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Gladiators, Pilots, and Palisades, plus a couple boring crossovers | Autoblog Podcast #562

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. The duo discuss the leaked Jeep Gladiator, Ford's Baby Bronco, the Aston Martin DBX, and then touch on other reborn names like the Honda Pilot. They also discuss how boring crossovers have taken over as the family car of choice in the United States and debate the merits of turbocharged V6 engines versus the classic American V8. Finally, we spend your money.Autoblog Podcast #562 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 Jeep Gladiator leaked Hyundai Palisade and Honda Pilot teased Aston Martin DBX Ford Baby Bronco leaked Boring crossovers Ford F-150 2.7-liter EcoBoost Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: Podcasts LA Auto Show Aston Martin Ford GMC Honda Hyundai Jeep Truck Crossover SUV honda pilot jeep gladiator aston martin dbx hyundai palisade ford baby bronco

2017 Honda Ridgeline boosts fuel economy by 5 mpg

The 2017 Ridgeline brings Honda back into the pickup segment later this spring, but the automaker has so far kept quiet about many of the new truck's specs. Thanks to the government, we now have fuel-economy ratings for the new model, and they compare well to the competition. Front-drive versions of the new Ridgeline get 19 miles per gallon in the city and 26 mpg highway. If you opt for all-wheel drive, the numbers are a point lower, at 18/25 mpg. That's are a decent upgrade over the last-gen truck, which was only offered with all-wheel drive and had ratings of 15/21 mpg for the 2014 model year. The related Honda Pilot crossover, which was new for 2016, does a touch better, with maximum fuel economy of 20/27 mpg on a front-drive model with the optional nine-speed automatic. Comparing the Ridgeline with the fresh crop of updated midsized pickups, the Honda fares well. For comparable models with a V6 engine, automatic transmission, and four-wheel drive, the Toyota Tacoma is the closest competitor, at 18/23 mpg. The Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon aren't too far behind that at 17/24 mpg. The Honda actually comes pretty close to the ratings of four-cylinder, rear-drive versions of its competitors, beating some on the highway. Honda will exclusively offer the 2017 Ridgeline with a 3.5-liter V6 and a six-speed automatic. The company doesn't yet have powertrain specs, but the same engine makes 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque in the Pilot, so expect similar figures for the pickup. An in-bed stereo system is among the truck's innovative features, which should make the Ridgeline a great vehicle for tailgating and outdoor parties, and now we at least know it won't use that much fuel getting there. Related Video:

How Seinfeld hopes he'll help industry make better car commercials [w/video]

Bloomberg has a fascinating look into a web series that continues to be a favorite around the Autoblog offices - Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. The series, which is in its second season, sees the affable comedian picking up fellow comedians in a range of interesting cars, and having conversations with them over the drive and a cup of joe.
The piece by Bloomberg dives into the development of the series, as well as Seinfeld's tie-up with Acura, which saw the Honda-owned brand begin sponsorship this season. That relationship started not with his web series, though, but with a Super Bowl ad, alongside fellow funnyman and car enthusiast Jay Leno, that saw them competing over a new Acura NSX. Have a click over to Bloomberg for an entertaining piece that looks beyond the YouTube series. We've also wrangled Seinfeld's original Super Bowl ad for the Acura NSX, which you can see below.