New vehicle debuts just keep coming. Bruce and Smith are on top of the latest in this Rambling About Cars episode, focusing on what could be a big seller for Honda, the next-generation HR-V. Ram also debuted a new edition of the TRX with Ken Block, Apple previewed its next-gen CarPlay, and BMW has a new race car. The duo chats about another Buick concept car, and there's another cheap car challenge to cap it all off.
The big news from the week is clearly the new Honda HR-V. Borrowing heavily from the Civic, the small SUV is a bit bigger than its predecessor and sports a sharp interior. Bruce and Smith have some questions about the exterior styling, but the consensus is that this could be a very good vehicle for Honda thanks to a combination of space, technology, and efficiency.
Gallery: 2023 Honda HR-V
A vehicle that doesn't give a rip about efficiency also came to the Rambling About Cars news desk. Ram debuted a special TRX called the Sandblast Edition, offering appearance upgrades and a starting price of just over $100,000. Curiously, former Ford personality and current Audi partner Ken Block led the teaser campaign and debut.
There's more car talk with the Buick Electra-X concept that debuted a week ago, and a few minutes are spared for race fans with BMW's new M Hybrid V8 Le Mans Prototype race car. We can't help noticing its huge kidney grille ready to inhale as much air as it can get, leading the hosts to wonder if it's a functional design or simply BMW staying on-brand. And for the tech fans, Apple dropped a bit of a bombshell with its next-generation CarPlay preview, which includes functionality and customization for multiple screens in a car.
Gallery: 2022 Ram TRX Sandblast Edition
After a brief intermission for listener comments and a story from Smith on his forthcoming project car, it's cheap-car-challenge time! Since Smith actually just bought a very cheap front-wheel-drive car, the subject is front-wheelers for under $5,000. This time around, the mission was actually much harder than either Chris realized. The obvious answer to such a challenge is always the Honda Civic or the VW Golf GTI, but the hosts manage to avoid those motoring clichés for some truly interesting picks.
Let's hear your thoughts on the HR-V, Ram's new tan TRX, BMW, Buick, tech in cars, and yes, your own front-wheel-drive cheap car picks! Comment below, comment on YouTube at Motor1 Podcasts, or send us an email: Podcast@motor1.com. We always love hearing from the ramblers out there.
Rambling About Cars Preview:
Next week, Smith is embarking on a 2,400-mile adventure in his 27-year-old Mustang (tuned for premium fuel, no less). He will miss an exceedingly awesome episode with Bruce, who's joined by a very special guest talking about a project that all car fans will absolutely love. Motor1.com Senior Editor Brett Evans and Editor-In-Chief Seyth Miersma are also joining, and Miersma has an adventure of his own to share. We aren't being intentionally coy here ... these are things we actually can't talk about yet but come June 17, the world will know. And RAC listeners will get a special behind-the-scenes look you won't find anywhere else.
Where To Listen:
In addition to our YouTube channel, you can still catch us on your favorite streaming audio channel every Friday as always. You'll find Rambling About Cars on every major podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Please like, follow, and comment because it exposes the show to more car crazy enthusiasts. And the more enthusiasts that join us on this automotive odyssey, the better.
