In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzweniewski and Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder. This week, they're driving a Jeep Gladiator Mojave, Acura MDX A-Spec, our long-term Subaru Forester and a Honda CR-V Hybrid. A little stir-crazy from quarantine, they also derail the conversation for a little bit to talk about beer before launching into this episode's "Spend My Money" segment.
Transcript[MUSIC PLAYING]
GREG MIGLIORE: Hello, and welcome to another episode of the "Autoblog." podcast. I'm Greg Migliore. Joining me on the phone is senior editor for "All Things Green," John Snyder. What's going on, man?
JOHN SNYDER: Hey, How's it going? It's a beautiful day here. My son's out playing around in the driveway with a scooter. Things are good.
GREG MIGLIORE: It's good stuff. And on the other line, Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. How are you doing, man?
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: I am not too bad. It's kind of, sort of sunny here but a little on the chilly side. But I'm indoors recording a podcast anyway, so I guess it doesn't matter.
GREG MIGLIORE: It's true. It's true. It's nice here. It's sunny, a little cool still, but I think it's warming up. So we got a great show for you today. We're going to talk about the Jeep Gladiator Mojave. Jeremy, it just arrived at his house. He spent a little bit of time in it. We will do some deeper impressions in a few weeks. But he's going to tell you a little bit about just how it feels, how it looks, that sort of thing.
I rolled around in an Acura MDX. It was bright, kind of royal blue purple. Very nice vehicle. It was the Ace Back. So I spent the week in that. John has spent some time in our long term Forester, as well as a Honda CRV. Hybrid, I think, is that right, John?
JOHN SNYDER: That's correct.
GREG MIGLIORE: All right, the hybrid. That's cool. So we'll have kind of an SUV-centric podcast. Then we will spend your money. So buckle up. Let's get it started. Let's talk about the Mojave. So, Jeremy, I know you've got big plans for this, what you're going to do with it, things that will be cool. This is essentially our first drive. The actual first drive was canceled, of course, related to COVID-19, as all automaker-sponsored events were, and basically late February onward. But it's in your driveway. I gotta believe it's at least getting some attention. What's it like so far?
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Yeah. It is getting attention. I noticed the neighbors peeking through the curtain blinds when it got dropped off. First thing is it looked great. It really stands out. It's in a bright medium blue color. And all the Jeep and-- well, not the Jeep emblems-- but the Mojave script is in this contrasting orange color. And the tow hooks also are in kind of like an orange shade. And it all-- it sets off beautifully. I think anytime you can mix contrasting colors on a vehicle, it stands out. And the blue an the orange truly does that. I haven't had a chance to actually take it very far, just a couple of spins around the block to test it out and see what's what.
But I've put a bit of mileage on other Gladiators. And I can instantly tell that this one feels different. The tires are big and beefy. It's sitting up a little bit higher than what you'd expect out of a standard gladiator. And it's got these great Fox shocks and a ribeye suspension. So the entire attitude of is different. It sits differently on the road, drives a little bit differently.
And I'm really looking forward to putting it through its paces. When we were on the gladiator launch we did a lot of low speed, rutted, muddy rockclimbing kind of activities. And this is a different beast. It's kind of like Jeep's answer to the Raptor-- not quite as hardcore as the Raptor is-- but it's in the same vein where they expect people are going to take this thing out and do some desert runs.
And so what I'm going to do is look for the worst fire roads and poorly maintained roads that I can, that I can get it up to speed and see how that new suspension system works out. But just sitting in my driveway, the thing looks beautiful. It elicits commentary like no other Jeep does. And they did a great job on the design of it. It's got this really great hood scoop that kind of really works with the Jeep 7 slat front end. And, like I said, the color combination is just killer.
GREG MIGLIORE: I'm actually a really big fan of the Gladiator. I think it really-- it's a great design statement. I think it's something Jeep actually really needed. And they don't truly need. There's not many gaps in their product lineup. But I think this is a smart move. And I think adding, like Jeremy, to your point, that it's like a desert runner, exactly like a smart move for them. You were saying something, John?
JOHN SNYDER: Well, yeah. Jeremy sent us a photo over of the one in this driveway. And as much as I originally felt if I was going to build one of these, I would probably want more of a desert color. I always go for blue on pretty much everything. But that blue, it looks really nicev in that.
GREG MIGLIORE: It does.
JOHN SNYDER: And yeah. Just the script on the side looks really, really, really cool. And yeah. It's a Gladiator. Is a Gladiator that's jacked up, and it looks super badass. Yeah. We did some off roading in a standard gladiator, pretty much a base model. And it was great, even at that level. I imagine this one would be just a ton of fun off road.
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah. Did I tell you guys how much it costs?
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Let me guess. I'm going to say $61,000.
