The Hyundai Tucson. Named after an Arizona city and launched in 2004, it is the automaker’s best-selling model globally, having sold over 7 million units since its introduction. Positioned as a smaller alternative to the Santa Fe, the Tucson rides on a platform sourced from the Elantra sedan and is the mechanical sibling to the Kia Sportage. Currently in its fourth generation, Tucson has been thoroughly refreshed for the 2025 model year. I share my impressions in this review.
May 05, 2025•10 min
As both trucking fleets and truck manufacturers wade through what the industry calls the "messy middle" from ICE to EVs, PACCAR's Kenworth and Peterbilt nameplates are making a compelling argument for EVs in the vocational truck segment. Listen to this podcast to learn more.
May 05, 2025•11 min
Throughout the United States, many a local new car dealer has a continuing need for experienced service technicians. So much the more now, with the increasing sophistication of the engineering and technical design. Working with local community colleges and high schools, shrinking budgets and changing priorities means that very often, the local resources are not available to the dealership for recruitment. As you might expect, its technology to the rescue, but not in the way you may assume....
May 05, 2025•11 min
A recent article in the business magazine Fast Company talked about a gas station of the future and the company behind it. Nope, they haven’t given up on decarbonization, but what they are using for a feedstock to create the new fuels will surprise you. Listen to this podcast to learn more.
May 05, 2025•11 min
Trees. They are amazing tools of nature – they absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. They shade our neighborhoods during the Spring and Summer, lowering temperatures by as much as fifteen degrees. They absorb noise, reducing noise pollution. And they are often pretty to look at. What’s not to love? Does your city benefit from this urban canopy? Listen to this podcast to learn more.
May 05, 2025•10 min
BYD, a leading Chinese EV manufacturer, has developed what it calls a Super e-Platform for its EVs that promises charging as fast as refueling, allowing for 249 of range in just five minutes of charging. More importantly, the company is making that technology standard on almost all of its vehicles, regardless of price point. Learn why this will quickly become a game changer for EV adoption rates.
May 05, 2025•11 min
According to the National Safety Council, 891 people were killed and 37,701 were injured in work zone crashes. Most of those deaths were motorists! Technology is being deployed to reduce both the severity and frequency of these collisions. We take a look.
Apr 29, 2025•10 min
I remember a time when you could purchase a decently equipped NEW car (1970’s definition) for right around $4,000 with a monthly payment spreading out over 36 months of about $140/month. To be fair, decently equipped in the mid 1970’s was a three-speed automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, single speaker AM/FM radio and an electric rear window defogger. Also worthy of note, build quality was spotty for EVERYBODY – even the Japanese at the time, and a vehicle with 100,000 miles on...
Apr 29, 2025•11 min
The Volkswagen Jetta was launched by the automaker in 1980 to fill a sedan niche slightly above the firm’s Golf (then known in the States as the Rabbit), hatchback. Sold globally and known by variety of model names, the Jetta has grown in size and power with each generation. With millions sold over its model run, the Volkswagen Jetta continues to be popular with motorists. The performance-oriented Jetta GLI was first introduced into the American marketplace for the 1984 model year. After the suc...
Apr 29, 2025•10 min
Every 31 seconds, a car gets stolen in America. Since the Ford F-150 pickup truck has been the most popular vehicle sold in the country for over 40 years, it makes sense to surmise that many of those thefts would be of the popular truck. Now Ford is offering new F-150 owners a mobile app engine immobilizer as part of its new Ford Security Package. We review.
Apr 29, 2025•10 min
Coffee. Regular or decaf(!), black, or with cream and/or sugar, hot or iced, fancy or not. Everybody has a preference. As for me, regular hot coffee with a dash of half and half with PLENTY of sugar! Speaking of preference, it seems that Gen Z is on a different page – as a group, they like it cold, sweet, and loaded with creamer. IS NOTHING SACRED? We look at how the coffee industry is pivoting to this new reality.
Apr 29, 2025•11 min
When it comes to purchasing a vehicle at your local car dealership, the usual interaction with the dealership’s F&I Department (that stands for Finance and Insurance) is once the deal has been made and financing is being discussed. However, there are additional new products available that they want to sell you at vehicle purchase. We review some of the offerings.
Apr 29, 2025•11 min
According to a recent article in Scientific American magazine, the rates of fatal crashes and crime are both LOWER on public transportation than on roadways. While there is a common perception in the United States that taking public transit is dangerous, the truth is quite the opposite. We discuss.
Apr 29, 2025•10 min
Are you a deep fake? Your local new car dealer wants to know, especially before selling you a car. It seems that modern scammers are using artificial intelligence to replicate voices and faces in calls and videos, opening up a new realm of auto finance fraud. This is particularly troublesome in what the industry calls "off-site deliveries", that is, vehicle deliveries that do not happen at the dealership itself.
Apr 29, 2025•11 min
Since starting my radio show back in 2017, I have talked about a number of new and promising EV start-ups, some are still around, some have faded from memory and some, like Rivian, are thriving. Faraday Future, a company that introduced its first prototypes to the world at CES back in 2017, is one such company. I have detailed their ups and downs, each time it seems that it was dead for sure, it comes back to life. Well, its back again, we discuss.
Apr 21, 2025•10 min
The American dealership landscape tells an equally compelling story of strategic consolidation. While Detroit automakers trim their franchise networks, remaining dealers achieve significantly higher sales volumes—particularly luxury brands seeking exclusive retail experiences. Toyota leads with an astonishing 1,607 vehicles per dealership annually (triple the industry average), demonstrating how fewer, more focused retail locations can drive exceptional performance.
