MotorWeek

This week’s special guest is a MotorWeek alum who isn’t too far from our memories…it’s Lauren Morrison! Lauren joined our staff as FYI Reporter back in 2015 and traveled the world to tell consumer reporting stories. She gives us a little background about herself, regales us of her favorite experiences, and explains how she used to record Motor News from a green screen in her house! A video version of this podcast is available to watch on our YouTube channel.

In Podcast #366, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew dive into some very recent first drives with some very important new models. Greg starts things off with a west-coast adventure in the all-new 2026 Subaru Outback, which officially leaves it’s wagon identity behind. Then Jessica recalls her recent time in Nissan’s longest running nameplate, the Sentra. And Alex gets passionate about his time on the Tail of the Dragon driving the Hurricane-powered Dodge Charger. Does it really need a HEMI now? Then we recap what we know of the 2025 Los Angeles Auto Show. (This episode was recorded before the LA Auto Show announcements, so we want to correct that the 2027 Kia Telluride’s standard powertrain is a 2.5L Turbo-4.)

John Davis joins us on the MotorWeek podcast this week, not as host…but as our special guest! Because who better to talk about the history of the show, than the man who created it. Jessica Ray hosts our fearless leader in this special video episode of the podcast, and we get to know the man that is John H. Davis. We’ll discuss how his childhood shaped his car enthusiasm, his background in aerospace engineering, his year working on Wall Street before he moved to public television, and of course, we get the full story on how MotorWeek began.

In Podcast #364, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew are joined by FYI Reporter Stephanie Hart who details her recent visit to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s facility in Virginia to see what they’re doing to help prevent fatal crashes. Then Jessica dives into the more fuel-efficient version of Subaru’s volume seller, the 2025 Forester Hybrid. And Logan is back from a trip to Detroit where he got to see the revised 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee, including it’s all-new Hurricane engine. Our Lightning Round addresses Mary Barra’s recent comments claiming that GM will be leaving Apple CarPlay and Android Auto out of their new vehicles in the future and a viewer wonders if Hyundai or Kia will ever make a body-on-frame SUV competitor.

The lovely Lisa Barrow joins John and Jessica on this special episode of the MotorWeek podcast! Lisa spent over a decade as MotorWeek’s FYI reporter in the late 1980s and talks about her global travels, how the show inspired her adventurous side, and where life took her after she left the show. There is also a video version of this podcast that can be found here: https://youtu.be/K8M2HQCWZq4

In Podcast #362, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew have a jam-packed podcast for you! Jessica starts things off with the global reveal of the EV version of BMW’s best-selling vehicle globally, the iX3. Then Alex relays the details on the recently unvieled production model of the returning Honda Prologue sports coupe…they include a hybrid powertrain and a very distinct lack of a third pedal. Then we have finally had some time behind the wheel of the all-new Nissan LEAF so Greg let’s us know how much this charming EV has really changed. And our Lightning Round discusses Porsche pulling back on their plans to go all-electric while a viewer has a question about how we do our slalom testing.

In celebration of our 45th anniversary, MotorWeek alumni will be joining us throughout the year as guests for special episodes of our podcast! Our first guest? None other than Craig Singhaus, who was grabbed by John Davis to assist in the 1978 pilot episode and eventually joined the staff when MotorWeek officially went on air in 1981. You’ll know him best from his outlandish “High Road” segments, but he played a big role in helping to cultivate those early seasons of the show. There is also a video version of this podcast that can be found here: https://youtu.be/E5DK3PMwCdU

In Podcast #360, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew preview the premiere of Season 45! That’s right, MotorWeek has been on the air for 45 years. So we brought some of our most tenured staffers together to give you a behind-the-scenes look at the evolution of the show along with their favorite memories. Once we’re done reminiscing, we chat about our recent time in the drop-trop version of the Ferrari Roma grand tourer. Then, we dive into our two weeks with the 6th-generation Toyota 4Runner. The Lightning Round discusses the uptick in used car prices and what might reverse that trend.

In Podcast #359, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew have the details on some exciting new models! First up, Alex recently went to Detroit to see the long-awaited Hurricane I6-powered Dodge Charger. Then he heads over to the Jeep side of things with the return of the Cherokee compact utility, now as a hybrid. And Jessica is back from some time out west driving the all-new Hyundai Palisade, whose extensive redesign brings the 3-row crossover to another level. Then a Lighting Round on Ford’s self-proclaimed “Model T” moment.

