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Autoblog Podcast #343

George Kennedy from Boldride.com, BMW i3, NACTOY long list, Bentley SUV
Episode #343 of the Autoblog podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth and Steven Ewing are joined by George Kennedy, Autoblog alum and Editor-in-Chief of Boldride.com. Topics include the unveiling of the BMW i3, the 2014 North American Car and Truck of the Year long list, and the green-lighted Bentley SUV. As always, we start with what's in the garage, but then answer some of your questions before diving into the week's news. For those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. You can follow along after the jump with our Q&A. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #343:

Autoweek dubs GMC Canyon, VW GTI its 2015 'Best of the Best'

For kids around the globe, tis the season for Santa, reindeer and presents. For the automotive industry, the last quarter of each year is reserved for awards, whether they come from Motor Trend, Car and Driver, Automobile, or yes, Autoblog. The latest to get released comes from our friends at Autoweek. The magazine has echoed other outlets, naming a Volkswagen hatchback and a small pickup from General Motors as its Best of the Best. Unlike Motor Trend, which handed out its golden calipers to the Chevrolet Colorado and Volkswagen Golf range, Autoweek doled out its awards to the Colorado's twin, the GMC Canyon, while singling out the hottest version of the Golf, the GTI. "This is the best hot-hatch on the American market – and it may be the best car you can buy for less than $30K," one AW staffer said in the publication's article on the feature. Other staffers praised the absolute value provided by the GTI and the overall fun factor. The Canyon, meanwhile, was saluted for being "the perfect size," not to mention its excellent build quality, feature-rich cabin and overall practicality. "It's truly a truck in the most honest sense of the word," Autoweek wrote of the Canyon. Scroll down for the full press release on the announcement from Autoweek, which includes comments from both Volkswagen and GMC. And then head over and read AW's full feature on the awards. Autoweek names Best of the Best/Car and Truck for 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI and GMC Canyon signal a strong year for design, performance and value DETROIT, Dec. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Autoweek named the Volkswagen Golf GTI as its Best of the Best/Car for 2015, beating a group of finalists that includes the Alfa Romeo 4C, Ford Mustang and Mercedes-Benz C-class; and the GMC Canyon as its Best of the Best/Truck for 2015, besting the likes of the Chevrolet Colorado, Lincoln MKC and Porsche Macan. Autoweek evaluates every new or significantly updated model throughout the year and begins to identify the standouts. Performance, economy, fit and finish, design, value, significance to the auto industry and personal taste all combine to define the Best of the Best. Four cars and four trucks make the grade, and Autoweek editors put them through rigorous road-handling tests at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich. This is where a vehicle transcends the numbers and shows if design, performance and pure driving passion meld into an Autoweek Best of the Best pick.

2025 GMC Terrain is redesigned with bolder style and big tech

The 2025 GMC Terrain is here, and it’s following in the footsteps of its Chevrolet Equinox cousin but bringing the traditional GMC twist to the party. Its fresh design is noticeable straight away with a new front end inspired by the GMC Canyon. The front hood is substantially higher than before giving it a more muscular look, and the same bulking is evident in its emphasized fenders. An optional painted roof gives it some flash – itÂ’s painted gray for black cars (pictured above) and black in every other case. Bigger wheels up to 20 inches in diameter are available on the Denali. And speaking of trims, there are now just three: Elevation, AT4 and Denali. For 2025, the Elevation is the only model that will be on sale. GMC says both the AT4 and Denali models will follow later for model year 2026, and you can see a preview of those in the group photo below. They each have their own grille designs, wheel options and unique styling cues. As youÂ’d expect from the AT4, it also features an off-road-tuned suspension, small lift (by 12 mm) all-terrain tires, underbody skid plates, recovery hooks and a special “terrain” drive mode. The Denali has its own pluses like “Smart Frequency Dampers” for a better ride, tons more standard luxury equipment and the 20-inch wheels. What is common across all trims is the powertrain. Every next-gen Terrain will be equipped with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. ThatÂ’s the same powertrain as the new Equinox, and while GM has indicated it will move to more hybrid options, thereÂ’s no word on if the Terrain would be a candidate for that strategy. The 2025 model will be all-wheel drive exclusively, but GMC tells us youÂ’ll be able to select a front-drive version come the 2026 model year. If you want to tow, though, youÂ’ll need the AWD version that maxes out at 1,500 pounds. The 2025 TerrainÂ’s interior gets a massive overhaul thatÂ’ll remind you of other new GMC products with its tall portrait-oriented touchscreen. ThereÂ’s the 15-inch screen in the center thatÂ’s accompanied by an 11-inch digital cluster, of which both are standard equipment. It runs Android Automotive software that nets you Google Maps as the native navigation system and the Google Assistant for voice queries. Both wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto remain onboard, though, as GM promised would be the case for its gas-powered vehicles.