Your Wallet Called: It Wants A Kia

New-car prices keep climbing, loan terms keep stretching, and shoppers are left to figure out what “value” really means. We bring on Alex from U.S. News & World Report to unpack the Best Cars for the Money awards, where expert road tests meet five-year ownership costs and real transaction data. The result is a practical shortlist of vehicles you can actually buy and enjoy without fearing the next payment or repair bill.

We walk through the standouts. Kia’s dramatic rise from budget to benchmark shows up across gas, hybrid, PHEV, and EV segments, with thoughtful packaging and long warranties that protect your wallet. In compact cars, the K4 challenges class leaders on price and coverage. For SUVs, we parse needs honestly: the Nissan Murano shines as a two-row value with style and standard safety, while the Kia Sorento makes sense as a smaller, occasional-use three-row that trims fuel and purchase costs. For buyers who truly need bigger rigs, Ford’s Expedition and F-150 deliver lower lifetime costs relative to peers without skimping on core features at the entry point.

We also go deep on EV reality. Regional charging, climate, and daily mileage matter, which is why compact options like the Chevy Equinox EV can be a sweet spot in cities, while larger families may see the Kia EV9 as the right fit. Then we get hands-on with the Polestar 4 Dual Motor: big power, clean design, a camera-based rear view, and a minimal interface that trades knobs for screens. We talk range, charging time, and how a dimmable glass roof feels in hot sun, plus how it stacks up against Tesla Model Y and Hyundai’s Ioniq lineup.

Looking for clarity in a confusing market? You’ll get data-backed picks, real-world buying tips, and straight talk on how to stretch your dollars without hating your daily drive. If this helped your search, follow the show, share with a friend who’s car-shopping, and leave a quick review to tell us your favorite value pick.

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Transcript

Cold Open, Hosts, And Weather Banter

SPEAKER_04 0:00

Welcome to another In Wheel Time podcast. Welcome to the In-Wheel Time Car Talk Show. Just ahead. We talk to Alex Quanton with U.S. News and World Reports about the best cars for the money. Plus, Jeff has his motor minute, and I'll review the all-new Polestar 4. What? Yes. All new vehicle. All new brand. It's all just ahead on the In Wheel Time Car Talk Show. And Howdy, along with Mike Out of This World Mars, coming to us today from Neeterville, Texas, where it's 90 degrees. It's always hot over there. We always need more Jeff Zeken, Chief Engineer David Ainsley. I'm Don Armstrong. So glad that you could join us on this turning in to be a chilly Saturday.

SPEAKER_00 0:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 0:47

And just if you're listening, wherever you're listening around the world, we have a hard freeze warning.

SPEAKER_05 0:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 0:54

In effect, that it's supposed to uh begin like at midnight tonight and go through Tuesday.

SPEAKER_05 1:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:03

Hamburger today, Tuesday.

SPEAKER_05 1:05

Tuesday. You know, the little fun fact on that, Oklahoma's getting hit pretty hard. Dallas is getting hit pretty hard. We heard that from Jack. Oklahoma has 35 uh snow removal trucks. So the whole state? The whole state. Detroit, Michigan, New York, they have in the thousands. Yeah. So they're a little bit underhanded. You have to find something else out that if the storm goes through the panhandle of Florida, they're going to use uh margarita salt for the roads. No, yeah, they can't use that. Say it ain't so. Say it ain't so. Well, and you know, you've ever said when hell freezes over, here's your chance. Go for it now.

Introducing Alex From U.S. News

SPEAKER_04 1:43

Well, the getting's good. Yeah, we were getting it. Do we have Alex? Yes, sir. We do. Alex Quantin, U.S. News and World Report, best cars for the money. We love talking to you about this sort of stuff. So, who is it that gets to decide, Alex? The best cars for the money? Who decides that?

SPEAKER_01 2:05

Well, it's a combination of uh our individual car reviews and how we rank them, and also total cost of ownership over time. So five-year total cost of ownership and the cost of the average transaction price. So it's a data-determined award. I mean, our preferences, we test a lot of cars. We test hundreds of cars a year. So uh our basic observations go into the baseline ranking, and then we cross-reference that with those two data points. So we want to the goal of these awards is to provide uh a car that's affordable now, affordable over time, and which is also a good experience because I think we all know buy a cheap car and you hate it, that's not really a good, that's not a good value.

