The Car Curious Weekly for April 12, 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.

April 5 - April 11, 2026 · 167 episodes across 114 podcasts.

This week's podcasts focused on the truck market getting crowded and subscription services that missed the mark. Hyundai unveiled the Boulder concept, signaling entry into body-on-frame SUVs and pickup trucks by decade's end, while Kia announced its own midsize electric and range-extended truck arriving by 2030. Meanwhile, Honda drew criticism for putting HomeLink garage door access behind a subscription paywall, and GM confirmed it will build a new Camaro, Cadillac CT5, and Buick sedan at its Lansing plant starting in 2027.

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

Hyundai Boulder Concept Signals Body-on-Frame Off-Road SUV and Potential Pickup Truck Entry

Hyundai surprised the New York Auto Show with the Boulder concept, a two-door body-on-frame SUV riding on 37-inch tires that signals the brand's entry into both the off-road SUV segment and midsize pickup truck market by decade's end.

The Boulder showcased Hyundai's 'art of steel' design philosophy with modular screens in the interior, but the company confirmed a pickup truck will arrive first before any production version of the two-door off-roader.

From Everyday Driver Car Debate:

"I am so intrigued. I am so excited for Hyundai to go into this market of body on frame. They're claiming they're going to be investing heavily doing a pickup truck version as well. But there is no aftermarket industry for products for Hyundai off-road vehicles like there is for Jeeps, Broncos and Toyotas. That doesn't exist for the winches and the racks and the side steps. So Hyundai is going to have to bring all those accessories with them. They're going to have to make them and offer them from the jump."

Podcasters universally praised the Boulder as a genuine surprise at an auto show era where leaks are commonplace, with most treating it as a credible moonshot into body-on-frame territory rather than pure concept vaporware. Enthusiast shows particularly noted the size disparity between images and reality, while daily news shows focused on Hyundai's strategic platform play using the same architecture for both SUV and truck variants.

From The AutoGuide Show:

"This is fascinating. It kind of looks like the old Bronco concept from 20 years ago. But it's huge. I don't think the images really showcase the size of this thing. It's not a volume that we expect from Hyundai, right? And it's a very different design language, but you can still see current bits of Hyundai to it. I love the huge fenders. I love the little windows, just a top the side windows, those safari style ones."

Daily coverage: Monday · Thursday

GM Plans 2027 Production of New Camaro, Cadillac CT5, and Buick Sedan at Lansing Plant

GM planned production of a new Camaro, Cadillac CT5, and Buick's first North American sedan since the Regal for September 2027 at the Lansing Grand River plant, with all three riding on the updated Alpha platform.

The automaker expected to build 60,000-70,000 CT5s and Camaros combined, with the Buick sedan limited to 10,000-20,000 units to keep the underutilized plant viable after abandoning its $1.2 billion EV-only conversion.

From THIS CAR POD! with Doug DeMuro & Friends:

"I am excited that they're making truly three new generations or generations for three new models that are clearly internal combustion engine, rear-wheel-drive platform. That's cool. It's very exciting that GM is doing this. I'm sure their execution on it will be poor as usual."

Coverage ranged from cautious optimism about three new rear-drive cars with V8 options to skepticism about Buick's viability in the U.S. market. THIS CAR POD! questioned GM's execution despite welcoming the internal combustion commitment, while Autoline Daily focused on the Lansing plant's capacity utilization.

From Autoline Daily:

"One analyst believes production of the Buick model might be limited to ten to twenty thousand units, but GM expects to make between sixty and seventy thousand ct fives and camaros, so the lands and Grand River plant would have been even more underutilized Without the buick."

Daily coverage: Wednesday

Honda Faces Backlash Over HomeLink Garage Door Subscription Paywall Controversy

Honda went viral for requiring a subscription to use HomeLink garage door opener through its infotainment system, offering it free for 30 days before charging an ongoing fee.

The controversy echoed Toyota's earlier backlash over charging $15-$25 monthly for remote start after a complimentary one-year period, part of a broader industry push toward subscription revenue.