In Podcast #358, Jessica Ray fills in for John Davis on hosting duties this week. This episode features two half a million dollar dream machines from across the pond…Aston Martin’s Vanquish in drop top form and the latest Bentley Continental GT Speed, which also happens to be the most powerful road-going Bentley out there. Plus while no longer owned by Volvo, the all-electric Polestar brand is still making and selling cars, now trying their hand at a crossover with the all-new Polestar 3. Then a Lightning Round regarding some new details on the return of the Honda Prelude sports coupe and a listener has a question about the future of collectible cars.

In Podcast #357, John Davis and the MotorWeek digest some of the latest vehicles we’ve been road testing. Greg regales us about the updated Toyota Sienna, which adds new technology that brings it up a notch. Then John is wow’d by the impressive improvements to the Audi RS e-tron GT. And Jessica spent a long weekend road tripping in Hyundai’s largest electric utility, the IONIQ 9! Plus a Lightning Round that ponders the end of car dealerships and a viewer has a question about electric powered door handles.

In Podcast #356, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew are back after the July 4th holiday to chat about some of the most recent vehicles we’ve seen and driven. Brian starts us off with his experience behind the wheel of the latest GMC Terrain, with plenty of comparisons to it’s Chevy sibling…the Equinox. Then Alex hits the trails in Honda’s all-new CR-V TrailSport and let’s us know how far this trims goes. And Jessica got to see the all-new 3rd-gen Nissan LEAF and its more competitive than ever before! Plus a Lightning Round to talk about what might happen to OEM’s plans with the dissolving of the EV tax credit and a viewer has a question about why glass roofs have become so popular lately.

On Podcast #355, Jessica Ray steps in as host and she and the MotorWeek crew talk utilities…specifically a few first drives. They include the Volkswagen Tiguan, which looks to make a great first impression with its all-new 2025 model. Then it’s Cadillac’s latest EV, the VISTIQ…a luxury ute that doesn’t give us the “ick”. And we’ll finish off with the 5th-gen Ford Expedition, which sees an impressive redesign along with an all-new off-road oriented Tremor trim. Plus, our Lightning Round addresses the return of the HEMI V8 at RAM and a viewer has a question about what affordable cars we like.

In Podcast #354, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew have plenty to talk about. Greg starts things off with an update on our Long Term fleet, aka vehicles we test for longer than our typical 2 week period. Then Alex breaks down all of the recent news coming from Toyota; from new models, to new names, to new colors. And Jessica is fresh back from Plano, Texas where Toyota unveiled the next generation of the best-selling vehicle in America…the RAV4. Plus a Lightning Round prompt encourages discussion on the possibility of the EV tax credit going away and a viewer has a question about why mainstream cars feel more luxurious than ever.

In Podcast #353, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew have a very diverse group of vehicles to discuss starting off with Alex’s recent time driving one of our favorite hatchbacks…the refreshed Volkswagen Golf. Then Jessica talks about the recently unveiled Slate Truck, a small cheap EV pickup from a new automaker. And Greg finishes off with our first time behind the wheel of a car from the Vietnamese VinFast brand, the VF8. Plus a Lightning Round explores a list of safe cars for teens from the IIHS and Consumer Reports and a viewer has a question about EV charging curves as well as John’s demeanor in the early days of MotorWeek.

In Podcast #352, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew are joined by alumni Joe Ligo, who has recently made a six-part documentary series about the story behind American Motors Corporation called The Last Independent Automaker. Then Greg dives into some recent drive time with the revamped and elegant Lincoln Navigator while Jessica lives the Jeep life out in Moab, Utah at the latest iteration of the Easter Jeep Safari. Not only was there trail driving but she got time in 7 different Jeep concept models. Plus the Lightning Round address Volkswagen’s plans to finally offer traditional hybrid powertrains in a few upcoming models and a viewer has a question about the future of the NACS plug with rising Tesla tensions. The Last Independent Automaker premieres on PBS stations nationwide on May 1st. Check your local listings for airdates and times. Or watch full episodes on the PBS app.

