In the final Autoblog Podcast of 2018, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor Alex Kierstein and Associate Editor Reese Counts. They kick off the conversation by talking about a couple of hot new vehicles: the Ford Ranger and Mercedes-Benz A 220 4Matic. Then they round up the biggest stories of 2018 before helping a listener choose a new car in the "Spend My Money" segment.
Thanks for listening, and happy holidays. The Autoblog Podcast will be back next year.
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GREG MIGLIORE: Welcome to another episode of the "Autoblog Podcast." I'm Greg Migliore. Joining me today for our last podcast of the year in the studio is associate editor Reese Counts.
REESE COUNTS: How's it going?
GREG MIGLIORE: It's going well, and, one more time for 2018, on the phone's senior editor Alex Kierstein.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: How's it going, guys?
GREG MIGLIORE: It's going well. A lot of us are about to get some time off. Yeah, it's the holiday season, so let's be festive.
And here is the show rundown. We are going to talk about the new Ford Ranger-- big deal, one of the biggest stories of the year. It's back. It's finally back.
Alex, you drove it, and you're going to tell us exactly how this measures up. Then Reese and I have spent some time in the Mercedes A class sedan, which they actually kind of stunned us when they said they were going to bring this car to the United States, but, hey, they did. And, Alex, you actually, I believe, did the first drive on this, so we'll have a bit of a Mercedes small sedan party.
Then we're going to recap the biggest stories of 2018. There were a lot of them. We'll tell you what we think they meant and how they might pertain to 2019. And, lastly, we will spend your money, so let's get started.
Ford Ranger, it's back. You drove it, Alex. What do you think?
ALEX KIERSTEIN: I really am self-conscious about how much I like this truck. I've been trying to question-- you know, do a little bit of self-editing and self-censorship because on the drive, I was gushing. And, yeah, I was trying to tone it down a little bit because I wanted to make sure I was looking at it objectively. But, honestly, with that weird preamble aside, I think it's the class-leading truck.
One of the reasons that I was critical of this great first impression is, I'm sure as you guys know, this is an older vehicle technically. It was designed by Ford of Australia. It debuted in 2011, was adapted for the US market, and I was really concerned that it was going to feel like an old truck with the light refresh.
And, you know, I'll throw it back to you guys in a second. You can ask me some questions about it, but, basically, it doesn't feel like that. It feels like a new truck, a truck that was almost built to-- for this moment, built to compete against the Colorado, and the Frontier, and the Tacoma. It felt to me like a new truck, so it was disconcerting I guess is what I'm trying to say. I really liked it, and I was trying to be critical and see if there's anything I'm missing. I don't think there was.
GREG MIGLIORE: That is pretty high praise I think. I was honestly ready to be kind of cynical about this truck, you know, mindful of some of those basic specs that, hey, this is kind of an older vehicle. You know, when the ranger was leaving us about, you know, five years ago-- five, six years ago-- it really wasn't the right truck at the right time anymore. It really had grown out of step with the marketplace, but, you know, reading over your review, you won me over as far as, like, I need to give this thing a good, strong look when we get them in the press fleet.
I've seen one. I've seen them at auto shows. I've seen them at-- I was at a Ford event actually a couple of weeks ago. And just like-- it looks the part, you know? It really has a good Ranger identity.
That's my take from not driving it. But it-- you know, I think there was some concern that they might do like-- I don't know-- I would say a baby F-150, which could totally work in many different ways. But my, like, gut reaction just from sort of being around it is that the truck really has its own identity and that this is sort of a real new lease on life for the Ranger.
REESE COUNTS: So, Alex, remind me again. Like, outside of the powertrain, what else ha Ford done to adapt it for the US market? I know some of the styling is different, but what else is going on?
ALEX KIERSTEIN: The basic idea is Ford took all the hard points that were already engineered, the major measurements, you know, the wheelbase where the cab bolts to the frame and that kind of stuff, and then they had to re-do a lot for the US market. You know, to some degree, the way they were describing, I think, is a bit of marketing puffery. They want to make it sound like an all new truck, but the frame is all new. That makes sense from a regulatory standpoint.
Their crash standards abroad are way different than here, so they used a lot more high-strength steel there. They use more aluminum in the body, hood, I think the door skins. Don't quote me on that, and I know the tailgate is aluminum.
And then I think you're exactly right. It was a lot of styling stuff because, as I noted in the review, in the rest of the world, people like their trucks to be a little more car-like-- they're a little softer. It's just the way they like them to look-- or weird. I don't know if you guys have seen the Mazda BT-50. That is a weird looking truck.
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: But so they butched it up a little bit for the US market. It looks a little more rugged. And to Greg's point, it doesn't look like a baby F-150 to me. It doesn't feel like a baby F-150 to me.
I was worried it was going to kind of end up feeling like just a shortened version of the F-150. It really has its own identity. It feels like its own thing, and I think the powertrain has a lot to do with that. It is a small powertrain. It's a 2.3 EcoBoost.
Power and torque is good. And compared to the 10-speed transmission, the bottom line is it does a better job of moving the truck around than a natural-aspirated V6 paired with a six speed, which is what most of the competitors have. It just moves better off the line, has more gears so it could stay in the power band longer.
It just felt great. I don't know how else to describe it. It was comfortable inside. Right size.
I kept saying right size, and that's how it felt. It felt like it was the right width, interior measurements, external measurements. It's the second smallest truck in the segment, but it's a great compromise.
I will say the drawback on this truck is there is no bargain basement version. The cheapest Ranger, I think, comes in right around 26 because that powertrain is it. There's no-- most of the other competitors have a slow, a lethargic, not very economical four cylinder to just drop the entry level price down. This one kind of comes in fighting against the V6s.
So the stripped down version is pretty stripped down. You know, you can get a vinyl floor and stuff, but it still has that powertrain. So it's interesting. It can't compete with a base Frontier or Colorado on price, but it's very competitive against the V6s.
REESE COUNTS: Is there, like, a stripped work truck version of this because I know you can get, like, a $21,000, $22,000 Colorado with, like, no options. Is Ford offering something similar?
ALEX KIERSTEIN: Not really. I mean, like I said, you can get one that has entry level infotainment system, entry level gauges, base cloth seating, not a lot of the frills, but it still has that powertrain. So, like I said, I want to say the base price-- and I have it pulled up-- I think that's right about 26. That's a 4x2 extended cab with no options.
So it comes quasi equipped right out of the gate. There's no work truck fleet version. It's just an XL.
GREG MIGLIORE: I kind of feel like Ford is very conscious of the image of the Ranger when it was sort of on its way out. It was, you know, an old vehicle. Around Michigan, they were, like, ubiquitous. Like, you could not shake a stick without seeing a Ranger. I mean, literally, so many different kinds of people drove them.