GREG MIGLIORE: You're not far off. That's a little bit over. This one's just got the regular soft top if you added the hard top, it would hit $61,000. This one, as it sits in my driveway, is $59,750, which, I love the Gladiator. But every time-- my big issue with it is every time that I think about a Gladiator, I fire up the Build It website on Jeep.com, and I tend not to pile on the options in my own car. I get to things that I'm like, OK, I need this. I can't live without it.
But if I'm waffling on it, like do I really want that, do I not, I skip it. Because that tells me I don't need it. It's basically impossible to spec a Gladiator with just a bare minimum of things that you'd actually want in the real world for less than like $45,000. Even with the regular soft top, sticking with the six-speed manual, not paying extra for the automatic that I wouldn't want, and just picking the basic things that you want, like the active cruise control, the track lock, the tow package, the auxiliary switches, the seven-inch touchscreen, just to get the basics, it crests $40,000.
And I'm like. That is just so much money for what two generations ago what-- the Wrangler was this stripped down, one of the least expensive ways you can get into a convertible. Back when they were advertising YJ, like the old, square headlight Wranglers, I remember paging through "Car and Driver," and "Road and Track," and "Motor Trend" at the time. And they had this big ad with a red Wrangler on it that said-- it lifted its base price, which I don't remember. It was $13,900 or something back at that time.
And it was like, America's cheapest convertible. And I'm like, man, I wish that Jeep still had like a really base spec package on the Wrangler and the Gladiator, for people that just-- they just wanted an off road mount, wanted to be able to take the top off and have that kind of experience, but didn't want all that extra stuff that costs money. They don't have anything like that.
JOHN SNYDER: Yeah. It's found that you pay a premium across the Jeep lineup now. It doesn't matter the model. If it has the Jeep grill on it, it's going to cost a few thousand dollars more than comparably spect competitor. And I'm glad that Jeep is still cool, it's something that people want, and people lust after. But yeah. That sucks for the enthusiasts who just want the base Jeep that they can go ramble around in, in the streets in the winter and take it off road on some of the trails.
But there's a used market. And the thr CJs, you can always find a CJ for a few grand.
GREG MIGLIORE: Even used ones are getting expensive though.
JOHN SNYDER: I know. I know. And it's a bummer, man because I've been wanting a CJ forever. CJ and Volkswagen Beetle are two cars that I've considered buying over the past 10 years and have never done it. And yeah. The CJs are getting more and more expensive.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Yeah. I remember.
JOHN SNYDER: You basically can't find them online. You have to be lucky and drive by one on some rural highway up north that someone's selling them.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Right. Yeah. I had a 1990 that I got in-- oh, I don't know-- maybe '96, '97, something like that, when it was just a used vehicle. And I remember it was $5,600. And it had low mileage on it. And it was in good shape. That same exact-- it was a YJ. that same exact YJ now would be twice that.
JOHN SNYDER: Yeah.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Which I'm like, that's crazy for me to think of. It's still just a basic used car with 100,000 miles on it. Whatever.
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah. It's one of those things too, where that's always the conundrum with the Gladiator and the Wrangler. You're like wow. Really get into this. I really like so many different things about them. But it's like, oh, geez. the options and just the things add up so quickly. And it's a little tough. It's a little frustrating. I drove I think the last Wrangler I actually was in was one of the-- it was the EcoDiesel.
And it was around, some time around the holidays. So it's been about five, six months. But that one, geez. I want to say it was 50, easily 60, somewhere in there. And it was just like unless you really want a diesel, I personally probably wouldn't pay for that premium, even though it was kind of fun to drive. It was interesting. That's for sure. As an auto journalist, I feel like I got to give bonus points for the diesel power train. And it was cool-- looked cool.
Yeah. I know. It's a tricky one with Jeep. I think one thing you kind of got to think about with Wranglers and Gladiators, is they're basically premium models. You really gotta kind of look at that. It's like, if you're looking for really basic utilitarian transportation with functionality, Wrangler and the Gladiator really aren't it, unless you get the most basic one. Because otherwise, you're at $40,000 with one or two options. And that's fine. That's what they are.
But based on their capability-- and I think frankly, you do pay for that. You very much pay for the brand. It's like an expensive watch. It maybe have the same Swiss movements as something else. But you're paying four times as much because it says one thing as opposed to the other. So yeah. I don't know. This is a question I ask every now and then. Wrangler or Gladiator? It's irrespective of nothing. But it seems like they cross shop each other. What do you think?
JOHN SNYDER: Wrangler. Wrangler. More off road capability. I like the shorter wheelbase. And I won't have friends asking me to help them move.
