The Volkswagen Atlas joined the VW roster for 2018 and gave the company the ever-important mid-size SUV. Expanding on the Atlas, Volkswagen added the Cross Sport variant of its MQB-based crossover, which put the company’s hat in the ring of the crossover coupe argument. After five years on the road, Volkswagen overhauled both versions of the Atlas. While these updates do come with some interesting new hardware, there is one downside for some: Volkswagen ditched the VR6. That means powering every Atlas Cross Sport is the 2.0-liter EA888 Evo 4 mill, which shoves 269 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed transmission. 

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport and puts it through its paces. Wren takes you along on a guided tour of the ’24 Atlas Cross Sport and highlights some of his favorite features before taking you along on a live drive review. Adding to these segments, Wren chats with Autoweek’s Patrick Carone about the Atlas Cross Sport, crossover coupes, and more. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes the Atlas Cross Sport Special

The 2025 Mazda CX-70 was an unseen surprise, but it follows trends seen across automakers: take your large three-row crossover, shake up the styling, and ditch a row of seats. Effectively a two-row version of Mazda’s CX-90, the CX-70 sports the same wheelbase as its higher-seating-capacity stablemate but does shake up exterior dimensions. Of course, the biggest separating factor between the two is the available seat count. The CX-70 also sports revised styling to help differentiate the models further, but Mazda shied away from a hyper-aggressive coupe styling direction and kept plenty of space in the cargo area for your groceries and gear. Powering the CX-70 is either the turbocharged 3.3-liter I6 or the plug-in hybrid powertrain that blends a 2.5-liter I4 with a hybrid system.

On this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek’s Natalie Neff hops behind the wheel of the 2025 Mazda CX-70 and puts it through its paces. Neff takes you along for a live drive review of the CX-70 after putting it through the rigors of a family road trip. Joining this segment, Neff chats with host Wesley Wren about the Mazda CX-70, her struggles with the PHEV powertrain, and the differences between this two-row crossover and its three-row counterpart. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes the 2025 Mazda CX-70 special.

On this episode of Talking Cars with the Boss, Wesley Wren, and Natalie Neff talk about their experiences with a pair of dissimilar Mazdas. They compare and contrast the benefits of the MX-5 and its more utilitarian Mazda3. The pair also discuss which one they’d park in their driveway. 

Cadillac’s Escalade is probably the first image that springs to your mind when you think of high-end, full-size SUVs. It’s earned that by dominating the luxury SUV sales charts for a long time. Not resting on their laurels, the folks at Cadillac took their flagship SUV and added a hefty dose of horsepower before slapping on a V-Series badge. Formally named the 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V, this hot-rodded people mover features a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 that sends 682 hp and 653 lb-ft of torque through a 10-speed automatic transmission and a standard four-wheel-drive system. This all works together to help this three-ton luxury liner sprint to 60 mph in only 4.3-seconds.

On this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek’s Executive Editor Tom Murphy slides behind the wheel of the 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V and puts it through its paces. Murphy guides you around the Escalade-V and shows off some of its best interior and exterior features. Later in the show, Murphy takes you along on a live drive review. Adding to the discussion, Murphy chats with host Wesley Wren about the Escalade-V, the competition and Cadillac’s direction. Closing the show, the two talk about what makes this ’23 Cadillac Escalade-V special.

Hyundai’s N division first flexed its muscle with the hopped-up Veloster N in the ‘States. This rally-inspired hatchback showed that Hyundai can build exciting sport compacts and take what is learned from its time on the rally stage and put it on the public road. Well, the Veloster N might be done, but its spirit lives on in sedan form with the Elantra N. The ’22 Elantra N packs the same 2.0-liter turbocharged I4 as the Veloster N and makes 276 hp and 289 lb-ft of torque. That power can travel through a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic before hitting the front wheels.

On this episode of Quick Spin. Autoweek’s west coast editor Mark Vaughn puts the Elantra N through its paces. Vaughn takes you on a guided tour of the Elantra N and highlights some of its exterior features before taking you inside and guiding you through its interior. Later in the show, Vaughn takes you on a live review of the Elantra N. Adding to the discussion, Vaughn chats with host Wesley Wren about the Elantra N’s performance, its features and its competition. The two also talk about the Elantra’s price. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes this car special.

To put it bluntly, the 2022 Toyota Sequoia was old. The second-generation Sequoia was launched at the end of the Bush administration. After nearly two decades in production, Toyota introduced the third generation of its Sequoia. This Sequoia follows the same formula as the similarly updated Toyota Tundra, which means that the 5.7-liter V8 is gone and a turbocharged, V6 hybrid powertrain is in its place. While the Tundra also offers a non-hybrid powertrain, the ’23 Sequoia will only be available with Toyota’s I-Force Max 3.5-liter V6 hybrid powertrain. This hybrid powertrain feeds power through a ten-speed automatic transmission to either the rear wheels in two-wheel-drive trim or all four wheels when ordered as such. Of course, the new Sequoia sees more than just a powertrain and features an entirely new shell and interior.

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren climbs behind the wheel of Toyota’s three-row off-roader and takes you along for the ride. Wren guides you around the new Sequoia to show off its features and new hardware before taking you along on a live drive review. Adding to the show, Wren chats with Autoweek’s Mark Vaughn about the Sequoia’s slow sales this year, the competitive set and more. Closing the show, the two break down what makes the new Sequoia special.

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class might best be known for the fire-breathing 6.2-liter-powered, or 4.0-liter-powered C63 models, but the entry-level C-Class has filled the needs of compact luxury sedan owners for nearly 30 years. Entering its fifth generation, the eyes are still on the upcoming C63, but the base model still sticks with the C-Class’s main objective: do it all. For ’22, the C 300 sports a turbocharged I4 under the hood and sends 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque through a nine-speed automatic. That power hits the rear wheels, or all four wheels when optioned with the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. This four-cylinder also features a 48-volt mild hybrid system to help squeeze out more fuel efficiency and extra low-end torque.

On this episode of Quick Spin, Patrick Carone hops behind the wheel of the 2022 Mercedes-Benz C 300 to put the entry-level C-Class through its paces. Carone takes you around the C 300 to highlight its features before taking you on a live drive review. Adding to the conversation, Carone chats with host Wesley Wren about the latest Mercedes-Benz C-Class, its price and the advantage of driving a sedan. Closing the show, the two talk about what makes this new C-Class special.

Polestar isn’t new. Polestar has graced special Volvo products for years but was finally tasked with building its own cars a few years back. The creatively named Polestar 1 launched the company’s official efforts and hinted at the company’s electric offerings. Realizing its full, battery-electric place, Polestar launched its second machine, the Polestar 2 in 2020. The Polestar 2 is available in single and dual-motor trims, with different battery sizes to give different ranges. Naturally, the more power and range you want, the higher the cost. This dual-motor, long-range Polestar 2 pushes 408 hp to the wheels from its front and rear axle-mounted motors.