Apr 21, 2025•11 min
Nissan continues defying industry trends with its commitment to sedan models. The 2025 Altima offers impressive value at $30,330 (with AWD) in a market where average transaction prices approach $50,000. Though solidly built with exceptional headlights and generous cargo capacity, the vehicle reveals its aging platform through absent modern features and surprisingly antiquated controls straight from the 1980s.
Apr 21, 2025•10 min
Boston's innovative approach to EV charging infrastructure is reshaping urban mobility possibilities by tackling one of the most significant barriers to widespread adoption: access for apartment dwellers. The city's behind-the-meter curbside charging solution not only eliminates installation costs for homeowners but transforms their curb space into potential revenue streams. This groundbreaking system bypasses the need for utility grid enhancements while creating charging options for those witho...
Apr 21, 2025•11 min
During this episode, I explore commercial trucking's "messy middle" – the experimental phase between traditional diesel power and zero-emission transportation that could last decades. For long-haul applications, battery electric solutions face significant challenges with weight, range, and charging time, while alternatives like hydrogen fuel cells offer promising but still-developing paths forward.
Apr 15, 2025•11 min
Shopify's CEO Toby Lutke has implemented a radical new hiring policy that could foreshadow dramatic workplace changes. Teams must now "assume AI, prove the need for humans" – demonstrating that artificial intelligence cannot adequately perform a job function before justifying human hires. This raises profound questions about who determines when AI is insufficient and what metrics should evaluate human necessity. As an e-commerce platform helping businesses leverage technology, Shopify appears to...
Apr 15, 2025•11 min
The automotive reliability landscape revealed surprising strength from American manufacturers in JD Power's latest Vehicle Dependability Survey. While Lexus claimed the top spot, Buick secured second place overall and ranked as the top mass-market brand, outperforming Toyota. Even more surprising was General Motors' dominance with four brands in the top ten: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC – challenging assumptions about domestic versus import reliability.
Apr 15, 2025•10 min
Rivian is expanding beyond traditional electric vehicles with a bold new venture into micromobility. The EV manufacturer that's attracted billions in investment from Amazon, Ford, and Volkswagen has launched "ALSO" – a separate startup focused on developing small, lightweight electric vehicles for global markets. With $105 million in initial funding from Eclipse Ventures, ALSO represents Rivian's acknowledgment that transportation solutions must vary dramatically across different cultures and ge...
Apr 15, 2025•11 min
Rural America. Long regarded by the well-heeled on the coasts as “fly-over” country. Sections of it are dirt poor and losing population as soon as they can graduate and move away for better jobs and more opportunity. It seems that perhaps the pendulum may be swinging the other way as the need for cheap land and bountiful electricity are bringing Big Data to these long-forgotten parts of America. Companies like Meta are building massive data centers in rural communities, promising economic revita...
Apr 07, 2025•11 min
Their names are Alessandro and Julian and they race 160 pound go-karts. The are fierce competitors in the World Series of Karting championship and they just may become the next generation of Formula One drivers. By the way, they are aged 11 and 12 and have been competing since they were nine and ten. Fun fact: every current F1 driver started in a go-kart! During this episode, I take you behind the scenes of Formula 1's shocking youth development pipeline, where talent scouts from Mercedes and Fe...
Apr 07, 2025•11 min
Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too? The Kia K4 sedan is a compact car manufactured by the automaker in Mexico as a replacement for the long-running Forte sedan. Initially introduced to the public in March, 2024 at the New York International Auto Show, the first-ever K4 is offered by the automaker in five distinct trim levels. Power for the K4 GT-Line Turbo is generated by a 1.6L gasoline four-cylinder turbo engine that makes 190 horsepower and 195 lbs-ft of torque. Energy is delive...
Apr 07, 2025•10 min
The transportation landscape is undergoing a hydrogen revolution that few are talking about. While headlines focus on battery electric vehicles, hydrogen is quietly emerging as the true contender for zero-emission long-haul trucking. As I reveal in this episode, hydrogen offers two compelling pathways - direct combustion in modified engines or electricity generation via fuel cells - both eliminating the weight, charging, and capacity challenges that plague battery electric solutions in Class 8 t...
Apr 07, 2025•11 min
After years of testing and development, humanoid robots are taking their place in warehouses and on or near assembly lines on the factory floor. Make no mistake, this new generation of robots are in fact replacing actual human beings. Should we be concerned? These machines are already replacing human workers in warehouses and factories, offering consistent performance without the "variables" of human needs like breaks, sick days, or fatigue. As AI advances and component costs fall, we're witness...
Apr 07, 2025•10 min
With the average new vehicle sticker price hovering around $50,000, it would be easy to assume that a good, quality NEW car for much less than that would not be possible. Consumer Reports brings welcome news for budget-conscious car shoppers, highlighting several excellent vehicles available under $30,000, including the Subaru Forester, Toyota Camry Hybrid, and the innovative Ford Maverick pickup.
Apr 07, 2025•11 min
Have you had this experience: You visit an actual store looking for a particular item, only to be told that not only is not in stock, but you can buy it online? Yeah, me too and its not ok. The retail landscape continues its dramatic transformation as brick-and-mortar stores increasingly function as showrooms rather than fully-stocked shopping destinations. The frustrating experience of visiting stores only to be told items must be ordered online reflects retailers' shift toward e-commerce at th...
Apr 07, 2025•10 min
Volkswagen's $1.3B investment in Rivian brings affordable EVs closer to reality. Their upcoming ID.1 electric minicar will cost just $20K and launch in 2027. The EV revolution is finally reaching mainstream price points. What's your price threshold for going electric?
Apr 07, 2025•12 min
