In the garage this week, Nicole has the 2021 Ford F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid with plugs in the back and a work surface perfect for holding Crumble Cookies. Roberto drives the Subaru Forester Sport and we wonder if black wheels and red trim stripes can actually make a vehicle sporty. Robbie also spends time in the Ford Bronco Sport and has complaints. Sam drove the new hybrid Toyota Sienna and comes to the realization that Chevrolet was just premature in trying to make the old Uplander look like an ...
Jun 28, 2021•1 hr 43 min
For episode 200 of the show, both of our emeritus hosts return for a special guest appearance as Rebecca Lindland and Dan Roth stop by. Sam and Dan compare notes on the Ford Ranger as Dan bought a Lariat with his new employee discount and Sam drove the new Ranger Tremor. Nicole also had a Tremor from Ford but hers was based on the F-350 Super Duty. She also spent time with the new Kia K5 during a trip to Seattle. Roberto shared his impressions of the plug-in hybrid Jeep Wrangler 4XE. In the news...
Jun 16, 2021•1 hr 55 min
This week in the garage, Sam has been driving the 2022 Infiniti QX55 Sensory AWD, while Nicole had the opportunity to drive the newest Mitsubishi Outlander in many years, the 2021 Outlander that shares its platform with the Nissan Rogue. Robbie didn't have anything to drive this week, but he did go to LA to check out BMW's new electric vehicles that are coming to America, the i4 sedan and iX crossover. Nicole went to Toyota HQ in Texas for a huge product showcase featuring the new Corolla Cross,...
Jun 10, 2021•1 hr 24 min
Roberto reconfirms the Honda Ridgeline is all the truck most people need. He uses it to tow the Honda Talon for off-road thrills. Robbie also tries the Polestar 2 and its Android Automotive infotainment system. Nicole drives the Subaru Forester and the refreshed Nissan Armada. Sam also gets back into a big SUV, returning to the 2021 Cadillac Escalade, this time focusing on the new second-generation Super Cruise system. In the news, Lotus has put the Elise tooling up for sale. Tesla drops radar f...
Jun 06, 2021•1 hr 50 min
This week, Nicole drives the Chevroley Suburban Diesel, Roberto tried the Acura TLX Type-S and Ducati Multistrada V4, and Sam was in the Buick Envision. We talk about the Ford F-150 Lightning Pro, The Blue Oval's SK Innovation battery joint venture, the unveiling of the Kia EV6, and the 9,000 pound Hummer EV. Your questions and comments take us home, including a stateside Holden Commodore Ute and a few queries from someone named Rebecca. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remov...
May 29, 2021•1 hr 9 min
We're back on track this week. Nicole spends time in the new 2021 Kia Sorento X-Line, Robbie tries out opposites: the McLaren GT and Toyota Mirai. Sam finishes up two weeks of Hellcat with the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat. In the news, the UK government moves to legallize Level 3 automated vehicles, Caterham working on electric Sevens, and Sam got a deep dive into the battery-powered 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning and shares his thoughts on what it can do. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aur...
May 22, 2021•1 hr 21 min
Robbie forgot to set his alarm, this is a spliced special. Nicole drove the 2021 Hyundai Sonata hybrid, Sam drag raced in the dirt with the Ram 1500 TRX, and Roberto heavy duty in Daimler's EM2 electric box truck and battery-powered E-Cascadia semi. We discuss Ford's launch of the Timberline rugged off-road trim level starting with the Explorer and the return of Citroen to the American market with the Ami filling car sharing fleets. We finish up with a listener letter about electric road trippin...
May 13, 2021•1 hr 34 min
Nicole and Roberto return from their vacations without having to rent moving vans to get around. Robbie tried a 2020 Kia Sorento in Hawaii. Nicole drove the new Jeep Wrangler 4Xe plug-in hybrid, and Sam went from the old: Lexus GX460; to the new: Buick Encore GX. We skip news this week and address a bunch of listener questions including electric off-roading, low inventory, project car opinions, wagon recommendations, and used PHEVs/BEVs. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remov...
May 06, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 194
Following the 2021 Nvidia GPU Technology Conference, Sam had a conversation with Danny Shapiro to discuss why GPUs were so well suited to advanced automotive applications like automated driving 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...
Apr 28, 2021•34 min
The internet's Roberto Baldwin joins Nicole and Sam in place of Dan Roth who took off for an automaker job. We drive the Dodge Durango Hellcat, GMC Sierra HD diesel, Toyota RAV4 Prime, and we take a ride in the Lucid Air Grand Touring. We talk about the Toyota Beyond Zero sub-brand and bZ4X concept, the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq, and Stellantis winding down its Giorgio platform. We wrap with our usual listener emails. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: ...
