What Chevrolet Cars Are Awd - Damino Media

The Difference Between AWD vs 4WD

Wonder World:

Do you really need all-wheel drive? | Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports:

[MUSIC PLAYING]
With the first
snowfall of every year,
consumers are inundated with
a barrage of advertising,
showing how a car with all-wheel
drive or four-wheel drive
will save them from
winter's icy clutches.
I've been out there
most of my life.

And why not?
According to the Federal
Highway Administration,
41% of all weather related
car crashes on US roads
are due to conditions involving
snow, sleet, ice, and slush.
Accidents caused by
winter weather result
in 150,000 injuries and
2000 deaths each year.
But can all-wheel drive save you
when weather turns really ugly?
Consumer Reports evaluations
show that all-wheel drive may
provide some benefit, but it's
no guarantee it will get you
through a grueling storm.

Through weeks of driving in
snowy conditions at Consumer
Reports' 327 acre test
center in Connecticut,
we conclusively found
that all-wheel drive
is good for getting
your car moving
on a slick surface, such as
a snowy, uphill driveway.
But all-wheel drive is
of little added help
compared to an ordinary
front-wheel drive
sedan when it comes time to
stop or steer your vehicle.
Our evaluations conclusively
showed that using winter tires
matters far more than
having all-wheel drive
in many situations.
We conducted braking tests in
an all-wheel drive 2015 Honda
CRV--
the best selling
compact crossover--
with its original,
all season tires,
and then with winter tires.
We also brought out a
front-drive Toyota Camry
rolling on its own
set of winter tires.
When both the front-drive
Camry and all-wheel drive CRV
wore winter tires, both stopped
from 60 MPH in about 300 feet.
But when the CRV had its
original, all season tires,
it took more than 650
feet to come to a stop--
more than twice as far.
And an increased stopping
distance of an entire football
field compared to when
it had winter tires.
As for handling, we found that
some all-wheel drive systems
fared better than
others in getting cars
around corners in the snow.
A significant factor was
the available grip provided
by their all season tires.
Even in the hands of our
professional drivers,
some all-wheel drive systems
produced too much wheel spin
and didn't provide the same
level of confidence and comfort
level as others.
Our test track
observations lead us
to advise that
using winter tires
provides the best grip and
assurance for going, stopping,
and cornering, no
matter what you drive.
And buying winter tires
for a front-drive car
will cost far less than the
several thousand dollar premium
you'll pay for all-wheel drive.
We realize that swapping and
storing tires twice per year
is a nuisance.
And in places where street
plowing is thorough,
you can probably get by
with all season tires
that are in good condition.
But most all-wheel
drive owners don't
think of equipping their
cars with winter tires.
According to our survey
of 54,000 subscribers who
drove all-wheel drive
or four-wheel drive
vehicles in the snow for more
than six days last winter,
fewer than 15% equipped their
vehicles with winter tires.
The rest kept rolling
on their all seasons
and took their chances.
At Consumer Reports,
we strongly recommend
buying four winter tires for
whatever vehicle you drive.
For our winter tire buying
guide and other all-wheel drive
testing information, check
out consumerreports.org.

2019 GMC Terrain - Review & Road Test

Kelley Blue Book:

Do you have to be a flannel-clad
lumberjack named Buck to review
something called the GMC Terrain Denali?
No. This second-generation Terrain is
entirely reimagined starting with an all
four-cylinder engine lineup. Bye-bye 3.6-liter
V6. Both the 1.5 and optional
2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder
engines come standard with GM's nine-
speed automatic transmission. There's
also a 1.6-liter turbo diesel hitched to
a 6-speed auto. The Denali has the
beefier 2.0 liter engine, and it's really
quick to the tune of 252 horsepower and
260 lb ft of torque. Even up steep
hills the Terrain accelerates when I
want it to with minimal turbo lag. Gutsy.
I've actually driven the SLE model, too,
and while it's not as exciting as the
larger displacement engine, it's a
genuinely fun driving experience, even on
its high volume 17 inch tires and with
front-wheel drive. The 1.6-liter turbo
diesel get you even less power with
137 horses and
240 lb ft of torque,
but the 38 mpg dividend
might be worth it. Major pet peeve, GMC
does not allow people to shut off the
automatic start/stop feature.
The steering has a nice touch. It's
responsive and surprisingly sporty
feeling, but the all new architecture it
rides on might be the most impressive
thing on this Terrain redo. It's three
inches shorter and has a 34% stiffer
structure compared to the outgoing model.
What that means for the driver is better
ride quality, improved handling, better
maneuverability, especially on winding
mountain roads, and significantly less
body roll mid turn. I think Buck,
were he here, would agree that they were
successful.
You know with that stiffer suspension the
terrain drives a little bit more like a
truck than most SUVs, but it's still
really comfortable, which is a really
nice combination. Makes me feel like I'm
off-roading.
This fancy and well outfitted Denali
trim looks really great from a
distance, a rugged looker. But you get a
little bit closer and okay maybe I'm
nitpicking a bit here, but it gets a
little busy especially from the front
end.
It's muscular and assertive but there are
a lot of lines and creases and the heavily
chromed out front grille, especially this
Denali specific version, add up to a lot
of eyeball food. The back end of the car
is more of an exercise in restraint, but
it's still got some interest to it. I
especially like the sporty looking dual
exhausts on the all-wheel-drive versions.
Put the 19-inch wheels on the Terrain
and this is a genuinely good-looking
ride. I have to say though the more I see
this floating roofline fad the more I'm
ready for it to be over. If this whole
section actually improved visibility
then it would make sense but it really
doesn't. I'm ready to move on, so let's.
The redesigned interior is nicely
finished. A leather wrap steering wheel
and the real aluminum trim are great to
see, and while some of the faux wood
grain options are more believable than
others the overall look is upscale. In
the lower trims though you can expect
more plastic less leather and hey,
where's the auto up on the passenger
side window? The reimagined center stack
and console are a lot less cluttered
thanks in part to this push-button
shifter. The jury is totally out for me
on whether it's okay or not. I'm not used
to it so maybe it just takes a little
more time. What it did do however was
clear up some room for some space like
this through and through cubby. It's
pretty cool. Also east/west coffee cup
holders to eliminate coffee confusion.
Yeah, that is a thing. Depending on trim
you'll get a seven- or eight-inch
touchscreen. GMC's interface is cleanly
arranged and allows owners to add a
range of apps like The Weather Channel
or news from People magazine. The system
also offers over-the-air updates. Depending on when you're watching this
the Terrain may have added a new feature.
It's not here yet so you get to watch me when I explain it to you.
It's called marketplace and it's a
platform that allows you to buy goods
and services from places like fast food
restaurants or gas stations through your
car. I'm not exactly sure how many people
are gonna use it, and hopefully you
actually have your wallet with you, you
know, because your driver's license.
Regardless of cloth or leather the front
bucket seats are supportive and
comfortable, so are the rear seat. There's
decent recline, but uses the
contortionist only mechanism, and even
the person who draws the short straw and
ends up in the middle has decent legroom
because there isn't a camel hump right
here. Cargo space is mid-pack among its
myriad competitors including the larger
capacity CRV and the left capacious Jeep
Cherokee, also there's the Chevy Equinox,
the Ford Escape, Mazda's CX-5, the Kia
Sportage, Subaru's Forester. I've got to
stop there because we're all getting old. The rear seats go down super easy and
nice and flat, and there's really nice
trunk space under here right above the
spare, but proceed with caution
because this thing bit me and drew blood.
It's sharp! The base-level SL terrain starts just
under $26,000 including destination and
gets you a leather-wrapped steering
wheel, a built-in 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot,
hill descent control, and rear seat
reminders so you don't leave anything
important in the car. The Denali base
price is just under $40,000, destination
charge included, and that gets you rear
parking assist, that 360 camera which is
amazing, navigation, LED headlamps and a
Bose audio system. This tester with added
goodies like skyscape sunroof and
advanced safety and comfort packages
comes with a price tag that's around
$4,500 higher
GMC put a lot of thought into the Terrain, and it really pays off.
Certainly, they put more thought into
this than I did my choice of shirt today.
It's been 90 degrees all day and I'm wearing
flannel, genius. Clearly for today the GMC
Terrain is the smarter choice.

