Bredan Appel of the Sons of Speed sat in for co-host Jill this week. Jill returns next episode. In the first segment Brendan talked about the redesigned 2024 Hyundai Kona, a video review for which will be shared shortly. Brendan and Tom went on to talk about the growing glut of unsold EVs in the U.S., and the impact of massive Tesla price cuts on EV sales. Are there too many EV models on the market? Listen in. In the second segment the hosts welcome Shooting Cars host and producer Zack Pradel to...
Oct 23, 2023•55 min•Season 1Ep. 190
Jill is out this week; you can follow her progress at the 2023 Rebelle Rally by clicking on the link on our Facebook page. In studio for the entire show are Chicago late-night radio legends Steve King and Johnnie Putman. The show opened with Steve explaining the concept of “clear-channel” radio, and why WGN radio in Chicago is heard, at night, in almost 40 U.S. states and in Canada. After a quick chat about the classic films The Desk Set , and Fritz Lang’s epic Metropolis , Tom, Steve and Johnni...
Oct 16, 2023•55 min•Season 1Ep. 189
Tom and guest-host Paul Herrold of the Sons of Speed opened the show discussing the Lexus RC F, a V8-powered small coupe that Paul recently spent track time with. Paul noted that though the RC F has grown dated since its 2014 introduction, the car is very capable on the street and on the track. Listen to hear Paul’s complete review. Tom and Paul also discussed technological “fads” that were introduced by automakers to great fanfare, but since amounted to little in the market place. In the second...
Oct 09, 2023•53 min•Ep. 188
Jill and Tom opened a busy show by discussing ways that Tom might exploit Jill’s would-be celebrity to expand the popularity of the show. The hosts went on to review the 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee Altitude, which both agreed feels like a pretty strong value. Jill and Tom opened the second segment by welcoming Robby Degraff of AutoPacific to the program. Robby shared the findings of AutoPacific’s Future Attribute Demand Study (FADS). Robby walked the hosts down the top-ten list of features car shop...
Oct 02, 2023•55 min•Ep. 187
In this ten-minute bonus episode, Jill and Tom break down the basics of electric-vehicle charging. The hosts discuss level-1 (wall-outlet), level-2 (home), and level-3 (public, DC) charging. Here's what you need to know before you start shopping for an electric vehicle. Remember to subscribe and to review the show wherever you download your podcasts. Also, leave us a comment on the Car Stuff Podcast Facebook page.
Sep 28, 2023•10 min•Season 1Ep. 186
Jill and Tom opened the showing quickly covering a number of topics including the demise of the Jeep Grand Cherokee V8 engine, the addition of a lower-priced base model to the Jeep Wagoneer lineup, and Tom’s love/hate relationship with the newly updated 2024 Volkswagen Atlas midsize crossover. Jill reviewed the all-new Kia EV9 all-electric 3-row crossover, about which she has much good to share. Also, Tom is being shocked (actual electric shock) by accidentally touching McDonald’s employees at t...
Sep 25, 2023•55 min•Season 1Ep. 185
Jill and Tom are joined this week by long-time cohost Damon Bell, who is currently serving as Senior Research Editor at Cars.com. Jill and Tom opened the show arguing about the two-screen dashboard found in the current Infiniti QX50 compact crossover. Jill finds the systems dated, while Tom saw the value in having a single screen dedicated to navigation functions. Damon joined the conversation to help summarize the reveals seen at this year’s Detroit Auto Show. Jill, who was in attendance at the...
Sep 18, 2023•55 min•Ep. 184
Jill and Tom opened the episode talking a little about the Detroit Auto Show which opens this week. The hosts will have complete coverage of the event next week. Tom complained a little about the Infiniti QX50 premium compact crossover. Though Tom generally likes the vehicle, he is annoyed that its much-promote high-tech VC-Turbo engine has not imbued the crossover with either standout power, or impressive fuel economy. Jill and Tom went on to review the 2023 Nissan Ariya compact electric crosso...
Sep 11, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 183
Jill and Tom are both in studio this week. Jill talked a little about why she’s been away from the show, including a quick summary of the vehicles she’s recently seen and her time preparing for this year’s Rebelle Rally. Jill talked about her test drive of the 2024 GMC Denali 2500 Ultimate, a super-premium trim-level addition to the maker’s pickup-truck lineup. Tom talked briefly about the Fisker Alaska, an electric midsize pickup due for the 2025 model year. In the second segment the crew is jo...
Sep 04, 2023•52 min•Season 1Ep. 182
Brendan Appel sits in for Jill this week, and discussed a pair of articles he wrote regarding the survival of the manual transmission. Brendan argues that carmakers have hastened the demise of stick shift by limiting availability and underestimating demand. Brendan notes the surprising popularity of stick shift on a number of new sporty offerings. In the second segment Brendan and Tom welcome Monica Gorgas, brand manager for the redesigned Lincoln Nautilus midsize crossover. Monica walked the ho...