In Podcast #351, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew cover all of the news from the 125th edition of the New York International Auto Show! There was tons of news from Subaru including the unveiling of the all-new 7th-gen Outback, along with a big showing from the Korean’s with an all-new Palisade that includes a hybrid version, and more! We’ll finish off with Jessica’s recent time driving the new AWD version of the Ford Maverick hybrid and Bronco Sport equipped with a Sasquatch package. Plus, our Lightning Round discusses if buying a car now is a good idea considering upcoming tariffs and a viewer wonders if there are any vehicles that we have reviewed over the years that we wish we could change our opinions on.

In Podcast #350, Jessica Ray steps in as host for a vacationing John Davis. Her and the MotorWeek crew have a small constellation of vehicles to talk about, starting with two new entries into Cadillac’s all-electric IQ portfolio: the OPTIQ, yes, spelled with an ‘IQ’ at the end, and the Escalade IQ. Then we’ll shift over to the Honda Civic Si, a name known and loved by many enthusiasts, and one that recently benefited from a model-line refresh. We’ll wrap up with an all-new ride from their sister company Acura, the 2025 ADX, which makes their utility lineup bigger…by going smaller. But before that we’ll focus our energy into a Lighting Round about lightning-fast EV charging tech and answer a double-header viewer question about using up all that recouped charge.

In Podcast #349, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew dive into a bunch of “performance” cars…well they all perform in their own ways. Brian is fresh off a trip to the West where he tackled the Davis Dam Grade in the refreshed RAM Heavy Duty. Then Jessica reminds us of how simple trucks can (and should?) be with the latest Nissan Frontier. And Greg heads to the track in the all-new BMW M5 and yeah, it is truly a beast. Plus, our Lightning Round has us buzzing about what new cars we might consider if they were $20,000 cheaper and a viewer has a question about the speed during our slalom testing.

In Podcast #348, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew have no less than FIVE cars to discuss. Jessica starts us off with a First Drive in Jeep’s first global BEV, the Wagoneer S. Then Alex dives into our recent track time of two rally-inspired compacts, the Subaru WRX tS & Toyota GR Corolla. And Greg recounts our experience high performance testing the newest McLarens, the 750S and hybrid Artura. Plus, our Lightning Round addresses a Mercedes designer claiming that “screens aren’t luxury” and a viewer has a question about one of our old naming conventions.

In Podcast #347, Jessica Ray subs in for John Davis as host and her and the MotorWeek crew discuss a few of the latest hybrids we’ve driven. We touch on our recent track time in the all-new V12 powered plug-in Lamborghini Revuelto. Then it’s off the track and onto the trail with a first drive in the completely revamped Toyota 4Runner. And we’ll recap Subaru’s latest unveilings from the Chicago Auto Show. Plus, our Lightning Round touches on the hackability of modern cars and a viewer has a question about if we have experienced more impatient drivers than usual.

In Podcast #346, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew go through the full list of winners of our 2025 Drivers’ Choice Awards. These are the cars, trucks, & utilities that we liked to drive the most! So we’ll tell you why we picked them out of everything else we drove. And make sure to stay until the end when we announce which one takes home our Best of the Year accolade!

In Podcast #345, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew chat about a nice assortment of vehicles! We blast off with some time spent behind the wheel of Nissan’s stylish next-gen Murano mid-size utility. Then we’ll head back to entry-level territory with Kia’s replacement of the Forte, the K4. And Rivian is leveling up their three-row R1S SUV with a second generation with plenty of changes under the skin! Plus, our Lightning Round tackles the recent news that Honda & Nissan will be merging and a listener has a question about when we might see EVs with over 500 miles of range.

In Podcast #344, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew are in the studio for a special episode of the podcast! We’ll talk about the automotive-related news out of this year’s iteration of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas including new EV models from Honda…along with their partnership with Sony for the AFEELA 1, Toyota’s mobility city is on it’s way to accepting residents, BMW’s Panoramic iDrive, and more! Then we’ll head back East to rundown what’s going on at the pretty quiet Detroit Auto Show, which is back in it’s January time slot.

In Podcast #343, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew celebrate the first podcast of the New Year by focusing on affordable cars! That’s right, we dive into a list of cars for sale that cost under $30,000 (with destination) and give our opinions on what we like…and don’t like about them. Stay until the end and we’ll tell you which ones we would buy for ourselves!