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We drive the Bronco Sport Sasquatch, Hummer EV SUV and more | Autoblog Podcast #846

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. Zac recently went down to Tennessee to drive a prototype of the 2025 Ford Bronco Sport Sasquatch. Meanwhile the two also spent time in the 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV, 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 and 2024 Lexus LS 500h out of the fleet in Michigan. In the news, Rivian deals with a fire at its Normal, Illinois plant, Formula 1 comes back strong, and Volkswagen prices the ID.Buzz. Lastly, the two debate what old, executive sedan you should buy in a Spend My Money segment. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #846 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 Cars we're driving 2025 Ford Bronco Sport Sasquatch 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 2024 Lexus LS 500h News Fire at the Rivian factory Formula 1 is back Volkswagen ID.Buzz gets a very high price Spend My Money 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:  We check out the Rivian R1S and R1T along with 3 other surprises This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2016 Lexus RX sharpens up for round four

Go back a couple of decades and no one would have heard of a luxury crossover. Most of the benefits of a luxury sedan and an SUV with few of the drawbacks? Unheard of. Then 1997 rolled around and two vehicles changed the face of the industry forever. One was the Mercedes M-Class. The other was the Lexus RX. And both have seen their successors unveiled at the New York Auto Show this week. The new Mercedes GLE that takes the place of the M-Class, we've already brought you from the floor of the Javitz Center. Now it's time for its Japanese rival. Now entering its fourth generation, the new RX is distinguished from its predecessors with a far more revolutionary design than that which separated the previous three: It's altogether more angular, more recognizable, more... Japanese – from the oversized spindle grille to the sharp taillights and at every pointy point in between. Of course it's not quite as edgy as its kid brother, the NX, but it has to appeal to a more conservative customer base. They'll get to choose once again between the RX 350 with conventional V6 and the RX 450h with its hybrid powertrain, both of which have been upgraded to produce 300 horsepower. The interior has likewise been updates as well, with more space and enhanced equipment. All of which ought to help the RX remain the top seller for Toyota's luxury division. Related Video:

Dear rich people, skip the SUVs and big sedans. Buy a coupe!

Pretty much from the first time I drove a Lexus LC, I fell in love with the car (and most of us on staff have similar feelings). And having spent a week recently in a 2022 LC 500h variant, I'm still as fond of it as ever. It is, in many ways, a near perfect grand tourer. It's got stunning good looks (confirmed by various strangers asking about it) with details at home on a concept car. I'll never get tired of the infinity mirror taillights. The interior does the same with leather and suede over nearly every surface and even more styling flair from the grooves in the doors to the floating handles. And finally, it's lovely to drive. Even with the hybrid engine, it's smooth and fairly swift, and the ride and handling are just on the sporty side of comfortable: great to commute in, and happy being pushed a little bit. It's a car that's so good, that I found myself wondering, why aren't there more of them? And I'm not just talking about LCs (even though the LC is so good it really deserves to be selling in massive numbers). Why aren't there more personal luxury coupes and grand tourers? It certainly wasn't always that way. The mid- to late-20th century was the heyday of the luxury coupe. America led the way with enormous Cadillac and Lincoln hardtops with as much sheet metal on either end as it had in the middle. But later in the century, as more luxury automakers jumped in, we got more svelte GT-style cars from BMW (8 Series), Lexus (SC), Acura (Legend) and more. Classy two-door luxury was a thing. But now the number of high-end coupes are dwindling not just in sales, but in offerings. Mercedes killed its S-Class coupe a few years ago, and it's been ages since we've seen anything of the sort from Cadillac, Lincoln and others. Ok, so I literally know why they're not much of a thing anymore, at least to an extent. Coupes just aren't the popular body style. That crown goes to SUVs. Just look at BMW's sales for proof. It sold around 1,400 8 Series models in the first quarter of this year, and that's including convertibles, coupes and the Gran Coupe four-door hatchback. In contrast, it sold more than 6,400 X7s, the effective SUV equivalent to the 7 and 8 Series cars. And I have no doubt that there's more going on than the desire for the big, truck-like shape. There's also the practicality of having an SUV.