LeisureAutomotiveNewsTechnology

The Drivecast

The Drive

The Drivecast gives you an inside, behind-the-scenes look at the biggest stories, controversies, and people shaping the car industry from one of the top automotive news sites in the country.

Each week, The Drive's editor-in-chief Kyle Cheromcha, director of content Joel Feder, and a rotating cast of expert staffers will break down how automakers are navigating a transformative time. Massive shifts in technology, manufacturing, and consumer demands are changing the ways cars are built and sold quicker than ever, and the way car companies are navigating this moment will shape the way our roads look for the next century.

It doesn’t matter if you’re an enthusiast since birth or just curious about why cars are the way they are today—we’ll give you the inside line with our exclusive reporting and break it all down for you.

If you like what we're doing, check out The Drive for the latest news, analysis, and in-depth car reviews, sign up for one of our newsletters, and subscribe to us on YouTube. We're also posting all the time on Instagram and Facebook.

Play

Open in

25 episodes
weekly
Avg 38 min
English

Episodes 25

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

Yesterday · 25 min
Honda doesn't want to be the next Toyota
Honda's top executives have watched Toyota's reliability crisis play out with the Japanese competitor's new turbocharged engines, and it keeps them up at night. Honda Motor Executive Vice President Noriya Kaihara and American Honda President and CEO Eiji Fujimura told The Drive how the automaker's quality control systems are evolving as the automaker prepares a new wave of next-gen powertrains. The goal? Avoid the nightmare that is currently playing out with Toyota and its turbocharged V6 engines in the Tundra. This week The Drive's Director of Content and Product Joel Feder and Deputy Editor Jerry Perez go behind the scenes with Honda's top executives and discuss how the automaker's making sure its engines don't grenade themselves. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Honda’s Top Bosses Explain How They’re Avoiding Toyota’s Engine Nightmare Toyota Built Its Reputation on Reliability. The Tundra Is Threatening to Undo It Honda’s New V6 Hybrid Will Have More Power and Better Fuel Economy Than Competitors Turbo-Four Hybrids Next-Gen Honda Civic Hybrid Prototype Drive: A Fuel Sipper That Feels Like An Automatic Si 2026 Honda Prelude Long-Term Test Begins: Living With Honda’s Most Controversial Car 00:00 - Intro 03:57 - Toyota's nightmare recap 05:34 - Honda execs can't sleep over Toyota's issues 07:10 - Evolving quality control systems 07:36 - Speed to market 08:37 - Three words 12:04 - Who is Honda? How can Honda compete? 13:16 - Honda turbocharged path 14:13 - Honda's next-gen V6 hybrid 21:02 - No one is perfect 21:45 - Quick action Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 9 · 30 min
The luxury car market is crashing
You would not know it from the posts on Instagram during Monterey Car Week last month or the barrage of expensive debuts that have been touted, but the luxury segment is in trouble. While Bugatti and Ferrari are doing just fine the story isn't the same for other luxury automakers. Bentley is spiraling, Aston Martin is a mess, Maserati is a train wreck, and Porsche is in trouble and it's not clear that the Macan and Cayenne SUVs can save the iconic automaker this time. This week The Drive's Director of Content and Product Joel Feder and Editor Byron Hurd break down the situation, go behind the scenes on the luxury market crumbling, why it's happening, and what comes next. Stories mentioned in today's episode: The Luxury Car Market Is Crumbling from the Top Down 00:00 - Intro 05:41 - How did we get to this story? 06:11 - What's happening? 09:18 - Facts and figures 11:26 - Depreciation 12:30 - Second-hand market 17:59 - The blurry line of "luxury features" 26:00 - Pricing and stealth wealth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 2 · 28 min
Diesel prices are climbing and everyone's about to pay for it
One year ago, the average cost of a gallon of diesel fuel in America was $3.70. Today, at the time of this recording, it’s $5.60. That’s 50% higher, and some forecasts have it touching a record $6 a gallon by the end of the year. Not good. America, and arguably the world, runs on diesel. So when prices go up by 50%... well, that pain can only be contained for so long. From multiple wars to oil refineries going offline there’s no easy fix. Everyone's about to feel the pain. The Drive's Editor-In-Chief Kyle Cheromcha and Director of Content and Product Joel Feder break the situation down with Senior Editor Caleb Jacobs. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Diesel Prices Are About to Break Records. Here’s Why They Keep Rising The Government Is Still Messing With Fuel Formulas to Try to Curb Gas Prices The Feds Say Cutting Fuel With Ethanol Will Bring Down Gas Prices. We’re Not Buying It The Feds Plan To Start Diluting Gasoline This May: Explained 00:00 Intro 0:55 - Current diesel pricing reality 5:18 - Why has diesel gotten so expensive? 6:37 - This is a global issue 8:54 - Goldman Sachs prediction 10:27 - Modern realities 11:38 - Napkin math 15:42- Who's talking about this? 17:35 - Not at record levels, yet 18:56 - The new normal? 19:17 - Ripple affects on schools 22:05 - The holidays are coming 22:36 - This affects everyone 23:49 - There's no diluting like with gas 25:08 - There's no backstop Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 12 · 59 min
