The Car Curious Weekly for March 1, 2026

The Car Curious Weekly is a look at what the automotive podcast world is talking about, who's saying it, and what patterns emerge when you listen to all of them at once.

February 22 - February 28, 2026 · 206 episodes across 124 podcasts.

This week's podcasts focused on massive corporate losses and shifting market dynamics. Stellantis reported a €22 billion annual loss and eliminated profit-sharing for workers, while Aston Martin cut 20 percent of its workforce as sales declined sharply. Meanwhile, the 2026 Jeep Cherokee went hybrid-only, and Chinese automaker MG Motor crossed one million European deliveries, underscoring the industry's ongoing transformation.

Here are the four biggest storylines and where they showed up across the feed.

2026 Jeep Cherokee Redesigned as Hybrid-Only Compact SUV

The 2026 Cherokee returned as a hybrid-only model with a 1.6-liter turbo four paired with two electric motors producing 210 hp and 37 mpg combined, using a conventional hybrid system rather than Jeep's 4xe plug-in setup.

At 188 inches long, the new Cherokee stretched nearly two feet longer than the iconic XJ model while straddling the compact/midsize line to compete directly with the RAV4 and CR-V in America's largest SUV segment.

From The AutoGuide Show:

"This new model is a CRV and RAV4 competitor. And I think that's an important move for Jeep because the brand left that segment a few years back with the last Cherokee. For one thing, it's big. It's real big. It's 188 inches long, if I'm remembering correctly, which makes it almost two feet longer than the classic XJ that we all remember and love, which is wild to think about."

Multiple shows test-drove the Cherokee, with reviewers noting its surprising size compared to classic models and its refined interior positioning it closer to premium competitors like Mazda rather than utilitarian rivals. Hosts debated whether the hybrid-only, road-focused approach would alienate traditional Jeep buyers or successfully capture mainstream compact SUV shoppers.

From Auto Buyers Guide Podcast:

"This is like the least Jeep Jeep that Jeep currently Jeeps. I don't want to talk about it. But I think it's one of the most important Jeeps at the exact same time. It has all of the Jeep essentials... This feels like it's trying to do what a Grand Cherokee does. Or, you know, bring that elevated interior experience."

Stellantis Reports Massive €22 Billion Loss, No Profit-Sharing for UAW Workers

Stellantis reported a staggering €22 billion loss for 2025, one of the largest single-year losses in automotive history, with hosts and analysts pointing to EV strategy missteps and the abandonment of core enthusiast products.

The massive loss means UAW workers at Stellantis plants will receive no profit-sharing checks this year, a sharp reversal from recent years when workers received substantial bonuses.

From The Truck Show Podcast:

"Stellantis announced that the company's EV misstep cost them $26.5 billion. Okay, explain to me exactly what I did wrong. Well, I think you took away the vehicles your core and enthusiasts wanted and tried to shove EVs down their throat rather than making a part of the tapestry. And you are paying for that now."

MG Motor Reaches One Million Vehicle Deliveries in Europe

MG Motor crossed one million total deliveries in Europe as of January 2026, claiming to be the first Chinese automaker to hit that milestone — with the UK accounting for 386,000 of those sales alone.

MG sold over 300,000 vehicles across Europe in 2025, up 30% year-over-year, securing 16th place overall in the European sales rankings and remaining the only Chinese brand in the top 20.

From EV News Daily:

"SAIC's MG brand has crossed one million total sales to Europeans. It claims the milestone is the first Chinese automaker to do so. The badge now sells Chinese volume on European streets."

Coverage centered on MG's dominance among Chinese brands in Europe and its UK-heavy sales footprint. One host noted the milestone reflected SAIC's successful repositioning of the former British badge as a volume Chinese brand on European streets.

Aston Martin Cuts 20% of Workforce Amid Financial Struggles

Aston Martin slashed 20% of its global workforce as sales plummeted 23% year-over-year, marking a dramatic contraction for the British luxury marque.

The workforce cut comes as Aston Martin joins a growing list of struggling luxury brands including Maserati, Alfa Romeo, and Volvo — all facing similar financial distress.

From CarEdge Live:

"If luxury brands are struggling and some of the luxury brands are, and Aston Martin is one of those brands, and we know that the vehicles that are selling presently are, well, luxury brands, then you have to start thinking to yourself, is this all drying up? If Aston Martin goes by the wayside, could that impact Mercedes? Could it impact BMW? Could it impact all the other major luxury brands that are out there? It very well could."

CarEdge Live used Aston Martin's cuts as a warning sign for the entire luxury segment.

Recommendations

If You Only Listen To One

C.R.E.A.M. Ft Al Clark - Filming a Bugatti With a Bugatti, Banned Adverts and Meeting Legends — C.R.E.A.M. (Cars Rule Everything Around Me)

Al Clark went from renting out track day cameras at the Nürburgring to directing the Bugatti Veyron top speed film, and his stories about accidentally making banned Jaguar commercials have real personality. A window into a job you didn't know existed.

More Episodes Worth Hearing

• Inside The Tech Powering Modern Collision Repair (In Wheel Time Podcast) — How a simple windshield replacement now requires camera calibration, and why body shops need remote OEM access just to reset airbag modules. Repair technology has evolved well beyond what most car owners realize.
• D7 Opener and Way Too Early Championship Predictions (Bracket Breakdown) — Arizona National Open drag racing season opener recap with genuine enthusiasm for bracket racing's nuances. Captures the community feel of grassroots motorsports.
• "Teaching Kids Car Ownership: What Schools Never Teach ( And Parents Pay For )" (Car Connection Workshop) — Preparing young drivers for the financial realities of car ownership: insurance shocks, maintenance basics, and why schools skip all of it. Genuinely useful advice for parents.
• Mike Brewer On Closing His Dealership, Wheeler Dealers Cast & UK Car Market (Road To Success with Benedict Fowler) — Mike Brewer on shutting down his dealership amid market pressures, and why he's still optimistic about the car trade. Honest insight into adapting when the business changes underneath you.

Next Week

Watch for more fallout from Stellantis' financial troubles and continued discussion of hybrid strategies from mainstream brands trying to bridge the EV transition.

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206 episodes. 2630 car mentions. 3579 terms explained. Browse every episode with searchable annotations and plain-language term definitions in the Car Curious app.