GREG MIGLIORE: I feel like I maybe asked this question with both you guys before.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: You may have. You may have. And I'd go Gladiator because it's a vehicle that can kill so many-- well, so many birds with one stone. It's a weird expression. But it's got the cool off road, it's got the fun in the sun, it's got the great winter capability, and for an added bonus, it's a truck, and it's got the usefulness and utility out of it. I don't know that many people that are going to ask me to move. So I guess I'm not that concerned about it.
JOHN SNYDER: The Gladiator almost does too much, you know? It's still versatile.
GREG MIGLIORE: I really like the Gladiator. But I would still personally probably choose a Wrangler, just because of-- I like the-- it's not really an SUV, but it's essentially an SUV. You get that covered, closed hatch. And you could put a fair amount of stuff back there. So I like that as opposed to the hauling nature of them.
They drive about the same as far as the power. But I like the squat, like turning the way a Wrangler steers versus like a Gladiator, which naturally feels a little more truck-like.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Sure.
GREG MIGLIORE: So they're both awesome. But I would land on a Gladiator, I think-- four door.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: You mean you'd land on a Wrangler, you mean.
GREG MIGLIORE: What's that?
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: You mean you'd land on a Wrangler.
GREG MIGLIORE: Yes, yes, yes. Did I say Gladiator?
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Well we you though.
JOHN SNYDER: We got your back.
GREG MIGLIORE: There we go. Yeah, so yeah. That's kind of our Jeep obsession. I hope you get to go off roading with this thing, Jeremy. It should be fun.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Oh, I totally will. I just got to sort it out, probably this weekend.
GREG MIGLIORE: Sweet. Well, let's move on to another SUV that stayed very much on road. That was the Acura MDX. I had it for about a week. Teaser alert-- it was replaced yesterday with an Acura NSX. So we're going to definitely talk about that on the podcast. Stay tuned. But I drove this for a bit. It's-- I would say this. It's more interesting than I remember. I've often thought Acuras, SUVs, I feel like they're just in the middle of a segment. Their design is interesting. The A spec is certainly interesting. It's sporty.
The interiors are mostly nice. This one's got a lot of stitching, a lot of perforated leather. There's still a fair amount of sort of hard touch surfaces, especially the top part of the dash, which I guess for $50-- this one came in at $56,295. That felt a little maybe not great. But also, I've seen this stuff in BMWs and Cadillacs. So I guess I won't ding them too hard for it.
I feel like you would buy this because you are like maybe-- correct me if I'm wrong here. I'd love to hear you guys' thoughts. But this is definitely a vehicle, like you would be cross shopping it with a Lexus, and maybe an Infinity, and maybe, the German stuff is either expensive, or it's not the right vibe, and you want that Acura kind of feel. And it's a little understated, except in A spec trim.
But yeah. Just to me, it's very much like a middle of the road moderate entry. And that defines Acura, even though they do have a great racing and performance history, for sure. It's interesting. I've talked to them. I talked to one of their designers, Dave Merrick. And he actually said it's a point of frustration. He's like, we have some of the greatest racing accomplishments ever. But why do people think we don't make performance cars? And then boom. They had the NSX out.
So I think they're definitely trying to project off of halo cars, like the NSX, which believe me-- I have no problems getting fired up about that. But to bring it back here with the MDX, I think it looks pretty good. I like it. There's some thunder flares, that the grille is very pronounced, very definitive. A spec trim has some more racy bits, if you will. The interior's a little more dressed up.
Solid powertrain-- 290 horsepower, 3.5 liter. This is the V tech V6. it's got the nine-speed automatic. And, of course, it has super handling, all wheel drive, or SHAWD, as I've heard people call it. So it's good. I wouldn't put it the top of the segment. I actually think the A spec package does spice it up enough. But I would consider getting it because I really kind of like the sports seats. There were some alcantara inserts in there. That was cool, sporty pedals. Whatever. You don't even see those.
The 20-inch alloy wheels you do see though. And then there's some more LEDs lighting on it. So it's very much standard straight out of central casting A spec vehicle. Yeah. It steers pretty well for the segment. I think that's kind of a cool thing. Again, the powertrain's solid.
Yeah. For me, this one's like right in the middle-- not great, not awful, pretty good. It's just very much. going to compete against it's natural rivals, and probably not steal, like, you know, somebody who generally tends to lean towards a German or an American brand. Just it is what it is.
JOHN SNYDER: The MDX is a car I kind of always forget about, just because you don't see them very often. And I think that's some of the appeal to it too. It's different than the rest. I'd argue it's closest to maybe the Lexus. But it still had its own distinct personality in terms of styling. And I like that. And I think-- yeah, if you want to stand out, or you're bored with the rest of the field because you see them all the time, this is a good option. And every time I get in it, I'm reminded that I actually do really like this car. It drives well.
That super handling all-wheel drive was a decade or eight, nine years ago it was one of the ones that you really liked, that you looked for, that you compared other all-wheel drive systems to it. And I think it still holds up. The rest has sort of caught up.