But sort of towards the end of its life, it did kind of sort of turn into almost like a college car, like a beater car, if you will. And I think, trying to get inside their head, it seems like they want to position this is a-- not a premium offering, but something that is aspirational. Like, this isn't something you drive because you can't afford an F-150. You want a Ranger. Like, this is desirable on its own merits.
And judging from what you're saying and my own kind of, you know, reconnaissance, I guess, I think they're succeeding. I think, you know, go with the good powertrain. I don't really think anybody wants to drive a detuned Ranger or something with, like, you know, an older V6 or, like, some raspy four cylinder or something. I actually think it's the right play to kind of come at this thing, you know, the $26,000 roughly starting price, and then go up from there. I mean, when you consider the average transaction price is now in the 30s, I think 26 is actually a pretty good value for a small truck that, you know, looks to be very capable too. So--
ALEX KIERSTEIN: Just to jump in so no one gets on our case about the entry level price, base price with MSRP is $25,400, $25,395 so just under 26. That's cloth seats, steel wheels, 4x2, with a black bumper and the black grille. Actually, I'm looking at a picture of the truck right now in blue, the sort of-- what's it called-- lightning blue. It actually looks great with the steel wheels. [LAUGHS]
I'm super into the low spec version of this truck. They had one there, and I sat in it. And it had, you know, the vinyl floor, which was really nice. Super easy to clean out. It made me want to go home and rip the horrible stained carpet out of my Tacoma and put a vinyl flooring kit in it. It's awesome.
REESE COUNTS: I just pulled this up on the Ford website. That does look good with the bright blue.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: Greg, you know, I think your point is spot on. It was a bit risky, older truck, not designed here. They could have done less to it and had it flop a little bit more. They could have done a multi-powertrain strategy. I think it's really smart.
I mean, Ford is all in on EcoBoost, so making this an EcoBoost only thing is good. It's good from a market position thing, and it's good from a fuel economy perspective. And it's good from a messaging perspective, so, yeah.
GREG MIGLIORE: Cool. I think it'll be interesting to see to really break down what comes next if they offer any different variants of this. You went out there with Chris McGraw, our senior producer, who recently went to Australia to drive the Ranger Raptor, which they've basically confirmed-- I believe Joel Stocksdale actually reported that for us-- that they're not bringing it here. So I do wonder how they diversify the Ranger portfolio going forward.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: Well, what I've heard-- and I've had some intel from some Ford insiders. So none of this is official, and it's subject of change. My understanding is this is it for this generation for right now. Remember, the truck is older. I've heard it's going to have a short cycle in the US, and then they're going to redo the truck entirely for the entire world sort of engineering it from the get-go.
I think if that happens, that would be fine, and we might get a Ranger Raptor at that point. What I'm worried about is the ghost of the old Ranger, which was basically the same truck from, like, 1992 until 2012 with some minor updates. I'm worried that Ford is going to have a bad quarter. Investors are already freaking out about their strategy.
And I'm a little worried that the rest of the world's going to get a new truck, and we're going to be stuck with this for 20 years. So if that happens, that's bad news. But I don't know. I don't think-- but you can't get away with that anymore with increasing fuel economy standards, so I think Ford's going to have to redo the truck. And I think at that point, we'll have cool other variants, but, for now, my understanding is this is it.
GREG MIGLIORE: I think, too, they will have to be mindful of, you know, letting the Ranger age gracefully and remain competitive. They have to because we have a long-term ridge line, which is very good. It's, you know, very well-rounded truck.
It's certainly probably the least truckiest of the midsize category right now. The Taco, the GM trucks, now this Ranger, and, of course, the Gladiator are all, you know, much more like kind of traditional truck feeling mid-sizers. But I think the Honda is an excellent truck in many different ways.
I think the Taco is a lot of fun. I think it's a little rougher. I can't wait to drive the Gladiator. And General Motors is just, you know, consistently doing a good job with its-- you know, the Canyon and Colorado twins.
So Ford cannot really afford here to slip up and say, hey, we'll let this thing age because, you know, we expect refreshes for the GM ones. The Gladiator's coming this year. I mean, they really have to stay on the ball and stay focused.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: Yeah, I think you're exactly right. I'm really excited to spend more time with this truck. I didn't get much of a chance to do real off-roading. I didn't really get a chance to tow.
They had a boat there, and I guess someone ripped a fender off of the trailer. I don't know what happened, but I didn't get a chance to tow with it. I'd really love to spend a week in this truck, and I'd love to get back into the Tacoma and back into the Colorado again, kind of compare, spend a little more time in all of the trucks. I'm hoping to do that in 2019 and report back with some more extensive findings.
And I'm interested-- you know, I'm sure the truck's going to come through Detroit for all you guys at home, so really interested to hear if anyone there has different thoughts or opinions on the truck because, you know, we're all different people. We all have sort of different preconceived notions about what a truck needs to be and do. So very curious to hear what you guys think of this truck.
GREG MIGLIORE: Sounds like a good comparison there-- Reese, what do you think-- for some vehicles in the fleet.
REESE COUNTS: Yeah, maybe it's a nice winter comparison when we don't have to worry about sports cars and tires. And, yeah, I'm still, like, amazed about how much the segment's blown up in the past few years. I mean, it seemed like five, seven years ago, the whole thing died off. Ranger went away. The Colorado went away for a few years, and we had-- I mean, the Frontier was around, but that's--
GREG MIGLIORE: We forget the Frontier has never gone away.
REESE COUNTS: Right.
GREG MIGLIORE: This is the same Frontier that the Ranger will now be competing with again.
REESE COUNTS: And it was just the Tacoma for a few years, and then the Colorado came back. And GM sold, like, half a million of those since, like, 2014. I mean, it's insane.
And then so we've got Ford coming back. We've got the Gladiator coming. RAM has announced they're coming out with a new truck in this class. I mean, I love this class.
Alex, you're exactly right. This is just perfect sized. I think all the full-sized trucks are just too big for me. And the mid-sizers are long. I mean, there's no getting around that.
But I don't know. They're just-- they feel so right and so cozy. I never feel like I'm worried about crossing over the lanes or anything. They just-- they all drive really, really well because they drive smaller than they actually are.
They're still plenty capable and plenty-- there's a lot of utility there. But they're not-- I don't know. I love this class right now and everything in it pretty much.
GREG MIGLIORE: I am curious. Alex, you did a nice history piece, and, of course, you know, if you're listening, you're going to want to head to Autoblog. Check this out on our site. We have Alex's first drive, Chris's first drive of the Ranger Raptor, and, like I was getting to, Alex did a nice history piece on just where the Ranger has been and where it's going.
I'm just curious your take. Did this sort of feel like a Ranger as you remember it? Like, I think we're of a certain age where Rangers were fairly common. Is this something different? What was just the Ranger vibe, and how do you think that will translate to this whole new generation of people?
