Auto Buyers Guide Podcast
Auto Buyers Guide
Updated 1 day agoThe Auto Buyers Guide team is dedicated to bringing you the latest in automotive industry news, car buying advice, car reviews, and all things car, truck, SUV, and EV. Every week Alex and Travis try to tackle important questions like: are software defined cars a thing? Should shiny black plastic be banned?
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Episodes (110)
Is RAM's 2026 Ramcharger The Truck With A Plug You've Been Waiting For?
Alex and Travis take a deep, deep, deeeeep, almost 1.5 hour dive into the new RAM Ramcharger. RAM just gave us more details on how the PHEV system works, let's dive in.
Are Hybrids Finally Mainstream? Road Rules, Find The Plug & Hyundai's All-In On Hybrids
It seems like America is finally ready to see a hybrid revolution with more models offered than ever before, and more models going hybrid only. From an all-hybrid Mazda CX-90, to more hybrid Toyota and Hondas than you can shake a stick at, so GM's plans on resurrecting hybrid systems, hybrids seem to be reclaiming the headlines from EVs. Alex and Travis also talk about the road rules and rule breakers that bug them the most, jaywalking, and of course the recently refreshed Tucson hybrid and why you might want one.
Subaru's New Hybrids, The LX 700h Is Insane, Honda & Nissan Break Up, Car Buying Tips
Subaru is suddenly all-in on hybrids with a new Forester hybrid and a Crosstrek hybrid on sale in 2025, but they aren't stopping there. All rumors point to the upcoming redesign of the Outback also sporting a hybrid whenever it lands this year. Fuel economy improvements are more modest than in some hybrids, but Subaru retained the off-road capability the brand has become known for. VW's ID. Buzz might just be the ultimate electric family hauler, as long as you're OK with teh range which isn't huge. With Lexus the news is big, as in LX-sized big. For 2025 the LX 700h launches, which is the hybrid version of the LX 600 we've seen for a while. The main feature here is that Lexus has built in a failsafe mechanism to bypass the hybrid motor should anything go wrong. Nissan and Honda's relationship is on the rocks. That lasted about as long as Elon's average relationship.
RFID Card Keys Are Dumb, Badge Engineering Isn't So Bad, Charging Etiquette Should Be Taught
Join Travis and Alex as they dissect the RFID key card. Is Travis right that it's a sensible and slim way to lock and unlock your car if you're a 21st century person that doesn't carry a key? Or is Alex right that they should all be burnt at the stake as an example to RFID cards everywhere that change is unacceptable? (Also: proximity keys are better). They also discuss charging etiquette and why badge engineering is a tricky subject.
Toyota's All-New 4Runner Vs Everything Else, EV Tax Credits Cut, Are Software Updates Good?
Toyota's popular SUV is finally all-new for 2025, but does that make it all-better? Or should shoppers look elsewhere? Also, what on earth happened with 4Runner pricing! OMG. Which new EVs still have the EV tax credit? Way fewer than before. Should owners be able to say no to software updates? Should they?
Are "Software Defined" cars a good thing? Best cars Under $40K. Best SUVs for families.
Travis and Alex attempt to get to the bottom of the mania around "software defined cars". Now, bear in mind that like *all* cars, SDCs are actually defined by their hardware which is why they can be updated. On the other hand, is this making companies lazy? Our experience with the new EX30 leads Alex to say yes. We also go over viewer questions and comments, the best cars under $40K, the best SUVs for young families and more.
Amazon Is Finally Selling Cars, Chevy Leads The Affordable Charge, Used EV Tax Credits Are Great
In this episode Alex and Travis dish about new car sales in 2024, which car companies are winning, which are losing, and why the consumer is a winner (sometimes) at the Chevy dealer because they are selling a ton of affordable new cars. If you're looking to make shopping easier, Hyundai is now selling cars on Amazon, assuming you're in the right part of the USA, and the process looks pretty solid. Lastly, Alex and Travis cover used EV tax credits, toxic masculine latte orders, and more!
Honda and Nissan Are Merging, EV Road Tripping A 200 Mile Range Volvo & What Needs To Die
Travis and Alex discuss the impending Honda-Nissan-Mitsubishi merger that should be completed next year, who's getting what in the marriage and what the conglomerate should kill off. We also talk about Travis road tripping our used C40 EV up to Washington state and more!
Reliable Cars Aren't Satisfying? Why does GM have so many EV trucks? Audi Gets A Q6,
According to the latest Consumer Reports data, Rivian is a paradox, they are the least reliable new car brand in America but also the one the most people would buy again. This makes us wonder: is new car reliability, well, unreliable? The answer is yes, and we may never know how reliable a new car is ever again...
Happy Thanksgiving, The future of EV Tax Credits, Can Someone Just Stick With Something?
Travis and Alex discuss the turkeys, tofurkeys and turduckens. Then they really dive into the sauce: What will Trump do to the EV tax credit? What might happen if it changes or gets eliminated, and how the IRA has boosted domestic production of new cars. Also, cars are too expensive. No surprise there.
