Talking Cars 187: Classic Car Names Resurface and the 2019 BMW X5

Our panel also answers audience questions

By Jen Stockburger

January 25, 2019

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Main theme: The Detroit auto show highlighted the increasing trend of automakers resurrecting old car names for newer, more up-to-date models. Do upcoming models like the Ford Ranger and Bronco, Toyota Supra, and Jeep Gladiator draw nostalgia fans who knew them "back in the day," or will younger buyers relate to their (sometimes) iconic names? Our panel tackles some flashback names and shares which classics they would like to see reborn.

Driven this week: 2019 BMW X5

Audience questions:

What are the effects of cold temperatures on electric vehicle range?
Can onboard oil life monitors be trusted?
What's the best car for a teen who's about to get a driver's license?
What's the best replacement for a Toyota Highlander?

As with other "Talking Cars" episodes, this one is available free through Apple Podcasts. (Subscribe to the audio or video.) You'll also find the audio on Spotify and video on YouTube.

• 2019 Detroit Auto Show, episode 186
• Jaguar I-Pace, episode 185
• What Our Testing Revealed About Tire Wear, episode 184
• The Year in Review, episode 183
• Sports Cars for Tall Drivers, episode 182
• CR Sees the Light, episode 181

Have a Question?

We'd love to include it in a future show. Click here to upload your video questions to our Dropbox folder. Please send high-definition (1920x1080) MP4 video files with high-quality audio. Or send an iMessage question to our TalkingCars@icloud.com account.

Jen Stockburger

I never anticipated that engineering, the auto industry, and a few hundred tire changes and child seat installations would have brought me here: director of day-to-day operations at Consumer Report's fabulous 327-acre Auto Test Center. The bonus is that the track's location in rural Connecticut leaves me close enough to home to also enjoy my children and husband while still squeezing in time for gardening, riding horses, and hunting for antiques.