2018 Chevrolet Traverse - Review and Road Test

Kelley Blue Book:

the second generation Chevrolet Traverse
it's a three row midsize SUV that we
really like propelling our positive
vibes is a deeply functional interior
let's start somewhere boring door
storage the front rear doors are loaded
with bins and nooks galore though I'm
not quite sure what defines a bin versus
a nook beyond the aforementioned door
nooks smaller items can be stowed in the
sizeable center console in this spot
below the second row climate controls or
in a handy USB adjacent bin beneath the
center stack aside from slight pressure
in the upper back region the front seats
are superbly comfortable and as the
driver you'll enjoy a highly
customizable driving position supported
by well-placed arm rests just know drive
like a maniac and you'll wish for more
lateral support Headroom is
unsurprisingly excellent up front but
that excellence extends rearward as well
Tim is six foot something and look his
head is not mashed against the headliner
nobody cares also he's British and too
polite to complain about legroom so I'm
going to proactively slide and angle my
seats slightly forward. Thank you. Sorry I was uncomfortable. It's fine.
with less diplomatic occupants rear-seat
nice space could be tight but as
consolation third row dwellers are
gifted a wealth of cupholders decent
foot space under the second row and two
USB outlets on that note the Traverse
comes with USB ports in all three rows
that plus an optional three prong outlet
means well-charged devices ensuring your
family never has to, you know, speak
where material quality is concerned the
Traverse leaves room for its Buick
Enclave sibling to fancy things up even
so GM's mainstream offering incorporates
some soft materials and in many places
uses a soft coating to spruce up hard
plastics in other places it doesn't with
the second and third row stowed Traverse
owners have a substantial ninety eight
point two cubic feet to fill raised
those seats and twenty three cubic feet
of dedicated cargo space remains
supplemented by an additional 3.2 cubic
foot underfloor storage hold while
prattling on about the traverses many
fine qualities we should reserve time to
talk about how it drives and how it
drives is lovely the suspension
skillfully absorbs bumps while keeping
the chassis in check when cornering and
when you pick up the pace interior noise
is mostly quashed except for some
whistling in this region, which you would
hear if I didn't have to stop for that
stoplight
the man says I have to stop
providing propulsion is a mighty 3.6
liter v6 that tows up to 5,000 pounds
and moves the Traverse with real
authority when asked maybe more
impressive is the standard 9 speed
automatic it's a shining star of a
transmission that delivers virtually
seamless transparent shifts and when you
introduce the accelerator to the carpet
acceleration and downshifts occur without
delay for its size the Traverse is
fairly efficient aided by an
inconspicuous but undefeatable automatic
engine start/stop system that saves fuel
when the vehicle is motionless if you
don't mind giving up a few mpg the
optional all-wheel drive system adds
traction inslippery conditions a
turbocharged four-cylinder engine is
also available but only in the sporty
Traverse RS producing less horsepower
more torque and better city fuel economy
than the v6 the real trick with a
relatively large SUV is to hide its
girth the Traverse does just that with
light and easy steering and a tight
turning circle that make it a confident
parking tool parked on the flipside
visibility over your right shoulder is
terrible especially since depending on
where the seats are the right second row
headrest completely blocks the side
window in my experience if you can see
what's in the adjacent Lane lane changes
are less stressful
helping address those visibility
concerns our higher trim features like
blind spot monitoring a 360 degree
camera system rear cross-traffic alert
and rear but not front parking sensors
rounding out the option roster are
indulgences like wireless phone charging
a hands-free tailgate heated and
ventilated front seats leather and a
heated steering wheel choose the fancy
high country trim with its power folding
seats and traction enhancing dual clutch
rear differential and you can spend
nearly fifty three thousand dollars it's
worth mentioning that adaptive cruise
control is only offered on the high
country trim while many competitive SUVs
offer similar technology at a lower
price point and if you need eight seats
you're stuck with the low end L & LS
trims as higher Traverse trims only come
with seven in basic not quite $31,000
form the Traverse comes surprisingly
well equipped with keyless entry and
push-button start three-zone automatic
climate control a wide-angle backup
camera a smart slide 2nd row seat for
easy third row access and 7 airbags
including a center airbag that deploys
from the inboard side of the driver's
seat the standard infotainment system is
a 7-inch unit featuring apple carplay
and android auto but buyers can also
upgrade to an 8 inch system with a
lockable storage area behind the screen
hiding the traverses elusive seventh USB
port either way the screen is decently
sized placed within reach and the menus
are a cinch to navigate while shopping 3
row midsize SUVs it's always smart to
investigate the alternatives some
standouts include the roomy VW Atlas
the practical Toyota Highlander the
thoughtfully crafted Honda Pilot and the
strong selling Ford Explorer
pleasant to drive and
competitively-priced with lots of cargo
space and room for up to 8 passengers
the Chevrolet Traverse is fantastically
suited for family duty despite some
formidable competition the Traverse is a
midsize SUV that deserves your attention

Best AWD Vehicles, Tow Ratings, Unicorn Vehicles | Talking Cars with Consumer Reports #202

Consumer Reports:

On this episode, we
answer audience questions,
including the difference between
all weather and all season
tires, how wheel size
affects ride and handling,
and do you really need to
change your oil every year, even
if you don't put that
many miles on your car--
next on Talking Cars.

Hi, everybody.
Welcome to another episode,
I'm Mike Monticello.
I'm Jake Fisher.
And I'm Ryan Pszczolkowski.
So, every week we get a
lot of questions from you
guys and gals at
talkingcars@icloud.com,
and we love answering
those questions,
but we get so many in, we don't
get to as many as we'd like.
So, today, back
by popular demand,
it's an all questions episode.
So, also, for those of you that
send in the video questions,
pro tip--
horizontal looks a little
better than vertical.
So, that's just a
little pro tip for you.
But let's dive right
into these questions,
because we've got a lot we want
to try and get through today
for the good people out there.
So, the first question
is from Lee M.
And says, I have a question
about checking the oil
in my 2015 Honda Accord.
I've always checked it
first thing in the morning,
because I knew none of
it was up in the engine.
But, when I did this
after my last oil change,
it didn't show that
the oil level was full.
The dealer says that's
incorrect and says
I should check it about
10 minutes after I
shut the car off.
When is the best
time to check my oil?
Now, we're very fortunate here
that we have John Ibbotson--
he's our shop supervisor.
He takes care of all
of our test cars.
He says that, actually,
either one is correct.
He prefers checking it
first thing in the morning
when the car is cold,
but you can also
check it after the car's been
running as long as it's been
sitting for about 10 minutes.
I'm not quite sure how the
bad reading except what
I wasn't clear is maybe
Lee changed the oil himself
and then checked it too
soon before the oil had
drained down.
That's the only thing I
can think of as to why
he'd get the bad reading.
Because, otherwise, either
one of these is correct.
And, of course, another--
we're talking about pro tips--
make sure you
check your oil when
the car is on a level surface.
And, also, make sure
you get it all off.
Make sure you get a rag.
Because, I mean, one of
the common things people
do is they pull it up and
you're seeing oil level is high,
but it's actually just hitting
the side of that little tube.
Yeah, you should clean it--
when you pull it
out that first time,
clean it off, and then go
back in and then back out.
Because that first
reading could be oil
still splashed from whatever.
It's better to get that second.
I do it a few times
just to really be sure.
Sometimes hundreds of times--
all day long.
It's a critical thing.
He's got some issues.
OK, let's move on to
the next question.
Jinsoo says, why aren't all
weather tires more popular?
I've seen a few tests out there
where all weather tires are
compared to winter tires,
but how do they stack up
to all season tires?
Is the lack of
popularity due to a lack
of testing data, marketing,
consumer awareness,
or performance?
And, of course, those
longtime viewers
out there know that Ryan
is one of our tire experts.
So, Ryan, I'm going
to throw this to you.
Talk to us about
all weather tires.
All right, so, for
those who don't know,
all weather tires
are basically--
think of them as an all season
tire with more winter traction.
Now, he's seen them
compared with winter tires,
because they both have
a mountain snowflake
symbol on the sidewall,
which means they both passed
a certain level of
snow traction to have
this symbol on the sidewall.
So, all weather tires
are still a compromise.
There's one tire out there--
the Michelin cross-climate plus,
which we tested--
a freak of nature tire does
everything really well.
Head and shoulders above
the other all weather tires?
Yeah, it just does
everything well-- very well.
But that's just
kind of an oddball.
But, in general, all weather
tires are still compromised.
A dedicated snow tire has
really, really good snow
traction.
An all weather tire has really
good snow traction but not
quite as good as a
dedicated winter tire.
It's going to be better than
an all season tire, though.
So, you got to
think of it as it's
slotted between an all season
and a dedicated winter tire.
Now, there's still a
small, growing category
here in the US.
These tires were invented
years ago kind of by accident
by Nokian Tyre.
In Europe, they
have summer tires
and dedicated winter
tires, and they
wanted to design what would
have been their all season tire,
but they put a lot of emphasis
on the snow tire side.
Years later, it comes to
the US, and we already
have all season tires, and we
have dedicated winter tires.
So, where does that go?
It goes in between the
two of them, like I said.
It's a small group of
tires, it's growing slowly.
Also, in the US,
it's very regional.
Not everyone gets snow.
I just want to go
to this terminology,
because all seasons--
that's every season.
All weather-- all weather,
they seem like the same.
The other thing is we
talk about winter tires
and we talk about snow tires--