SPEAKER_04 2:43

And then you're stuck with it for either the remainder of the lease or you know, 12-year loan or whatever it is.

SPEAKER_00 2:50

And it just gets worse and worse the longer you keep it because you hate it so much.

SPEAKER_04 2:54

That's right. And I I dealt with that not too long ago, about three years ago, with uh friend of mine that had a jaguar that could not get the thing fixed, costing thousands of dollars, even including with the stupid warranty that she bought. It was just awful. Finally got rid of that thing, and then got into another one that's not really on the popular list either, but at least it it's not costing us as much money anymore.

Kia’s Big Win And Brand Evolution

SPEAKER_01 3:24

Yeah, you know, uh, it's funny you should mention having to stick with things for a 12-year loan. So, you know, this year uh MSRPs were up. This year, obviously, sales uh increased a little bit, as you were just saying in the previous segment. Uh, you know, that was because a lot of people sort of pushed forward their buying in the first half of the year thinking, well, things might get more expensive due to shifts in trade policy. So uh, you know, also we're noticing that people are taking out longer and longer loans to uh make those payments go down, just keep those monthly payments. Well, you know, like seven-year loans are like a 20% part of the mix now, which is really uh a little unsettling. So the goal with best cars for the for the money is to you know give people a baseline of vehicles that we understand are good vehicles, that they're affordable now. So if you guys want to talk about the winners, the big winner here is Kia. Uh there's they won seven of these awards this year, which is like a really big uh achievement. Um I think we all know that if you look at IKEA now and you think back to like Kia's in like 2007, 2008, you're like, wow, is that really the same brand at all? Uh you know, they've made a huge investment in um technology and style and in electrification. There's gas kias, there's hybrid kias on this list, there's plug-in hybrid kias on this list, and there's an electric kiosk on this list.

SPEAKER_04 4:43

So Do you remember when the Kias came out and how ugly they were? We all thought that they were really ugly and funky looking.

Base Trims, Real-World Value, And Warranties

SPEAKER_01 4:50

Uh I remember the first Kias when they were selling only on the West Coast, like in the mid-90s, and they were really, really basic. And uh I think if you look back in that now and you think, how on earth? But you know, they have really put a huge effort into improving the product and moving shows. And I'll say, like, I've driven most of these cars, and the last one that I drove was the Kia Niro, which is our best subcompact SUV for the money this year. Uh, I drove that about a month ago. And uh, you know, oftentimes, as you guys know, you you get loans from manufacturers and they give you the the top tram with all the stuff. We actually decided we would try to sample a base model, which was what we did. And uh, you know, the base model Kia Niro, it's a subcompact hybrid SUV, so it's pretty small. But I am 6'4 and I can sit in the back just fine with the front seat adjusted for me and me. I got 50 miles per gallon out of it. Uh, you know, it looks pretty good. It's not exciting drive, but it's not bad to drive either. Uh, and you know, it has a 10-year powertrain warranty, and like even with the most basic features on it, like the car I had had only four mats and roof rails. Those were the only options. So under 30k, I think maybe even under 29k out the door. And um, you know, for that, like it's just a fantastic little vehicle. And I feel like, you know, I'm not sure that would have been possible for them 30 years ago, but uh they've really upped their game. It's I mean, if you haven't tried one, you should.

SPEAKER_04 6:16

Well, I have to tell you that uh yes, and you're correct. With most of the vehicles that we get are at least our mid-trim level, if not full trim level, and those cars go down the same assembly line as the base model. And it's truly amazing that when I do get something that's close to a base model, ain't that bad? The problem is finding them on a dealer lot because those are the ones that seem to go first, and they don't want to stock them because they don't make as much money off of them.