Apr 23, 2021•1 hr 39 min
Sam tries out the Mazda3 Turbo, Nicole drives the Toyota Highlander, and Dan finishes with the 2022 Acura MDX and swaps it for the Lincoln Nautilus Black Label. We cover the Mazda MX-30, even its Wankel range extender, GM's new cloud-based navigation for OnStar, and Dan interviews Chrysler Pacifica chief engineer Brian Swanson. We fit a couple listener questions in there, too. Life is all about change and this episode wraps with another change announcement, but it's going to be OK. Our Sponsors:...
Apr 17, 2021•2 hr•Ep. 191
Sam drove the 2021 Hyundai Elantra, Dan finished his time in the Mustang Mach-E and moved on to the new 2022 Acura MDX, while Nicole drove one of the last of the big sedans, the Toyota Avalon. We talk about the transportation side of the Biden Administration's infrastructure plan and the new Kia EV6. We wrap with listener questions about excessive badging, road use taxes and climbing prices of old sports cars. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: ht...
Apr 09, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 190
Nicole Wakelin officially joins as a host, and she's driving the 2021 Acura NSX. Sam drove the Volkswagen Atlas Sport Cross, and Dan finally tried out the Ford Mustang Mach-E. We talk about buying Teslas with bitcoin, Jeep placing EV chargers at trailheads, and Rivians plans for its own charging network. We finish up with your questions, so keep them coming. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https...
Apr 04, 2021•1 hr 46 min•Ep. 189
Dan continues the big Ford Truck run and Sam's in the Honda Odyssey Elite. We get extremely geeky about audio systems for a couple minutes and then move on to the news: the incredible Sabine Schmitz and Sam's experience riding with other racers, Volkswagen's Power Day and a couple of the Jeep Easter Safari concepts. Rebecca calls in from Sergio on I-80 somewhere with more show news, too. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.co...
Mar 24, 2021•1 hr 29 min
There's big show news this week, but first: Rebecca (mostly) raves about the 2021 Toyota Camry TRD, Dan is unsure about the Lincoln Aviator Black Label, but more fond of the Chevrolet Bolt. Sam's falling for the Cadillac Escalade and trying out the Nissan Titan Pro4-X. We talk important EV battery announcements from GM and LG Chem, Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, and take a question before wrapping up with some personal news from Rebecca. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/re...
Mar 16, 2021•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 187
We tackle a backlog of listener questions along with our usual garage segment. Rebecca and Sam got an early drive in the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV, Rebecca also had the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade, so we compared. We discuss changing the names of the Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee after concerns were expressed by the chief of the Cherokee Nation. In questions, we ponder the size of door openings on modern vehicles, more complaints about car dealers, life-cycle emissions of electric vs gas...
Mar 07, 2021•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 186
Dan and Sam handle the garage while Rebecca attends to other things. We're in the 2021 Toyota Tundra SR5 and 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands. A listener emailed us about his Alfa Romeo Giulia and Genesis G70, and for second half of the show, we're joined by Nilay Patel, editor in chief of The Verge. We talk technology and cars including touchscreens and human-machine-interface, Apple cars, moving out of the city in a pandemic and driving Mustangs and Raptors. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: ...
Mar 02, 2021•1 hr 40 min
This week, the Volkswagen Passat leaves Rebecca a little bored, while the Ford F-150 King Ranch Hybrid powered smiles from Sam, and Dan made an Ikea run with the ideal vehicle: the 2021 Honda Odyssey Elite. We talk about interest in electrified pickups, Jaguar and Ford commiting to EVs in Europe, and the mailbag updates us on listener Mach-E buying experiences and we got some feedback about our bad attitudes, too. Speaking of bad attitudes, Rebecca is trying to buy a car and getting the run-arou...
Feb 25, 2021•1 hr 54 min
An auction post on CarTwitter started this. Someone was selling an Isetta. And it made Dan think about how that little car has a meaning we only half-understand. It's a deeper symbolism he learned by reading a Peter Egan feature in Road & Track. So we called him up to talk... 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 19, 2021•53 min•Ep. 183
The wonderful Nicole Wakelin joins to share about cars, SUVs, dealer experiences, and more. Nicole has been driving the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe Premier, while Rebecca had the new Ford Bronco Sport. Sam tried the Mustang Mach-E in some frigid weather and shares thoughts on range and charging in the winter. Continuing with the Mach-E we dive into listener mail earlier in the show and talk about the challenges posed by traditional dealers to EV adoption. We also address questions about small engine du...
