Wheel Bearings

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Wheel Bearings is a podcast about cars and transportation hosted by Sam Abuelsamid, Nicole Wakelin and Roberto Baldwin

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1 hr 45 min

When You See Tall People Hunched Down

This week, Jill drove the Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited, Robbie drove the Jeep Cherokee Overland and Sam had the Kia Telluride hybrid and Kia EV3 GT. Check out KUIU workwear at KUIU.com and use Code: KUIUFREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $125 Links Global Auto Consumer Survey: Regional Trends in a Changing World | Bain & Company 2027 Chevy Silverado 1500 V8 And Duramax Engine Fuel Economy Ratings Released Buick Electra GS PHEV Sedan: First Images Leaked Waymo's Public Fast-Charging Problem Is Infuriating EV Drivers The Lincoln Aviator PHEV May Have Died In America, But It’s Coming Back In China Someone Built a Lexus Pickup From a Toyota Tacoma - Autoblog The Nicest Ford Fathom Will Cost Under $40K. The Question Is for How Long: TDS Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe first drive: Where tech and fun collide - Ars Technica Waymo co-CEO addresses scrapped Uber deal as rivalry between rideshare giants heats up: ‘It was a crapshoot’ Some Lunatics Are Making A Kit To Swap A Dirt-Cheap Flat-Six Into A Subaru BRZ - The Autopian Chevy Dealer Wants Nearly $700K for Corvette ZR1X After $400K Markup - Autoblog Tesla Is Killing The Cybertruck To Make Room For More Robotaxis Our Sponsors: * Check out KUIU and use my code KUIUFREESHIP for a great deal: https://www.kuiu.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

1 hr 49 min

Don't Buy Temu Engine Parts

This week Jill has been driving the Lexus RX500h, Robbie had the Cadillac Optiq-V and Sam had time with the Volvo EX30 and Infiniti QX65. Sam and Jill both went to Huntsville Alabama to see the 1 millionth vehicle(s) off the line at the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing plant and see how the joint venture company is supporting local education. Sam also had a conversation with Mazda NA CEO Tom Donnelly. Mazda has also killed off the CX-70 nameplate and the SkyActiv-X engine. Toyota's got a next generation hybrid system coming, GM is going to put hybrids in its 3-row crossovers and Ford is making parts for the Fathom and adding bidirectional charging. Used EV prices are up 10% compared to a year ago and someone is selling a first generation Toyota Rav4 EV. Don't buy engine parts from Temu and you probably shouldn't put a Flock-O-Matic on your car either. Links Thanks A Million: Mazda Toyota Manufacturing Celebrates One Millionth Vehicle by Giving Back to Community - Oct 28, 2026 Mazda Is Quietly Killing Off Its Biggest Engine Experiment in the Mazda3 - Autoblog Toyota develops next-generation hybrid for future multi-pathway vehicle platforms GM Finally Announces Hybrid Plans | GreenCars Home Backup Power Gets a Lot More Affordable with the Ford Fathom | GreenCars Ford Produces More Than 5,000 Unicastings for Fathom Electric Truck – and Counting 2027 Mazda CX-90: Pricing and Packaging - Oct 27, 2026 Used EVs Are Getting More Expensive While Selling Faster Than Gas Cars - iSeeCars.com Ancient Toyota RAV4 EV for Sale Still Has the Factory Battery Rivian’s ‘Boring’ Commercial Van Is Turning Into A Secret Weapon / VW’s EV Factory Is Now Taking Cars Apart. There’s Money In It YouTuber Invents Device That Hides License Plates From Flock Cameras - Jalopnik Buying Temu Small-Block Chevy Heads Is an Even Worse Idea Than You Thought VW Suspends ID.Golf EV Development Amid Financial Pressures: Report Check out KUIU workwear at KUIU.com and use Code: KUIUFREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $125 Our Sponsors: * Check out KUIU and use my code KUIUFREESHIP for a great deal: https://www.kuiu.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