But Acura has been making good cars for a really long time. I've like a lot of their cars over the past, that-- the TL, remember that one? That one was just fantastic. And the RDX was underrated. And the ZDX-- and this, it's just a carry on of that spirit, which sort of flies under the radar, but every time I touch it, I like it quite a bit. I'm reminded of why I've liked it for since the first time I drove an Acura.
GREG MIGLIORE: It definitely does have a-- I would say there is a bit of a cool factor to it. If you've rolled up wherever you're trying to roll up in your premium crossover--
JOHN SNYDER: Daycare.
GREG MIGLIORE: Daycare. Yeah, you stand out. Especially this one, which is-- it's like a bright royal blue purple-- trying desperately to find the actual color on here, which I can't seem to find. But just the color alone and the A spec stuff really makes it stand out for sure, which I think is good. They call it apex blue pearl. So yeah. Like I said, it looks different.
Honestly, it's a little bit of a dated design in some ways. When I look at it, oh, yeah. The sides are kind of slab sided. The headlights have a-- it's a little bit more of a dated look. They're simpler than you might see in a Mercedes, or a BMW, or certainly a Cadillac or Lexus vehicle with all those light shows they put out there. So I liked it. It's the kind of thing where I think what's nice about Acura is there is like, oh, hey, that person's driving Acura. OK.
Not that you're trying to project an image-- hey, not that they've made it-- but I think there's some brand, solid branding there. But it's also understated too. You can roll up, and somebody's going to be like, oh, well, hey, that's cool. But they're maybe not going to assume like certain cars have negative connotations.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Yeah. I have a couple of thoughts on the MDX.
GREG MIGLIORE: Please. Please.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: So here's an interesting factoid, or maybe a couple of interesting factoids. Eight years in a row now in 2019 Acura sold more than 50,000 MDXs per year. That makes it the best selling three-row in the luxury crossover segment.
JOHN SNYDER: That's wild, man.
GREG MIGLIORE: That is very wild.
JOHN SNYDER: I feel like living in Detroit--
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: You just don't see them very often. Yeah. But that's just a fact, more than 50,000 eight years in a row, bestselling three-row luxury crossover of all time, as a matter of fact. And up until--
JOHN SNYDER: That's amazing.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Yeah. Up until 2018, when the RDX got its most recent redesign, the MVX was Acura's bestselling model. And it's still number two behind the redesigned RDX. So they definitely don't have a problem selling them. They move a good number of them. And those have got to be profit machines for Acura, Honda.
But I think the fact that the RDX pushed past it, this, with this latest redesign, indicates that the MDX is definitely in line for a major update. I don't think it's been updated significantly since what? Like, 2014? Something like that? And that's too long. Six years-- it's got to be-- it's had some refreshes. The A spec, I think to Greg's point earlier, the A spec is how I would want one, if I were to buy one.
I had one for a week about six months ago. And I echo everything that you guys have said. Every time you get in it, you're like OK. I like this thing. It's a good, good solid vehicle. It drives well. It rides well. It's roomy. Third row when you need it.
The one that I had was like pearl white with a black leather interior with red highlights and alcantara, like what Greg was saying. And it was quite nice. I took a look people for rides that week. And everyone had good things to say about it. And I had good things to say about it after it went for a week. But then you immediately forget it. If I were to say, what's the best selling three-row luxury crossover, you wouldn't have said MDX.
JOHN SNYDER: No way.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Because we just don't think about it. It's like we know that it's there. It's in the pack, but it's mainstream, and doesn't stand out at all. That doesn't make it bad. I think I get why a lot of buyers look at their options and choose to get it, especially after taking a test drive, because it's nice. But I think it's desperately in need of a pretty significant refresh.
GREG MIGLIORE: Part of me liked the charm that it almost felt like a little bit older. I don't want to drop the Four Runner card on it, because it's not that old. But there is a little simplicity to, again, the looks. They feel like it's definitely a little bit of a dated look. I'm curious. Where do you think this car Fits who's cross shopping it? Like what are its closest rivals. I was going to say, obviously, Toyota, or Lexus, and Infinity. I'm curious--
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Well, it fits in kind of a funny spot in between-- if you're to look at Lexus lineup, the RX that sells a ton is the two-row. They did just introduce the three-row L version. But that third row in the RX is nearly unusable. It's so small. And the headroom-- and yeah. I don't think Lexus is going to make major inroads in the three-row until the next RX design when they can really prioritize that.
And then the next three-row Lexus is the GX, which is a big truck-based SUV. So I don't think-- I think it doesn't have a lot of direct competition if someone's specifically looking for a three-row Japanese luxury crossover. The Infinity that it would compete against is the QX60, which is itself in the same boat as the MDX in that no one immediately thinks of the Lexus QX60 as the three-row luxury SUV to buy. It's another-- I don't mean to use the term also ran. But you think of that even less than you think of the MDX, right?
JOHN SNYDER: Oh, yeah. Yeah, for sure.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: So then you got to look at the German and American brands. There's Lincoln, which makes some pretty darn good vehicles that could compete against it now, and Cadillac, who just came out with the XT6. But man, that thing gets pricey fast. The ST5 is not a direct competitor. It doesn't have the seating arrangement. So it kind of occupies this interesting spot. It's not an SUV. It's a crossover . It's luxury from a premium Japanese brand. And I think a lot of people are looking for that.
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah. I think it really ticks a lot of boxes. I think it's nice without being over the top. I think, like I said, it's premium without being like condescending, if you will.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: It's tasteful.
GREG MIGLIORE: American cars tend to be brash. And I think that's the thing Cadillac tries to steer into. German cars can really go all up and down the spectrum as far as how--
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Little ostentatious maybe.
GREG MIGLIORE: They can, 100%. So Acura is definitely very moderate luxury. And I thought that was the right tone for them because it draws in a wide range of customers. Now, the other thing is, John, you and I talked about how we don't see them. You do see these things in California and up and down the coasts.
I think the MDX is built in East Liberty, Ohio. I'm kind of pulling that out of thin air. So, Jeremy, you might see a few more of these.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: I don't see a ton of them here in Ohio. But I saw them all over the place in Seattle-- very popular west coast vehicle.
JOHN SNYDER: Interesting.
GREG MIGLIORE: All right. Well, that's probably about as much as we need to talk about the MDX. I will say this. I did go get pizza with it. And that worked out pretty well. The curbside pickup was outstanding.
JOHN SNYDER: Can I ask what kind of pizza?
GREG MIGLIORE: Buddy's Pizza. Detroit original deep dish. Got their half-baked. That worked out great. You just bring it home and bake it the rest of the way. And then you guys will like this. I wrapped it up with a run to a local brewery. Got some gin and some beer.
JOHN SNYDER: Which brewery?
GREG MIGLIORE: Griffin Claw.
JOHN SNYDER: Oh, Griffin Claw's got gin?
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah. They have gin. It's really good gin.
JOHN SNYDER: Huh. I'll have to try that.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: They're mostly doing just growler fills near me. And you got to buy a new growler because they're they don't take your old growler because they're not going to take the time to sanitize it and all that. So I've been just buying cans and stuff. I haven't had proper draft beer. Well, I've got my own draft beer that I've made. And I have been drinking a little bit of that.
But yeah. I miss-- that was the one thing-- not to go on a tangent. But I was talking to my wife the other day. And we were just talking about-- yeah, this pandemic thing, it's terrible. But being locked in the home, we're doing OK. We like each other. We like spending time with one another. Where we're binge watching cooking shows.
GREG MIGLIORE: Nice.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: We're drinking wine, and sitting there, and we're fine. But the one thing that I'm really missing and itching to do is to get out and support some local breweries. That's kind of my thing that I like to do after a long workday is just pop in for a pint or two and shoot the breeze with the bartender, and then go home and finish my evening routine. That's what I'm looking forward to most is just getting out and feeling like I'm an actual member of a society more than just under my own roof.
GREG MIGLIORE: I might have to-- tonight, it's pretty nice out. And we're kind of in between what we're going to cook for dinner. I'm thinking I might need to pop one of those tall boys from Griffin Claw, nice pint in a can. It's times like this, like you, Jeremy, I'm definitely missing a cold draft, you know? Just something right out of the tap, I kind of miss that.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: With sports on in the background, sports that don't exist right now.
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah, just literally any baseball game and, you know-- that would be amazing right now.
JOHN SNYDER: Here's what I'm going to do.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Yeah, that would be great.
JOHN SNYDER: Here's what I'm going to do to be super meta. I'm going to drink a Griffin Claw beer while watching an off-the-clock video filmed at Griffin Claw.
GREG MIGLIORE: There we go.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: There you go.
GREG MIGLIORE: I forgot about that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Those were fun episodes.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: That was fun.
JOHN SNYDER: Jeremy got bit by that spider.
GREG MIGLIORE: Oh, yeah. Jeremy got bit by a spider. You got off the plane, and your foot swelled up, and-- that was the costliest video shoot ever. You almost died.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Well, I didn't almost die, per se. But I was a little worried about the foot for a while. I've never seen myself-- I've never swelled up like that. And the fact that it kept coming back-- an this is probably too much information for all of our "Autoblog" podcast listeners. But yeah. It's totally recovered now. A spider bite, the last thing you want is for that sucker to get infected. And when it does, you might be in for a little bit of a long recovery.
JOHN SNYDER: If anyone goes back and watches those "Autoblog" off-the-clock videos, just think about Jeremy sitting there with a big festering spider bite in his foot.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: I know. It was hard to take my shoe off after those videos. I had to fly back home from Detroit to Seattle. And I couldn't get my shoe back on to go back through security afterward. It swelled up so bad.
GREG MIGLIORE: That's a pretty awkward thing, I can imagine. Now, can you imagine that happening? You're trying to get through security. And your foot's swollen. They'd be like, sir, you have to leave the airport. They'd probably drag you out of there.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: I was this close. I was looking around. And if there would've been a guy with a wheelchair, I'd have flagged him. But I didn't see him. And by the time I was 100 yards away from my exit gate, I'm like, OK, I'm just doing this. And I hobbled all the way without a shoe on through the airport through security, picked up my car. But yeah. I totally should have wheelchaired it. That would have been-- that have been great.
I did a trip to the zoo with a big huge swollen foot. And I had my niece push me around in a wheelchair the entire time. And the zoo serves draft beer.
GREG MIGLIORE: Oh, nice.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: So it was the greatest trip to the zoo that I've ever, ever experienced. I was seeing the cool animals. I was being pushed in a wheelchair and drinking draft beer. Best zoo experience.
GREG MIGLIORE: That's the Toledo Zoo, right?
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: That was the Columbus zoo.
GREG MIGLIORE: Columbus Zoo-- both good zoos.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Yeah, both good zoos.
GREG MIGLIORE: The Detroit Zoo has a number of wine tastings and beer tastings. So I'll say this. Buzzed zoo could be kind of fun. Obviously, take your Ubers and your Lyfts or whatever home. But yeah.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Have we gotten way off track?
GREG MIGLIORE: I think we have. We should probably do a long term update on the Forester, which John has had. And I believe you took it in for some service recently, right?
JOHN SNYDER: I did. So I was driving it. I went on my birthday. I went to pick up some Indian food. And while I was waiting in the alley for the guy to bring the food out, my phone dropped down the side of the car, down the side of my seat. And I reached out to get it. And I'm groping around for it. And I feel the carpet's wet. And I was like, oh, man. Did I spill water?
No, I haven't driven the car in a couple of days. And so I get my food and go home, take another little look, and yeah. There's definitely kind of a lot of water down there. I told Zach. He said, yeah, I'll make an appointment. Keep an eye on it. The next day, more water. And I take it to the dealership, a local Subaru dealership, Dunning, where I used to take my car. So they're good people. I trust them and everything.
And it turns out that there was a leak. There was a crack in the sunroof drain tube, which is something I have never really thought about. I just think, oh, that sealed off-- whatever. There's a little drain tube. And somehow, that goes into the-- when it was broken, it was leaking inside the bottom of the vehicle and pooling under the driver's seat. And so they fixed that. It was all under warranty. But yeah. It was just a really weird sort of thing to break and to have happen. It was just an odd thing.
It didn't smell like anything. All the windows were shut. The doors were shut. How is this water getting inside the cabin? And it was only under the driver's seat. But yeah. Thankfully, it was only water. And it was an easy fix. Going to the dealership was interesting during all this. And wearing a mask in there, you're sort of in and out, get things explained to you over the phone-- couldn't really talk you through it in person.
But it was one of those things where I could go online, and up the part number, and figure out what was going on. So yeah. That was interesting. And then I had the Forester in my driveway for a few days overlapping with the Honda CRV hybrid. So I got to sort of do some comparisons with those. I did a-- there's a cup holder comparison. I had to test out the Nalgene and a bunch of different things.
I tested the car seat. You know, it sounds boring. But I like one of the cars better for car seats, and it's probably for a reason most people wouldn't expect. But yeah. The CRV hybrid was good too. I really liked it. I think I'd rather drive an Escape hybrid than that. But it drives really well. It's quiet. It's nicer. It's refined. I didn't drive it a whole bunch. But it was a nice thing to have while I was airing out the carpet of the forester.
GREG MIGLIORE: I would say that's a tough one. I've driven several escapes. I haven't driven the CRV hybrid, but I've driven the CRV quite a bit. I think I'd probably come down on a CRV hybrid versus the Escape hybrid. But it would be a close one. I'd probably have to compare prices, and specs, and range, and all the good stuff. I generally like the CRV a little bit more than the Escape, although the new one is very, very good, the new Escape. So that's a great comparison. Yeah. Any other CRV hybrid notes? Did you do anything with it besides any essential errands? Any gin runs?
JOHN SNYDER: No gin runs, just the grocery store, really.
GREG MIGLIORE: Nice.
JOHN SNYDER: And took the long way to the grocery store, if you will. But comfortable car. The interior is very practical. It's not-- and this is a Honda thing. The interior's very well thought out. And form follows function more than anything else, in my opinion. But they managed to make it look good too. It doesn't look as good as some other designs out there. But the material quality is decent. But it does look fairly utilitarian. But I liked it quite a bit.
I was able to fit a Nalgene in the back door, the door pocket cup holder, but not anywhere else. But it doesn't fit anywhere in the Subaru, so it won there,
GREG MIGLIORE: Cool. Well, it sounds like a pretty good, pretty crossover heavy podcast so far. We should probably spend some money. Longtime listener-- I've been listening since the very beginning. It goes back to when there was an "Autoblog" green podcast. I don't remember that. Do you remember that, John?
JOHN SNYDER: No. That was before my tenure.
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah. Wow. So great. Thanks for listening all these years. We're happy to spend your money. So do you remember that, Jeremy? Side note. You've been here the longest, "Autoblog" green podcast.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: There was an "Autoblog" green podcast for a while. And I don't know exactly when that stopped. But our good friend Sebastian Blanco used to do an "Autoblog" green podcast.
GREG MIGLIORE: Very cool. OK, so this, the writer here, has owned the '71 Malibu 307-- guy in high school. He says it passed away tragically. So I assume that was some sort of crash. Then he had a 2010 Chevy Cobalt. And when the clutch died, he got a '13 Malibu. So this guy's been driving a lot of Chevy's. That's quite the transition from a '71 Malibu to 2010 Colbalt.
Malibu's at 105. Wow. Needs significant repairs and replacements. This has been going on throughout its life. Car's paid off-- doesn't need a new ride-- but he's looking for something. So cool. Sounds good. We're happy to help. He used to want a second gen CTS for the looks and performance, but he thinks they're getting a little long in the tooth to actually replace his. I'd probably agree with that. That's the second gen CTS have been around for a while.
So here is the criteria. He's looking for a CPO under 45,000 miles for about $20,000 to $25,000. Grand he lives in south central Pennsylvania. So in his shopping so far, he's like in the ATS. I think that's just based on your history and what you've described, that seems like a pretty good option. But more criteria-- all-wheel drive, solid engine, lots of content, et cetera. Also, like the A4, slash A5-- looked around at the CLA as well.
His fiancee thinks the ATS is for old people. I would disagree with that. I think there's some Cadillacs that are, but I don't think the ATS is. Concerned about the maintenance of a German vehicle. Commutes about 60 miles round trip, and he is on-street parking. Looking for us for other ideas, if we should think about something beyond entry level luxury.
So this really speaks to our earlier conversation, going back to the MDX-- different segment. But people really have their preferences and what they're looking for in what these luxury brands stand for. Cadillac, Acura, Lexus, BMW, they all kind of stand for a different kind of thing. Anyways, let's kick it to you, Jeremy. What do you think?
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: So I was looking at his history. And he seems like the kind of guy, if he ha a V8 Chevy Malibu '71, which is a super cool car, by the way-- I love that body style-- and he's thinking of something like a CTS or an ATS, which are rear-wheel drive kind of sporty vehicles, the certified preowned is for $20,000 to $25,000 is the hard part here. Because most of what I would recommend are the higher end versions. If he could get an ATSV, that's super sweet, just an absolutely rockin' car to drive. Anything of that GM alpha chassis is excellent.
I do have to disagree with your fiancee. I'm sure she's a lovely person, but she's wrong about the ATS. It's not a car for old people. It's really a fun car to drive. And if you can maybe let her test drive it and see that it's not a car for old people, vehicles that compete with the ATS is the Lexus IS can be kind of fun. It's a little bit on the sporty side. I doubt you're going to get one certified preowned in your price range.
Cadillacs depreciate pretty rapidly, so that might be why they're falling into where you're looking at. But I'm going to take a flyer on this one. Leave the entry level luxury segment, and I'm going to go to a good old-fashioned American V8 rear-wheel drive option. I don't know that you'll find one certified preowned because they just didn't sell very many of them. You might have to do a nationwide search if you needed CPO.
GREG MIGLIORE: Oh, I know where this is going.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: If you're willing to, if you're willing to forego the CPO, I did a search within 500 miles for myself, and I found some Chevy SS's. V8, rear-wheel drive-- Greg likes it. Greg likes it. V8, rear-wheel drive, super sporty, absolutely a blast to drive. And you can find them. I found a nice one with 46,000 miles on it for $26,000. And I would definitely consider that, if you're willing to maybe forgo the CPO, or can find one somewhere in your budget.
GREG MIGLIORE: That is an outstanding choice. I think given his history and just his real-- he doesn't say he's a GM loyalist, but it sure sounds like he is. That's basically the unicorn, and it's the perfect choice. Some compromises-- the interior in that thing is not great. I like how it looks, but some people thought it looked old, which it was. It's a very old Holden, you know. So there's that. But that's a really strong choice.
