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Bronco Scout, Ford and Rivian, and next-gen Land Cruiser | Autoblog Podcast #578

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Reese Counts and Assistant Editor Zac Palmer. First, they dicuss recent news, including the upcoming next-gen Toyota Land Cruiser, Ford's trademarking of "Scout" and "Bronco Scout," and Ford's $500 million investment in EV startup Rivian. After that, they talk about the cars they've been driving, including the Jeep Wrangler, Cadillac XT4 and Buick Regal GS. Last but not least, they help a listener choose a new car in our "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #578 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Toyota promises a next-generation Land Cruiser Ford trademarks "Scout" and "Bronco Scout" Ford invests $500 million in Rivian Cars we're driving: 2019 Jeep Wrangler 2019 Cadillac XT4 2019 Buick Regal GS Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

2024 Buick Envista First Drive Review: Budget belle

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Want an affordable small crossover that looks and feels good, might even impress your passengers, and wonÂ’t make your eyes go cross while configuring one online? BuickÂ’s got a new one for you, and itÂ’s pretty slick. The 2024 Buick Envista starts below $25,000, and in a world of rampant inflation, it actually lives up to what you thought that much money could get you a few years ago. You should be pleasantly surprised with what you get — just donÂ’t ask for all-wheel drive or an engine upgrade. To these eyes, the Envista looks good from all angles. While the refresh of the Buick Encore GX for the 2024 model year was the first production vehicle to use design elements inspired by the Buick Wildcat EV concept, the Envista marks the “first complete expression” of that new design language, as Buick design boss Bob Boniface put it. No, itÂ’s not a two-door coupe like the Wildcat, and it still doesnÂ’t have the WildcatÂ’s electric powertrain, but those looks translate even better to a new vehicle designed from the ground up. It has the pointy nose, the high, wing-like headlights and the new tri-shield Buick logo that also made its way onto the Encore. But the Envista has a swept-back profile, with the roofline giving way to a toned-down example of rear shoulders flaring out over the wheels. The nicely tucked rear end is home to lighting that better matches the units up front. ItÂ’s lower and sleeker than the Encore, putting itself more visually at the car end of the crossover spectrum, while the GX leans more toward SUV. And youÂ’ll get a more carlike drive from the Envista, too. ThereÂ’s only one powertrain: a turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder powering the front wheels. ThereÂ’s no AWD option here, and no four-cylinder. Not even a 1.3-liter upgrade like in the Encore GX. There is a traditional automatic transmission with only six forward gears, and no dreaded CVT in sight. ThereÂ’s very little you could do on the order sheet to change the way the Envista drives — pick a version with the upgraded rear suspension that Buick claims provides a more superior ride (a Watts link for those who care) or change up the wheel size, maybe — but certainly not in terms of what drives the wheels. You get 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque in the Envista, figures that are awfully low these days, but that we also found perfectly suited to this mission.

2018 Buick Regal GS First Drive Review | More power, style and doors

During our test-drive of the 2018 Regal GS, Buick took us to Atlanta Motorsports Park and hired stunt drivers to teach us mild-mannered journalists how to do a J-turn. It's an emergency maneuver, also known as a Rockford, in which the car reverses at full speed, spins 180 degrees and takes off in the exact opposite direction from where it was headed. It symbolized perfectly Buick's hopes for the Regal GS, its most ambitious attempt yet at a bona fide American sports sedan. Buick is trying to shake off decades of stigma as a maker of grandpa-spec wafters. Since 2008, it has been rebadging the Opel Insignia, developed by GM's German subsidiary and built in Russelsheim, as the Regal. In 2012, Buick revived the Regal GS badge, providing power from a 2.0-liter turbo four, initially at 270 horsepower but then detuned to 259 hp in 2014 as AWD was introduced. Buick had high hopes of challenging the luxury greats, and while the previous Regal GS received good reviews as a genuine sports sedan, it never really caught on in the marketplace. Buick took a risk by redefining the brand, but ultimately, it wasn't quite successful enough to be uttered in the same breath as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus. The 2018 Regal GS doubles down on that lofty goal with a better-fleshed-out version of the outgoing car. It returns with improved styling and even more power, courtesy of a naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V6 generating 310 horsepower and 282 lb-ft of torque. In other words, the new GS is up 40 horses, but down 13 lb-ft with an engine that comes straight from the GM parts bin. Within GM, it is known as the "High Feature" engine, used in everything from Cadillacs to V6 Camaros to the GMC Acadia. Autoblog has knocked this engine on refinement but generally praised its power, so it's a mixed bag. On the Regal GS, though, the drivetrain exhibited a marked improvement on the refinement front. Buick spokesperson Stuart Fowle attributed this to the new nine-speed automatic it's mated to, a quick and smooth-shifting transmission well-programmed to keep the engine at optimal revs. The result deviates quite a bit from the Opel Insignia, which maxes out with a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four good for 197 horses and 300 lb-ft. With turbo 2.0-liter fours now the de facto entry-level engine for most luxury carmakers, having the 3.6-liter V6 makes the 2018 Regal GS more distinctive, a bit more American and less of a European copy-paste job than its predecessor.