On this episode of Quick Spin, associate editor Emmet White hops behind the wheel of the Polestar 2 and puts it through its paces. White takes on you a guided tour of the Polestar 2 and highlights some of its exterior and interior features before taking you on a live drive review. Joining the show, host Wesley Wren chats with White about his experiences with the Polestar 2, taking a road trip in an electric vehicle and the Polestar’s place in the market. Closing the show, the two discuss what makes this Polestar 2 special.

The Mazda MX-5 Miata entered its fourth generation nearly a decade ago in 2014. Of course, the folks at Mazda updated its ND-generation MX-5 Miata in 2018 and brought serious upgrades to the engine along with the update. Still, as Miata’s beloved MX-5 ages and the world around it changes, it only becomes a more interesting proposition. Under the Mazda’s hood is still the updated ND powerplant, which translates to a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder that feeds a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic before sending all 181 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels.

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren climbs behind the wheel of Mazda’s two-seater to put it through its paces. Wren takes you on a guided tour of the Miata and highlights its features and shows off the interior. Later in the show, Wren takes you along for a live drive review. Adding to the show, Patrick Carone joins to chat with Wren about the Mazda Miata, the car’s price and the competitive set. Closing the show, the two break down what makes the 2022 Mazda Miata special.

Kia showed off the Telluride as a concept in 2016 and started churning out these three-row people moves in 2020. This production version of the Telluride loses some of the wild concept styling choices, but still carries attractive styling and a solid list of features. Largely carried over from the 2021 model year, the Telluride sees some light updates. The biggest change: the logo. The latest Kia Telluride sports the new, striking Kia badge that helps set it apart from the models from last year. Kia also adds a 10.25-inch touchscreen to its media system. Under the hood, you’ll still find the 3.8-liter naturally aspirated V6 that sends 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque through the standard eight-speed automatic transmission.

In this episode on Quick Spin, Patrick Carone hops behind the wheel of the 2022 Kia Telluride and puts it through its paces. Carone guides you around the Telluride and highlights its exterior and interior features. Carone also takes you along on a drive review of this Kia and shows off how it drives in real-time. Adding to the show, host Wesley Wren chats with Carone about the Kia Telluride, its price and what it brings to the market. Closing the show, the two break down what makes this car special.

With winter just around the corner, it’s time to get your car ready. For those fortunate to live in moderate climates, that means basically nothing. Though for those living in frigid climates, that means throwing on a set of winter tires. Winter rubber gives you better cold-weather performance than your beloved summer tires and can help give you enough traction to safely drive when the temperature drops. Though, winter isn’t the only reason the change your rolling stock.

On this bonus episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren joins Hearst Auto’s Gear Team member Collin Morgan to chat about all the reasons you’d want to change up your wheels and tires. Focusing on the seasonal shift to winter, the two discuss the advantages of winter tires compared to summer and all-season tires. The two also highlight a way to store your winter or warm-weather tires. Closing the show the two shine a light on the importance of properly reinstalling your wheel and tire assembly when it’s time to swap them out.

Off-roading and adventuring are as popular as ever and automakers have noticed. Extra cladding, more space and special off-road modes are becoming staples of compact and midsize crossovers. Naturally, Mazda isn’t going to ignore this popular trend and drummed up the CX-50. While the CX-50 shares the same bones as the CX-50 it's larger, has extra cladding and now features a standard all-wheel-drive system. Powering this CX-50 is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder mill that mates to a six-speed automatic. In base trim, this 2.5-liter makes 187 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque. If that’s not good enough, Mazda also offers its turbocharged 2.5-liter engine that makes 256 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque on premium fuel or 227 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque on 89 octane gasoline.

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of Mazda’s latest crossover and puts it through its paces. Wren takes you on a guided tour of the Mazda CX-50 to show off its style, features and interior. After the tour, Wren takes you along for a live-recorded drive review. Expanding on his thoughts, Wren is joined by Patrick Carone, and the pair talk about the differences between this Mazda and its crossover stablemate the CX-5, off-roading crossovers and more. Closing the show, the two talk about what makes the 2023 Mazda CX-50 special.

Acura’s MDX might not be the most exciting crossover. Even its more stylish RDX stablemate jumps off the page more than the three-row MDX. Though, the addition of the Type S package and its turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 turns this people mover into a more interesting machine. This engine replaces the standard, naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 and makes 355 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. That’s a 65 hp and an 87 lb-ft bump over the standard MDX. Acura also makes the Type S available with the legendary SH-AWD system that takes advantage of all of that extra power. Of course, Acura also expands the luxury appointments for the MDX Type S, which includes premium leather materials and massaging seats.

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2022 Acura MDX Type S and puts it through its paces. Wren takes you on a guided walk around that highlights the MDX Type S’s features before taking you along on a live-recorded drive review. Adding to the show, Patrick Carone hops into the discussion about the MDX and the pair talk about its price, competition and market position. Closing the show, the two break down what makes this Acura special.

Porsche took inspiration from its history of off-road racing 911s and put that into a limited-edition, road-going package dubbed Dakar. This model transforms the 911 Carrera and turns it into a high-riding machine. Equipped with no back seat, and fixed-back buckets in front, this 911 isn’t making light of its racing focus, even if none ever see a rally stage in anger. The 911 Dakar also sports bespoke front and rear fascias, that help better protect the machine from the trials and tribulations of off-roading. Porsche also lifted the 911 Dakar and included an adjustable ride-height suspension to crank it up a little more. Behind the driver is still a flat-six that sends 473 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed PDK transmission. From there, power travels through the standard all-wheel-drive system to get to the off-road rubber.

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar and puts it through its paces. Wren takes you on a guided tour of the 911 Dakar and highlights some of the changes and his favorite features. Later, Wren takes you along on a live drive review of this limited-edition Porsche. Adding to these segments, Wren chats with Autoweek’s Patrick Carone about the 911 Dakar, the proliferation of off-roading sports cars in the marketplace, and more. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes this 911 special.

The Subaru Outback started its life as a wagon all the way back in the ‘90s. Built on the bones of the Subaru Legacy, the Outback has grown considerably over the last three decades. Now a crossover, the Subaru Outback helps give Subaru customers a flat-four-powered SUV that still scratches that wagon itch. This sixth-generation Outback came online a scant few years ago for the 2020 model year and has recently tacked on the Wilderness Edition. This Wilderness Edition adds some extra cladding, a mild lift and all-terrain tires. Powering the Outback Wilderness is a 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four that sends 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque through a continuously variable transmission and into a standard all-wheel-drive system.