Aug 28, 2023•53 min•Season 1Ep. 181
Tom and guest co-host Brendan Appel of the Sons of Speed open the show discussing the recently revealed Mustang GTD, an extreme performance version of Ford’s popular pony car. Brendan lamented the fact that, despite rumors to the contrary, the GTD is not a mid-engine car. The hosts went on to discuss an article just posted to the Consumer Guide Daily Drive Blog in which Tom attempts to correct common mispronunciations of car and car-brand names. In the second segment Tom and Brendan welcome Stev...
Aug 21, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 180
This week Tim Esterdahl of Pickup Truck Plus SUV Talk subs for Tom who is still under the weather. Jill and Tim open the show by discussing the demise of the Titan, Nissan’s ill-fated and slow-selling large pickup truck. The conversation extended to the likelihood of Toyota bringing a small pickup truck to the U.S. to compete with Ford’s popular Maverick. Jill shared her thoughts on the radically redesigned Hyundai Santa Fe, which is due to arrive in showrooms next year. In the second segment Ti...
Aug 15, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 179
Jill and guest cohost Nicole Wakelin, host of the Road Reflected podcast, opened the show talking about “sad snacks,” with Nicole arguing that most healthy and/or gluten-free treats aren’t worth the effort. Jill shared the news that industry colleague, and one-time Road America public-relations manager, Enrique Ramirez lost his battle with cancer. Enrique worked tirelessly to raise money for cancer research. The hosts went on to discuss the resurrection of the Toyota Land Cruiser, which returns ...
Aug 07, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 178
Sitting in again for Jill is Paul Herrold of the Sons of Speed. Jill returns next week. Paul and Tom began the show correcting mistakes made last week. Both hosts were guilty of misstatements which have been begrudgingly corrected. Tom followed up on last week’s podcast, which included an interview with Don Drucker of Chicago’s famous Superdawg Drive-In. Having learned that the establishment’s tamales are meat free—and he being vegetarian—Tom sampled the tamales. Listen to his review. Paul talke...
Jul 31, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 177
This week Paul Herrold of the Sons of Speed sits in for Jill. In the first segment, Paul shared the details of his recent trip to Italy which included a visit to the Maserati factory, and a test drive of the brand’s exotic MC20 sports car. Paul and Tom also discussed recent cuts to the price of Ford’s electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck. In the second segment Paul and Tom welcomed Don Drucker, Operations Manager of Chicago’s legendary Superdawg drive-in restaurant to the Car Stuff Podcast. Don...
Jul 24, 2023•52 min•Ep. 176
Jill and Tom opened this week’s show quickly covering a number of topics, including Jill’s take on Toyota hybrid refinement, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) potentially inadequate use of crash-test dummies, and Tom’s recent encounter with would-be carjackers. Jill also shared her take on the freshened-for-2024 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport midsize crossovers. In the second segment, Jill and Tom are joined by Cars.com Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Newman. Jennifer...
Jul 17, 2023•55 min•Season 1Ep. 175
Jill and Tom opened the program by discussing the show’s recognition by Feedspot as one of the must-listen-to podcasts of 2023. Tom went on to discuss how impressed he was with the 2023 Lexus RX450e, the brand’s first all-electric vehicle. Jill shared similar enthusiasm for the 2023 Honda Accord, especially in hybrid trim. The duo also spent a little time discussing industry supplier BorgWarner’s spin off of its internal-combustion unit, Phinia, which went public last week. The move, per Tom, de...
Jul 10, 2023•55 min•Season 1Ep. 174
Jill and Tom opened the show discussing an extremely sexist Mercury ad from 1967 which Tom has featured on the Consumer Guide Daily Drive blog. Jill shared her impressions of the updated-for-2024 Jeep Wrangler, which benefits from revised styling and new tech features. Jill is a big fan of the plug-in-hybrid 4Xe Wrangler variants. Tom went on to discuss the 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint audio system found in the all-new Mazda CX-90. In the second segment Jill and Tom welcome Sam Fiorani of AutoFor...
Jul 03, 2023•52 min•Season 1Ep. 173
The show opened with Tom to complaining to Jill about a woman at the donut shop individually selecting each of the 18 donuts in her order, consulting the clerk on each, and occasionally rejecting choices after they had been boxed. Pressed for time, Tom left the shop and got cannoli from a nearby European deli instead. The team would go on to discuss the all-new Mazda CX-90 midsize crossover, and its repositioning as a more-premium offering in the segment. The hosts agreed that the new ’90 is gen...
Jun 26, 2023•53 min•Season 1Ep. 172
Paul Herrold of the Sons of Speed joined Tom this week, filling in for the traveling Jill Ciminillo. Paul and Tom covered a number of topics in the first segment, including the demise of the ultra-smooth Lexus V6, and Paul’s experience with the Hyundai Ioniq 6 electric sedan. Paul came away very impressed with the Ioniq, and took note of the vehicle’s smooth power delivery. Paul and Tom also discussed the coming Ram Rampage small truck, which is initially destined for sale only in Brazil and Arg...
