Episodes
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Mazda launched its fourth generation, or ND as MX-5 fans would call it, almost a decade ago. Shaving weight from its NC-generation predecessor, this MX-5 excelled at what Miatas do best: be fun. Along the way, Miata squeezed more power and moved the redline of its 2.0-liter I4. The most recent group of upgrades usher in the ND3-era, or the third update for the ND-generation, and brings along some interesting hardware. While the powertrain is unchanged, Mazda stuffed a new limited-slip differential at the rear of Club models. The company also revised the steering system to increase steering feel even further with a new steering rack. Mazda also revamped its media system, which now features an 8.8-inch touchscreen.
On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the 2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF and puts it through its paces. Wren takes you on a tour of the ’24 Mazda Miata that highlights some of the new features and explains what it’s like to live with. Later, Wren will take you along for a live drive review of the updated MX-5. Adding to the show, Wren chats with Autoweek’s Patrick Carone about the latest Mazda MX-5, how the changes affect Mazda’s beloved sports car, and more. Closing the show, the pair breaks down what makes the 2024 Mazda MX-5 RF special.
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Genesis rolled out its G70 sedan onto the road all the way back in 2017, for the 2018 model year. While the G90 helped kick the Genesis brand off, the G70’s launch was a big part of the brand’s expansion down market. This smaller sedan fights with the likes of luxury heavyweights like the BMW 3-Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and more. This Genesis also shared a platform with Kia’s Stinger, which went out of production after 2023. Genesis gave the G70 a substantial styling update in 2022 to bring it in line with the rest of the Genesis portfolio, but also added a more powerful 2.5-liter turbocharged I4 as the base powertrain, which replaces the outgoing 2.0-liter mill.
On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2024 Genesis G70 and puts it through its paces. Wren guides you around the G70 highlights some of his favorite features, and explains what this Genesis sedan feels like in the real world. Later in the show, Wren takes you along for a live drive review. Joining these segments, Autoweek’s Patrick Carone joins the show to discuss his experiences with the G70, the competitive set, and more. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes the G70 special.
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The Hyundai Elantra has come a long way since its early ’90s inception. Over the last three decades, Hyundai’s Elantra has evolved and stayed with the ebbs and flows of automotive trends. This seventh-generation Elantra might have brought the Elantra N into the fold, but there’s more to this compact sedan than just its torque-steering stablemate. Elantra also offers its base non-N model with either a 2.0-liter or 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. However, there’s also a hybrid variant of the Elantra. The Elantra Hybrid blends a 1.6-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder with an electric motor in the search for better fuel economy. This I4 only makes 104 hp and 109 lb-ft of torque, but it gets a boost from an electric motor that cranks total system power to 134 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque.
On this episode of Quick Spin, hosts Wesley Wren and Patrick Carone both spend time with the 2024 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid and put it through its paces. Wren takes you on a guided tour of the ’24 Elantra highlights some of its features and shows off what it’s like to live with. Wren also takes you along for a live drive review. Adding to these segments, Wren chats with Carone about the Elantra, the changing automotive landscape, and the evolving role of hybrids in the United States. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes this Elantra Hybrid special.
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The Volkswagen Atlas joined the VW roster for 2018 and gave the company the ever-important mid-size SUV. Expanding on the Atlas, Volkswagen added the Cross Sport variant of its MQB-based crossover, which put the company’s hat in the ring of the crossover coupe argument. After five years on the road, Volkswagen overhauled both versions of the Atlas. While these updates do come with some interesting new hardware, there is one downside for some: Volkswagen ditched the VR6. That means powering every Atlas Cross Sport is the 2.0-liter EA888 Evo 4 mill, which shoves 269 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed transmission.