Affordability, Loans, And Shopping Realities

SPEAKER_01 6:44

Yeah, I think uh uh a lot of folks would rather stock the mid-grade and high trim just because you know there's more money in it. Uh, but you know, like even some of some of these vehicles, even like the Kia K4s are best compact car for the money for 2026, that starts at like 22.4 or something like that. And even the top, even the top sedan with the turbo, uh, I drove that in Austin about a year and a half ago. Um even that is out the door under 30k. And they just added the Kia K4 hatchback, the the big uh media push is happening right now for that. Uh, and the K4 hatchback only comes in like the top trims, so you can get it with the turbo or the fancier stuff, but even that's really affordable. And um, you know, we had three good contenders with Compact Car. We had the K4 uh and Civic and the uh Corolla. And you know, the Civic is a great vehicle, and someone was asking me, I bought my Civic and I love it, and I I love the Civic too, but it does cost a little bit more than the K4 out the door, and the warranty isn't as long. Uh so you know, like you they can get a good deal if you're willing to just shop for a little while. But you're right, base models are hard to find. Uh, and you know, we we would like it if automakers focused a little bit more on affordability. Uh, and all the automakers on this list have done exactly that.

SPEAKER_04 8:00

Well, and that seems to be a big growing trend bubbling up underneath the surface, that they're realizing that the cost of vehicles has gotten out of touch with reality. Used car sales are going up because they're cheaper to buy and you get typically, if you're looking for it, much more in a trim level for the same amount of money. Granted, the warranty generally isn't there, but I think that the manufacturers are going, hey, we've got this car. Let's back off of some of these trim levels and see if we can't get more of these cars in customers' hands just because of the price alone.

EV Segments, Regional Adoption, And Winners

SPEAKER_01 8:36

Yeah, I mean, people are really clamoring for affordability, and you know, part of it is that some manufacturers have just abandoned like small cars. There's no domestic small cars anymore. And, you know, there are a couple of domestic small crossovers, like the Chevy Tracks is one of our nominees for Best Subcompact SUV. I think it it's one of the runners up the Nissan Kicks is the winner there. Uh, but you know, like a lot of manufacturers are like, well, I'm not gonna continue building these smaller, more affordable models. And now people are like, where are they? And we're sort of stuck in like a used car hangover from the last five years.

SPEAKER_04 9:09

That's one way to put it, yeah. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 9:12

Yeah, so like most of the time, you know, when someone's like, I really can't afford a new car, what do you recommend? I say, buy a certified pre-owned car. I've bought certified pre-owned cars in the past. In fact, I have a certified pre-owned Buick in my driveway in my with my other cars. There you go. And um, you know, but the problem is that CPO cars are in relatively short supply, so the the price difference sometimes isn't really that much between that and a new vehicle, and people are like, Well, what do I do now? I'm stretched and everything's expensive.

SPEAKER_05 9:38

Yeah, you you talked about how these awards are given out and the numbers of the vehicles that are purchased. Are there certain pockets of the country that are buying more of these? Like, is it more of the West Coast? Is it more of the southeast? I mean, can you actually look at that data and say, okay, the Kias are purchased more in this particular part of the country versus another part?

SPEAKER_01 10:00

You know, most of the mainstream vehicles, most of the gas-powered and hybrid vehicles, the sales numbers are pretty uniform. I would say that, you know, uh Kia maybe has more penetration in urban areas than deeply rural areas, but you know, there's also fewer buyers in very rural areas. So uh it's really mostly the electrics where we see more regional kind of things going on. So we have two electrics on this list. The Chevy Equinox EV is the best compact electric SUV uh for the money this year, and the Kia EV9 is the best mid-size electric SUV for the year. And you might be wondering why did we break them up into sizes? And that's basically because you know, in years past we would have like one best electric SUV or one best uh hybrid SUV, and there's a lot of electric SUVs and hybrid SUVs now, and you know, not everybody's life is gonna fit in a key in the euro. In fact, in the EVs, like I live in Seattle, I'm in Washington, D.C. today, and I'm a little envious of your cold snap in Texas because it's 17 degrees here. But uh, you know, in Seattle, like the the nearest cities are like Portland, Vancouver, British Columbia, and Spokane. Spokane is like six and a half hours drive, and beyond that, you're probably gonna fly because anything else is more than a day. And so in Seattle, like most people are not driving more than 300 miles at a clip, and an EV works perfectly well. It's temperate most of the year, the electricity is cheap, but it's not like that in other places. So like in New Hampshire or Montana, you know, the case for it is much less. So I think you know, those are great values and and they're great cars for the money. Uh, you know, we were particularly uh surprised at the Chevy Equinox EV. That that beat out like the Hyundai Ionic 5 and you know, little heavy hitters. Uh but those the appeal of those vehicles is a little more niche just because not everybody can live with them. And you know, in some places it's easier to have an electric, in other places it's harder.

