Talking Cars Episode 12: Have American cars really gotten better?

The latest podcast features the Acura MDX, Chevrolet Silverado, Fiat 500L, Kia Soul, and much more

Published: September 04, 2013 12:00 PM

Episode #12 of Talking Cars with Consumer Reports answers a provocative question from a long-time subscriber: Have American cars really gotten better, or is Consumer Reports transitioning out of a Japanese car phase?

Director of Auto Testing Jake Fisher and Senior Engineers Gabe Shenhar and Tom Mutchler address that question, posed in the wake of high-scoring American vehicles like the Chevrolet Impala, Ram 1500, and Tesla Model S.

We then discuss new road test results of the Acura MDX, which avoids the inglorious fate of the company's so-so RLX flagship sedan, and the decidedly disappointing Mitsubishi Outlander.

We take a first look at the redesigned Kia Soul and the funky Fiat 500L. Not surprisingly, the Fiat creates mixed feelings among us. Finally, we wrap up with questions about what cars we're going to add to our test program.

Find out how much Jake expects to pay at "off, off, off-airport rental" prices for the Outlander and if the Lancer Evolution is enough to warrant struggling Mitsubishi's survival in the American marketplace. And look for an (almost) all-truck episode near the end of September discussing the test results from one of the most hotly contested face-offs in recent memory: Chevrolet Silverado vs. the Ram 1500.

As with the other shows, this episode is also available for free through the iTunes store. Subscribe to the video or audio. The audio is also available via SoundCloud.