In this episode of Quick Spin, Patrick Carone hops behind the wheel of the Subaru Outback Wilderness and puts it through its paces. Carone walks you around this Subaru and highlights some of the model’s special features before taking you along on a real-time drive review. Joining the show, host Wesley Wren chats with Carone about the Subaru Outback’s new model, its position in the marketplace and how it felt. Closing the show, the pair talk about what makes this Subaru special.

Lincoln’s flagship Navigator was launched in 1998 as a response to the increasing demand for luxurious full-size SUVs. Spanning four generations, Lincoln’s top-flight SUV has gone head to head against Cadillac’s wildly popular Escalade. This fourth-generation Navigator entered Lincoln’s lineup in 2018 and helped bring Lincoln’s flagship SUV into prominence once again. This generation Navigator uses Ford’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost for power and sends 440 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque through a ten-speed automatic transmission. From there, power travels to the rear wheels or all four wheels if you opt for the four-wheel-drive variant.

In this episode of Quick Spin, executive editor Tom Murphy puts Lincoln’s Navigator through its paces. Murphy highlights the Navigator’s features and interior before taking you along on a live drive review. Adding more context to the Navigator, Murphy chats with host Wesley Wren about the Navigator’s competition, its sales history and its price. The pair also talk about where the Navigator would excel, and how it stacks up against Cadillac’s Escalade. Closing the show, the two talk about what makes the 2022 Lincoln Navigator special.

Owning a car and maintaining a car does put add at least some extra work into your life. Even if you’re not out in the garage pulling an engine, there’s some extra work that’ll stumble your way during the whole car ownership experience. That’s pretty clear. Though, those degrees to which you’re willing to step into the fray of auto maintenance and repair differ wildly between the average person that just needs to clean up some dog hair from their Subaru Outback to the person that is fighting rust to liberate an exhaust system.

So, on this special episode of Quick Spin, we partnered with The Gear Team to dive into some fun gadgets that make your car ownership experience easier, more informed or more invasive. The Gear Team’s Collin Morgan joins host Wesley Wren to talk about some of the gear that staffers have used in the Gear We Use section and shared their thoughts and experiences. Ranging from a glove to clean up cat hair to magnetic induction heaters, there’s something in this sample size to pique the interest of those that pay to have their oil changed and those that want to tackle rusty projects.

Battery electric cars give automakers an opportunity to reset their entire lineups, perspectives and standards. This powertrain reset is giving every automaker an opportunity to head to a different school and make new friends and customers. While Kia has come a long way from its bargain-basement Sephia days, there is still some stigma around the Korean automaker. Well, Kia’s lineup of EVs is looking to lay a foundation for a stigma-free Kia experience. This Kia EV6 is available in single and dual motor layouts, which subsequently translates to rear or all-wheel drive. The single-motor Kia EV6 only sends 167 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels, whereas the all-wheel-drive variant sends 320 hp combined to the pavement and 446 lb-ft of torque.

On this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek Executive Editor Tom Murphy hops behind the wheel of a 2022 Kia EV6 and puts it through its paces. Murphy shows you around the new Kia EV and highlights its features, before hopping inside the car to highlight its interior. Later, Murphy takes you along for a live drive review. Adding to the conversation, host Wesley Wren chats with Murphy about the growing EV space, the EV6’s competition and where this Kia sits in the sales charts. Closing the show, the two break down what makes this Kia special.

Volkswagen’s carved out its brand identity and its portfolio’s familiarity over decades of carefully navigating the often-shaky automotive seas. This experience helps folks understand what they’re stepping into when they climb behind the wheel of their next VW, and it helps give the company’s fans more of what they crave. That said, the shift to electrification can come with a handful of hurdles and it’s easy for a company to pivot its styling to reflect the new experience. Well, the VW ID.4 helps ease Volkswagen fans into the EV experience while still giving them a lot of that VW spirit in the cabin. The VW ID.4 is a key product in VW’s growing battery-electric portfolio and could be a spiritual successor to the perpetually popular VW Golf.

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the VW ID.4 Pro S and puts it through its paces. Wren takes you on a guided tour of the VW ID.4 Pro S and highlights its features and quirks. After that, Wren takes you along for a live-recorded drive review of this battery-electric VW. Adding to the conversation, west coast editor Mark Vaughn joins the show to talk about Volkswagen, the ID.4’s competitive set, and how the ID.4 feels. Closing the show, the pair talk about what makes the ID.4 special.

The Mazda Mazdaspeed3 is one of the coolest hatchbacks to roll out of a Mazda factory. It had all the attitude you’d want from a sporty hot hatch and more than enough power. Unfortunately, the Mazdaspeed banner is gone. Though, the good news is that Mazda’s hatchbacks are still kicking. The latest generation Mazda 3 hatchback made its way to the streets in 2019 and has gone the last few years with few major changes. Though in 2021 the folks at Mazda dropped in the 2.5-liter turbocharged engine found in other Mazda products and turned its sensible hatchback into a sleeper hot hatch. The 2.5-liter turbocharged I4 has the same power as we’ve seen in its other products: 250 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers shrink when using non-premium fuel to a still peppy 227 and 310 lb-ft. Managing all that power is a six-speed automatic, which sends power to all four wheels.

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the Mazda 3 to put it through its paces. Wren walks around the 2022 Mazda 3 Turbo and highlights its styling and exterior features before climbing inside the car to show off its interior. Later, he takes you along for a real-time drive review. Adding to the show, Wren chats with west coast editor Mark Vaughn about Mazda’s hatchback history, the Mazda 3 and the current hatchback climate. The two talk about the Mazda 3’s dynamics before discussing what makes the 2022 Mazda 3 special.

The Subaru BRZ and its Toyota sibling made waves in the early 2010s. Subaru’s sports coupe bucked the growing crossover trend by simply being what it is: a rear-driven and front-engine sports coupe with an affordable price tag. After nearly a decade on Subaru dealership lots, the folks in charge decided it was time to roll out its replacement. The ’22 Subaru BRZ didn’t deviate from its original formula and just fixed what needed fixing. The big draw is the BRZ’s new engine. While Subaru stuck with the beloved boxer, the 2.0-liter mill is gone. In its place is a larger 2.4-liter four-cylinder. The larger engine and revised tuning help fix some of the previous BRZ’s biggest problems and drastically increases the BRZ’s drivability. The 2.4-liter boxer sends 228 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels by way of a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic.