ALEX KIERSTEIN: I don't really feel like this has a lot to do with the old Ranger other than the name. The old Ranger, I mean, if you read the history, it was a truck that was designed in response to the fuel crisis of 1973. And it had its own evolutionary arc here, and, yes, the truck did improve and change. It went through three generations. But its idea didn't change fundamentally.
It didn't really do anything different than other trucks in the segment. They got long in the tooth, and they were expensive to produce. It's a new world now. Full sized trucks are selling at ever higher prices. We now have a little room underneath them to start selling vehicles like this, and I think this occupies-- well, it occupies a different market position than those old compact trucks, even with a quad cab compact trucks were a stretch to put a family in.
The new Ranger, even though it's compact compared to other mid-sizers, totally fits a family of four. A couple car seats? Sure. It's not as roomy as an F-150, but it's also a more usable, practical size for people that aren't, you know, towing 15,000 pounds or whatever.
I mean, this is kind of a do-it-all, no compromises size and fuel economy rating, so it-- I don't know. I'm not reminded very much of the old truck. That doesn't really come to mind when I'm in or driving the new one. It's sort of something unrelated.
GREG MIGLIORE: Cool. Well, I think that sums it up pretty well. I, for one, cannot wait to drive this. I've really enjoyed this resurgence of the midsize truck segment. It's really been something that I didn't really think I'd see.
You know, I literally remember driving one of the last Ranger press vehicles. It was a blizzard. I want to say it was-- jeez-- 2011 or 2012, and, like, this thing was all over the road. It was literally like, you know, driving a used car. It was really, you know-- it was rough, and obviously the conditions made it even more so.
But I also kind of had a soft spot for that old truck, that little truck. It was cool. So, you know, like I said, I can't wait to drive it. Reese, yeah, man, you're on the clock. You got to get one of these things in our fleets here in Detroit.
REESE COUNTS: Oh, yeah. Don't worry. I'm well on my way.
GREG MIGLIORE: Cool. So we did have, in our fleet in Detroit, the Mercedes A 200, which was pretty cool. I enjoyed it. I know you just got out of it, Reese, last night. I had it the night before.
This was a car was kind of prepared not to like. I thought it would be too small. I thought it made no sense to me with the CLA, but then I drove it. And I thought, well, hey, this looks better than I thought.
I immediately decided I like it better than the current CLA. It sounds like they're going to reveal the new CLA pretty soon. We've seen teasers, so, you know, who knows? Maybe I'll flip-flop again.
But right now, I think this is the car to beat maybe in that segment even. I mean, I think it's-- it and the A3 are really solid. It's kind of in a class by itself too when you consider like, you know, the BMW 2 Series is a rear-wheel drive. The X2 is a crossover. If you want, like, a sort of sprightly, luxurious, small sedan, I came away thinking this is kind of your best bet.
It looks nice. It feels like a Mercedes, and I'll be-- I'll do a total cop out here. My only complaint was the price.
We don't have a full spec sheet on it, but just eyeballing it, looks like there's $10,000 in options on this thing. So, to me, it's like, at that point, you might as well just look at a C class, but beautiful car. What'd you think?
REESE COUNTS: So speaking of C class, when I-- I had this last night, and I parked it in the basement next to my '99 C class. And I pulled up the dimensions. They're almost exactly the same. They're within, like, a half inch in length I think but roughly the same height, roughly the same wheelbase. The A class is, like, an inch and a half more narrow.
But you were talking about this is too small. This is the same size as my 20-year-old Mercedes that's now a step above this, which I thought was pretty funny. I wanted to park these next to each other. Joel mentioned it the other day.
But I was stoked to drive this thing, and I like came away really, really, really impressed. The old CLA, the previous entry-level Mercedes, I don't remember the last time I drove one, but I don't remember being too hot on it. It felt like really cheap, and I think I didn't like the design all that much. I think the proportions were very odd on it.
I think this thing's really, really handsome, the A 200, that is. I think the interior is far and away better than the CLA. I mean, it looks and feels like a proper Mercedes. It looks and feels like just a scaled down, like, C class, or E Class, or S class. I mean, that's-- and I think that's what I've wanted from this. I just wanted this to be a smaller Mercedes, and it genuinely feels like it.
The powertrain's really smooth. I've been-- I felt some issues with the dual clutch. I don't know if either of you guys experienced it, but there was some-- I was having some odd low-speed modulation problems. Like, it kept wanting to-- it didn't want to creep very well and several times in several situations.
But other than that, I really didn't have any complaints about it. It's maybe not as quiet as I would have expected. I think the A3 is a little more quiet.
But, yeah, the A3 was my favorite thing in this class before. It's not a very big class, and I really don't count the BMW 2 Series since it's a coupe. It's rear drive. It's a little more expensive, and it's a lot faster than the other two.
But, yeah, I really dig this thing. I cannot wait for the AMG variance of it. Yeah, I was really impressed walking away. Alex, do you-- you drove it too maybe a little while back, but you seemed pretty hot on it as well.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: Yeah, and, you know, to put it in context, I don't like the CLA at all. The CLA and the GLA, to me, really felt like almost as if they were a different company's products that Mercedes had rebranded, like the captive import thing where, like, Dodge sold kind of lousy Mitsubishis for a while. I hope that doesn't anger anybody, but that's kind of how I felt about the CLA and the GLA. They did not really feel like quality Mercedes products.
I mean, the A class, I went on their first ride back in September, and I came away really impressed. I really thought it was a better entry level Mercedes than the CLA. The weird thing is the CLA, the old CLA is still on sale, and it's technically above the A class. And I think the A class is nicer, better looking, and better driving. It's such a weird strategy.
I also don't think they need two small front-drive sedans or front-drive base sedans in the US, but, you know, who am I to second-guess their strategy? I'm sure they have one, right? But if someone wanted a small Mercedes right now-- I don't know if you agree with this, Reese, but I recommend this.
And I think you're right. I'd probably recommend this over a C class in some situations. There's stuff in the C class I don't think you need. You don't need a rear-drive vehicle. It's not that much bigger than this, so--
REESE COUNTS: Yeah, I mean, I think the-- it's really not that much bigger than this, and this starts significantly less. I mean, the C class is, compared to the rest of the things in the class, the A4, the 3 Series, it's a little more expensive. It's a little bigger, but it's a little more expensive.
And, yeah, I think for a lot of people, this is going to be a better buy. You can get a lot more content in it, and you-- it doesn't feel like a discount car. The CLA always felt like a discount, and this doesn't. And I think that's what I was most impressed about. Even the A3, compared to the rest of the Audi lineup, doesn't feel quite as premium. And this is just a small Mercedes, and it feels every bit of its, like, Mercedes-ness.
Yeah, I'm really excited. I hope there is an update to the GLA soon enough that does this interior, does this level of refinement because that's what people are buying is crossovers. And something in this size with that interior, that interior is so good and all the little technology in it. Last night, I found the little augmented reality navigation system, which was rad. I don't know if either of you guys played with that very much, but my wife and I were just playing with it coming home from dinner and doing some last minute Christmas shopping. And it was some of the coolest things.