Jun 19, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 171
Jill and Tom opened a topic-packed episode by discussing a listener’s request for more donut content. Jill later obliged with a quick take on an iced strawberry ring from a local donut shop Tom refused to name. (Long story.) Jill went on to recap the news from a Lexus event at which the all-new GX midsize SUV and TX 3-row midsize crossover were introduced. Tom shared a quick note regarding the updated 2024 Subaru Crosstrek, observing that the vehicle’s engine stop/start system is vastly improved...
Jun 12, 2023•55 min•Season 1Ep. 170
Jill and Tom opened the show discussing home remedies their parents and grand parents believed in. The hosts agreed that saltines and 7-Up were understood to cure almost anything. Tom noted that his dad was a firm believer in the curative power of Jägermeister. (Jill is under the weather, hence the remedy chat.) The discussion finally turned automotive, and Jill shared her thoughts on the heavily updated Honda Accord, with which she is very impressed. The new Accord features a trimmed down lineu...
Jun 05, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 169
The crew looks ahead to the women-only 2023 Rebelle Rally. Jill answers Tom's questions regarding the event, including logistics, challenges, and not showering for eight days. Jill will be participating in the event for the second time. Kudos to Hyundai for again providing Team Brute Squad (#TeamBruteSquad) with a specially upfitted Santa Cruz for the event.
Jun 02, 2023•10 min•Season 1Ep. 168
Jill and Tom opened the show discussing the recent Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA) Spring Rally, and a couple of the vehicles Jill drove at the event held annually at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Jill was most impressed by the redesigned 2024 Chevrolet Trax, which after a one-year hiatus has returned redesigned to anchor the Chevrolet lineup. Jill also spent time with the Lucid Air premium electric sedan. Jill and Tom also briefly discussed Ford’s plan for brand EV owners...
May 30, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 167
After Tom finished complaining about his experience at Burger King earlier in the day, the hosts discussed the recently announced driving range of the coming Chevrolet Silverado EV. Jill noted that the full range—an impressive 450 miles—comes at a price. Jill and Tom went on to discuss the redesigned 2024 Toyota Tacoma, which Jill recent spent time examining, though not driving. Drive opportunities come later in the year. Jill and Tom are joined in the second segment by Jeep Senior Brand Manager...
May 22, 2023•53 min•Season 1Ep. 166
Tom and guest host Brendan Appel of the Sons of Speed (Jill is traveling this week) opened the show discussing the off-road ready Ford Bronco Raptor. The hosts agreed that Raptor is pricey, and a little too wide to drive in urban environments, but found much to like about the truck. Tom and Brendan also discussed the coming 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor, the first American-market Raptor version of the midsize pickup. In the second segment the hosts are joined by Larry Nutson, Chicago Bureau Chief of T...
May 15, 2023•56 min•Season 1Ep. 165
Jill and Tom opened the show talking about Jill’s recent time in Sweden driving the updated 2024 Volvo C40 and XC40 small electric sedan and crossover. Changes include significant improvements in range. Later In the first segment the hosts also discussed Tesla’s recent price cuts, and why the EV maker might be willing to settle for lower sticker prices in exchange for greater sales volume. In the second segment Toyota Manager of Vehicle Marketing and Communications Amy Chao joined the show to ta...
May 08, 2023•53 min•Season 1Ep. 194
Tom and guest host Paul Herrold of the Sons of Speed (Jill is traveling this week) opened the show discussing the surprising rebranding happening at Jaguar Land Rover. Tom and Paul agree that the planned updates, which include spinning Discovery off as a separate brand, foretell the demise of Jaguar in the U.S. Paul shared news regarding a personal car purchase. Paul recently took delivery of a BMW M2, a vehicle he plans to enjoy on the race track. The hosts are joined in the second segment by S...
May 01, 2023•53 min•Season 1Ep. 163
Jill and Tom opened the show calling back to last week’s episode during which guest James Bell of Kia instructed Jill to make use of the “GT” button in her test Kia EV6 GT. Jill did as instructed; listen in for her impressions. The hosts discussed the coming 2024 Lincoln Nautilus, and it’s move to Chinese manufacture. The conversation moved to the official list of vehicles that qualify this year for the federal EV tax credits. In the second segment Jill and Tom welcome Jane Ulitskaya of Cars.com...
Apr 24, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 163
Jill and Tom opened the show wildly off topic, discussing Japanese Kit Kats and the bag of Sacher-torte-flavor ‘Kats Tom brought to the studio. Listen to the podcast for Jill’s review. The duo went on to discuss the BMW 840i Gran Coupe Jill recently spent time evaluating. Jill and Tom also discussed the all-new Envista small crossover, which will be replacing the Encore in Buick’s lineup. James Bell of Kia joined the show to discuss the brand’s success in working through supply-chain issues, and...
Apr 17, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 161
