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What we're driving this winter and why you need snow tires | Autoblog Podcast #496

On this episode, Mike Austin and David Gluckman talk about what they've been driving lately and answer some Spend My Money requests from listeners looking for advice on everything from sports cars to seven-seat SUVs. Plus we talk winter tires with an expert from Michelin's testing team. The rundown is below. Remember, if you have a car-related question you'd like us to answer or you want buying advice of your very own, send a message or a voice memo to podcast at autoblog dot com. (If you record audio of a question with your phone and get it to us, you could hear your very own voice on the podcast. Neat, right?) And please send trivia questions! You'll get the honor of stumping your fellow listeners, and we'll thank you too. Autoblog Podcast #496 Topics and stories we mention 2017 Subaru BRZ 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander GT 2018 Lexus LC 500 Used cars! Rundown Intro - 00:00 What we're driving - 04:26 Michelin winter tire interview - 25:14 Spend My Money - 44:33 Total Duration: 1:18:57 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 Feedback Email – Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show on iTunes Podcasts Lexus Mitsubishi Subaru SUV snow tires

2019 Subaru Ascent Drivers' Notes Review | Subaru redux

The 2019 Subaru Ascent is the follow-up to the odd and slow-selling Subaru Tribeca. From 2005 to 2014, Subaru sold just 76,774 Tribecas in the U.S. at a time when the company's sales as a whole were on a climb. As we put it in our first drive review, the Ascent can be considered a sort of mulligan. The new model comes out hot and heavy against strong three row competitors like the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Mazda CX-9 and American offerings like the Chevy Traverse and the Ford Explorer. Our tester is the top-shelf Touring trim. Standard features on the Ascent include Subaru's EyeSight driver assist technology, adaptive cruise control with lane keep assist, keyless entry, three-zone climate control and a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four mated to a CVT. Power, like nearly every Subaru, is sent to all-four wheels. For $45,670, the Ascent Touring nets you features like leather trim, power-adjustable front seating, a panoramic moonroof, LED lighting, a power opening rear gate and an upgraded audio system with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: I found myself liking the Subaru Ascent much more than I expected. The turbo four and light steering made it surprisingly engaging to drive. I enjoyed how this one was trimmed out, and the cabin managed to be both woodsy and elegant. It also offered an excellent view of my surroundings, which is not a given for a beefy SUV. Style-wise, I don't love it. I think it looks better in pictures than in person. It seemed a little overwrought in my driveway. If you need a people hauler, and specifically, you need three rows, this one is worth a look. If you don't need three rows, I'd go with an Outback or Forester. That being said, this is the vehicle Subaru absolutely needs in order to have a more complete presence in the U.S. market. It's highly competitive with the VW Atlas, and it should add some solid incremental sales to Subaru's volume. Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski: I've logged more time in the Subaru Ascent than any other staffer here at Autoblog, having attending the automaker's initial drive event a few months ago and then signing a different one out to schlep my family on a couple of long drives in and around Seattle, Wash. Sometimes it takes a good, long drive to really figure out a car's merits and demerits. Other times, though, initial impressions are confirmed.

Listen, the Type R and the WRX STI don't look alike. Here's why.

So following the reveal of the new Honda Civic Type R, we've seen quite a few commenters issuing all kinds of accusations about the Type R looking like a WRX STI. And you know what? They're right. Both cars have four wheels, four-passenger doors, big wings, and scoops. In all seriousness, aside from a passing similarity because they're both flashy sport compacts, they really don't look alike. Let's start with the front and the profile. These areas are technically the most similar, since both cars feature high beltlines and have lower fascias defined by large inlets and a deep chin spoiler. And admittedly, the little kick-ups on the lower rear portion of the side windows are reminiscent of each other. But that's where the similarities end. Up front, the grille is by far the clearest indicator that the Honda is most certainly a Honda. The wide "blade" shape that spans the nose from light-to-light is unmistakably from the company that gave us VTEC. After all, just about every Honda today uses some form of that grille. The Subaru, on the other hand, has a traditional grille that is distinctly separated from the lights. It's not a bad thing, Subarus have had rather anonymous designs in the past, and we've still liked them. It's a Subaru thing. Moving to the scoops, we find more differences. For once, the Type R is more restrained, with a small, low-profile inlet far back on the hood. It will not be mistaken for the massive one on the STI, which looks like it could suck up low-flying fowl. View 58 Photos Along the side, the distinctions continue to pile up. The key here is in the fenders. While the STI has proud, pumped-up fenders compared with its distant Impreza cousin, they aren't nearly as pronounced as those on the Type R. The Honda's flares clearly show that they protrude from the standard hatchback's sheetmetal and closely follow the curve of the wheelarches. The STI's fenders proceed along the body's lines more closely and blend in more. Finally, we come to the rear, where no one should ever get these two vehicles confused. Yes, they both have enormous rear wings and diffusers, but that's it. For starters, one car is a hatchback, and the other is a traditional sedan. Not only that, but the Type R's hatch has a distinctive split rear window. I mean, based on the criteria people have used to compare the Type R with the STI, they should've actually been comparing the Honda to a Prius.