Rebecca gives first drive impressions of the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette. Sam has been driving the value-conscious 2020 Nissan Versa and the fuel-hungry Armada. Dan shares impressions of the Infiniti QX50. We wrap with a run through Consumer Reports 2020 Top 10 cars selections. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Feb 28, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 141
Lots of driving impressions this time! We start with a 200,000 mile 2008 Honda Odyssey, and then cover the Ford Explorer ST and Escape Titanium, Mazda 3 (with a manual!), Jeep Gladiator Rubicon, and Honda Civic Sport Touring. News includes the Nikola Badger fuel-cell hybrid pickup, innovations from automotive supplier Faurecia, and the 2020 J.D. Power dependability survey. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising I...
Feb 14, 2020•1 hr 45 min•Ep. 140
Escalade! Hummer EV truck! Chicago Auto Show! Jeep Mojave, Ford GT Liquid Carbon, and Joe Eberhardt! Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Feb 07, 2020•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 139
It's premium SUVs in the driveway this week. Sam's in the Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring (complete with a faulty 12V battery) and Lexus LX570. Dan went from Mercedes-Benz GLC300 to the Polestar-Engineered Volvo XC90. Rebecca has been enjoying open-top life in the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. In the news, Sam attended the Cruise Origin reveal, and we get into a discussion of our approach to reviewing vehicles and addressing reader comments on differing opinions. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https...
Jan 31, 2020•1 hr 47 min•Ep. 138
Rebecca and Sam are back from CES with lots to discuss, including: • Nissan two-motor mule for the Ariya electric crossover • A flight in the Goodyear blimp • A ride in the Audi AI:ME and Yandex autonomous cars • Mercedes-Benz AVTR • Sony Vision S and Magna International • Hyundai SA-1 Here's what we were driving: Rebecca had the 2020 Toyota Corolla XSE, Sam was in the Genesis G80 Sport and Dan had the 2020 Ram Rebel EcoDiesel. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check ...
Jan 17, 2020•1 hr 42 min
While Rebecca and Sam are at CES, Dan spoke with John Dandrow and Randy Bader of radar detector maker Radenso Radar. The company brought a clever new approach to protection to SEMA in November 2019, and the conversation covers the state of the art of signal detection. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Jan 10, 2020•41 min
For this mid-holiday podcast, Sam is driving the 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. It's...better. Rebecca is in the Ram 1500 e-Torque Hemi and the Lexus LX570, and Dan's still putting miles on the 2020 Honda CR-V. In the news, VW aggressively plans to build 1 million EVs by 2023, two years sooner than originally planned. The company has also developed a robotic charger, which we discuss. In China,Tesla plans to start deliveries of Chinese-assembled Model 3s and we answer some listener questions t...
Dec 31, 2019•1 hr 52 min
The whole crew is back with both Dan and Rebecca sampling the aging Acura MDX A-Spec. Dan also had the Honda CR-V Touring. Since our last team gathering, Rebecca and Sam both drove the Mazda CX-30 and declare it the best small crossover. Sam has also been driving the Volvo V60 T5 and the Hyundai Santa Fe. In the news, GM has launched the first of its new generation of full-size SUVs from Chevrolet and Cadillac declares the ICE age over as it plans to go electric with new model names. Our Sponsor...
Dec 27, 2019•1 hr 38 min
This week Rebecca is off tending to her elderly mother so it's just the boys. Dan has driven the Dodge Durango SRT and Genesis G70 while Sam has been in the Honda Passport and Toyota Avalon Hybrid. GM and LG Chem form a lithium ion cell production joint venture and Mazda considers electrification options for the next generation Miata. Sam has an interview with Audi e-Tron manager Matt Mostafaei from the LA Auto Show. Finally we address some listener emails (keep them coming at feedback@wheelbear...
Dec 10, 2019•1 hr 49 min
Rebecca has been driving the 2019 Mazda3 AWD sedan, Sam has been in its bigger brother, the 6 Signature, and Dan spent his time in the GMC Sierra AT4 CarbonPro complete with a composite bed and a Swiss Army Knife tailgate. Staying with trucks, we discuss the debut of the Tesla Cybertruck and pros and cons of electric pickup trucks. We finish up with some highlights from the Los Angeles auto show including the Audi e-Tron Sportback, Kia Seltos and Hyundai Vision T concept Our Sponsors: * Check ou...
