Then the show turns towards plug-in hybrids, as Benjamin and Sami quickly discuss the 2025 Toyota Prius PHEV. Formerly crowned as car of the year, the guys pinpoint what makes this Prius special compared to previous ones, and whether this plug-in variant is one of the best commuter cars on the market. Thanks for listening!

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Sami seems charmed by its more mainstream roots, while Benjamin thinks the Optiq is the embodiment of GM's recent push for EVs. With plenty of range and space, there's a lot to like about the Optiq, but there are a few oddities too, including its class-exclusive hands-free driving mode too, which wasn't working so smoothly with one of our hosts.

Then the guys talk about T-Tops, upcoming EVs and track cars, all questions asked by our fantastic listeners. Don't hesitate to head on over to the site to send us more questions, or connect with us on social media. Thanks for listening!

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Benjamin then shares how the Cadillac IQ compares to the gas powered model, which is now only available with a thirsty V8, rather that the loveable diesel. While these two share a name, they seem wildly different, but a few important factors keep them so appealing. Thanks for listening!

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Then Benjamn shares his thoughts on the 2025 Cadillac CT5 - the entry-level model to boot! A tweener sedan with a high-tech cabin, the CT5 is likely missing on many buyers short-lists, but Ben says it may have earned a spot among those checking out smaller and less featured European options.

Finally, our guys talk about the new Slate EV, a bare-bones $25,000 EV pickup a ton of customizability. Is this what people want? Let us know through our contact form or reach out to us on social media!

See Sami's Review of the 2025 Honda Odyssey at AutoTrader.ca

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Then Benjamin grabs the keys to the 2025 Cadillac XT6, a premium three-row SUV that's honest, but high-end. You may have forgotten about it, but Benjamin is here to remind you that this Caddy feels just right among a sea of overly complicated and unnecessarily high-tech options. Thanks for listening!

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Then Benjamin shares his thoughts on the recently refreshed 2024 Cadillac XT4, a luxury compact crossover with an eye catching price tag. But Benjamin notes that his tester had a few issues that may have soured his entire experience.

The guys wrap up with Toyota and how many cars they sell compared to how many are actually good. They also mention the brands dipping reliability scores, and whether Toyota is cashing in on the reputation they built over the years. It's an enlightening conversation that gets into the heads of our hosts, so don't miss it! Thanks for listening.

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Then the guys discuss a variety of automotive news, starting with a 5 billion dollar investment from VW into an EV maker, that might overshadow the German company's own ambitions, and the fatter, slower and newer BMW M5. Thanks for listening!

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Then Sami talks about the 2024 Lexus RX 450h+, a PHEV version of the ever popular Lexus RX. On a long road trip, Sami had the time to experience how practical, efficient and luxurious the new plug-in RX is, but has a few issues with its approach to technology. Is it worth the nearly $20k upgrade from the entry level RX? Thanks for listening!

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Then Benjamin takes a tangent to talk about the 2023 Lexus RX 350h, one of the luxury brands most popular products that has recently been redesigned. Is this the same crossover with a new look, or has Lexus introduced any new wrinkles to its best seller?

Finally, the conversation pivots to one about towing with driver assistance, as Benjamin describes his recent experience hauling his track car while piloting a Cadillac Escalade with Super Cruise. And of course, just for fun, the guys talk about some weird BMW news.

Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe, and send us a note through social media or our website!

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• Check Out Benjamin's New Comic Book On Kickstarter: Dead Air Issue #1 — What if one day a year, every year, you could talk to the dead? It's 90's college radio sci-fi with a soundtrack!

Then Benjamin rekindles his love affair with all things V8 and powerful by testing out the latest 2022 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack, a large coupe that's in its last year of production. Old-school and still cool, the Scat Pack seems to occupy a sweet spot in the Challenger lineup.

Finally, the pair put their heads together and congratulate Cadillac for making a car by hand, something Tesla has done for way too long. The Celestiq will cost an eye watering $300,000 and will be one of the few truly special Caddys out there according to the guys, and you may want to hear why.

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Then Sami comes on to dish some high speed electric car knowledge after his long distance trip in the 2022 Porsche Taycan GTS. From preconditioning batteries to high speed chargers and special drive modes, Sami teaches a bewildered Ben how much electric vehicle drivers have to go through to get the same road trip experience that gas powered cars can handle without a second thought.

After listening, don't forget to head on over to the website, subscribe or leave us a tip on ko-fi!

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Then Sami returns from Spain where he drove the new 2023 Range Rover Sport, including its impressive (to him) PHEV model. Sami answers the ever-important question of "Whats the deal with the Range Rover Sport anyways?" by telling you about its price, seat configuration and other products at Jaguar-Land Rover, before getting distracted by a LIGHTNING ROUND of Detroit Auto Show news.

That's the fun of this week's episode, so be sure to subsribe, drop us a line on social media, or send us a tip through Ko-Fi!

Links:

• First Drive: 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport PHEV — The latest trend in the automotive industry is to tough up a utility vehicle and sell it at a premium price as an aspirational object to those with deep pockets. Sometimes it doesn’t feel quite genuine; other times it feels like blatantly cashing in on a fad. But Range Rover has been offering high-end, go-anywhere kinds of SUVs for decades, allowing the company a bit more flexibility regarding how to stand out. The solution seems to be electrification, with our first taste coming with the Range Rover Sport Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PHEV).
• Review: The 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V Is a Roadgoing Mega Yacht With Rocket Power — The Saturn V was the king of all rockets, a towering, 363-foot monument to escaping the surly bonds of Earth, its 7.6 million pounds of thrust defying not just gravity but also its own 3,100 tons of mass on the way towards pushing manned spaceflight further into the solar system than ever before. Back on the surface of our planet, Cadillac has just unveiled its own ultra-heavy rocket: the Escalade-V, a startling merger of the brand’s largest sport-utility vehicle and its most powerful supercharged V8 engine.
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Then the pair dive into a conversation about the new 2022 Kia EV6, an all-electric car that's mechanically similar to the Hyundai IONIQ 5, but with different styling and, somehow, more range. Benjamin describes his experience in vivid detail and explains why the EV6 nets 20 more miles on the EPA test cycle, along with the car's fatal flaw. You'll definitely want to hear whether or not you should pick one up over the similar IONIQ.

Then the two talk about some news that's been burning through automotive circles. Cadillac has been caught trying to get buyers of its new Lyriq EV to sign an NDA, which caught the attention of NHTSA, which relies on owner information and reports to determine safety concerns. Then the guys talk about the weird new Toyota Crown, which sports a body style that defies convenvention, along with why you would ever design a car that offered FWD, RWD, and AWD in the same package.

All that and more inside jokes and pure car talk can be found in this week's episode, so be sure to listen! Also consider sending us a review, or some feedback, since we love to hear from our listeners!

Links:

• Review: The 2022 Kia EV6 Electric SUV Aims Straight At The Gas Free Family — There's something to be said for the future looking like the present.
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The pair then attempt to answer the question of whether Cadillac's new Super Cruise assisted driving system is even worth having in the 2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV SUV if it doesn't constantly irradiate rear seat riders with radar of questionable utility.

Sami spends his week with the 2021 Cadillac CT4 to try and figure out where the entry-level machine fits in with the luxury mothership's plans.

Finally, the pair disagree about the wisdom of Volvo choosing to only sell its EVs online, and what that means for the future of new car dealerships.

The two then discuss CES, how Benjamin hates it so much that it once sent him into a career-questioning tailspin in a Las Vegas hotel room, and how terrible it is that companies like Cadillac are bringing windowless autonomous pods to the digital-only show. The pair wrap things up with a review of TWR's Le Mans-Winning Jaguars by John Starkey.

Links:

• TWR's Le Mans-Winning Jaguars — Written by John Starkey, and available from Veloce Publishing. ISBN 978-1-787115-68-2.

Next up are a pair of platform-mates from Mazda, the new 3 Turbo and the CX-30 SUV. Is Mazda's compact star a true luxury player now that it's left its MazdaSPEED days behind? Is there really any reason to choose the CX-30 over the almost-identical 3 hatchback?

Links:

• Aston Martin's quiet partnership with Mercedes-AMG offers a glimpse into how small luxury car makers depend on larger ones to survive — It's far more complicated, and more expensive, to manufacture a modern automobile than most of us could ever imagine. This is doubly true for those scratching out an existence at the ultra-luxury margins of the industry, where development costs are rarely ever recouped by volume sales and product decisions have almost zero margin for error should they not connect with the core group of buyers — whose support is key to keeping the lights on.

Links:

• MANUAL TRANSMISSION NISSAN Z PROTO TARGETS AUTO-ONLY TOYOTA SUPRA WITH RETRO FLAIR AND MODERN TWIN TURBOS — The Nissan Z has spent the past several years watching almost every other sports car on the market zoom by it in terms of performance, technology, and perhaps most telling, sales. With only a handful of examples finding new owners in 2019, the once-proud rear-wheel drive coupe has been on life support in world where the Chevrolet Corvette has morphed into a mid-engine monster and even four-cylinder hot hatches are turbocharging their way past the Nissan's performance envelope.

Links:

• These Cars Were Set Up to Succeed But Failed Anyway — On paper, these eight cars should have been winners. They were not.

Links:

• 2018 Maserati Quattroporte Review — It’s not cheap, but it is an exclusive ride and one that sounds so sexy, too.
• 2018 Maserati Levante Review — It’s gorgeous and sounds great, but there’s more than meets the eye (and ear).