that terminology, snow
and winter tires--
same thing?
Makes it more confusing.
Since we're asking
you questions--
so, is the all
weather tire designed
to be driven year round
like an all season tire is?
We know the snow
winter tire is not.
I left that out-- yeah, so,
because it has the mountain
snowflake, it allows you
in certain areas where
it's regulated that you have
to have a snow tire on--
certain areas in Canada--
you have to have a snow tire on.
The mountain snowflake
lets you do that, but also
you can drive it year round.
So, it has a higher
speed rating and, so, it
can handle the heat build up
in the summer, this, that,
and the other thing.
It's great for
people who don't want
to switch from winter tires
to all season tires or summer
tires.
It actually sounds like it would
be a really good tire for where
we live in Connecticut where
we usually get a few snow
storms a year, but we're
not getting tons of snow
like, say, up in Vermont
or Maine or stuff
like that where you
probably want the better
traction from the snow tire.
But, like I said, it's
still a compromise
on the all season side.
So, wet and dry traction
isn't quite as high
as, say, a regular
all season tire.
Or a summer tire.
I mean, that's really
the best of both worlds.
In an ideal world, you run a
summer tire, and then you--
Switch over to--
A dedicated winter tire.
But I understand
people who don't want--
more money, more effort.
We wear boots in the
winter when there's snow
and we wear flip-flops
in the summer.
Exactly.
It's a growing segment--
It Is.
It's still fairly new, I think
that's the real answer to it.
OK.
Here's another question.
This question is from Tiffany.
Tiffany says, sadly, our 2008
Volvo C30 needs to be replaced.
We put a lot of
miles on our cars
and appreciate dependability,
comfort, and the fun factor.
We'd like something
newer that can
accommodate our dog, pre-teen,
and long commutes into Seattle.
My unicorn vehicle
is dependable,
fuel efficient, all wheel drive,
has a manual transmission,
heated seats, and
it's fun to drive.
Tiffany wants everything--
oh, and under $35,000.
What am I looking for?
Does this exist?
Jake, you're the
smartest guy here.
I'm not taking it.
I'm not tire questions.
What is Tiffany's
unicorn vehicle?
Because this is a difficult one.
It's a difficult one, because--
It doesn't exist.
Well, it may.
I mean, the problem is that
manual transmissions, sadly,
are kind of going away slowly.
And, also, when you start
packaging all wheel drive,
there's a lot of vehicles
that are available that
is a manual transmission,
but you only
get that with the
two wheel drive.
You can't get it with
the all wheel drive.
Or base and doesn't have the
heated seats or whatever.
Exactly.
So, my recommendation for this
would be the Volkswagen Golf
all track.
I think that's
the right vehicle.
Because the other thing is
unicorn vehicle, manual--
you also want a wagon
too, because you
don't want to be more unicorny.
I think that's a word.
It is now.
You're the word guys,
so you've OK'd it.
So, yeah, the
Volkswagen Golf all
track-- which, I mean, they keep
on changing the name of what
this offering is.
It was the Jetta sport
wagon, the Golf sport wagon--
basically, it's a Volkswagen
Golf station wagon, all wheel
drive, manual transmission.
You can get it with
all the safety--
all the safety
stuff is standard.
Nice turbo engine.
Nice turbo engine, nice cruiser,
fun to drive, and $35,000.
You could get it for that
and I think she'll be happy.
Honestly, that's a great choice.
I was originally
thinking Mazda CX5,
but you can't get the Mazda
CX5 in a manual transmission
anymore.
So, that's-- Tiffany, you really
put some difficult things on us
there.
There's a lot of filters.
That sounds like a good choice.
I was going to say
the same thing--
the all track.
OK, next question-- Kurt says,
I have a 2015 Hyundai Sonata
with low speed automatic
emergency braking.
At what speed does low
speed AEB stop working,
and when does high
speed AEB kick in?
So, first of all,
automatic emergency braking
was not available on
the 2015 Hyundai Sonata,
so, my guess is what Kurt
is feeling or actually
seeing is for a collision
warning, which was
available on the 2015 Sonata.
But it does beg the
question about what's
the difference between low
speed, automatic emergency
braking and high speed.
Part of the problem
is the manufacturers
don't-- there's not a set
guideline for when this low
speed goes up to this speed--
it's all over the place.
It's all over the place.
And when we talk about
low speed and high speed,
honestly, that's just basically
how we're talking about it,
because everyone has got
their different nomenclature
and terminology and
whatever this is.
When we're talking
about high speed,
we're talking
about an AEB system
that's going to operate
even on the highway too.
If you're cruising along at
65, it's going to operate.
We're trying to make a point
that some of these systems--
they're talking about
automatic emergency braking,
but it's only operating
at slower speeds.
It's not going to help you.
Yeah, might be like
35, 40 miles an hour.
Different depending on the car.
So, the way to think
about it is like there's
two different systems,
and it switches a gear.
It's not really the
way to think about it.
It's just if you have a system
that has a high speed system,
you could depend on--
I wouldn't say
dependent on, I wouldn't
want to go that far--
but it will operate.
It will help you even
in highway situations.
That's really the way
to think about this.
Almost, in a sense, there's
either low speed AEB
or there's all speed AEB.
I put air quotes up there,
which doesn't help the people
listening.
That's probably a better
way to think about.
you know what I mean?
But it's not like if
you have low speed AEB
and sometimes you can order
an optional high speed AEB,
but it's not like they're
really two different systems.
It's basically extending the
capability of the system.
The whole gamut.
Yeah.
So, hopefully,
that helps everyone
out there trying to understand
how automatic emergency
braking works.
And, of course, we're
working with manufacturers
and trying to get everyone to
be the same on what they call
all these different
types of systems--
like forward collision
warning, blind spot warning.
Be consistent about
the nomenclature.
We're trying to help
standardize that so it's
better for the consumers.
Well, I'm happy that they asked
about AEB and not pre-sense,
because who knows what that is.
Yeah, there's all different
kinds of names out there.
OK, Will says,
love the podcast--
that's not the only reason
why we're using this question,
but it helps.
Simple question-- how
should potential buyers
view cars that have
an NA reliability
verdict in your ratings?
Are they worse than cars
with a 1 out of 5 rating,
or is there just not
enough data to assign
a score in that category?
I'm looking at a 2016
Subaru WRX and I'm
trying to judge how
dangerous a buy it is versus
a car with a 1 out of 5 rating.
Jake, you know, I
always like to call
you old reliable because you're
heavily involved in our--
he hates it when
I call him that.
You've never called me that.
OK, I made it up, I made it up.
Anyway, you're heavily involved
in our reliability ratings
that we do, which is, of
course, based on feedback
from surveys from CR members.
So, talk to us
about what happens
when a car doesn't have the
reliability data for people
to look at.
Sure.
So, the 2016 WRX--
it's an NA, so,
there's not enough data
that we have to have information
on that specific model year.
And, so, what to
do in that case is
I would just look at
adjacent model years.
So, if you look at the
2015 WRX, the reliability
was much worse than average.
So, we don't have data on
the '16, but, considering
the '15 was so bad--
I wouldn't call it
dangerous, I wouldn't
say that it's a danger, but,
I mean, you're going to have,
likely, more than your share of
problems of another 2016 model.
However, if you
really want that car
and you're willing
to put up with maybe
more than the average
share of problems,
you might be very
happy with that.
The other thing I
would do is also
look at an adjacent year--
look at what kind of problems
they're having.
You can actually look and--
especially if you're
buying a used car--
if there's transmission
issues, for instance,
you might want to
find out, well,
is there any issues
with this transmission?
Has it been replaced?
Have they already addressed
some of the problems
that may happen?
And the other thing is that
when you're thinking about it--
if it's a car with a much below
average rating or 1 out of 5
if you think about it
in terms of the numbers,
there's proof that that
car has some issues.
You know what?
The truth is is that
even though those cars--
say there is data and it's
below average reliability--
doesn't mean the car that you
buy is going to fall apart.
It's all about odds.
So, I mean, if you really
want-- if that's really
something important to you,
you want to get something
with a proven record.
Let's move on to
Steve P. Steve says,
I'm considering
buying either a Ford
F-150 or a second
generation Honda Ridgeline.
Looking at the trim
levels and equipment
I'd want on either model,
there's a $6,000 to $10,000
difference between a
used truck and new one.
Buying new often brings
a lower interest rate
and a full warranty.
At what point is a new truck
a better buy versus one
that's two to five years
older with lower mileage?
Ryan, I'm going to throw this
to you, because I don't--
that's a lot of numbers there.
I'm good at numbers.
What's your suggestion--
I said Jake was the
smartest, I didn't say
you weren't good with numbers.
So, what's your recommendation
for Steve P. here?
So, listen, a
brand new vehicle--
a brand new F-150
is going to be more
expensive than a used F-150.
OK, and that's going to
be the case for most cars.
Big surprise.
It's almost always
going to be that way.
Now, he mentions the--
He puts it in there anyway.
He said there's a $6,000
to $10,000 difference.
And even when you consider
all the other things
and financing--
you're going to wind
up spending more.
And if you've got
the new thing, you
have to want to spend the
money for those things you're
going to get.
So, now, there is a
certified pre-owned vehicles
that you would get from
those actual dealers,
and they can have very low
interest rates and warranties
on them.
So, there's maybe a route there.
The trouble with
this question is,
it depends where you
are, the deals that
are to be had around you.
You've got to weigh that out.
If you really want
a new truck, I
mean, yeah, you have that
peace of mind, it's brand new.
I'm going to say-- this
is actually an easy one.
Because, yes, if you're
looking at a new F-150,
the used ones going
to be cheaper.
You're looking at the
new Ridgeline, used one.
But, if you're considering
both a Ridgeline and an F-150,
the Ridgeline is
considerably less expensive.
And it's a really nice vehicle.
So, if you're
considering a used F-150,
you could get a new Ridgeline
for the same price and it has--
I mean, I think
that's the choice.
Problem solved.
OK.
Let's move on.
Christopher S. says--
I own a 2010 Lexus ES350 with
just under 100,000 miles.
I want I used ES300H, but
most for $17,000 to $18,000
have 85,000 to 100,000 miles.
I know nothing about
hybrids but see
a lot make it past 100,000
miles without any issues.
Would you recommend buying a
used ES300H with 100,000 miles
as long as all the
maintenance info is present.
Jake, going to throw it to you.
Go for it.
We know a lot about
hybrids and we
know a lot about reliability.
And we know a lot
about Toyota hybrids.
We know a lot about Toyota.
So, all those together--
I mean, the truth
is is that, look,
if it was another manufacturer,
it was another hybrid system,
I wouldn't be giving
the same answer.
But the truth is that higher--
I mean, Toyota has
been about 20 years
now in in their hybrid
system, and the history
has been just stellar.
I mean, we've got reliability
going back 20 years on these,
and it's been fantastic.
And it's not 100,000 miles.
I mean, you go and
you look at listings--
x you see these
250,000 mile Priuses
that are excellent
condition, perfect condition.
I mean, we've tested
some and like, yeah,
it still continues to work.
So, I would not have any issues
with getting a Toyota hybrid
with that kind of mileage.
Yeah, go for it.
WH says-- the past
two winters, I
found myself unable to get
to my house in the snow.
I'd like to purchase my
first all wheel drive vehicle
in hopes that it can get me
up the hill in my neighborhood
and home this winter.
My budget is $25,000
and I'm looking
at a 2018 Subaru Forester, 2017
Toyota RAV4 hybrid, or a 2018
Mazda CX5.
Taking reliability, fuel
economy, and all wheel drive
systems into consideration,
which would you
recommend as my next car?
PS-- I'm familiar with the
argument for snow tires,
but I'm unable to store
an extra set of tires.
Thanks.
Ron, I'm going to
throw it to you first.
What's your suggestion here?
Really, these are
three great choices,
it comes down to his
biggest priority.
I mean, the best in
the snow is probably
going to be the Forester.
We've actually done
some evaluations--
It's got a great all
wheel drive system.
We've done some
evaluations, we also
have done some
surveys where we've
asked people what
their experiences are
in different types of vehicles.
And Subarus-- it's a
little bit different
the way they do the mechanics
of their all wheel drive system,
and it appears to
work pretty well.
It does.
Obviously, the RAV4 hybrid is
going to be the best on fuel,
and that's a great car.
But might have--
the tires might be--
The tires on any of
these, like a low run--
I'll get to that after.
The RAV4 hybrid, like I
said, that's going to be--
that's going to be the benefit
there, the fuel economy.
And then the CX5 is just a
fun car to drive year around.
The all wheel drive
system is good in that.
It's the most sporty.
Yeah, it's a sportier car.
Any of these with
proper tires on it
should be good in the snow--
I mean, any of them.
The issue is, what
tires are on it?
And, sometimes,
with Toyota hybrids,
we'll put on tires to get that
extra inch of fuel economy,
and, in our experience--
I mean, I know I was
driving our last Highlander
hybrid in the snow.
It's not about the
four wheel drive system
to get you up the hill.
I mean, the four wheel drive
system is going to get you up.
That's going to be fine.
The issue is just
you're cruising along
on some sloppy roads.
And, when you go for the
hybrid, sometimes those tires.
Now, if it's a used car and you
replace the tires, now you--
You're not stuck
with those tires.
I mean, you could
change the tires.
You can go--
That's going to
be a game changer.
And find tires that--
Maybe get some
all weather tires.
Maybe.
That's an option.
Now, he said he doesn't
have room to swap out
dedicated winter tires.
That's a perfect spot
for all weather tires.
All weather-- and, also,
can't stress enough
how important tires are,
especially in snow conditions.
And I know that this
person says that they
are unable to store
an extra set of tires,
but some tire places--
some tire changing
places, retailers
will store your extra
set of tires for you.
I used to do this when
I lived in Detroit.
I lived in an apartment, and
I had my Toyota Mark II, which
is a really great winter car.
And I bought a
set of snow tires.
And with the package I had,
they stored them and they
swapped them over on my wheels.
So, it's worth
looking into that.
If you haven't
looked into that yet,
at least go see if your local
store will do that for you.
Nothing beats a snow
tire in the snow.
Yes, absolutely,
great peace of mind.
Isaac says-- I was driving
my parents 2012 Toyota Camry
and had to floor
it off of a turn
because of quickly
oncoming traffic.
I saw a massive
puff of white smoke
behind me that I assume
came from the exhaust.
Can you give me an explanation
as to why this happened?
Thanks, love the show.
So, the first question
is, was the car cold
when this happened?
Because, if it was
cold, it could've
just been excess moisture
coming out of the exhaust pipe.
Now, if it wasn't cold and
it was this white smoke,
you're looking at, potentially,
a blown head gasket,
because anti-freeze is
going into the exhaust,
and that's why you're
getting this white smoke.
Now, if it was actually
blue smoke and not white,
now you're looking at
that it's burning oil.
And, so, now you're looking
at it could be bad valve seals
or piston rings.
The bummer is if
the engine was warm
and you got this big puff of
either white or blue smoke,
it's probably going
to be expensive.
That's the bummer.
There's something
wrong with that
and you're going to need to look
into that and get that fixed.
And it's probably not
going to be cheap.
Sorry to be the
bearer of bad news.
Hopefully, it was the engine
was cold when you floored it.
And, of course, don't floor
it when the engine's cold
is another pro tip.
OK.
True.
OK, next question-- why do rear
wheel drive vehicles handle
better than front
wheel drive vehicles,
and what is the best
rear wheel drive or rear
wheel biased SUV under $50,000?
Thank you.
Folks, you're lucky because we
have two great drivers here.
Jake is a former racing
driver, and Ryan does a ton
of dynamic testing for us--
both with the new cars
and with the tire program.
So, Jake, I'm going to
throw it to you first.
Explain to people what the
inherent advantages are
of a rear wheel drive car.
This is just physics.
So, look, the front wheels turn.
And, if you ask the front wheels
to actually accelerate too,
you're asking them to
do two different things.
I mean, it really
comes down to tires.
So, by dedicating the
front wheels just to half
to turn and not to
accelerate and you require
the rear ones to do
that, you're asking
less of the front wheels.
What it ultimately
means is more grip.
When you look at actually
front wheel drive cars--
I mean, basically everything
is going on in the front tires.
You're asking these front tires
to do basically everything.
And, in some cases, if you at
front wheel drive cars racing,
sometimes they're
lifting up a rear wheel,
because they're basically
not doing anything.
They're just along for the ride.
That looks pretty fun, actually.
So, I mean, that's
just-- it's about that.
It's also about balance.
The rear wheel drive vehicles
tend to be more balanced.
Closer to a 50-50 weight.
More to a 50-50.
So, front drive cars, all
the weight's up front.
So, what that gets
into is also braking.
So, when you're
hitting the brakes--
again, you're asking the front
wheels and the front brakes
to do everything, whereas
you have better balance--
I mean, you look at
Porsche 911, this
is why they break so
well, because they
have a lot of
weight in the back,
and now you're
distributing the forces.
There's also weight transfer.
So, the rear wheel drive
car with the front engine,
when you accelerate,
going to go rearward load
up the wheels at you, want
that traction on to go forward.
When you're braking, you're
stepping on the brakes,
you're loading up the front.
Like Jake said, if you are
asking those front wheels
to do too much, you're just
going to overwhelm them.
And, unfortunately, I think
rear wheel drive is slowly
going away, because people
want all wheel drive.
And front wheel drive
is cheaper to build.
Absolutely.
Yeah, I mean, there's plenty
of all wheel drive vehicles,
and they do have a
lot of advantage.
I mean, distributing
out the forces there,
they have the balance.
So, there's plenty
of choices out there.
I mean, look at
all the luxury cars
are pretty much
all quite balanced.
And, of course, rear wheel
drive is typically more fun
to drive as well,
because you can
do more playing with your
power on, tail out action.
It's a lot harder to
get front wheel drive
to do the things you want.
If you're going around
a corner and you
hit the gas and the
front wheel drive,
you just kind of plow forward.
Right.
But the last part of
this question was--
what is the best rear
wheel drive or rear
wheel biased SUV under $50,000?
So, I came up with--
that's actually a
really difficult vehicle
to find as well-- kind of
like that previous unicorn.
I came up with Porsche Macan.
Now, it starts at $49,900,
so, you're really.
That's without paint.
Really not going to
find one for $49,900.
You can find a year or two
old one for that price.
That's the first car
that comes to mind.
It's so fun to drive.
It almost feels like it's a
rear wheel drive at times.
But it's obviously-- if you find
one for that kind of price new.
You're smirking at us, you
don't like that answer, do you?
I love that car.
It's imaginary.
Imaginary $50,000.
I mean, you could get--
I mean, look, honestly,
you get like a BMW X3--
that's a very nice
handling vehicle.
You can get that at $50,000.
I like to dream.
Yeah.
OK.
Alex F. says-- why
is it that when
you buy a pickup truck with
4x4, the towing ability usually
decreases?
I'm assuming because
of added weight,
but if you buy an SUV like the
Honda Pilot or Chevy Traverse,
you get more towing ability with
the all wheel drive version--
5,000 pounds over the front
drive version, 3,500 pounds.
Isn't the all wheel drive system
adding weight to the vehicle?
Looking forward to your
answer and congrats
on the 200th episode.
Thanks, Alex.
Lot of love today.
So, Ryan, you tow a lot, so talk
to us about the differences--
why do the towing
capacities differ?
Yeah, so, he's actually right.
It's kind of weird.
A 4x4 truck tows a little less
sometimes than just the rear
drive version.
That comes down to
weight, like you said.
If you take a couple hundred
pounds of actual weight
and gizmos out of the front end,
you have more potential ability
to tow, because there's
less weight there.
It's never about power.
Engines nowadays can
tow more than probably
they're even rated for.
But you have to handle a
weight and you have to stop it.
So, a pickup truck
is designed to tow.
So, you take out weight,
you can probably tow more.
The SUV thing is
interesting, because it's
kind of contradictory
to what I just said.
The all wheel drive
does have more weight,
but you're towing less.
When you load up a front wheel
drive SUV with a ton of weight,
you're actually picking
up off the drive axle.
Kind of like what we just
talked about with the difference
between front wheel drive
and all wheel drive.
Front wheel drive
SUVs are asking
them to do a ton of stuff.
That front wheel drive
SUV with the same motor
as maybe that all
wheel drive one,
it could tow the same amount of
weight, bit it's handling it.
It's a balance thing.
I mean, that's the best
answer I can give you.
OK, next question-- Dave C.
says-- hi, "Talking Cars,"
love your show.
I have a question
about motor oil--
in the recommended
scheduled maintenance
for all internal
combustion vehicles,
oil changes are recommended at
a certain amount of miles or one
year, whichever comes first.
If I only put 1,500 miles
a year on my vehicle,
why should I change
it at that point?
If oil can deteriorate
while not being used,
then why don't cans of oil
come with a use-by date?
So, the short
answer is, yes, you
want to change your oil every
year regardless of how little
you drive.
I mean, obviously, if you
drive it a lot more than that,
then you're going to change
it more than once a year.
And it's not that the
oil goes bad, per se,
it's that, for instance,
you can get condensation
that builds up in
the engine, and now
that makes the oil go bad.
Or another thing is don't put
many miles on your vehicle,
but when you do drive it,
you do a lot of short trips--
or what we call cold
start situations,
which is also not good for the
engine, not good for the oil,
and you end up-- because you
don't get the engine to its
peak operating temperature--
You don't get rid
of all the moisture.
Exactly, so, now you're getting
contamination in that oil.
So, unfortunately--
yeah, once a year--
you want to change oil once
a year pretty much no matter
what.
It's a good question.
It is a great question.
In terms of the on
the shelf, it's,
well, because it's sealed.
So, I mean, that's kind
of the short answer.
So, if you open up the
oil and let it sit there,
maybe it would
need an expiration.
Right, right.
OK, Henry W. says--
how does wheel size
affect ride and handling?
I think that an 18-inch tire
would have a taller aspect
ratio and ride more comfortably
than a 19-inch tire.
When I bought my
2015 Lexus RX Hybrid,
the 18-inch wheels cost $700
less than the 19-inch wheels,
and I expected that 18-inch
replacement tires would
be less expensive than the 19s.
True or not true?
Any suggestions on
which tires I should
buy to replace the Bridgestone
run flats that came on my car.
Longtime "TR" subscriber,
and I love the show.
Ryan, you're our tire
guy-- talk to me.
So, he's right.
So, on that car, the
18-inch wheel package
will have a certain
amount of sidewall.
When you go to
the 19-inch wheel,
you want to keep the overall
tire diameter the same
so you end up with less
sidewall-- lower aspect ratio.
In general terms for the
same tire in those two
different sizes, yeah, the
less sidewall, the stiffer
it's going to ride.
Handling wise, it could
get a little better.
It's a little stiffer.
It's going to give you maybe
a little more steering feel,
or a little sharper steering.
However, we have seen--
and it can happen when we do
our tire testing, for instance--
we test the same size
tire on the same car.
And two different tires
can ride a lot differently.
One could be more
comfortable than another.
We've actually seen,
in cases testing cars
where we've rented vehicles that
had a different wheel package
and happened to
have a lower aspect
ratio but a different
brand or model tire,
and it rode better than, say,
the one that had more sidewall.
Because they can fiddle
with the compound, right?
Tires are extremely complicated.
There's a lot that
goes into it, and they
can tune a tire
differently depending
on-- even from brand to
brand, model to model,
it can be different.
What he's getting
at is it's cheaper--
that's another
thing-- generally,
it's cheaper to have
a smaller wheel size.
It sounds silly,
because it almost
looks like you're
getting more rubber
and it costs less where you
have these skinny sidewalls
and they're a little
wider, they cost more.
That's generally
the trend there.
So, a big thing is
to make sure when
you're buying a vehicle, to
see what this thing comes
with for tires.
You can buy a Honda Accord
and $200 a piece on the tire
if it has a 19 or 20-inch
wheel package on it.
So, the other thing to
consider, though, is potholes.
And when you get those
low profile, not much
rubber on the 19s,
and sometimes they're
trying really hard to get that
ride they put a soft sidewall,
means when you hit a pothole,
you're buying a new wheel.
So, you're going to be better
off with the smaller wheel
for another reason.
OK.
Gerald T. says--
hi, "Talking Cars."
On a recent ski
trip with a family,
I downshift my car to use
the engine brake to slow down
on long downhills to prevent
riding and overheating
the brakes.
Do high RPMs during
engine breaking
damage the engine
and transmission
and waste a lot of fuel?
In a it plug-in hybrid
electric vehicle,
should I use engine brake or
regen brake for long downhills?
And would I still need to worry
about the brakes overheating
with their regenerative braking?
Jake, throw this to you--
there's a lot going on
here, but talk to us
about engine braking
and that kind of stuff.
Downshift, downshift, downshift.
You're not using fuel when
you're using the engine
to slow you down.
You're not damaging anything,
and you are saving your brakes.
If you have a hybrid
vehicle or electric vehicle
and use regen braking, it's
not really regen braking.
You're not actually
using any brakes.
You're just using a generator to
generate back the electricity.
Use that first.
So, it doesn't hurt the
brakes at all either.
It's not going to
hurt the brakes,
it's not going to hurt
the system either,
because it's going to be smart
enough-- if it does get warm
or whatever-- the car's going
to be smart enough to bypass
it and not use it too much.
So, absolutely, do it.
And some of these
cars these days,
you have multiple
levels of the regen,
and, so, you can have
like 1, 2, or 3 levels,
and you can adjust that while
you're going down the hill.
If you need more, if
you need less-- so,
it's kind of neat actually.
Yeah, that's the other thing
about manual transmissions
is that that was one
of the things I love
about manual transmissions
is that you can downshift
when you're going down a hill.
You can on automatics.
Sometimes the paddle shifters
and all those things.
Most people don't use
them, but you can.
Yeah.
OK, Terry J. says--
I'm only five feet tall.
I've been shopping for a new car
and really love the 2019 Volvo
XC40.
My problem is the headrest
tilts forward pushing my head
and neck into a very
uncomfortable position I've
had the same problem when
I sit in other cars too,
so I'm not even taking
them off the lot.
Is there a head rest
resolution for shorter people?
I understand there
are safety issues,
but luxury cars can be
designed for tall people.
Thanks.
This one-- I have some
familiarity with because--
I don't have a head rest
issue when I'm driving,
and, of course, I'm almost
never in the passenger seat.
But when I take my
sister somewhere,
one of the first
things she does when
she gets in one of
the test cars is
she's annoyed with
the headrest jiggles.
Mike, why is it tilted forward?
How do I get it--
some of these you can adjust.
You push them forwards,
and they go back,
you can adjust the height.
But she does get really
annoyed with that,
and same thing-- she's
only 5 feet tall.
So, it is an issue.
What's going on with that?
That's a safety thing, right?
Well, first of all,
it's not a headrest,
it's a head restraint.
It's designed for crash
is really what it's for.
It's not to be comfortable
to put your head back there.
That's one thing.
But it's absolutely true--
some vehicles don't fit shorter
drivers or taller drivers
very well.
And that's why when we
test all our vehicles,
we put in a five-foot tester
and we put in a taller tester--
Me.
Yeah, right.
You're not the five foot guy.
But it's like that
is really important.
So, yes, absolutely, you're
buying a car, check that first.
And some do a much
better job than others.
I will say one tip, though--
sometimes when you
get in a situation--
and you may even be a
passenger in someone else's car
and you do have that situation
where that head restraint is
just smacking right in there.
Sometimes you can avoid it
by how you set the seat back.
So, if you have a very
upright position--
and maybe right in your head--
you might want to
recline it a little bit,
move the seat bottom
a little bit closer,
and you might remedy
some of that situation.
So, try different
seating positions,
but, certainly, try those
positions before you buy a car.
OK.
All right.
Well, that's going to
do it for this episode.
We got through a fair
amount of questions.
Hopefully we gave you
some good answers.
If you want to learn more
about the cars we talked about,
you can click on the
links in the show notes.
And don't forget to send
those questions, comments,
30-second video submissions
to talkingcars@icloud.com.
Thanks for watching, and
we'll see y'all all next week.

The 'Myth' of AWD; Best 2 Row SUV; Mazda3: Will It Baby? | Talking Cars with Consumer Reports #189

Consumer Reports:

We dedicate this week's
episode to your questions,
next on Talking Cars.
[MUSIC PLAYING]

Welcome back, I'm
Jennifer Stockburger.
I'm Ryan Pszczolkowski.
I'm Gabe Shenhar.
You guys have been so great
about sending your questions,
TalkingCars@icloud.com.
Keep them coming.
But we had so many, we thought
we'd do another all questions
episode.
We're going to
get right into it.
We have a bunch to answer.
Some of them might
even be some rapid fire
answers, a little quicker.
But we have two videos to start.
The first one is from Jamie.
Take a listen.
[VIDEO PLAYBACK BEGINS]
Driving around, I've noticed
an ever-increasing amount
of large trucks, and I wonder
if many of these trucks
are being used for what
they were intended to.
And I'm thinking
that maybe there
might be some other
solutions, rather than
very expensive trucks
and vehicles, which
are difficult to park.
I look forward to you
replying and thank you again
for everything you do.
[VIDEO PLAYBACK ENDS]
So Jamie, he's sitting on
a trailer in the video.
He's kind of
alluding to the fact
that there may be other
ways other than a pickup
to carry things.
So Gabe, any thoughts for Jamie?
Is this like a hidden
commercial for his own business
building trailers?
[LAUGHTER]
Does Jamie sell trailers?
Well, I think if
you have one car
in the family don't want
to own a pickup truck,
then that's a good solution.
If once in a blue moon,
you need to move something
that you need an open
bed for, then that
might be a good solution.
We have a pickup truck, but
we also have a small trailer.
Yeah, I think trailers,
too, are a little
intimidating to some people.
You pull into a parking lot got.
You got to back
up or maneuver it.
Not everyone's great at that,
so it can cause some issues.
But absolutely, you can do
get the same amount done.
In fact, a trailer you
can put more in sometimes.
Right, and I think,
Gabe, your point
of how often you need
to carry something
dirty or in an open
bed is a good decision.
Like I said, we need
to do it all the time.
But if you don't, a trailer
might be a great option.
So Jamie, good point.
Thanks so much.
Next video, Davis
from North Carolina.
[VIDEO PLAYBACK BEGINS]
Hey, Talking Cars.
I just wanted to show
you my 2018 Honda Accord,
2-liter Sport model.
As a big fan of
your show, I noticed
that you give a lot of
advice about following
the manual and the
recommendations that are in it.
However, I've noticed that in
Hondas nowadays, and possibly
some other automakers, too, that
number one, there is no manual.
Hashtag save the
owners' manuals.
Haha, that one's
for Mike Quincy.
There is also no
schedule in there either.
So one thing I'm not a fan of is
the Maintenance Minder system.
So while it might be easier for
some folks, because it's just
plug and play.
It's out of mind
for some people.
It makes it automatic.
I find a little
unsettling, in that I
don't know what's coming up.
Or for instance, what happens
if you get off schedule
on your Maintenance Minder.
As So I wanted to know what
your thoughts are about that.
I look forward to
hearing from you.
Thanks.
[VIDEO PLAYBACK ENDS]
So, yes, Davis, you may be
a paper pusher and a planner
like I am with my papers here.
But yeah, it's a
little different
that not only are the cars
prompting you for maintenance,
but you don't get all the paper.
Yeah, it's nice to see and
be able to plan out if you
are going to go to the dealer.
You can do a two birds with
one stone kind of thing.
Knock out two different
maintenance things.
And how much it's going to cost.
Yeah, but it's nice
to see it laid out.
I definitely agree with that.
The oil, the car's going
to usually tell you anyway.
You should follow
that either way.
But yeah, it's frustrating.
Sometimes I think these
systems know better.
If you're an easy driver--
we had a question a
couple of weeks ago,
a guy who hadn't
changed his oil.
It was still showing a
huge percentage of life,
but he was approaching a year.
So there are some
times in there, too.
You can download the manual,
the maintenance schedules
online at the Honda site.
So if you like that, Davis, go
for it and get those as well.
I probably would, too.
All right, we're going
to move from our videos
to our written questions.
The first one we
have is from Stephen.
"My wife and I are looking
for a mid-sized SUV.
We don't need a third row, and
we have found the compact SUVs
to be too small.
It seems like the two-row
SUV market is small.
We've decided on a
Hyundai Santa Fe,
but we're concerned
about reliability.
Are we making a good choice?
Gabe, I'm gonna throw
this one to you.
He's absolutely right
that the offerings
among two-row, mid-sized
SUVs are limited.
It's basically a Ford
Edge, Nissan Murano,
and now newcomers, like the
Chevy Blazer we just got
and the Honda Passport,
which we're picking up today.
The Santa Fe, which we just
tested, is a good choice.
It's very roomy.
I would say stick to the
regular standard engine
and don't go for
the turbo engine,
because of its hesitation
and nonlinear power delivery.
I think you can't
go wrong there.
Yeah, that's a good choice.
The Santa Fe is a good choice.
We used to have one.
We had a Santa Fe
many years ago,
my husband and I. It was great.
We opted to trade it
in for the pickup,
but it served us very well.
There are going to
be a lot more choices
in that segment of the market.
The Chevy Blazer is
just one more example.
We're actually publishing
the Chevy Blazer First Drive
online today.
So there you go.
It's funny, just a
quick funny story.
I had the Blazer,
and it's brand new,
so we haven't done
very much with it yet.
But I had it in the local
supermarket parking lot.
I'm walking in, and
this guy is following me
through the aisles.
He stops and he's like, "is
that the new Chevy Blazer?"
I said, "yeah, it is."
He goes, "it's the
best-looking SUV they've done."
He was so excited.
It's funny.
You don't realize how people
are waiting for these.
We talked about
resurrecting the old names.
I'm surprised by
that reaction though.
Because the name is Blazer.
Everyone recognizes that.
But it doesn't
look like a Blazer.
The old Blazer was a big truck.
My mom had two of them.
My sister had one.
That was her first car.
It just doesn't look that.
Completely different car.
It's quite nice.
Yeah.
He thought it was great.
He thought it was great.
So maybe he'll see it, too.
It was kind of funny.
But yeah, we will talk
more about the Chevy Blazer
next week if you're interested.
Tune in next week as well.
Second written question here.
"Hi, CR.
Number one fan here."
Thank you, Mike.
This is from Mike.
"Very soon we'll
be in the market
for my teenage
daughter's first car.
We're thinking of a
Subaru with EyeSight.
Among the Crosstrek,
Forester, and Legacy,
which would be the
best choice and why?
Thanks so much."
I've said it before.
This is what we just did.
Again, my daughter is 19.
We leased her an
Impreza with EyeSight
for all the exact same
reasons you're referencing.
My vote among those three
would be the Crosstrek,
a little smaller, a
little more manageable,
if she's a new driver.
I'm not sure she's a new driver.
She's a teenager.
But don't rule out the Impreza.
Yeah, mine, too.
I almost did that
with the Crosstrek
that we finished
testing and sold.
I almost picked that for my son.
But yeah, I think the advantage
there is that it gives you
some SUV-ish practicality.
The ride height is
a little elevated.
So it's a nice, commanding
driving position.
So it's all good.
Question for you, actually.
We seemed to get a good
deal on our Impreza.
I think because of the
popularity of the Crosstrek.
Absolutely.
So that might be worth
looking at the numbers.
And we make her pay for
it during the summer
when she's home from college.
So a little skin
in the game, too.
Good question, Mike.
Yeah he's living my life there.
Next question is from Dave.
"I forgot who your tire
expert is on the show."
Oh, who could that be?
"But I have a question--"
Should I leave?
Yes.
[LAUGHTER]
"But I don't believe this
question has been answered.
I have aftermarket
tires on my 2013 Ram
1500 that are the same
size as the stock tires.
I've been using the cold
pressure on the door placard,
but I know that's
for the stock tires.
The only info I can find
on the aftermarket tires
is the max pressure,
which isn't recommended.
Thanks for any info."
Tire expert, what have got?
A great question.
Yeah, same pressure.
If it's the same size, you're
going to use the same pressure.
If it was a different
size, it would
be slightly different pressure.
You'd have to do some
calculations to figure that
out.
But yeah, same pressure.
And very good to note
that you don't use the max
pressure on the sidewall.
So he's right there,
but he missed that--
So that placard is for every
tire you put on the car.
The car manufacturer
puts that there,
because it's designed
to that standard.
Dave, you are not alone
in asking that question.
Evan asks, "Are
manufacturer-supplied cars that
are lent to magazines
and reviewers tuned
and set up exactly like the
production vehicles consumers
would buy?"
So Gabe not only manages
what cars we buy,
but the cars we do
rent and sometimes
have from manufacturers.
We have enough
anecdotal knowledge
that press cars
usually are hand-picked
by the manufacturer.
They send the cars with
the tightest tolerances
and everything is
up-to-snuff to the press.
We've also seen that some
cars come with summer tires,
so they can achieve
better grip, better
handling in the car reviews.
All the more reason that
we buy the ones we buy.
You bet.
That's the exact reason, Evan.
A huge advantage when you
come to Consumer Reports.
You know that the formal road
tests are based on actual cars,
run-of-the-mill cars that
you and I are buying.
All right, moving to Everett.
"Why does your so
your show continually
support the all
wheel drive myth?
I watch every week,
and you consistently
speak of how cars benefit
from all wheel drive.
One of your engineers is excited
about the Prius all wheel
drive.
As you know, front wheel
drive with snow tires,
good all season tires,
or all weather tires
perform as well without
the additional weight,
mechanical complexity, or
the loss of fuel economy.
What gives?"
I think we had this
similar question before.
I just want to say,
Everett, I don't think
we do perpetuate the myth.
But maybe because of where we
live, there are many of us,
myself included, where
all wheel drive is a must.
I think it was Jake
on the episode.
His wife has an '06 Prius,
and for the first time,
she's thinking about replacing
it with the all wheel drive
Prius.
Yeah, the advantage
to all wheel drive
is moving forward,
getting going.
Right, you've done some testing
on exactly these combinations.
Right.
And he's absolutely right.
For a lot of people, a
front wheel drive car
with a good set of snow
tires on it is unbelievable.

