Main theme: Our panel dives into one of the most frequently asked questions about CR's Auto Test Center: What happens to test cars once we've finished evaluating them?

Then we discuss the new 2019 Ford Ranger pickup truck. Gone from U.S. dealerships since 2011, the Ranger returns with a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine and a healthy lineup of modern conveniences. We discuss our first impressions of our recently purchased Ranger XLT and how it compares with competitors, including the Honda Ridgeline, Nissan Frontier, Toyota Tacoma, and the Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon twins.

Driven this week: 2019 Ford Ranger

Audience questions:

  • Will the battery-assist feature in the new Toyota RAV4 Hybrid run out of juice if the all-wheel-drive system is used for hours at a time?
  • What do we think of buying a used EV, and how well would it handle cold New Hampshire winters?
  • How will future self-driving technologies deal with snow, ice, or salt grime gathering on the sensors that are needed for these systems to function well?

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 Autos Spotlight, episode 191
• Cars That Broke Our Hearts, episode 190
• Questions: AWD, Tires, Teens, episode 189
• Honda Passport, Loyalty Programs, episode 188
• Classic Car Names, BMW X5, episode 187

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.