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2022 Subaru BRZ and puts it through its paces. Wren walks you around the new BRZ before climbing in and highlighting the new BRZ’s interior. Later, Wren takes you on a live recorded drive review of Subaru’s new sports coupe. Adding more insight, Autoweek’s west coast editor Mark Vaughn talks with Wren about the BRZ’s price, competition and more. Closing the show, the two talk about what makes the 2022 Subaru BRZ special

Electric cars are coming. Or more accurately, they’re here. Audi’s e-tron crossover helped push the company’s EV efforts, but the stylish e-tron GT turns the Audi EV portfolio into something you’d be excited to see at your local Cars and Coffee. The Audi e-tron GT comes standard with a pair of electric motors that drive the front and rear axle. These permanent magnet motors supply 496 hp and 464 lb-ft of torque to the wheels, which help this EV sedan sprint to 60 from a dead stop in 3.9 seconds. Those figures increase in RS trim to 590 hp and 612 lb-ft of torque, which shrinks the 60 mph time to 3.1 seconds. Powering the e-tron GT’s motors is a 93 kWh battery pack that can feed these motors for 238 EPA-estimated miles.

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2022 Audi e-tron GT and puts it through its paces. Wren walks you around the e-tron GT and highlights the car’s features and styling before climbing into the interior to explain how it feels. Wren also takes you along for a live recorded drive review. Adding to this, Wren talks with Autoweek’s Patrick Carone about the e-tron GT. The two talk about the car’s performance, its features and its direction. The pair also discuss how normal the e-tron GT feels. Closing the show, the two talk about what makes the e-tron GT special.

Presented by eBay Motors

Bentley isn’t known for being an environmentally or economically conscious purchase: it’s a luxury purchase. Bentley also has a long history of performance behind its names, which means there’s an understanding that your Bentley will not only whisk you away in style, it’ll do so in a hurry. Well, the times are changing, and Bentley is ushering electrified powertrains into its portfolio. Part of this push is a hybrid powertrain-equipped Flying Spur. The company’s flagship sedan now features a 2.9-liter V6 that mates to a hybrid system and sends 536 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque to the wheels. Admittedly, that’s down slightly in power from the V8, but you see an increase in fuel efficiency of 2 mpg combined over that V8. That means the Flying Spur Hybrid sees a 19 mpg combined.

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2022 Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid and puts it through its paces. Wren shows you around the Flying Spur and highlights its styling and features before taking you along for a drive review. Wren chats with west coast editor Mark Vaughn about the Flying Spur and expands on these segments. The two chat about the hybrid powertrain, the electrification of Bentley and more. Closing the show, the two break down what makes this Flying Spur special.

The Lamborghini Aventador has finally reached the end of the road. Launching in 2011, the Aventador jumped to the top of Lamborghini’s lineup and has provided the bones for some of the company’s most outlandish machines. Though the days for the V12-powered Lamborghini seem to be numbered and the Aventador is going by the wayside. Sending the Aventador off in style, Lamborghini is unleashing the LP 780-4. While that shows its horsepower in CV, the power figure becomes 769 hp in SAE. That power comes from a 6.5-liter, naturally aspirated V12. That V12’s power travels through a seven-speed automatic and through the all-wheel-drive system.

In this episode of Quick Spin, Mark Vaughn puts the final Aventador through its paces. Vaughn walks you around the LP 780-4 and highlights some of its styling features before taking you inside to describe the interior. Vaughn then takes you out on a live drive review of this Lamborghini. Expanding on his thoughts, Vaughn chats about the 2022 Lamborghini Aventador LP780-4 with host Wesley Wren. The pair talk about the Aventador’s history, Lamborghini’s future and more. Closing the show, the two discuss what makes the 2022 Lamborghini Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae special.

The Volkswagen GTI has been a staple of the affordable but fun roster of cars since its inception almost half a century ago. This hopped-up Rabbit or Golf gave folks an affordable outlet for their gear-wringing fun. Well, halfway through the eighth generation of this legendary nameplate, Volkswagen is moving away from the manual transmission and pivoting to an automatic-only GTI in the United States. Before sending it away, VW launched a special stick-shifted celebration version of the GTI dubbed 380. Powering this 2024 VW GTI 308 is the same 2.0-liter EA888 turbocharged I4 that powers the other GTI variants. This turbocharged 2.0-liter sends 241 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque through either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic. Of course, in 380 S and 380 SE trim, the stick is the only transmission available. 

On this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek’s Patrick Carone climbs behind the wheel of the 2024 VW Golf GTI and puts it through its paces. Carone takes you on a guided walkaround of the last-year stick-shifted Golf GTI and highlights some of his favorite features. Later in the show, Carone takes you on a live drive review of the ’24 VW GTI. Adding to these segments, Carone chats with host Wesley Wren about the GTI, the manual transmission disappearing, and more. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes the 2024 Golf GTI special. 

The Bentley Bentayga is one of the stars of the luxury crossover and SUV space. Bentley’s beloved crossover joined the lineup in 2015 and saw its first serious overhaul in 2020. While Bentley’s 12-cylinder-powered Bentayga Speed offers the most brutal performance in the lineup, the folks at Bentley recently introduced the Bentayga S. This S-variant of the Bentayga offers more performance than the base model without the price tag associated with the Speed. Powering this Bentley is a 4.0-liter turbocharged V8 that sends 542 hp through an eight-speed transmission to all four wheels by way of an all-wheel-drive system. The Bentayga S also sports special bodywork and badging to remind folks that you’re driving the performance version while it's sitting still.

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2022 Bentley Bentayga S and puts it through its paces. Wren takes you on a walkaround of the latest Bentayga to show off the revised styling, its luxurious interior appointments and more. Wren also takes you along on a live-recorded drive review to let you know how the Bentayga S feels on the road. Adding to these segments, Wren chats with Autoweek’s west coast editor Mark Vaughn. The two talk about the Bentayga, luxury crossovers and more. Closing the show, the two break down what makes the Bentley Bentayga S special.

Even though Volkswagen and Audi are moving quickly to battery-electric propulsion, it’s not cutting the fun internal combustion machines out of the lineup immediately. One of Audi’s more interesting powertrains sits under the hood of its entry-level sedan: the A3. Well, not exactly the A3. Audi’s RS 3 takes the bones of its entry-level luxury sedan and stuffs a 401 hp five-cylinder engine under the hood. Audi tasks a seven-speed automatic to manage that power and send it to the Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Aggressive bodywork covers the RS 3’s wider track width and helps funnel air to the right places. Despite the push for performance, the RS 3 still offers the luxurious appointments you’d expect from a high-priced Audi.

