to kind of really get cold. The way
that exhaust note just kind of crackles across the kind of the dim morning. It's really something. So
I mean, hey, it's it's all about performance sometimes. And I think Ram, you know, really
puts on a show, especially with the Hemi.
But for me, give me the high output hurricane with 550. That's hurricane hits. Yeah. Yeah.
Alrighty, so that was our review segment. Let's move on to the mailbag. A user got to the comments
this week and I encourage you to do that. If you're listening to this on your on Apple podcast,
Spotify, wherever you get the show, we do put up a site post where you can kind of,
you know, riff on some of the different callouts, different stories. And on there,
that's a great way to jump into the comments. Ask us a question. We would love to hear from you.
Last week, we got one and a user says, will Honda have a Ridgeline hybrid this year?
Short answer is maybe probably the answer is really more like for next year. Honda has announced
plans for a new hybrid system that we're going to see in vehicles like the pilot,
like the Ridgeline, like the Odyssey, other things sort of in that kind of mid to the
largest size. While we can't confirm anything, we've seen multiple reports of their car and driver,
motor trends, some of their like really like ace reporters have put some, you know, interviews
and things onto this where it could appear for 2027. So long story short, I think we'll hear
more about it this year. And I actually think it could be on sale next year. I think this would
be a good move. I really do. I mean, a Ridgeline with a hybrid setup would make a lot of sense.
My guess is the figures would be probably modest. Like I don't think it would be some crazy, like
extended range or plug in. I think it would be a traditional hybrid, like what they've said.
And I think it would be useful, especially for the mission of the Ridgeline, which is a great
daily driver truck that you can use for almost anything. It's, you know, it's just a really
good midsize truck. And I think if you want to hybridize that makes all the sense in the world.
What do you think, Mike? Yeah, so I've heard and saw the same reports. I would say, I agree with
for everything you're saying, I'd say though, for the person who said in the mailbag, don't expect
the Ridgeline to be hybrid in the next year or two, because just by Honda's sort of hierarchy
of that platform, it seems pilot always gets things first, then passport and then the Ridgeline.
The Ridgeline still hasn't even got the full makeover that the pilot just got or the new version
of the passport. So the rumor is it's going to be a V, they're going to take their V6 and hybridize
it, which would be interesting because that V6 is so smooth and nice. And if you lower the power
bit of the engine and then give the electric assist and get it well over 300, it's an interesting
proposition because there's the hybrid Tacoma, which is or isn't a direct competitor, but that's
a four cylinder turbo hybrid. And then the other mid sizes don't have hybrids and most hybrids,
SUVs like the pilot in that class, they're all using a four cylinder with electric of some kind.
So the pilot's one of the few left with the V6, it'd be the only V6 hybrid. And so with the Ridgeline
and that, I mean, performance wise, is it going to make a big difference? No, but I know there's
the whole piece of mind that people will feel like having the bigger more potent engine as sort of the
the heart of the system might appease the more and it'll sound nicer. We just went on about sound
with the the Hamia V6 sounds better than a four cylinder in a truck. And Honda's V6 is such a good
engine. I'm so happy I haven't killed it yet. And I'm happy to hear it looks like it'll live on
hybrid form. So I don't know, maybe take the three liter that they have turboed in some
acres and take the turbos off and put the hybrid to it. Who knows? Oh, you're really playing some
power train engineering like spyware here. I like it. I like it. It is one of the better
engines in the segment that 3.5 liter V6 and a time when I think we're not seeing as many V6s.
It's a really smooth engine, not super exciting, but it's a really good power plant. So so to
answer your question, I guess the answer really is no, we're probably not going to see a Ridgeline
hybrid on sale this year. Probably hear more about it in the coming years is Honda sort of
maps out its lineup. Yeah, no, I fully agree. And the three five and I'm presenting the three
like that three is one of the best turbo six cylinders out there to it's really is. Yeah.
So I would imagine Honda is going to nail the smooth hybrid six cylinder like I look forward
to it and it'd be great if it trickles into a whole bunch of products. But yeah, it's coming.
I'm sure it's just a matter of when I bet it doesn't show up until the next gen Ridgeline
and a minimum. But that too isn't too far off. So
all right, that's all the time we have this week. Thanks for hanging out, Mike, talking about
Subaru and your gear and all this other cool stuff. Our thanks to Matt McAleer, the CEO
of Dodge for joining at the front of the show, talking about Car of the Year awards. And of
course, what's up with the charger? What what you might see from it next? You just listened to
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About this episode
Dodge CEO Matt McAleer discusses the significance of the 2026 Charger, which recently won the North American Car of the Year award. He emphasizes the brand's commitment to authenticity and performance, detailing the new multi-energy approach that includes battery electric options. The episode also features discussions on winter tires, with Mike reviewing the Salen Ice Blazer, and insights on the 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness, highlighting its off-road capabilities. The hosts wrap up with a mailbag segment addressing potential hybrid options for the Honda Ridgeline.
The inside story of how Dodge returned the legendary Charger to the top of the muscle-car segment. Dodge CEO Matt McAlear joins host Greg Migliore to talk EVs, Hemis and what the Charger means for Dodge.
Then Mike joins to review the 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness after attending the first drive last week in California. In the AutoGuide Garage, Greg has been testing the 2026 Ram 1500 Big Horn, which features the return of the Hemi V8. In our weekly gear test, we look at the benefits of Sailun Ice Blazer winter tires, and in the mailbag we discuss the prospects of a Honda Ridgeline hybrid.
