Car Stuff Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Jill and Tom open a topic-packed show acknowledging the winners of the 2026 North American Car of the Year voting. Listen in for complete list.

Moving on, Tom noted that General Motors CEO Mary Barra said publicly something he had long feared regarding plug-in hybrids. Barra suggests the news will impact future product development.

Subsequent to last week’s Zeekr conversation, Tom shared some interesting news regarding the prices of the Chinese cars in Mexico versus the maker’s home market.

Still in the first segment, Jill reviews the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV in high-end Trail Boss trim. Listen in for her complete review.

In the second segment, the hosts welcome Eric Ruble of Nissan to discuss the design of the all-new 2026 Leaf electric crossover. Eric shares a number of insider details related to the Leaf’s overall look, including some fun insights regarding Easter eggs hidden in the vehicle’s trim.

In the last segment Jill is subjected to Tom’s “2026 Honda Accord” quiz, including a Mexican Burger King bonus question. After the quiz, Jill shares her impressions of riding in a Waymo autonomous taxi.

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Jill is back in the co-host seat this week for a topic-packed episode. Tom opens the show asking if $61,000 seems like a lot for a Hyundai—any Hyundai. The hosts discuss the Korean maker’s luxury/value equation, and note that Tom’s test car, a 2026 Palisade Calligraphy Hybrid is, without question, a luxury vehicle. Listen in for more of the conversation.

Tom goes on to share his frustration with Stellantis for killing all of Jeep’s “4Xe” plug-in hybrids, along with the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. Listen in for some crankiness.

Still in the first segment, Jill details her CES Chinese-car adventure. Jill was able to take short drives in a number of luxury electric Zeekr models (a division of Volvo’s parent company Geely) and came away very impressed. Her quick takes on these vehicles are worth a listen. Are these premium EVs coming to the U.S? here’s the scoop.

In the second segment, Jill and Tom are joined by friend of show and sustainability expert Robert Colangelo. Robert addresses the fallacy that EVs are a threat to the U.S. electric grid, and details the real power-consumption challenges that lay ahead for the country. It’s a great conversation you don’t want to miss.

In the last segment Jill is subjected to Tom’s “Is it a Dodge?” quiz.

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To celebrate the 300th episode of the Car Stuff Podcast, Jill and Tom are joined by Jennifer Newman and Damon Bell of Cars.com. Jennifer was the podcast’s first guest, and Damon was co-host for the first three years of the show. 

Jennifer and Damon share the Cars.com picks for the best vehicles under $30,000. That conversation dovetailed nicely with Jennifer’s research into new-vehicle affordability. 

In the second segment, everyone looks back over the past six years to discuss the biggest automotive news stories and strangest events that transpired during the Car Stuff Podcast run. 

In the last segment Jennifer, Damon, and Jill are subjected to Tom’s “Who Said It?” quiz, featuring quotes from Henry Ford and Elon Musk. Plus, enjoy a special holiday-themed bonus question. 

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Tom and guest host Paul Herrold of the Sons of Speed covered a number of topics this week. First, the hosts addressed the surprise Rivian reveal of not one, but two, small crossovers last week, both of which are scheduled to be built at the maker’s existing Illinois facility. Both will be much more affordable than Rivian’s current offerings. 

Also, the Chevrolet Blazer EV is back in production, this after a stop-sale was ordered by the brand as a result of software issues. Listen for details regarding the Blazer’s return to production, and significant price cuts. 

Still in the first segment, Paul shared the scoop on a pair of excellent Sons of Speed-produced “The Lap” videos, one featuring a collectible Dodge Challenger, the other a rather rare—and high-performance—Mercedes-AMG product. 

In the second segment, the hosts welcome Randy Dale of Nissan to the program. Randy walked Tom and Paul through the updates to the 2024 Nissan Sentra, which Tom feels has become a far better vehicle—and a great value.  

In the last segment Paul is subjected to Tom’s “Who Made More” quiz, which Tom expected Paul to fail. Did he? The hosts wrapped up the show covering a number of subjects, including the impressive interiors of Hyundai and Genesis cars and crossovers. 

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In a topic-packed first segment, Jill and Tom opened the show discussing the potential alliance between Nissan and EV startup Fisker. The Hookup would allow Nissan to build and retail a version of the struggling EV startup’s coming Alaska midsize pickup. 

The hosts went on to discuss Ford’s successful alliance with Tesla. The Ford Mustang Mach-E crossover and F-150 Lightning pickup can now be charged at any of Tesla’s famously reliable Supercharger stations—an adapter, available from Ford, is required. 

To wrap up the first segment, Jill shared her impressions of the 2024 Honda Passport TrailSport. The off-road themed midsize crossover looks rugged, but is it refined enough for daily use? Listen in for Jill’s complete review. 