From CarEdge Live:

"It appeared as if if you wanted to be able to open your garage door, and I don't know why you wouldn't just use the garage door opener that, I don't know, comes with the garage door. But, you know, we have all these technologies built into cars today. Literally 40 years ago, we were giving this stuff away to people for free. It was a selling feature. And now, the selling feature is, well, if you want to use the feature, you got to pay for it."

CarEdge Live covered the Honda subscription controversy as part of a broader critique of automaker subscription models, comparing the strategy to drug dealers hooking customers on free trials before charging them.

Kia Announces Midsize Pickup Truck Launch by 2030 in Electric and Range-Extended Variants

Kia announced a midsize pickup truck arriving by 2030 in both fully electric and range-extended variants, marking the Korean automaker's entry into the hotly contested North American truck market. The range-extended option hedges against charging infrastructure concerns, and the timeline positions Kia alongside Hyundai's Boulder-derived truck on a shared platform strategy.

The announcement appeared across several EV-focused shows as part of broader market coverage, with hosts noting the strategic timing as Korean automakers make coordinated moves into body-on-frame territory.

Daily coverage: Thursday

Jaguar Managing Director Defends 2024 Rebrand Strategy as Commercial Reset, Not 'Woke' Marketing

Jaguar's November 2024 rebrand teaser generated roughly 1.5 billion impressions without paid media spend, making it the most talked-about topic on social media for three consecutive days globally.

Managing Director Rawdon Glover admitted the social and political controversy around the 'woke' accusations was completely unexpected and difficult to control, particularly on binary social media platforms.

From Car Dealer Podcast:

"I do remember exactly where I was now when Elon Musk tweeted and we're like what do you do with that you know how do you respond to that. The level of interest, nobody's walking around high-fiving job done because you know it's never job done."

The Car Dealer Podcast featured an extensive interview with Jaguar's Rawdon Glover defending the controversial rebrand, while hosts on other shows reflected on the business challenges driving the decision.

Recommendations

If You Only Listen To One

Matt Farah's Taco Recipe, Hooniverse

Dan Roth and Ross Ballett get Matt Farah to rant about why modern cars are worse, touchscreens that reset your drive modes every restart, ADAS that treats you like a child, and how "safety features" only feel luxurious if they stay configured. The conversation ping-pongs from Myers Manx obsession to sailing catamarans to a genuine debate over whether a hot dog is a taco, then ends with Matt walking through his Korean taco recipe. It's the kind of loose, opinionated car talk that feels like hanging out in a garage, not reading a spec sheet.

More Episodes Worth Hearing

• Live Car Talk From A Texas Cruise In (In Wheel Time Podcast), Recorded live at a roadside cruise-in, the hosts blend community meet-and-greet energy with a straightforward segment on expensive repair triggers, blown head gaskets, air suspension failures, cracked blocks, and what to do when you're done with a car. The mix of real people, tacos, and practical "sell it or trade it" advice makes it easy listening.
• Spring Fling MILLION recap and Winternationals (Bracket Breakdown), Tyler Bohanan wins a million dollars after multiple fuel-pump failures and a triple-zero-two finish, but the real entertainment is the East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry banter, wheelie-heavy Grand Am runs, and the crew's debate over who really deserves MVP. It's bracket racing told with personality and inside jokes.
• Episode #219 - All Hail Suzuki (Another Pointless Automotive Podcast), A nostalgic, affectionate tour through Suzuki's forgotten U.S. lineup, the Swift "shipbox," the cult-favorite Samurai and Sidekick, the bizarre X-90, mixed with live shop chaos including a seized clutch cable fix and discovering live ammo in a project car. It's part history lesson, part comedic disaster, all charm.
• Scotty James on Resilience, Rivalries, and Pursuing One Great Aim (DRIVE with Jim Farley), Australian snowboarder Scotty James opens up about leaving home at 12, rebuilding his love for the sport after early Olympic pressure, and how motorcycle rivalries with his dad shaped his competitive edge. The conversation connects elite-sport mindset with the kind of focused, long-term commitment that resonates beyond athletics.

Next Week

Watch for dealer reactions to Kia's broker-sales crackdown, more fallout from Ford's aluminum supply issues, and whether Scout's delays stretch into 2029.

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167 episodes. 1289 car mentions. 3818 terms explained. Browse every episode with searchable annotations and plain-language term definitions in the Car Curious app.