Best & Worst Car Gifts, Honda Passport & Acura ADX, PHEV vs EV
Travis and Alex spend way, way too much time talking about the best and worst gifts for car people, or, really anyone that owns a car. They also dive into the latest Honda and Acura SUVs, hate on the term "extended range EV" because they are just plug in hybrids, and then they talk about why PHEVs are fantastic.
Scout Reboot, Toyota's PHEV Party, EV Winter Range & We Bought A Thing!
Scout Reboot, Toyota's PHEV Party, EV Winter Range & We Bought A Thing!
Tesla's Robotaxi, Toyota's recent production and reliability woes, and GR Corolla with an automatic
Toyota has had some stumbles lately. From recalling every Lexus LX, and non-hybrid Tundra for engine replacements, to the stop-sale and recall on every Grand Highlander and Lexus TX for airbags that aren't working right they have a great deal on their plate. However, like a juggling act at a carnival, Toyota seems to have all those plates up in the air and spinning for now. Interest in their products is still high and Toyota is tripling down on hybrid tech with their Mazda and Subaru partnerships.
One Pedal Driving May Be Over (In China), Charge Connectors, & Terrible New Car Features
It looks like China is on the brink of banning one pedal driving in new vehicles from 2026. Why? Well, it's not in the name of efficiency. Apparently China's watchdog agency says one pedal driving is less safe than having a second pedal around.
Hybrids, Leasing vs Buying, Viewer Questions, GM Joins the NACS party and more!
In this episode, Travis and Alex discuss leasing versus buying, what hybrids are and what they are not, General Motors joining the Tesla supercharging network, and of course we answer a bunch of viewer questions. If you're curious about how leasing works what you need to know before you sign for a lease, and whether a lease is right for you or not hopefully we can answer that today. If after several decades, you are still curious about where you plug in a hybrid, if you're not, we talk about that too.
The Best Cheap New Car For 2025, Hyundai Goes NACS, & More
The first non-Tesla with a native J3400/NACS port is here and it's... a Hyundai? Yep, Hyundai, despite joining the NACS party later than Ford and GM is going to be the first to actually put them in customer's hands. By the end of this year Ioniq 5s built in the USA will have the new port followed shortly thereafter by the Kia EV6. In this episode we also cover the most affordable new cars in America and which one we think is the best.
The Auto Buyers Podcast Is Baaaack!
The ABG Pod is back and we're trying something a big different. This time we're incorporating viewer and listener feedback, so be sure to drop us your questions and thoughts!
Let’s Talk Lexus TX, EV Tax Credit Changes, UAW Strikes and Talks
In this episode Alex and Tim discuss the new Lexus TX three row SUV. Which trims are a good idea and where Lexus went wrong with their new family hauler. We also cover the new point of sale tax credits and what we know now.
Do ”halo cars” work? Also, what is a halo car?
Halo cars don't have to be angelic and they come in many forms. But... Do those forms make sense? From Viper to Challenger Hellcat, Tim and Alex say "hell yeah" but don't agree on what a halo car really is.
Cadillac Releases The Most Insane EV SUV Ever, Car Prices Are Increasing, and NACS Is Confusing
GM is finally rolling out more Ultium models! Alex got to check out the new Cadillac Escalade IQ, the biggest and most insane EV SUV ever imagined, at least until we get the EV Wagoneer that Jeep has been touting with an even bigger battery. Tim and Also also discuss the death of the $20,000 car and why NACS has caused more questions than answers as N. America tries to narrow down to a single charging standard.
The Land Cruiser Returns And Tesla Has Yet Another ”Scandal”
For 2024 Toyota is bringing back the Land Cruiser, but it's not the Land Cruiser 300 sold elsewhere, instead we get the smaller Land Cruiser 250. Also, Tesla shoppers are shocked their EVs can't hit the advertised range figures, despite a solid decade of reporting.
The Tesla Scandal That Isn’t What You Think It Is
When I said our Model 3 SR+ had a real world range of 192 miles +/- about 10 miles, y'all lost your minds, but it wasn't a scandal then and it isn't now. Instead it's just a textbook example of why the "EPA range" is not a "real world" number. Newsflash: the EPA testing designed in 1978 isn't a great real world example for ANY new car, truck or SUV in America today. Join me as I pick apart the scandal and talk about how fuel economy works. What it's good for and why you should ignore that range number if you're not willing to look deep enough to know what it is really telling you.
The Midsize Truck Battle of 2023 | 2023 Episode 8
Tim and Alex are back to discuss the tough battle ahead for the all-new 2024 Toyota Tacoma, plus the validity of the EV price wars and the rising costs of new vehicles in the U.S. Podcast theme by Brian Roskelly.
When Alex Wants to Give Things Away | 2023 Episode 7
In this one-on-one with Alex, the beans are spilled on the upcoming AoA Giveaway this Friday, April 21st (instructions for how to sign up in the video). This is followed by a live Q&A session with Facebook and YouTube audiences.
Grabbing Life by the Horns | 2023 Episode 6
Alex and Tim talk RAM REV, Subaru Crosstrek/Impreza, Mazda CX-90, and everything in-between on today's episode. We've driven some, we've crawled around inside others, but there's a lot to talk about with each of them, so let's get right to it. Podcast theme by Brian Roskelly.