Ever check out the site. We'll have a short cut on it relatively soon because I want to go shoot that. But, yeah, it's got everything I want in a Mercedes in just a little more compact package.
GREG MIGLIORE: That interior is stunning.
REESE COUNTS: Yeah.
GREG MIGLIORE: I mean, you know, to go back to my caveat, I mean, it's stunning because it has like a couple of several thousand dollars worth of options that make it look really nice, but even subtracting that, the layout is good. Most of the basic materials are very solid. And, yeah, I mean, at night with the ambient lighting kind of casting this kind of beautiful glow, I mean, if you would've blindfolded me and said where are you? I would not have been able to tell you exactly which Mercedes I was in because it was really that elegant on an interior.
It's fairly quiet. I like the way the gear shifter was a stock. That just surprised me, and I just kind like that feel. It was very thin.
The steering wheel felt a little thin too. There was just a lot going on there that I was really pleased with. It really-- it was enjoyable.
REESE COUNTS: Yeah.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: I think Reese is exactly right though, much more important for this market, even than the A class or the CLA, it would be a GLA that takes all the lessons that Mercedes has obviously learned and applies it to that vehicle. I think what the company does with GLA is really, really going to matter, and hopefully it's an improvement on this one.
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah, The GLA was one of the earlier entries into the subcompact luxury crossover segment, but I think it's been quickly eclipsed by a lot of others. I drove the Audi Q3 a few months ago in Italy, and that's not coming out in the US until, like, fall of 2019. But that thing is phenomenal and way, way, way better than what Mercedes is offering with the GLA. But if Mercedes can, like you said, Alex, take the lessons from this or the A class and apply it to the GLA, they're going to have a really, really compelling product.
OK, so that's the A class. We-- I think it's unanimous. We like it better than the CLA class, and we're definitely enjoying it in our fleet. Lots of driver's notes on that coming up towards the end of the month, and we're going to rate this too, Reese, right?
REESE COUNTS: Yeah, we'll have it probably around the same time as the driver's notes, so check that out for--
GREG MIGLIORE: Full royal treatment, right?
REESE COUNTS: Yeah, for the rating and the driver's notes in the next week or so.
GREG MIGLIORE: Cool. All right, so moving on to the new segment, we're going to talk about the biggest stories of the year. We say this every year. It seemed like it was a pretty newsworthy year, but this year, it really was. I mean, we had a lot of stuff going on here.
Just a quick rundown of stuff we can talk about here. Tesla, just full stop, you know, pick your news story. All kinds of stuff happened there. Sergio Marchionne unexpectedly passes away. Carlos Ghosn is unexpectedly, I believe, still in jail, which is stunning.
GM's announced some layoffs. The federal government announced tariffs. We got a lot going on. The Gladiator probably stands out to me as among the biggest reveals, but there were a lot of big reveals this year-- 911, lots of good stuff.
So I don't know. Where do we start? I guess we could maybe tuck a little Tesla. It seems like that kind of always rings true.
I just-- I kind of think this was a pivotal year for Elon and Tesla. And it was-- you know, when you talk about unexpected, the fact that the feds said, hey, you have to step down from being chairman, I mean, that, to me, is one of the biggest news stories of the year. He's still CEO. He's still in charge. He's still the face, the front man of the company.
But all the stuff going on with Tesla this year, I think, really showcased just how important they are in our industry, how important they are to, I think, all of our readers and viewers. And, you know, they're really-- they're not going anywhere, but they just-- in some ways, the controversy is just following them. It's never ending as, I think, 2018 really showed on that front.
REESE COUNTS: I think this is more an Elon problem than a Tesla problem. Tesla is selling every Model 3 they can make as fast as they can make him them, which is getting quicker and quicker by the week. Quality issues aside, which seem to be improving but were a big issue at first, the Model 3 seems to be a huge success.
Elon, on the other hand, is having, like, a rough year. There's the whole thing with the SEC and going private. And I don't know. I honestly, like, don't know what's going on with him. I don't-- none of us are inside there, so we don't know what's going on day to day. But, yeah, it's been a up and down year.
I think Tesla itself is doing better than probably it's ever been. They're making money. They're making lots of cars, which is great, but their leadership and their board is just kind of a mess right now.
GREG MIGLIORE: I think that'll be one of the biggest stories of 2019 is if they can sort all this out and really pull in the same direction.
REESE COUNTS: Yeah, I agree. The next year is going to be just as interesting, if not more interesting, than it was this year for Tesla.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: You know, it's frustrating. And I said this on an earlier podcast, so I'll try not to completely rehash what I've already said. But I love that there's an independent American car company building EVs, and they're objects of desire. You know, people aspire to own a Tesla. It's awesome.
It's different than other-- EV startups in the past here have been tiny EV versions of foreign micro cars, and it's just been awful. I think it's really cool. On the other hand, some aspects of the fan base, and the culture, and the leadership just drive me up the wall.
I don't know that Tesla would be the same company that it is, I don't know that it would be the success that it is without a nutcase like Elon running the show, but he's also his own worst enemy. And I don't know about you guys. It makes it hard. It makes it hard to, you know, deal with it.
Yeah, on one level, I think it's great. It's pushing everyone to think differently about EVs. It's good for the OEMs. It's good for consumers.
On the other hand, yeah, he's jerking around buyers and yelling at the SEC. You know, this guy needs to have his Twitter account taken away. He also needs to-- and I'll just be a little bit judgmental for a second. He needs to grow up.
He's hurting himself. He could make more money and still make great cars if he just toned down his BS a little bit. So, you know, part of me kind of wish someone would slap him upside head. But, again, to be who he is, to do what he's doing, I think he needs to be wild and unpredictable, and it's just-- it's hard to watch. But, yeah, it just-- it makes me think also that about Carlos Ghosn because the corporate craziness isn't limited just to Tesla. I mean, that dude's in jail--
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: --because of what sounds like a spat between the Nissan half of the partnership and the Renault half the partnership. I mean, that just seems like a boardroom battle that landed somebody in jail. It's maybe a little inside baseball, but it's also wild. It's nuts.
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah, I mean to-- I mean, good transition there. That's easily another top five biggest stories of the year. I mean, if we did a top 10, top 15 list, some of these might come on and off, but, you know, the CEO of Nissan Renault is in jail right now. I mean, that's mind-blowing.
This is a guy who for the last 15, 18 years has been considered one of the best CEOs at any industry, serving-- he's really evolved into an elder statesman of sorts, or so we thought in light of guys like Elon Musk. But, I mean, yeah, say what you want about Musk, but he's not handcuffs at the moment. And not to make light of the situation, but that is probably one of the single most stunning turns of events I think I've ever seen in the car business.
We expected the bankruptcies of some-- of the two Detroit automakers. We expected some of these upturns and downturns. Nobody saw this coming, and, to your point, Alex, I think there's a bit more to it. A lot of people are starting to hypothesize that this is more of a boardroom coup than it is necessarily-- they're trying to get him for all of his alleged financial misdealings, or so they say. So that's-- it'll be very interesting to see what impact this has next year and how it impacts the alliance because I could easily see-- I'd say 50/50 chance by July we're talking about Renault and Nissan having announced that they're going to split.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: But so the one thing that I'm curious about in terms of how this is going to impact American consumers is the entire Nissan product line is a little sad right now. I mean, they're selling Rogues as fast as they can build them, but they're-- some of their vehicles are just ancien-- the Frontier, the Titan, even the Titan XD is not very good. I mean, outside of Rogue, I struggle to think-- Rogue and LEAF-- I own a LEAF, so I'm a little biased. I like the LEAF a lot, but outside of that, what are they doing well right now in terms of US product?
I hope whatever happens, they get a new product plan, and they start replacing models and being a little more competitive. The new Altima with the variable compression engine, I should say, and all-wheel drive is OK. That's innovative and kind of cool, but outside of that, there's a lot of things that are aging and lingering.
REESE COUNTS: Yeah, I agree. A lot of their product lineup is just feeling old. And I-- going back to Ghosn for a minute, I don't always like or agree with a lot of the decisions and directions he's pushed Nissan toward in the past, like, 15, 18 years. I think he's a major reason their product line is as dated as it is, but he saved the company. They were going under, and he helped turn that around. And I-- that cannot be overstated.
So this whole spat between Renault and Nissan and him landing in jail, it's going to have some major, major repercussions for both automakers and Mitsubishi too. Let's not forget they're tied up in this in their own sort of way with the alliance that was announced. But, yeah, it's-- I don't know. For you guys, I don't know. But this came out of left field for me. I was not expecting any news about any automakers getting arrested, and much less Ghosn and Nissan in a Japanese jail, and with Renault still backing him. I mean, that's the craziest part is that Renault is publicly supporting Ghosn while he's sitting in some unmarked cell somewhere in Tokyo.
GREG MIGLIORE: Well, I think that kind of-- if you read the tea leaves, that sort of tells you maybe what happened here. You know, if you really need to go really tangential here for just a quick second, you know, they're in alliance, but Renault controls the alliance. But Nissan probably carries most of the water in the alliance.
The way it came about was Ghosn was the guy who put this all together about over 15 years ago. Nissan was bankrupt, and Renault swooped in and was able to right the ship. And they each hold stakes to each other, but Renault is definitely the senior partner, if you will. They have all the power.
And for years, we've heard kind of rumors that Nissan doesn't like that arrangement anymore. They think, hey, they've sort of repaid their debt and that they should-- you know, this arrangement should be modified. Let's put it that way.
Now, to me, it seems very extreme to totally orchestrate an arrest. And also this just in, I've seen on some of the wires that it looks like Ghosn is close to actually being-- making bail, being released. Probably by the time you're listening to this podcast, he'll be out.
But, yeah, I mean, it seems like there's way more to this than initially this scene because, at first, it just seemed like, oh, downfall of yet another iconic leader. And then, well, it's like, OK, hold on. Maybe there's more to this than we thought so obviously a lot of layers as you peel back the orange of this one.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: Yeah, I'd like to add one--
REESE COUNTS: Yeah, it's going to be interesting.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: --more layer before we switch gears. I've heard-- and I don't have any independent knowledge about this, but I've heard that the prosecution in Japan-- prosecutors in Japan have an insane conviction rate. It's like 99.9%. So also I've heard it's political a little bit, so they're not quite as independent as prosecutors in the US.
I think this is something from what I'm hearing, and not to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but that the Japanese government is interested in. I mean, Nissan is an important cornerstone of their economy. I think getting more independence from them has-- OK, now I'm delving into just conjecture.
But, I mean, I think there is-- it's more than just there was an obvious crime and the prosecutors are going after it. It may be there was a nebulous crime, and they're blowing it out of proportion for political and economic reasons so just to throw that out there. It's not so much like it would be he was prosecuted in the US for financial crime where the prosecutors are much more likely to have a strong case than in Japan, but--
GREG MIGLIORE: I think you actually put a-- kind of neatly tie a lot of the rumors, and the conjecture, and what I have been kind of hinting around into one rather surgical thought. I think that probably is what happened and is what is happening, so we'll see. I mean, it's a global economy. I mean, if Ghosn gets out, which it sounds like he might be, you know, who knows? Maybe there's stronger pushback from Renault because they still own the place. I mean, it's-- I'll be very interested to see what the next moves are here.
So speaking of CEOs, Sergio Marchionne only died unexpectedly this summer. I think we were all pretty surprised. No one knew he was even sick. Reese, you literally we're at an event he was speaking at, I believe, a few weeks before. Turns out his health actually was not good for some time, and, as is the case of these things, it's a hyper-competitive economy.
You don't mention these things obviously. If your CEO is sick, that could be a sign of weakness for your competitors I guess. I don't quite get the rationale, why this was hidden for so long. It sounds like FCA's board didn't even know that the guy was sick.
So Mike Manley is the new CEO. Jeep pedigree, did a heck of a job with Jeep. They are, by far, the strongest part of FCA. But, I mean, there were some questions. I think many of them are starting to get answered that FCA can survive without Sergio, but, still, I mean, FCA is his offspring.
He was the guy who swooped in, took up a bankrupt Chrysler, essentially got it for nothing, and has been running the show for five, six years now. So, yeah, easily another top five biggest story of the year.
REESE COUNTS: Yeah, I mean, I was-- like you said, I was in Italy at the FCA five-year plan not-- like, a month and a half, two months before he died, and he was on stage talking, seemed fine. There were tons and tons of questions about who is going to take over after him because I think a lot of people might've forgotten his retirement was announced like years ago. He was going to step down sometime in 2019, and a lot of reporters were asking who is going to take over? And every single one of them was deflected. They wanted to talk product.
They were not talking who was taking over. And when he did die and even when he went into the coma for a few weeks, it was unclear who was in charge before they finally announced Manley, which I think is a good pick. I think, like you said, Jeep is, by far, the strongest FCA brand.
But it sucks. I liked Sergio a lot, and I liked a lot of what he's done. I don't think the FCA product line as a whole is as strong as it could be, but the brands are moving in the right direction as far as I can tell.
Yeah, it sucks. He was-- I thought he was a good leader, and he was just a genuinely nice guy, always friendly whenever I'd run into him, not that it was very often. But, yeah, just very personable, a lot more down to earth than a lot of CEOs are, and I think it's a bummer that he had to go and go so suddenly.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: I've got a question for you guys. Sometimes when a CEO dies, or a figurehead, or a chair person, the company changes direction kind of quickly. I haven't seen that with this post-Sergio world. Part of me was thinking maybe this would be a great opportunity for the board to just suddenly ax some brands like Chrysler. I don't really know why Chrysler is still around as a brand.
It doesn't really seem like things have changed, and that either strikes me as-- and not to make this a hagiography of the guy because we've been second-guessing for a long time. You remember how he was trying to basically sell FCA off to merge it to whoever for a while? He just sounded like he was on the street with a sign begging for someone to merge with them, and I don't know that that struck me as being super strong leadership.
But on the other hand, if he's gone and the company is just going to carry out his five-year plan or however long it's going to be, that really shows some strength behind the scenes about how he corralled the forces within the company to continue with his vision. He did monetize the heck out of Jeep. Jeep selling Fiat products and doing not too well-- or not too badly-- at it is weird. I don't totally know what to think of the guy because we haven't done like a full investor analysis like the big investment firms would do and get a full picture of all the intricacies of his legacy. I think it's going to be a complicated legacy ultimately.
But also, yeah, a strong leader, a strong vision. What do you guys think once his influence wears off? Where's FCA going to go?
GREG MIGLIORE: I think Manley appears to be up to the task by all accounts. I think he maybe won't be as big a personality as Sergio was, but he's at interview. He's good at stage. He's witty. He also seems like a pretty strong leader, so I think he was the right guy to carry the torch.
And I think what you're seeing too is basically once Sergio didn't get any takers-- like there were rumors of Chinese investors. He was trying to craft deals with General Motors. I feel like once he realized, hey, this is it-- this isn't going to happen, I think he basically turned around and rolled out his next five-year plan.
He was like, guys, this is what we're going to do. No one's coming to save us. This is how it's going to be. I think he sort of doubled down.
And he was a smart guy. He's executed, like, two or three turnarounds. I mean, it's probably selling him short to kind of think, well, hey, his turnaround plan wasn't going to work this time. So I agree with you. After he passed away, I kind of expected something big to maybe happen, but with the hindsight of about six months now, that's probably selling him short. It's kind of like, hey, he knew what he was doing.
He knows-- I mean, right now if you look at what's going on with GM layoffs, and Ford killing sedans, and just all kinds of different things, they have some layoffs planned, FCA is like, yeah, we're going to get into autonomous cars, and we're get a dabble in hybrids. But, yeah, right now people like trucks and SUVs, and that's what we're going to do. And they're making a lot of money. And I think that's-- like for right now, they're doing great.
It's everybody else who's ever these identity crises and is worried about their 15-year plan. They're just like we're going to sell you Rams and Jeeps, and right now people really like Rams and Jeeps. And we have Fiat Europe, and that's who we are. Come and get us. And it seems to be working.
REESE COUNTS: Yeah, I mean, I was there in Italy, and I heard every word of that presentation over the 10-hour day talking about their five-year plan. And it seemed like they know where their strengths are. They know where their weaknesses are. They know Ram and Jeep are the two big brands, that Fiat needs some work, that Alfa Romeo needs work but both have potential. And Chrysler was not mentioned at all, and Dodge was not mentioned at all.
Dodge seems to be doing fine. And they're not going to try to make them Alfa Romeo clones like they talked about five years ago, where everything was going to be based on the same platform, and it was just going to be spiced up for American market. Dodge is going to be Dodge and keep pumping out Challengers and Chargers as long as people keep buying them. So, yeah, I don't think there's going to be a big change because-- with the direction of the company because they knew he was leaving.
This happened sooner than expected. But, yeah, I think he corralled a lot of people around him and put the five-year plan into place with everybody's kind of agreement. And I think that's why there hasn't been a big sea change after he left, like Alex pointed out, that happens with a lot of other companies.
GREG MIGLIORE: Cool. So, yeah, big-- definitely a big year the executive front. Tariffs, layoffs, we could really wade into the weeds on this front, but, I mean, honestly, I think that was kind of what we expected. We expected this was going to be the year of Trump said he was going to throw-- start a trade war, and he did. I mean, that wasn't really a surprise.
Some of the layoffs, we heard most recently from GM, were a little more unexpected. Some of the things we've heard out of Ford were a little, I'd say, unexpected. But at the same time, we've been kind of talking about this. I feel like it might even have been the three of us in this very room on this very podcast talking about, well, when's the next recession coming?
It seems like this is-- we're seeing some headwinds, you know? So I think right now the economy's still good, and 2019 is probably going to be a pivotal year for that. I mean, that's what all the indicators are saying.
REESE COUNTS: Yeah, the tariffs, and trade, and all the stuff that's been going on this year has been kind of wild. People don't-- it seems like plants are closing, or shifting, or moving product around. Car lines are being canceled, and new ones are popping up. I mean, it's been really tough to follow-- and we cover this stuff every single day-- just to know what all is going on.
And there's been a lot of rhetoric, and a lot of talking, and a lot of things changing, and then going back to the way they were before. Yeah, it's-- I don't know. It's been a wild year when it comes to politics, and manufacturing, and taxes, and tariffs, and everything that involves it. Too much to talk about, even in a short podcast like this.
GREG MIGLIORE: Are we leaving anything out? Seems like any time we talk Tesla, Trump, people dying unexpectedly, those are some of the biggest stories of any year. Anything else come to mind for you guys or any predictions for 2019?
ALEX KIERSTEIN: I mean, do we think we're going to see the mid-engine Corvette next year?
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah, I'd bet both you guys a beer we do. I think so.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: Yeah.
REESE COUNTS: I think, oh, yeah, for sure.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: I think so. I mean, in my mind, that's going to be the biggest automotive story of probably since Ford GT was unwrapped.
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: You know? I mean, obviously, we're a little more in tune with the fun sports cars from iconic brands. Those make a bigger impact on us, but they also set the direction of the company as a whole. That's going to be GM's halo, so it'll be really interesting to see what that looks like and how that changes things.
I know that's not something that happened this year, but it's coming up soon. And I think that's-- I'm going to be really excited to see that. See that GT 50, see the new Explorer, drive the new Explorer. I think all those are going to be big. We might see Bronco by the end of next year--
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: --probably at least in concept form. I hear we're getting a new F-150 soon. I think it's-- 2019, I think, is going to be a big year, even if the economy is slowing and car sales are stalling. Yeah, I mean, there is a lot of uncertainty, especially with, as Reese was saying, trade wars, a mercurial-- I'm going to put it very gently, a mercurial economic policy from our administration, it's being charitable.
It's been a weird, wild year, especially towards the end, but I think 2019 for the car industry could look kind of cool. Maybe it'll end up being a disaster. I don't know, but we'll see.
REESE COUNTS: Do you guys think we'll see the Corvette in Detroit?
GREG MIGLIORE: As in, like, three weeks from now?
REESE COUNTS: Yeah, I mean, that's been the rumor for so long is that we'll see it in Detroit. We'll see it in Detroit. And then there was the news like a week or two ago about some electrical issues pushing-- delaying production, like, six months.
I still think we'll see it in Detroit. We may not drive it for a while. But the Ford GT debuted. It was a year before anybody got behind the wheel of that, so--
ALEX KIERSTEIN: Yeah, that's a good point. I wish-- I really wish GM had been able to keep the wraps on this the way they did-- the way that Ford did with GT.
REESE COUNTS: For sure.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: It was-- not just from our perspective. We don't get to be surprised anymore, and that's really cool. Sure, but that's for us. That's our perspective. But I think for Ford, for external, for outside of us, the reviewers, that was a great move.
You have something come out of the woodwork, and it generated a lot of interest. And I think it's better than this awful, traditional, slow leak of stuff and spy shots. I don't know. The more we do this or the more engineered it is when we have engineered leaks, like Supra, just the slow tease of Supra, it's left such a bad taste in my mouth.
I think people are getting sick of it. I wonder if that's-- if they don't pull the wraps of mid-engine Corvette soon, I wonder if people are going to Supra it. Feel about it the same way they do about the Supra for the mid-engine Corvette. I don't know.
GREG MIGLIORE: I would say no for Detroit simply because I just looked at the press conference schedule, and Chevy isn't on it. There's a Cadillac press conference the Sunday night before press days. But I mean, who knows?
This could also just not mean anything and that they're going to like-- we'll get a new schedule the Friday before the show. And, boom, Chevy is, like, 8:00 AM on Monday or something, and everybody's caught flat-footed. Stranger things have happened. I agree with you, Alex.
When they rolled out-- when Ford rolled out the F-150, they also had, I think, the Focus-- F-150 Raptor, Ford GT, and I think Focus RS. They did that all at once, and everybody-- they just blew the doors off that Detroit Auto Show. They totally stole the show. It was epic. It was one of the better press conferences I've seen.
Yeah, Chevy, I think, would be wise to actually roll out the mid-engine Corvette sooner than later, or, to create this new verb, they're going to Supra it. And when it comes out, we're going to be inevitably just disappointed because we've been staring at bits and pieces of it for so long that you can't help but be disappointed. I actually think what I've seen of the Supra, I'm starting to like.
It looks OK, but, I mean, we've been-- they've been teasing it since like-- what-- '14 or something? I mean, that's a really long time. So hopefully 2019 will be the year of the actual reveal, I guess, for the mid-engine Corvette and hopefully a few other things.
I think the Bronco needs to get out there too like, like you guys said. I mean, at some point you got to show the car. I mean, you can't confirm it, like-- what-- two presidents ago and then say, hey, here it is. So let's see that too, which I think we're all really excited to see.
REESE COUNTS: Yeah, like Alex, I'm getting really, really tired of these manufactured roll outs. We're seeing it with the Supra. We saw with the Dodge Demon. Like, it's-- people get tired. You can't just keep pumping out press releases and images of the same camouflaged car for months and years, and it gets old.
When was the last time there was as big of a shock or surprise at an auto show as the Ford GT? I can't remember anything since that has been. And they just showed up, and they dropped it. And, yeah, it was a while before we saw it, but we saw a production car or a near production car at the auto show, no camouflage or anything like that. And that was-- it was awesome.
It was really, really awesome. And, Alex, I agree. I wish Chevy had just done that with the Corvette. And then we'd seen prototypes on the road for even another year, but if we'd seen the car and gotten the basic stats on it, I think this would-- I'd be a lot more excited about it. And I'm really excited about it. Yeah, I just-- I wanted a little more grandeur, a little more surprise with this, and I think it's going to be a reveal. It's going to be big, but it could be better.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: You know, I'll say a final thing about the mid-engine Corvette unless you guys have anything else to say, but people have been talking about the importance of auto shows being lessened. They're not as important of a venue to show cars or see cars. Not to put too fine a point on it, but having things show up that are a complete and total surprise is a good way to keep them relevant. If auto shows have any value to automakers, I think they need to stop for a second and think about a coherent strategy to roll out the vehicle.
And I think a great strategy is show a production-ready vehicle that maybe it's a roll or whatever, but the design is locked in. And then, yeah, let's us just wait. Just make us hungry to actually see what it's like to drive it.
I think that's fine. So, yeah, if we keep this up, if auto show attendance keeps going down, manufacturers don't show up, we've already seen the car 58 times before anyone can see it up close, I don't know. I think that might be-- I don't know if that's going to kill auto shows, but that sure as heck isn't helping things any.
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah, agreed. I think auto shows, they have a chance here as they're sort of retrenching. Some of them are transitioning a little bit more to the mobility side. Some of them are trying to be even more hands-on and consumer friendly, but I think there's still something to be said for a strong press day or two because they do create that halo that gets people excited about xyz auto show. And then people, like consumers, it is a little bit of a chicken and egg thing.
The consumers want to go see these new cars and concepts at the auto show, so as much as I think in recent years the press days have become their own kind of thing sort of detached from the consumer part of the show, I think they still are linked pretty tightly. And they can definitely be used to help automakers sell cars. So I think that's something, even as car shows do go through this transition, I think organizers would be wise not to lose sight of. So how about we spend some people's money? Is that good?
REESE COUNTS: Yeah.
GREG MIGLIORE: All right. This writer is considering a luxury SUV, looking hard at the Audi Q7 and Q8, also the 2019 X5 from BMW. Reliability is a concern, which would you get and should they look at something else? Only caveat here is they don't want a Porsche, so, OK.
So look at midsize to fairly large luxury crossover, and they seem to skew towards a little bit of German preference. So with that, what do you guys think?
REESE COUNTS: So I'm going to throw something else out there that's not on this list, and maybe it's recency bias because we just had one and we just talked about it in a meeting earlier today. The Lincoln Navigator is really rad. It's roughly the same size. I mean, it's old school. It's body on frame.
You're talking big capabilities, like big size, but it's going to have the passenger space. It's going to have the cargo space of anything on your list already. I think it's got one of the best interiors out there, like bar none right now. It's good to drive.
Yeah, I never thought I'd be this excited about a Lincoln five years ago, but the Navigator is rad. It's one of the best things I've driven this year, and I think it's worth considering if you're willing to look American. And it's based on the F-150, so reliability is probably going to be better than the Germans because underneath it's just F-150 with a enclosed body. So that's something to consider too.
But, yeah, your list is good, but consider the Navigator. Go drive one. Sit inside the interior because it's really, really something special.
GREG MIGLIORE: Alex?
ALEX KIERSTEIN: I really like Reese's suggestion. I wasn't thinking about that originally. I was racking my brain to think about if there was a Mercedes SUV that had been redone recently enough to have sort of the new style interior and powertrains.
REESE COUNTS: The GLE.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: The GLE, but--
REESE COUNTS: That's X5 size.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: --I don't know. The GLE, it's the right size. It's just-- it's never-- the ML before it and the GLE now have never appealed to me in that segment, and I don't know why. I can't put-- it's subjective.
