The Drivecast

The Drive
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The Drivecast gives you an inside, behind-the-scenes look at the biggest stories, controversies, and people shaping the car industry from one of the top automotive news sites in the country. Each week, The Drive's editor-in-chief Kyle Cheromcha, director of content Joel Feder, and a rotating cast of expert staffers will break down how automakers are navigating a transformative time. Massive shifts in technology, manufacturing, and consumer demands are changing the ways cars are built and sold quicker than ever, and the way car companies are navigating this moment will shape the way our roads look for the next century. It doesn’t matter if you’re an enthusiast since birth or just curious about why cars are the way they are today—we’ll give you the inside line with our exclusive reporting and break it all down for you. If you like what we're doing, check out The Drive for the latest news, analysis, and in-depth car reviews, sign up for one of our newsletters, and subscribe to us on YouTube. We're also posting all the time on Instagram and Facebook.

  1. 7 HR AGO

    Why Porsche is about to copy... Hyundai??

    Believe it or not but one automaker is about to copy another’s idea—and neither are who you’d expect. Porsche is an unquestioned leader in the world of performance cars, and its careful treatment of the 911, Cayman, and Boxster is often imitated, never duplicated. But now? It’s about to steal a controversial move from an unlikely source— Hyundai—as it tries to figure out the magic formula for a fun-to-drive electric car. What a world. So today, it’s The Drive's Editor-In-Chief Kyle Cheromcha and Director Of Content And Product Joel Feder discussing fun versus electric cars: how a company like Porsche ends up copying Hyundai, what the various tricks automakers are trying means for the next generation of EVs, and why this all matters more than you’d think. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Porsche Is Adding Fake Gear Shifts to Its EVs, 2027 Taycan Will Be First: Exclusive Future Porsche EVs in frame for Hyundai-like simulated gearboxes Porsche Says It ‘Learned a Lot’ From the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N: TDS 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Review: A Racing Sim You Can Drive on the Road 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N Preview Drive: More Fun Than Most Sports Cars Fake Gears, Real Fun: A Pro Driver Makes the Case for EV Gimmicks 2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V First Drive Review: Succeeding Where Mercedes Failed 2026 Rivian R1T Quad First Drive Review: When Too Much Is Just Enough Rivian’s RAD Tuner Is Like An Equalizer For Your EV’s Powertrain 00:00 Intro 06:49 Porsche is about to copy Hyundai's fake gear shifts in EVs 08:47 What is a virtual transmission for an EV? 17:06 The Dodge Charger Daytona 22:28 Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz 24:12 A limit to the efficacy of these systems 25:02 Hyundai Ioniq 6 n 27:23 Maserati 30:54 Rivian 32:32 Lucid 35:26 Legacy vs. startup automakers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    40 min

  2. 29 APR

    Billions burned: The great EV reckoning

    It's time to check in on the state of electric vehicles both in America and abroad—and how much money automakers have lit on fire in the last few years rushing to cash in on electrification, which… hasn’t really paid off. Now, it feels like a big correction is underway. Car companies spent most of 2025 in a wait-and-see position, but now they’ve waited and seen enough, and started to make big moves. Ford killed its once-revolutionary F-150 Lightning pickup, Honda killed its next-gen EVs that were supposed to be built and sold in America and lost over $15 billion in the process, GM has paused development of its next-gen electric trucks, Nissan’s walked things back and shifted directions, Volvo’s killed an entire model line, and more. It’s a wild and wildly expensive time to be an automaker, and the decisions being made now will have long-lasting effects on the shape of the global auto industry for years. This week it's The Drive's Editor-In-Chief Kyle Cheromcha and Director Of Content And Product Joel Feder discussing the state of the EV union—how automakers are reacting to the uncertainty, whether they’re over-correcting, and what comes next. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Stellantis’ EV Retreat Cost the Automaker $26.5 Billion: TDS Ford’s EV Gamble and Bust Will Cost the Automaker $19.5 Billion: TDS GM CFO Says Automaker Can Absorb EV Losses: TDS Honda Kills Three US-Built EVs Before They Ever Launch, Taking up to $15 Billion Loss Ford’s Never-Seen, Canceled Moonshot EV Has Been Hiding in Plain Sight Online for a Year 00:00 Intro 08:13 Who burned how much? 08:34 Stellantis 13:38 Ford 18:42 Honda 24:04 GM 31:05 VW Group 34:38 Nissan 36:36 Toyota 38:04 Mercedes-Benz 39:02 BMW 39:12 Volvo 40: 18 Tesla 41:35 Rivian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    44 min

