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Polestar 3 and 5 updates, and a compact Toyota pickup? | Autoblog Podcast #733

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder. First, they discuss the news, including the possibility of a compact Toyota pickup, new details about the Polestar 3 and Polestar 5, whether Tesla needs a PR department and fresh info about the 2023 Honda HR-V. They also review the GMC Sierra, Kia EV6, Hyundai Kona Electric and Buick Enclave Avenir. Next, Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski reports from the ground at the first drive of the Ford Bronco Raptor, and Multimedia Producer Erik Maier joins in to talk about Autoblog's Father's Day gift guide and other deals. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #733 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Toyota looking hard at compact pickup market Polestar 3 shows itself and looks good Polestar 5 electric sedan outed in EU patent images (and now we have spy shots) Does Tesla need a PR department? (via Automotive News) 2023 Honda HR-V pricing and specs revealed Cars we're driving: 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate 2022 Kia EV6 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric 2022 Buick Enclave Avenir Dispatch: 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor Father's Day gift ideas straight from the Autoblog staff Five excellent Father's Day deals for dads Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video:

Kia Sorento is the official ride of the Justice League

Toyota showed us a Spongebob Squarepants-themed Toyota Highlander last week. Kia has now revealed a Justice League themed Sorento. Can we just have normal, competent crossovers without all the animation frosting, please?
To be fair, this Sorento is for a good cause. It will be part of a charity auction on eBay, benefitting DC Entertainment's We Can Be Heroes campaign, which raises money for the famine-ridden Horn of Africa, a region that's facing its worst food crisis in six decades. DCE's President, Diane Nelson, claims DC has managed to raise over $285,000 through crowd-funding campaigns and unique opportunities for its fans. The Justice League Sorento is just the latest such fund-raising opportunity, with the automaker having already commissioned a number of similar themed vehicles for individual members of the Justice League.
The seven-passenger Sorento was designed by Jim Lee and created by West Coast Customs. It sports graphics that, relative to the Spongebob Highlander, are downright subtle. Batman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman are depicted on the driver's side, while Superman, the Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg are on the passenger side. The Justice League logo is emblazoned on the Sorento's hood.

Kia Seltos crossover: Aimed at millennials, named from mythology

In news that touches on proper placement of carts and horses, Kia announced that its new global compact crossover will be called the Seltos. This should surprise no one, since we posted a batch of "spy" shots last week of a naked Seltos that was decorated with Seltos badges and placards. What might surprise is the inspiration for the name: Greek mythology. Kia says we have the legend of "'Celtos,' the son of Hercules" to thank for the moniker. In case you ever need to take a test on this, you should know that Heracles was the Greek god. Hercules was the later Roman version, and the Romans focused more on Hercules' early, dismal relationships. Herc, as the story goes, got tricked by a princess named Celtine during a stint herding cattle, when he stopped by her father's place. The episode resulted in a boy named Celtus (or Celtos), one of his multitudinous brood, and that boy became the mythological father of the Celts. The Seltos crossover has a job almost as challenging as fathering a nation, that of being a lure to millennials the world over. Kia's tried to give the little people hauler a head start on the job by changing the first letter of Celtos' name to "S," said to imply speed and sportiness. Conveniently, that also fits into the carmaker's crossover and minivan naming scheme that already includes Soul, Sportage, Sorento and Sedona. Without details on available engines, we can't tell how much speed or sportiness there will be, but the design looks sophisticated enough. Designers have managed to put plenty of muscle and flourish into a small space without making a mess. With the exterior matching the sketches faithfully, we expect the same handsome results inside, led by the 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen. Kia says it will reveal the Seltos later this month. Sales will begin in South Korea in the latter half of the year, with other markets to follow.