2023 Subaru Outback Onyx Edition on 2040-cars

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Driving Civic and Elantra Hybrids, and big Ford Maverick updates | Autoblog Podcast #842

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. They discuss the week in car news first, leading off with the updated 2025 Ford Maverick that adds a Lobo sport truck variant and an AWD hybrid. Next, they chat some Cadillac news with the reveal of the stunning Sollei convertible concept and the refreshed 2025 Escalade. After the news, the two focus on what they've been driving over the past couple of weeks. They start with the Fiat 500e, then move along to a comparison between the refreshed Hyundai Elantra Hybrid and totally-new Honda Civic Hybrid. Lastly, there's a discussion of the new Infiniti QX80 and the STI mods applied to our long-term Subaru WRX. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #842 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 News 2025 Ford Maverick Lobo 2025 Ford Maverick adds AWD hybrid version Cadillac Sollei revealed 2025 Cadillac Escalade refresh What we're driving 2024 Fiat 500e 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid 2024 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid 2025 Infiniti QX80 Long-Term 2023 Subaru WRX 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:  Cadillac Sollei is an electric convertible concept This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

The 2019 Subaru STI S209 has an intercooler sprayer, here's what it looks like when you activate it

The 2019 Subaru STI S209 gets a lot of features that distinguish it from your average WRX STI including wide body work, a giant wing, additional chassis braces and an extra 31 horsepower. It also brings back a performance gizmo that hasn't been featured in a U.S. market Subaru since 2007: the intercooler sprayer. As the name implies, it sprays cool water onto the air-to-air intercooler when pressing a button. In the case of the S209, that button is one of the paddles on the back of the steering wheel. That triggers the water nozzles hidden in the hood scoop to spray water. You can see what happens in the video below. Note that when the car is in motion, air would carry the spray farther back covering more of the intercooler. Now why would you want an intercooler sprayer? Well, the S209, like all WRX and STI models, uses an air-to-air intercooler to cool off hot air coming from the turbocharger on its way to the intake manifold. The cooler your air, the denser it is, meaning more oxygen to combine with fuel to turn into more power. The effectiveness of the intercooler depends partly on the temperature of the outside air flowing over the intercooler. If it's really hot out, it's not as effective. So spraying water onto the intercooler can counter this to ensure that the car is making maximum horsepower even in toasty conditions. This also means that although this may feel like some special secret performance-boosting weapon, it's really only effective in specific circumstances, and will just get you back to normal power, rather than make the car noticeably faster on the street. Long track days in the summer and after waiting in line at the drag strip or autocross are the kinds of situations where you could see power diminish due to hot air and a lack of moving air. Normal driving won't necessitate its use nor will driving in cool temperatures. In fact, the S209's owner's manual specifically says not to use the sprayer in temperatures below 41 degrees Fahrenheit because of the risk of frozen water in the tank. That brings us to another aspect of the intercooler sprayer: maintenance. In fairness, there isn't much to maintain, but if you want to use the system, you do need to keep the tank filled. It's located in the trunk where the spare tire would normally be. Inside of course is a water pump that connects to hoses that run water to the front. There is a warning light that will illuminate on the instrument panel if it runs low.

Auto Show Notebook: Legendary Continental name inspired Lincoln's designers

What's in a name? A lot for the Continental concept, and it gave Lincoln designers a sense of purpose as they styled the brand's upcoming flagship sedan. "The moment that we told them, it was amazing," Lincoln president Kumar Galhotra said. "They totally got it." "It" is cutting-edge technology wrapped in stately, large-sedan design. It's a nod to Lincoln's storied past, but a signpost for where the brand is heading. Though the Continental name dates to the late 1930s, Lincoln designers avoided making the concept overtly retro. "You can't let it pull yourself back too far in history, but you've got to design a car that lives up to the name," Galhotra said. Speaking to Autoblog on the floor of the New York Auto Show where the Continental formally debuted Wednesday, the Lincoln president reiterated that the car is on track to launch in 2016. It will compete against the Audi A6, Lexus GS, BMW 5 Series and other large luxury sedans. After its debut, the concept in New York will fly to China – another critical market for Lincoln – for display there. It will be replaced in New York by a prototype without an interior. The Continental is the latest high profile play by Lincoln to raise its image with consumers, who have either ignored or forgotten about it amid steep competition in the luxury sector from German and Japanese brands and a potentially resilient Cadillac. Lincoln sales are essentially flat compared with 2014 through the first quarter of this year, with total volume of 21,478 units. The middling start to 2015 comes on the heels of nearly 16-percent sales growth last year spurred by the launch of the MKC and the prominent signing of Matthew McConaughey to star in Lincoln advertisements. Other News, Notes & Quotes Speaking of names, Chevrolet did its homework before deciding to proceed with "Malibu" for its new generation of midsize cars. "We went out and researched it," said Alan Batey, president of General Motors North America. "People actually like the name 'Malibu,'" he said. Admittedly, the current Malibu has struggled in the marketplace against entrenched competitors, Batey said, but he's optimistic its awareness and historical value are assets to the dramatically redesigned sedan."The name's strong," he said. Meanwhile, in other Chevy news, the brand kicked off a new marketing campaign, "Real People, Not Actors" Wednesday. It will show consumers interacting with Chevys and their spontaneous reactions to the vehicles.