Large SUV And Truck Value Picks

SPEAKER_04 11:50

Well, you know, one of the things that I think is uh really indicative of the cost of cars these days is the average price. Now, average meaning across the board, average$50,000 for a new vehicle. If you can find something for$30,000, you're doing good.

Two-Row vs Three-Row: Murano And Sorento

SPEAKER_01 12:08

Yeah, the uh ATPs uh crested$50 in September of last year. Now they've they've come down a little, like I think this in December we saw some softening, so it was just under 50 now. But you know, most of the analysts, uh JP Morgan and uh Cox Automotive, I think Cox Automotive predicted that MSRPs would rise four to eight percent in 2026, uh, which is you know, like we're they're already high, you know. Uh so all of these vehicles are, and you can find the whole list at cars.us.com. They're all meant to be like, here's something you can actually really buy now that isn't going to come anywhere near that price. Or if if it's a larger vehicle, and we did include some larger vehicles, and I'll get to that in a second, you know, it's at least a very good value for what it is. So I wanted to just add, like, there's two really huge vehicles on this list. So Ford won the best large SUV category for the money uh with the expedition, and they also won the best full-size truck for the money. And you know, uh some people were asking me uh at the DC Auto Show. I'm in I'm in town for the DC Auto Show where we gave out these awards. They were saying, oh, well, you know, the expedition costs like 62 grand. How can it be like, you know, affordable? Uh, but you know, there are some people who actually need an SUV like that, and relative to the other ones, it has a lower total cost of ownership. Ford has sort of reworked the trims on the expedition to make the affordable ones more affordable. Uh, and we really felt that it was the best vehicle for the money there. The the Chevy Suburban is close behind, but um, you know, and the the Ford F-150, you know, if you need a full-size truck, you need a full-size truck, right? A lot of people want a full-size truck, and full-size trucks are probably the area where the price can inflate the most over that base price, and F-150s are super configurable, but Ford doesn't like skimp on the basic models anymore. Like, even the base models have pretty good infotainment, and even if you buy like an STX, you can get the logo package and stuff, so it's a really good value for the money. And uh, you know, like I think uh Toyota Tundra was second there, it's a hybrid, so you're you're saving money there, and F-150 also offers a hybrid. So, you know, like the whole point of this is to provide people with a good guide for like, hey, this is actually gonna be a good value for your for your dollar.

SPEAKER_04 14:21

Then some of the other ones, like for instance, uh the mid-size SUV. Where did you guys come out with that?

Where To Find The Winners And Research Tools

SPEAKER_01 14:28

Yeah, so the mid-size SUVs, we kind of broke it up into two row and three row because some people don't want the third. They're like, I'm never gonna use that, I don't want it, please don't give it to me. And other people are like, I need it, but I only need it like every now and then. So the key Sorrento is our best three-row mid-size SUV, and you might be surprised because the Sorrento is fairly small for a three-row SUV. Yeah. But most of the time, people are buying that third row for occasional use, and like the Sorrento has a really low price point relative to the other entries in that class. I would not fit comfortably in that third row. If you're if I was gonna buy a third row that I actually wanted to sit in, I'd probably buy something larger than that. But if you're just like picking up kids from soccer practice, you have occasional, like, you know, a couple kids in the in the car occasionally, like that's actually a pretty good vehicle that'll save you money over time. It gets better my better fuel mileage than a lot of other uh three-row SUVs, and it's just more affordable. The um best two-row SUV was the Nissan Murano. Uh best two-row SUV for the money, it beat out the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, which is another unsung vehicle that probably deserves more attention. Looks like an Audi Q8, doesn't quite drive like one on, but it's a pretty good vehicle. But we thought the Murano was best, A, because the costs were lower. So, like the total cost of ownership is lower, the MSRP is lower, it's pretty roomy, and it's also super stylish, which is a kind of other value ad. Uh, it comes with a lot of safety features, so all the Nissan, like adaptive cruise control and things like that, are in there. Uh, and it's just a really good package for the money. The Murano and the Kicks, uh, which are both on this list, were redesigned just last year, so they're new and fresh. And uh, you know, I don't think we could go wrong with one of those purchases.

