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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:

Lexus comes to SEMA with a wine-dispensing crossover

While some manufacturers are going neck-deep into the tuner car world for SEMA this year, Lexus is keeping it classy with a restrained lineup of cars with lighter modifications. It made sure to hit all of them though, even the tiny UX subcompact crossover. Here's the rundown: 2019 Lexus RC 350 F Sport Cross Country Custom The idea on this one was to pick up a few different modifications from different shops as it's driven across the country. Along the route it's picked up some RS-R USA springs, Vossen forged wheels with Nitto performance tires, Apexi N1-X muffler, a satin wrap and blue underglow. There's not a whole lot to it now, but Lexus says there are still more modifications to come before it hits Los Angeles. 2019 Lexus UX 250h It's still a funky-looking crossover, but Lexus tried hard to make it stand out from the rest of the bland boxes on the road. The light blue wrap combined with an Apexi N1 suspension does the trick. These subcompact crossovers tend to look even more like hatchbacks once manufacturers lower them a couple inches — all that's left is to get rid of the unsightly black plastic cladding. This one has an Apexi N1 catback exhaust too. We can't imagine that sounds too hot with the CVT transmission in the UX though. 2019 Lexus ES 350 F Sport Wine lovers, here is the car for you. Lexus used the trunk area of this ES 350 to put a wine refrigerator, wine rack and glass holder. It did that, then made the flooring of the trunk out of oak barrel wood. To keep it upscale-feeling Lexus added a subtle Artisan Spirit aero kit and Rays Engineering 20-inch wheels. The Rolls-Royce Cullinan better watch out. 2018 Lexus LS F Sport The long Lexus looks a lot racier in this gray paint and 22-inch Work wheels. An aero kit brings it all closer to the ground without actually lowering it. Gigantic six-piston Brembo brakes in front and four-piston rears are painted in yellow, and look menacing within the big wheels. Related video:

Ranger in the USA, Alfa in Italy, and Volvo goes RWD | Autoblog Podcast # 780

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Byron Hurd. They start off with this week's big news, including the official unveiling of the U.S.-market Ford Ranger and Ranger Raptor, some new RWD options from Volvo, and the potential production status of the Hyundai N Vision 74 concept. They also cover the discontinuation of the Mercedes-Benz CLS and the introduction of the latest RS model in Porsche's lineup, based on the 718 Spyder. From there, Byron talks about driving the new Alfa Romeo Tonale, and Greg digs into the new Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance. After that, Byron talks about his Wankel-based discovery during his tour of Alfa Romeo's factory museum outside Milan.  Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast # 780 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 2024 Ford Ranger and 405-horsepower Ranger Raptor revealed 2024 Volvo C40 and XC40 Recharge First Drive Review: Back to the RWD future Pony up, Hyundai. Build the N Vision 74 concept Porsche unveils 2024 718 Spyder RS — outrun the sun What we're driving2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale 2023 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance 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: Green Podcasts Alfa Romeo Ford Hyundai Lexus Porsche Volvo Convertible Crossover Electric Sedan