On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport and puts it through its paces. Wren takes you along on a guided tour of the ’24 Atlas Cross Sport and highlights some of his favorite features before taking you along on a live drive review. Adding to these segments, Wren chats with Autoweek’s Patrick Carone about the Atlas Cross Sport, crossover coupes, and more. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes the Atlas Cross Sport Special
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The 2025 Mazda CX-70 was an unseen surprise, but it follows trends seen across automakers: take your large three-row crossover, shake up the styling, and ditch a row of seats. Effectively a two-row version of Mazda’s CX-90, the CX-70 sports the same wheelbase as its higher-seating-capacity stablemate but does shake up exterior dimensions. Of course, the biggest separating factor between the two is the available seat count. The CX-70 also sports revised styling to help differentiate the models further, but Mazda shied away from a hyper-aggressive coupe styling direction and kept plenty of space in the cargo area for your groceries and gear. Powering the CX-70 is either the turbocharged 3.3-liter I6 or the plug-in hybrid powertrain that blends a 2.5-liter I4 with a hybrid system.
On this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek’s Natalie Neff hops behind the wheel of the 2025 Mazda CX-70 and puts it through its paces. Neff takes you along for a live drive review of the CX-70 after putting it through the rigors of a family road trip. Joining this segment, Neff chats with host Wesley Wren about the Mazda CX-70, her struggles with the PHEV powertrain, and the differences between this two-row crossover and its three-row counterpart. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes the 2025 Mazda CX-70 special.
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Toyota’s long-running Corolla entered its 12th generation in 2018. With its 12th iteration, Toyota also rolled out a hybrid powertrain underneath the Corolla’s skin, though that might have been overshadowed by the more raucous GR Corolla. Still, this ’24 Corolla Hybrid packs a 1.8-liter I4 that works with a hybrid system to send 138 hp to the front wheels. This less-potent hybrid also makes its way to the bottom rung of Toyota’s hybrid lineup, where it sits below a $25,000 starting price.
On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the 2024 Toyota Corolla hybrid and puts it through its paces. Wren takes you on a guided tour of the Corolla hybrid and highlights some of his favorite features. Later, Wren takes you along for a live drive review. Adding to these segments, Wren chats with Autoweek’s Patrick Carone about the ’24 Toyota Corolla hybrid, the changing landscape of low-priced vehicles, and how this Corolla hybrid stacks up against the latest Toyota Prius. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes this Corolla special.
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The 2024 Honda Passport Trailsport adds a dash of rugged machismo to Honda’s two-row people mover. Powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that sends 280 hp through a nine-speed transmission, this all-wheel-drive Trailsport has enough oomph to handle tasks. Evolving the third-gen Passport is the Trailsport package, which adds all-terrain tires, revised suspension tuning, and Honda’s i-VVTM4 torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system. This Honda rides the wave of crossover popularity and adds a healthy dose of adventure-ready hardware.
On the other side of the automotive spectrum, the once-thriving mid-size sedan segment is thinning. Hyundai’s Sonata is seeing a similar reflection with its sales a fraction of its early 2010s peak. That said, this eighth-generation Sonata features a 1.6-liter turbocharged I4 that sends 180 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque through the front wheels by way of an eight-speed automatic transmission.
On this episode of Talking Cars with the Boss, Wesley Wren chats with Natalie Neff about two vehicles that couldn’t be further apart in reality but are sitting close on the sales charts. The pair talk about their experiences with these vehicles, the changing automotive landscape, and the proliferation of adventure-focused crossovers. Closing the show, the pair decide which one they’d add to their driveway.
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Mazda launched its CX-30 during a tumultuous time in the automotive industry. Mazda’s CX-30 crossover launched at the end of 2019 and helped Mazda compete with the growing demand for compact crossovers. Borrowing a powertrain and driveline from its Mazda3 means that this CX-30 packs a 2.5-liter I4 under the hood. Adding more oomph to the mix, Mazda also slapped a turbocharger on this 2.5-liter on the aptly named Turbo models. This turbocharged compact crossover sends 250 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque through a six-speed automatic and into an all-wheel-drive system.
On this episode of Quick Spin, your host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2024 Mazda CX-30 turbo and puts it through its paces. Wren takes you on a guided tour of the CX-30 highlights its features and explains how it feels in person. Wren also takes you along for a live drive review. Adding to these segments, Wren chats with Autoweek’s Patrick Carone about the Mazda CX-30’s launch, the state of hatchbacks in the marketplace, and more. Closing the show, the pair breaks down what makes the CX-30 special.
