Claim OwnershipUnnamed Automotive Podcast
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© 2026 Unnamed Automotive Podcast
Description
Every week automotive journalists Benjamin and Sami review cars and get weird, and funny, and honest, about the automotive industry.
457 Episodes
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The Unnamed Automotive Podcast arrives this week with a double review of the 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9, a three-row EV that has our hosts offering completely different takes. Sami thinks the all-electric Korean crossover is too expensive, while Benjamin thinks it's plenty fancy. Sami feels it rode awfully in the snow, while Benjamin says it was surprisingly responsive. This many opposite takes means plenty of discussion, and we're here for it!
Then Benjamin shares his road-trip-road-test of the 2026 Acura RDX, which he says was surprisingly good, though has one fatal flaw. Is it enough to deter him from recommending it? Thanks for listening!
The show starts with a review of the 2026 Nissan Leaf, which Benjamin tested out in the most wintery of conditions. How did the already limited range keep up with the low temperatures? And what about its handling of the snowy roads? Benjamin shares his experiences and more in this somewhat affordable EV.
Then Sami tests out one of the bigger SUVs out there, the 2025 Ford Expedition Tremor. Able to haul 8 passengers and deal with off roading, this big truck-based family hauler has some cool new tech to discuss, and some worth nitpicking.
Finally the show ends on a discussion about Mazdas new approach to their cars, namely cost cutting. Are they the only ones? Thanks for listening!
Benjamin reviews the 2026 GMC Terrain Denali, a model we haven't even thought about since 2021! It's got good looks, plenty of equipment and a decent price... but why is Sami so annoyed by it? Maybe it has something to do with his ancient phone...
Then Sami reviews the 2026 Volvo XC60, a car the guys haven't reviewed since 2022! It has a mild hybrid system, a punchy turbo-four and decent looks, so Sami and Benjamin get to the bottom of why this car has been overshadowed by other choices in the segment. That's it for this week, thanks for listening!
The Unnamed Automotive Podcast welcomes a fun guest and friend to this weeks episode, DoubleClutch.ca founder Adi Desai, who is here to talk about his eclectic collection of cars and fun stories about finding them. Is an unreliable, expensive to repair car still good if it's a fun, unique driving experience? Are your favorite video-game cover cars as good as you remember them when you transfer them from the digital world to the real one?
Then Benjamin and Sami review the 2026 Hyundai Palisade, which has recieved a significant redesign this year with a new off-road trim and hybrid powertrain that injects new life into the three-row SUV.
Finally we try to answer a reader question about Hemi V8s and the future of the Dodge Charger. Thanks for listening!
This weeks show starts with Sami's review of the 2026 Toyota Sienna minivan, which is apparently inspired by Japan's iconic bullet trains. Although our hosts struggle to see the direct connection, their discussion of the minivan covers all kinds of topics, ranging from the importance of max cargo room in a van, to whether shared media experiences are still valuable during a roadtrip.
Then the guys talk about a few important news topics that came up, including the death of the Dodge Hornet, the arrival and cancellation of the new Chevy Bolt, and the arrival of new Chinese EVs on Canadian roads. Finally the show wraps up with an important reader question.
We hope you enjoyed listening this episode as much as we loved recording it!
First Benjamin shares his personal Pathfinder experience in the freezing cold Canadian winter while troubleshooting its windshield wiper woes. Then Sami jumps into action to review the new 2026 Toyota bZ. Not to be confused by the outgoing bZ4X or all-new and completely different bZ Woodland, the bZ gets tons of upgrades from the old Toyota EV. Still, Sami struggles to see the silver lining for such a late entry to the mainstream EV segment.
Then Benjamin has a quick review of the 2026 BMW M340 xDrive 50 Jahre Edition, a special edition of the podcast favorite 3 Series. With fancy equipment and a great powertrain, Benjamin has mostly positive things to say about the new 3, except for its choice of winter rubber.
Finally, the guys discuss some wild news from Stellantis regarding its PHEV vehicles, which gets them thinking about invisible vehicles (or the ones that have wandered off to "the island of misfit cars") Thanks for listening!
It is the first podcast of 2026 and we're so thankful to be starting the year right with our loyal listeners. Thanks so much for making 2025 (and every year!) so great. Todays episode starts with a discussion of the 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid, and the Japanese automaker's overall powertrain strategy. Listen as the guys talk natural gas, hydrogen, PHEV and more and where the CR-V sits among all those choices. Where will Honda go next? Maybe synthetic fuel like Porsche, or Soylent Green?
Then Benjamin chimes in with his winter-weather review of the 2026 Toyota Camry. Available with all-wheel-drive and a hybrid powertrain, the Camry is a mainstay of Toyotas lineup, but has it recieved less attention from the automaker with each passing generation?
Finally the show ends with a quick discussion of our hosts favourite and least favourite cars they've driven this year. Thanks for listening and have a great start to your year!
First the show starts off with Benjamin's review of the 2025 Jeep Cherokee S, an electric crossover that's arrived a bit late, but with lots of power. Hear Benjamin's thoughts on Jeep's first electric car in North America and what's going right and wrong with this new EV.
Then Sami reviews the 2026 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, which isn't a huge change from the previous year, but packs an interesting Baby Mode, which catches the guys attention for a whole segment of the podcast. Thanks for listening everyone!
The show starts off with Sami's review of the 2026 Chrysler Pacifica AWD, which boasts a peachy engine and cool seats that can hide away for more storage as needed, but Sami points out there are more than a few concerns with the American company's minivan, and it may be starting to feel a bit old these days.
Then Benjamin reviews the 2026 Honda Odyssey, which he pilots through a pair of hefty snowstorms. Though it lacks the all-wheel-drive and versatile seats of the Pacifica, he has more than few reasons to recommend this mighty minivan.
Finally, Benjamin regales us with a tale of a near-death experience that he almost forgot about until reminded by Sami and a Facebook memory. Thanks for listening!!
The Unnamed Automotive Podcast powers through some troublesome false starts this week to tackle a tough topic: the 2025 Ford F-150 With the PowerBoost Hybrid powertrain. Featuring more power than the Ford Raptor (but not the R) this is a truck with plenty of giddy-up, and some extra features that are worth getting excited about. Benjamin details everything he's gone through with this truck including using its external generator feature, its hands-free driving assistance, and its punchy engine. Plus the guys get goofy talking about tailgates. Thanks for listening!
This week on the Unnamed Automotive Podcast: OOPS ALL KICKS! The show this week centers around the entry-level 2026 Nissan Kicks. This is the first appearance of the second generation Kicks on the show, which is important considering how much our hosts like the previous models. Now the Kicks is available with lots of equipment, a bigger engine, and available all-wheel-drive. However, this bumps up the price of the Kicks to a new level, which is an important factor to consider when discussing the Nissan crossover.
Hear the whole discussion and don't forget to head over to our website to send us your feedback and comments. Thanks for listening!
This week the Unnamed Automotive Podcast reviews a pair of crossovers, starting with Sami's take on the 2026 Hyundai Kona. This isn't the oft-discussed EV, but a gas-powered version of the subcompact, which has Sami buzzing about its size and features. Is this among the best in its class?
Then Benjamin reviews an F-Sport version of the 2026 Lexus NX350h. Fitted with a hybrid powertrain and more aggressive styling, this Lexus also boasts a gorgeous interior and plenty of technology, but do some of those features get in the way of recommending this vehicle? Thanks for listening!
It's yet another EV this week, with Benjamin's review of the 2026 Genesis Electrified GV70. More than just a quirky name, this electric crossover boasts a fancy interior and an impressive drive, but not everything is rosy with this new electric vehicle as it transitions to a new charging standard. Hear all of Benjamin's concerns and Sami's rebuttals in this segment.
Then Sami decides to give you all a quick refresher of the coolest stuff seen at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, all revolving around some cool Lexus concepts. Vans? Wheelchairs? Sports Cars? YUP!
Finally the show tackles some all-wheel-drive and safety questions sent to us from our listeners.
The show starts with the 2025 Lucid Air Sedans, which Benjamin thoroughly reviews. This EV sedan from a well-funded startup, promises lots of performance and range, but Benjamin has some thoughts to share about all that. And he wonders, why do we have to keep changing the way we turn cars on and off?
Then Sami takes on the 2025 Acura ADX, a much needed subcompact crossover in the Japanese automakers lineup. Based around the Integra, Civic and (ugh) HR-V, the ADX features a punchy 1.5-turbo which may be able to help us gloss over the car's CVT. Sami has plenty of positives and negatives to discuss with the ADX, so be sure to listen to the whole segment to learn everything you need to know about this new crossover.
What has over 600 horsepower, and can sprint from 0-60 MPH in under 4 seconds? BOTH of the cars the Unnamed Automotive Podcast are reviewing! This weeks show starts with Benjamin's take of the 2025 Chevrolet Blazer SS EV, which is super heavy, features a huge battery, and a weird WOW feature to blast off to high speeds. But what else does it deliver for car enthusiasts? And why does it kind of look like an Equinox EV?
Then Sami drives the 2025 Range Rover Sport SV Edition Two, another high-horsepower machine, but this time focused on track capabilities, with some of the biggest brakes found on the market, carbon fibre wheels, and 626 horsepower. Plus some weird gimmicky vibrating seats with tons of PR drivel around them.
Finally our hosts answer a car-buying question from a listener who is concerned about towing and hauling, which lets Benjamin get his calculator out for the ultimate advice section. Thanks for listening!
This weeks episode starts off with Sami's description and review of a strange little Jeep that he drove out in Europe: the Avenger EV. Limited with a small battery and front-wheel-drive, how does this compact car translate the Jeep design language to a new market? And what can we expect in North America, with the Avenger's design team penning the new Compass? Sami explains his thoughts, though you have to hang on to understand them all.
Then Benjamin reviews the 2025 Subaru WRX tS, and can't stop bringing up his memories of the STI brand. While all kinds of sport compact newcomers keep popping up in the world the old WRX STI used to dominate, Subaru instead holds back, delivering a few upgrades for a lot of money. Why is Subaru limiting itself?
Finally, our hosts tackle the complex issue of JLR's cybersecurity hack, which has cost the company about $2B in damages and lost sales. Yikes! Why isn't anyone else talking about this? Thanks for listening!
When Sami's away, only guest host Chad Kirchner has the gravitas to step into his shoes and keep the podcast vibes flowing. Chad and Benjamin talk about Benjamin's time in the 2025 Nissan Versa S, by far the most affordable new car on the market, and what you give up when shopping for a brand new vehicle at used vehicle prices. Then Chad spills the beans on the return of the Chevrolet Bolt, a longtime favorite of the podcast, and a car which seems likely to stick to its roots as a cheap EV.
Whats that you hear? Is it the sound of trails being hunted? Or roads being lit? No, you're right, its another episode of the Unnamed Automotive Podcast being beamed right to your devices! This weeks show starts off with our first review of the 2025 Toyota 4Runner TrailHunter, which Benjamin is towing with around town. Why is there yet another off-road oriented version of this off-road-oriented SUV? How does it differ from TRD-branded models? What's with the pricing? Benjamin breaks it down for you.
Then Sami flies of the country to test out the 2026 Audi Q3 in Scotland. Armed with a new design, new infotainment system, new gear selector and new headlights, Sami is eager to talk about what makes this compact crossover so special, and what his reservations are about this whole class of small luxury vehicles.
Finally, Benjamin finally reveals the latest addition to his garage. Thanks for listening!
The show starts with Benjamin's review of the 2025 Audi SQ6 e-tron, a performance minded electric crossover which seems to nail so many thing, but falls short of its rivals in one key area; can you guess where? Benjamin's review of the EV expands to a wider discussion of its rivals that you don't want to miss.
Then Sami shares his thoughts on the 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport, a rugged looking SUV with the same bones as the Pilot, but with fewer seats. While it looks tough and offers a few handy features that are useful off-road, Sami claims this isn't a true all-terrain SUV comparable to the likes of the Wrangler, 4Runner, Bronco and others. Then the guys wonder what's in the water at all the automaker HQs that make them so off-road-trim happy.
The show finishes up by tackling a tough, Miata-minded question from a listener. Thanks for listening!
This week the Unnamed Automotive Podcast is so revved up it's putting Benjamin to sleep! Even while Benjamin does tons of PR for his upcoming book (www.modeluncomic.com) he has time to review a car for us. He jumps into the pilots seat of the 2025 BMW M2, which has been totally redesigned on a new platform and feels very close to its M3/M4 cousins. While boasting plenty of power, and a manual gearbox, Benjamin wonders if there's something missing in the M2's typically exciting sauce.
Then Sami climbs into the 2026 Honda CR-V TrailSport Hybrid, and comes away unimpressed. Yet another off-roading cosplaying trim arrives on the street with minimal real upgrades to capability and it sends out hosts into disassociation mode. What does Honda think its doing? Listen to find out!
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