Feb 16, 2021•1 hr 51 min
We mostly skipped the news to answer a backlog of listener questions (keep 'em coming!). We're driving 'Utes! We share impressions of the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E, 2021 Kia Telluride SX, and a second bite with the 2021 Cadillac Escalade 2021 We cover the big Ford-Google cloud/Android deal, built-in dash-cam functionality, used EVs for teenagers, a listener's experience with his Model 3, average and median car prices, EV incentives, OTA updates and more. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https:...
Feb 07, 2021•1 hr 44 min
We have another special guest, Alex Roy, cannonballer, podcaster and director of special operations at Argo AI. In the garage, Alex is driving his 1987 Porsche 911 Targa lately. Dan gushes over the new Cadillac Escalade and the Genesis GV80. In Connecticut, Rebecca has been digging the Audi A6 AllRoad, because wagons are the best. And Sam's trying out the Infiniti QX50 Autograph and its VCT engine. Alex shares opinions on Tesla and automated driving as we talk over the refresh of the Model S and...
Feb 05, 2021•1 hr 50 min
Listeners Dave, Ben, and Pasha joined us live this week as we discussed the 2021 Kia K5 EX, Hyundai Sonata N-Line, and GMC Canyon AT4. Our guests share their own garages with some surprises, too. We answer a question about the latest Tesla infotainment recall, and Dan's interview with ad executive Henry Louis Gomez of Zubi Advertising about car marketing finishes things off. For early access and more upcoming exclusive content help support the show through Patreon . Our Sponsors: * Check out Aur...
Jan 24, 2021•2 hr 23 min•Ep. 179
We're driving the 2021 Ford F-250 Platinum with Tremor package and 6.7L Diesel, the 2021 Toyota Sequoia Nightshade, and the 2021 Nissan Rogue SL. We talk about the completion of the FCA/PSA merger to create Stellantis, BMW and Audi dropping subscriptions, GM creating its BrightDrop commercial EV project, and Mazda cancelling the CX-5 diesel. We wrap with a question that sparks a lively debate of its own. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://...
Jan 18, 2021•2 hr•Ep. 178
This week we're driving the 2021 GM Yukon Denali, Subaru Crosstrek Limited, and a pair of Kia K5 GT-Line sedans. We talk about GM's new logo, the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, and the Mercedes-Benz Hyperscreen for the EQS. There's an interview with Ryan Matulich from Ford about the 7.3L "Godzilla" V8, and we wrap with a listener question about EV marketing. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://...
Jan 13, 2021•2 hr 27 min•Ep. 177
There's not much news to chew over, so we talk about Rebecca's time with the BMW 540i xDrive, and Sam's experience in the refreshed 2021 Chrysler Pacifica AWD We pick our most and least favorite drives of the 2020, including the Chevrolet Bolt EV, Silverado and Corvette, Ford Mustang Mach-E, the Genesis the GV80 and G80, and the new Hyundai Sonata. Lowlights include the infotainment systems in the new Subaru Legacy and Outback, and Mazda CX-9. And then we close the first show of 2021 out with so...
Jan 03, 2021•1 hr 46 min
For the final episode of 2020, Rebecca had a pair of Lexus LS500s, Sam spent a day with the redesigned 2021 Kia Sorento and a week with the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer. We cover the rumors of an Apple car and wind up the year with a bunch of listener questions including electric restomods, modern vehicle ergonomics and corporate culture. We all hope you enjoy the show and keep listening into 2021 and beyond. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https...
Dec 28, 2020•1 hr 55 min
2020 is winding down and we talk about the Ford F-350 Tremor, Land Rover Defender 110, 2021 Transit T150, Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro and the 2021 Chevrolet Suburban with GM's 3.0-liter inline-six cylinder diesel engine. In the news, we discuss the new Zoox robotaxi, Hyundai's purchase of Boston Dynamics, and Lordstown Motors getting together with Camping World. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https:...
Dec 21, 2020•1 hr 55 min
This special episode of Wheel Bearings is dedicated to just one topic, the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E. Sam had and opportunity to drive the Mach-E and also record an interview with Ford's Chief Product Platform and Operations Officer, Hau Thai-Tang about how the company's product development system has changed and how lessons from Mach-E will impact other products. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: ...
Dec 15, 2020•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 173
It's just Dan and Sam this time. Sam's driving the 2021 Volvo XC60 Recharge Polestar Engineered and the 2021 Toyota Corolla XSE. Dan comes back with a more complete take on the Cadillac CT5 550T. In the news, Uber off-loads the automated driving group to Aurora. Sam talks about his first drive of the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport and we answer some listener mail. Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of producing and hosting it you can joi...
Dec 15, 2020•1 hr 32 min
