Talking Cars 285: Driving the Ram 1500 Diesel, and Redesigned New Cars and SUVs

We also answer audience questions about replacing a Land Rover Defender and whether a key fob can drain the main battery

By Jon Linkov

December 11, 2020

Main theme: We discuss the release of three new models coming out in 2021:
• 2022 Honda Civic
• 2022 Subaru BRZ
• 2022 Acura MDX

Driven this week: 2020 Ram 1500 Diesel

Audience Questions
• Is it common for a key fob to cause a car's battery to drain prematurely?
• Do vehicles even have a country of origin anymore?
• What vehicle would be a good replacement for a Land Rover Defender?

Talking Cars 285 — Talking Cars panelists Mike Quincy, Jon Linkov, and Mike Monticello.

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 (log-in required) and video on YouTube.

• Mercedes-Benz GLA, Road Trips With Pets, episode 284
• Toyota Venza, Thankful in 2020, episode 283
• Car Reliability, Land Rover Defender, episode 282
• We Answer Your Questions, episode 281
• Subscription Fees, Chevrolet Suburban, episode 280

Have a Question?

We’d love to include it in a future show. 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.

Talking Cars

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Jon Linkov

Jon Linkov is the deputy auto editor at Consumer Reports. He has been with CR since 2002, covering varied automotive topics including buying and leasing, maintenance and repair, ownership, reliability, used cars, and electric vehicles. He manages CR’s lineup of special interest publications, hosts CR’s “Talking Cars” podcast, and writes and edits content for CR’s online and print products. An avid cyclist, Jon also enjoys driving his ’80s-era sports car and instructing at track days.