But I think the Cayenne is a much stronger vehicle on that size than the GLE, but he doesn't want a Porsche. So I think the Lincoln is an inspired choice. There may be some Range Rovers that--
REESE COUNTS: Yeah.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: --might work. I don't think they look as premium inside as the Audi, so that might be an issue. Although, they have some interesting-- they've got some interesting vehicles. Trying to think if there's anything Japanese that would be worth mentioning.
I don't know. I mean, I feel like all the Lexus SUVs-- the real SUVs are pretty much an acquired taste now. A fully-loaded RX might be interesting. Let's see. What else?
Yeah, I think Navigator. The Audis are cool. I think they've got the best interior out of anything that he is looking at.
REESE COUNTS: For sure.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: I think reliability is going to be an issue. Not that I think the Navigator is going to be a ton better, but if anyone has serviced an Audi, it's nuts. I mean, they're expensive to keep up. Maybe a lease would work.
Of these, I'd say Q7 is probably a better deal. I think Q8s a little more expensive for not that different of a vehicle. Lease one. Sure, see what the lease deals look like.
Otherwise, yeah, I'd look at a Navigator. The Navigator's awesome. Awesome vehicle.
REESE COUNTS: Yeah, I agree. Of his list, I like the Q7 the best but only if you're leasing it, and have a warranty, and a service plan to go along with it because I've owned several German cars. I own a German car now.
I love them, but they're expensive to maintain, and you have to keep up with things. And not that the Lincoln's going to be substantially better. But in my mind, it's an F-150 underneath, which is a known quantity, and you're going to get American service prices, which are going to be less expensive than Germans.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: Hey, it's a little smaller, but what about Aviator? Isn't that-- that's going to be a new platform. It's going to share bones with the Mustang. Maybe it's worth waiting for that. It is a three row. It looks awesome. I think it looks even better than the Navigator.
REESE COUNTS: Yeah.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: That might be-- that might be something. I don't know. I don't how long he can wait, but might be worth at least checking that out.
REESE COUNTS: Yeah, I mean it's-- I agree. It's a little smaller, but it's got all the same pros as the Navigator in my mind. Yeah, Aviator could be cool.
GREG MIGLIORE: So it sounds like we're thinking Lincoln. I'm not going to disagree. I think definitely you should look at the Navigator also the Aviator if you do want to go a little bit smaller. It really just kind of depends. Think about what you're going to use this for because the Navigator is a very large vehicle.
Couple others to consider, I voted the Jaguar XF Sportbrake as my favorite car of the year. I don't know about the reliability. I think Jaguar is getting where they need to be. If you're worried about historical connotations, maybe think twice. But that's a beautiful car, and it drives really great.
I would also look at the Range Rover Sport, the Disco or the Velar. I really liked all three of those that I believe I've driven in the last two years. We'll do a pretty wide landing there, but I think those are some to consider.
But when you do look at, I think, what's, like, a well-rounded vehicle that you're not going to be disappointed in based on your criteria, I think either of the Lincolns are really going to get you where you need to be. And no one's more surprised than me that at the end of 2018 we're sitting here saying, hey, these Lincoln SUVs are what you should be getting over, like, an X5, but they've made some pretty strong impressions on us. Any final thoughts, guys?
REESE COUNTS: No, I think you've got some good choices too. The Jaguars and the Range Rovers, I think, have some of the best exterior styling. The interiors, as Alex mentioned, are fine, but the Germans are going to be better. But, yeah, go out and drive.
Just seriously consider a Lincoln. I know it sounds weird. I would have never said this a couple of years ago, but go give them a chance. I really think it's worth your time.
GREG MIGLIORE: Cool. Well, I think that'll do it for us. We've given you, I think, where we're leading, but there's some other candidates in there too if you want to check them out. Go do some test drives, which we highly encourage you to do. Maybe you'll be surprised if you get behind the wheel of that Jaguar or something and surprised in delight or something like that.
But that's all the time we have. Thanks for joining, Reese and Alex. It's been a fun show.
REESE COUNTS: Yeah, thanks, everybody, for a good year. This has been fun.
ALEX KIERSTEIN: Likewise.
GREG MIGLIORE: All righty, that's it. That's it for this episode of the "Autoblog Podcast," and that's it for 2018. Happy holidays. Happy new year. We'll see you on the other side.
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In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Byron Hurd for a gasoline-powered installment. They lead off by diving into the Tesla layoff news from this week before leaving electrification behind for a bit to talk about not one, but two production V12 unveilings. …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. The Tesla Model 3 Performance has been revealed, and we discuss Tesla's first-quarter results. Mercedes unveiled its G 580 with EQ Technology. A VW factory voted to join the UAW. The Ford Mustang celebrated …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. The two kick things off with a loaded review section, starting with the 2024 Cadillac Lyriq Sport 3 then moving along to the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy. After that, they dig into …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Byron Hurd, who joins us fresh from the floor at the 2024 New York Auto Show. They start with an overview of the show and this year's big debuts, then pivot to other news for talk …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. In the news, BMW revealed the Neue Klasse X EV, Jeep Wrangler drops the V8, Ford Mustang gets a 810-horsepower supercharger kit and Shell leans into EV charging. We look back on the life …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Byron Hurd. They start off discussing a couple of vehicles they've both driven — the 2024 Ford Maverick Tremor and the 2024 Volvo C40 Recharge 2WD. From there, they pivot to Byron's first drive of the …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by News Editor Joel Stocksdale. They lead off with the 2024 Dodge Charger reveal, followed by various EV startup news including the reported death of the Apple Car; rumors of a tie-up between Fisker and Nissan; and when we'll finally …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor James Riswick and News Editor Joel Stocksdale. Joel shares his experience checking out the Tesla Cybertruck in Chicago. James leads a discussion concerning GM's track record with the Ultium EV roll-out and the company's history with …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Byron Hurd. They start out talking about Scout's new facility in South Carolina and what Volkswagen Group wants to do with its new truck and SUV brand. From there, they briefly revisit the General Motors F1 …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Electric, John Beltz Snyder. This week, they've been driving the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing, Kia Seltos and Autoblog's long-term WRX (which has a CD player). They discuss the Chrysler Halcyon concept and what it means for a possible …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor James Riswick. We kick off the week by reviewing cars we've been driving, including the new Lexus GX, Land Rover Defender 130 Outbound, Jaguar F-Pace, Hyundai Kona and our long-term Subaru WRX. Next, we break down …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Electric, John Beltz Snyder. In the news, F1 snubs Michael Andretti, Jeep shows off the electric Wagoneer S, Mazda reveals the updated 2024 Miata, Mary Barra talks about future plug-in hybrids, and Rivian is set to …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by News Editor Joel Stocksdale, and they cover a wide range of topics. They discuss refreshed models from GM and VW including the new Blackwing Cadillacs, the Chevy Equinox, and the GTI. They also talk about the upcoming Jeep …
