This week we share our driving impressions of the 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness, and discuss how this all-terrain SUV's off-road credentials compare to the standard Outback. We also talk about NHTSA's (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) new requirements for automakers to report all automated driving related crashes, and how this could benefit drivers. We share news from the Stellantis auto conglomerate (which owns Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat, and Alfa Romeo in the US,) and its plans for the electrification of its fleet, and some interesting slogans to market its new EVs. Other topics include: which vehicles would be best suited for areas with high potential for hurricanes; how to properly maintain a car's A/C unit in the peak of summer; and if you should hold off on purchasing a used vehicle with outstanding recalls.
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SHOW NOTES
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00:00 – Introduction
00:32 – NHTSA Requires Automakers to Report Automation-Related Crashes
03:45 – Stellantis Reveals Plans for Vehicle Electrification
07:46 – Best Vehicles to Survive a Severe Storm
19:12 – Question #1: What is the proper way to maintain your car’s A/C unit?
22:11 – Question #2: Is it possible to put the Toyota Supra’s transmission into neutral without starting it?
25:41 – Question #3: Which advanced safety gear is better, camera or radar based?32:05 – Question #4: Is it safe to purchase a vehicle with outstanding recalls?
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2020 Subaru Outback Quick Drive
Automakers Now Required to Report Automation-Related Crashes
Prepare Now for Hurricanes and Severe Storms
Why Flooded Roads Are More Dangerous Than They May Appear
Automakers Are Adding Electric Vehicles to Their Lineups. Here’s What’s Coming.
What’s Next in Car Safety
Car Recall Guide: Your Questions Answered
Car Recall Tracker
How to Choose the Best Home Wall Charger for Your Electric Vehicle
Guide to Car Safety
Coronavirus Resource Hub
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Keith looks like he had a rough week!
Can CR weigh in on the recent Bolt EV fires and the nascent movement toward buybacks?
Yes, as a 2017 owner I’m trying to get info from any angle possible. So far it’s been the early 2019’s burning so maybe the process changed over time but I’m still in the recall group and now we know GM’s monitoring software isn’t catching the edge cases. I now have to convince the police dept in my village that this should be an exception to the only twice a month allowed street overnight parking. My odds are 1 in about 4200, which would be great if it was the Lotto.
VIN Number = “vehicle identification number number.”
VIN #
Keith looks fine, the black plastic on that Outback looks…not so much.
He usually wears a button up shirt
Stock F-150 Hybrid; 700+ mile range on a tank of fuel.
I’m surprised you didn’t talk about Bolt EV owners bring asked to not charge their cars in a garage because they might catch fire.
I’m all for more data to be given to an agency so it can make informed decisions or help inform the public, but that 1 day turnaround time seems a little extreme (unless there is a specific reason for it that I can’t imagine currently)
“….green unless you order another color.” Cute.
Turn around, don’t drown!
I don’t understand why car companies don’t make EVs compact and mid-sized SUVs. They have room for larger batteries and are a huge part of the market that people are willing to pay a premium for over smaller autos, but they keep making compact and subcompact EVs that don’t have enough room to be your ONLY car. 300 miles per charge should be the minimum. Every car I’ve ever owned has been able to do that easily and I routinely travel from my house in Central VA to NoVa. I can make that round trip on a single tank of gas, but not a single EV on the market can on a single charge.
I thought insurance companies were already offering discounts for vehicles with AEB etc? So they must be getting their data from their policy holders. Maybe NHTSA could ask for various insurance companies’ data.
Best vehicle to outlast a storm: TOYOTA
Replace the annoying weird neck beard guy with Ryan and you’d have the perfect panel.
Time stamp = 12:34 for the Outback Wilderness discussion