On this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek’s Mark Vaughn hops behind the wheel of the 2022 Audi RS 3 and brings you along for the ride. Vaughn walks around the RS 3 and highlights its design and features before climbing into the cockpit to take you along for a live drive review. Adding to these segments, Vaughn chats with host Wesley Wren about the Audi RS 3, the five-cylinder engine and the RS 3’s competition. Closing the show, the pair talk about what makes the Audi RS 3 special.

Small cars are out. Cladding and ground clearance is in. Small crossovers are chipping away at the once-beloved hatchback market and are shoving some hot hatchbacks out of the US market. Naturally, automakers will look at the changing tides and try to respond. While performance crossovers are far from new, the Hyundai Kona N takes a look at the small crossover and the future of the hot hatchback. Based on Hyundai’s popular Kona, the 2022 Hyundai Kona N takes the pedestrian crossover and turns it into an over-the-top fun machine. Borrowing the performance parts from the Hyundai Veloster N, the Kona N sports a 2.0-liter turbocharged I4 that sends 276 hp and 289 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission. That power travels exclusively to the front wheels.

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2022 Kona N to put it through its paces. Wren takes you around the hopped-up Hyundai and highlights the features and styling before taking you along for a live-recorded drive review. Adding to this, Wren chats with Autoweek’s west coast editor Mark Vaughn about Hyundai’s Kona, hot hatchbacks and more. Closing the show, the two talk about what makes this Hyundai Kona N special.

Volkswagen is looking at the growing demand for electrification, and the shrinking demand for small cars in the United States, and decide to keep the Golf from hitting the U.S. shores. Even though America doesn’t get the Golf, Volkswagen did bring over the eighth-generation VW Golf GTI and Golf R. The latest Golf R doesn’t reset its established formula: it’s still an all-wheel-drive hot hatch with plenty of power on tap. Powering this 2022 VW Golf R is a 2.0-liter turbocharged I4 that makes 315 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. That power travels through either a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed automatic before hitting the all-wheel-drive system.

In this episode of Quick Spin, Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2022 Volkswagen Golf R and puts it through its paces. Wren walks you around the VW Golf R to highlight its quirks and features and climbs into the interior to relay the design and ergonomics. Wren also takes you along for a live drive review where he talks about the Golf R’s driving dynamics. Adding to these segments, Wren chats with Autoweek’s west coast editor Mark Vaughn about the Volkswagen Golf, the Golf R and the Golf R’s steep price. Closing the show, the pair discuss what makes the Golf R special.

The reborn Toyota Supra faces stiff competition from all sides as the higher-end sport coupe market is only getting fiercer with time. Competition from Nissan with the latest Z, Chevrolet’s Corvette and the machines from BMW might make Toyota’s Supra a harder choice to make for some, but that doesn’t erase that it is fun. The Toyota Supra took a small 20-year hiatus from the production line when its fourth generation wrapped in 1998. During its time offline, the Supra name became synonymous with Toyota performance thanks to movies like The Fast and the Furious, video games like Gran Turismo, and countless ultra-high performance Supra examples in real life. This latest Supra builds on that legacy and sticks with inline-six power. Even though it uses a BMW heart, this 3.0-liter I6 sends 382 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed transmission and to the rear wheels.

On this episode of Quick Spin, West Coast editor Mark Vaughn jumps behind the wheel of the latest Toyota Supra and takes you along for the ride. Vaughn walks around the Supra and explains its features and styling decisions and climbs into the interior to discuss what he’s seeing in the cabin. Afterward, Vaughn takes you along for a real-time drive review. Adding to these segments, Vaughn chats with host Wesley Wren about the Toyota Supra’s history, its position in the current sports car space and its BMW bones. Closing the show, the two talk about what makes this 2022 Toyota GR Supra 3.0 special.

While the Toyota Tacoma dominates the midsize truck world, its full-size stablemate faces stiffer competition. Toyota’s Tundra launched in 2000, with the second-generation kicking off in 2007. Now entering its third generation, it’s not hard to see that the previous-generation Tundra might have been getting old despite some updates along the way. This new Tundra ditches the V8 engine and replaces it with a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6. This turbocharged V6 is also available with an optional hybrid powertrain that adds some extra oomph to the V6. In base trim, the new V6 sends 389 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers jump to 437 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque in the hybrid trim. Both engines feed a 10-speed automatic transmission, which travels through the four-wheel-drive system before hitting the wheels.

In this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2022 Toyota Tundra Capstone to put it through its paces. Wren takes you on a walkaround of the latest Toyota full-size pickup and highlights its styling, features and specs. Wren also takes you along for the ride in a live drive review where he talks about how the 2022 Tundra feels when taking it out on the road. Adding to these segments, Wren chats with Autoweek’s west coast editor Mark Vaughn about the Toyota Tundra, pickup trucks and the luxury truck space. Closing the show, the two talk about what makes the new Toyota Tundra special.

The Detroit Grand Prix is moving away from Belle Isle and into downtown Detroit in 2023. While some are going to miss the Island-based race, the new circuit layout in Detroit is set up to make for some interesting and compelling racing. Most importantly, it’s racing that will take place in the heart of Detroit proper, which means there’s going to be a freight train of race cars traveling down East Jefferson before traveling through some of the more congested parts of the track. To get the best perspective on the new circuit, we hopped in the passenger seat with the Cadillac wielding Renger Van Der Zande.

The Porsche 911 has stuck mostly true to its origins over the years: sure, it’s now turbocharged, larger and liquid-cooled, but it’s still hanging the flat-six engine out of its rear and hasn’t departed far from its familiar shape. Most importantly, the 992-generation Porsche 911 is still fun to drive. Adding to that fun, the Porsche 911 GTS adds squeezes some extra performance out of the 3.0-liter flat-six mill and sends 473 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels by way of a seven-speed manual transmission or Porsche’s PDK. The extra oomph joins the 911 GTS’s retuned suspension, 911 Turbo brakes and slight weight savings over a standard Carrera. If you want open-air fun, Porsche also offers its GTS in a cabriolet shell, which lets you enjoy the summer fun.

In this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek’s Mark Vaughn hops behind the wheel of the 2022 Porsche 911 GTS Cabriolet and puts it through its paces. Vaughn takes you on a guided tour of the ’22 Porsche 911 GTS and highlights some of its features and quirks. Vaughn also takes you along for a live drive review. Adding to those segments, Vaughn joins host Wesley Wren in the studio to talk more about the 911 GTS Cabriolet. The pair talk about how the latest-generation Porsche 911 stacks up against its history, the performance specs of this 911 GTS and more. Closing the show, the two discuss what makes the 2022 Porsche 911 GTS Cabriolet special.