SPEAKER_04 16:13

Yeah, coming out strong. Yep. Do we have to have a subscription to US News and World Report to get this information?

Houston Auto Show Plans And Logistics

SPEAKER_01 16:19

You do not. Just come to cars.usnews.com. You can find all the winners there, and you know, you can do all your car shopping research there. You can like uh spec out a car on our site, you can get in touch with a dealer. Uh, there's all kinds of things you can do on our site. We on the editorial side, we just give you the research you need. Uh we've driven most of the cars, and most of the time, you know, I think most automotive outlets are like they're about like, oh, so 60 in 5.8 seconds, and it's super fast. You know, we're more about like, hey, can you actually buy this for the money and is it good for the money? And that's these are one of our premier awards for that reason.

SPEAKER_04 16:54

So it wouldn't last for your need, yeah. And one of the other things I'm just gonna throw in there is that uh all the dealers that I know of are stocked full of all sorts of vehicles. Chances are you're gonna be able to find a good brand new vehicle on the lot wherever you are.

SPEAKER_01 17:10

Yeah, there's a good time too. It's like sort of a post-Christmas uh you know hangover. And um, you know, there we also do deals things, so you can research like what the latest manufacturer offerings or incentives are on site. So cars.usnews.com.

SPEAKER_05 17:24

Alex, you're our guy. Is he coming? Are you coming to Houston next week for our show?

Motor Minute: Buick Envision Moves Stateside

SPEAKER_01 17:28

Uh unfortunately I'm not, although I do really like regional auto shows because uh you can, if you're just a regular consumer, you know, a little like regional auto show is a great place to like go check out a car, sit in it, maybe even get like a test loop drive without having to go for a lot of people.

SPEAKER_04 17:42

Yeah, Houston Auto Show opens uh Thursday and runs through next Sunday. Alex, great to talk to you. We really appreciate you. And let's talk again soon.

SPEAKER_01 17:50

Thanks, guys. Take care. Thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_04 17:53

Alex Kwan, U.S. News and World Report. Just ahead, just motor minute, and a review of the new Pole Star 4. All right, yep, I got to drive one. I'll tell you all about it. When the In Wheel Time Car Talk Show continues, right after this. The Tex-Mex dining experience is defined by Lupi Tortilla, your destination for Texas's best beef fajitas and frozen margaritas. Since 1983, Lupi Tortilla has served authentic and time-tested recipes made with the freshest ingredients. Atmosphere is part of the award-winning experience of Lupi Tortilla, all developed in a little house near Highway 6 and I 10 in West Houston. Visit any of the Lupi tortillas and you'll see the same attention to detail in each and every location. Start your loopy experience with pisto flammiato and guacamole, along with a classic frozen margarita. Dine on famous Luffy beef and chicken fajitas or pepper shrimp crochet, or a fish or vegetarian entreprene, and finish with this lumpious fly for dessert. Find Luffy Tortilla in Houston, College Station, Beaumont, Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas Fort Worth. There's a Texas location near you. The recipes are authentic and time testing. The ingredients always fresh.

Review: 2026 Polestar 4 Dual Motor

SPEAKER_02 19:04

Luffy Tortillas since the North Flynn 1315 and NRT Center.com, YouTube, and Facebook.

SPEAKER_04 19:49

Next weekend, 9 to noon. Why? Because we are going to be live from the Houston Automotive Show that you just heard, and we'll be doing Our broadcast from there and come and find us. Do you we know where we're going to be yet, Mr. Morris? Inside the shelf?

SPEAKER_00 20:07

I think we're going to be about the same place we have been, from what I gather from Rochelle.

unknown 20:11

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 20:12

Still start their layout. Well, they just started their layout uh Friday.

SPEAKER_04 20:16

So that'd be no more. Somebody knows where we're going to be, but we don't.

SPEAKER_00 20:20

Yeah, we should be there right there by the RAM and the Jeep track and the RAM display.