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Volvos XC90 might be getting long in the tooth, with its current generation debuting almost a decade ago, but its plug-in hybrid Recharge variant leans into the current electrified discussion. This potent PHEV takes the reserved styling of the family-hauling XC90 and stuffs the Volvo plug-in hybrid powertrain under the skin. This system blends a turbocharged 2.0-liter I4 with electric motors to send a combined 455 hp and 523 lb-ft of torque to the wheels.
On the newer end of the spectrum, the smaller Genesis GV60 eschews the gasoline engine and relies solely on electric motors for motivation. This battery-electric crossover packs a 77.4 kWh battery to feed two motors in the Performance AWD trim. This all-wheel-drive performance trim sends 429 hp, or 483 hp in boost mode, to all four wheels. The downside to this power is that this BEV can only travel 235 miles per charge, per Genesis.
On this episode of Talking Cars with the Boss, Wesley Wren, and Natalie Neff talk about these modern people movers. Natalie Neff talks about her time with this battery-electric Genesis and this plug-in hybrid Volvo. The pair talk about the benefits and drawbacks of each powertrain. The pair also discuss which one of these machines they’d throw onto their driveway.
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The Toyota Prius might not have been a style icon when it launched in 1997, but it did quickly become a symbol of fuel savings. The fuel-sipper entered its fifth generation with the 2023 model year and ushered in a new era for ‘Yota’s hybrid. This new Prius sports a wholly redesigned shell but sticks with traditional hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains. This Prius Prime tester features a 2.0-liter Atkinson cycle I4 that works with an eCVT to make a combined 220 hp. This Prius PHEV also packs 13.6 kWh, which Toyota says can move the Prius Prime over 40 miles on with only its electric motors.
On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2024 Toyota Prius and puts it through its paces. Wren takes you on a guided tour of the ’24 Prius and highlights some of his favorite features. Later, Wren takes you along for a live drive review of the ’24 Prius Prime. Adding to these segments, Wren chats with Autoweek’s Patrick Carone about the Toyota Prius, the latest Prius’s curb appeal, and more. Closing the show, the pair breaks down what makes this Prius special.
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Toyota’s fourth-generation Highlander builds on almost two decades of momentum, and growing interest in the crossover space. This latest Highlander launched in 2019 and spun off a Grand Highlander variant that’s slightly larger to meet continued demand. Pivoting to four-cylinder power, this Highlander packs a 2.4-liter turbocharged I4 that feeds 265 hp through an eight-speed automatic. That power travels through the front wheels or an all-wheel-drive system.
It's hard for other automakers to ignore the hot-selling crossovers, and Hyundai jumped into the ring with its three-row Palisade. This three-row family hauler sports a 3.8-liter V6 under the hood that pushes 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque to the front or all four wheels by way of an eight-speed automatic transmission.
On this episode of Talking Cars with the Boss, Wesley Wren, and Natalie Neff chat about two darlings of the midsize crossover space. The pair share their experiences with the Highlander and Palisade, and discuss the growing demand for large, three-row crossovers. Closing the show, the pair break down which of these family haulers they’d like to add to their driveway.
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The Lexus NX kicked off in 2014, with its current, second generation coming seven years later. This mid-size, two-row crossover might not move the volume as its larger RX stablemate, but it handles the needs of the popular two-row midsize crossover space. The NX 350h packs a 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle I4 that’s paired with an eCVT and hybrid system to send 239 hp through a four-wheel drive system before hitting the pavement at each wheel.
Slotting below the NX, the entry point into the Lexus crossover lineup is the subcompact Lexus UX. This ’23 Lexus UX250h sports aggressive styling and a hybrid powertrain. Powering the UX250h is a 2.0-liter Atkinson cycle I4 that works with an eCVT and a hybrid system to make a combined 181 hp through the front wheels, or through an all-wheel-drive system.