It gives you a peace of mind.
If you take off on a slippery
road with a front wheel drive
car with snow tires,
it slips a little bit.
It's slippery.
I better drive slowly.
You take your cues
from the road.
Whereas there's times when
an all wheel drive vehicle
with, say, regular all season
tires on it, you can get going,
and then once
you're moving along,
you kind of forget that you
are on all season tires.
They may be good
all season tires,
but they have a limited
ability, and then
you can stop or turn that well.
Because you have
this false sense of I
got going no problem.
I think it's situational.
And it's the climbing
for me and for Jake.
So when you hear us say, we're
very attuned to all wheel
drive, it might
be very personal,
not necessarily CR saying
that all wheel drive is great.
By the same token, we
stress that the winter tires
are a solution that
works for many people.
The only thing that
must be noted though
is it's kind of a
pain twice a year
to replace tires,
to keep another set
on different wheels.
I mean there is
some futzing here.
Right, but Everett,
you're exactly right.
It's not a myth, but it
is a need for some people.
Paul writes, "Could you settle
a debate for some friends and I?
I live in Ontario, and I drive
a fair bit in the winter--"
Oh, very similar question.
"Snow drifts and black
ice are not uncommon,
and many people have stories
about ending up in a ditch
during the winter.
Aside from good
winter tires, what
other factors
affect how a vehicle
performs on winter roads?
Manual transmission?
Traction control?
Clearance?
The driver.
[LAUGHTER]
Yeah, so the tires
are the biggest thing.
They're the only thing
touching the road.
So a good set of snow
tires, absolutely.
As far as transmission,
for most people,
I think an automatic
is just easier.
It's less to have
to worry about.
The modern auto
automatic transmission
is very easy to drive.
You can creep, get
yourself moving
without slipping the clutch, and
spinning the tires, depending
on the situation.
What else did he mention?
Traction control.
Traction control.
So a car that you can
turn traction control off
on, momentarily, to
get some wheel spin,
so you can get out of
situations is a nice thing.
Obviously, you want to turn that
back on once you get moving.
But that's a big thing.
Sometimes you need a
little bit of wheel
spin to get the snow to
clear out of the tires
and bite into the surface.
And ground clearance, if
you're going through deep snow
obviously.
It sounds like he might be--
Yeah.
And if it's that deep, maybe
you should just stay home.
[LAUGHTER]
But it's definitely ground
clearance, for sure.
If you could build up enough
snow in front of the car,
it will actually pick
the car up off the road,
and then when your tires aren't
touching the road, guess what?
You're not going anywhere.
So all of those.
Good question.
It sounds like yes,
you have some extremes
that you must drive in.
[LAUGHTER]
Next question.
Oh, it's right up my
alley, from Aleen.
"My wife and I are expecting
our first child in four months,
and I think it's time to
replace my 1996 Toyota Celica 5
speed with 280,000 miles."
It definitely is, Aleen.
Not a good baby car.
"I'm looking for a fun, reliable
car with all the safety gear,
Android Auto,
manual transmission.
I could be persuaded to
go automatic," he said.
"I'm leaning towards a 2018
Mazda 3 or Genesis G70 6 speed.
Will those two cars baby?
Anything else I may
have overlooked?"
[LAUGHTER]
So we do, as part
of our evaluations,
not just the child seat testing,
but we actually put child seats
in all of the cars.
So I'm definitely leaning
towards the Mazda 3.
The G70 is a great looking car.
It's a lot more roomy
upfront than in the back.
Yeah, the back seat is tight.
That rear seat.
And you'll see, Aleen, those
rear-facing child seats take up
a ton of room--
so much so that
you sometimes have
to cheat the passenger in front
of them to get them to fit.
Because they have to be
reclined a certain amount
to protect the baby's
breathing, et cetera.
So I would go for the Mazda 3.
Standard safety, which
you talked about.
Android Auto is available.
The only other one
I threw in there,
but it doesn't have
the Android Auto,
is the Corolla hatch,
which got really amazing
fuel economy, manual available,
reliable, standard safety.
It just does not come
with Android Auto.
What you need to know also
is that the Mazda 3 is just
about to be redesigned.
There is going to be a new,
redesigned car in a month
or so.
And also, I'd try to maybe get a
good deal on the outgoing BMW 3
series.
Clearly this guy likes driving.
Yeah, sporty driver.
A 320i can probably
be had for that,
and it's one of the roomiest
among the sports sedan
category.
So a rear seat will
definitely be baby-friendly.
And you can get
it with a manual.
Oh, cool.
So do you think with
the new Mazda 3,
there could be a
deal on the '18?
There could be.
So that's a good thing, too.
Great.
From Terri.
"There was a time when SUVs
and minivans were categorized
as trucks, and
therefore were not
required to meet automobile
safety and emission standards.
Is this still true,
or is it a moot point
since all passenger vehicles
are required to meet
the same government standards?"
Gabe?
All passenger vehicles
are required to meet them.
There is a threshold, a
GVW, Gross Vehicle Weighting
threshold of 8,500 pounds.
Now gross vehicle weight is?
It's the weight of the
vehicle, plus all the fluids,
all the passengers,
and all the cargo.
Just wanted to clarify, yep.
And that class usually includes
heavy-duty pickup trucks,
commercial vans, and the likes.
So it doesn't apply to
actual real passenger cars.
Right.
I looked at some of
the safety standards
as we were going
through, and they either
say passenger vehicles,
which is any vehicle that
carries 10 or less passengers,
or this Gross Vehicle Weight
rating, 8,500 depending
on a standard.
8,500 to 10,000, and under that,
so once you get to the 3/4 ton
pickups, they can start
to not have child safety
latches, for example,
and things like that.
And those are getting
into commercial vehicles.
Right, you're getting
into commercial vehicles.
Those are the F-250 Super
Duty and the Silverado 2,500.
Right.
They have much of it, even
though they don't have to.
They do have most
of the safety--
They've become a little
bit more civilized.
[LAUGHTER]
From Will.
"Do you have any idea
how IIHS plans to crash
test vehicles in the future?
A decade ago, there were only
a few moderate overlap, side,
and roof strength.
Perhaps they will start to
implement high-speed crash
tests or putting everyday
vehicles against semi trucks."
So Will, to your
point, this crash
where you have a high-mass
vehicle and a low-mass vehicle
is hard to do because
it's not comparative.
But of course, we can't
speak for the IIHS
but what we've seen is very
similar to some of the stuff
we're doing.
IIHS has this full complement of
crash tests, as Will mentions.
But they have begun awarding
crash avoidance technologies,
in addition to the
crash protection.
So we've seen them do automatic
emergency braking, forward
collision, headlights.
And now they're looking at
pedestrian detection systems.
So they've skewed a little bit
from protection to avoidance,
and I think we'll have to see.
Unless some crash mode
becomes very prominent,
I think you'll see more of
that and less crash tests.
Also not destructive.
A lot of the crash
avoidance testing
is not destructive to the car.
So we'll see.
From Cal.
"I recently got a
2017 GMC Yukon XL
that has a push button start.
I can't seem to
find any way to stay
in the truck with the power
on and the engine off.
Am I missing
something somewhere?
I can't find it in the
manual or online anywhere."
Press the Start button without
your foot on the brake.
Yeah, so he's looking
for an accessory mode,
and that's the key.
With the brake, it'll start.
There you go.
It won't stay on all day, but
you'll get accessory mode out
of it.
Right, but you'll get
some accessory mode.
Quickfire from Aiden.
"My wife wants to buy a Mazda 3.
I want her to buy a Honda
Civic or Toyota Corolla,
since these cars should
have better value
later on down the road.
Is there any reason you'd
recommend the Civic or the
Corolla over the Mazda 3, so
I can use it to persuade her?"
So in unison, I think Aiden,
we'd say, get the Mazda 3.
[LAUGHTER]

We're kidding with Aiden.
They're all great choices.
They're all great
choices, but if she's
the one who has to
have herself in it,
she should be in
something she likes.
I would take the Mazda
3 though, I think.
It's more fun to drive.
The marital counseling
is next door, by the way.
That's where you go
for family counseling.
His point is taken.
The Civic and Corolla
probably have better retention
and resale value.
And they need to know that a new
Mazda 3 is around the corner.
Again, new Mazda 3
around the corner.
So maybe a deal on an
'18 or a new Mazda 3.
But all great choices.
And I think that's the point.
So Aiden, we'd let
her get the Mazda 3.
From Joseph, this is the
last question we have.
"I bought a 2018
Volkswagen Golf TSI-S,
and I intend to replace the
OEM tires before next winter.
Unfortunately, my
favorite tire isn't
available in my car's
size P195/65/R15.
I live in Minnesota, so winter
capability is important.
Could you recommend
an all weather tire
that's compatible with my car?
I know a dedicated winter
tire is the best option,
but storage space in my
condo comes at a premium."
Tire guy?
So I was surprised that they
still make tires that size.
That's a small tire.
Seems perfectly normal to me.
15-inch wheel, yeah.
So the original
tire that he liked
was the Continental,
the Extreme Contact DWS.
It's a ultra high
performance all season tire.
So in that size,
it doesn't exist.
Those types of tires are more
low-profile, bigger tires.
The Pure Contact he mentions is
a performance all season tire,
which is a great choice, but
it doesn't come in that size,
at least when I looked it up.