Nov 28, 2019•1 hr 52 min
Ford has lifted the veil on the Mustang Mach-E. It's an electric SUV with a lot of hopes and goals riding on it. We take a deep dive into what we know so far, and Sam got a few minutes with Dave Pericak, who is the director of Ford Icons, and deeply involved with Mach-E development. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Nov 19, 2019•59 min
This week the crew has a range of crossovers and one more roadster before winter hits the northern part of the country (at least in the northeast, Sam just got 8 inches in Detroit). Sam has been driving the Volvo XC60 T6, Dan tries out the new Ford Escape and Rebecca split her time between the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross and Fiat 124 Spider. In the news, we discuss a Ford Raptor being forceably removed from blocking an EV charger, Tata searching for electrification partners for Jaguar Land Rover an...
Nov 18, 2019•1 hr 41 min
We're driving mainstream compacts, luxury sedans, and the $100,000 Ford Shelby GT500. Topics include the seemingly imminent merger of FCA and PSA, and the surprisingly reasonable price of the new MINI Cooper SE EV. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Nov 07, 2019•1 hr 34 min
The whole crew is on the call to talk with Bryan Salesky, CEO and co-founder of Argo AI. Argo is the company developing the production automated driving system for Ford and VW and Bryan shares his thoughts on testing AVs in multiple cities, LIDAR, HD Maps and much more. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Oct 25, 2019•48 min
For this special episode Sam sat down with Jim Farley, Ford's president, new businesses, technology & strategy to talk about has been learned about mobility services, automated driving and brands. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Oct 21, 2019•42 min
Rebecca trades seats with George Kennedy from the Boston Globe and CarGurus , and we talk about Sam's time with the Honda Civic Touring sedan, and a road trip to Pittsburgh with the Hyundai Veloster N. Both Dan and George drove the new Subaru Legacy and share thoughts about the big touch screen. We also dive into lots of electric vehicle stories with Volvo introducing the XC40 Recharge, second-generation Toyota Mirai, and Bosch silicon carbide chips for more EV efficiency. We also talk about the...
Oct 19, 2019•1 hr 21 min
With the whole crew back in action, Sam has been driving the Lexus LS500h. Rebecca samples a couple of luxury SUVs in the form of the Audi Q8 and Volvo XC90 T8. Meanwhile Dan learns that you can trail-brake a Toyota Sienna minivan before jumping into the Subaru Ascent. In California, PG&E has been shutting down power to try prevent wild fires and it's impacting EV drivers. Tesla has released a less than fully baked Smart Summon feature and AAA tests a bunch of other driver assist systems tha...
Oct 11, 2019•1 hr 44 min
Rebecca and Sam perform an automotive duet. Sam drove the Honda Civic Type-R for a week while Rebecca had the Toyota Rav4 hybrid and Cadillac XT4. Sam had just returned from driving the new Lincoln Corsair and we dive into the differences between the two. Canoo unveiled its small electric van. Amazon ordered 100,000 electric delivery vans from Rivian and Acura unveiled a new ad campaign that focuses on driving. Finally, Hyundai and Aptiv team up on automated driving. Our Sponsors: * Check out Au...
Oct 03, 2019•1 hr 28 min
Rebecca has been off cavorting on a new Lexus yacht before coming home to move some stuff in the Toyota Sienna. Meanwhile Sam has enjoying the premium cabin of the Kia Telluride and Dan does a bit of four wheel drifting in the Audi Q3. Rebecca and Sam each got to try out the 2020 Ford Escape in gas and hybrid form and found it has shifted more toward its Focus sibling. Sam also got to check out the interesting new user interface of the upcoming Byton M-Byte during his latest jaunt to Silicon Val...
Sep 24, 2019•1 hr 17 min
This week we have lots of vehicles to talk about. Rebecca drove the Mercedes-AMG GTC Roadster to the US Open, and the Honda Accord Hybrid in SoCal. Sam discusses the Mazda CX-5 Diesel and the base Volkswagen Atlas. Dan shares his take on the Toyota 4Runner. Then we dive into the Porsche Taycan and how we evaluate vehicles. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy &...
Sep 11, 2019•1 hr 53 min
The gang is all back together this week. Since we last talked about the garage, Sam has been driving the Lincoln Navigator in San Francisco, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio in Ohio and Jeep Gladiator in Michigan. Rebecca escapes a ticket in the Honda Civic Sport and Dan has been road tripping in the Cadillac XT6. We review the goings on at Monterey Car Week and the legacy of Ferdinand Piech. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.bette...