  3. 22 APR

    Nissan's going all in: Inside the plan

    Nissan's in trouble, but the automaker's not going down without a fight. After laying out a massive turnaround plan it's clear Nissan's not just on the ropes, but about to swing for the fences and really try and cater to both the masses and enthusiasts, again, as it refocuses. This week, The Drive's Director of Content and Product, Joel Feder, is joined by Senior Vice President and Chief Planning Officer for Nissan North America, Ponz Pandikuthira, in an exclusive one-on-one chat taking place in Japan discussing what's coming from both Nissan and Infiniti. From a family of U.S.-made body-on-frame vehicles to special edition Zs, the timeline for the next GT-R, backdate kits, restomod and classic parts, to a 600-plus-horsepower QX80, Pandikuthira spills the goods about how Nissan and Infiniti intends to win back the hearts, and wallets, of buyers ranging from millionaires to enthusiasts on a budget and everyone in-between. So, today, it’s behind-the-scenes on Nissan’s turnaround plan and what comes next. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Nissan Announces Huge Turnaround Plan To Cut Models and Keep the Good Stuff Nissan’s Next GT-R Will Be a Hybrid, Keep the VR38 Block, and Arrive by 2030 The Nissan Z Is Thriving Thanks to an Unlikely Hero: Your Parents The Next-Gen Nissan Xterra Is Real, and Here’s Your First Look Nissan Confirms New Xterra Will Offer Hybrid and Non-Hybrid V6 Options Nissan Is Looking at Doing a Sports Car Lineup Again, Exec Says 00:00 Intro 03:27 Next-gen GT-R 07:46 What's next for the Z? 09:44 Summarization of the upcoming products 10:39 Infiniti's "high-horsepower" sedan (the Skyline) 11:26 The future of Infiniti 15:37 A performance version of the Infiniti QX80 16:43 A Skyline JDM kit for Q50? 19:17 Bringing back and providing heritage parts 22:44 Hotter QX80s and what could come next 25:20 Special projects? 26:44 Xterra is coming Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    40 min

  4. 15 APR

    Hyundai and Kia are coming to crash the truck party

    In a shocking turn of events: Both Hyundai and Kia are preparing body-on-frame pickup trucks. Sounds far-fetched, but it’s true, and it’s quite the development as these two juggernauts continue to blaze a trail forward challenging the rest of the industry on multiple fronts. It doesn’t sound like we’ll have long to wait. Now Hyundai announced it will kick off a family of body-on-frame vehicles in the U.S. before 2030 and teased them with an SUV that looked like a Bronco competitor. A week later, Kia confirmed it too will be bringing a body-on-frame truck to the U.S. by 2030, and it even talked powertrains. Senior Editor Caleb Jacobs and Director of Content and Product Joel Feder dive behind-the-scenes on Hyundai and Kia preparing to sell you a pickup truck, and what comes next.  Stories mentioned in today's episode: Hyundai Targets Bronco, Wrangler with Body-on-Frame Boulder SUV Concept Hyundai Learned the Hard Way What Truck Buyers Do and Don’t Want Midsize Trucks Have All the Same Problems. Hyundai Thinks It Can Fix Them Kia’s Launching a Body-on-Frame Truck by 2030: TDS 00:00 Intro 06:55 Hyundai and Kia have body-on-frame trucks coming 13:26 What Hyundai has told The Drive its truck needs to be 16:55 Which powertrains will these trucks have? 21:21 Kia and Hyundai dealers are a risk 25:45 What do these trucks need to be to win? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    30 min

  5. 8 APR

    The Toyota Prius is losing the hybrid war it started

    The Toyota Prius is an icon, a statement, and possibly a moment in time as the nameplate approaches its 30th anniversary. Sales of what was once a cultural icon are spiraling. The Prius arguably hasn't been the "it car" that it was once upon a time with EVs taking the mantle for an eco-friendly statement, countless hybrid entries now flooding the market in every conceivable shape and size, and time itself marching on. Even Toyota's own showroom is filled with hybrids. The latest Prius is a winner in terms of eye-catching design, but its a loser in terms of sales. It's not a new issue, but it's a continuing one with the numbers becoming grimmer as the months and years go by. The Prius has had a rough decade. It's likely not one single issue at hand, but multiple factors all colliding at once. Senior Editor Adam Ismail and Director of Content and Product Joel Feder dive into what Toyota said in terms of Prius sales plunging, take a look at all the outside factors, and discuss whether the outlook is dire for the Prius or if the icon will live on. Stories mentioned in today's episode: Prius Sales Are Tanking So Far in 2026. We Asked Toyota Why 2026 Toyota Prius Nightshade Review: The Practical Car Goes Peacocking I Drove a Yellow Toyota Prius and My Whole Town Fell in Love 00:00 Intro 04:38 Prius sales are tanking 09:30 The Prius vs the Camry 11:53 Sedan sales can still be healthy 13:11 Various factors affecting Prius sales 14:04 The Prius was a household name 16:22 Does the Prius matter anymore? 23:33 Do we need a sporty Prius? 24:14 Will Toyota kill the Prius in the U.S.? Will the nameplate live on? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    29 min