1 hr 22 min

Lots of Toyotas

Jill put a bunch of miles on the Toyota GR Corolla and a few on the Rivian R2. Stephanie Brinley joined us this week and drove the new Audi A6 and the Lexus IS 350 F-Sport. Sam drove the Toyota Rav4 Woodland PHEV Links Inside GM's Plan for Its Next-Gen EVs | GreenCars Meet Mustang Mach-E Trail: Made for the Road to Adventure 2027 SUBARU OUTBACK DELIVERS AFFORDABILITY WITH NEW PRICING, NEW OUTBACK ENTRY-LEVEL MODEL STARTING AT $32,995 MSRP Subaru Shares Details of Its New In-House EV Platform This Chevy Bolt Has 470,000 Miles. Here’s How Much A New Battery Was The young Americans choosing Y2K cars over shiny new SUVs: ‘I get so much crap from people’ | US news | The Guardian Audi makes long-term commitment to America, announces mega US production site in Georgia | Releases | Official Media Site NEWSROOM Nissan Kicks joins ranks of IIHS award winners Feds want robotaxis to signal ‘I’m driving’ with cyan-colored lights | The Verge Toyota’s Newest GR Racing Prototype Sure Looks Like the Next-Gen MR2 Hey! Pay Attention! Drivers Find Multitasking Tough When Using Touchscreens, Says Study - Jalopnik Jill's Youtube Channel Our Sponsors: * Check out KUIU and use my code KUIUFREESHIP for a great deal: https://www.kuiu.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

2 hr 3 min

Hopscotch Car

Jill has been driving Mazda CX-90 plug-in hybrid but it came without a charging cord so she couldn't plug it in. She also took a flight in the HondaJet Elite. Back in 2018, Rebecca and Sam also got to try out the original HondaJet https://youtu.be/gvM2bo5k2Xo?si=OI7wOOkewWuQdcsE . Sam drove the Hyundai Palisade Hybrid and the Subaru Trailseeker. We've got news from Paris, crashing and hopping Teslas, a new Porsche, Acura's upcoming SUVs, new winter tires and listener email. Links Acura Shares Business Roadmap: Includes Three New Models Beginning with Adventure-Ready SUV in 2028 Porsche Mission S: the essence of the sports car reinterpreted Tesla driver says he was asleep and using FSD when he crashed into highway patrol cars | The Verge The incredible flying Tesla Roadster is just for show | The Verge How Did the Tesla Roadster Fly? Here's How It Works Tesla pauses Model 3 orders in Canada amid China EV quota New Winter Tire Throwdown: Blizzak IcePeak vs Continental VikingContact 8 vs Michelin X-Ice Snow+ - YouTube These Are the Hottest Cars and Concepts of the 2026 Paris Auto Show—and Why They Matter Hello Toronto! Waymo is En Route The Fix For Plug-In Hybrids That Don't Get Plugged In? Smaller Gas Tanks, New Report Argues We Spied The Facelifted Santa Fe That Will Be Hyundai's First Range-Extender Hybrid - Jalopnik Our Sponsors: * Check out KUIU and use my code KUIUFREESHIP for a great deal: https://www.kuiu.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

2 hr 1 min

Sedans Are Still Great

Sam has been driving the Kia K5 GT-Line, Jill had the Toyota Tundra TRD Pro and Robbie had the Subaru Trailseeker and Ford Expedition. This week Jaguar unveiled its first new product in a decade, BMW has killed what was once a top-selling 3 series, a Chinese SUV is the UK's top-seller. Canada has a cheap Model 3, EVs are still selling in Europe, electrified models are now the global majority, watch your dog in your Rivian and the VW ID Tiguan gets buttons. Sam had a conversation with John Possumato, CEO of DriveItAway and Free2Move's head of mobility Benjamin Maillard about the new vehicle rent-to-own service. It certainly provides flexibility for those in need of transportation, but it's probably not the best value in the world for a new or used vehicle. Links BMW Just Quietly Killed Its Most Important Diesel Car - The Autopian This Chinese SUV Was The UK's Best Selling Car Last Month How Brexit Led To China Selling Nearly 1-In-4 New Cars In Britain - The Autopian Canada Gets A $29,500 Tesla Model 3 With Ventilated Seats But There's A Catch - The Autopian Europeans Still Love Their EVs - Jalopnik Gas Cars’ Dominance Is Fading: Global Sales Fall Below 50% For The First Time Since The 1920s JAGUAR TYPE 01 Rivian R2 owners can now put a live pet cam on their phone's lockscreen - Engadget BMW Group in the U.S. Survey Finds Americans Want More EV Range Than They Need Day to Day. A Volkswagen bestseller goes electric: World premiere of the new ID. Tiguan DriveItAway Our Sponsors: * Check out KUIU and use my code KUIUFREESHIP for a great deal: https://www.kuiu.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