The Nissan Frontier was old. Nissan squeezed as much life as possible out of its smaller pickup and ran the previous generation of Frontier for a long time. While the last frontier did see updates since its launch, the Frontier gets a true next-generation for 2022 and gives Nissan truck fans a needed breath of fresh air. The latest Frontier sticks with the body-on-frame construction but offers more than just enhanced styling. Ironically, the updated 3.8-liter V6 that debuted in the final year of the previous Frontier is carried over and makes 310 hp and 281 lb-ft of torque. This V6 feeds a nine-speed automatic that drives the rear wheels or all four wheels through the four-wheel-drive system. The ’22 Nissan Frontier’s interior was also totally overhauled and now features a more modern look with a 9.0-inch touchscreen media system.

In this episode of Quick Spin, Executive Editor Tom Murphy hops behind the wheel of the 2022 Nissan Frontier and puts it through its paces. Murphy takes you on a guided tour of the new styling and features before taking you along on a live drive review. Murphy adds to these segments by talking about the Frontier with Wesley Wren. The two discuss the new Frontier’s position in the market, how it competes with the competitive set and how it stacks up against its former self. Closing the show, the two talk about what makes the 2022 Nissan Frontier special.

The Toyota Tacoma dominates the mid-size truck world, and it’s off-road-ready TRD Pro models likely play a big role in the truck’s appeal. Of course, not everyone wants to, or can, spring for the top-of-the-line off-roading model, but still wants some factory off-road chops. The team at Toyota now off a solution for this discerning customer: the Toyota Tacoma Trail Edition. Based on the SR5 Tacoma, this off-road-focused variant is limited to only 4x4 models. The Trail Edition adds front and rear suspension lifts to give you some extra clearance, standard rear locker and more capable wheels and tires. The wheels are bronze 16-inch units wrapped in Goodyear all-terrain rubber. Powering this Tacoma is a standard 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6 that sends 278 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque through a standard six-speed transmission.

On this episode of Quick Spin, Mark Vaughn hops behind the wheel of the 2022 Toyota Tacoma Trail Edition and puts it through its paces. Vaughn takes you on a walkaround of the Tacoma to highlight its new features and takes you along for a live drive review to show you how it handles the road. Adding to these segments, Vaughn chats with host Wesley Wren about the Toyota Tacoma, this special Trail Edition and more. Closing the show, the two talk about what makes this Tacoma Trail Edition special.

Ferrari’s not-quite-a-crossover Purosangue enters a world where the crossover is king, which is pushing sports-car-focused automakers toward adding more high-riding commuters into their respective lineups. Like a spiritual successor to the GTC4Lusso, the Purosangue has as many doors as it does seats, and is pointing its nose more at the highway than the racetrack. Of course, under the hood is still 6.5 liters worth of V12 that sends 715 hp and 528 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission. From there, power travels to all four wheels before hitting the pavement. 

On this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek’s Mark Vaughn hops behind the wheel of the 2024 Ferrari Purosangue and puts it through its paces. Vaughn takes you on a guided tour of the Purosangue and highlights some of his favorite features. Later, Vaughn takes you along for a live drive review. Adding to these segments, Vaughn chats with host Wesley Wren about the Ferrari Purosangue, its place in the Ferrari history books, and where it stacks up in the growing world of higher-riding family haulers from sports car makers. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes the Purosangue special.

The Toyota Land Cruiser was ‘Yota’s top-shelf off-roading machine. Sure, the 4Runner is good, but if you’re really trying to go anywhere, especially in style, you’ll want a Land Cruiser. Lexus was part of that game, too, with the LX. Though the Land Cruiser might have overshadowed the LX-Series on the street, the Land Cruiser isn’t hitting American shores. That’s not a problem for the 2022 Lexus LX 600. The new Lexus LX 600 sports many of the same upgrades headed to the Toyota Tundra: a new 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 replaces the outgoing 5.7-liter naturally aspirated V8. While it’s dropped cylinders, the turbocharger compensates and helps this 3.5-liter make 409 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. Managing that power is a standard 10-speed automatic transmission, which feeds the standard all-wheel-drive system.

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren climbs behind the wheel of the 2022 Lexus LX 600. Wren walks you around the new Lexus SUV and highlights the vehicle’s styling and its interesting features. Wren also takes you along for a live drive review, which shows off how the vehicle feels in real-time. Adding to these segments, Wren chats about the Lexus LX 600 with Autoweek’s west coast editor Mark Vaughn. The two talk about the Lexus LX’s styling, its purpose and its features. Closing the show, the two discuss what makes the 2022 Lexus LX 600 special.

#toyota #lexus #offroad #truck #carreview #carpodcast #car #suv

The 2022 Honda Civic SI joins the rest of the Civic lineup with its transition to the eleventh-generation platform. This new Civic sees a substantial upgrade in the interior and a distinctly different design direction. While the previous generation of Honda’s beloved Civic might have been excessive to some, the latest Civic takes a more mature approach. The 2022 Civic Si adds some spice with sportier styling. Most importantly, the 2022 Honda Civic Si drops five horsepower compared to the outgoing model, which means its 1.5-liter turbocharged I4 sends 200 hp through the six-speed manual. That power drop doesn’t mean this Civic is any less fun.

In this episode of Quick Spin, Executive editor Tom Murphy slides behind the wheel of the 2022 Honda Civic SI and takes you along for the ride. Murphy walks you around this hopped-up Civic while talking about the vehicle’s styling, market position and features. Murphy also takes you along for a live drive review. Expanding on his thoughts, Murphy talks with host Wesley Wren about the ’22 Civic Si. The pair give the Civic some context, and talk about its performance and its position in the marketplace. Closing the show, the two explain what makes this Civic SI special.


#honda #hondacivic #carreview #carpodcast

Volkswagen might have been lagging behind the rest of the market in the highly competitive crossover battle, but the company has fleshed out its portfolio to try to solve all of life’s transportation problems. The latest gas-powered crossover to join VW’s ranks is a compact crossover that effectively fills the void left by the departed Golf. Dubbed the VW Taos, this entry-level VW starts just shy of $25,000 and pits it in the middle of the compact-crossover battle. Powering this Taos is a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that sends 158 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque through either an eight-speed automatic transmission before hitting the front wheels or a seven-speed automatic if equipped with the 4Motion all-wheel-drive system.

In a similar place, Genesis is also constantly expanding its crossover options to help sway buyers into the fold. While larger, and more expensive, than the Taos, the Genesis GV70 does a similar amount of heavy lifting for the team at Genesis. At least, the GV70 helpts to expand the Genesis lineup and give prospective buyers all the options that their heart, and the market, demands. Powering the Genesis GV70 is either a 2.5-liter turbocharged I4 or a 3.5-liter turbocharged V6. Both transmissions feed an eight-speed automatic that then transfers power to the standard all-wheel-drive system.