  6. 1 APR

    The government's plan to dilute your gasoline, explained

    With gas topping $4 a gallon this week amid the war with Iran, the EPA announced a plan to lower prices and stretch America's fuel supply by cutting more of it with ethanol. Will it work? Probably not. And as Joel, Kyle, and Andrew explain, it could actually ruin your car's engine. Ethanol is an alcohol made from corn, and it's commonly added to gasoline as an oxygenator that helps it burn more cleanly and raises the octane rating. We used to use lead, but... that didn't work out. But there are downsides: it's less energy dense than uncut gasoline, so the more ethanol you add, the less efficient your car's engine runs. It's also a solvent, so it will eat away at rubber seals, hoses, and plastics in engines not designed for it. And it degrades quicker in higher temperatures, creating more smog during the summer. Normally, a gallon of gas is about 10% ethanol, 90% gasoline by liquid volume. E15 gas, which is 15% ethanol, is sold in a number of states during the cooler months as "88 octane", and it's a bit cheaper—because you're literally buying less gas and more ethanol per gallon. Oil companies are typically banned from selling it from June to September because of the smog issue, but the EPA is now waiving the rule to encourage refineries to make more E15. But if your car was made before 2001, even that 5% bump in ethanol content can really screw up your engine. E15 gas will also damage smaller two-stroke engines in motorcycles, lawn mowers, and boats. And even if you have a newer car, there's still a risk that comes with opting for cheaper 88 octane—especially if your car requires premium fuel. Stories mentioned in today's episode: The Feds Plan To Start Diluting Gasoline This May: Explained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    27 min

  7. 26 MAR

    Can Toyota take down Ford as the king of off-road pickups?

    The secret is out: Toyota is planning to build a crazy Baja-blasting version of the Tundra pickup. Does it stand a chance against the Ford F-150 Raptor? And why are we so obsessed with uber off-road trucks in America anyways? We've been on top of this story since 2022, when a source tipped us off that the model was in development. Things went quiet for a while, but earlier this month we uncovered a trademark filing from Toyota for the name "TRD Hammer," and another source confirmed the name would be used for a high-speed, desert-runner pickup to compete with the Ford Raptor and the Ram TRX, plus a few more key specs. This week, Kyle and Joel are spilling the details our reporting uncovered, explaining how we tracked the story over four years, and breaking down the complex reasons why factory off-road pickups and SUVs have become more outrageous—and more popular—than ever before. Plus, what it means for the multibillion-dollar aftermarket industry that's seeing automakers take a bite out of their business. Stories mentioned in today's episode: A Raptor-Fighting Toyota Tundra Desert Truck Is In Development: Source Looks Like the Toyota Tundra Raptor Rival Has a Name: TRD Hammer Toyota’s Tundra TRD Hammer Targets V6 F-150 Raptor With Hybrid Power and 37-inch tires Why a simple new truck has to cost over $70,000 in 2025 (YouTube) 2026 Ford Mustang Raptor Rumor Sounds Too Crazy To Be True … or Is It? 00:00 Intro 02:10 The battle heats up 05:19 How Ford made the market 08:23 Toyota's secret revealed 25:55 Why GM is MIA 30:25 Why the off-road business is booming 45:17 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    46 min

  8. 18 MAR

    Inside the shady world of the Montana license plate loophole

    Ah, Montana. Big Sky Country, the Last Best Place, and... Land of Tax Evasion? This week, we're diving into the controversy around the Montana license plate loophole. A quirk of Montana law allows non-residents to buy and register cars there without ever setting foot in the state, and it's been heavily used by wealthy people around the country to avoid paying their own state's sales taxes and registration fees on expensive cars—saving tens of thousands of dollars in the process. As a result, Montana has twice as many registered cars as actual people living in the state. And those other states are getting sick of losing millions of dollars in revenue to Montana. This month, California charged 14 people with tax evasion, money laundering, and conspiracy over using the loophole, pushing an open secret into the national spotlight, with the promise of more enforcement to come. It's turning into a real mess. The Drive's editor-in-chief Kyle Cheromcha and executive editor Andrew Collins are breaking down how exactly the Montana trick works, what happened in California, and why this loophole is so hard to close for the rest of the country. Thanks to the National Corvette Museum for sponsoring today's episode! Enter here (https://bit.ly/4uBefxU) for your chance to win a '65 Corvette. Entries close April 26, 2026 at 2:00 PM CT. This is your shot – don’t let it pass. Link to the California case charging document: https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/Complaint_Redacted_1.pdf Stories mentioned in today's episode: California Is Done With Rich Guys Registering Their Exotic Cars in Montana YouTuber WhistlinDiesel Arrested for Allegedly Evading Sales Tax on Ferrari F8 Tributo Why the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon is a Secret Tax Write-Off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    40 min
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About

The Drivecast gives you an inside, behind-the-scenes look at the biggest stories, controversies, and people shaping the car industry from one of the top automotive news sites in the country. Each week, The Drive's editor-in-chief Kyle Cheromcha, director of content Joel Feder, and a rotating cast of expert staffers will break down how automakers are navigating a transformative time. Massive shifts in technology, manufacturing, and consumer demands are changing the ways cars are built and sold quicker than ever, and the way car companies are navigating this moment will shape the way our roads look for the next century. It doesn’t matter if you’re an enthusiast since birth or just curious about why cars are the way they are today—we’ll give you the inside line with our exclusive reporting and break it all down for you. If you like what we're doing, check out The Drive for the latest news, analysis, and in-depth car reviews, sign up for one of our newsletters, and subscribe to us on YouTube. We're also posting all the time on Instagram and Facebook.

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