I've got like two or three, but I want to hear what you think, John.
JOHN SNYDER: OK, well, first of all, I have to concur that the ATS is definitely not an old person's car. I went on the press launch of that and got to drive there on track. And it was a hoot. I have in the past tried to convince people to buy this who were interested in it. So that's what I'm going to go with as my choice. I think the ATS is a super solid choice. It's a lot of fun, looks great, and seems to be right in the wheelhouse of the things that this reader wants and needs from a car.
Oh, I also really like the A4, the Audi A4. That's going to be way different than what you're used to. If you're looking for a drastic change, something way more architectural and clean than the brash brazen sort of American aesthetic, give it a shot. Give it a test drive. It might be just what you're looking for, if you're tired of the other stuff. But if you're not, the ATS is a good call.
I haven't driven the Chevy SS, but I know enough about it to know that if you guys like it, that's going to be a good one too. But the ATS is what I'm coming down on.
GREG MIGLIORE: Good choice. Good choice. That's sort of my lean right now. It's like ATS, you could get them right in that price range. I think they look great. I think the chassis are brilliant. The interiors are actually decent. I think the ATS is one of those Cadillac slash GM interiors they were able to get right, especially if you find it in the right trim.
So yeah. That's my lean. Just to really think out loud though, you could get a decent 3 series in this price range. So if you want to change it up, kind of like what John said, it might be at least worth a test drive, same with the A4. It might be-- I would honestly say if you're thinking at all of changing it up, you might want to go try maybe an Audi and/or a BMW just because, hey, why not? I think-- we always say take a test drive. It's fun. Maybe in this coronavirus time it's not.
But assuming we get past this and it's more safe to go do these things, those are interesting cars to consider. I'm going to throw a curveball at you kind of like Jeremy's SS. I'm going to go with a Regal GS. Those things are fairly high powered. They fit in that price range. There's a two-liter four-cylinder engine that was pretty strong. It was very power dense, very torquey. You get-- if you like Jeremy's Holden underpinnings, you might like Buick's sort of Opel underpinnings. This is a really good chassis as well.
JOHN SNYDER: Optional all-wheel drive as well.
GREG MIGLIORE: Optional all-wheel drive. This is a better car than I think people remember. I think it was very good for the mid 2010s. My sure it aged all that well. But and the interior, if you're a little not sure about General Motors interiors, Buick is probably not the interior you want to dive into and look for something that surprises and delights. But that would be my curveball.
So all that being said, you got the Audi, you got the BMW, you got the SS, you got the-- am I leaving anything else out here-- then the ATS. I would still come back and say based on that you kind of have a GM pedigree, the ATS is probably what you're looking for. That's how I would land.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Smart.
GREG MIGLIORE: All right, well, thanks for writing it. Yeah.
JOHN SNYDER: I like it because you picked what I picked.
GREG MIGLIORE: Well, that was my lean from the start too. Usually what I'll do is when people write in for Spend My Money, I'm like, yeah. That's about right. And I'll confirm it, or my other 50% of the time maybe a little bit less. No. No. It's not what I would do. And you start kind of reverse engineering it.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: I like coming in with a suggestion that someone might not have immediately been considering. Hey, think about this.
JOHN SNYDER: You and Joel are both really good at that.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Yeah. I try to come up wit something a little bit funky.
GREG MIGLIORE: I would say Joel is perhaps our best all around Spend My Money person. No offense to anybody, but he is just-- the stuff he comes up with, not just the oddball stuff, but the reasoned thought out stuff. It's really the best of all worlds. I'm more likely to throw some screwball car at you and say, well, this might be interesting. But he really backs it up. So yeah.
So I guess we'll leave it there. This has been a fun show, guys. Glad to hear your quarantines are going well. Jeremy, have fun with that Jeep. I think that's going to be good.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Yeah.
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah, I hope you get some off roading. And maybe you take it to a local brewery, and they can throw it in the back or something n a-- that's a great curbside pickup vehicle right there. Just throw it in the bed. You have maybe a crate or something back there they drop the growler in.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Well, I just need to figure out how many kegs can fit in the bed of the Gladiator. That's what the corporate card's for, right, Greg?
GREG MIGLIORE: There you go. Right.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: It's for testing.
GREG MIGLIORE: That won't get audited at all.
JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: Testing purposes. I have to review this car.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
GREG MIGLIORE: There you go. We're always getting-- it's a work from home expense, right? So--
JOHN SNYDER: Yeah, put it down as office supplies.
GREG MIGLIORE: Office supplies. That's a growler. Well, anyways, so we should leave it there. Thanks for listening, everybody. Be safe out there. You just listened to the "Autoblog" Podcast. We'll see you next time.
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