On this episode of Talking Cars with the Boss, Wesley Wren chats with Natalie Neff about a pair of Lexus crossovers. The pair breakdown where these Lexus crossovers sit in the hierarchy of the company’s portfolio, and where they stand in the greater scheme of the car world. The pair also share their respective experiences with these machines.
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The latest-generation Toyota Tundra is a popular full-size pickup. While its 5.7-liter V8 didn’t carry over to the new generation, a turbocharged 3.4-liter V6, and a turbocharged 3.4-liter V6 hybrid take its spot. The top-flight hybrid powertrain shoves 479 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque through a 10-speed automatic. This truck also comes with a large touchscreen media system, comfortable seating, tech, and ride quality you’d expect from a full-size sedan.
Carrying the lower-priced load for Lexus, the ES 300h might not be as exciting as the company’s LC500, but it fills an important, mid-size role. In 300h trim, this hybrid people mover packs a 2.5-liter I4 under the hood that works with an eCVT to make 215 combined system hp. This hybrid sedan might not hustle from stoplight to stoplight, but it also manages over 44 mpg combined.
On this episode of Talking Cars with the Boss, Natalie Neff and Wesley Wren chat about these two vehicles and the evolving passenger car space. The pair breaks down how trucks have changed roles in the marketplace, and how mid-size sedans are losing some ground to crossovers, SUVs, and trucks. They also discuss their experiences with the respective vehicles and close the show by deciding which one they’d add to their stable.
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On this episode of Talking Cars with the Boss, Wesley Wren, and Natalie Neff talk about their experiences with a pair of dissimilar Mazdas. They compare and contrast the benefits of the MX-5 and its more utilitarian Mazda3. The pair also discuss which one they’d park in their driveway.
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Porsche took inspiration from its history of off-road racing 911s and put that into a limited-edition, road-going package dubbed Dakar. This model transforms the 911 Carrera and turns it into a high-riding machine. Equipped with no back seat, and fixed-back buckets in front, this 911 isn’t making light of its racing focus, even if none ever see a rally stage in anger. The 911 Dakar also sports bespoke front and rear fascias, that help better protect the machine from the trials and tribulations of off-roading. Porsche also lifted the 911 Dakar and included an adjustable ride-height suspension to crank it up a little more. Behind the driver is still a flat-six that sends 473 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed PDK transmission. From there, power travels through the standard all-wheel-drive system to get to the off-road rubber.
On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar and puts it through its paces. Wren takes you on a guided tour of the 911 Dakar and highlights some of the changes and his favorite features. Later, Wren takes you along on a live drive review of this limited-edition Porsche. Adding to these segments, Wren chats with Autoweek’s Patrick Carone about the 911 Dakar, the proliferation of off-roading sports cars in the marketplace, and more. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes this 911 special.
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The Volkswagen GTI has been a staple of the affordable but fun roster of cars since its inception almost half a century ago. This hopped-up Rabbit or Golf gave folks an affordable outlet for their gear-wringing fun. Well, halfway through the eighth generation of this legendary nameplate, Volkswagen is moving away from the manual transmission and pivoting to an automatic-only GTI in the United States. Before sending it away, VW launched a special stick-shifted celebration version of the GTI dubbed 380. Powering this 2024 VW GTI 308 is the same 2.0-liter EA888 turbocharged I4 that powers the other GTI variants. This turbocharged 2.0-liter sends 241 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque through either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic. Of course, in 380 S and 380 SE trim, the stick is the only transmission available.
On this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek’s Patrick Carone climbs behind the wheel of the 2024 VW Golf GTI and puts it through its paces. Carone takes you on a guided walkaround of the last-year stick-shifted Golf GTI and highlights some of his favorite features. Later in the show, Carone takes you on a live drive review of the ’24 VW GTI. Adding to these segments, Carone chats with host Wesley Wren about the GTI, the manual transmission disappearing, and more. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes the 2024 Golf GTI special.
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Ferrari’s not-quite-a-crossover Purosangue enters a world where the crossover is king, which is pushing sports-car-focused automakers toward adding more high-riding commuters into their respective lineups. Like a spiritual successor to the GTC4Lusso, the Purosangue has as many doors as it does seats, and is pointing its nose more at the highway than the racetrack. Of course, under the hood is still 6.5 liters worth of V12 that sends 715 hp and 528 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission. From there, power travels to all four wheels before hitting the pavement.
On this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek’s Mark Vaughn hops behind the wheel of the 2024 Ferrari Purosangue and puts it through its paces. Vaughn takes you on a guided tour of the Purosangue and highlights some of his favorite features. Later, Vaughn takes you along for a live drive review. Adding to these segments, Vaughn chats with host Wesley Wren about the Ferrari Purosangue, its place in the Ferrari history books, and where it stacks up in the growing world of higher-riding family haulers from sports car makers. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes the Purosangue special.
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The Mercedes-Benz GLS Class might have started out without the S in its name, but after the company shook up its crossover and SUV portfolio, it ascended to the top of the Mercedes hierarchy. The Mercedes GLS-Class functions effectively as the S-Class of its crossover and SUV lineup, and sports the largest footprint you’ll find on a road-going ‘Benz. This three-row Family Truckster saw a styling refresh last year, for the 2024 model year. This brings a new grille, and a new front fascia, among other more subtle styling changes. Thankfully, the 4.0-liter V8 stuck around in standard in GLS 580 guise. This V8 sends 510 hp and 538 lb-ft of torque through a nine-speed automatic. From there, the power travels to all four wheels by way of the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system.
On this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek’s executive editor Tom Murphy hops behind the wheel of the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 and puts it through its paces. Murphy takes you on a guided tour of the GLS 580 and highlights some of his favorite features and what’s new for ’24. Later. Murphy takes you on a live drive review of the latest GLS-Class. Adding to these segments, Murphy chats with host Wesley Wren about the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, the competition, and more. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes this GLS special.
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The Lamborghini Huracan is, unfortunately, seeing the end of its run. While the entry-level Lambo has spun off a handful of wild variants in its decade-long run, the team at Lamborghini is sending off the V10-powered sports car with a series of variants that include a rally-inspired, off-roader. The Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato takes the bones of the Huracan, gives it a lift, slaps on some all-terrain rubber, and adds a set of off-road lights to the nose. There’s also a roof-mounted air intake, which helps your V10 not gulp sand, dirt, or water as you’re blasting through the desert or rally stage. That 5.2-liter V10 sends 602 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque through a seven-speed automatic transmission and into the Lamborghini all-wheel-drive system.
On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2024 Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato and puts it through its paces. Wren takes you on a guided tour of this special Huracan and highlights some of his favorite features. Later, Wren takes you along for a live drive review. Adding to those segments, Wren chats with Autoweek’s executive editor Tom Murphy about this Lamborghini, off-road-inspired supercars, and more. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes this Lamborghini special.
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Slotted below the C-Class, the Mercedes-Benz CLA expanded the Mercedes-Benz coupe and sedan lineup when it came onto the scene in 2013. Shrinking the styling of the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, the CLA-Class is a swoopy alternative to the statelier C-Class with a lower starting price. Building on its first generation, Mercedes-Benz rolled out the second-generation CLA-Class in 2019 and carried along the wild AMG 45 into the next generation. Splitting the difference between the fire-breathing AMG CLA 45 and the more subdued CLA 250 is the CLA 35. Powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged I4, this CLA promises an AMG-enhanced powertrain that delivers 302 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. That power travels through an eight-speed automatic transmission and into the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system.
On this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek’s executive editor Tom Murphy hops behind the wheel of the 2024 Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 and puts it through its paces. Murphy takes you on a guided tour of the CLA 35 and highlights some of his favorite features. Later, Murphy takes you along for a live drive review. Joining these segments, Murphy chats with host Wesley Wren about the CLA 35, its position in the CLA lineup, and the Mercedes-Benz lineup, where it stacks up against the competition and more. Closing the show, the pair break down what makes the 2024 Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 special.
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