On this bonus episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek boss Natalie Neff chats with Wesley Wren about her time in the Genesis GV70 and the Volkswagen Taos. The pair also talk about the growing demand for crossovers, the roles that both of these vehicles play for each respective company and more.

#car #cars #vw #volkswagen #genesis #carreview

It’s a vicious cycle: brandnew cars are exciting, but fall to the back of the auto show display after a couple of years. After awhile, that once brand-new machine is a few years old and is starting to show its age. Sure, a car might get a mid-cycle update to freshen it up and add some tech, but its bones might still have some age. By the time it’s at the end of its production cycle, the once-loved machine sees jeers for being past its prime. Well, that’s kind of what’s happening with the venerable Lexus GX 460 -- the V8 powered luxury off-roader cousin to the Toyota 4Runner. This Lexus debuted all the way back in President Obama’s first term. Now, Lexus did update the GX 460 in 2019, but it’s still old. Though, instead of bemoaning its aging tech or slightly behind the curve V8’s output, the GX offers you a body-on-frame SUV experience with the hardware to take you anywhere you want to go, which should be appreciated.

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2022 Lexus GX 460 and takes you along for the ride. Wren takes you on a guided tour of this Lexus SUV and highlights its styling, features and interior. Wren then climbs behind the wheel and takes you along for a live drive review. Along with these segments, Wren chats with Autoweek’s west coast editor Mark Vaughn about the Lexus GX, off-roading and the demand for vehicles like the GX 460. Closing the show, the pair talk about what makes this Lexus special.

The Genesis G80 sits in the middle of the Genesis sedan lineup: below its top-rung G90 and above the sporty G70. Even though sedans aren’t as popular as the increasingly-in-demand crossover and SUV segments, Genesis gave its G80 a second generation in 2020. This second-gen G80 updates the car’s styling to the current Genesis design language and streamlined the engine options. The G80, in the US, sports either a 2.5-liter turbocharged I4 or a 3.5-liter turbocharged V6. Both engines feed a standard eight-speed automatic.

Volkswagen might be thinning its sedan herd, but it’s not bowing out completely. Volkswagen’s Arteon is the company’s flagship sedan, and lives up to the task. Blending the current VW design language with a sleek sedan body, the Arteon looks like the rest of the VW lineup while still etching out its own distinct style. Powering the Arteon is exclusively a 300 hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged I4, which feeds a seven-speed automatic transmission. The Arteon might not have the same luxury cache as, say, an Audi, but the sleek Arteon is far from basic.

On this bonus episode of Quick Spin, Natalie Neff talks with Wesley Wren about her time with these two stylish sedans. The two discuss the features of each car and chat about each car’s space in the world. Expanding on these cars, the two dissect the shrinking sedan segment and talk about dire future for sedans.

The McLaren 720S is fantastic. It’s a 710 hp aerodynamic wonder car that looks as futuristic as it does elegant. Well, the team at McLaren didn’t stop with the 720S, and cranked up its 4.0-liter turbocharged V8’s power, stretched the body and changed the name. The 765LT’s name is an homage to the legendary McLaren F1 GTR “long tail” race cars. While it’s designed for public roads, the combination of interesting aerodynamic solutions and the brutal 4.0-liter V8’s power would make it interesting to take out on a track.

On this episode of Quick Spin, west coast editor Mark Vaughn hops behind the wheel of a 2022 McLaren 765LT and takes you along for a ride. Vaughn walks you around the 765LT and highlights some of its exterior features and walks you through its track-focused interior. Vaughn also takes you along for a ride in a live drive review. Expanding on these segments, Vaughn chats about the McLaren with host Wesley Wren. The two talk about the McLaren 765LT, its competition and more. Closing the show, the two break down what makes the 2022 McLaren 765LT special.

The Toyota Prius is arguably the most well-known hybrid vehicle in the world, and its Prime-badged plug-in hybrid is right there with it. Launched at the start of the new millennium, the Toyota Prius has helped push hybrid powertrains to the forefront of American consumers. The plug-in Prius Prime joined the Prius nameplate in 2012 and entered its current generation in 2016. Powering the current Prius Prime is a 1.8-liter inline-four-cylinder engine that feeds Toyota’s Electronically controlled continuously variable transmission. Combining the engine with the electric motor, the Prius Prime throws 121 hp and 105 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels.

Just down from the Prius Prime at your local Toyota dealer is the Toyota Sequoia: a V8-powered, body-on-frame SUV. The Sequoia launched its second-generation effort all the way back in 2007 and hasn’t changed significantly in the last 15 years. While Toyota has announced and shown the next-generation Sequoia, it’s still waiting to head into production. That next-generation Sequoia will ditch the 381 hp and 401 hp 5.7-liter V8 and replace it with a turbocharged V6. Still, the second-generation Sequoia offers off-road capability and bold styling, if you can’t wait for its replacement.

On this bonus episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren sits down with Autoweek’s Editor in Chief Natalie Neff to talk about her time with this unlikely pair of Toyotas. They talk about the driving dynamics and experiences with both of these Toyotas and show where both shine and both falter. The pair also break down the constantly changing SUV and small car landscape and the growing new car crisis.

The Volkswagen Golf is entering its eighth generation. It’s almost hard to believe that Volkswagen’s beloved hatchback is nearing 50 years in production. Still, VW’s Golf is giving hatchback fans a well-sorted and continually confident option. Well, that’s the case at least in the United States with the performance variants of the Golf, which fill the void for the departed base model. The 2022 Golf GTI is the entry point to VW Golfs in the US, and that’s not a bad thing. The latest Volkswagen Golf sticks to the same MQB platform as the outgoing generation, and sports an updated version of the same powertrain. This version of VW’s EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder mill sends 241 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels. Controlling that power is either a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed automatic.

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren puts the 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI through its paces and brings you along for the ride. Wren walks around the latest Golf GTI and highlights its design, features and interior before taking you along for a live-recorded drive review. Along with these segments, Wren chats with Mark Vaughn about the legacy of Volkswagen’s GTI, how it compares with previous models and what they like about the latest model. Closing the show, the two discuss what makes this eighth-generation Golf GTI special.

Volkswagen’s Passat was one of its most important nameplates and a staple of the Volkswagen portfolio. Entering the United States for the 1974 model year, the Passat has filled the driveways of countless folks over its nearly 50-year span in the ‘States. Though, Volkswagen announced that the Passat was seeing the end of the line after the 2022 model year, and even sent it away with a special final edition. Powering the current generation Passat is a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that makes 174 hp and 206 lb-ft of torque. Slotted above the even more beloved Jetta, the Passat was in the middle of VW’s sedan lineup, which is a spot in the market that is continually shrinking.

Toyota’s Avalon is a similar story. While its run is shorter and was introduced fewer than 30 years ago, the Avalon quickly became a staple of Toyota’s sedan lineup. With five generations under its belt, it was probably hard for folks to see Toyota also discontinue the nameplate in the United States. Available with either a 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6 that makes 301 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque or a 2.5-liter hybrid powertrain that makes 205 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque. Both of these powertrains are surrounded by the same mid-size sheet metal.

On this episode of the Quick Spin bonus show Talkin’ Cars With the Boss, host Wesley Wren chats with Autoweek’s Editor in Chief Natalie Neff about her time with both the 2021 Volkswagen Passat and 2021 Toyota Avalon Hybrid. The pair discuss how both cars drive, feel and look while also tackling the greater question of declining space for sedans in the new car marketplace.

If you just look at sales numbers and available models, minivans are dead and are buried under the crushing weight of crossovers and SUVs. While that might be true on the sales charts, it’s not exactly true on the showroom floor. Sure, fewer automakers are churning out these people movers, but minivans are still here to handle your multi-passenger problem. The 2022 Toyota Sienna entered its fourth generation last year and eschewed its traditional internal-combustion-only approach. This latest generation of Toyota minivan is hybrid only, and available with all-wheel-drive if you want the extra traction. The only available powertrain uses a 2.5-liter inline-four that feeds Toyota’s eCVT. Combing the electric motor with the internal combustion engine, this Sienna makes a respectable 245 hp while making 36 mpg city and highway.

In this episode of Quick Spin, Mark Vaughn puts the 2022 Toyota Sienna through its paces and brings you along for the ride. Vaughn walks you around the ’22 Sienna and highlights its styling and gives context around the minivan world before bringing you inside the Sienna to show off its interior features. Vaughn also brings you along for a live-recorded drive review. Adding to these segments, Vaughn talks about the Sienna and the greater role of minivans in the market with host Wesley Wren. The pair talk about the influx of consumer tech in the Sienna, the reason for minivans and more. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes the ’22 Sienna special.

The Mercedes-Benz GLS Class might have started out without the S in its name, but after the company shook up its crossover and SUV portfolio, it ascended to the top of the Mercedes hierarchy. The Mercedes GLS-Class functions effectively as the S-Class of its crossover and SUV lineup, and sports the largest footprint you’ll find on a road-going ‘Benz. This three-row Family Truckster saw a styling refresh last year, for the 2024 model year. This brings a new grille, and a new front fascia, among other more subtle styling changes. Thankfully, the 4.0-liter V8 stuck around in standard in GLS 580 guise. This V8 sends 510 hp and 538 lb-ft of torque through a nine-speed automatic. From there, the power travels to all four wheels by way of the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. 

On this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek’s executive editor Tom Murphy hops behind the wheel of the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 and puts it through its paces. Murphy takes you on a guided tour of the GLS 580 and highlights some of his favorite features and what’s new for ’24. Later. Murphy takes you on a live drive review of the latest GLS-Class. Adding to these segments, Murphy chats with host Wesley Wren about the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, the competition, and more. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes this GLS special.

Entry-level means different things to different people. For some, an entry-level new vehicle is like Ford’s Maverick or the Mitsubishi Mirage: affordable, reasonable and, generally, plentiful. Though every model from every automaker has an entry point, and some of those or better equipped than others. For the top Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan, it’s the S500: a six-cylinder powered sedan that’s a great platform for the folks at Maybach to work their magic. Well, even the lowly S500 doesn’t skimp on comfort or luxury. Powered by the aforementioned six-cylinder, which displaces 3.0-liters while generating 429 hp. That power travels through a nine-speed automatic before hitting the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. While the base S500 doesn’t sport the wild hyper screen, the Mercedes S-Class interior is more than posh enough to keep your in-laws happy.

In this episode of Quick Spin, Wesley Wren puts the 2022 Mercedes-Benz S500 through its paces. Wren walks you around the S500 while showing off some of its features, and highlights its interior. After that, Wren takes you along for a live drive review. Between those segments, Mark Vaughn joins to share his experience with the latest S-Class, and chat with Wren. Vaughn and Wren discuss some of their favorite and least favorite, parts of the S500. The two also give the lay of the land for the Mercedes-Benz S-Class lineup. Closing the show, the two explain what makes this S500 special.

Six-cylinder supercars historically aren’t that well received. Though, the six-cylinder tides are starting to change with Maserati’s MC20 and the new Ferrari 296 GTB. While it’s fair to argue if this is the first or second V6-powered Ferrari, the 296 GTB is definitely the future of the company and a nod to the current era of Formula 1. If you’re concerned about power from this hybrid V6 powertrain, you shouldn’t be. This combination is good for 818 hp peak power, which can rocket this Ferrari to 60 mph in 2.9-seconds. Even though it has fewer cylinders than previous Ferrari sports cars, it doesn’t seem like it has any less performance.

In this episode of Quick Spin, Mark Vaughn travels to Spain to test the 2022 Ferrari 296 GTB. Vaughn walks you around the latest Ferrari to talk about its styling while highlighting some of its features. Vaughn also takes you along while he tests Modena’s latest toy. Adding to those segments, Vaughn chats with host Wesley Wren about the new Ferrari. The two talk about this Ferrari’s competitive set, the driving dynamics and more. Closing the show, the two get to what makes this Ferrari special.

Subaru’s latest Forester gets a dash of extra adventure chops with the expansion of Subaru’s Wilderness package. This fifth-generation Forester initially launched in 2018 but has been lightly refreshed for 2022. The main styling updates are upfront with a redesigned fascia and new grille. In addition to some styling updates, Subaru tacked on the Wilderness package. This package adds a revised suspension that nets more travel, Yokohama wrapped 17-inch wheels and larger wheel arch cladding. Joining these outdoor-focused changes, Subaru also revised some exterior and interior styling for the Forester Wilderness, and include a different grille, ladder-type roof rails and water-resistant seat coverings. Powering the 2022 Subaru Forester is a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated boxer mill that makes 182 hp and 176 lb-ft of torque. Mated to that standard engine is exclusively a continuously variable transmission that feeds the standard all-wheel-drive system.

On this episode of Quick Spin, Executive Editor Tom Murphy hops behind the wheel of the 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness and puts it through its paces. Murphy walks you around the Forester Wilderness while highlighting its features before taking you along on a live-recorded drive review. Murphy expands on these recordings while talking with host Wesley Wren. The pair discuss the growing adventure-ready vehicle market, the Forester’s interior features and more. Closing the show the two chat about what makes the 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness special.