In the second segment Jill and Tom welcome Robert Colangelo to the show. Founder of CEA technologies, and host of The Green Sense Show, Robert shared his experience behind the wheel of the Aptera, a 2-seat electric car featuring a 3-wheel design and solar charging. While the Aptera seems a little far out on the cutting edge, Robert is optimistic about its potential in the market place. 

In the last segment, Jill is subjected to Tom’s “5-speed, 6-speed, or 7-speed” quiz. How did Jill do? And, did Jill get the Arby’s bonus question? 

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Tom opened the show by surprising Jill with a bonus recording-day treat: Funyuns. After determining that there is, in fact, very little actual onion in Funyuns, Tom and Jill turned their attention to automotive matters. 

Tom read through a list of listener-submitted favorite model names, including picks from regular contributors, among them Damon Bell, Sam Fiorani, and Brendan Appel. 

Jill then shared her impressions of the updated-for-2025 Ram 1500 pickup truck. Jill was generally impressed by the new truck, but had some reservations regarding the new $90,000 Tungsten trim level. 

In the second segment Tim Esterdahl of Pickup Truck + SUV Talk joined the show to expand on the Ram 1500 conversation. Tim talked about Ram’s move away from the popular Hemi V8 engine to the new Hurricane 6-cylinder powerplant. Tim believes most shoppers will be well served by the new Ram engine lineup. Listen in for complete details. 

In the last segment Jill is subjected to Tom’s “Turbo or No Turbo” quiz, which featured an Indian-food bonus question. 

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Jill and Tom are both in-studio today. Tom opened the podcast by thanking the producers of the Chicago Auto Show for their special efforts to make the event accessible to Tom and his bum knee. Tom shared his thoughts on the show, including several vehicles on display, among them the Tesla Cyber Truck, the Cadillac Escalade IQ, and the GMC Hummer. 

Jill and Tom also discussed recently announced pricing for a pair of coming EVs, the Chevrolet Equinox EV, and the Fiat 500E. The hosts then turned their attention to the all-electric Hyundai Ioniq 5 small crossover Tom recently reviewed. You can read Tom’s review by clicking here. 

No guest this week as Jill and Tom shared their thoughts on some of the best car model names of all time. Tom’s list includes such classics as Toronado and El Dorado, while Jill vented regarding her dislike of alphanumeric car names. 

In the final segment Jill is subjected to Tom’s crafty “3 or 4” quiz, which concludes with a bonus question about Korean corn dogs. 

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Packed episode today. Jill and Tom began with a brief Chicago Auto Show recap, news regarding Ionna—the multi-carmaker charging network created in response to the failure of public-charging companies including Electrify America—and Electrify America’s new indoor charging facility in San Francisco. 

Jill also reviewed the 2024 Lexus GX 550, the replacement for one of Tom’s favorite vehicles, the long-running Lexus GX 460. 

In the second segment the hosts welcomed to the show Sam Fiorani of AutoForecast Solutions. Same addressed the recent Stellantis/Renault merger rumor, and looked at the near- and mid-term future of the storied Jeep brand. Big changes coming for the off-road marque, including two electric vehicles for the U.S. 

In the third segment, Jill is subjected to Tom’s diabolical “Is it a Chrysler” quiz. Did Jill’s wining streak come to an end this week? Listen in to find out. Also, big thanks to Morkes Chocolate in Palatine, Illinois, for supplying today’s Fat Tuesday paczki. 

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No guest this week as Jill and Tom run down the complete list of 2024 Consumer Guide Best Buy picks. The list includes 41 vehicles in 17 different categories. If you're thinking about buying a new car in the near future, this week's show is a must-listen-to episode. You can check out the entire 2024 Consumer Guide Best Buy list by clicking here. 

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Jill and Tom opened the show talking about the all-new Lexus GX 550 luxury midsize SUV arriving in showrooms later this year. Also in the first segment the hosts welcome Jennifer Morand of the Chicago Auto Show. Jennifer gave an update on the Chicago Show, which opens February 10th. Tom wrapped up the segment sharing his Tesla predictions for 2024. 

In the second segment Jill and Tom welcome John Vincent of U.S. News and World Report. John walked the hosts through the outlet’s “2024 Best Cars for the Money” list. It’s noteworthy that three brands dominated the 11-vehicle list. 

In the last segment Jill is subjected to Tom’s “Was it ever…” fake-model quiz. Did Jill win again? After the quiz Jill shared her thoughts on new-car-feature subscription fees. Per Jill, while many of the features in question are currently available at no cost to owners, use will eventually be subject to monthly charges. And, interestingly, in many cases auto makers have not yet set pricing for said features. 

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