1 hr 42 min

Welcome Jill Of Many Places

This week our new co-host Jill Ciminillo joins the show and she's been driving the Ford Ranger. Sam had the new 2026 Mazda CX-5. Our whole team converged on New York for the debut of the new Hyundai Tucson and Sam had a conversation with Eric Wood, head of product experience about the new Pleos Connect infotainment system and Gleo AI voice assistant. Links EVgo Announces Next-Generation Charging System Capable of 750kW LEXUS FULL-LINE PRICING Lexus TZ Sharply Undercuts Luxury Rivals With a $65K Starting Price - Autoblog 2027 Hyundai Tucson First Look: What Changes for Hyundai’s Best-Selling SUV? | GreenCars GM Really Isn't Going To Build That Many Chevy Bolts: Report How the EV Business Case Shifted Away From the Chevy Bolt Ultium Cells to bring LMR prismatic battery cell production to Tennessee for future GM EVs Final Technical Support Document | NHTSA Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk ‘Cannot Give Up’: Hyundai’s R&D Boss On The Solid-State Battery Bet Nissan Is Targeting a Stacked Hybrid Lineup in the U.S. by 2030 The new BMW 3 Series. Returning to the Stage — How Rallying Is Our Road Car Future Our Sponsors: * Check out KUIU and use my code KUIUFREESHIP for a great deal: https://www.kuiu.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

1 hr 24 min

Drop The Battery

This week Robbie is driving the BMW M3 Competition and Sam has the Toyota bZ XLE Plus Links The Board of Volvo Cars appoints Klaus Zellmer as President and CEO VEHICLE CARGO SPACE ACCESS PROVIDING METHOD Ford Patents reveal new clues for Fathom! Can the 2026 Toyota RAV4 PHEV Keep Up With a V8 Jeep Wrangler 392 in a Drag Race? Electric future, established name: The new ID. Tiguan premieres in October | Releases 2027 Chevy Silverado 1500 Full Pricing Uncovered How recycled minerals from GM EV batteries are helping power new ones GM raises the bar for Heavy-Duty power, capability and control headlined by all-new Duramax 8.3L Turbo-Diesel V8 engine - Ford Mustang manual may outlive the V8 BYD’s $10,000 EV Is Getting A Huge Upgrade, With 5-Minute Charging Dodge's Fire-Preventing Ejecting Battery Patent Is American Individualism At Its Finest - Jalopnik Everybody Hates China’s Hilariously Bad Battery Ejector Idea Our Sponsors: * Check out KUIU and use my code KUIUFREESHIP for a great deal: https://www.kuiu.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