Aug 31, 2019•1 hr 44 min
This week Dan and Rebecca are travelling so Sam is joined by Ed Niedermeyer to talk about his new book, Ludicrous, the Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors. The book is available at Amazon and other booksellers. https://www.amazon.com/Ludicrous-Unvarnished-Story-Tesla-Motors/dp/1948836122?imprToken=xJ8lwvUGsWzWGV27xP.cUQ&slotNum=0&tag=samsthought-20&linkCode=w13&linkId=MHO5Y3G2GPR357QG&ref_=assoc_res_sw_us_dka_cra_t0_result_1&ref-refURL=https%3A%2F%2Fsam.abuelsamid.com%2F Ou...
Aug 22, 2019•1 hr 4 min
It's a slow news week so the crew is just talking about the cars they've driving. Rebecca opens it up with the second-generation Audi Q3 while Sam has been in the 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie. Dan proclaims his love for the Mazda Miata which remains one of the last true roadsters available. Rebecca and Sam got to drive the 2020 Nissan Versa in Nashville and Rebecca tells the story of driving the 2020 Subaru Outback in the wilds of Northern California. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.co...
Aug 09, 2019•1 hr 37 min
The whole crew is back this week as they delve into the garage. Sam drove the BMW X2 M35i, Rebecca had the Volvo S60 sedan and Dan sampled the GMC Acadia. The Corvette C8 conversation continues with two-thirds of the team having now seen it in person. While feelings about the center console have been slightly tempered, they still aren't positive. The GM theme concludes with Sam's thoughts on the 2020 Cadillac XT6 before we wind down the evening with a couple of listener questions. Our Sponsors: ...
Aug 02, 2019•1 hr 33 min
This week Rebecca is off gallavanting around northern California in the new Subaru Outback. That leaves Dan and Sam to discuss living with the Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang, the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid and the Fiat 500C Abarth. Coming out of the garage, the discussion turns to the eighth generation Chevrolet Corvette. After more than 40 decades of tilting at this automotive windmill, Don Sherman can now finally have some peace knowing that there is a real production mid-engine Corvette. The boys finish o...
Jul 26, 2019•1 hr 15 min
This time around Sam and Rebecca sat down on the rooftop of the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge where they were staying while attending the finale of the 2018-2019 FIA Formula E season. Our duo talks about driving the Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro and the Nissan Leaf Plus. After the garage talk they dive into electric racing with the Jaguar i-Pace e-Trophy series and Formula E. The show wraps up with a talk Rebecca recorded by Alan McNish, team manager of the Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler team. Our Sponsors: * Che...
Jul 16, 2019•1 hr 13 min
Dan and Sam talk about the Volkswagen ID.R Goodwood speed record, the Volkswagen/Ford/Argo.ai deal announced Friday, and the 2020 Hyundai Palisade. Sam drove the Range Rover Evoque while Dan was in the Volkswagen Jetta GLI S and Tiguan SE. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Jul 13, 2019•1 hr 17 min
Dan is back and talking about the BMW X2 M35i that he used to shuttle his kids around on a family trip. Rebecca goes beyond the infotainment of the Lexus RC350 F-Sport and Sam swaps a Rav4 with flaky bluetooth for a Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE. In the news, the crew discusses GPS spoofing and high-definition maps. Rebecca and Sam went to the Fiat Chrysler What's New event and talked with Transmission and powertrain head Jeff Lux about electrification and brand management. Speaking of electrification...
Jul 02, 2019•1 hr 52 min
Dan was traveling on family business this week so it's just Sam and Rebecca. Sam sings the praises of the 2019 Mazda 3 and laments bluetooth causing the infotainment system in the Toyota Rav 4 to crash. Speaking of bluetooth issues and Toyota adjacent vehicles, Rebecca had issues trying to connect to the Lexus RC350 F Sport but very much enjoyed driving the new Hyundai Palisade. The crew also discusses designing the technology for consumers and how to help them understand what it can and cannot ...
Jun 25, 2019•1 hr 19 min
This week Rebecca and Sam had very different hybrid experiences on opposite coasts. Rebecca has been enjoying the thrill of the Acura NSX while Sam got to sample the 2020 Ford Explorer. They also both to sample the third generation Kia Soul in faux crossover flavor and find it continues to be a favorite small car. Meanwhile Dan has been getting around in the latest Nissan Altima. GM is reportedly considering reviving the once gas guzzling Hummer brand to build EVs. Aurora Innovation is shifting ...
Jun 19, 2019•1 hr 34 min