SPEAKER_05 20:26

I suspect uh tomorrow and Monday they're not going to be doing very much, if anything. They're probably going to be thrashing on Tuesday. They're probably going to be really pumping it to get to get that.

SPEAKER_00 20:35

Yeah, because if they try and move in on Monday, it's going to be got to get the cars over there, get them cleaned up, get it moved in on the carpet. It's going to be a mess.

SPEAKER_05 20:46

All right, so time now for the motor minute. Yeah, we teased this earlier about the Buick. Uh and I've I was getting some advertisements through Facebook and all that about my Buick, about my Envision, and how you can get the 2026 and it's like 10 grand more than what I paid for it. I'm thinking, why is this? And then boom, this article comes out that GM is moving the Buick Envision, which my vehicle is built in China. They're moving it here to the U.S. So GM will build the third generation Buick Envision in America. It will be built alongside the Chevrolet Equinox at the Fairfax Assembly Plant. Fairfax, Virginia? Fairfax, uh uh Kansas, Kansas City Fairfax. Uh production will begin in 28, and it's the demise of the bolt. So they're taking the bolt off because it's running on the same line. The Chinese built Buick Envision got slammed by Trump's tariffs, and the company recently hiked the prices by three grand, which was a little low, but they're more. This followed an earlier increase, which means the cost entry shot up to 45 grand or$4,500 in less than a year, more money. As a result, the 2026 Envision now starts at$41,000 and the$1,995 destination fee, pretty steep, and the price increases appear to have started weighing in on sales, which no kidding. They were down 11.4% last year to$41,000, over$41,000 units in the fourth quarter sales plummeted 60%, almost 61%. Even with the steep decline, the Envision finished the year as Buick's third best-selling vehicle. Thank you. Um, I like your car. I do too. I love my car. It's perfect for me. So they announced this. Uh, the EV was just relaunched, the the bolt just relaunched, but now they're gonna take it away. A Fairfax Assembly plant will be retooled to build the Chevrolet Equinox starting in 27. This suggests that the bolt will only be sticking around for about another year. So they're getting rid of the Chevy Bolt out of that plant. I don't know if they're gonna be building it another plant or not, but out of that plant, they're gonna replace it with the view of vision. And I appreciate that. The the the car styling is good. Uh all the styling cues I like. A couple of minor things in the interior where things go, like your vents, your vent location and stuff, could be a little bit better. But I love car, I get 32 miles to the gallon. That's what I'm talking about right there. Yeah, yeah. I have to figure out how I'm gonna tub it out, though. My god.

Charging, Range, Pricing, And Competitors

SPEAKER_04 23:09

Do you people know what that means? Uh some don't. I do. Well, we do, yes.

SPEAKER_00 23:13

I think the bigger problem would be getting the LS in.

Next Week’s Supra Tease And Show Wrap

SPEAKER_04 23:16

The LS, yeah. Well, there is that. Thank you, Mike. All right, time now for this hour's car review. I had a chance to drive the all new 2026 Polestar 4 Dual Motor. Now, let me go back here just for a moment. Because when Polestar began a few years ago, it was under the Volvo umbrella. Well, that ended a long time ago, and I was not aware of that because I had to do my research. Who builds the Polestar? It's a company called Geely Motors, G-E-E-L-Y, Geeley Motors, China. Uh, it comes in several versions: the Polestar 2, 3, and 4. I had the four that had dual motors. You can get it with the single motor because it's all electric. Standard electric SUV is what uh the government calls it. Uh seats including a driver, five, built in South Korea with 96% Chinese parts. I'm not exactly sure what's going on there. Maybe they just needed another assembly plant. Hey, we've got one open over here uh in South Korea, so we'll build it over here. But 96% Chinese parts. Can you tell the difference? I can't tell the difference. Uh whatever, it's all new. Exterior features. There's no rear window.

SPEAKER_03 24:39

What there's no rear window. If you want to look out the back, you got a back camera back there. Um it sounds like it's weird looking, but from the back, you're looking at the vehicle from the back, it doesn't look weird.

SPEAKER_04 24:56

How they did that paint and uh the way that they've got there's a good picture of it down here. It looks like it's got a rear window, doesn't it? Yeah, well it does. So forget that. Uh split headlights, uh horizontal split in the headlights. Interesting and cool. Stylish horizontal tail lights that kind of go along with the headlights. Uh, it does have a glass roof, and there is no shade. Now, obviously, I drove it a couple of weeks ago, and the weather was just fine. And I got a little tip of the fact that I parked it for about an hour, total sunshine, and I got in, and it was a little warm in there. Well, because it was turned off. Okay, if you turn it on, it's got one of those roofs that dims. It has, yeah, the that when it when it sees the sunlight when it's running, it dims, it kind of like a tint is on it. It's it's really cool. How it works like that, I don't know. Uh, but I drove it basically in the early morning and after the sun went down. So that's something that you might want to consider, especially here in Houston, Texas, where we are. Um, it could be a problem without a kind of shade up there. Um, again, we could use improvement shade for the glass root. Interior highlights. 15.4 inch center display. Oh wow. You know how big that is? That's huge. 15.4 inch. Yes. Uh, it has a Scandinavian style minimalist design. And you have to do the research on it because where you would normally have knobs and buttons and that sort of stuff, no, you got to go to the screen. Knobs. Knobs. It could be knobs, sure. Uh awesome materials throughout. It's well laid out, it's really kind of cool if you get into it. But you know, I know that I'm an older guy, and I kind of like some knobs for certain things, like yeah, volume on the radio. You're coming back. Yeah, well, and that's the new thing, is they they realize that yeah, not everybody's all into that. Uh, cargo trunk room, small with the rear seats up, as you can imagine. What I like about it, it's cool environment inside when you get in. But it could use improvement. Again, some buttons to control often used features. The problem here lies that eyes have to go off the road to locate the functions via a screen. And stop, think about that. I think that you'll agree with me. For many of the functions, it's really not necessary other than to clean up the dashboard. Engine, dual electric motors that turn out 544 horsepower and 506-pound feet of torque. Transmission, none, direct drive, range 310 miles. Tell you about more of that in just a second. Miles per gallon range in the city, 90. Highway 80 for a combined of 85 miles per gallon E. Wow. Uh, I got, I don't know how many miles, but I did have to stop and put a DC charge on it that cost me$35 and took it almost an hour out of my day. That's a problem for me personally. What could use improvement? A level two charger in my garage would be nice. So next time you send me one of those down to drive, please install that charger in your drive. Uh, ride and handling, nice ride, although, like other electrics, it felt heavy. What could use improvement? I don't know. Road pretty good, I guess, overall. Base trim price 62.9. Price is tested, 67.4. You can get in one of these for a base model price of 56.4.

SPEAKER_05 28:43

Wow.

SPEAKER_04 28:44

Competitors, Hyundai Ionic 9 SUV for 58,953, Hyundai Ionic 6 Sedan, 37,850, and the Tesla Model Y SUV starts at 44,990. So it does have competition. Next week I'll review the Toyota Supra with 400 horsepower through that BMW straight six in it. Woo! You like cars, race cars with a license plate on the back of it? Here is your ticket. Go kart. Yeah. Hey, if you'd like to get in touch with us, send us an email. The address is info at inwheeltime.com. We are back after this quick break. You own a car you love. The Tex-Mex dining experience is de The Tex-Mex dining experience is defined by Lupi Tortilla, your destination for Texas's best beef fajitas and frozen margaritas. Since 1983, Lupi Tortilla has served authentic and time-tested recipes made with the freshest ingredients. Atmosphere is part of the award-winning experience of Lupi Tortilla, all developed in a little house near Highway 6 and I 10 in West Houston. Visit any of the Luffy tortillas and you'll see the same attention to detail in each and every location. Start your loopy experience with pisto flammiato and guacamole, along with a plastic frozen margarita. Dine on famous loopy beef and chicken fajitas or pepper shrimp pochette, or a fresh or vegetarian entree, and finish with a scrumptious flan for dessert. Find Luffy Tortilla in Houston, Dollar Stations, Beaumont, Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas Fort Worth if there's a Texas location near you. That's it for this podcast episode of the In Wheel Time Car Show. I'm Don Armstrong, inviting you to join us for our live show every Saturday morning on Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and our InWheelTime.com website. Podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartPodcast, Podcast Addict, TuneIn, Pandora, and Amazon Music. Keep listening, and we'll see you soon.