2 hr 16 min

Reading Comprehension

This week Robbie has been driving the Kia Telluride hybrid and the GMC Sierra EV while Sam had the very impression new Kia Seltos. In the news, VW showed a new EV concept and a lot of people misread the press release. Ford is again refreshing the F-150 and adding hands-free towing capability to BlueCruise. Volvo has upgraded the XC90 and XC60 PHEVs with double the electric range. GM dropped details on the new V8s in the 2027 trucks and the updated user interface. Robotaxis without controls make problems for first responders and Sam and Robbie visit a magnet factory. Links Mission Efficiency - Volkswagen presents the world’s most efficient near-production electric car How Did Everyone Get This Wrong? VW's New 'Mission Efficiency' Doesn't Get 900 Miles Of Range Out Of A Small Battery - The Autopian TTD September 15, 2026 - Ford Adds Hands-Free Towing to 2027 F-150 You Asked, We Listened: BlueCruise Hands-Free Towing Is Coming Volvo Cars unveils America's longest electric range plug-in hybrids: the new XC60 and XC90 GM Thinks Truck Buyers Want A Bunch Of Screens For Some Reason - The Autopian Tesla Cybercab's Touchscreen Is Already Proving To Be A Problem For First Responders - Jalopnik Magnetics | MP Materials GM’s legendary Small Block V8 enters its next generation with more power and capability Our Sponsors: * Check out KUIU and use my code KUIUFREESHIP for a great deal: https://www.kuiu.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

1 hr 47 min

Will Chinese Cars Be Made In America

Sam shares his thoughts on the Dodge Charger Six Pack Scat Pack and Robbie teases the Kia Telluride hybrid and talks about e-bikes. Honda adds more ground clearance to the Passport Trailsport, Audi fully reveals the new A2 e-tron, Volvo refreshes the XC40 and Range Rover launches an EV. Arbe gets a first production contract for its imaging radar. Donald Trump wants Chinese automakers to build cars in America, but the Senate has opposite ideas. Stellantis wants to sell its Brampton assembly plant and Xiaomi has a new EREV SUV with a popup roof. VW is looking at body-on-frame trucks and utilities for the US and Horse Powertrain opens a Detroit office. Finally, Sam sees the Kindred Bronco EV and we answer listener questions. Links Honda Passport Reaches New Heights: 2027 Passport TrailSport Gets New Lifted Suspension, Tougher Styling and More Features Audi A2 e-tron: Rethinking efficiency Significant safety, tech, and design updates to Volvo Cars’ new XC40 subcompact SUV RANGE ROVER ELECTRIC: A NEW ERA FOR THE ORIGINAL LUXURY SUV Hirain and Arbe Selected by One of the World's Largest Automotive Groups for Level 3 Program Across Multiple Brands Trump says he would allow Chinese automakers to build cars in US S.4429 - Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026 119th Congress (2025-2026) Stellantis has potential deal to sell Brampton plant, frustrating Unifor Volkswagen Eyes F-150 and Wrangler Territory to Revive U.S. Sales - Autoblog Xiaomi SkyNomad N90 Maker of a 1,527-HP EV Introduces an SUV With a Pop-Up Roof Cabin - Autoblog Horse Powertrain expands global capability with new North America office Discover Kindred EV Bronco Our Sponsors: * Check out KUIU and use my code KUIUFREESHIP for a great deal: https://www.kuiu.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

1 hr 27 min

Can They Sell 100K

This week Robbie finally gets his hands on the new Honda Prelude and Sam drives the Land Rover Discovery. Links Nissan and Honda Conclude Joint Development Agreement to Standardize ECUs and Software for Next-Generation SDVs The Isuzu V8-Powered Chevy Feretta Was GM's Forbidden Camaro-Killer New Ford Mustang Fox Body: ‘80s Icon Reborn! | 4K - YouTube Classic Fox Body Ford Mustang The World’s EV Capital Doesn’t Need Fast Chargers Everywhere Hyundai Dealer Set EV Charging Rates That Led to a $418 Bill - Autoblog Scout Motors Reveals Two Distinct Expressions of the Scout® Traveler™ SUV Mitsubishi Motors Unveils the All-New Pajero Cross-Country SUV Ford Wants To Sell 100,000 Fathom Electric Pickups In Year One. That’s A Huge Goal Hyundai's Latest Cost-Cutting Trick Is To Remove The Instrument Cluster - Autoblog Claims of Savings From Gutting Fuel Economy Rules Are a Lie Our Sponsors: * Check out KUIU and use my code KUIUFREESHIP for a great deal: https://www.kuiu.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy