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Autoblog Podcast #339

Farewell, Zach Bowman; Pikes Peak 2013; Datsun; 2014 Ram lineup
Episode #339 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and it's the last rodeo for Zach Bowman before he departs for other pastures. The crew this week consists of Dan Roth, Zach Bowman and Jeff Ross, who talk about the astounding records set at this year's Pike's Peak hill climb, the return of the Datsun brand name and the recently-announced 2014 Ram truck lineup. Of course, we start with the garage and end with your questions and comments. 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 #339:

Pontiac Aztek enjoys rebirth thanks to Millennials

Apparently, Millennials – those between 18 and 34 – aren't afraid to look different on the road, and they like performance, too. A new study by Edmunds is discovering some surprising vehicle choices by this group. Among them, the long-derided Pontiac Aztek is getting a new day in the sun with 25.5 percent its buyers coming from this generation in the first half of 2015. For comparison, Millennials represent an average of 16.8 percent of used car purchases. The Aztek is slowly shaking its reputation as a styling abomination, which seems tied to its appearance on Breaking Bad. The show premiered in 2008, and the Pontiac has been on this list for four of the past five years, according to Edmunds. It even led the pack in 2010. A recent Retro Review from MotorWeek also showed that the crossover wasn't always so hated. While it's still a shock to see the Aztek on any popularity list, the awkward-looking crossover only ranks sixth among Millennials. The vehicle with the biggest portion of buyers from the generation is the Dodge Magnum with 27.6 percent. According to Edmunds, the bluntly styled wagon is especially popular in Detroit and Chicago. The Chrysler Pacifica comes in a close second at 27.3 percent. When it comes to used cars, value and utility appear to trump just about anything else for many Millennial buyers," Edmunds analyst Jeremy Acevedo said in the report. Young buyers aren't afraid of sporty rides, either. The Subaru WRX has 26.4 percent Millennial buyers to rank third place on the list, and the Volkswagen R32 takes fifth at 25.7 percent. Just a few points lower in seventh place is the Nissan GT-R at 25.4 percent, and the final performance machine in 10th place is the Lexus IS-F with 24.7 percent. Related Video:

Amazon Alexa will become your co-pilot in Toyota, Lexus cars

A number of carmakers have introduced Amazon Alexa voice commands that can activate the locks and climate control on their cars, but Toyota is going a step further with Alexa integration by bringing Alexa into the car. Starting in 2018, Toyota will join the likes of BMW by offering the full Alexa voice-controlled app in Toyota and Lexus vehicles with either EnTune 3.0 or EnForm 2.0 infotainment systems. Though Toyota doesn't specifically say which models, we suspect the Camry and Sienna will be the first, since they're the only Toyotas with EnTune 3.0. With Lexus, the LC, NX, RC, and LS models all have available EnForm 2.0, so any or all of those could get Alexa this year. Toyota suggests a number of ways users could use Alexa in the car, such as for taking notes and setting reminders, activating apps, or for controlling other smart devices, such as the heating and cooling on your house. That suggestion rings strongly to those of us in the midst of the bomb-cyclone winter storm. We imagine you'll probably even be able to order goods from Amazon, too. One thing that is strange is that Toyota has made this leap in connectivity, and yet you still can't get Apple CarPlay or Android Auto on any Toyota or Lexus. This is especially odd as it's safe to assume more people own and use Apple and Android products on a daily basis and on the road than Amazon Alexa. Not to mention the fact that almost every other automaker offers both systems on their vehicles. Either way, mobile Alexa presents some interesting possibilities and is sure to be appealing to fans of the Amazon service. And while only a few models will be available with it in 2018, Toyota and Lexus will expand availability in 2019. Related Video: