We share our first impressions of the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, discussing its performance on our track, and how it stacks up to competitors like the Toyota Highlander, Kia Telluride, and Honda Pilot. We preview the newly announced 2023 Nissan Z, including its highly anticipated 3.0L Twin Turbo V6 engine. Chevrolet has expanded its battery recall on the Bolt EV and EUV models, and what owners should do to stay safe until a fix is available. We also share audience feedback on their "Forever" car choices; whether the rapid speed of improvements will leave current electric vehicle shoppers with outdated battery technology; if that "new car smell" is toxic (and how to get rid of it if it's not for you); the safest way to change wheel sizes on a car; and which Toyota RAV4 is the best choice for a driving enthusiast.
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SHOW NOTES
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00:00 – Introduction
00:29 – Audience choice for the “Forever” car
06:03 – GM’s battery recall for Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV
07:37 – 2023 Nissan Z Preview
13:45 – 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L First Impressions
26:33 – Question #1: Will rapid speed of improvements leave current electric vehicle shoppers with outdated battery technology?
29:40 – Question #2: Can the “new car smell” be toxic, and how to get rid of it?
32:13 – Question #3: What is the safest way to change wheel sizes on a car?
37:04 – Question #4: Which Toyota RAV4 is the best choice for a driving enthusiast?
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GM Recalls All Chevrolet Bolts Due to Fire Concerns
First Drive: New 3-Row 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Is Sized for a Growing Family
Preview: All-New 2023 Nissan Z Combines Classic Cues, Modern Performance
When to Replace Your Tires
Low-Profile Tires vs. Potholes
How Consumer Reports tests ultra performance tires
Guide to Car Safety
How to Safely Work on Your Car at Home
Coronavirus Resource Hub
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I always give a thumbs-up why Consumer reports duh.
way to spoil the new car smell experience. i can’t even enjoy that now 🙂
The plastics in cars give off gases…….that’s why interior of windshield gets that foggy look and needs to be cleaned periodically
Random question. After a google search for up to date (within a few months) of how many vehicles each manufacturer has sold that have qualified for the EV Federal Tax credit. Seemed like a simple question but the results showed sales data at least six months old. I’m trying to figure out how many sales they have remaining before the credit starts stepping down. Does anyone know a reliable source for this kind of data?
YAY! I was waiting Friday for this episode and thought it was canceled. LOVE Talking Cars!!!
Dream car 1994 celica
I’m glad Chevy is doing the responsible thing. I still cringe when GM and Toyota tried to hide their life-threatening defects a decade ago.
Thank you.
I have a 2015 Spark EV with an LG battery pack. I hope it isn’t at risk for catching fire. It was such a low volume, and limited market, car. They likely won’t see the cost-to-risk benefit as worth a recall if it’s a danger. 🙁
Been watching TC’s for many years and enjoy everyone on the team. I will say that these three with Mike, Alex and Ryan did a great job on this episode and have great chemistry together.
I agree with Ryan, I recently looked at buying a RAV4 and ended up buying a Mazda CX-30 (decided I didn’t need the additional space of the CX-5) because it just drove so much better.
I get that there is a lot of marketing around the 800v system but in reality it has nothing to do with charger speed really. Higher volts allow smaller cables to be used to move the same amount of power (kW). Given that the charging is always reported in kW, there is no reason to focus on the voltage. Focus on charging speed from 10% to 80% and maybe glance at the 80% to 100% time for the case where you need to charge above 80% to make the next charger. Everything else is marketing.
The reason EVs feel like they are moving fast is because as manufactures move from compliance vehicles to converted gas cars to dedicated BEVs, they have moved fast. If you look at something like Tesla, not much has really changed since 2016 outside of the normal a bit faster, a bit longer range, a bit better tech which is typical of all consumer products.
Am I first?
The base gas RAV 4 LE AWD drives the best. It’s lighter than the rest.
My wife still talks about her first car, the CRX.