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2020 Land Rover Defender, a pair of super wagons and watch talk | Autoblog Podcast #655

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. They kick things off discussing what they've been driving this week. Greg has been spending time in the 2020 Land Rover Defender 110, and Zac has been driving a pair of super wagons in the 2021 Audi RS 6 Avant and 2021 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S Wagon. Greg follows that up with an interview of Blake Buettner, the managing editor at Worn & Wound, in the final segment. Autoblog Podcast #655 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 What we're driving2021 Land Rover Defender 2021 Audi RS 6 Avant 2021 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S Wagon Watch interview with Worn & Wound managing editor Blake Buettner Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes

Land Cruiser, electric off-roaders and more Toyota hybrids | Autoblog Podcast #793

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Zac Palmer for a jam-packed news discussion that starts with an inside look at last week's Toyota Land Cruiser reveal in Salt Lake City. The two go on to talk about the possibility of a future electric FJ Cruiser, an electric baby Land Rover Defender, a theoretical Toyota Corolla-based pickup, the death of the Nissan Titan and the chance that Mercedes-AMG could go back to V8s in the C 63 S and future E-Class AMG models. After news, Zac talks about his time with the long-term 2023 Toyota Sienna and Greg chats about the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max Platinum. After that, they spend your money. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #793 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 News2024 Toyota Land Cruiser from the ground Electric FJ Cruiser possibilities Electric baby Land Rover Defender Toyota Corolla-based pickup Nissan Titan is dead Mercedes-AMG could go back to V8s What we're driving 2023 Toyota Sienna Platinum 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max Platinum 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: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Automakers' sound systems: Crank it, don't yank it

Years ago, one of the first things most music lovers did after buying a new vehicle was drive to an aftermarket stereo shop to get the crappy stock components swapped for better gear. And you'd typically get not only better sound but also more bang (and boom) for your buck. But in the past decade or so, the overall quality of OEM audio has dramatically increased, while car electronics became more complex, removing the incentive for most new vehicle owners — and all but the most hardcore DIYer — to start from scratch. In 2010, I did a comparison of the average costs for OEM electronics vs. similar offerings from the aftermarket, and back then automakers' stock premium systems were by far the best bargain — and are probably an even better value now. The premium 14-speaker, 1,200-watt JBL system in the all-new 2019 Toyota Avalon is a prime example of this trend. It's standard on the top two Limited and Touring trims and is available as a $680 audio upgrade on the XLE and XSE. I doubt you can even buy 14 speakers and 1,200 watts of amplification from the aftermarket for 700 bucks, much less have it all installed. And because the system is bundled with Toyota's Entune infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and a surround-view camera, removing the head unit means you would likely lose these features. Another advantage of OEMs and their audio partners is they can design the car around the audio system. In the past, automakers would typically place speakers where convenient for packaging, not for optimal sound reproduction, and audio engineers were forced to compromise. But as with the Avalon's premium JBL audio system, this is starting to change. At a recent behind-the-scenes peek for media into the process of developing the system, Toyota and Harman engineers delved into the minutia of sealing the inner panel of the front doors to create an enclosure for 6x8-inch woofers, making space in the pillars for JBL horn tweeters and extensively measuring the acoustic properties of the interior to tune the sound to the space. I'm met some creative and skilled car stereo installers, but none with a degree in psychoacoustics. The system is also the first to feature Quantum Logic Surround that creates a multi-channel listening experience from two-channel sources. And it includes Harman's Clari-Fi processing that "rebuilds key details lost" in compressed audio formats used by streaming music services and MP3s.