Auto Buyers Guide

23/10/2025

We've been measuring every new car, truck, and SUV we drive for a while now, but which measurements are you actually interested in seeing? Now's your chance to tell us. IMHO, the seat-to-seat measurement is the most telling. We put all the seatbacks at the same angle (70%, which is typically the angle used on fixed backs like sedans and 3rd rows), but where should we put the front seat? All the way back like they do when measuring legroom the usual way?

Or should we adjust it for a "typical" 6-foot person? What's more useful? Or, are you actually OK with the odd way legroom is usually measured? The usual way may give two cars the same "legroom" number, but one will feel tighter than the other because the seats are actually closer together.

22/10/2025

Who wore it better? 😅 Seriously though, I can't see the new Land Cruiser FJ without seeing just a bit too much Jeep Renegade in there. Thankfully, however, the two have zero in common because this is not a "Bronco Sportified" Land Cruiser. Instead this might be the ultimate Land Cruiser IMHO. Why? Because instead of being related to the Tundra and Tacoma, this is related to Toyota's legendary global Hilux pickup. Yep, this will be a 180 inch long body-on-frame SUV that... we probably won't ever see in the USA. Whomp whomp.

Why? Nobody seems to know, but Toyota did say they are "no plans" for sales in Europe or N. America, possibly because there are no other platform mates on our shores? Who knows. The drivetrain could work however. Instead of a small diesel (which would thrill some markets mind you), the FJ gets a 2.7L four-cylinder engine that's a distant cousin to the 2.7 long ago used in the Tacoma. It makes 161 ponies, and 181 lb-ft sent via a 6-speed auto to all four wheels. Given the part-time 4WD system and frame... I'm going to guess this is only a bit faster than a Suzuki Jimny. Speaking of which, that Jimny is still 24 inches shorter than the FJ...

So, how sad are you that we'll likely never see yet another piece of Toyota forbidden fruit?

22/10/2025

Today Travis is out in the Bay Area looking at something a little different...while there will be 4 wheel variants the star of this show is ALSO's launch product the TM-B Class 3 e-bike. If ALSO doesn't sound familiar the light design might give away the familial relationship with Rivian. The TM-B has some seriously impressive stats; up to 100 miles of range, 28mph top speed, and multiple configurations to match your needs. The numbers are good, but the most interesting aspect of this product is that, unlike other e-bikes, there's no mechanical connection between the pedals and the rear wheel. Think of it like the STellatis EREV but instead of a Pentastar V6 generator the bike gets you. When you're not charging the bike by pedaling you can pull the battery and bring it inside to charge at up to 240w via USB-C. The launch price is $4,500 (no small change) but before the end of the year ALSO plans to have models available under $4,000.

22/10/2025

Turns out I was wrong. The shallow frunk in the Jeep Wagoneer S isn't useless after all. It makes a solid changing table and the pee-proof rubber mat is standard. The name on the other hand? Still wrong. It should should have been a Grand Cherokee EV, or a Grand CherokEV.

Jeep

21/10/2025

The 2026 Nissan Sentra will be here before you know it and while it won't make it in time for Halloween (even with it's Energetic Ember) it could look great under the Christmas tree! The eye catcher of the bunch is the SR trim with unique styling throughout (including the rear spoiler) and snappy colors. If bold isn't what you're looking for, the SL is returning with a more sophisticated approach to the new design.

The exterior isn't the only area of focus, the interior gets a new look and plenty of screen real estate. All Sentras will get a 12.3 inch infotainment screen and all but the S trim will have wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The driver screen matches the 12.3 inches in SV trim and above while the S will settle with a 7 inch display.

If you're worried about too much change at once the heart of the vehicle stays the same with the 2.0l engine making 149hp and is mated to a CVT. Small improvements have been made to the transmission for daily drivability and Nissan says you should get between 32 and 33 combined depending on packaging.

How affordable will this be? You'll have to hold tight for that and our thoughts on the drive but both should be worth the wait.

17/10/2025

The G-Wagen's doors are the coolest kind of old school.

16/10/2025

Polaris just dropped a special edition of their Ranger XD 1500 Northstar that has me intrigued, and that's not just because I have a soft spot for hunter green paint jobs. This is the Mountaineer Edition which gets "20% more low end torque" than the normal model (already a healthy 110 horsepower and 105 lb-ft from a 1.5L three cylinder) thanks to a lower final drive ratio than the regular model. As someone that drives their own side-by-side on mountain trails, the extra low end twist has me intrigued. They claim it'll also help smooth out the throttle which can be a bit jumpy in the Ranger 1500.

With a starting price of $45,999 for the 2-door and $49,999 for the crew model, this isn't a budget SxS, but you do get a ton of SUV features for that cash like tinted windows, heated seats, air conditioning, power windows, power steeing, and oddly more payload than some 1/2 ton trucks (1,650 lbs). Towing? That's much lower at 3,500 lbs.

I need another SxS like I need another hole in my head, but I wouldn't mind one of these in my driveway either.

Polaris Off Road

16/10/2025

Sometimes reviewing a Subaru involves a chainsaw. 😅 It was a wet and windy day in the Santa Cruz mountains when the new Subaru Forester Wilderness showed up. That of course meant it was time to check on our mild off-road trail and see what the storm brought us. The answer? Unfortunate erosion of some of the trails due to getting nearly 2 inches of rain in 3 hours, and a few trees down here and there. Our trusty Husqvarna collection took care of the trees (don't ask, I think I'm up to 9 chainsaws), and the 9.3 inches of clearance and all-terrain tires took care of the ruts in the road and the branches I was too lazy to move. Subie's Wilderness line isn't any danger to Bronco or Wrangler (or even Bronco Sport), but I wonder if a "real off-road Subaru" would even be a good idea?

Say what? Bear with me. What makes Subaru's lineup good, Wilderness trims included, isn't that they can go anywhere (they can't) but they can go many more places than the average CR-V while also doing RAV4/CR-V things so well. If Subaru were to make a Wrangler competitor by beefing up the Forester's body, adding a solid axle to the back, tripling the suspension travel, adding a few lockers, a stronger transmission, more power, etc... You'd be back to the same compromises inherent in a Wrangler. Sure, you'd be able to tackle Moab, but getting to Moab would be less comfortable, and getting to work in the morning would burn more fuel...

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16/10/2025

Today is FULL of RAV4! A lot has changed and there are some seriously cool updates, what stands out to you and what can we try and clear up?

14/10/2025

Hang on a minute... BMW's best-seller is... Average? Yep, when it comes to the price tag it sure is. According to Cox Automotive, the average new car sale in America is now over $50,000. Ouch. Don't expect it to drop anytime soon, either, as we've seen an increasing number of affordable models and base trims disappear for 2026. The result is likely to be a 5-6% increase by this time next year. So what's going on? Well, it's a combination of factors, but import tariffs certainly seem to be accelerating the changes already happening in the new car biz. We've also seen customers and manufacturers both steering away from low-cost models like the Nissan Versa as shoppers have gravitated towards SUVs with big screens... and big margins.

13/10/2025

Until the modern minivan gets a re-think, the newest crop of unibody SUV/CUVs are a compelling alternative... Think: Grand Highlander, Traverse, Acadia, Enclave, Palisade, and the upcoming Telluride in this group. The Buzz? It's a quirky EV van that we couldn't help but include.

Looking to move your clan but you don't want a "traditional" boring minivan? Well, here are 3 (or 5, depending on how you count) solid options to choose from...

10/10/2025

The Rebelle Rally is starting and the team ABG helped sponsor is on the move! Good luck Jill & Lola!