The man trying to save Goodyear
While most people could not care less about tires they are in fact one of the most important aspects of a car's performance and safety. Goodyear is one of the most iconic tire manufacturers in the world, but its name, legacy, and blimps haven't kept it insulated from the turmoil the auto industry is going through. Goodyear recorded a net loss of $1.7 billion in 2025 and $249 million in the first quarter of 2026. The company brought in a new CEO, Mark Stewart, in 2024 to "transform the company." Stewart's been swift and decisive in a bid to turnaround Goodyear's business. The Drive's Editor-In-Chief Kyle Cheromcha and Director of Content and Product Joel Feder are joined by Goodyear CEO Mark Stewart to discuss whether the company can actually grow its business by selling more expensive tires to fewer people, the company's support of tariffs, and the competition. And yes, there's blimp talk. 00:00 Intro 07:23 How did Goodyear get into trouble? 10:33 Are we done with layoffs? 13:36 Stewart's background isn't tires 16:42 Tariffs 21:54 OEM supplier business 30:52 Chasing those whales 33:13 Are expensive tires actually better than cheaper tires? 37:31 Should Goodyear be more involved in cultural events? 42:04 The Goodyear blimps -- Blimp talk! 48:20 Goodyear in motorsports 52:38 Smart tires 55:44 Airless tires Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 5 · 45 min
Finally: America's getting modern headlights
The U.S. is laughably behind the rest of the world when it comes to headlight technology. It’s not because the technology didn’t exist, but rather because outdated U.S. laws have prevented automakers from bringing these modern technological marvels to U.S. roads. Until now. New laws that were finally enacted years ago are finally allowing automakers to bring adaptive headlights to the U.S. with a handful of automakers now launching the modern tech in America. The Drive's Director Of Content And Product Joel Feder, Head of Exterior Lighting for Audi AG, Michael Kruppa, and vehicle lighting and regulation subject matter expert Daniel Stern break down the differences in these upcoming modern headlight technologies and why it took so long for the U.S. to catch up to the rest of the world. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Audi’s Matrix LED Headlights Are Finally Coming to America Audi’s New Q9 Will Project Your Turn Signals Onto the Road Here’s Why Modern Headlights Are So Unbelievably Annoying It’s Not Just You: Six of 10 Drivers Say Headlight Glare Is a Problem See Audi’s New Micro LED Digital Matrix Headlights in Action. Yes, They’re Still Illegal in America Adaptive Headlights Will Finally Come to the US, Thanks to the Infrastructure Bill 00:00 Intro 04:58 Laws had to change to enable modern headlight tech 09:21 Addressing headlight glare 13:48 Adding communication to lighting 15:06 Rivian's adaptive lighting system vs. Audi's 21:56 Retrofitting adaptive lighting to cars on the road 25:22 One lighting regulation for the world 28:12 What took so long for America to get into this century? 28:40 One world headlight 30:42 Different implementations of the tech 33:26 Safety, light pollution, and blinding people 36:58 Audi vs. Rivian's system 38:35 Lighting tunnels: U.S. vs. The World 40:40 Is this a safety item? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 29 · 40 min
Flock's CEO faced me
Millions of people have read Joel's report and seen the body cam footage after he was mistakenly tracked, and then ambushed, by police for what was believed to be grand theft auto after Flock license plate readers flagged the car he was driving for days. The story, and topic of Flock and automatic license plate readers, is a lightning rod and at the heart of a national debate and various discussions in America. People's concerns about warrantless tracking, their 4th amendment rights, their privacy, and the constant stories surfacing of cops misusing the technology to stalk people can't be overlooked. The Drive's Director Of Content And Product Joel Feder and Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley sat down for a candid conversation about what happened, what's happening in America, and the future. Stories mentioned in today's episode: ⁠How Flock Cameras Wrongly Tracked Me for Days Over ‘Stolen’ Plates and Sent Police After Me⁠ ⁠Flock Says Its Cameras Worked ‘Correctly’ When Police Tracked and Ambushed Me for No Reason⁠ I Reported on Flock’s Cameras. Now I’m One of the System’s Mistakes ⁠Cops Are Already Using License Plate Readers to Stalk People⁠ ⁠License Plate Cameras Are Tracking Your Life Without a Warrant⁠ ⁠License Plate Cameras Will Soon Track Phones, Wearables, Infotainment, and Even Your Pets 00:00 Intro 03:55 - What happened? 06:16 - What's changing and what did Flock learn from this? 14:02 - Addressing the hundreds of millions of misreads a month 18:00 - What's the future look like? 21:21 - The 4th amendment and privacy concerns 24:28 - Congress members threatening anti-Flock bills 27:00 - Publish pushback on Flock 31:52 - Police misuse and abuse of Flock 35:26 - Addressing Garrett calling people "domestic terrorists" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 22 · 43 min
Flock tracked me
Sometimes we report the news, and sometimes we ARE the news. That’s exactly what happened two weeks ago when Joel published his report about being mistakenly tracked by police via Flock license plate cameras and ambushed by the police in a strip mall parking lot. We can't make this stuff up. This story hit so hard is because it landed in the middle of a heated debate around the country about Flock Safety’s growing network of AI-powered surveillance cameras, which police can use to track a lot more than just license plates. Every week, there are more headlines about one city entering a new partnership with Flock, another city ending theirs after residents pushed back, or people running around and cutting down every Flock camera they can find. What happened? What have we learned since? And answers to people's questions that go beyond the stories we've published so far. The Drive's Editor-In-Chief Kyle Cheromcha and Director Of Content And Product Joel Feder break it all down. Stories mentioned in today's episode: ⁠How Flock Cameras Wrongly Tracked Me for Days Over ‘Stolen’ Plates and Sent Police After Me⁠ ⁠Flock Says Its Cameras Worked ‘Correctly’ When Police Tracked and Ambushed Me for No Reason⁠ ⁠Cops Are Already Using License Plate Readers to Stalk People⁠ ⁠License Plate Cameras Are Tracking Your Life Without a Warrant⁠ ⁠License Plate Cameras Will Soon Track Phones, Wearables, Infotainment, and Even Your Pets⁠ 00:00 Intro 04:23 - What happened? 07:31 - Flock cameras tracked me 14:11 - Flock reached out 16:27 - What did we learn? How did this happen? 34:12 - Why four squad cars and four cops? 36:22 - Now what? Where do we go from here? What comes next? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 15 · 1 hr 2 min
The curse of the concept car
The business of concept cars is faltering. Every year, automakers spend many millions of dollars building full-size, one-off concept cars to market-test new ideas, flex design capabilities, experiment with new technologies, and just get people excited about what's next. They are a showcase of what a company can do when they're freed up from pesky things like crash regulations and mass production budgets. Most never make it to the showroom, at least not without a lot of compromises, but that's not the point. The point is to push, see what happens, and apply those findings to the cars of tomorrow. The signal that a concept car is supposed to create for both sides, for companies and consumers, is getting weaker. When people are geared to greet concepts with suspicion because they represent anxieties about the future instead of hope, the market research aspect breaks down. When car companies can't get valid data from that response, their aim falters. And when companies build fewer ambitious concepts because it feels like a waste of money, the one window for both sides to have a conversation about what the cars of tomorrow should look like or do or represent gets smaller and smaller. Are concept cars going to disappear? Why? What will happen? The Drive's Editor-In-Chief Kyle Cheromcha is joined by Jon Ikeda from Honda and Acura to break down the business of concept cars. Stories mentioned in today's episode: How Flock Cameras Wrongly Tracked Me for Days Over ‘Stolen’ Plates and Sent Police After Me Do concept cars matter anymore? 5 top Designers explain 00:00 Intro 04:19 - Jon Ikeda and his background 5:40 - What's the ROI of concept cars? 11:39 - How expensive are concept cars to create? 15:53 - The Internet and digital consumption changed things 17:33 - Design studies vs. public concept cars 28:33 - Powertrains and proportions 37:38 - The Precision Concept 42:48 - Public reactions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 8 · 45 min
Do electric trucks make sense?
For a moment in time it looked like a hard shift to the electric future was taking place. When America's best-selling vehicle, the Ford F-150, is available with an electric powertrain, there were signs. But various automakers took different paths towards the electric future, and by many accounts history might show the first round of electric trucks were a failure with large price tags, sales volume that quickly cooled off, and what resulted in massive losses for automakers. Now the next-generation of EVs are taking shape, and of course, because this is America, trucks are at the forefront. But this time things are going to be different. From how these electric trucks are being designed and built to how much they will cost, what they can do, and even what they offer in terms of features. But do electric trucks even make sense? The Drive's Director Of Content And Product Joel Feder, Executive Editor Andrew P. Collins, and Senior Editor Caleb Jacobs break down the electric truck segment, what happened, where we are today, and what's coming next. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Ford F-150 Lightning EV Is Dead, Next Gen Will Have Gas Engine Backup GM Delays Full-Size Electric Truck and SUV Redesigns: Report Ram Gives Up On Its Electric Truck 2026 Rivian R1T Quad First Drive Review: When Too Much Is Just Enough 2024 Tesla Cybertruck Review: Impressive Engineering Hamstrung by Hubris Spied: Ford’s $30,000 Electric Truck Caught Next to an Expedition Slate’s $24,950 Electric Truck Gets More Range, More Tow Capacity—and 450 More Pounds I Rode in Slate’s $24,950 Electric Truck. It Didn’t Feel Like a $24,950 Electric Truck Pour One Out for Canoo, the EV Startup That Dared to Be Different 00:00 Intro 08:59 - Quick history lesson 13:58 - Rivian R1T and Tesla Cybertruck paved the way into the future 16:58 - Ford's $30,000 electric truck 17:39 - Slate 19:41 - Lightning replacement 22:31 - Telo 27:11 - Today's trucks are big 29:41 - Canoo 31:06 - EREVs are coming 36:51 - Do electric trucks make sense? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 1 · 36 min
Congress could decide who's allowed to fix your car
Who's allowed to fix the car you own? Who's allowed to choose the mechanic that wrenches on the vehicle you own? As cars have become more complex and computerized, and corporations have become more fixated on gathering data, the topic of right to repair has become more intense. It's been thrust back into the limelight with recent comments from automaker CEOs and the White House. The Drive's Director Of Content And Product Joel Feder and Executive Editor Andrew P. Collins break down what right to repair is, what's happening, how we got here, and what it means for you. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Feds Might Flip the Script on Right to Repair Vehicle Emissions Systems Ford CEO Jim Farley’s Right To Repair Comment Should Make Every Car Owner Uncomfortable Want To Stop Your New Car From Transmitting Your Personal Data? It’s Possible Replacing Brake Pads on a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Requires a Professional Mechanic’s Login 00:00 Intro 06:05 - What is right to repair? 07:53 - How did we get here? 10:49 - Why are we talking about this? Where are we now? 12:44 - Ford CEO Jim Farley claims it's about Safety 21:14 - Modern cars are complicated and computerized 22:49 - The future 32:32 - What can consumers do? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 24 · 29 min
License plate cameras are tracking everything
The devices you carry will enable law enforcement and the government to track your every move. Scary thought. Time to break out the tin-foil hats. A new kind of license-plate reading camera is said to be far more than its name. It will be able to scrape the smart devices you take with you and wrap all that data in a nice little bow for law enforcement and government agencies. The Drive's Director Of Content And Product Joel Feder and Senior Editor Adam Ismail are joined by security expert Matt Hurewitz, who is currently the CISO at Ent.AI, to sort fact from fiction and dissect what's really going on here. Stories mentioned in today's episode: License Plate Cameras Will Soon Track Phones, Wearables, Infotainment, and Even Your Pets Want To Stop Your New Car From Transmitting Your Personal Data? It’s Possible Cops Are Already Using License Plate Readers to Stalk People 00:00 Intro 04:14 License plate cameras are about to track you 07:42 Should you be concerned? 13:56 The danger that lurks 16:42 Slippery slope 18:40 Cars are incredibly complicated and connected now 20:37 What can people do? 23:04 Final thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 17 · 29 min
GM said they crushed them all. One ended up in Sweden
Almost two decades ago General Motors almost changed pickup truck history, and would've changed the entire market. A new, smaller, Baby Duramax turbodiesel V8 was set to launch and reset the bar for torque, fuel economy, and technology in the half-ton market. The engine was done, but the entire thing was scrapped with the crash of 2008 when GM filed bankruptcy. The automaker claimed all the prototypes were crushed, but at lest one escaped into the wild. So today, we dig into the history books and dissect the story of the unreleased Baby Duramax and a prototype surfacing in the real world. Stories mentioned in today's episode: The Recession Killed GM’s 4.5L Duramax V8, But One Escaped the Factory I Found the Canceled 4.5L Duramax V8 Prototypes, Then They Disappeared We Found GM’s Lost Duramax V8 Prototype That Could’ve Reinvented Modern Trucks 00:00 Intro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 10 · 45 min
Rivian bet the company on R2. RJ Scaringe told us almost everything
Rivian, by many accounts, has become the darling of the automotive industry. It’s a hot topic despite its current volume and scale. To date, it’s not a mainstream brand with a mass-market offering. But that changed yesterday with the launch of the R2, which costs between $45,000 and $60,000 while hitting at the absolute heart of the compact crossover SUV market at 186 inches long, which is the size of the Toyota RAV4 and Tesla Model Y. The former is one of the best selling vehicles period while the latter is one of the best-selling EVs by the widest of margins it’s not even funny. Now it’s Rivian’s turn to step into the arena and aim for the masses. This is the moment RJ Scaringe and his team has been building towards for years. Everything is riding on this. This week, The Drive's Director of Content and Product, Joel Feder, is joined by Rivian Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe to dissect how we got here, missteps, where the company is today, and what's about to happen in both the immediate and longer-term future. So, today, it’s behind-the-scenes on Rivian going into the mass market arena, what that looks like, how it plays out, and addressing how the automaker aims to tackle it all. Stories mentioned in today's episode: 2027 Rivian R2 First Drive Review: The Perfect Car for So Many PeopleSomehow, Rivian’s Cheaper R2 Is Its Most Refined Vehicle The Rivian R2 Needed a Rear Wiper That Didn’t Exist. So Rivian Invented One 2026 Rivian R1T Quad First Drive Review: When Too Much Is Just Enough Rivian Is Going RAD. But Can It Stick the Landing? Rivian Won’t Talk About the Missing R2 Tri-Motor. The Reason Why Is Big Rivian Sidesteps Apple CarPlay With Built-In Texting 00:00 Intro 04:05 R2 profitability 07:43 R2 launch 10:49 Service 16:54 Rivian Adventure Network 20:03 RAD 25:47 R3X 26:25 R2T? 29:13 R4 29:31 Patents and a winch for R1 30:57 Repairability 35:32 Buttons, knobs, and the Halo wheels 37:43 Voice controls 39:07 RJ's final thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 3 · 36 min
Inside Toyota's reliability crisis
Toyota, the world’s largest automaker, who for decades has been known for building more reliable cars than anyone else. But lately, some big cracks are starting to form in that foundation. Last month, Toyota added another 44,000 vehicles to its ongoing recall of Tundra pickups and Lexus SUVs with the company’s troubled 3.4-liter twin turbo V6, bringing the total to nearly 270,000 trucks over the last two years. And this isn’t some precautionary move—metal debris left in the engine during assembly is causing sudden and catastrophic failure, a previous attempt to stop it didn’t work, and so far Toyota has had to replace tens of thousands of engines for free. So today, it’s Toyota’s reliability crisis—how it ended up here, what’s really happening beyond the headlines, and what might be next. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Toyota Turbo V6 Recall Campaign Grows to Include More Than 250,000 Trucks We Finally Know Why the Toyota Tundra V6 Keeps Self-Destructing ‘Total BS’: Engine Teardown Specialist Says Toyota’s Explanation for V6 Failures Doesn’t Make Sense Toyota Will Replace Over 100,000 V6 Engines in Recalled Tundras, Lexus SUVs Toyota Recalls Another 127,000 Tundras and Lexus SUVs Over Self-Destructing Turbo V6s Is Toyota’s New Twin-Turbo V6 Really Less Reliable Than Its Old V8s? Toyota Dealers Brace to Replace 100,000 Tundra V6s 00:00 Intro 06:07 How did we get here? 09:40 What's happening? 18:26 Where do we go from here? 25:51 What do you tell potential buyers? 30:06 The competition Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 27 · 39 min
Stellantis Has Big Plans. Tim Kuniskis Told Us Almost Everything
Stellantis has been rocked. The automaker built its current foundation upon loud noises and fast times at the drag strip all while making loud boom boom noises thanks to the Hemi and a legendary Hellcat V8 powertrain. Then the party ended. It was late to the electric game, many of its EVs didn’t even launch and were just DOA from the get go, SRT was mothballed, and things just looked bleak, again. Stellantis says there’s hope, and even a plan. This week, The Drive's Director of Content and Product, Joel Feder, is joined by The Father of the Hellcats, but his official titles include Ram CEO, Head of American Brands for Stellantis, and Head of SRT, Tim Kuniskis. From Cooperhead and Scrambler to the the return of the Rumble Bee with a Hellcat powertrain and the Ramcharger nameplate, Kuniskis dissects it all with Feder. So, today, it’s behind-the-scenes on Stellantis' turnaround plan and what comes next. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Stellantis Announces Huge Turnaround Plan, 60 new Vehicles and 50 Refreshes by 2030 2027 Ram SRT Rumble Bee Revealed as a Shorty Street Truck With 777-HP V8 Dodge Has a New Completely Unhinged Halo Car Coming and It’s Not Called the Viper Jeep Is Building a Wrangler Scrambler SRT With Removable Roof, Backward-Facing Rear Seats and Probably a V8 Stellantis Promises Dodge Dealers New Small SUV, Refreshed Durango, and More SRT Can Chrysler Be More Than a Minivan Brand? It’s Betting Three New SUVs Under $40,000 Can Prove It Ram Is Bringing Back the Dakota and a New Compact Truck Both Under $40,000 Stellantis Is Launching 9 New Vehicles Under $40,000 Ramcharger SUV Name ‘A Pretty Obvious Guess’ Says Ram CEO The New Dodge Charger SRT Has a Wing Straight Out of the Superbird Era and It Looks Ready to Fly 00:00 Intro 04:59 Copperhead 09:21 Viper 11:57 Scrambler 16:13 Jeep 22:33 Recon 23:49 Ramcharger 26:52 SRT 30:37 GLH/Hornet 33:01 Chrysler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 20 · 25 min
Your OBDII app might have put you on a federal list
Years ago EZ Lynk was in the news for its products, how they were being used, and what they were enabling consumers to do with their vehicles. Now, five years later, the book has been opened, again, and the department of justice is looking at how EZ Lynk enabled customers in modifying their vehicles in a way that violated laws. This time? The DOJ is targeting consumers and their data, which is a whole new set of issues. So today, it’s The Drive's Director Of Content And Product Joel Feder and Senior Editor Caleb Jacobs discussing EZ Lynk, the DOJ, diesel defeat devices, and the Pandora's box that is being opened. Stories mentioned in today's episode: DOJ Orders Apple, Google to Hand Over OBDII App User Data in Emissions Probe US Government Sues Diesel Truck Tuner EZ Lynk Over Emissions Defeat Devices Fast Times and Million-Dollar Fines: Inside the EPA’s Messy War on Dirty Diesel Trucks Trump Administration Guts Framework Behind U.S. Auto Emissions Regulations Emissions Defeat Devices No Longer a Top Priority for EPA Feds Won’t Pursue Criminal Charges Against Tuners for OBDII Tampering Anymore Previously Imprisoned Diesel Tuner Receives Federal Pardon 00:00 Intro 01:33 About last week 05:25 History and how we got here today 08:20 EZ Lynk 09:38 Consumer privacy 13:02 The scale of the situation 14:13 From President Joe Biden to President Donald Trump 17:43 What comes next? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 6 · 40 min
Why Porsche is about to copy... Hyundai??
Believe it or not but one automaker is about to copy another’s idea—and neither are who you’d expect. Porsche is an unquestioned leader in the world of performance cars, and its careful treatment of the 911, Cayman, and Boxster is often imitated, never duplicated. But now? It’s about to steal a controversial move from an unlikely source— Hyundai—as it tries to figure out the magic formula for a fun-to-drive electric car. What a world. So today, it’s The Drive's Editor-In-Chief Kyle Cheromcha and Director Of Content And Product Joel Feder discussing fun versus electric cars: how a company like Porsche ends up copying Hyundai, what the various tricks automakers are trying means for the next generation of EVs, and why this all matters more than you’d think. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Porsche Is Adding Fake Gear Shifts to Its EVs, 2027 Taycan Will Be First: Exclusive Future Porsche EVs in frame for Hyundai-like simulated gearboxes Porsche Says It ‘Learned a Lot’ From the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N: TDS 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Review: A Racing Sim You Can Drive on the Road 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N Preview Drive: More Fun Than Most Sports Cars Fake Gears, Real Fun: A Pro Driver Makes the Case for EV Gimmicks 2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V First Drive Review: Succeeding Where Mercedes Failed 2026 Rivian R1T Quad First Drive Review: When Too Much Is Just Enough Rivian’s RAD Tuner Is Like An Equalizer For Your EV’s Powertrain 00:00 Intro 06:49 Porsche is about to copy Hyundai's fake gear shifts in EVs 08:47 What is a virtual transmission for an EV? 17:06 The Dodge Charger Daytona 22:28 Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz 24:12 A limit to the efficacy of these systems 25:02 Hyundai Ioniq 6 n 27:23 Maserati 30:54 Rivian 32:32 Lucid 35:26 Legacy vs. startup automakers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
April 29 · 43 min
Billions burned: The great EV reckoning
It's time to check in on the state of electric vehicles both in America and abroad—and how much money automakers have lit on fire in the last few years rushing to cash in on electrification, which… hasn’t really paid off. Now, it feels like a big correction is underway. Car companies spent most of 2025 in a wait-and-see position, but now they’ve waited and seen enough, and started to make big moves. Ford killed its once-revolutionary F-150 Lightning pickup, Honda killed its next-gen EVs that were supposed to be built and sold in America and lost over $15 billion in the process, GM has paused development of its next-gen electric trucks, Nissan’s walked things back and shifted directions, Volvo’s killed an entire model line, and more. It’s a wild and wildly expensive time to be an automaker, and the decisions being made now will have long-lasting effects on the shape of the global auto industry for years. This week it's The Drive's Editor-In-Chief Kyle Cheromcha and Director Of Content And Product Joel Feder discussing the state of the EV union—how automakers are reacting to the uncertainty, whether they’re over-correcting, and what comes next. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Stellantis’ EV Retreat Cost the Automaker $26.5 Billion: TDS Ford’s EV Gamble and Bust Will Cost the Automaker $19.5 Billion: TDS GM CFO Says Automaker Can Absorb EV Losses: TDS Honda Kills Three US-Built EVs Before They Ever Launch, Taking up to $15 Billion Loss Ford’s Never-Seen, Canceled Moonshot EV Has Been Hiding in Plain Sight Online for a Year 00:00 Intro 08:13 Who burned how much? 08:34 Stellantis 13:38 Ford 18:42 Honda 24:04 GM 31:05 VW Group 34:38 Nissan 36:36 Toyota 38:04 Mercedes-Benz 39:02 BMW 39:12 Volvo 40: 18 Tesla 41:35 Rivian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
April 22 · 39 min
Nissan's going all in: Inside the plan
Nissan's in trouble, but the automaker's not going down without a fight. After laying out a massive turnaround plan it's clear Nissan's not just on the ropes, but about to swing for the fences and really try and cater to both the masses and enthusiasts, again, as it refocuses. This week, The Drive's Director of Content and Product, Joel Feder, is joined by Senior Vice President and Chief Planning Officer for Nissan North America, Ponz Pandikuthira, in an exclusive one-on-one chat taking place in Japan discussing what's coming from both Nissan and Infiniti. From a family of U.S.-made body-on-frame vehicles to special edition Zs, the timeline for the next GT-R, backdate kits, restomod and classic parts, to a 600-plus-horsepower QX80, Pandikuthira spills the goods about how Nissan and Infiniti intends to win back the hearts, and wallets, of buyers ranging from millionaires to enthusiasts on a budget and everyone in-between. So, today, it’s behind-the-scenes on Nissan’s turnaround plan and what comes next. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Nissan Announces Huge Turnaround Plan To Cut Models and Keep the Good Stuff Nissan’s Next GT-R Will Be a Hybrid, Keep the VR38 Block, and Arrive by 2030 The Nissan Z Is Thriving Thanks to an Unlikely Hero: Your Parents The Next-Gen Nissan Xterra Is Real, and Here’s Your First Look Nissan Confirms New Xterra Will Offer Hybrid and Non-Hybrid V6 Options Nissan Is Looking at Doing a Sports Car Lineup Again, Exec Says 00:00 Intro 03:27 Next-gen GT-R 07:46 What's next for the Z? 09:44 Summarization of the upcoming products 10:39 Infiniti's "high-horsepower" sedan (the Skyline) 11:26 The future of Infiniti 15:37 A performance version of the Infiniti QX80 16:43 A Skyline JDM kit for Q50? 19:17 Bringing back and providing heritage parts 22:44 Hotter QX80s and what could come next 25:20 Special projects? 26:44 Xterra is coming Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
April 15 · 30 min
Hyundai and Kia are coming to crash the truck party
In a shocking turn of events: Both Hyundai and Kia are preparing body-on-frame pickup trucks. Sounds far-fetched, but it’s true, and it’s quite the development as these two juggernauts continue to blaze a trail forward challenging the rest of the industry on multiple fronts. It doesn’t sound like we’ll have long to wait. Now Hyundai announced it will kick off a family of body-on-frame vehicles in the U.S. before 2030 and teased them with an SUV that looked like a Bronco competitor. A week later, Kia confirmed it too will be bringing a body-on-frame truck to the U.S. by 2030, and it even talked powertrains. Senior Editor Caleb Jacobs and Director of Content and Product Joel Feder dive behind-the-scenes on Hyundai and Kia preparing to sell you a pickup truck, and what comes next. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Hyundai Targets Bronco, Wrangler with Body-on-Frame Boulder SUV Concept Hyundai Learned the Hard Way What Truck Buyers Do and Don’t Want Midsize Trucks Have All the Same Problems. Hyundai Thinks It Can Fix Them Kia’s Launching a Body-on-Frame Truck by 2030: TDS 00:00 Intro 06:55 Hyundai and Kia have body-on-frame trucks coming 13:26 What Hyundai has told The Drive its truck needs to be 16:55 Which powertrains will these trucks have? 21:21 Kia and Hyundai dealers are a risk 25:45 What do these trucks need to be to win? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Showing 1–20 of 25 episodes