He's in luck though,
because we just
tested last go around
of our tire testing,
we did a bunch of
all weather tires.
And the Michelin
Cross Climate Plus,
which is a very
unique looking tire,
is almost a summer tire
with winter capabilities.
It comes in very few sizes.
It comes in this size.
Very lucky.
I mean there's like six sizes.
It comes in this size.
It is going to be a little
pricier than maybe some others,
but you won't be disappointed.
What about the Nokian WR, or
is my tire knowledge outdated?
[LAUGHS]
No, they still make those.
They're great tires, but
that has more of a snow tire
feel to it.
But it can be used year-round.
Right.
But going back, the
DWS that he liked
is a sporty tire in the summer.
And then it has some
winter capability.
This Cross Climate is like
the best of both worlds.
It's a sporty-feeling
tire in the summer,
and then it has winter traction.
It's a no-brainer if you ask me.
Yeah, sounds perfect, Joseph.
There you go.
So we certainly covered
a lot of topics.
We totally took
advantage of Ryan
being here for tired
questions and Gabe being here
for buying questions.
We will do an all questions
episode in the future for sure.
Keep them coming,
TalkingCars@icloud.com.
Thanks for watching, and
we'll see you next time.
[ENGINE REVVING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]

191699 New 2019 Chevrolet Equinox Premier AWD Blue SUV Test Drive, Review, For Sale -

McCluskey Chevrolet:

If you’re thinking about the 2019 BMW X4,
then think again.
The 2019 Chevrolet Equinox has all the bells
and whistles to make this your favorite everyday
driver.
The Chevrolet Equinox offers a rear seat reminder,
so that you don’t leave your children or
infants in the back of the car.
The Chevrolet Equinox also produces 4 more
horsepower and 2 pound feet more torque than
the BMW X4.
The Chevrolet Equinox has a standard capless
fueling system.
The fuel filler is automatically opened when
the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically
closed when its removed.
This eliminates the need to unscrew the cap
and reduces fuel evaporation...which causes
pollution.
For better maneuverability, the Chevrolet
Equinox turning circle is a 2.6 feet tighter
than the BMW X4s.
The Chevrolet Equinox also weighs 650 to 850
pounds less than the BMW X4, which definitely
helps it be faster to accelerate, handle,
and more efficiency.
The Chevrolet Equinox also offers a remote
vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can
be started from the inside of the drivers
house.
Come see why the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox is
the perfect vehicle for your SUV needs.
If you purchase it, we will cover it with
our free lifetime mechanical warranty.
Take it on one of our free 48 hour test drives
today.

2015 Chevrolet Equinox | CarGurus Test Drive Review

CarGurus:

What do T-bills, compact crossovers, and the
Cowboys choking the playoffs all have in
common
in america they're all safe bets the
2015
Chevrolet Equinox is about a safe as
digging a hole in your backyard for your
money
or learning shipbuilding if you live
near the coast
redesign in 2010 the 2015 model features
an
updated facia and some redesigning on
how they market the thing
but we'll talk about that later right
now let's just celebrate the Chevrolet
Equinox's
copious amounts of ordinary
Ok so ordinary isn't maybe the barest
assessment despite looking like the same
Equinox that we had for two years
the interiors pretty tech'd out like a lotta
Chevrolets
the Equinox comes equipped with WiFi
capabilities which
if you have an OnStar subscription means
that you can use your car as a hotspot
for about 25 bucks a month and that's
the bare minimum
you can get about 200 megs data a month
which
if you ask anybody with a cell phone is
or isn't a whole lot of data
realistically families that are going to
use a lotta data
those subscription plans are to be about
50 bucks a month which
is worth it if you want to keep your
kids quiet the back with iPad's
the interior scheme is fairly
well thought out even if the buttons and
controls
seem a little cramped in there storage
all around the Equinox is equal parts
copious
and accessible an interior space makes a
hell of a lot of sense for families
there's thirty one and a half cubic feet
of space in the back with the seats up
63.7 cubic feet when the seats down
a friend that actually moved all of his
life cross-country in one of these things
throw in the family dog too the Equinox
comfortably fits five adults with when
you get here
in the v6 is rated to tow 3500 pounds
which is a small boat or trailer full of ATV's
outside the Equinox is a little bit of
a snooze fest but that's okay
because the car really has no pretension
other than being a family hauler
which it is the good news is is when
2016 models hit show rooms later this
year they'll have a different front
facia and that's in preparation for the
Equinox moving to a smaller more
progressive platform
that underscores the idea that the
current Equinox
is on older aging platform that may not
matter to a lot of buyers considering
Chevrolet sold 250,000
Equinox the last year which doesn't
mean that it's the best crossover on the
planet
it just means it's the right size for a
lot of families but it's not
one-size-fits-all
the Equinox comes in either front or
all-wheel-drive versions
with a 2.4 liter 4 cylinder or 3.6 liter 6 cylinder
married to a six-speed automatic
neither version cracks the thirty mile
per gallon barrier
in this car the v6 ranges in the low 20s
when it comes to mileage
the engine isn't completely refined but
it's not super rough
it'll shuffled on the road with plenty of gusto
so but when you press to pass
you know that you're asking a lot from
the busy motor
driving the Equinox isn't aw inspiring
either the boxy frame
leans and pitches rolls and rocks under
hurried driving conditions
and as a reminder of how old the chassis
is but it's also a reminder of how much
its competitors like the CX 5
really have the compact crossover market
dialed in but the news is not all bad
a 22,120 to start and 36,000 here when
equipped like our tester
you can get a lot of car for your money
now it's inescapable that the Equinox
is an older crossover on an aging
chassis but
for the right amount of money you can
get you guessed it
a safe bet for family car

200928 2020 Chevrolet Trax LT AWD Test Drive, Review, For Sale -

McCluskey Chevrolet:

Are you considering the 2020 Kia Soul?
Well then check out the 2020 Chevrolet Trax.
The Chevrolet Trax offers all-wheel drive,
anti-lock brakes, and electronic stability
control to maximize traction under poor conditions,
especially in ice and snow.
Compared to metal fuel tank of the Kia Soul,
the Trax’s plastic fuel tank can withstand
harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking.
In turn, this decreases the possibility of
a fire.
The Chevrolet Trax’s engine uses a cast
iron block for durability, while the Soul’s
engines use an aluminum block.
Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone
to warp and crack at high temperatures than
the cast iron.
The Trax has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist
power steering, for low-effort parking, better
control at highway speeds, and during hard
cornering, and a better feel of the road.
The Kia Soul doesn’t offer variable-assist
power steering.
The Chevrolet Trax comes standard with an
automatic transmission for driver comfort,
especially in the city.
Automatic feature will cost you extra on the
Kia Soul.
The Trax’s front and rear power windows
all open fully with one touch of the switches
and its driver’s window also automatically
closes, making it more convenient at drive-up
windows and toll booths, or when talking with
someone outside your car.
The Soul’s standard power window switches
have to be held the entire time to close them
fully.
Only its driver’s window opens automatically.
For better stopping power, the Trax’s standard
front brake rotors are larger than those on
the Kia Soul.
In the 60 to 0 braking and stopping test performed
by Motor Trend, the Chevrolet Trax stopped
1 foot sooner than the Kia Soul.
Come on down and try this vehicle out before
you buy it with our free 48 hour test drive.
If you like it, then we will cover it with
our free lifetime mechanical warranty for
as many years and as many miles as you own
it.

200993 New 2020 Chevrolet Traverse Premier, Navigation, AWD Black SUV Test Drive, Review, For Sale -

McCluskey Chevrolet:

If you’ve been considering the 2020 Cadillac
XT6, then maybe you should check out this
2020 Chevrolet Traverse.
To reliably power all systems and to recharge
the battery, the Chevrolet Traverse has a
170-amp alternator.
The Cadillac XT6’s standard 155-amp alternator
just isn’t as powerful.
On the EPA test cycle the Chevrolet Traverse
gets better fuel mileage than the Cadillac
XT6.
For better traction, the Chevrolet Traverse
has larger tires than the Cadillac XT6.
For a smoother ride and more stable handling,
the Chevrolet Traverse’s wheelbase is 8.2
inches longer than on the Cadillac XT6
The front grille of the Chevrolet Traverse
uses electronically controlled shutters to
close off airflow and reduce drag when less
engine cooling is needed.
This helps improve highway fuel economy.
The Cadillac XT6 does not offer active grille
shutters.
In case you lock your keys in your vehicle,
or don’t have them with you, you can let
yourself in using the Chevrolet Traverse available
exterior PIN entry system.
Come on down and try it before you buy it
today with our free 48 hour test drive.